Sustainability at Landhaus San Sebastián
Sustainable nature lodge near Pucón – verifiable, not merely claimed.
Almost every lodge in southern Chile now describes itself as sustainable. We therefore explain what actually happens here – with figures, dates and the areas where we have not yet achieved everything we want. You are welcome to check our claims during your stay.
Energy
We are not connected to the grid. We rely on the sun.
Landhaus San Sebastián is supplied by its own photovoltaic system with battery storage. This is not an image-building measure, but the basis for operating at this location on the Camino Pucón–Caburgua. It also means that we know how much electricity is used here.
Photovoltaics
15 kWp of installed capacity and 20 kWh of usable battery storage.
Self-sufficiency
Around 85% of our annual electricity demand is covered by our own generation.
Heating
We use only properly seasoned firewood from the farm.
Water and wastewater
What we use here also remains our responsibility here.
Landhaus San Sebastián lies within the Lake Villarrica catchment. The basin was declared a saturated zone for chlorophyll-a, transparency and dissolved phosphorus by Supreme Decree No. 43 of 2017, published on 6 August 2018. The corresponding decontamination plan is still being prepared and is intended to reduce the relevant pollutant loads. For us, wastewater management is therefore an operational responsibility, not a secondary matter.
Wastewater
Our on-site wastewater system is maintained regularly. Servicing and disposal are carried out by authorised operators and documented.
Cleaning products
We use phosphate-free cleaning products to reduce avoidable phosphorus inputs.
Drinking water
Our water comes from our own supply. We do not provide drinking water in single-use bottles.
Food
The shortest supply route runs through the garden.
Gabriela’s kitchen works with what our own organic farm, neighbouring producers and the regional market can provide at that time. This is why the menu does not look exactly the same every day – and why we offer a farm tour: you can see where part of your food comes from.
Our own produce
Vegetables, fruit, herbs and eggs come from our own organic farm. Many of the ingredients served at breakfast are produced on site.
Neighbouring farms
Cheese, milk and meat come from neighbouring farms, supplemented by produce from the market in Pucón.
Food scraps
Organic waste is returned to the natural cycle through composting or used as animal feed where appropriate.
People
Sustainability does not end at the garden gate.
A business that protects the environment while exploiting people is not sustainable; it is merely inexpensive. We employ people from the immediate area, pay above the locally customary level and try to maintain employment beyond the main season whenever possible.
Employment
Our team comes from the local area, and we try to maintain contracts beyond the main season.
Culture
Mapuche culture is part of the community here, not a show. We refer guests to local providers rather than imitating or commercialising their culture ourselves.
Land
23 hectares that we deliberately leave undeveloped.
The nature park surrounding the lodge consists of mature Nothofagus forest, streams and volcanic soil. Our most important contribution there is restraint: no further development, no additional buildings and no chemical treatments. Only paths, a viewpoint and quiet.
Nature park
23 hectares with centuries-old Nothofagus trees and views of Villarrica, Quetrupillán and Lanín.
Cultivation
Two hectares are cultivated organically without synthetic fertilisers or synthetic pesticides.
Reforestation
Where replanting is necessary, we use native species rather than fast-growing plantation species.
The figures at a glance
Key figures that we update every year.
| Installed photovoltaic capacity | 15 kWp |
|---|---|
| Usable battery storage | 20 kWh |
| Share of electricity generated on site | Approximately 85% |
| Nature park | 23 ha |
| Organically cultivated area | 2 ha |
| Rooms | 12 |
| Wastewater treatment | On-site system with documented servicing and disposal by authorised operators |
The honest part
What we do not claim.
Showing only one’s strengths produces a brochure, not an honest assessment. These points belong to the same balance sheet:
- Travel remains the largest problem. A flight to Chile cannot be offset by a vegetable garden. We therefore encourage longer stays rather than visits of only two nights.
- There is no public transport at kilometre 18. A rental car or transfer is necessary. We arrange shared journeys where possible.
- We do not currently hold a sustainability certification. Until that changes, only what you can verify here on site should count.
- Not everything has been solved. We are continuing to work on it.
Frequently asked questions
What guests want to know beforehand.
Is Landhaus San Sebastián certified as sustainable?
No. Landhaus San Sebastián does not currently hold a sustainability certification. It is registered in SERNATUR’s National Register of Tourism Service Providers and holds a commercial licence and sanitary authorisation.
Where does the electricity come from?
It comes from our own photovoltaic system with 15 kWp of installed capacity and 20 kWh of usable battery storage. Around 85% of our annual electricity demand is covered by our own generation.
How far is Landhaus San Sebastián from Pucón and Lake Caburgua?
The lodge is located on the Camino Pucón–Caburgua at kilometre 18. Lake Caburgua is 4 km away, and Huerquehue National Park is 12 km away.
Where does the food served at Landhaus San Sebastián come from?
Vegetables, fruit, herbs and eggs come from our own organic farm, supplemented by products from neighbouring farms and the regional market in Pucón.
Can I visit the organic farm?
Yes. The farm tour with Andreas visits the vegetable beds, fruit-growing areas and animals, and continues into the 23-hectare nature park. It takes place in a small group and depends on the season, weather and daily farm work.