De Castro Group | Regenerative hospitality

What De Castro Group | Regenerative hospitality does

De Castro Group is a Granada, Spain-headquartered, family-owned regenerative hospitality group operating across Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America through dual offices in Granada and Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The company delivers a 360-degree service platform for boutique hotels and luxury retreats, structured around five operating pillars: De Castro Consulting (strategic advisory for revenue acceleration), De Castro Projects (technical consulting, auditing, and brokerage), De Castro Collection (a specialized portal linking property owners, buyers, and brokers), Bi'tulum (a regenerative luxury marketing agency), and the RLH Institute / Regenera Luxury Institute (educational programs and certifications). The company serves as the accredited certifying body for REGENERA LUXURY, positioned as the world's first certification dedicated to regenerative luxury boutique hotels and retreats, with proprietary frameworks measuring both soft and hard regenerative metrics aligned with GSTC criteria.

The business model spans five revenue streams: professional-services consulting, transaction-fee brokerage (curating investment opportunities ranging from $1M to $90M across Mexico, Morocco, Spain, and the USA), licensing/certification fees for REGENERA LUXURY (third-party audits in years one and two, then every three years), recurring subscription revenue from educational programs including Auditor & Consultant Accreditation, and a freemium free-property-listing portal serving as a top-of-funnel acquisition channel. Pricing for consulting, brokerage, and certification is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, while property listings are offered at no cost. The customer base is bifurcated between boutique hotel owners seeking valuation enhancement or sale, and investors seeking vetted regenerative luxury opportunities, with additional reach into hospitality professionals via university partnerships (notably Anahuac Cancun University) and government tourism boards in the Mexican Caribbean.

The firm traces its legal lineage to 1885 as G. De Castro, a Spanish artisan tinsmith and plumbing/heating business, but was effectively rebooted and rebranded in 2018 under fifth-generation CEO Héctor De Castro into its current regenerative hospitality configuration. With 14 employees operating on a fully remote/hybrid model and no disclosed funding rounds or revenue figures, the company remains a small, privately held niche consultancy with a multi-brand architecture, ISO 14001 (since 2018) and ISO 50001 (since 2021) compliance, and memberships in ILHA, LUSH, and GSTC-aligned practices.

Name

De Castro Group | Regenerative hospitality

Legal name

DE CASTRO GROUP

Website

https://decastro.group

Company type

Private

Founded year

1885

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

De Castro Group is a Granada, Spain-based family-owned regenerative hospitality consultancy serving boutique hotel owners, investors, and retreats through consulting, brokerage, certification (REGENERA LUXURY), education, and marketing services across Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Granada

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Strategic consulting for eco luxury boutique hotels and retreats to boost value and profit. Includes revenue acceleration strategies and regenerative marketing.
2. Brokerage and Investment Services: Brokerage services specializing in boutique hotels and luxury retreats, connecting property owners with investors and facilitating transactions.
3. Educational Programs: Revenue generation through the Regenera Luxury Institute offering courses, seminars, and workshops on regenerative hospitality. Includes auditor and consultant accreditation programs.
4. REGENERA LUXURY Certification: Accredited certifying body services for hotels and retreats seeking regenerative luxury certification. Third-party audits during first two years, then every three years.
5. Property Listings: Free listing services for eco-friendly boutique hotels, retreats, and lodges connecting them with eco-conscious travelers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

De Castro Group provides consulting, auditing, and brokerage services for eco-luxury boutique hotels and retreats through its DE CASTRO PROJECTS division, complemented by regenerative luxury certification under the REGENERA LUXURY standard, regenerative marketing via its Bi'tulum agency, and professional education through the RLH Institute. The group connects boutique hotel owners with qualified investors, certifies properties against regenerative criteria, and provides revenue acceleration and regenerative impact monitoring for the boutique hospitality sector.

Product overview

De Castro Group is a specialized regeneration-driven group of companies operating in the hotel and wellness sector, offering a comprehensive 360-degree service for boutique hotels and retreats. The portfolio consists of DE CASTRO PROJECTS (technical consulting, auditing, and brokerage), DE CASTRO COLLECTION (specialized property portal), Bi'tulum (regenerative luxury marketing agency), and RLH INSTITUTE (educational platform). The company serves as an accredited certifying body for REGENERA LUXURY, the global leading regenerative luxury certification for hotels and retreats, and operates REGENERA LUXURY NGO for community support. Services span consultancy, revenue acceleration, regenerative marketing, certification, and investment facilitation across eco luxury boutique hotels and retreats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DE CASTRO PROJECTS: Technical pillar - consulting, auditing, and brokerage of eco luxury boutique hotels and retreats with 20+ years experience in Caribbean and SEA
• DE CASTRO COLLECTION
• DE CASTRO CONSULTING
• Bi'tulum
• RLH INSTITUTE (Regenerative Luxury Hospitality Institute)
• REGENERA LUXURY
• Regenera Luxury Institute
• DE CASTRO PROJECTS©

Products and services

• DE CASTRO PROJECTS Technical pillar of DE CASTRO GROUP offering consulting, auditing, and brokerage services for eco-luxury boutique hotels and retreats. Specializes in regenerative luxury hospitality with 20+ years of experience in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia, serving property owners, investors, and operators of boutique hospitality assets.
• DE CASTRO CONSULTING Strategic pillar of DE CASTRO GROUP providing consulting for eco-luxury boutique hotels and retreats to boost value and profit. Offers revenue acceleration strategies, regenerative marketing guidance, and bespoke strategic advisory grounded in 20+ years of Caribbean and Southeast Asia experience.
• DE CASTRO COLLECTION Specialized portal for selected luxury properties with regenerative values, linking owners, buyers, and brokers in the regenerative hospitality space. Serves as a curated marketplace for buyers seeking certified regenerative luxury properties and owners wanting qualified transactions.
• Bi'tulum Regenerative Luxury Marketing Creative pillar and official marketing agency of REGENERA LUXURY, providing regenerative luxury marketing services for boutique hotels and retreats. Elevates hotel brands beyond sustainability claims through regenerative positioning, branding, and storytelling targeted at eco-conscious luxury travelers.
• RLH Institute (Regenerative Luxury Hospitality Institute) Educational platform providing cutting-edge training and expert knowledge to shape the future of regenerative hotels and sustainable tourism. Offers diplomas, certifications (including REGENERA LUXURY Auditor and Consultant Accreditation), courses, and bespoke workshops for hospitality professionals and auditors.
• REGENERA LUXURY Certification (Accredited Auditing Body Services) Accredited certifying body services for REGENERA LUXURY, the global leading regenerative luxury certification for boutique hotels and retreats. Includes third-party audits (annually in the first two years, then every three years) and certification issuance to properties meeting regenerative criteria aligned with GSTC.
• Boutique Hotel Investment Opportunity Platform Investment opportunity platform connecting qualified investors with eco-luxury boutique hotels and retreats, showcasing audited and selected investment opportunities typically ranging from $1M to $90M across Mexico, Spain, Morocco, and USA. Includes inquiry forms for both investors and property owners seeking buyers.
• Eco-Friendly Property Listing Database Free database inclusion service connecting eco-friendly boutique hotels, retreats, and lodges with eco-conscious travelers seeking sustainable accommodations. Provides visibility to qualified properties in the regenerative hospitality space at no cost.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of projects implement measures to generate positive impact on environment and communities
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and regional.

• Anahuac Cancun UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial collaboration with Anahuac Cancun Tourism University for teaching, internships, and research activities. Students gain access to internship programs and educational content developed by De Castro Group.
• REGENERA LUXURY AssociationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDe Castro Group serves as the accredited certifying body for REGENERA LUXURY, the world's first certification dedicated to regenerative luxury boutique hotels and retreats. Strategic partnership for global certification expansion.
• ILHA (International Luxury Hotel Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerILHA Certified member, demonstrating alignment with international luxury hotel sustainability standards and access to industry network.
• GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractices aligned with GSTC criteria for sustainable tourism, ensuring international standards compliance for consulting and certification services.
• Secretaries of Tourism of Cancun, Puerto Morelos and BacalarregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnerships with local government tourism authorities in Mexican Caribbean to ensure regenerative practices extend beyond individual hotels to benefit the broader region.
• Bi'tulumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial marketing agency appointed for REGENERA LUXURY, providing regenerative luxury marketing services to hotel clients. Creative pillar of De Castro Group focused on elevating brands beyond sustainability.
• LUSH (Luxury Sustainable Hotels International Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDe Castro Group is a member of LUSH, a nonprofit association dedicated to promoting sustainability and ethical conduct in the hospitality industry. Contributes to identifying and sharing best ethical and compliance practices.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hotel Brokers International: HBI is an association of hotel brokerage specialists focused on lodging real estate transactions, comparable to De Castro Projects' brokerage of eco-luxury boutique hotels and retreats.
• Green Key Global: Green Key is a leading international eco-certification program for hotels and tourism establishments, serving the same boutique/luxury hotel customer base with overlapping sustainability credentials.
• EarthCheck: EarthCheck is a sustainability certification and benchmarking body for the travel and tourism industry, directly competing with De Castro's REGENERA LUXURY certification franchise for eco-conscious boutique hotels and resorts.
• Travelife: Travelife is a sustainability certification system for hotels and tour operators, with comparable target customers in the boutique and mid-scale hospitality segment.
• Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality: Cayuga is a hospitality consulting and management firm focused on sustainable and boutique hotels, overlapping with De Castro's regenerative consulting and asset advisory practice.
• Boutique Hotel Awards: Boutique Hotel Awards operates a global awards and visibility platform specifically for boutique hotels, directly comparable to De Castro's free property listing and curated Collection portal serving eco-conscious boutique operators.
• HVS (Hospitality Valuation Services): HVS is a global hospitality consulting, valuation, and brokerage firm specializing in hotel transactions and feasibility studies, directly comparable to De Castro's brokerage and investment platform for boutique properties.

Emerging players

• Regenerative Travel: Regenerative Travel is a curated booking platform for hotels with regenerative impact, overlapping with De Castro's eco-luxury property listings and regenerative marketing services.

Broad incumbents

• B Lab (B Corporation): B Lab certifies B Corps across industries including hospitality; it competes for ESG mindshare and serves a similar mission-driven luxury hotel segment, though operating as a much broader multi-industry standard.
• U.S. Green Building Council (LEED): LEED is a dominant building-level sustainability standard that hotels often pursue, representing a broader-incumbent competitor for sustainability-related consulting and certification revenue in the hospitality space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/decastrogroup

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about De Castro Group | Regenerative hospitality