Green hotel in urbanized jungle, possible?

Hi readers!

This topic has been something that I have been always been wanting to write in detail about and I recently posted this article in green-travel.info. Thought I would share it here with you guys too.

Green hotel in urbanized jungle, possible?


Before I embarked on the journey of knowing more about Green Travel, the perception of a green hotel has always been ambiguous. This caused me to research more to search for the true meaning of a green hotel and blogged about it here. It was then when I gained the interest to know more about green hotels which are away from the mainstream; those which are located in the urbanized environment.

I thought to myself, isn’t it more difficult for these hoteliers to convince tourists that they are equally as environmental friendly as those accommodation providers which are located in the natural environment? After all, these urban hotels are expected to keep to the comfort and luxury levels as promised, which usually conflicts with what green travelling is believed to be like – minimal usage of resources.

However, many are unaware that many urban hoteliers have advanced and transformed to be operated in the most eco friendly way as possible. Recently, I have taken notice of such hotels with impressive efforts of being green. One of them is Alto Hotel, Australia.

According to the Green Globe Earth Check assessment, Alto Hotel has been able to achieve results with at least 60% above the best practices expected of the industry.  All electricity is purchased from a green supplier which generates the electricity from carbon neutral sources. Movement sensors are installed in the air conditioning units so that they switches off by itself when no movement is detected. All toiletries are biodegradable.

The hotel itself is also constructed to conserve energy. 97% of the windows are double glazed and faced North and West to have a 10mm thick “green glass” pane. This is to allow lower heat penetration during summer and heat loss during the winter. A lot of background work is involved too. Recyclable rubbish is sorted and separated, with the provision of twin compartment bins that encourages guests to place their waste in the appropriate compartments. The hotel mainly supports suppliers that practises environmental sustainability and those located close to the hotel so that transportation is minimized.

If you noticed, the mentioned initiatives do not interfere with the hotel’s ability to provide excellent levels of service and comfort. In fact, it has received many compliments from guests in trying hard to beat this challenge of operating an urban hotel in an eco-friendly manner.

Bear in mind that there are many such hotels who operates responsibly in the urban area. In fact, this trend is getting increasingly popular among accommodation providers. One of the reasons could be that being green is now made easier with the assistance from various environmental organizations, some of which provides tool kits for hoteliers to get started on being green.

Nonetheless, these green hotels ought to be equally recognized and applauded for playing a part to conserve the environment despite the additional investments and changes required.

As travellers, let’s play our part to protect the environment by showing our support for these hoteliers too!

Here’s the list of hotels that are rated this week at greenty.com;

Hermit Holidays

Brenley Farm House

Foxes Reach

Awen Vegetarian Bed & Breakfast

Godshill Park Farm

Pennard Hill Farm Estate

Wambrook Farm
Straven Guest House

Harbour Lodge

Titchwell Manor Hotel

Under the Thatch Self-catering

Burrastow House

Huntingtower Lodge B&B

Trericket Mill Vegetarian Guesthouse & Bunkhouse
Argument Cottage

Leckmelm Holiday Cottages

Balinakill Hotel

Natural Retreats

The Glastonbury White House

Bedruthan Steps Hotel Ltd
The Old Rectory Retreat

Raffles

The Silverdale Hotel

Bruach Self-Catering Cottage

Winford Manor

Apex City of London Hotel
Apex International Hotel

Apex City Hotel Edinburgh

Apex European Hotel

Armathwaite Hall Country House and Spa

Aveland House

Lovat Arms

Ashdene House

Old Chapel Forge

Strattons Hotel
Bloomfield House

The West Usk Lighthouse

Ivy Bank

Cairn Hotel

Novotel Wolverhampton
Bee House

Signal Mountain Lodge

High Meadows Vineyard Inn

MacArthur Place Hotel

WildSpring Guest Habitat
Hawthorne Hostel

Zion Lodge

Park Light Inn

Cedar House Inn and Yurts

North Berkeley Hills Homestay

Willard Street Inn

Kimpton’s Cypress Hotel

Arcady Vineyard

The Inn at Schoolhouse Creek

Mountain Lake Conservancy


Signing off,
Michelle

Treehouse Fantasy

Inspired by a friend, I made some research of tree house hotels and I was amazed to find out that there are so many of them!

For this blog post, I would be sharing some of the top few tree house hotels that I would personally want to visit one day. Hope it inspires you too!

Treehotel, Sweden

The TreeHotel features 24 rooms categorized into the following accommodation types: The Cabin, The MirrorCube, The Bird’s Nest, The Blue Cone, The UFO and The Tree Sauna. All rooms overlook the stunning views of the Lule River and vary in size between 15-30 metres square.

(via Treehotel’s official website)

There will not be any dull moment at the Treehotel as there are many activities going on, regardless of what season it is. During summer or autumn, you can consider horseback riding, hiking, biking or canoeing in the renowned Lule River. Guided tours are also available in which you will be entertained by stories of the Treehotel development process. In spring or winter when the Lule River is frozen, dog sleds rides are popular among visitors.

Prices start from about USD$560 per night for 2 adults.

Treehouses Montville, Australia 

This family owned resort is located just 1 hour away from the south of Brisbane. It houses 24 luxury cabins, in which all of them are equipped with amenities such as spa baths, kitchen facilities, fireplace, modern toiletries and colour television. A great place to immerse yourself into the natural surroundings yet without compromising on comfort levels.

(via Treehouses Montville’s official website)

The resort features a swimming pool, gymnasium, restaurant and nearby places to visit like the local wineries, beaches, art galleries and many more. For those who are interested in exploring wildlife, Bush Walking Tracks are conducted by the resort too.

It would cost about USD$240 per night here, depending on the season.

Cedar Creek Treehouse, Washington State, US

This environmental friendly treehouse resort houses a cottage that is located 50 feet up in a 200 year old Western Red Cedar tree and a Treehouse Observatory tower that offers picturesque views of the mountains.

The Cedar Creek Treehouse has gained recognition from various media, earning titles of ‘World’s Top 6 Treehouses’ by Financial Times and ‘World’s Best Five Treehouses by The Guardian (London).

The Rainbow Bridge that leads the way to the Observatory Tower, nicknamed as “Stairway to Heaven”

Interior Design of the Treehouse

(via Cedar Creek Treehouse’s official website)

This place is positively raved by its guests, claiming that it is a childhood dream or fantasy come true, being able to live in a tree house. Indeed, such experience would be unforgettable as we are often faced with concrete jungles instead.

Nearby activities include mountain biking, swimming, huckleberry and chanterelle mushroom picking and even cross-country skiing. Based on what I read from the guests’ comments, it is also a romantic place for star gazing, with many stating that it was such a magical experience.

The price for a night’s stay is approximately USD$300 per night, for 2 persons.

________________________________________________________________

To put your mind at ease, tree houses can be safely built in many different methods. One of the popular approaches is the use of stilts, which helps to lift off weight stress for the trees. The usage of nails, screws, ropes and cables is also common for securing the house.

After researching on these tree house accommodations, it simply adds on a reason for me to “save the trees” and appreciate the presence of trees, besides just being useful for fruit and paper production.

Feel free to leave down a comment if you have any ideas about green travel and we would be more than willing to consider them for the next post. (:

Signing off,
Michelle

Do check out the list of eco-friendly hotels/resorts rated this week at Greenty.com :

Anantara Baan Rajprasong

Anantara Lawana Resort & Spa

Anantara Si Kao Resort & Spa

Anantara Phuket

New Lanark Mill Hotel

One Aldwych Hotel

Strand Palace Hotel

Ten Hill Place Hotel

The Bay Hotel

Heights Hotel

The Landmark London

The Lovat, Loch Ness
The Montagu Arms Hotel

Toorak Hotel

County Hotel

Crooklands Hotel

Derwent Hotel

Duchally Country Estate

Eastbury Hotel

Hotel Penzance

Langley Castle Hotel

Loch Kinord Hotel

Old Trafford Lodge

Pedn-Olva Hotel

The Savoy London
Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort

Radisson Blu Deira Creek

The Olde Barn Hotel

Buckshead Eco-Cottage

Carswell Farm Cottages

Coriander Cottages & Mill

Glencoe Cottages

Southwaite Green

The Manor House

Radisson SAS Hotel – Edinburgh

Anna’s House B&B

Upper Middle Road Farm

Deepdale Backpackers and Camping

Fir Mount House B&B
Blue Seas Guest House

Straw Bale Cabin

Trelease Farm

Old Repeater Station

Ruddyglow Park

Rezare Farmhouse B&B

Wheatland Farm

Cote How Organic Guest House

Six Willows Bed and Breakfast

Hill View House B&B
Lasswade Country House Hotel & Restaurant

Lovat Arms Hotel Loch Ness

Shank Wood Log Cabin

Penyrallt Home Farm

Arches House

Vanilla Cottage

Cuildorag House

Burcott Mill

The Hermitage Cottage

Green Holiday claims confuse travellers

Holidaymakers believe they have been “greenwashed” by hotel and
travel groups claiming to be environmentally friendly.

A survey conducted by the world’s largest online travel guide
Greenty.com early this year found that 62 percent of travelers
believed that hotels overestimate their green credentials and only
30% say that hoteliers provide travellers with a fair green
assessment of their property.

Tourism and travel environmental sustainability expert Stewart
Moore from EC3 Global and EarthCheck says the time has come to
demystify the sustainability credentials of hotel and travel
groups.

“There have been a rising number of green claims from hoteliers
and tourism products in the past three years. Many of these claims
verge on the edge of greenwash. Consumers need a certified method
of knowing which hotels or tourism services are actively pursuing
green policies throughout their operations,” said Mr Moore.

EarthCheck has partnered with Greenty.com to demystify the
sustainability credentials of hotel and travel groups. EC3 Global
manages the EarthCheck certification and benchmarking program, used
by more than 1,300 organizations in over 70 countries, for
sustainable travel using the latest science and technology.

Through the new partnership, Greenty.com is now able to
highlight hotels that have been audited by EarthCheck. Founder of
greenty.com Serge Fabre said it is important for consumers to know
that a qualified third-party professional has validated the
effectiveness of sustainable practices at the hotel or tourism
business.

“Our research showed that 60 percent of travelers considered
eco-actions from tourism operators as a key element of their
booking decision and 31 percent are willing to pay more to say in a
green hotel,” said Mr Fabre.

“Today, everything and anything is green. ‘Green’ is a hip word
and there are so many green travel labels, some reliable and some
not, making the search for a green accommodation very difficult, if
not misleading. “It’s so important for environmental sustainability
claims to be demystified. That’s why we have partnered with
EarthCheck, so consumers are assured that the tourism operator has
been scientifically eco-assessed and their claims are true.”

Further media information:
Susan Sullivan, susan@infrontcommunications.com.au – + 61 412 365 122
Stewart Moore, CEO of EarthCheck and EC3Global – stewart.moore@ec3global.com – + 61 7 3238 1900
Sarah Mayer, Manager, Greenty.com – contact@greenty.com

About Greenty.com

Greenty.com is the most comprehensive online green travel guide.
Greenty.com is not a travel agency: its goal is to simplify the
search for green travel. Greenty.com has rated more than 3.000
hotels worldwide through its independent team of green travel
experts using an assessment grid of 21 green criteria. Besides, the
Greenty community of eco-consumers contributes reviews to help
enhance the search experience. www.greenty.com

An exclusive 15% discounted membership is offered to all of the
EarthCheck members who decides to register their eco hotel with
Greenty.com . For more information please send an email to
  contact@greenty.com

About EC3 Global
EC3 Global is the world’s largest certifier of sustainable travel and tourism operators. With more than 1200 clients in over 70 countries, the company’s EarthCheck Program responds directly to the major
environmental problems facing the planet, including climate change, waste reduction and non-renewable resource management. It provides benchmarking, certification and performance improvement systems that result in average first year savings of 30 per cent for energy and waste stream, and 20 per cent savings for water consumption. www.earthcheck.org

EarthCheck awarded by WWF …

EC3 Global, from Australia, just won the WWF Sustainable Small Business award, for their work in encouraging the tourism industry to take action to get greener.


EarthCheck’s certification and benchmarking gives the hospitality industry a science-based approach to increase efficiencies, maximise guest experience and minimise their environmental footprint.


More details about EC3’s award at http://www.earthcheck.org/news/ec3-global-wins-wwf-award.aspx



How to Indulge Yourself with a Luxury Holiday to St Lucia

St Lucia’s mountains make its skyline
instantly recognisable. When you think about the island, you probably visualise
the twin peaks of the Pitons. Partly thanks to this iconic image, St Lucia has
a lively tourist industry, and that’s a good thing. The tourist economy
supports a wide range of excellent hotels and places to visit. And, because St
Lucia is quite a small island, nothing is ever far away.
Most visitors come to the Caribbean for its
sunshine and beaches. In St Lucia, you’ll find them everywhere. At one of the
island’s top hotels, you’ll be able to relax in the perfect tropical paradise.
For its laid-back atmosphere, colourful birdlife, and lush gardens, stay at The
East Winds Inn. For French Caribbean charm, wonderful scenery, and luxurious
spa facilities, try Jalousie Plantation. Another superb hotel to consider is
Cap Maison. Here, you’ll find stunning views, along with the quality you’d
expect at a five-star hotel.
Jade Mountain Hotel is a very special
discovery. If you demand modern luxury, but want to escape from the nuisance of
televisions and phones, it could be your dream. Jade Mountain was made for
couples who just want to be left alone. Here, you can enjoy your stay in near-complete
isolation, just order breakfast, dinner or a spa treatment when you want it.
Alternatively, you might want to get out
and see the country.
Visit the famous Pitons, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. These two majestic mountains are formed by volcanic plugs. If
you’re feeling energetic, go for a climb. Alternatively, just relax and soak up
the scenery.
At the nearby town of Soufrière, St Lucia’s
volcanic past is still evident. You’ll find hot springs and fumaroles, and it
boasts the world’s only drive-through volcano. The St Lucia Botanical Gardens,
or Diamond Botanical Gardens, are also in Soufrière, so they’re certainly worth
a visit. Here, the volcanic minerals help sustain a rich and exotic flora, and
a waterfall of dazzling colours.
Depending on the timing of your trip, you
might be lucky enough to catch the St Lucia Carnival, or maybe the Jazz
Festival. If not, don’t worry. You can still enjoy the island’s vibrant culture
by visiting its capital. With a population of just over ten thousand, Castries
isn’t a metropolis, but it is buzzing. You’ll love its unique atmosphere, and
treasure its memory alongside the many you’ll take home from St Lucia.
To find out more about booking a luxury
holiday to St. Lucia, speak to The Ultimate Travel Company who can create
tailor-made, luxury holidays.  Visit the
Ultimate Travel company website for more details.

Responsible Travel : Getaway is a beach

How do we describe a perfect holiday?
Nowadays, the first thing that pops into one’s mind when asked with this
question is a beach getaway. With the sugary-white sand piling up on your feet,
then being enticed for a swim in the crystal clear water, the beach escape is a
traveller’s paradise here on earth. 
Recently, we have seen a surge in tourist arrivals flocking to beach
areas to have their fair share of sun, sea and surf while being with friends or
family. But with this growing number of tourists flooding our beaches, it has
turned pristine coastline into a mishmash of trash.
Good thing, a lot of the accommodation
establishments springing up on beach areas around the world are now moving
forward to more sustainable operations for guests. One good example to this is Curtain Bluff Resort where it
has mixed a wide-array of watersports in the Antiguan tropics with green
initiatives such as water conservation, capitalizing on modern equipment such
as chlorinators and reactors for water filtration and reuse.
On the other side of the world, in
Australia, we have Shboo Shelly BeachLodge, with its log cabin façade but perched near the sea, where the
energy used for its daily operations are harnessed from natural sources such as
sunlight and wind energy. Because of this, it has consistently barred emissions
from its facilities ever since leveraging on natural energy supply. 
Not only do these resort establishments
provide a greener environment for its guests, it has also given the local
community a sustainable way of living. For example, the Elsewhere Beach House The Bakery in Northern Goa has
provided locals with day-to-day jobs in the areas of food and beverage,
maintenance and events operations. This has triggered employment and economic
benefits in the area surrounding the resort.
Whether we are basking in the sun at
Antigua, or wading in the seashores of India, these beach facilities have not
only given guests their much needed getaway, but it has also provided the
environment a longer time to sustainably share its beauty to other travellers
for years to come.

La France Verte

Alongside with Germany, France appears today as one of the country in the world offering the largest number of hotels, inns, and more peculiar destinations that have made the choice to propose a responsible stay for their guests.

As an old European country, with very old buildings hard to improve, regarding their energy efficiency, it seemed hard for historical hotels to implement sound and effective policy towards green travel. But the Hôtel Le Morgane, for example in Chamonix, went through a major refurbishment program over the last six months, offering a hotel in Chamonix both upscale and responsible. Aware that it would not be possible to go as far as do the currently constructed buildings since the hotel started from an existent building, the project followed a voluntary and rigorous methodology.
Luxurious hotels have managed to respect this environmental necessity as well: The Hi Hotel in Nice,  has managed to combine luxury, design, and ecology. Its cantina offers exclusively local and organic food, solar panel was implemented to produce the required energy, and the hotel proposes bike to its clients.

But France offers far more than traditional hotels, and travelers will have the opportunity to discover natural sites and discover the most beautiful landscapes of the country: Natural Surf Lodge, in Seignosse, close to the French Landes, is an ancient farm which have been completely refurnished according to green criteria, that serves as stay to host surfing students.
The Manigod guesthouse in Comburce, is an authentic Savoyard farmhouse renovated in a entirely ecological way.

And if you are longing for a truly unique journey, you might consider the Auberge des VoyaJoueurs in Monteneuf offers games room and large wooden games, and has integrated sustainability as one of its founding principles. Or try the Perrine’ Earthship, the only earth ship rental of its kind outside America and the first official domestic earth ship in Europe.

Canada’s Gone Wild, sustainably wild

What does one think when going to Canada? The beautiful
scenery, the rich landscape, the awesome people? The vastness of this magnificent
country boasts of the mix of warm sunny locations and cold frigid mountain
peaks, vivid streets and pale white snow, exhilaration on the slopes and calm
on its expansive fields – Canada is truly a worthwhile visit for the intrepid
traveller, the adventurer, the family or even for the romantics. But with its colourful
facets, Canada has also been home to one of the greenest and eco-forward
accommodations in the world. For over three decades now, Canadian eco-standards
have shot up to provide guests and visitors with a discerning take on how “eco-active”
these hotels, resorts and lodges are in maintaining the perfect equilibrium of
comfort and sustainability to its guests.
If one is high up in the ridges and peaks of the Canadian
Rockies, a visit to the Sunwolf Outdoor Center to get the action going with a
variety of activities suited for the well-travelled back-packer. Horseback
through the dense wilderness of the coniferous forests and even savour the
excitement of rock climbing after a day’s trekking. Afterwards, treat yourself
to a relaxing retreat at the in-facility garden.
When with family, a good getaway with much seclusion and
privacy would be Eastview Wilderness Ranch. Functioning as both a cattle ranch
for organic beef as well as an accommodation for six to eight guests, the ranch
gives a glimpse of pastoral life in the Canadian rural areas. Kids are treated with
a variety of farm animals and the adults can lounge about and even do their own
piece of gardening and relish the comforts inside a well-furnished cabin.
Canada also has a booming economic landscape, so business
travelling is not an exemption in these parts. One can stay at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. Situated in one of the most vibrant and bustling metropolises
in Canada, the Fairmont Royal York caters to business travellers being that it’s
right smack in the center of the business district. Giving guests the comfort and
luxury of the Fairmont brand as well as the convenience of proximity to the
different shopping areas, restaurants and offices, a stay here is a delight for
seamless business travellers.
Whether staying in with adventure travellers, the family or
with colleagues from work, Canada has much to offer. It’s green and eco-active
hotels have been providing quality stays for their visitors. That’s why Canada
has always been on top of everyone’s list of places to go to unwind and care
for the environment.

Greening Australia

When
one thinks of rugged terrains, crystal clear blue waters, dry deserts and lush
green reserves, Australia pops into mind – having been the home of a variety of
flora and fauna as well as vistas that breathtakingly capture the beauty of Mother
Nature. The beauty of the Australian Outback has been the backdrop of so many
Hollywood movies and television shows that it is really a must-visit location
for your next family holiday, adventure travel or honeymoon! With the varying
landscape comes a host of different accommodations that one can pick out from
the dozens of different eco-friendly hotels and resorts dotting the “Land Down
Under”.

If
you are looking for a mix of powdery white sand beaches and amazing wildlife
and plant species, then Cape Cassini Wilderness Retreat in Stokes Bay
would be a perfect hideaway complete with snorkelling and bird watching
activities. Business travelling can also be a breeze in Australia, mixing both
relaxation and work, most especially in Perth! The Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle offers guests two outdoor swimming pools, a gymnasium and handful
of spas while just being 20 minutes away from the central business district of
Perth.  Itching to do your own safari at
the sight of red sandy dunes? Then Gunya Titjikala, 120 km south of
Alice Springs, would provide you with top-of-the-line desert safari tents,
majestic views and great aboriginal tours.

Australia’s
mix of the sublime and the rugged makes for a beautiful and awe-inspiring trip
that would surely be memorable for travellers visiting this island-nation. Its
captivating horizon of beautiful sights and sounds is bursting at the seams
with what most people would call “paradise on earth”. And staying in these
places does not only give visitors comfort and luxury, but also a bigger role
in preserving the beauty of the Australian landscape.

Novotel goes Green

Green Tourism is too often analyzed and understood as regional development, specific to regions or cities. We sometimes forget, even ourself, focusing each week on specific areas, that ecological travel may sometimes find its root in the transnational policies of international hotel chains.

As a matter of fact, Novotel’s strategy has anticipated its clients’ expectations of environmental matters and corporate social responsibility.

In 2008, within the scope of Accor’s Earth Guest programme of sustainable development, Novotel committed to an international programme of environmental and social certification : EarthCheck. This certification was selected for its independence and focus on the challenges of global tourism.

This week, take the time to discover our list of new Novotel’s rated hotels according to their green commitment.

Novotel Nottingham East Midlands
Novotel Reading Centre
Novotel Sheffield Centre
Novotel Wolverhampton
Novotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
Novotel Bangna Bangkok
Novotel Phuket Resort
Novotel Daegu City Centre
Novotel Lima
Novotel Queenstown Lakeside
Novotel Rotorua Lakeside
Novotel Breda
Novotel Mexico Santa Fe
Novotel Caserta Sud
Novotel Milano Malpensa Airport
Novotel Milano Nord Ca Granda
Novotel Venezia Mestre Castellana
Novotel Bali Nusa Dua Hotel Camp; Residences
Novotel Bandung
Novotel Bogor Golf Resort and Convention Center
Novotel Lombok
Novotel Semarang
Novotel Hyderabad Airport
Novotel Budapest Danube
Novotel Nadi
Novotel Suva Lami Bay
Novotel Cairo 6th Of October
Novotel Cairo Airport
Novotel Cairo El Borg
Novotel Beijing Peace
Novotel Beijing Sanyuan
Novotel Ieper Centrum Flanders Fields
Novotel Barossa Valley Resort
Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour
Novotel Twin Waters Resort Sunshine Coast