Green desires
01-Nov-07
Luxury travel and green are words that would rarely have featured in the same sentence 10 years ago.
It's a very different story today, however, as climate change has become a key issue in the travel industry for guests and hoteliers alike.
"You cannot even start to call a hotel green unless it's addressing the basics, which includes water supply, electricity usage and its impact on the local community," says Tricia Barnett, director of Tourism Concern.
In response to the eco challenge, a number of luxury hotel groups have announced a string of green initiatives. Leading Hotels of the World is to absorb the cost to offset guests' energy consumption; Six Senses Resorts & Spas is partnernering with The Carbon Neutral Company to help offset guests' flight emissions; Soneva Fushi, in the Maldives, is the first in the group to take part in a programme to become carbon neutral by 2010.
Meanwhile, '1', the new five-star hotel brand by Starwood Capital, promises to demonstrate that green principles can coexist alongside luxury hospitality.
Aloft by Starwood Hotels is using recycled teak in its properties; Hyatt's Andaz brand promises to incorporate ecologically friendly building materials into all its new builds; and Banyan Tree Bintan recently launched the Bintan Wildlife Conservation Laboratory.
BEST FOR CULTURE
POST RANCH INN - BIG SUR, CALIFORNIA
Why: Built to stringent environmental standards, the 40 individual 'houses' blend into the landscape, with 10 new rooms added this summer.
Green credentials: Renowned for its organic style and for using natural materials, and creating the first commercial grey water system approved in California.
Price: From 410 per night in a Mountain House room.
Contact: www.postranchinn.com
Fairmont Mayakoba
Mexico
Why: Has 401 guest rooms, and facilities include a 16,000sq ft Willow Stream spa.
Green credentials: Partners the World Heritage Alliance to support the natural and cultural history of the Mayan people and the Sian Ka'an Biosphere reserve.
Price: From£136 per night per room.
Contact: www.fairmont.com
BEST FOR NATURE
BANYAN TREE - SEYCHELLES
Why: Guests can witness the rare sight of turtles hatching on the white-sand beach, and take trips to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Vallee de Mai. Facilities include tennis courts, a helipad and a Banyan Tree Spa with eight pavilions.
Green credentials: In addition to Baynan Tree's CSR policy, which ensures that all resorts are built so as to minimise damage to the environment, the resort formed an alliance with Marine Conservation Society of Seychelles to save the Hawksbill turtle.
Price: From £710 per villa per night in a Hillside Pool Villa on a bed and breakfast basis.
Contact: www.banyantree.com/seychelles
LAPA RIOS ECOLODGE - COSTA RICA
Description: Set in a private nature reserve spanning 1,000 acres of lowland tropical rainforest, connected to the Corcovado National Park, with 16 spacious, luxurious bungalows and a restaurant.
Green credentials: Winner of the Rainforest Alliance organisation's 2007 Corporate Sustainable Standard-Setter award. The resort has made it its mission to preserve the rainforest, and supports the local community through education and job training. It also sponsors local schools and promotes environmental awareness among guests.
Price: From £150 per person per night, including a guided tour of the Lapa Rios Nature Reserve.
Contact: www.laparios.com
BEST FOR FAMILIES
ALL SEASONS ECO RESORT PHILLIP ISLAND - AUSTRALIA
Why: Opened in May and surrounded by vineyards, Phillip Island is one of the country's main breeding ground for penguins, and the 'penguin parade' is a huge eco-tourism success.
Green credentials: A £306,864 water treatment system ensures substantial savings. More than 75,000 trees are being planted and villas are fitted with energy-efficient gas appliances.
Price: From £100 per studio spa per night.
Contact: www.theislandecoresort.com.au
ALMOND BEACH VILLAGE - BARBADOS
Why: Activities include water sports, tennis, golf, yoga and cooking classes.
Green credentials: Solar power, a water management system and a 'green team'.
Price: From£949 per person all-inclusive with Virgin Holidays.
Contact: www.almondresorts.com
BEST FOR DIVING
SONEVA FUSHI RESORT AND SPA - MALDIVES
Why: A 35-minute seaplane journey from Male sits the island of Kunfunadhoo. Strict regulation of fishing and commercial exploitation has kept the surrounding coral lagoon in a near-pristine state. The resort has a PADI diving school and 65 rooms, including the Soneva Fushi Jungle Reserve.
Green credentials: Numerous environmental projects have been implemented to achieve its target of zero carbon emissions by 2010, including offsetting the carbon footprints of guests' travel to the resort. The resort also has a marine biologist to advise guests on the surrounding coral reef.
Price: From £290 per night staying in a Rehendi Room on a room-only basis.
Contact: www.sixsenses.com
INSIDER'S GUIDE - Justin Francis, co-founder of online travel agent responsibletravel.com
Being luxurious and green certainly can co-exist when it comes to hotels. Some destinations have purposefully adopted a strategy that focuses on the luxury sector in order to attract a lower number of tourists and incur a lower environmental impact.
As it becomes harder to distinguish one luxury property from another, a stringent environmental policy will ultimately be the differentiating factor. In general, luxury properties operate on a higher margin so they have more potential to make such investments.
The clientele tend to have strong CSR policies adopted in their places of work and they expect the hotel in which they holiday to adopt them too.
I think it will become increasingly hard for luxury hotels to defend themselves if they do not have an environmental policy in place.
