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ISSUE NO. 01 - 2015 THE GREEN ISSUE

I N T E R N A T I O N A L . C O M

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Issue no. 1 FEBRUARY - MARCH 2015

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INSIDEISSUE NO.01 THE GREEN ISSUE - 2015

VOICE WITH THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ................................................................. 05

CONCIERGE A HOTELIER’S HELP DESK ......................................................... 08

THE CONSULTANT By hospitality consultant Peter Venison ......................... 18

Q&A WITH HOTELIER ELISABETTA FABRI Face to face with the president and Ceo of Starhotels. ....................................... 20

Q&A WITH HOTELIER HERVÉ HOUDRÉ Talking with the champion of sustainability in luxury urban hotels . ....................... 28

Q&A WITH HOTELIER HANS PFISTER Lessons from Costa Rica on downplaying sustainability, finding

the right partners, and putting people first. ......................................................... 36

Q&A WITH ARCHITECT HITESH MEHTA Talking with the guru of eco-planning and eco-design. ....................................... 44

THE BEST:Green Conversions ............................................................................................. 52Green Bathroom Designs ................................................................................... 66Living Walls ......................................................................................................... 76

PROFILES:LAKE GARDA’S LEFAY RESORT&SPA Here wellness and sustainability

live in harmony .................................................................................................... 88

CAPE TOWN’S THE VINEYARD HOTEL Beneath the Vineyard Hotel’s

old-world exterior lies a commitment to environmental sustainability

that is more in touch with the future than the past. .............................................. 96

NAPA VALLEY’S BARDESSONO How not to market America’s

greenest luxury hotel. ........................................................................................ 104

PRAGUE’S ADRIA HOTEL A pioneer in sustainability, the Adria

knows that what’s good for the community is good for guests. ........................ 112

MAJORCA’S CASTELL SON CLARET The challenges of creating

an authentically local experience . ...................................................................... 120

FIEMME VALLEY’S CASTELIR HOTEL A green boutique

hotel jewel in Trentino ....................................................................................... 130

ABSTRACT/RIASSUNTOOur Italian guide/La nostra guida italiana to/alla The Green Issue ...................... 136

LAST LOOK ................................................................................................... 144

NEXT ISSUE ................................................................................................... 146

http://www.barillafoodservice.com

Could 2015 be the year that the hospitality industry reaches the green tipping point, abandoning mere ‘green washing’ and committing — really committing — to sustainability? The stories in these

pages make a convincing argument affirming so. From

India to South Africa, Costa Rica to Prague, hotels

have built imitation-worthy business models that are

grounded in eco-consciousness. It would be wishful

thinking to assume that this is due entirely to the heartfelt

environmental conservatism of either guests or hoteliers.

No, as usual, the numbers rule.

As eco pioneer Herve Houdre tells us,

“sustainability is about the triple bottom line – profit,

people, planet.” Even simple initiatives like installing LED

lightbulbs, low-flow showers or drought-resistant plants

(what Houdre calls “tackling the low-hanging fruit”) make a

big difference, as hotels across the world confirm.

The hospitality industry has more ways to go

green than ever before, but keeping up with the new

technology and new ideas is a daunting task. Who better

to help than the torch bearers on sustainability’s front

lines? We’ve sifted through a myriad of worthy green

initiatives from around the world to find ideas that can help

hoteliers improve on their own eco-friendly projects. From

California, James Treadway of the Leed-Platinum-Certified

Bardessono tells us how (not to) promote greenness in

the luxury sector. Architect Hitesh Mehta shares the

ways urban hotels can learn from eco lodges. And from

Spain, Björn Spaude of Castell Son Claret talks about

the importance of cultural authenticity and building local

relationships.

As always, we hope you are inspired by the

people and stories in this issue of Hotelier International.

S I N C E R E LY,

SARAH ANDREWS — EDITOR-IN-CHIEF — [email protected]

VOICE

FOR DAILY INDUSTRY NEWS, EVENT CALENDAR, PREFERRED

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8

ISSUE NO.01 2015 A HOTELIER’S HELP DESK

CONCIERGESINK OR SWIMBY NICK DALL

Floating hotels have long been

disregarded by serious hotel iers as

gimmicks, but i f the success of Finnish

company Sunborn is anything to go by

there may be a future for the concept.

Sunborn’s 180-room

yacht hotels offer the ‘super-yacht

experience’ to non-bi l l ionaires. Their

rooms are more l ike hotel rooms than

cabins, and the bespoke service is

equivalent to that in a 5-star hotel.

They currently have hotels moored in

London, Gibraltar and Finland, and

Barcelona is next on the l ist. Sunborn

has shown that simply mooring a luxury

cruise ship in a harbour wil l not cut it.

Floating hotels can be easi ly

relocated for economic reasons or when

a location becomes polit ical ly unstable,

and they can be posit ioned where

there is no avai lable land – next to a

luxury marina for example. According

to Sunborn’s executive director, Hans

Niemi, they are also very green:

“As movable hotels, there is no

long-term impact on the environment,

our hotels discharge nothing into the

water, and we have created our own

version of a water heat pump system,

which provides green air-condit ioning

and heating from the sea water.”

Apart from the ‘f lotels’ used

by the oi l and gas industry, Niemi is

not aware of similar products currently

in use, although there are numerous

projects in the pipel ine. Dutch

Docklands is set to open f loating hotels

in Tromso and the Maldives, while Qatar

plans to use futurist ic f loating hotels to

house visitors to the country during the

2022 FIFA World Cup. The Burmese

capital Yangon wil l also welcome a

f loating hotel sometime soon.

Niemi bel ieves there is definitely

a future for the concept: “Floating

hotels can take advantage of market

opportunit ies where a permanent hotel

would not be possible,” but, he warns,

“This requires quick deployment and

f lexibi l i ty in business models.”

9

CONCIERGE

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE ‘GREEN’ HOTEL EXPERIENCE?

THE QUESTION CONCIERGE

MEG NOLAN REESEMAMy favorite green experience was at

H2 hotel in Healdsburg, Cali fornia

where they have water bars on each

f loor and refi l lable carafes in each

room. The water bars offer both

sparkl ing and f i l tered sti l l water, so

you’re never without cool hydration

options and no more mounting pi les

of plastic bottles. Their Spoonbar also has a wine keg

in an effort to reduce bottle waste, equally as fulf i l l ing.

Meg featured Cali fornia’s Bardessono for this issue.

NICK DALLTaking a dip at the Hotel Verde

(Cape Town) swimming pool. It’s

a chemical-free, al l-natural pool,

and sharing the environment with

frogs, l i ly pads and dragonfl ies was

extremely l iberating.

Nick featured Cape Town’s Vineyard

Hotel for this issue.

ANJA MUTIĆI have particularly fond memories

of Finca Rosa Blanca in the central

highlands of Costa Rica, where I had

the most enl ightening tour of the inn’s

organic coffee plantation, fol lowed

by a cupping of the coffee itself.

Anja interviewed hotel ier Hans

Pfister for this issue.

GEORGE SEMLERCap Rocat is a luxury hotel bui lt into

a former fortress overlooking Palma

de Majorca. Seamlessly blended

into the landscape, this monolithic

bastion has been total ly refurbished

by designer Antonio Obrador

(“Ideal landscaping is integrating

the environment with local cl imatic

condit ions”) with f lawless respect for its unique

architecture and the surrounding natural environment.

The hotel restaurant, La Fortaleza, under the direction

of chef Victor García, uses r igorously art isanal Majorcan

products ranging from sea salt skimmed from the

lagoons at Les Sal ines d’Es Trenc to wines from local

winemakers such as Ca’n Verdura’s Tomeu Llabrés,

starr ing l i tt le-known local grape varietals such as Manto

negro and Moll.

George featured Majorca’s Castel l Son Claret for this

issue.

ETHAN GELBERI choose earth-conscious hotels

wherever I travel. One of the most

spectacular was the f ive-star Finca

Rosa Blanca in Costa Rica (a country

notable for its superb ecolodges).

The degree to which sustainabil i ty

is woven into absolutely everything

it does - efforts to conserve the

surrounding environment, the choices of natural materials

and organic foods, the emphasis on local resources

and labour - highl ights how eco-awareness, cultural

uniqueness and luxury can come together. It also grows

its own organic, single-origin, estate-coffee beans, the

Grano de Oro for the best cuppa you’l l ever have.

Ethan featured Prague’s Adria Hotel for this issue.

HOTELIER INTERNATIONAL’S WRITERS SHARE THEIR TOP

ECO-FRIENDLY EXPLOITS

9

10

CONCIERGE

BOOKING GREEN GAINS GROUNDBY ETHAN GELBER

There’s been an upsurge in the number of green-

leaning, onl ine hotel-booking and review tools. Nearly two-

dozen websites, including a couple associated with major

brands l ike TripAdvisor and Booking.com, have entered

the fray, lending legit imacy and momentum to a r ising t ide

of travel industry eco-consciousness. Interestingly, this is

happening despite a paucity of economic data justifying the

expansion.

“The f igures I could give show that it’s fed by the

aspirations of the Mil lennials generation,” remarked Alexandre

Tsuk, Founder of BookGreener, a startup website dedicated

to helping travel lers f ind green hotels worldwide. “It’s mainly

based on analysis of new customers and their profi le, rather

than trends in sales and volume.”

The elephant in the room is the TripAdvisor

GreenLeaders Program, which showcases eco-fr iendly

hotels and B&Bs. Launched in 2013 to assist TripAdvisor’s

community of 315 mil l ion travel lers in arranging greener

tr ips, GreenLeaders has become “the largest green hotel

program of its type in the world,” reported Jenny Rushmore,

who oversees the init iat ive. It presently counts nearly 8,000

participating properties and over 40,000 “green” user

reviews across North America and Europe. Expansion is now

underway into Austral ia, New Zealand, Latin America and the

Caribbean through partnerships with Ecotourism Austral ia

and Rainforest Al l iance.

Other operations responding to and inspir ing

consumers’ ethical travel desires include reservation services

l ike BookDifferent (now in league with Booking.com), Green

Pearls, GreenHotels and Bedforest, with a more substantial

col lection of green-hotel l ist ings such as Green Key Global,

Eco Hotels of the World, environmental lyfr iendlyhotels.com

and market-leading responsibletravel.com.

However, even with TripAdvisor’s prominence and

the high hopes of sustainable-travel entrepreneurs, some

people bel ieve more should be done to actively guide change,

especial ly by TripAdvisor. Comfort Hotel, in col laboration with

the Rainforest Foundation Norway, has therefore launched a

campaign, cal led Dear TripAdvisor, chal lenging the travel-

industry t itan to introduce sustainabil i ty as a rating choice.

With mil lennials drinking less than older generations

and embracing healthier l i festyles, a new range of platforms

is offering alcohol-free hedonism, such as yoga raves and

Redemption, a hip new alcohol-free bar in London. As part

of this movement, cold-pressed juice bars are popping up

SHAKEN STIRRED AND DETOXEDBY BOYD FARROW

all over the place, and this is proving to be a refreshing new

revenue stream for hotel iers. London’s fashionable new Ham

Yard Hotel has included an outlet of Press, where “cleansing”

juices are cold pressed not blended, ensuring essential

active nutrients, minerals and enzymes don’t disappear.

Across town in Shoreditch, the Ace Hotel—whose LA

outpost opened a concession of popular indie brand Moon

Juice last year—has opened Lovage, which it describes as

a farm-to-street juice kitchen abiding by the principles of

heal ing natural remedies. Lovage offers cleansing juices and

shakes, teas and herbed waters, al l made fresh in-house. The

concept enables seasonal shifts, with ice creams, sorbets

and granitas appearing in hot weather. Currently, expect to

f ind this season’s trendy ingredient kale alongside fennel,

squash, lettuce, apple and wild greens. The trend inevitably

arr ived from the US, where many hotels, part icularly those

in the growing “wellness” sector, have real ised its potential.

And it is becoming popular in not just the obvious places.

Take Las Vegas’s popular Rel iquary Spa & Salon, where the

Juice Bar offers a range of a protein-f i l led, vitamin-boosted

drinks. This particular temple to the body is part of the Hard

Rock Hotel & Casino.

http://www.rubinetteriestella.it

12

Food waste costs the UK hotel sector alone £318

mil l ion each year, according to Green Hotel ier. Innovative

ways to cut down or reuse hotel waste are not a luxury, but

a must.

Many hotels are converting food waste into fert i l izer,

such as the Hilton Hotel in Athens, which uses a Dehydra

food waste dewatering system to produce compost produced

to nourish the hotel grounds. Even more signif icant are

the systems turning organic waste into energy (anaerobic

digestion), used by, for example, al l the Disney World hotels,

which are partnered with Harvest Power to enable cost-

effective production of electr icity.

Lancaster in London attempts to avoid generating

food waste where possible, promoting ‘nose to tai l ’ eating

in its restaurant. The approach is more ecological and a

fashionable sel l ing point in its own right.

In countries around the world, food banks and non-

profit distr ibuting groups make it easy for hotels to send in

food surplus. In the Middle East, Hi lton Worldwide, Crowne

Plaza and Style Hotels are al l sponsors of the Food Banking

Regional Network, which operates in countries throughout

the region. In the United States, Hilton, Marriott, Starwood

and other hotel groups have partnered with food bank

networks including Feeding America.

With food waste diverted from costly landfi l ls,

meals provided for the hungry, energy generation, compost

creation, and cost savings from waste reduction, action on

food waste makes perfect sense.

ECO EDUCATION It’s standard practise these

days to give guests the choice of fresh

towels, with a gentle reminder about

environmental fr iendliness. Some hotels

proffer ‘don’t clean my room’ hangers,

again al lowing guests to take control of

being green.

However, some hotels go further,

and al l of the fol lowing have won awards

for their efforts in sustainabil i ty.

Sal Salis (Austral ia), is located on

the shores of one of the world’s greatest

fr inging coral reefs. A key eco-init iat ive,

alongside al l the practical green

solutions, is for hotel guides to help

guests learn more about the local f lora

and fauna and understand chal lenges

facing its precious ecosystem.

Nikoi Island in Indonesia is

a luxury private island resort where

guests don’t have air condit ioning or

televisions in the rooms. The hotel takes

care to educate guests on the benefits

of the policy, and it also promotes sea-

turt le conservation.

The award-winning, feng-shui-

designed Inspira Santa Marta Lisbon

takes a more obvious approach, with

sustainabil i ty t ips in the rooms and

digital environmental messages in the

lobby.

In the Hotel Verde in Cape Town,

customers are rewarded for sustainable

behaviour and gym users work out on

power-generating equipment that shows

how much energy they’re pushing back

into the hotel. - AB

WASTE NOT, WANT NOTBY ABIGAIL BLASI

The Sal Sal is in Austral ia.

CONCIERGE

Give your Guest that new experienceVDA produce a range of dynamic systems, from Building Management and Room Management systems incorporating

Door Locking and Guest and Hotel Applications, to Standard and Interactive TV systems, Guest and Hotel Wi-Fi, DigitalSignage, and an Advanced Reservation Confirmation Service. In fact all those functions that really support the hotelier

to realise their business and guest’s goals.

ONAIR is an example of how VDA’s visionary approach has allowed any TV with an HDMI port to be associated with ourequipment. So now with VDA, you can now turn your existing TV(‘s) into the smartest of smart TV’s with HD quality.

VDA systems are designed to operate standalone or integrated and to operate as one harmonious solution. Thereforeyour budget goes further with VDA as you may implement our systems from a single room to your whole hotel in

easily manageable steps. So start your experience today by commissioning just one or two of your TV’s.

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14

CONCIERGE

LIGHTBULB MOMENTSThe NH Collection’s f lagship property in Madrid has

not only enjoyed a recent design makeover, it has signed

up to become part of the Living Lab, the industry-wide

init iat ive to see how guests react to new technology. As

well as 100-percent recyclable furniture materials, and other

eco-essentials, the hotel features al l-LED l ighting. The good

news for hotel iers seeking imaginative l ighting to reduce

energy costs and hit sustainabil i ty targets is that advances

in LED field enable them to enhance their atmosphere as well

as save money.

The historic Hotel Adlon Kempinski in Berl in claims

to have reduced energy consumption by 80 percent after

switching over to LED two years ago, and new projects are

increasingly integrating LED l ighting into designs. For the

ME London, the f irst hotel to be ful ly designed by Foster

+ Partners, LED l ight sheets i l luminate various features and

surfaces in the hotel’s funky bar area. One practical benefit

for surfaces, says the hotel, is that as well as being versati le

the material stays as cool as it looks.

The “wow” factor is something the just-opened

Kempinski Bei j ing has definitely gone for, with the circular

hotel’s exterior l i t up entirely with LED for maximum impact.

Of course, this low-cost technology can be applied to any

hotel. Architects and l ighting designers at the new Hyatt

Place hotel in Portland, Oregon, for example, used LED

l ighting outside the property simply to make it stand out from

the surrounding bui ldings, giving it a kind of glow. - BF

YOU KILL, WE COOKGetting the freshest food from farm to fork has become

a competitive sport at some hotels, and activity breaks are on

the rise, so it’s not too surprising that visitors are increasingly

urged to gather their own food. Celtic Manor, the Welsh retreat

best known for golf courses, now allows guests to catch

salmon and trout to be cooked in its restaurant. Likewise, the

K CIub in Kildare, Ireland encourages guests to go fly-fishing

for trout, pike and perch on the three lakes in its 550 acres.

If warmer climes are preferred, the Hyatt Regency Sarasota is

one of several hotels in Florida currently offering “You Catch

‘Em, We’ll Cook ‘Em” offers. For $40, the hotel chef wil l gri l l,

blacken, sear or fry a fisherman’s cleaned and fi l leted catch

and serve it as part of a three-course meal. If shooting holds

more appeal, the Viceroy Snowmass, near Aspen, Colorado,

has just added a “you kil l/we cook” option to its menu of

leisure activities. Guests can hunt pheasant, duck and goose

with specialist guides. With foraging so trendy in European

restaurants, many hotels organise truffle and mushroom hunts,

but this practice is spreading further afield. The luxe Nita Lake

Lodge in Whistler, British Columbia, helps visitors find edible

plants, shoots and lichens in Canada’s great outdoors. The

Fat Hen in Cornwall is even more ambitious. Its Gourmet

Wild Food Weekends allow guests to select their own pigeon,

squirrel or deer, or create rock samphire fritti, nettle ravioli

and seaweed panna cotta. - BF

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16

TAPPING INTO THE CHINESE TRAVEL BOOMBY RON GLUCKMAN

The author of “The New Chinese Traveler: Business

Opportunities from the Chinese Travel Revolution”. journalist

Gary Bowerman shares tips on how hotels can better appeal to

Chinese travellers.

DESTINATION PRESENTATION: The coveted

demographic is young independent travellers, particularly

couples in their late 20s and early 30s. Unlike in Chinese

group tours, these are increasingly experienced travellers,

more eager to explore museums, art galleries, and local sites.

They relish authentic local dining, wine, history and culture.

Hotels can offer Chinese guided tours to wineries and food

markets, or visits to see local craftsmen and galleries with

up-and-coming artists. Guided limo city tours (particularly for

honeymooners) are a fast-developing trend.

SHOP TILL THEY DROP: Shopping is a key part of the

Chinese travel experience. Many travellers want to visit the “it”

store (ie, Harrods in London, Gucci in Rome and Hermes in Paris).

But quirky, chic local brands appeal as well. Hotels can partner

with small brands to create bespoke shopping visits for Chinese

guests. Offer discounts for UnionPay cardholders, private in-store

showings or brand showcases right in your lobby or lounge.

WIFI WITHOUT COST OR CONDITIONS: Hotel-wide

free and fast WiFi is not just a desired amenity; it’s considered

an essential part of the travel experience for Chinese guests.

Hotels fai l ing to offer unl imited WiFi access wil l miss out.

MORE CREATIVE CHINESE AND FINE DINING: Guests want authentic Chinese regional dishes and restaurant

sett ings that mirror their expensively designed counterparts

at China’s best hotels. For international dining, drop the

unfocused “Western menu.” Better to have recognisable in-

house Japanese, Ital ian or Korean restaurant brands. And

highl ight wine-pair ing options not only at dinner but brunch,

too.

SHOW-STOPPING ‘SELFIE’ OPPORTUNITIES: Create Instagram-friendly backdrops al l over the hotel, l ike

art instal lat ions in the lobby, historic detai l ing, VIP imagery or

a festive Chinese New Year tapestry. Focus on clever touches

(a bottle of Chinese wine, or an in-room Xiaomi smartphone

with Chinese apps, perhaps?) to make guests feel at home.

Postings on Weibo and WeChat – with more users in China

than Twitter – wil l provide invaluable word-of-mouth buzz.

In the emerging 10th Arrondissement, a once derel ict

off ice block is being transformed into a chic array of styl ish

rooms and private terraces. This activity marks the ninth and

largest venture from Generator, the fastest growing hostel

brand in Europe. The company, which aims to reach 12,500

beds spread across 15 properties by 2018, f its squarely in

the booming category that has been dubbed the “poshtel”—a

cross between the hostel of old and the small boutique hotel.

Their small size often means these sort of properties can often

offer incredibly central locations, which are more important

to budget-conscious Mil lennials than large guestrooms. At

the same time, they chime with design-oriented travel lers

who may not want the boutiques, which are often marketed

as romantic boltholes. Tel l ingly, Generator Venice recently

won the European Hotel Design Award in the lobby, lounge

and public areas category, beating Ian Schrager’s boutique

London EDITION.

Another growing design-focused mid-market hotel

chain, Meininger, plays up the social aspect of this new

hybrid by saying it “combines the best that hostels and

hotels have to offer.” With the Dutch chain Cit izenM also

planning to further rol l out its well-designed room concept

throughout Europe and the US and enter Asia, and the UK’s

capsule chain Yotel readying properties in Singapore, Paris,

Miami, San Francisco and Miami (and negotiating for others

in Boston, Los Angeles, Seattle and Toronto), it seems that

this new sector wil l continue to expand over the next few

years. - BF

CHEAP AND CHIC: THE POSHTEL ERA

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MADE IN ITALY

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THE CONSULTANT

One of the finest films to have ever come out of Hollywood

was “On the Waterfront,” and one of the most impactful and

gripping performances ever on the silver screen was given in that

film by Marlon Brando. “I could have been a champ”, drawled

Brando, bemoaning his wasted life.

Well, Marlon, as far as I am concerned, you were a champ,

although, sadly, you did not live long enough to receive the

accolades – not for acting, but for being the brains and engine

behind potentially the greenest hotel in the World.

When Brando retired from acting he went to live in French

Polynesia, where he purchased the island of Tetiaroa, a tiny atoll

about twenty minutes flight from Tahiti. He fell in love with the

nature which surrounded him and determined to do everything

in his power to preserve and protect it. He saw himself as not a

landowner, but a steward. The route he chose was to fund this

preservation project beyond his lifetime by developing a resort

dedicated to self-sustainability.

Brando’s idea of a “green” hotel was not limited to cutting

back on plastic wrappers or asking guests to re-use their towels;

he wanted to think out of the box. He dreamed of using the cool

water from the ocean depths to operate his air conditioning, he

dreamed of relying entirely on renewable energy sources such as

solar power and coconut oil. He dreamed of growing his own food

and training his staff to think “eco- friendly”.

Sadly, Brando did not live to see his dreams come true,

but his inspiration and ideas have propelled his family into action

and the result is the acclaimed Brando Resort, which opened for

business in late 2014.

The Brando, as it is simply called, is aiming to be the

first campus resort in the world to obtain LEED Platinum, the

organisation’s highest accolade. Firstly, the footprint of the hotel

itself has had the lightest possible touch on the land, and most of

the building materials have been sourced locally. Operationally, the

hotel is powered with renewable energy.

The Sea Water Air Conditioning (SWAC) reduces the air

conditioning energy requirements by 70 percent. This process,

developed and installed by Pacific Beachcomber, is the world’s

first air-conditioning system using SWAC. Solar energy produced

from photovoltaic panels along the airstrip provide over half of the

resort’s remaining energy needs, and the balance is provided by a

generator powered with locally produced coconut oil. The flow-

batteries for storage of energy are made primarily from recyclable

materials.

Many of the fruits and vegetables used in the hotel come

from the on-site organic garden, and the resort has set a goal of

net zero carbon impact. It is planned that hotel vehicles will be

powered by the sun, and guest transportation is mainly by bicycle.

An innovative waste water management system has been installed

as well as a robust recycling and composting program.

By all accounts this Brando-inspired resort is, to date, the

champion of green resorts. All of this, however, comes at a steep

price; accommodation charges are extremely high. Pioneering

is always a costly business. Let us hope that the lessons to be

learned at Brando will soon be filtering across the industry as the

techniques become more common and more affordable. I, for one,

can’t wait to pay the place a visit.

BY HOSPITALITY CONSULTANT PETER VENISON

CONCIERGE

Peter Venison is the author of ‘Managing

Hotels’ and ‘100 Tips for Hoteliers.’ A

50-year veteran of the hospitality field, he

continues to work as a consultant to the

international hotel and casino industry.

Camera Serie Rialto | Finitura NaturaPorta Hotel Tagliafuoco EI 30’ insonorizzata 35dB

Protetta fuori,accogliente dentro.

Corbiolo di Bosco Chiesanuova (Verona) | ITALY | Telefono +39 045 7050988

U N M O N D O D A A P R I R E | Z A N I N I P O R T E S P A

Da oggi tutta la competenza Zanini sulle porte tagliafuoco viene ap-plicata anche agli arredi interni delle stanze del tuo hotel. Finiture coordinate, materiali d’eccellenza e cura dei dettagli. Per accogliere il tuo cliente con la sicurezza di una porta Zanini e la bellezza di un arredo perfettamente coordinato e realizzato.

www.zaniniarredohotel.comwww.zaniniportetagliafuoco.com

http://www.zaniniporte.com

20

Q&A ELISABETTA FABRI

Q&A WITH HOTELIER

TALKING WITH THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF STARHOTELS. AUTHENTIC ITALIAN HOSPITALITY PAIRED WITH CHIC STYLE AND ENVIRONMENTAL

COMMITMENT. THE E.C.HO FORMULA

AN INTERVIEW BY: FRANCESCA MAFFEI

ELISABETTAFABRI

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21


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STARHOTELS is an independent

Ital ian chain whose property and

management have belonged to the

same owner for more than 30 years, the

Fabri family. Elisabetta Fabri has been

president and CEO of the group since

2000 and she has an importan mission:

spreading the Ital ian style in worldwide

hospital ity. A dream that seems to

come true, considering also the recent

acquisit ion of 2 boutique hotels in

London, The Pelham and The Gore.

The collection now counts 20 hotels in

Italy, 1 in New York, 1 in Paris and 2 in

London, for a total of 24, consisting of

3.791 rooms and 148 meeting rooms.

Mother of twins, social ly responsible and

multi-awarded entrepreneur, Elisabetta

is also very environmentally sensitive.

And this is the reason why E.c.ho, a

new Starhotel “green” concept opened

in Milan in 2011, has been created, as

the cosmopolitan president reveals to

Hotelier International.

HoteIier International: Eco-sustainability as a lifestyle. Has this been imposed by circumstances or by a personal calling?Elisabetta Fabri: Environmental issues

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

AND CLIMATE CHANGES ARE TOP

PRIORITIES FOR US AND STARHOTEL

E.C.HO. CONCEPT REPRESENTS

A CRUCIAL PROOF OF AWARENESS

23


and cl imate changes are top priorit ies

and E.c.ho represents a crucial proof

of awareness. Even in the hospital ity

industry we can adopt technologies that

reduce air pol lut ion and make up for

global warming. That’s why we strongly

wanted an eco-hotel, able to surprise

and draw attention on nature. Original

design, innovative fabrics, minimum

energy consumption, excel lent comfort

performances and eco-chic al lure are

our key factors.

HI: Can you say that E.c.ho. is a transition from a family dimension, meaning how the Fabris live daily, to a hotel dimension?EF: Starhotels is a sound international

hotel chain, but it expresses its owners’

phi losophy and way of l iv ing. Our “green

side” goes hand in hand with our core

values, such as keeping in touch with

people, caring about our planet and

valuing its cultural heritage. Our major

strengths are deeply interconnected

and stand for our corporate ethics.

HI: As a top manager, how do you consider ecology in your country compared to the rest of the world?EF: There’s sti l l so much to do in Italy,

24


but we can start from great-value low-

effort actions. If we avoid architectural

models that cause either acoustic or

l ight pol lution, we end up avoiding

also invasive visual impacts such as

huge hotels. Our recent acquisit ions

in London (The Pelham and The Gore,

Ed.), for example, are two old-fashioned

hotels that are harmoniously integrated

with the surroundings.

HI: Is E.c.ho concept a sort of challenge, considered its urban-centred location? EF: Yes, definitely! And after 4 years,

we can say to have won it. E.c.ho is

actual ly an intel l igent oasis r ight in

the middle of a metropolis. Our f inely

reproduced common areas are very

bright and look l ike a real garden. In

addit ion, E.c.ho boasts a “dehors”

with centenary trees and a renaissance

l itt le chapel by Donato Bramante dated

1492. While there, you feel total ly away

from the city traff ic, even though you

are only few steps from the Central

Rai lway Station. It is a magic version of

Milan, in an unexpectedly relaxing open

space.

HI: How do you explain the buzz word “eco-chic”, isn’t it a contradiction in terms?EF: The two terms are not contradictory

but complementary. The respect for the

environment does not always come

along with something rural and simple,

rather quite the opposite. Thanks to our

research&development department, we

can create new environmental-fr iendly

25


26


How did you gain credibility and reliability in such a metropolitan context? EF: In the only way we know: keeping

up with expectations and f ine dining.

Orto features a luminous scenography,

with a perimeter of backl it pictures that

portray a lush composit ion of fruits,

f lowers and vegetables. These images

ref lect what guests f ind in our kitchen:

0 ki lometer products, bio ingredients

and a genuine seasonal menu.

HI: What about the energy savings in a hotel like E.c.ho? EF: During the construction of

E.c.ho. we have included a series of

technical solutions that have reduced

consumptions dramatical ly. Thermal

insulation systems, caulking, wind-

blocking window seals and led l ighting,

bring in energy savings that range from

15% to 20%.

HI: E.c.ho as a sub-brand of Starhotels; are you planning to build similar hotels?EF: The former bui lding underwent

a total renovation to become E.c.ho.

and this know-how heavi ly inf luenced

al l the subsequent works in many

of our properties, from the choice

of the materials to the upgrading of

technology devices. We absolutely

places with no lack of style, comfort,

elegance and luxury.

HI: What kind of customer looks for an “eco-chic” experience?EF: Travel lers who choose us look

for high-quality hospital ity at a fair

price. On average, they are very well

learned and they truly appreciate being

involved in our energy saving and low

environmental impact programs. We

also offer them our “Green Rules Key

Card”, with some recommendations for

an eco-fr iendly l i fe.

HI: E.c.ho restaurant is named Orto, that means “vegetable garden”.

27


bel ieve that posit ive results wil l come,

both presently and in the future.

HI: Are there any “soft” green initiatives that you’d like to recommend, which can also become cutting-edge innovations? EF: In the last few years, as part of

every signif icant change in our group,

we have struggled to make our working

procedures fol low an eco-logic by

means of sophisticated applications. We

have optimized resource management,

waste col lection and recycl ing as well as

paper-free communication, turning fact

sheets and directories into electronic

formats thanks to digital isation.

WE KNOW THAT OUR GUESTS

TRULY APPRECIATE BEING INVOLVED

IN OUR ENERGY SAVING AND LOW

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT PROGRAM

28

Q&A HERVÉ HOUDRÉ

AN INTERVIEW BY: ETHAN GELBER

28

Q&A WITH HOTELIER

HERVÉ HOUDRÉ

TALKING WITH THE CHAMPION OF SUSTAINABILITY IN

LUXURY URBAN HOTELS.

29

Q&A HERVÉ HOUDRÉ

2929

30

Q&A HERVÉ HOUDRÉ

Hervé Houdré is the Regional Director

of Operations of the InterContinental

Hotel Group (IHG) and General Manager

of the landmark InterContinental New

York Barclay, now closed for major

renovation. As an award-winning

luminary on integrating sustainabil i ty

into large, luxury, urban hotels, Houdré

is considered one of New York City’s

greenest hotel iers and was instrumental

in making the InterContinental Barclay

an industry leader in responsible

hospital ity.

Widely published on sustainable

hospital ity, Houdré is chairman of the

Hotel Association of New York City’s

(HANYC) Sustainable Hospital ity

Committee, which recently announced

the winners of its f irst Sustainabil i ty

Awards, part of an effort to move

New York City hotels toward a more

sustainable future.

Hotelier International: Why do you believe hotels should think about sustainability?

Hervé Houdré: Sustainabil i ty is about

the tr iple bottom l ine – profit, people,

planet. It’s about making money while

taking care of the environment and the

communit ies surrounding us. Hotels

use lots of energy. Hotels create lots of

waste – our own as well as what we

col lect from customers. Mit igating our

very big carbon footprint is the “planet”

part. For the “people” part, we also

depend a lot on local communit ies, so

it’s f itt ing to be social ly responsible

and give back. And, obviously, we have

31

Q&A HERVÉ HOUDRÉ

to del iver “profit” to be sustainable

f inancial ly.

HI: How has IHG taken sustainability to heart?HH: IHG has Responsible Business

as one of its four strategic objectives.

It means we’re here to do business,

but must embed the principles of

sustainabil i ty in everything. Our internal

sustainabil i ty cert i f ication, cal led

GreenEngage, has 150 key indicators.

Most other hotel management

companies have also incorporated

sustainabil i ty.

HI: Has it been easy to push internally for sustainability? HH: The biggest issue is one of f inancial

return on investment. The owners –

and the f inancial world – don’t always

see sustainabil i ty as a way to increase

profit. I ’m not blaming them. I think it’s

up to us, the operators, to show them

the value in being sustainable, even

when we simply tackle the low-hanging

fruit.

HI: What is some of the low-hanging fruit?HH: Bulbs! In 2006, we changed to

energy-eff icient bulbs at the Wil lard

InterContinental Washington. We saved

$120,000 and it cost only $45,000.

That’s the savings every year against

a one-time cost. At the Barclay, after

changing bulbs and being as energy

eff icient as possible since 2009, in

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Q&A HERVÉ HOUDRÉ

32

33

Q&A HERVÉ HOUDRÉ

AT THE BARCLAY, A ROOFTOP

GARDEN GREW HERBS, CHERRY

TOMATOES, AND PEPPERS USED BY

THE CHEF AND MIXOLOGIST. WE ALSO

HAVE BEEHIVES, WHICH WAS COPIED

BY OTHER HOTELS.

33

34

Q&A HERVÉ HOUDRÉ

2013 we saved $400,000 in electr icity

cost versus 2009 expenditures with the

same occupancy. We saved $900,000 in

f ive years. A huge return on investment!

HI: Are there other initiative?HH: To be sustainable doesn’t mean

spending lots of money. It’s opening

your eyes and doing the r ight thing.

At the Barclay, a rooftop garden grew

herbs, cherry tomatoes, and peppers

used by the chef and mixologist. We

also have beehives, which was copied

by other hotels. We wanted to show our

concern about the city’s biodiversity

and ecosystem.

Breakfasts were based on

organic, sustainable, and seasonal food,

which was good for people’s health,

the environment, and local farmers and

producers. We donated whatever we

couldn’t use to City Harvest.

We were the f irst hotel to have

an Enviro composter to convert organic

waste to topsoil. The machine managed

40 percent on site, while the rest was

sent away for processing.

We sent al l used amenit ies to

Clean the World, which processes it

into soap bars for use in Afr ica.

Of course, there were low-

flow showers and toi lets, 100 percent

biodegradable keycards, and we

purchased renewable energy credits

to show our commitment to renewable

energy.

These are l i tt le things! You can

go into bigger things l ike cogeneration

and micro-turbines. We are always

trying to f ind new ideas. It’s non-stop.

HI: What would you counsel other hoteliers to do when grappling with sustainability?HH: Go through a sustainable

cert i f ication process. If you have no clue

what you should be doing, it’ l l give you

ideas. I recommend Green Key Global

(there are others l ike Green Globe and

EarthCheck) because it’s good return

on investment. It’s not very expensive

and even offers a great roadmap to

fol low. Certi f ications are also marketing

tools that draw attention.

HI: How has your work with HANYC’s Sustainable Hospitality Committee helped drive the sustainability agenda in New York City?HH: We created this committee four

years ago because we are concerned

35

Q&A HERVÉ HOUDRÉ

about being good cit izens. One of our

init iat ives was to create a sustainable

hospital ity website. Another was to

establ ish Sustainabil i ty Awards, given

last year for the f irst t ime.

HI: How can we make the move to sustainability a speedier and more urgent process?HH: Unfortunately, at the nation-state

level, we don’t seem to get along.

Because governments can’t real ly

sett le, it’s up to businesses to make a

big str ide. This is why, when it comes

to the hotel industry, I’m trying to do as

much as I can to inf luence it in the best

way possible.

TO BE SUSTAINABLE DOESN’T

MEAN SPENDING LOTS OF MONEY.

IT’S OPENING YOUR EYES AND

DOING THE RIGHT THING.

36

Q&A HANS PFISTER

Q&A WITH HOTELIER

LESSONS FROM COSTA R ICA ON DOWNPL AY ING SUSTAINABIL IT Y, F INDING THE R IGHT PARTNERS,

AND PUT T ING PEOPLE F IRST.

AN INTERVIEW BY: ANJA MUTIC

HANS PFISTER

36

´

37

Q&A HANS PFISTER

37

38

Q&A HANS PFISTER

Hans Pfister, president and co-owner

of Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality, a

Costa Rica-based company that currently

manages eight hotels in different regions

of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, brings

over 20 years of global experience in the

hotel business. A frequent speaker at

sustainability conferences, Mr Pfister shares

his insights on how to develop a sustainable

luxury hotel, make it stand out and make it

thrive.

Hotelier International: Sustainability has been such a buzzword the last few years. Do you feel it’s falling out of fashion as a given property’s selling point?

Sustainability shouldn’t be used strongly in

your promotional message. You should be

doing the right things, and you can certainly

tell a story about them, but you shouldn’t go

out and say: we’re a sustainable property.

When you say you’re sustainable, it’s

dangerous because there are always areas

where you are not.

In our case, sustainability being in fashion

or not doesn’t affect the performance of

our hotels. That’s because sustainability is

not really that important to guests in their

decision-making process. Once they’re at

39

Q&A HANS PFISTER

the hotel, they appreciate it; it’s an added

value. But when they’re making a decision

on where to stay, it’s not in the top five

decision-making factors. People are more

interested in location, activities, price,

food and service. Regardless, we’ve done

sustainability in the early 1990s, and we’re

still doing it now. And, frankly, whether it’s in

fashion or not, I don’t care.

HI: Can you think of any revealing moments you’ve had recently that made you realize you’re doing something right with your sustainable journey?

There are two things that I’ve noticed over

the years that make me think we’re doing

the right thing. The first has to do with

conservation. I’ve been doing this for 15

years, and I see a lot more wildlife than I

did then - more scarlet macaws, agoutis

and forest turkeys. Private reserves and

conservation activities are really having an

impact.

What’s even more important and what

makes me get up every day with a smile

is to see the development of the people.

To see a receptionist promoted to general

manager, to see someone who has worked

40

Q&A HANS PFISTER

in construction at one of our properties

become middle management. When I talk

to our employees, when I hear their stories,

I know that’s what it’s all about, seeing how

their lives get better.

Another thing: There are a lot of people

trying to copy us, and that’s good. For

example, ten years ago we started offering

sustainability tours at our properties and

now a lot of hotels in Costa Rica are offering

such tours to their guests. Also, we created

a position of sustainability coordinator

at Lapa Rios, someone in charge of

sustainability at the hotel. Now many hotels

have that position, too. That’s a good thing

because overall it moves us all in the right

direction.

HI: If you could start the endeavor again, what would you do differently and what would you repeat over and over again?

One of the things that we’ve done right is

making sure we work with the right projects

and the right owners. For example, we’ve

been working with the owners of Lapa

Rios for 15 years now and that’s definitely

a great fit. The owners are committed

to sustainability, to the community, to

conservation. They have the right values,

and we’re all on the same page. And that is

the case with all of our current clients. Over

the years though we got involved with some

projects where either the owners didn’t

have that commitment to sustainability or it

just wasn’t the right project.

What I would repeat over and over again

is our focus on human resources. We’re

a people company. We talk to each other.

We respect each other. We spend money

on training and developing people. That’s

something that has worked very well for us.

As for what I would do differently… I’d

make us more tech savvy. A lot of how we

do things is old fashioned. There are easier

ways if you apply technology. It’s partially

due to our locations in remote areas and

in a country that’s not that developed

technology-wise. That’s an aspect where

we have a lot of room for improvement, and

we’re working on it right now.

41

Q&A HANS PFISTER

HI: What is your biggest dilemma and challenge as founder and torch-bearer of Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality?

It’s not easy to pick out that one thing,

as there are many challenges. Something

we’ve tried to do in the past two years is

to remove Andrea (Bonilla, the other owner

of Cayuga) and myself from everyday

operations. But we’re probably still too

involved and not taking a strategic enough

role in the company. We’re still dealing with

things that we really shouldn’t be dealing

with at this point. For example, I’m running

all the marketing at Cayuga, all the social

media campaigns we do. And really, I

shouldn’t be doing this anymore. Don’t get

me wrong, we’re hoteliers at heart, we love

to take care of the client, to fix this and that.

But at the point our company is right now

and where it’s headed, we should refocus

our attention on the more strategic big

picture.

HI: What advice would you give to hotel owners and developers looking to boost their performance while keeping a green focus?

Invest in people. Offer training, boost

motivation, give rewards. For example, we

do training sessions where we bring all the

employees to San Jose for two days of

intensive workshops. But it’s not training

people how to clean a room or do check-

in. It’s about more general advice they can

apply in their work lives. This year we did a

day called “Cayuga TED Talks: Expand Your

Horizon,” where we invited seven people

to talk about completely different things in

40-minute presentations. One was running

an adventure race, another discussed

healthy nutrition, yet another talked about

finding your inner self. Hopefully these

presentations get our people thinking and

inspire them to make the right decisions

on a different level. We find that these

events have a huge impact on motivation,

performance and development of our staff.

42

Q&A HANS PFISTERQ&A HANS PFISTER

43

Q&A HANS PFISTERQ&A HANS PFISTER

44

Q&A HITESH MEHTA

44

TALK ING WITH THE GURU OF ECO-PL ANNING AND ECO-DESIGN.

AN INTERVIEW BY: ETHAN GELBER

HITESHMEHTA

Q&A WITH

ARCHITECT

44

45

Q&A HITESH MEHTA

4545

46

Q&A HITESH MEHTA

Kenya-born Hitesh Mehta is one of the world’s leading

authorities on sustainable tourism and ecotourism physical planning,

especially as they apply to the architecture and landscaping of

ecolodges. He is President and Founder of HM Design, a Florida-

based firm that has built projects and consulted in over 57 countries

on six continents and received numerous international accolades

for its accomplishments in architecture, landscape architecture,

environmental planning, urban planning and design, interior design

and photography.

Mehta is the author of Authentic Ecolodges (Harper

Collins), main editor of the International Ecolodge Guidelines, sits

on the advisory board of The International Ecotourism Society, and

has judged multiple major sustainable tourism hospitality awards.

In July 2006, National Geographic Adventure magazine named him

as one of the planet’s five Sustainable Tourism Pioneers.

Hotelier International: Are people more aware of what ecotourism represents today?Hitesh Mehta: A tipping point occurred several years ago.

The percentage of people aware of environmental issues and

degradation, and what the human ecological footprint is doing to

the planet, has become huge. It’s great to see, but there’s still a lot

of work to do.

HI: As a result, has your worldview changed with regard to ecotourism?HM: Now that ecotourism is not being looked at as a fad, I am

focussing more on Authentic Ecotourism and embracing the Jain

concept of Ahimsa, or “non-violence to your fellow humans and

non-human beings.”

47

Q&A HITESH MEHTA

HI: Has your work therefore gotten easier or harder?HM: Clients have become more conscientious and are doing

their homework before they seek me out. I’ve made a very strong

statement: I only work on eco- and socially friendly projects. I don’t

have to convince anyone about what I’m doing.

HI: But you’ve set a high bar for yourself.HM: Yes, but that’s not a problem. Instead it’s protection against

planners and designers who tout themselves as green when they’re

really not, which is the equivalent of greenwashing.

HI: What are some of the challenges you face when working in urban versus rural environments?HM: The principles of design and planning are the same whether

you’re building an ecolodge in a pristine natural area or a 200-

room hotel in an urban location. The local community needs to

be identified and consulted. And the physical and cultural context

should be considered in both locations too. It’s like the foundations

of a building; whether you’re in a pristine forest or an urban lot, you

still have to lay the foundations properly.

HI: Surely there are differences too.HM: Of course. In pristine settings you have to be extremely

careful about respecting what exists, but in urban areas, most

natural things have been destroyed. Urban hotels also tend to be

larger because of the demographics. For the utilities, that means

everything is huge compared to what an ecolodge would have. But

still, a lot of the basics don’t change no matter where you are.

48

Q&A HITESH MEHTA

49

Q&A HITESH MEHTA

LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY IS ONLY VIABLE IF THERE’S A GOOD BALANCE

BETWEEN THE FINANCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND

SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF A PROJECT

50

Q&A HITESH MEHTA

HI: How has the perception of ecotourism and ecolodges changed in recent years?HM: I look at today’s perceptions in a more positive light than

those of the 1990s. Back then, ecolodges were thought of as

rustic places where you slept on the floor and shared toilets. Eco-

friendliness was valued over aesthetics. But today, now that eco-

technology is better and cheaper, you can do ecolodge projects

that are luxury and eco-friendly. The challenge is to make people

aware that there are places for everyone, including affordable ones

for the mainstream.

HI: What can urban hoteliers learn from ecolodges? HM: I’ve said before that true green starts in the creation of the

building. It’s not just about LED bulbs, low-flow shower heads

and recycling programs. It means using low- or zero-VOC paints,

chemical-free furniture, and natural cooling and heating systems.

It means studying authentic ecolodges using alternative power,

reclaimed-water systems and responsibly grown produce.

Long-term sustainability is only viable if there’s a good balance

between the financial, environmental, social and spiritual aspects

of a project – a quadruple-bottom-line principle that all tourism

accommodation should enforce in their design and construction

phases. Then, in their operations, they need to provide guests with

holistic experiences that connect their senses to urban ecosystems,

local communities and their cultures.

HM Design - www.h-m-design.com

Authentic Ecolodges - www.authenticecolodges.com

International Ecotourism Society - www.ecotourism.org

51

Q&A HITESH MEHTA

THESE DAYS IT’S RELATIVELY SIMPLE, ALBEIT

EXPENSIVE, TO BUILD THE ULTIMATE GREEN HOTEL

FROM SCRATCH. BUT ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF

HOTELS IN THE WORLD ARE NEW BUILDS. MANY

OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF EXISTING HOTELS (OR OF

NEW HOTELS IN OLD BUILDINGS) GIVE UP ON GOING

GREEN BEFORE THEY’VE EVEN STARTED, CLAIMING

THAT ARCHAIC CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND

ANTIQUATED HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS MAKE

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AN IMPOSSIBILITY.

THESE SHINING BEACONS OF GREEN FROM ALL OVER

THE WORLD PROVE THAT THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

IS WRONG. OUTMODED BEHEMOTHS CAN BE TURNED

INTO SLEEK GREEN MACHINES WHICH ARE KIND TO

BOTH THE PLANET AND THE POCKET.

BY: NICK BALL

THE BEST:GREEN

CONVERSIONS

52

To say that creating Milan’s first zero-emission hotel in a historical mansion dating back to the

1800s was ambitious is an understatement. Of the original building only the ornate façade and

the characteristic courtyard structure were retained – everything else was gutted and built from

scratch. Between 2007 and 2010, €13 million was spent on creating a truly modern green hotel

which – thanks to its reliance on state-of-the-art electrical networks – produces zero CO2. An

automated system controls the energy consumption and temperature for each room while a

combination of naturally hot water from the aquifer of Milan and extremely efficient water-to-water

heat pumps keeps hot water costs to a minimum. The company car is electric; many of the

vegetables come from the terrace gardens…the list goes on. The refurbishment will take 6 years

to pay for itself, but the owners have no regrets as they are well on their way to achieving their goal

of being “beautiful, unique and good.”

HOTEL MILANO SCALAMILAN, ITALY

THE BEST GREEN CONVERSIONS

www.hotelmilanoscala.it

Casa sull’Albero translates into English as “tree house”. And indeed, guests might be excused if

they think they are sitting among the treetops when they look out of an upstairs window.

Casa sull’Albero is a small boutique hotel with just 12 rooms and suites in Malgrate, overlooking

Lake Como, in Northern Italy. The hotel has been opened in 2013 by Fabio Dadati in two low

villas built 6 years ago in a listed park with centuries-old trees. The buildings are sited so as not

to damage the trees and incorporate a lot of state-of-the art eco-sustainable features: natural

materials of choice were stone, wood and glass; floor to ceiling windows are made of glass

providing high thermal and acoustic insulation; energy saving technologies include solar and

photovoltaic systems, floor heating and cooling.The contemporary decor mingles Italian design

pieces and hand-made features and furniture made by a local artisan with salvaged wood, such as

the panelled wall and table in the Honesty Kitchen dining space or the bathrooms tops. There are

no minibars in the rooms, but guests can help themselves from the fridges in the Honesty Kitchen,

open 24 hours a day: they just have to write down what they have taken and pay at check out.

Food products provided by Casa sull’Albero food&beverage staff include many locally-sourced

items, such as cheese, yogurt, cold cuts, fruit juices.

CASA SULL’ALBEROLAKE COMO, ITALY

casa-sullalbero.eu

54

THE BEST GREEN CONCEPTS

55

THE BEST GREEN CONCEPTS

The Relais del Maro is an “albergo diffuso” (an innovative concept of hospitality launched in Italy

as a means of reviving small, historic Italian villages and town centres off the usual tourist tracks).

It lies in Borgomaro (Im), an old village nestled in the unspoilt Ligurian hills, 15 km from the

Italian Riviera and the seaside.Three years ago Elena Scalambrin and her parents restored two

uninhabited family houses that had sat empty for decades, and a hay barn. The restoration has

been sympathetic to the old buildings, at the same time incorporating sustainable features and

technologies. A 6 cm thermal insulating plaster helps reduce heating and conditioning costs.

Acoustic insulation is guaranteed by panels made of recycled windscreens. A photovoltaic system

supplies energy. Eco-friendly materials have been used whenever possible, such as non toxic

paints and salvaged or certified wood. In day-to-day operations chemical products and plastics

are shunned. Recycled paper is used and recycling bins are placed also in the guestrooms. At

night, guests can turn off a bio-switch to eliminate electrical fields. The hotel has 6 rooms in the

main house with reception, breakfast room, garden and swimming pool, another 6 in the second

house and 2 in the barn. An electric motorbike and mountain bikes are at disposal of guests.

RELAIS DEL MAROIMPERIA, ITALY

www.relaisdelmaro.it

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57


On the face of it the 424-room InterContinental Boston is just another luxury hotel, but soon after

opening in 2006 management decided that their hotel would break the mould. Between 2007 and

2014 the hotel increased the percentage of waste which it recycles from 8% to 41%. In addition to

conventional recycling of paper, plastic and glass, they also engage in more creative programmes:

used bed linen and toiletries are donated to local charities, while vegetable oil from the hotel’s

kitchens is converted into biomass fuel which allows the hotel to produce clean renewable energy

onsite. Sensors in the rooms control electricity usage and all plumbing fixtures are low-flow. But

surely the hotel’s most attention-grabbing contribution to sustainability is its rooftop apiary. Started

in 2010, the apiary now consists of 6 hives housing more than 150,000 bees that serve to pollinate

inner Boston and provide more honey for the hotel’s restaurants and bars.

INTERCONTINENTAL BOSTONBOSTON, USA

www.intercontinentalboston.com

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61

When this hotel was built in 1986, sustainability and energy efficiency were not really taken into

account. But times have changed and the sun in Alice Springs – in the heart of the sweltering

Australian outback – hasn’t got any cooler. In the early 2000s the owners started looking at ways

of saving energy. In 2008, 1326 photovoltaic solar panels were installed along with 32 Quantum

heat pumps and Jemflo water controls in all 236 guest rooms. Energy Eye was installed in all guest

rooms to control electricity consumption for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning. A year later

solar heating was installed for the main swimming pool, and in 2012 a low-load chiller was installed,

which uses waste water from the air-conditioners to preheat the hot water. All in all the hotel’s

energy saving measures have been responsible for electricity savings of 34 percent, gas savings of

47 percent and water savings of 23 percent.

DOUBLETREE BY HILTON ALICE SPRINGS

ALICE SPRINGS, AUSTRALIA


www.doubletree3.hilton.com

62

Built in 1889, and a global icon ever since, The Savoy is accustomed to winning hotel awards. In

2007 it was closed to facilitate extensive refurbishments costing £220 million and taking three years

to complete. Green thinking coloured the entire restoration, not least the extensive energy refit

programme, and since then the hotel has added numerous green awards to its trophy cabinet. The

jewel in their green crown is the combined heat and power plant that uses energy generated as a

by-product of the heating systems to reduce the hotel’s reliance on the national grid by about 50

percent, but nowadays no aspect of The Savoy is not green: 100 percent of the waste produced by

the hotel is recycled, all drinking water is bottled onsite using the Vivreau Water system and, inspired

by Fairmont’s Sustainability Partnership, the hotel has engaged with its community by adopting a

stretch of the River Thames and establishing an award-winning herb garden on adjacent land.

THE SAVOYLONDON, ENGLAND


www.fairmont.com/savoy-london/

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64

ITC is the ‘greenest hotel chain in the world,’ and ITC Maurya was the first hotel ever to be awarded LEED

Platinum status in the Existing Building category. Built in 1976, the hotel’s WelcomEnviron programme

was introduced in 1991 and was the first of its kind anywhere in the world. ITC Maurya has been at the

forefront of green innovation ever since. In the last few years alone they have installed a Membrane Bio

Reactor sewage treatment plant; replaced their steam tumble dryers with energy efficient direct-fired PNG

tumble dryers; and installed an organic waste converter which converts food waste into manure that’s rich

in nutrients, ready-to-use and non-smelling. This is used for in-house requirements and the excess is given

away as a CSR activity. A write-up such as this cannot do justice to the myriad initiatives implemented by

ITC Maurya, but suffice to say their triple bottom line of Profit, Planet and People is smiling.

ITC MAURYANEW DELHI, INDIA


www.itchotels.in

65


FOR MANY, BEING GREEN IS AKIN TO BEING CLEAN.

MAYBE IT’S THE CONNECTION TO THE EARTH OR

THE PURITY THAT ENSHROUDS THE IDEA OF

ECO-CONSCIOUSNESS THAT CONNECTS THE TWO.

(THEN AGAIN, IT MAY ALSO HAVE TO DO WITH

THE ENERGY AND FOOD INDUSTRY’S MARKETING

LANGUAGE.) DISREGARDING ITS ORIGIN, THE

IDEA THAT GREEN IS CLEAN AND SERENE IS EASY

TO ADOPT. HERE ARE FIVE EXCEPTIONAL CASES

OF HOTEL BATHROOMS FROM AROUND THE

GLOBE THAT EXCEED BOTH ‘GREEN’ AND ‘CLEAN’

STANDARDS.

BY: MEG NOLAN VAN REESEMA

THE BEST:GREEN BATHROOM

DESIGNS

66

THE BEST GREEN BATHROOM DESIGNS

At the Four Seasons Elephant Camp in Chiang Rai Thailand the rooms are veritable tents, making the

bathrooms equally ensconced in canvas and exposed to the elements. Though rustic sounding, these

bathrooms are anything but. From outdoor rain showers with views over the elephant grazing grounds and

neighboring river, to handmade double-occupancy copper tubs, the open-plan bathrooms are decadent

and perhaps more importantly, wonderfully absent of modern technology. Stereos, TVs or any other audio

tool are purposefully verboten in an effort to protect the sounds of nature and the environment.

FOUR SEASONS TENTED CAMP GOLDEN TRIANGLE

CHIANG RAI, THAILAND


www.fourseasons.com/goldentriangle

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69

With his and hers rain showers alongside an outdoor Japanese soaking tub and a crushed shell

vanity, the bathrooms at Costa Rica’s Rancho Pacifico take the idea of sustainability and pair it

with indulgent bathing rituals, resulting in an overall relaxing and wonderfully guilt-free privilege.

Throw in the impressive fact that the resort manages to pump water more than 400 feet uphill from

natural springs without the use of motors and the exceptional quality begins to ring ever louder.

RANCHO PACIFICOCOSTA RICA


www.ranchopacifico.com

70

Heralded for its eco-conscious architecture and locally sourced building materials, the design of

Tierra Patagonia, which lies at the incredibly scenic gateway of Torres del Paine National Park, is

profoundly environmentally sensitive. The entire building features low-energy LED lighting, high-grade

insulation, and a layout that somehow negates the need for both air-conditioning and tremendous

heating. The sleek bathrooms are paneled in locally sourced Lenga wood from a sustainable rain

forest, while the linens are created locally and are 100 percent organic.

TIERRA PATAGONIATORRES DEL PAINE, CHILE


www.tierrapatagonia.com

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73

With its jaw-dropping cliffside location, the luxurious villas at Alila Villas have garnered significant

recognition for imaginative architectural style. Yet it’s the hotel’s recent Earthcheck Gold certification

— which mandates annual measurements of energy, waste, water, emissions, community

involvement and cleaning and pesticide use — that truly separates it from the pack. The guest villas

and bathrooms feature naturally insulating, local lava rock for roofs and bamboo in the ceilings,

while local plants are raised alongside the villas to encourage local bird and animal life. They are also

outfitted with a waste water management system that includes soak and rain-water collection. The

bathroom fixtures are implemented with water-conserving fixtures, while the teal walls simply add to

the overall natural design style. Alila Villas is a member of Design Hotels.

ALILA VILLAS ULUWATU, BALI


www.alilahotels.com/uluwatu or www.designhotels.com

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75

Located in the heart of charming downtown Healdsburg, in California’s Sonoma County wine

country, the H2 Hotel is a LEED-certified hotel whose mantra is environmental awareness – from the

homegrown cocktails to the undulating planted roof. The hotel is sincere about its commitment to

the environment; just ask the employees, who are clad in organic cotton uniforms and well-versed

on all the property’s specific green amenities. And no more so than in its guest room bathrooms,

which feature all-natural, refillable bath amenities, Coyuchi organic towels and robes, fair-trade felt

rugs, locally-sourced heath ceramic tiles and sustainable bamboo flooring.

H2 HOTEL, HEALDSBURG, CALIFORNIA


www.h2hotel.com

Author Bio: Meg Nolan van Reesema (www.megnolan.com) is a luxury travel writer and consultant.

She has authored three books published by Rizzoli on Hideaways around the globe and developed

original content for online travel sites such as Tablet Hotels. Her writing spans both print and

digital outlets, appearing in magazines such as Robb Report, NY Post and Connecticut Cottages

and Gardens and custom content projects for hospitality websites, startup ventures, and individual

hotels and resorts.

HOTELS IN CRAMPED URBAN AREAS OFTEN ARE UNABLE TO HAVE TRADITIONAL GARDENS, BUT RECENT STRIDES IN THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND VERTICAL GARDENS HAVE OPENED UP ANOTHER OPTION FOR INNER-CITY HOTELS. THE MAJORITY

OF THE LIVING WALLS IN THE WORLD TODAY WERE DESIGNED AND BUILT BY ONE MAN, PATRICK BLANC, BUT THE CONCEPT GOES BACK TO ANCIENT TIMES AND THE FAMOUS HANGING

GARDENS OF BABYLON. IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT THESE SPECTACULAR HOMAGES TO NATURE HAVE NEVER GONE

OUT OF FASHION; LIVING WALLS PRODUCE OXYGEN, REDUCE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AND PROVIDE HARMONY, BALANCE AND

RESTORATION TO BOTH GUESTS AND STAFF.

BY: NICK DALL

THE BEST:LIVING WALLS

76

77

Instead of opting for one enormous showstopper, Sofitel The Palm has chosen to spread the

mental and physical benefits of living walls throughout its premises. In total there are 18 living

walls at The Palm, the largest of which is 12 metres high. They cover a whopping total area of 800

square metres and are made up of 170 different species of tropical plants. Maintenance involves

weekly doses of pesticide and fertiliser, and every six months the walls require a trim. The Palm

goes to great pains to emphasise the therapeutic qualities of their green walls and the way that

they contrast their desert surroundings: “green indicates the presence of water and little danger of

famine.” And it works; guests have been flocking to what is the UAE’s largest green wall as they

would to a real-world oasis.

SOFITEL THE PALMDUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

THE BEST LIVING WALLS

www.sofitel-dubai-thepalm.com

The Athenaeum is surrounded by some of the most well-known green areas in London, but this

only served to inspire the hotel to add to the urban greenery. Their 22-metre living wall was built

in 2009 as a stand-alone project to “provide a haven of biodiversity and to bring a fun, striking

and intriguing design statement for guests to enjoy.” It was one of London’s first vertical gardens

and it features yucca, lavender, jasmine, fuchsia, rosemary, juniper and numerous mosses as well

as self-sown wild flowers. What really sets the Athenaeum’s living wall apart, though, are the red

bird boxes which provide valuable nesting sites for the city’s blackbirds, starlings, tits and robins.

Discreet cameras in the boxes enable guests to watch a live video feed of the birds. Maintenance

can be challenging but the positives far outweigh the negatives and the wall has received lots of

excellent feedback from visitors.

THE ATHENAEUM LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM


www.athenaeumhotel.com

Named after the American WWII Commander-in-Chief John J. Pershing, who used the building

as his campaign headquarters, Pershing Hall has a history which is almost as vivid and colourful

as its ornate interiors. Somewhat predictably, the 30-metre-tall living wall in the elegant central

courtyard is anything but understated. Built as part of a major renovation in 2001, the wall is made

up of more than three hundred creepers, ferns, orchids, trees, plants and shrubs from places as

diverse as the Philippines, the Amazon and the Himalayas. Hotel management view the living wall

as the ‘spinal column’ of the establishment and careful maintenance has ensured that it continues

to attract both local and foreign visitors.

PERSHING HALL PARIS, FRANCE


www.pershinghall.com

83

The Rubens is located in a historic building in the Victoria area which has been used as a hotel

for over a century. In 2011 the hotel took part in a Victoria Business Improvement District initiative

to identify new locations for green space in the area. Thus the idea of a vertical garden was born,

although the initial concept was far less ambitious than what we see today. The 350m² garden

is made up of 10,000 ferns and herbaceous plants and 16 tons of soil. Species which flower at

different times of the year were chosen, among them buttercups, crocuses, strawberries, spring

bulbs and winter geraniums. Designed by Gary Grant and installed by Armando Raish and his

team at TreeBox, it works a little bit differently to the other gardens in this feature – all of which are

Patrick Blanc creations. The living wall greatly improves the aesthetics of both the hotel and the

Victoria area, but there are other benefits to it being an outdoor wall: it relies solely on rainwater

for irrigation and it greatly reduces the risk of urban flooding.

THE RUBENS AT THE PALACELONDON, UNITED KINGDOM


www.rubenshotel.com


84

The Klima Hotel Milano Fiere is one of the first eco-friendly and low-energy hotel to be built

from scratch in Milan with state of the art sustainable techniques. Opened in 2012, it makes a

“green” statement even from the outside: the whole of the south facade of the 15-storey tower

is clad with solar panels, providing most of the energy needed for the day-to-day operations

of the building, which has 115 rooms, a restaurant, a conference center and a Spa. The north

facade of the tower is covered by a vertical garden, a technical solution which - apart from its

strong visual impact - helps insulate the building, reducing both noise pollution and heating and

air-conditioning costs; moreover, this “vegetal wall” offsets the residual carbon emissions of the

hotel and has positive environmental benefits on the surrounding area. A smaller indoor vertical

garden is located in the lounge bar area. Here the greenery gives a natural and relaxing feel to

the ambiance; at the same time, it has a cooling effect and helps purify the air, thereby reducing

the use of ventilation systems.

KLIMA HOTELMILAN, ITALY

www.klimahotelmilanofiere.it

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Da oltre un secolo icona del lusso Made in Italy

HOTELIER INTERNATIONAL.COM ITALIA PER RUBINETTERIA STELLA

Qualità costruttiva senza compromessi, passione per il design, ricerca costante delle soluzioni più efficaci nel garantire

efficienza, affidabilità e durata nel tempo e, soprattutto, uno stile inconfondibile: questi sono stati da sempre gli ingredienti che hanno fatto da supporto al successo di Rubinetterie Stella,

l’azienda italiana che da oltre un secolo viene unanimemente riconosciuta come uno dei brand più prestigiosi del settore.

I migliori hotel del mondo soddisfano i propri raffinati frequentatori che considerano il bagno la massima espressione

della bellezza e della funzionalità. Per questo alcuni degli hotel più prestigiosi del mondo hanno

scelto e continuano a preferire i nostri prodotti. Tra questi ricordiamo: gli Hotel Ritz e Costes di Parigi, l’Hotel Danieli di Venezia, l’Excelsior Hotel Gallia di Milano, il Royal Windsor di

Bruxelles, l’Hyatt Equestrian di Jeddah, lo Sheraton di Qingdao ... e l’elenco potrebbe continuare pressochè all’infinito.

With one eye always on the Luxury Hotel market, during these years Stella witnessed an unprecedented upsurge in the demand for taps for new constructions and renovations. A pleasing thought is that this often happens when a tap transcends the barriers of time and becomes an icon, with the result that it becomes more desirable still. Indeed, from the moment in which Stella taps achieved icon status in terms of luxury, beauty and functionality, they have been selected time and time again for inclusion in some of the most prestigious hotels in Italy, Europe and beyond. The best hotels in Venice, Rome, Milan, Florence, Paris, Monaco, Moscow, Kenya, Rabat and Jeddah have all chosen to adopt “una Stella in piu” (“an additional star”), by adorning their rooms and suites with items from the Stella portfolio.

RUBINETTERIE STELLA – Via Brunelli Maioni, 44 – 28021 Borgomanero (No) Italia – Tel. +39 0321 473351 [email protected] - www.rubinetteriestella.it

Rubinetteria StellaEstablished in 1882, an icon of Made in Italy

Nella pagina a fianco: gruppo vasca Serie Italica e, sotto, batteria lavabo Serie Timeaster.

In questa pagina: dall’alto, in senso orario, batteria lavabo Serie Roma, gruppo vasca Serie Eccelsa, esploso tecnico della maniglia Timeaster, batteria lavabo Serie Italica, diplomi e cataloghi di inizio Novecento.

8888

PROFILES LEFAY RESORT

8989

LAKE GARDA’S

THE FIRST JEWEL OF THE LEFAY RESORTS COLLECTION IS A

WELLNESS CONCEPT VERY SENSITIVE TO THE ENVIRONMENT:

FROM THE INTERIOR DESIGN TO THE ARCHITECTURE

BY: FLAVIA FRESIA

LEFAY RESORT&SPA

The well-wooded, steep west coast of Lake Garda, in Northern Italy, is blessed

with an almost Mediterranean cl imate. Here, against the snowy backdrop of the

Alps, hundreds of years of careful cult ivation have transformed the sunny slopes

in a landscape of terraced gardens of ol ive and citrus trees. It is a place of great

beauty, the ideal spot to relax and recharge. Just the perfect environment for the f irst

Lefay Resorts, a new 5-star eco-resorts brand based on a modern notion of luxury, a

strong commitment to environmental sustainabil i ty and a hol ist ic concept of wellness,

embracing the whole hol iday experience. The Lefay Resorts project is the brainchi ld

of entrepreneurs Alcide and Li l iana Leal i, who in 2003 sold the Air Dolomiti air l ine they

had founded to Lufthansa.

Opened in 2008, the Lefay Resort & Spa Lago di Garda is set inside an 11

hectares natural park. Built from scratch, it sits on a terrace overlooking the lake, over

the town of Gargnano, and is barely visible from the water.


90


91


“The structure as bui lt is the embodiment of the core

values of our brand - comments Alcide Leal i jr, managing

director of the resort (partner of the prestigious networks

Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Healing Hotels of the

World, Virtuoso and Kiwi Collection) -. For us, luxury is not

synonymous with extravagance and waste. On the contrary,

it revolves around the idea of space, nature, si lence, t ime

for oneself, comfort and service. It is a concept which

can only be put in practice through respect: of the natural

environment, of the terroir and of people. Indeed, we see it

as the duty of a luxury brand to be sustainable”.

The brief to the architects was to design a spa resort

that was eff icient in terms of logistics and energy saving and

could blend unobtrusively into the landscape. Therefore, it

was decided not to bui ld a single, big block but a series of

low structures, set into the hi l lside; the roofs are covered in

vegetation, both to minimize the visual impact and to ensure

insulation from the cold in winter and the heat in summer.

Furthermore, rooms and spa face south, to benefit from

solar irradiation in winter, whereas in summer a mobile shade

systems protects them from the heat.

As sustainabil i ty means respect both of the natural

and the cultural environment, the resort design harks back

to local architectural elements, such as the “lemon houses”,

typical Lake Garda constructions made of wooden and stone

pi l lars. The interior decoration is contemporary and quasi

minimalist, yet the use of local materials - red Verona marble,

Ital ian walnut and local ol ive wood - and untreated fabrics

gives a warm and natural feel ing to the whole. Al l of the 93

suites are spacious and f i l led with l ight, and every space is

designed “to enhance the feel ing of wellbeing in the guests

from the moment they come though the main gate”, says

Leal i jr.

To achieve the Lefay al l-encompassing sustainable

vision, a huge amount of energy saving technologies and

systems using renewable resources have been integrated

into the project. A biomass plant fuel led by wood chips from

local wood and garden waste provides about 70% of the

thermal energy needed by the entire structure. A micro-

turbine cogeneration plant fuel led by natural gas produces

both electrical and thermal energy. There’s also a photovoltaic

system, located in the domed cei l ing of one of the restaurants;

together with the micro-turbines it guarantees about 60% of

the resort’s electr icity requirements. The absorption cooling

system supplies 75% of the resort’s cooling requirements and

it cools using the exhaust heat from the micro-turbines and

biomass boiler. A methan powered boiler produces another

10% of the annual energy consumption.

9292

FOR US SUSTAINABILITY IS

AN ONGOING COMMITMENT THAT

EMBRACES ALL ASPECTS OF DAY-

TO-DAY ACTIVITY. A GREEN BOOK

SUGGESTS TO OUR GUESTS SIMPLE

EVERYDAY ECO-FRIENDLY ACTIONS.


9393


94


Energy consumption in the entire structure is kept to

a minimum thanks to ful ly automated control and monitoring

systems that maximize eff iciency and save energy.

Al l this has enabled the resort to reduce its carbon

emissions by 1,130 tons per year, and Lefay is now

committed to compensate for its remaining CO2 emissions

quota definit ively.

Water saving is another priority. Rainwater is col lected

and stored in a tank and used to irr igate the hotel gardens.

The water emptied from the swimming pools is purif ied and

reused. A software helps manage water consumption from

the water supply, reducing the amount of water used by 50%.

“For us sustainabil i ty is an ongoing commitment, that

embraces al l aspects of our day-to-day activity”, explains

Alcide Leal i jr.

To involve guests in sustainable pol icies, there’s a

Green Book suggesting simple everyday eco-fr iendly actions.

The Lefay Resort&Spa concept is f irmly rooted in the

Ital ian and local culture. For the 3,000 sqm plus spa the

Leal i family have developed a proprietary method. The Lefay

95


cosmetic l ine is made of natural, organic and local products,

for instance the ol ive oi l produced in the family estates on

Lake Garda and in Tuscany.

The same ol ive oi l is one of the main ingredients in

the two restaurants, La Grande Limonaia and Trattoria La

Vigna. As here food is an integral part of the well-being

experience, executive chef Matteo Maenza has developed

menus fol lowing the principles of the Lefay Vital Gourmet

phi losophy, using only fresh and seasonal local produce.

Last but not least, Lefay Resort is active in promoting

LEFAY RESORT&SPAAddress: via Angelo Feltrinelli 136 - Gargnano (Bs) Italy

Phone: +39 0365.241800Web: www.lefayresort.com

Lefay Resort concept founders: Alcide and Liliana LealiGeneral Manager: Alcide Leali jr

Room rates: from 290 euro (Prestige room, double occupancy) Number of suites: 93

the local area, in employing staff from nearby communit ies

and in using local suppliers.

“I think we are sti l l unique - says Alcide Leal i jr -. Few

other resorts in Italy have as comprehensive an approach to

sustainabil i ty as we do”.

By the end of 2015 the Leal i family wil l unvei l the detai ls

of a second Lefay Resort&Spa to be bui lt in the Dolomites

mountains region.

And they are currently scouting for a suitable estate

for a country resort in Tuscany or in Umbria.

96

PROFILES CAPE TOWN’S VINEYARD HOTEL

96


CAPE TOWN’S

BENEATH THE VINEYARD HOTEL’S OLD WORLD EXTERIOR LIES

A COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY THAT IS

MORE IN TOUCH WITH THE FUTURE THAN THE PAST.

BY: NICK DALL

VINEYARD HOTEL

97

PROFILES CAPE TOWN’S VINEYARD HOTELPROFILES CAPE TOWN’S VINEYARD HOTEL

97

98


Dating back to 1799, the bui lding which houses the

Vineyard Hotel is one of the grand old dames of Cape Town

and it has passed through many of South Afr ica’s most

famous hands. In 1981 the Petousis family bought what was

then a 30-room hotel in a magnif icent location. Since then

they have transformed the gardens and drastical ly increased

its size to 207 rooms.

In 2006, inspired by the f indings of an environmental

assessment project undertaken in conjunction with the

Western Cape government, the Vineyard Hotel decided to

embrace a sustainable business model. The Petousis family

had always l ived close to nature, and when presented with

the facts, “operating sustainably didn’t seem l ike a choice,

but a necessity for the future of the planet,” says General

Manager Roy Davies.

From the very beginning “the hotel’s sustainabil i ty

efforts have come from the heart. The focus on ‘ l iv ing

green’ has always come out of a genuine concern for our

environment,” Davies explains.

Sustainabil i ty Manager Chris van Zyl, who has been

on board since the start, echoes this sentiment. “We are

more concerned about the long-term impact. In many cases

some [green init iat ives] are just ‘the r ight thing to do’, with

the bottom l ine sometimes being of secondary concern.”

For example, the Vineyard recycles 98 percent of

its waste, and its on-site sort ing plant even serves as a

99


recycl ing depot for the local community. “Some of the costs

are recouped from the value of the recycled goods says van

Zyl. “But the project sti l l costs us money.”

For the Vineyard, though, it’s al l about sending a

posit ive message. In addit ion to tradit ional recycl ing, their

used wine corks are put towards a project which instal ls cork

f looring in underprivi leged communit ies and their foi l coffee

bags are upcycled into coasters for the hotel’s conference

centre.

Another costly intervention is the recent instal lat ion

of 80 photovoltaic panels on the roof of the hotel’s gym and

Splash Cafe. PV panels are sti l l very expensive, and their

eff iciency is heavi ly dependent on the weather. To date they

have only been able to cover 1.2% of the hotel’s electr icity

needs, but every l i tt le bit helps. At the launch, CEO Lex

Petousis commented that “through this init iat ive, the Vineyard

Hotel has effectively become an electricity power station in

its own right, and we’re enormously proud of the impact this

noteworthy addit ion is making to our growing l ist of green

practices.”

Last year, the Vineyard took advantage of a

government rebate to convert more than 6000 l ights to LED.

The hotel saw an immediate 8 percent reduction in electr icity

costs. Other green init iat ives which make good business

sense include low energy heat pumps for the hotel’s hot

water generation; reusing the hot water created by the air-

100


100

YOU’LL NEVER ACHIEVE THE SAME

KIND OF RESULTS AS A NEW-BUILD,

SO THE SOONER YOU GET ON

BOARD THE BETTER

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101

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condit ioners’ chi l l ing unit; and sensors which switch l ights off

when an off ice is vacated and turn bedroom air-condit ioners

off when a window is opened.

There are also distinct business advantages to being

one of the greenest hotels around. “Through a combination

of keeping electricity consumption to a minimum, producing

our own electricity and buying green energy credits we are

able to run an energy-neutral conference centre,” van Zyl

explains. “This has attracted numerous green conferences

which wouldn’t otherwise have come here.” In addit ion,

some 5 percent of guests l ist the hotel’s green credentials

as a major reason for choosing to stay there – a percentage

which wil l only r ise in coming years.

Communicating green policies to guests can be

a bit of a balancing act, as there are always some people

who view them as mere money-saving tactics. The Vineyard

has gone for a subtle but persuasive approach; an in-house

green channel is the default sett ing on the TVs in the rooms,

and the hotel’s ‘ l iv ing green’ logo appears on al l sustainably

produced products and projects they support.

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VINEYARD HOTEL

Phone: : 27 (0)21 657 4500 Web: www.vineyard.co.za

General Manager: Roy DaviesDirectors: Lex Petousis, Hilary Seymour, George Petousis

Rack Room Rates: From ZAR 2200 to ZAR 8270Number of Rooms: 207

When asked to ref lect on the last decade’s work, van

Zyl emphasises the diff iculty of converting a historical hotel

into a green establishment. “You’l l never achieve the same

kind of results as a new-build, so the sooner you get on

board the better,” he advises. “Lucki ly, going green is much

easier these days. There’s lots of new technology and green

hotel iers are always wil l ing to share their knowledge and

expertise. Not spreading the word just wouldn’t be green.”

Author Bio: Nick Dall is a ful l-t ime journal ist based in

Cape Town. The single theme which pervades almost of al l

of his work is travel. He has been published extensively:

www.nickdall.co.za

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PROFILES NAPA VALLEY’S BARDESSONO

104


105


HOW NOT TO MARKET AMERICA’S GREENEST

LUXURY HOTEL.

BY: MEG NOLAN VAN REESEMA

NAPA VALLY’S BARDESSONO

HOTEL

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Jim Treadway is a self-proclaimed “tree-hugging,

Liberal Democrat,” but that’s not the reason he is the ideal

leader for Bardessono, a rarefied Leed Platinum Certif ied

luxury property tucked among the vineyards of Cali fornia’s

Napa Val ley. Instead, it’s Treadway’s deep experience and

wil l ingness to openly acknowledge past mistakes ( l ike the

hotel’s init ial marketing blunder). Of course, biking to work

every day doesn’t hurt, either.

Opened in 2009, Bardessono was bui lt to exceed

both the industry’s luxury and eco-conscious standards.

Today it’s one of just 18 Leed Platinum Certif ied hotels in

the world. Each of the hotel’s 62 rooms was developed at

a cost of more than $1,000,000USD per key, al lowing the

hotel to gain el ite status among the area’s f inest hotels rather

instantly, while the addit ion of 72 geothermal wells and

972 solar panels, plus the use of recycled materials during

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construction, guaranteed a superi-or level of eco-sensit ivity.

As a result LEED certi f ication was quick to fol low,

and the PR machine led with the hotel’s outstanding

“greenness” as the highl ight of its announcements. The

result was tremendous media coverage and adoration from

environmental ists, who f locked to the property in droves,

which as Treadway noted was “good for occupancy. Not as

good for ADR [average dai ly rate].”

Ult imately the aff luent were not enticed, fearing

environmental ism meant too Spartan of an experience. And

so, “within a year, it became crystal clear to us that our lead

story might not be the r ight one for our targeted customer.”

Instead of brushing this marketing “falter” under

the rug, Treadway wrote a white paper in 2011 entit led

“Marketing “Greenness” to the Luxury Traveler, A Case Study:

Bardessono, Yountvi l le, Napa Val ley,” which depicted the

hotel’s marketing blunder. It also shared such crucial f indings

as such as “know your prospective and existing customers.

Market to them as individuals, not as market segments.”

The hotel’s primary message now focuses on what

a wonderful and well- located hotel it is. The messaging l ine

relayed to staff is “we are one of the best hotels in the world

and oh, by the way, we happen to be one of the greenest,”

Treadway says.

Since 2011 the Bardessono has effectively

downplayed the eco angle to guests, unless, of course, the

guest expresses an interest. Upon check-in, each guest is

given a 10-minute property tour, which highl ights various

eco-attr ibutes as well as the mult itude of luxurious elements.

I f questions regarding the environmental angle arise, then the

employees, each “hardcore environmental ists themselves”,

are armed and ready to discuss al l the intr icacies of each

green element on property.

“Frankly, over half of our guests don’t care about

our environmental ism, they just want a wonderful experience

in a world-class luxury hotel perfectly located in the heart

of the Napa Val ley wine country. So we avoid being pushy,

overbearing, and righteous about how we l ive and operate.”

Treadway says.

Of course, there are some stipulations. Smokers

need not apply, as Bardessono is a smoke-free environment,

barring even those new-fangled e-cigarettesa. Furthermore,

109


not al l rooms come equipped with coffee makers, which are

apparently bad for the environment. However, should a guest

request one, there are 10 wait ing on standby.

As Treadway aptly concludes, “We honor the luxury

element by not saying no to any request provided it’s not

i l legal or total ly outrageous. Though we want to put the earth

f irst, we have to put luxury f irst.”

Author Bio: Meg Nolan van Reesema (www.megnolan.com) is a

luxury travel writer and consultant. She has authored three books

published by Rizzol i on hideaways around the globe and developed

original content for onl ine travel sites such as Tablet Hotels. Her

writ ing spans both print and digital outlets, appearing in magazines

including Robb Report, NY Post and Connecticut Cottages and

Gardens. She also does custom content projects for hospital ity

websites, startup ventures, and individual hotels and resorts.

110


BARDESSONO

Web: www.bardessono.comAddress: 6526 Yount St. Yountville, CA 94599

General Manager: James TreadwayOwner: Benchmark Hospitality Group

Room Rates from $550 a night

PROFILES NAPA VALLEY’S BARDESSANO

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PROFILES NAPA VALLEY’S BARDESSONOPROFILES NAPA VALLEY’S BARDESSANO

112

PROFILES PRAGUE’S ADRIA HOTEL

DESPITE BEING A STONE’S THROW AWAY FROM A BUSY TRAFFIC

JUNCTION AND TOURIST HOTSPOTS, THE LODHI LOOKS AND FEELS MORE

LIKE A PLUSH COUNTRY RESORT THAN A CITY HOTEL.

112112

A PIONEER IN SUSTAINABILITY, THE

ADRIA KNOWS THAT WHAT’S GOOD FOR

THE COMMUNITY IS GOOD FOR GUESTS.

BY: ETHAN GELBER


PRAGUE’S ADRIA HOTEL

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Located in the pedestrian zone at the lower end of

Prague’s central Wenceslas Square, the four-star Adria Hotel

has a lot more history than is immediately apparent on its

del ightful ly understated, yel low-and-white facade. Hidden

within the heritage-l isted structure are foundations from the

Middle Ages; a historic stalactite-cave cel lar belonging to

the city’s premier Art Nouveau restaurant, the Triton; and

an admirable example of eco-consciousness, championed

by Mr. Karel Doubek, a soft-spoken pioneer of sustainable

hospital ity in the Czech Republic.

Doubek is the Adria’s general manager. Since 1992,

he has guided the hotel through its steady eco-evolution, one

informed by both personal values and a conviction attr ibuted

to the owner’s grandfather, František T ichý. A century ago,

T ichý presided over the hotel bel ieving that “it must be

good for the owner, the staff, the nearby community and the

guests.”

“Everything in the hotel is st i l l managed with this in

mind,” says Doubek. “The sentence may be more than 100

years old, but it’s the same as corporate social responsibi l i ty

today. A good way to have satisf ied guests is to have satisf ied

staff and to engage with our community.”

This is one reason why Doubek applied for the EU

Ecolabel. Recognised across Europe, it has been awarded

since 1992 to the 10 to 20 percent most environmental ly

fr iendly products on the market, including tourist

accommodation.

After a year of preparation, the Adria Hotel received

its EU Ecolabel confirmation in September 2008. It was the

f irst four-star hotel in Prague (and third hotel in the country)

to earn such a cert i f ication, and it is st i l l the only one on

Wenceslas Square.

“It was not diff icult to get it,” recal led Doubek. “One

day I saw the Ecolabel in a l ist of European Union labels –

115


many, many of them. I wondered what it was, looked for it on

the Internet and saw, I think, 82 criteria. When I read them I

said ‘Oh, we satisfy 90 percent of these criteria.’”

This was because the owners and Doubek had

implemented ecological ideas during the hotel’s 1992

general reconstruction. “Sixteen years before cert i f ication,

we bought and instal led eco-fr iendly technology. We didn’t

know the rules, but natural ly prepared for them. So looking

at the criteria, I knew we didn’t have to make a big new

investment. It was just normal,” ref lected Doubek.

Already in place were things l ike energy recovery

venti lat ion in public areas, induction ovens and absorption

refr igerators in the kitchen, and f loors and walls constructed

out of natural materials such as stone and Venetian plaster.

Addit ional ly, for years, the housekeeping chemicals had been

purchased only from eco-certi f ied companies, and recycl ing

had been in practice since 1995, making the hotel “I think,

the f irst in Prague to recycle waste,” said Doubek.

The hotel is proud of its connections to the

community, which is in evidence throughout the

property. Breakfast rel ies heavi ly on local providers of

honey, dairy, fresh herbs, pastries, cakes, cookies and

chicory coffee. In order to offer healthy and refreshing

breakfast drinks, staff from the hotel regularly col lect

fresh herbs – sweet balm, mint, lavender and sage

– from the adjacent Franciscan Garden, which the

hotel helps to maintain by hand and with great care.

And a cabinet of “ letter mugs” awaits al l guests. They

were painted by people from DUHA Company, a civic

association that aims to improve the l ives of mental ly

and physical ly handicapped people.

In keeping with T ichý’s commitment to

community, Doubek and his team have also taken

community leadership roles beyond the hotel’s walls

116


by, among other things, lobbying successful ly to turn lower

Wenceslas Square into a pedestrian zone, col laborating with

other l ike-minded organizations to promote car-free bike

days in Prague, and caring for the historic Petřínka water

spring on nearby Petřín Hil l .

Even with its prior commitment to community and

sustainabil i ty, the Adria has had to make addit ional changes

to become ever ‘greener’. In the bathrooms, shower water

f low was reduced, result ing in an 18 percent drop in

consumption but steady customer satisfaction, and single-

portion amenit ies were replaced by bulk soap and shampoo

dispensers for a 30 percent savings. Rule changes regarding

the central air-handling system led to a 55 percent drop in

operation t ime without a change in comfort or air qual ity.

And, though it comes at a premium, 50 percent of the hotel’s

electr icity is sourced from alternative energy producers.

The leadership of the Adria Hotel had the foresight

to bui ld ecological eff iciency into its operations start ing long

ago. Hotels without this won’t f ind sustainable practices as

easy to implement; however, as Doubek says, “You can do it

and demonstrate a return of business value. For me it’s also

about the value to community and to my family and chi ld.”

Author Bio: Ethan Gelber is a freelance writer special ising

in responsible and sustainable travel practices. Ethan

founded TheTravelWord.com, a website showcasing

responsible, sustainable, and local travel. He also co-

founded Outbounding.org, a community-powered platform

for identifying and celebrating excel lent travel content.

117

PROFILES PRAGUE’S ADRIA HOTELPROFILES PRAGUE’S ADRIA HOTEL

THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ADRIA

HOTEL HAD THE FORESIGHT TO BUILD

ECOLOGICAL EFFICIENCY INTO ITS

OPERATIONS STARTING LONG AGO

117

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ADRIA HOTEL

Address: Vaclavske namesti 26, CZ110 00 Prague 1, Czech Republic

Phone: +420 221 081 111Web: http://www.adria.cz/

General Manager: Mr. Karel DoubekOwner name: Adria-Neptun Company

Rack rate: $150.00 - $329.00Number of Rooms: 89

120

PROFILES MAJORCA’S CASTELL SON CLARET

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121


MAJORCA’S CASTELL

SON CLARETTHE CHALLENGES OF CREATING AN AUTHENTICALLY

LOCAL EXPERIENCE.

BY: GEORGE SEMLER

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Surrounded by almond and ol ive groves, woodlands and

prist ine f ields, the 15th-century Castel l Son Claret is no

longer a bastion against pirates or invading armies but

against the pressures of the modern world. Opened in 2013

by German shipping magnate Klaus-Michael Kühne and his

wife Christ ine, the restored manor house was created to

be both a respite (the hotel l ikes to celebrate “the luxury of

si lence”) and a showcase of authentic island culture. And it’s

al l just twenty minutes from one of Europe’s busiest summer

airports.

“We invite our guests to experience the island’s

true culture, food and wine,” says general manager Björn

Spaude. But he recognizes that achieving the hotel’s goal of

“nativeness” is not always simple.

“As we are also guests on the island, it is crucial

to understand and respect the way they work and trade,”

Spaude says. “Being responsible for a hotel operation on

a f ive-star level, it can be chal lenging to adapt to local

customs. Nevertheless, over the past year, we have been

able to source extraordinary producers and the cooperation

123


has been very successful.”

One important way the hotel ref lects island culture is

its commitment to authentic local produce. “It is important

to establ ish a rel iable and long-term cooperation with local

farmers and producers and accept that a number of these

products are l imited in quantity,” Spaude says.

Tel l ing the stories behind the local products is

important too.

“Our chef makes every effort to communicate and

explain the origin of our products, especial ly with f ish, meat,

cold cuts, cheeses and wines. Our menus are seasonal and

change regularly. While we might invest more in food costs,

the popularity of our restaurants with hotel guests and locals

al ike endorses our efforts,” ex-plains Spaude.

The hotel’s well-known chef Fernando Pérez Arel lano

is a key mil i tant in the island’s authentic mallorquín back-to-

origins cuisine movement and rel ies on local produce for his

innovative cuisine. Many del icacies are homemade, such as

the special goat cheese burrata or the bread and pastries.

Litt le-known products such as sea fennel, purple carrots,

124


heir loom figs from the legendary f ig grower Montserrat Pons

or sheep cheese from the ever-scarcer Majorcan red sheep

by cheese art isan Llorenç Payeras appear here and there in

Pérez Arel lano’s cuisine.

“As professional chefs,” explains Pérez Arel lano,

“we bel ieve in promoting local art isanal products and the

cul inary legacy inherited from our immediate surroundings.

We must research, fantasize, create and, in general, develop

a sensibi l i ty for authenticity.“

The hotel itself is a f itt ing backdrop for this combination

of tradit ion and in-novation. Natural ly, architectural integrity

was the f irst step in the Castel l Son Claret’s transformation

into one of the island’s most exclusive 5-star hotels.

“Al l efforts were made to adhere as closely to the

original plans as possible,” Spaude says. “As a bui lding l isted

and catalogued as a historical monument, every original

detai l was preserved, while endeavouring to ensure a blend

between the surrounding nature and the bui lding complex. Al l

the bui lding materials were care-ful ly sourced and selected

to match the original materials.”

The hotel’s 38 rooms and suites are divided between

the main house, stables and other outbui ldings, some with

125

PROFILES MAJORCA’S CASTELL SON CLARETPROFILES MAJORCA’S CASTELL SON CLARET

126


private pools and gardens. The post Bauhaus, less-is-

more décor is spare and restful to the senses. The hotel

bar occupies a 15th-century chapel under the crenel lated

batt lements of the current façade of the castle, which was

f irst restored in 1888.

Celebrated landscape architect Tatjana von Griesheim

was brought in to enhance the estate’s natural beauty. The

design features many indigenous plants, and the result ing

jasmine-scented gardens are a labyrinth of del ightful corners

and hideaways around a two-story Rapunzel tower (the

castle’s onetime water cistern). From the tower’s circular

rooms, sweeping views look out to the 1027 metre peak of

Puig de Galatzó, one of the island’s best hikes and most

panoramic promontories.

The surrounding natural bounty and its soothing

impact on the guests are the hotel’s most important assets.

The careful ly designed gardens are surrounded by un-

touched forests and f ields used by local farmers for their

127


sheep, geese and donkeys.

To maintain the natural balance on the 325 acre

estate, al l pathways and roads are cobbled for eff icient

drainage to enhance natural water circulation, especial ly

during dry seasons. A system of photovoltaic panels helps

cover the hotel’s energy needs, while the hotel’s outdoor

horizon swimming pool is l ightly salted instead of chlorine-

treated as part of the hotel’s environmental ly conscious

operation.

No wonder guests come here to indulge in “the luxury

of si lence.”

Author Bio: Barcelona-based author George Semler has written

about travel, food, wine and culture in Spain, France, Morocco,

Cuba and other European destinations for Saveur, Epicurious.

com, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and the International Herald

Tribune, among other publications

128


CASTELL SON CLARET

Address: Carretera Es Capdellá-Galilea, km 1.707196 Es Capdellá, Calvía Majorca, Balearic Islands,Spain

Phone: +34-971-138 620Web: www.castellsonclaret.comGeneral Manager: Björn Spaude

Owner name: Christine and Klaus-Michael KühneRack Room Rate: €295Number of Rooms: 38


128

http://www.nwglobalvending.com/products-brands/horeca

130130

PROFILES CASTELIR HOTEL

131131

TRENTINO’S

IN ITALY MANY MOUNTAIN HOTELS ARE EMBRACING THE

SUSTAINABILITY TREND. LIKE THE FAMILY OWNED CASTELIR

WHICH FEATURES A SET OF GREEN CERTIFICATIONS

BY: FRANCESCA MAFFEI

CASTELIR SUITE HOTEL


132


The growing hospital ity trend of ecological sustainabil i ty

can well match with luxury. An example is Castel ir Hotel,

which l ies on the eastern side of the Ital ian Alps, in Trentino

Alto Adige region and not far from the Austrian border. Castel ir

Hotel belongs to EcoWorldHotel, an Ital ian network founded

by a group of small independent hotel owners committed to

reducing the environmental impact. Its rating is based on

leaves, from a minimum of 1 to a maximum of 5.

The 7 suites Castel ir Hotel has obtained 4 eco-leaves

and is owned and managed by a married couple, Rolando

and Graziel la Delugan.“We had been dreaming about an

ecological bui lding for decades” - says Mrs. Delugan -.

After 10 years of bureaucracy, we eventual ly succeeded in

developing our 6.000 square metres of land project. Once

we obtained the authorisation to start, we looked for an

architect able to meet our needs”. The architect, Paolo

Facchini, attendend the f irst course ever del ivered by Anab

(National Association of Biological Architecture), under the

guide of Anton Schneider. However, despite being a so-cal led

bioarchitect, Facchini was not special ized in hotel bui lding.

“This was not a problem - notes Graziel la -. We shared a

vision, the concept of a vi l la-l ike hotel: the main bui lding,

which hosts some conventional faci l i t ies such as the 200

square metres Spa, plus 7 l i tt le houses as bedrooms. Or

better, suites”. And actual ly Castel ir is one of a kind. It is

an authentic eco-house bui lt with biological criteria by using

133


raw materials, surrounded by a garden and a small forest.

Furniture is made of natural wood with no laque, enriched by

some salvaged pieces, top-quality bedding and spaces which

have been ad hoc designed. Wood plays a major role, as

the lady explains: “Floors are made of antique larch brushed

parquet and each room shows a different kind of paneling:

pine, longleaf pine, larch, plum, apple, f ir, birch, walnut tree.”

As a matter of fact, the val ley where the hotel is located,

cal led Val di Fiemme, is worldwide famous for its wood -

which is the same of Stradivari’s viol ins - together with the

quartzite, used for the swimming pool, and the pink granite.

The basement is made of 70 cm wide eco-bricks, retr ieved

from a local furnace factory, useful to keep out cold.

Nevertheless, diff icult ies did not come to an end

even after opening. “A crucial point was the Ecolabel

cert i f ication, with its 37 str ict criteria - continues Graziel la

-. The inspector who came here, for instance, stubbornly

focused on a handful of l i tt le l ights whose low-power version

did not exist yet, passing over our more than 200 energy-

eff icient bulbs. Moreover, he growled about the gas stoves

and the hydromassage tubs that some of our suites feature”.

Another pivotal achievement for Castel ir was the ClimaHotel

cert i f ication, the version of ClimaHouse dedicated to hotels,

released by the South Tyrol Energy Association.

Actual ly, the importance of eco-sustainabil i ty in hotel

is demonstrated by the review sites, too. On TripAdvisor,

CASTELIR IS AN AUTHENTIC

ECO HOUSE WHICH RESPECTS

BIOLOGICAL CRITERIA BY USING RAW

MATERIALS AND NATURAL WOOD

134


for instance, Castel ir is marked as one of the “Gold

Level Green Leaders’ and has gained 5 bal ls out of 5. On

Booking.com, the Delugans’ hotel shows a 9.5 score and

according to the semantic analysis the word “eco” and its

derivatives appear quite often in the reviews. Al l the existing

partnerships between Castel ir and the OTAs, l ike the one

with Ecoturismoline.it, deal with the eco-theme.

As sustainabil i ty is playing a bigger part in the entire

guest experience, tourists are encouraged to relax and detox

but also to fol low some basic rules. This draws to Castel ir

Hotel selected customers and al lows the l imited staff – one

housekeeper and one waitress, besides the Delugans - to

cuddle each one of them.

A factor that seems to be one of the best ways a hotel

can turn its cl ients into repeaters. “We do not impose any

“sacrif ice” to our guests. Init ial ly, we planned to avoid wi-f i

in favour of Lan connections, but due to a lot of complaints

we f inal ly instal led 3 wireless devices”. According to Mrs.

Delugan, guests should become more “green” just by staying

in such a place, with a homelike atmosphere and nestled

135


CASTELIR SUITES HOTELAddress: Via Nazionale, 57, 38030 Panchià (Tn) Italy

Phone: +39 0462.810001Web: www.castelir.it

Ownership and management: Rolando and Graziella Delugan

Rates: from 70 euro for person per night (source: www.visittrentino.it)

Number of suites: 7

in nature. It is probably due to the fact that spaces are so

intimate that every action is somehow control led: “That’s

inevitable - confirms Graziel la - even though everybody

should feel completely free. Room directories include

only recommendations, such as towel washing, water and

electricity, recycl ing etc.”. Si lence is another keyword.

The choice of only 7 rooms scattered on an area of 1.200

sqm is aimed at fostering peacefulness. Soundproofing is

guaranteed by the 20-cm empty space left inbetween rooms

and by the absence of a central vacuum cleaner. Electricity

and heating are provided thanks to renewable sources of

energy, such as the solar and photovoltaic panels placed on

the roof, able to heat the swimming pool.

As far as food is concerned, breakfast pastry and

products are either homemade or “0 km”, that is coming

from a short distr ibution chain. Castel ir is therefore a hotel

with a difference. It is not only eco-sustainable, but it also

respect human natural rhythms, thus ending up to be a best

practice in the effort of leaving the environment as prist ine

as possible.

136

USCITA N.01 2015 I PRINCIPALI CONTENUTI IN ITALIANO

ABSTRACTDire che la creazione del primo

hotel a emissioni zero a Milano in un

palazzo storico del 1800 fosse un pro-

getto ambizioso sarebbe un eufemismo.

Dell’edif icio originario sono rimasti solo

la facciata e la caratterist ica struttura

del la corte, i l resto è stato demolito e

costruito ex-novo. Tra i l 2007 e i l 2010

sono stati spesi 13 mil ioni di euro per i l

Milano Scala che, grazie a reti elettr iche

al l ’avanguardia, vanta zero emissioni di

CO2. Un sistema automatizzato con-

trol la i l consumo di energia e la tempe-

ratura di ogni camera, mentre una com-

binazione di acqua naturalmente calda

del la falda di Milano e di pompe di calo-

re acqua-acqua estremamente eff icien-

ti r iducono al minimo i costi. Le auto

del la f lotta aziendale sono elettr iche e

molte del le verdure uti l izzate in cucina

provengono dai giardini del la terrazza. I

costi del la r istrutturazione saranno re-

cuperati in 6 anni ( l ’hotel è stato aperto

nel settembre del 2010), ma i proprie-

tari non hanno rimpianti perché la mis-

sione di real izzare “un hotel splendido,

unico e chic” può dirsi r iuscita (testo in inglese a pag. 52).

MILANO, PROGETTO ZERO EMISSIONI

137

ABSTRACT

Starhotels è una catena ital iana capitanata e gestita

dal la stessa famigl ia da oltre 30 anni: la famigl ia Fabri. A

capo di questa realtà che recentemente ha stretto un’al le-

anza strategica con Eataly di Oscar Farinett i, c’è El isabetta

Fabri, presidente e CEO del gruppo dal 2000, la cui mission

è diffondere lo sti le ital iano di ospital ità a l ivel lo globale. Un

obiett ivo già in parte raggiunto visto che la catena conta oltre

a 20 alberghi nel la Penisola, 2 strutture a Londra (The Pelham

e The Gore, di recente acquisizione), una a New York e una a

Parigi. Madre di due gemell i , imprenditr ice pluripremiata, El i-

sabetta Fabri ha una sensibi l i tà speciale per l’ambiente. Non

è un caso che abbia varato un concept innovativo battezzato

E.c.ho, 4 stel le milanese di 143 camere inaugurato nel 2011

e improntato a una f i losofia di eco-sostenibi l i tà.

Hotelier International: Ecosostenibilità come stile di vita. Una scelta imposta dalle circostanze o un’esigen-za personale?Elisabetta Fabri: Le questioni ambiental i e i cambiamenti

cl imatici sono priorità assolute e E.c.ho. è una prova di con-

sapevolezza e impegno. Anche nel l’hotel lerie è possibi le uti-

l izzare tecnologie che riducono l’ inquinamento atmosferico e

compensano i l surriscaldamento del pianeta. Desideravamo

un eco hotel in grado di sorprendere e di att irare l’attenzione

sul la natura e gl i equi l ibri ambiental i . I fattori chiave sono de-

sign originale, tessuti innovativi, basso consumo energetico,

comfort eccel lente e una al lure eco-chic.

HI: Intende dire che E.c.ho. è un passaggio da una di-mensione di tipo domestico a quella di hotel?

EF: Starhotels è un’affermata catena alberghiera internazio-

nale, ma esprime la f i losofia e i l modo di vivere del la pro-

prietà. I l nostro “lato green” va di pari passo con i nostri

valori fondamental i, cioè intrattenere rapporti con le perso-

ne, essere attenti al luogo e valorizzarne i gioiel l i cultural i .

I nostri punti di forza sono profondamente interconnessi e

rappresentano la nostra etica aziendale.

HI: Come valuta il l ivello dell’impegno ecologico in Ita-lia rispetto al resto del mondo?EF: Da noi c’è ancora molto da fare. Si può iniziare con azio-

ni semplici, ma di grande impatto, evitando modell i archi-

tettonici che causano inquinamento acustico e luminoso. Le

nostre recenti acquisizioni a Londra (The Pelham e The Gore,

ndr) sono, ad esempio, due alberghi vecchio sti le armonio-

samente integrati con l’ambiente circostante.

HI: Il varo di Strahotel E.c.ho a Milano, con la sua ubica-zione centrale e cittadina, ha rappresentato una sfida?EF: Sì! E dopo 4 anni possiamo dire di averla vinta. E.c.ho.

è un’oasi intell igente proprio al centro di una metropoli. Le

nostre zone comuni sono molto luminose e hanno l’aspetto

di un vero giardino. Inoltre, E.c.ho vanta un dehors con alberi

centenari e una piccola cappella rinascimentale del Bramante.

L’atmosfera è quella di una Milano magica, lontana dal traffico

cittadino, anche se la Stazione Centrale è a pochi passi.

HI: La parola “eco-chic” non è forse una contraddizione di termini?EF: I due termini non sono contradditori, ma complementari.

I l r ispetto per l’ambiente non sempre coincide con qualcosa

di semplice, bensì l ’opposto. Grazie al nostro reparto R&D

possiamo creare davvero nuovi luoghi ecosostenibi l i dotati di

st i le, comfort e lusso (testo in inglese a pag. 20).

Q&A ELISABETTA FABRILA PRESIDENTE E CEO DI STARHOTELS PARLA DEL CONCEPT E.C.HO

E DELLE SFIDE VINTE NEL CREARE LOCATION DALL’ANIMA SOSTENIBILE

Elisabetta Fabri: presidente e CEO di Starhotels. Madre di due gemelli, è un’imprenditrice impegnata anche nel sociale e vanta numerosi ricono-scimenti. Recentemente ha firmato con Oscar Farinetti, patron di Eataly, un accordo di collaborazione.

INTERVISTA DI: FRANCESCA MAFFEI

138

ABSTRACT

LA CASA SECONDO NATURABY: FLAVIA FRESIA

RIVOLUZIONE VERDE AL SAVOY

Casa sul l’Albero si traduce in inglese “tree house”. E,

difatt i , qui gl i ospit i sono pienamente giustif icati se pensano

di stare seduti tra le cime di veri e propri alberi quando guar-

dano fuori dal le f inestra dei piani superiori del la struttura.

Casa sul l’Albero è i l nome di un piccolo hotel di design

con sole 12 camere e suite a Malgrate (Lc), affacciato sul

Lago di Como, nel Nord Ital ia. L’hotel è stato inaugurato nel

2013 da Fabio Dadati ed è composto da due vi l le costruite

6 anni fa in un parco di alberi secolari. Le vi l le sono posizio-

nate in modo da non arrecare danni agl i alberi e presentano

Costruito nel 1889, è da al lora un’icona globale del l’hotel lerie.

Parl iamo di The Savoy di Londra. Nel 2007 è stato chiuso per imponenti

lavori di r istrutturazione costati 220 mil ioni di sterl ine e che sono durati

tre anni. L’ intera r istrutturazione si è ispirata al “green thinking” e ha

comportato la completa r iqual i f icazione energetica del la struttura che

si è distinta in numerosi contest, ottenendo diversi r iconoscimenti in

campo ambientale. I l gioiel lo del la r iqual i f icazione è un’avanzata cen-

trale di cogenerazione che produce calore ed energia elettr ica e che ha

permesso di r idurre di circa i l 50% i l prel ievo di energis dal la rete nazio-

nale, ma attualmente non c’è niente al The Savoy che non sia “verde”.

Ad esempio, i l 100% dei r i f iut i prodotti dal l’hotel viene riciclato, tutta

l’acqua potabile è imbottigl iata in loco con i l sistema Vivreau Water e,

ispirato dal la partnership per la sostenibi l i tà con Fairmont, ha “adottato”

un terreno vicino al Tamigi, dove è stato creato dal lo staff un orto di erbe

aromatiche (testo in inglese a pag. 62).

diverse caratterist iche di ecosostenibi l i tà: per la loro costru-

zione sono stati scelt i material i natural i come pietra, legno e

vetro; le f inestre a tutt’altezza sono in vetro con isolamento

termico e acustico; inoltre le tecniche di r isparmio energe-

tico includono impianti solari e fotovoltaici, r iscaldamento e

raffreddamento a pavimento.

L’arredamento di st i le contemporaneo abbina pezzi di

design ital iano a elementi fatt i a mano e a mobil i lavorati da

un art igiano locale con legno di recupero come, ad esem-

pio i l tavolo nel lo spazio Honesty Kitchen. Nelle camere non

esistono minibar, ma gl i ospit i possono servirsi direttamente

dai fr igoriferi del l’Honesty Kitchen, aperta 24 ore su 24, an-

notando semplicemente quello che hanno preso e pagando

al check out quando lasciano l’hotel. Molt i dei prodotti food

sono a f i l iera corta (testo in inglese a pag. 54 ) .

139

ABSTRACT

Hervé Houdré è i l direttore regionale

del l’ InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG)

e general manager del l’ InterContinental

New York Barclay, attualmente chiuso

per lavori di r istrutturazione. Esperto

nel l’ integrazione del la sostenibi l i tà

negli hotel urbani di lusso, Houdré

è considerato uno degli hotel ier “più

verdi” di New York City. Autore di

numerose pubblicazioni sul l ’ospitabi l i tà

sostenibi le, Houdré è presidente

del l’omonimo comitato del l’Hotel

Association of New York City.

Hotelier International: Perché rit iene

che gl i hotel debbano pensare al la

sostenibi l i tà?

Hervé Houdré: La sostenibi l i tà si basa

sul principio del le 3 P, cioè profitt i ,

pianeta e persone. È fare denaro

prendendosi cura del l’ambiente e del le

comunità. Gli hotel usano molta energia

e creano molt i r i f iut i. Per i l nostro

“pianeta” dobbiamo ridurre l’eccessivo

impatto ambientale. Mentre per le

“persone” dipendiamo dalle comunità

local i, quindi si deve essere socialmente

responsabil i e generare “profitt i” per

essere sostenibi l i f inanziariamente.

HI: Quanto IHG ha preso a cuore la sostenibilità?HH: Uno dei quattro obiett ivi strate-

gici di IHG è la condotta socialmente

responsabile. Ciò signif ica generare

reddito, ma inglobando i principi di so-

stenibi l i tà in tutto ciò che i l gruppo fa.

HI: È stato facile promuovere inter-namente la sostenibilità?HH: I l problema maggiore è quel lo del

r itorno sugli investimenti. I proprietari

e i l mondo f inanziario non sempre con-

siderano la sostenibi l i tà come una leva

per aumentare i profitt i . Non l i biasimo.

Penso che spetti a noi operatori dimo-

strare i l valore di essere sostenibi l i , an-

che usando semplicemente soluzioni

che sono spesso a portata di mano.

HI: Qualcuna di queste soluzioni? HH: Le lampadine! Nel 2006 al Wil lard

InterContinental di Washington ci siamo

converit i al le lampadine a basso con-

sumo energetico, r isparmiando 120mila

dol lari a fronte di un investimento di sol i

45mila. Al Barclay, con la sostituzione

del le lampadine avvenuta nel 2009, ab-

biamo risparmiato in costi di elettr icità

400mila dol lari. In 5 anni i l r isparmio, a

perimetro costante in termini di occu-

pazione, è stato di 900mila dol lari. Un

Q&A HERVÉ HOUDRÉLA SOSTENIBILITÀ NEGLI HOTEL URBANI DI LUSSO FUNZIONA. PAROLA

DEL GENERAL MANAGER DELL’INTERCONTINENTAL NEW YORK BARCLAY

Hervé Houdré: è di-rettore generale dell’InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) e general manager dell’InterContinental New York Barclay. È autore di numerosi pubblicazioni sul te-ma della sostenibil ità negli alberghi ed è impegnato nel dif-fonderne la fi losofia.

r itorno enorme sul l’ investimento!

HI: Altre iniziative?HH: Essere sostenibi l i non signif i-

ca spendere molto denaro, ma fare

la cosa giusta. Nel giardino, posizio-

nato sul tetto del Barclay colt iviamo

erbe aromatiche, pomodorini e pepe-

roni usati dal lo chef e dal mixologist.

Abbiamo anche del le arnie che dimo-

strano i l nostro interesse per la bio-

diversità e l’ecosistema del la città.

Le nostre prime colazioni sono a base

di cibi organici sostenibi l i , buoni per

la salute, l ’ambiente e per i produtto-

ri local i. I l nostro è stato i l primo ho-

tel con un composter per trasformare

i r i f iut i organici in humus fert i l izzante.

I l f lusso d’acqua nel le docce e nel le toi-

lette del le camere è control lato e abbia-

mo acquistato credit i di energia r inno-

vabile per dimostrare i l nostro impegno.

HI: Cosa consiglierebbe agli hotelier in tema di sostenibilità?HH: Ottenere una certi f icazione, perché

è garantito un buon ritorno sul l’ investi-

mento. Le cert i f icazioni sono anche un

fantastico strumento di marketing (te-sto in inglese a pag. 28).

INTERVISTA DI: ETHAN GELBER

140

ABSTRACT

A NUOVA DELHI UN CICLO VIRTUOSO DI INIZIATIVE

UN RELAIS “DIFFUSO” E RISPETTOSO DELL’AMBIENTE BY: FLAVIA FRESIA

ITC è tra le catene alberghiere

più impegnate in iniziat ive sostenibi-

l i del pianeta e l’ ITC Maurya di Nuova

Dehli ( India) è i l primo hotel del la cate-

na insignito del la prestigiosa cert i f ica-

zione LEED Platinum (categoria edif ici

non di nuova costruzione). Edif icato nel

1976, l’hotel ha presentato nel 1991 i l

programma ambientale WelcomEnviron,

uno dei più avanzati nel campo del le

soluzioni di r isparmio energetico a bas-

so impianto ambientale applicate al l ’ in-

dustria alberghiera. Negli ult imi anni ha

instal lato un impianto per i l trattamen-

to del le acque reflue con bioreattore a

membrana, ha sostituito le asciugatrici

a vapore con quelle a r iscaldamento di-

retto che risultano eff icienti sotto i l pro-

f i lo energetico e ha instal lato un impian-

to di trasformazione del l’organico che

converte i r i f iut i al imentari in materiale

I l Relais del Maro è un “albergo diffuso”. Si trova a

Borgomaro (Im), un antico borgo situato nel le col l ine l iguri

incontaminate, distante appena 15 chi lometri dal la Riviera e

dal mare. Tre anni fa, Elena Scalambrin e I suoi genitori han-

no ristrutturato due case di famigl ia disabitate da decenni e

un f ieni le. Nella r istrutturazione è stato r ispettato lo sti le ori-

ginale dei vecchi edif ici, ma seguendo i principi del l’ecoso-

stenibi l i tà. L’intonaco termoisolante di 6 cm riduce i costi di

r iscaldamento e di cl imatizzazione. L’isolamento acustico è

garantito da pannell i real izzati in mate-

riale r iciclato. L’energia è fornita da un

sistema fotovoltaico. Dove possibi le, si

sono usati material i edi l iz i eco-compa-

tibi l i , ad esempio, vernici non tossiche

e legno di recupero o cert i f icato. Per

le att ività quotidiane non vengono usati

prodotti chimici e la plastica è bandita.

Viene uti l izzata carta r iciclata e nel le

camere degli ospit i si trovano cestini

per la raccolta differenziata. Di notte è

possibi le att ivare un interruttore bio per

abbattere ed el iminare i campi magneti-

fert i l izzante, pronto per l’uso e inodore.

Tutto ciò non basta però a rendere giu-

stizia al la miriade di iniziat ive del l’hotel

ci. L’hotel ha 6 camere nel la casa principale, dove si trova la

reception, la sala per la prima colazione e la piscina. Altre 6

camere si trovano nel la seconda casa e 2 nel l’ex-f ieni le. Una

vettura elettr ica porta i bagagli in camera e fa da navetta per

i l personale addetto al le pul izie. Per gl i ospit i sono disponibi l i

una bicicletta elettr ica e del le mountain bike. La prima cola-

zione è a base di prodotti provenienti dal l’orto e dal frutteto

di famigl ia o da piccoli fornitori del terr itorio. (testo in ingle-se a pag. 56).

di Nuova Dehli che si può considerare

un pioniere del la sostenibi l i tà applicata

agl i hotel (testo in inglese a pag. 64).

141

ABSTRACT

INTERVISTA DI: ANJA MUTIC

Hans Pfister, presidente e coproprietario di Cayuga

Sustainable Hospital ity, società che gestisce 8 hotel in Co-

sta Rica e Nicaragua, vanta oltre 20 anni di esperienza nel

settore alberghiero. Relatore di conferenze sulla sostenibil ità,

Pfister condivide qui le sue opinioni su come sviluppare e va-

lorizzare una struttura che vuole definirsi sostenibile.

Hotelier International: La sostenibilità, una parola in voga negli ultimi anni, sta passando di moda?Hans Pfister: Non si dovrebbe abusare del termine. La cosa

importante per un hotelier è fare le cose per bene e raccon-

tarle in modo chiaro. Non andrei a dire “siamo una realtà so-

stenibile”: è pericoloso, perchè ci sono sempre aree che non

sono sostenibii l i affatto. Penso che i l fatto che la sostenibil ità

sia un termine passato di moda o meno non sia importante

e non influenza la performance di un albergo. Questo per-

ché la sostenibil ità non è così importante da condizionare i l

processo decisionale degli ospiti. Una volta in hotel, i cl ienti

generalmente apprezzano che la struttura sia a basso impatto

ambientale: direi che è una specie di valore aggiunto.

HI: C’è stato un momento in cui ha compreso che il suo percorso verso la sostenibilità era quello giusto?HP: Parlando della mia esperienza in Costa Rica, la situazio-

ne generale è migliorata. Si è fatto molto sul fronte della pro-

tezione della fauna, attività a cui mi dedico da una quindicina

d’anni. Ora grazie al le riserve private vedo più fauna di un

tempo. E molto si è fatto sul fronte delle persone e del loro

svi luppo professionale. Succede che un receptionist arrivi a

diventare direttore generale o che qualcuno delle maestranze

conquisti posizioni direttive. Tutto questo è positivo e sono

in molti ad imitarci. Dieci anni fa abbiamo iniziato a proporre

i l turismo sostenibile, ora in Costa Rica lo stanno facendo in

molti. A Lapa Rios abbiamo creato la f igura del coordinatore

della sostenibil ità che ora esiste anche in altr i hotel.

HI: Se potesse ricominciare, cosa farebbe di diverso?HP: Una scelta positiva è stata quella di lavorare con i pro-

getti e le persone giuste. Stiamo collaborando da 15 anni con

i proprietari di Lapa Rios con cui siamo in perfetta sintonia.

Lo stesso vale per tutti i nostri attuali cl ienti. Nel corso degli

anni tuttavia abbiamo partecipato ad alcuni progetti non in

l inea con la nostra idea di sostenibil ità. Siamo una società di

persone che dialogano e si r ispettano. Investiamo nella for-

mazione e nello svi luppo del personale con ottimi risultati. Di

diverso vorrei più tecnologia. Le nostre location sono situate

in zone remote non all’avanguardia sotto questo aspetto, ma

ci stiamo lavorando.

HI: Cosa consiglia a chi vuole aumentare le proprie per-formance sul fronte dell’ecosostenibilità?HP: Investire nelle persone, formarle, incentivarle, premiarle.

Tutti i dipendenti partecipano a workshop intensivi di 2 giorni

a San José. Quest’anno nella giornata “Cayuga TED Talks: al-

largate i vostri orizzonti” abbiamo invitato sette nostri colleghi

a parlare di argomenti diversi per 40 minuti. Riteniamo che

questi eventi hanno e avranno un impatto positivo sul perso-

nale e i l benessere lavorativo. (testo in inglese a pag. 36).

Q&A HANS PFISTERLEZIONI DALLA COSTA RICA SU COME GESTIRE LA SOSTENIBILITÀ METTENDO LE PERSONE E IL LORO TRAINING AL PRIMO POSTO

Hans Pfister: è presidente e copro-prietario di Cayuga Sustainable Ho-spitality, società che gestisce 8 al-berghi in Costa Rica e Nicaragua. È anche un richiesto conferenziere a l ivello internazionale sui temi della sostenibil ità e del turismo verde.

142

ABSTRACT

A DUBAI C’È UN MONDO DI PARETI “NATURALI”

UNA TORRE DI LONDRA SPECIALE

Invece di optare per sovrastrut-

ture imponenti, Sofitel The Palm a Du-

bai ha scelto di sfruttare i suoi spazi

interni per creare veri e propri percor-

si “r ivestit i” di vegetazione. In totale al

The Palm ci sono 18 pareti verdi, di cui

la più grande è alta 12 metri. Coprono

L’Athenaeum è posizionato in

un’area tra le più verdi di Londra: una

local izzazione che deve aver forse ispi-

rato l’hotel a dare i l proprio contributo

al la sostenibi l i tà urbana. La parete ver-

de alta 22 metri che si stagl ia sul la fac-

ciata è stata real izzata nel 2009 come

progetto indipendente per “creare un

paradiso di biodiversità e offr ire agl i

ospit i un design informale, insol ito e in-

tr igante”. È stato uno dei primi giardini

vert ical i di Londra con piante di yucca,

un’enorme area di 800 mq e sono rea-

l izzate con 170 specie diverse di piante

tropical i. La loro manutenzione richiede

interventi sett imanali con l’uti l izzo di

pesticidi e fert i l izzanti e ogni sei mesi è

necessario potare le piante. The Palm fa

tutto i l possibi le per enfatizzare le qua-

l ità “curative” e benefiche del le sue pa-

reti coperte di piante in netto contrasto

con le zone desertiche circostanti. E i l

concept funziona: gl i ospit i si affol lano

attorno a quel la che è “ l’oasi verde” più

grande degli Emirati Arabi Unit i . (testo in inglese a pag. 76).

lavanda, gelsomino, rosmarino, ginepro

e numerosi muschi, oltre a f iori selva-

tici spontanei. Ciò che però realmente

distingue la parete verde del l’Athena-

eum sono le casette rosse per uccel l i

che costituiscono ri fugi ideal i per la ni-

dif icazione di tordi, storni, cincial legre

e pett irossi. Videocamere posizionate

nel le casette permettono ai cl ienti di

osservare la vita di questi insol it i ospit i .

La manutenzione non è faci le, ma gl i

aspetti posit ivi superano di gran lunga i

negativi e la “parete foresta” ha r icevuto

ott imi feedback da parte dei visitatori,

r ivelandosi una potente leva di marke-

ting (testo in inglese a pag. 78).

143

ABSTRACT

INTERVISTA DI: ETHAN GELBER

Hitesh Mehta, nato in Kenya, è uno dei maggiori esper-

t i mondial i di turismo sostenibi le e di progettazione di eco-

turismo. È presidente e fondatore di HM Design, società con

sede in Florida. Ha real izzato progetti e fornito consulenze

in più di 57 Paesi e ha r icevuto numerosi r iconoscimenti in-

ternazional i nei campi del l’architettura, del l’architettura pae-

saggistica, del la pianif icazione ambientale e urbanistica, del

design e del la fotografia.

È autore di “Authentic Ecolodges” (Harper Coll ins), re-

dattore del le International Ecolodge Guidel ines e fa parte del

comitato consult ivo di The International Ecotourism Society.

La r ivista National Geographic Adventure l’ha citato come

uno dei 5 pionieri del turismo sostenibi le a l ivel lo globale.

Hotelier International: Le persone sono più consapevoli di ciò che l’ecoturismo rappresenta oggi?Hitesh Mehta: I l numero di persone consapevoli del l’am-

biente, del degrado e del l’ impatto ecologico del l’uomo sul

pianeta, è diventato enorme, ma c’è ancora molto da fare.

HI: La sua visione del mondo è cambiata?HM: Ora che non è più considerato una moda passeggera,

sono più incentrato sul l’ecoturismo autentico e ho aderito al

concetto giainista di non violenza di Ahimsa.

HI: Oggi il suo lavoro è più semplice o più complesso?HM: I cl ienti sono diventati più consapevoli e prima di inter-

pel larmi, si informano. Io lavoro solo a progetti ecosolidal i.

Non devo convincere nessuno del le mie scelte.

HI: Si è prefissato un obiettivo impegnativo.HM: Sì, ma non è un problema. Mi proteggo dai progettist i

e dai designer che si spacciano per verdi, ma che in realtà

sono falsi ecologisti.

HI: Quali sfide deve affrontare quando lavora in ambien-ti urbani rispetto a quelli rurali?HM: I principi di design e di progettazione sono identici

ovunque si costruisca un ecolodge. Si deve identif icare e

consultare la comunità locale e tener conto del contesto f isi-

co e culturale. Sia che si tratt i di una foresta incontaminata,

sia di un’area urbana è necessario porre basi sol ide.

HI: Cosa possono imparare gli hotelier dagli ecolodge?HM: Ho detto prima che i l vero verde inizia al momento del la

creazione del l’edif icio. Non si tratta solo di lampadine Led,

docce a r isparmio d’acqua e programmi di r iciclaggio. Signi-

f ica usare pitture a VOC zero, mobil i senza prodotti chimici

e sistemi di r iscaldamento e di raffreddamento ecologici. Si-

gnif ica studiare autentici ecolodge con fonti di energia al-

ternative, sistemi di depurazione idrica e colt ivazioni bio-re-

sponsabil i . La sostenibi l i tà a lungo termine è praticabile

solo se esiste un buon equil ibrio tra gl i aspetti f inanziari,

ambiental i , social i e spir itual i di un progetto, un approccio

quadruplice che tutto i l turismo ricett ivo dovrebbe adottare

nel design e nel la costruzione. Inoltre si devono offr ire agl i

ospit i esperienze ol ist iche autentiche che l i mettano davvero

in comunicazione con gl i ecosistemi urbani e con le comunità

local i e le loro culture (testo in inglese a pag. 44 ) .

Q&A HITESH MEHTAPARLA UNO DEI PIÙ QUOTATI GURU DELL’ECO-PROGETTAZIONE.

L’IMPORTANTE È PARTIRE DA UN PROGETTO “VERDE” IN TUTTI I SENSI

Hitesh Mehta: è uno dei maggior esperti di turismo sostenibile e di progettazione di ecolodge. È pre-sidente e fondatore di HM Design, società con sede in Florida (Usa). Fa parte del comitato consultivo di The International Ecotourism Society.

144

LAST LOOK

Hong Kong’s Shimao Group has just opened the

MiniMax Hotel in Shanghai. It’s the f irst in a planned chain

aimed at an eco minded cl ientele. The property promises

“ten game-changing innovations,” including a purif ication

process to give room air “the quality found in a US national

park,” a low-alkal ine potable water system and energy-

eff icient smartrooms. It is the f irst Chinese hotel to receive

green stars from both the country’s ministry of construction

and a US LEED Silver cert i f ication.

I f this sounds ambit ious, check out the rendering for

another Shimao project—an extraordinary 400-bed luxury

hotel being bui lt inside a 90 metre quarry outside Shanghai.

BY: BOYD FARROW

CHINA’S SHIMAO GROUP SETS ITS SIGHTS ON ECO-CONSCIOUS GUESTS

The central vert ical circulation atr ium connecting the base

to ground level forms a glass “waterfal l .” The cl i ff wi l l be

overlooked by the guest room balconies while restaurants

(one underwater) wil l be at the bottom. The lowest level wil l

contain a leisure and spa complex and pool, and some guest

rooms wil l face an aquarium. The project’s UK-headquartered

architects Atkins Global says sustainabil i ty is high on Shimao’s

agenda here too, with the project integrating geothermal

energy, solar panels and solar heat energy within the tal l

“waterfal l” atr ium. When compete, the hotel wil l be operated

by Intercontinental Hotels Group.

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