If you’re looking for a way to blow off some steam and have a carbon-neutral footprint while doing so, look no further than these impressive, sustainable-minded hotels geared at supporting eco tourism.
Inn Serendipity
Browntown, WI
Building Design and Decoration
Whenever possible, Inn Serendipity sources organic, sustainable, or local products for use at the property in support of eco tourism. Tiles within the bathrooms are made from recycled auto windshield glass. In the kitchens, Forest Stewardship Council-certified hardwood flooring is incorporated.
Alternative Energy
Inn Serendipity is completely powered by the wind and sun. Between these two power sources, generating power via a 10kW Bergey wind turbine and a .7kW photovoltaic system, the property actually produces more electricity than it uses, and the surplus renewable energy is sold back to the local utility company.
Conservation Practices and Local Ecosystem
About 70 percent of all the ingredients used for the meals served are grown organically by the Inn. When they cannot grow or make their own ingredients, the Inn sources food from regional producers that are sustainable, organic, or Fair-Trade certified.
Education
Guests are offered a guided “tasting” tour of the growing fields, followed by a visit to the straw bale greenhouse and renewable energy systems. There are also a variety of educational workshops based on the Inn’s books, covering renewable energy, green business operations, and sustainability.
Inn by the Sea
Cape Elizabeth, ME
Building Design and Decoration
Solar panels, recycled sheet rock walls, recycled cork floors, recycled rubber floors, air-to-air heat exchangers, dual flush toilets, heating with biofuels, and three electric car docks are just a few green design features which helped the Inn achieve LEED Silver and Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Leader certification.
Alternative Energy
The Inn keeps up the theme of eco tourism by heating with biofuel, and the pool is heated using solar panels.
Conservation and Local Ecosystem
The Inn’s ocean-view Sea Glass restaurant serves captivating regional cuisine, and supports Out of the Blue, a program designed to introduce abundant, delectable, but lesser known seafood to support the local fishing industry. All food waste is composted and later put back into the Inn’s landscape.
The Inn created a “rabitat” on state land in collaboration with the Department of Conservation, clearing state land of invasive plants and replanting with perfect habitat for endangered rabbits in a habitat restoration project.
Education
Beautiful indigenous nectar gardens and milkweed are specifically planted for endangered butterflies. Guests attend classes on creating ever-blooming gardens that also provide habitat and food sources for local wildlife. Children enjoy “bug’s life” classes where they design bug costumes and learn about coastal eco systems from a bug’s vantage point.
Beach ecology walks led by a naturalist, or walks with the head gardener around the Great Pond, allow guests to watch and appreciate local wildlife.
Allison Inn & Spa
Newberg, OR
Building Design and Decoration
The property achieved the prestigious LEED Gold certification less than a year after opening in the fall of 2009. The roof forms were designed to maximize solar access and sun capture throughout the day. Montana mossy rock, rapidly renewable aspen fiber flooring, locally sourced materials, and other construction materials that minimize environmental impact such as recycled products were used on site.
Alternative Energy
Key efficiency features include solar heating, energy efficient lighting, as well as controls to reduce electricity usage. Alternative transportation for guests and employees including bicycles, low-emitting vehicles, and carpools are offered and encouraged throughout the site.
Conservation Practices and Local Ecosystem
Turn down services include nightly deliveries of water in glass jars, rather than disposable bottles. Large refillable bottles are featured in guest bathrooms instead of miniature disposable amenities. Vegetated swales, and vegetated open-cell pavement, settling ponds, and more than 10,000 square feet of planted roof slow down and remove potential pollutants from storm water run-off.
Cleanup of an abandoned underground gasoline storage tank resulted in rehabilitation of the area into a lush estate garden. A restored woodland along the northern boundary of the resort provides habitat and promotes bio-diversity. And JORY, the resort’s signature restaurant, sources food from local purveyors and the on-property 1.5-acre chef’s garden.
El Capitan Canyon
Santa Barbara, CA
Building Design and Decoration
The Urban Timber Salvage and Recycling Program gives new life to fallen trees. When winter storms or old age brings an end to a tree, it is brought to the El Capitan Canyon Workshop and made into handmade picnic tables, post and rail fencing, stairs, hand rails, signs, and even the interior features.
Alternative Energy
As part of the Canyon Renewable Energy Project, the pool heating system was converted to solar. El Capitan Canyon cut its heating expenses by an estimated 75 percent using free and renewable energy from the sun.
Conservation and Local Ecosystem
The Native Vegetation Enhancement Project creates and re-establishes the riparian buffer zone with native plant biodiversity. At the onsite nursery, plants are grown from hand-collected seeds, cuttings, and transplanted propagates of local canyon stock.
Through the Canyon’s Steelhead Habitat Restoration Program, the creek that winds through the Canyon floor is being restored to encourage a return of California’s once thriving Steelhead fish population. El Capitan Canyon continues to work with local environmental and wildlife groups on this project.
Car-Free Canyon is a program to encourage safety for pedestrians and wildlife in this eco tourism hotel, while reducing noise and air pollution. El Capitan Canyon’s complimentary shuttle service, utilizing electric and gas vehicles as well as bicycles, offer quick transportation throughout the canyon.
Education
The campground resort’s activities focused on the great outdoors and preservation. These include botanical hikes, stargazing, whale watching, trips to the local Butterfly Park, guided hikes through the state park trails, and feeding El Capitan Canyon’s llamas and goats with the resident farm historian.
Bardessono
Yountville, CA
Building D
esign and Decoration
Bardessono has been designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification, the highest standard for environmental design. The heart of Bardessono uses repurposed tufa stone that was quarried in Napa County 80 years ago. Woods used throughout the hotel are milled from salvaged trees, and non-toxic, non-allergenic materials were used in construction.
Alternative Energy
A geothermal system heats and cools the property and the domestic hot water supply. Hidden on the flat rooftops are 940 solar panels that provide a significant amount of the hotel’s electrical demand.
Conservation Practices and Local Ecosystem
The eco tourism goal is to put as little material into the waste stream as possible, so Bardessono has an effective recycling and composting program. All planted areas are managed organically; vegetable food waste is composted in an “Earth Tub” and reused as organic compost for maintaining landscaped areas.
Education
Stewardship is a core value at the Bardessono. The hotel is committed to spreading the word about the importance of taking environmental action.
Hotel Felix
Chicago, IL
Building Design and Decoration
The Hotel Felix was the first hotel in Chicago to earn the prestigious LEED Silver certification. Decorative walls and floors are made of or covered with recycled or sustainable materials. Recycled carpets and cork and bamboo flooring are incorporated throughout the hotel. There is an enhanced energy management system, which allows the director of engineering to log in and control energy systems anywhere in the hotel.
Conservation and Local Ecosystem
The linen re-use program at The Felix means linens are washed at guests’ request rather than everyday as standard, another way this hotel supports eco tourism. This has resulted in average savings of 45,000 gallons of water and 325,000 gallons of detergent per year. More than 1 million gallons of water will be saved through the property’s water reduction program this year.
Chemicals for cleaning rooms and linens are eco-friendly, have low levels of harmful volatile organic compounds, are Green Seal certified, and bleach is never used.
The hotel has an extensive recycling policy, meaning anything that can be recycled will be. All trash cans within the property feature multiple compartments to make it easy for guests to participate in recycling.
Staff are encouraged to travel to work by bike or foot and staff are provided with showers and bike racks
