Best Outdoor Kids Play Design Ideas for Hotels & Resorts
sani resort outdoor adventure - bear grylls academy
Creating captivating and engaging outdoor play areas for children is essential for luxury hotels and resorts looking to attract families. Just like an innovative gym design or outdoor gym, a well-designed playground can enhance the guest experience and add tangible value to the property's leisure spaces offer.
We design all of the above and have a particular focus on the luxury hotel sector, where we see brands like Soneva, Six Senses Resorts, and One&Only Resorts leading from the front with their thoughtful kids club concepts that elevate a property’s appeal for families.
This guide explores a range of inspiring ideas for designing outdoor kids play areas in resorts that are safe, fun, and uniquely tailored to a luxury hospitality context.
1. Planning a Hotel or Resort Kids Play Area
Assessing Space and Budget
Before diving into kids leisure space design, it’s crucial to assess the available space and budget. This process requires more work as hotels and resorts need to determine the size and scope of the play area, considering factors like guest demographics and the resort’s overall theme.
What is the Unique Selling Point here? how is the facility going to be unique and differentiated, while also aligning with the relevant resort brand positioning?
For instance, Soneva Resorts often integrate large, sprawling play areas that blend seamlessly with their natural surroundings, while Six Senses focuses on eco-friendly and sustainable materials.
Space Utilization: Evaluate how the space can be maximized for various play activities without compromising safety. Consider multi-level play structures or combining different play zones for diverse experiences.
Budget Allocation: Balance cost with creativity. High-quality, durable materials might have a higher upfront cost but will last longer and require less maintenance.
Ensuring Safety and Accessibility
Safety is paramount in playground design. The play area should accommodate children of all ages and abilities, ensuring a safe and inclusive environment.
Safety Standards: Adhere to local and international safety regulations. Use soft flooring materials, rounded edges on equipment, and non-toxic finishes to prevent injuries.
Accessibility: Include ramps, wide pathways, and accessible play structures to ensure all children can enjoy the space, regardless of physical abilities.
Emphasizing Outdoor Games and Activities
Outdoor play is not only fun but also crucial for children’s physical and mental development. Incorporate a variety of games and activities to keep kids engaged. Adding these features can make the resort a popular destination for families.
Physical Activity: Design areas that encourage climbing, running, and jumping. Structures like climbing walls, obstacle courses, and swings promote physical fitness.
Social Interaction: Create zones for group play, such as sandboxes, water tables, or large interactive games that encourage teamwork and socialization.
2. Developing Design Skills for a Successful Playground
Building In-House Design Skills
Investing in in-house design skills can give hotels and resorts a personalized touch in their playgrounds, ensuring the space aligns perfectly with the property’s brand and guest expectations.
Training Staff: Develop a team with skills in landscape architecture, child psychology, and play safety standards. This ensures a holistic approach to playground design.
Customization: Use in-house designers to tailor the playground to the resort’s unique theme, whether it’s a tropical paradise or an urban escape.
Hiring a Design Consultant
While in-house design can be beneficial, hiring a professional consultant like ourselves can provide expert guidance to enhance the property's appeal, especially for complex or large-scale projects. We can also bring a fresh dose of creative thinking that integrates smoothly into the resort brand design standards.
Expertise: Consultants bring a wealth of experience and knowledge, often having worked on diverse projects and understanding the latest trends and safety standards.
Efficiency: They can streamline the design process, help avoid costly mistakes, and ensure the playground is completed on time and within budget.
Creating a Best-in-class resort kids play area
Combining in-house skills and expert consultation can lead to the creation of a top-notch playground that stands out and becomes a highlight of the guest experience.
Collaboration: Foster a collaborative approach where in-house teams and consultants work together to blend creativity with practicality.
Unique Experiences: Aim to create unique, memorable play experiences that reflect the resort’s identity and appeal to both children and parents.
3. Outdoor Games and Activities in Hotels & Resorts
Incorporating Outdoor Games
Designing play areas that incorporate a variety of outdoor games helps keep children active and engaged, enhancing their overall resort experience. Incorporating a variety of outdoor games can make the resort a popular destination for families.
Interactive Games: Install games like giant chess, hopscotch, or tic-tac-toe boards. These not only entertain but also stimulate strategic thinking and coordination.
Sports Facilities: Include mini-golf, basketball courts, or soccer fields to encourage physical activity and cater to older children and teenagers.
Hands-On Play and Exploration
Encouraging hands-on play and exploration stimulates creativity and imagination, essential for child development.
Natural Play Elements: Use natural materials like sand, water, and wood. Soneva Resorts, for example, often integrate natural elements into their play areas to inspire exploration.
Interactive Features: Add sensory panels, musical instruments, and tactile surfaces that engage different senses and provide educational play opportunities.
Designing for All Ages and Abilities
A successful playground should cater to children of various ages and abilities, offering something for everyone.
Age-Specific Zones: Create different areas for toddlers, young children, and older kids, with age-appropriate activities and equipment.
Inclusive Play: Ensure play structures are accessible and inclusive, with features like easy-to-climb ramps and sensory play panels for children with different abilities.
4. Innovative Playground Features in Hotels and Resorts
Color and Sensory Surfaces
Incorporating vibrant colors and sensory surfaces into playground design can make the space more engaging and stimulating for children.
Colorful Designs: Use bright, cheerful colors to attract children and stimulate visual interest. Flooring, equipment, and structures can all be part of this colorful palette.
Sensory Play: Integrate sensory surfaces like textured panels, water features, or soft play areas that engage touch and hearing as well as sight.
Making Trees a Feature
Natural elements like trees can be central features in a play space, creating a serene and inviting atmosphere.
Treehouses: Incorporate treehouses or elevated play areas that give children a sense of adventure and a unique perspective.
Shaded Play Areas: Use trees to provide natural shade, keeping play areas cool and comfortable, and protecting children from the sun.
Innovative Play Structures
Modern playgrounds can benefit from innovative structures that offer unique and engaging experiences.
Custom Designs: Develop custom play structures that reflect the property's theme, like pirate ships, castles, or jungle gyms.
Interactive Installations: Install interactive elements like climbing nets, balance beams, and kinetic sculptures that challenge and entertain children.
5. Water Play and Artistic Expression
Water Play Features
Water play can provide a refreshing way for kids to enjoy the outdoors, especially in warm climates.
Splash Pads: Incorporate splash pads or fountains that allow children to cool off and enjoy water safely without the need for a pool.
Water Tables: Install interactive water tables where kids can play and learn about the flow and movement of water.
Art Boards and Creative Spaces
Encouraging artistic expression is important for children's development and enjoyment.
Art Boards: Include wipe-clean art boards or easels where children can draw and paint, allowing them to express their creativity.
Craft Stations: Set up areas with supplies for crafts and building, fostering creativity and hands-on engagement.
Educational Playgrounds
Design playgrounds that are both fun and educational, combining play with learning opportunities.
Themed Areas: Create themed zones that teach about nature, science, or culture. For example, Six Senses Resorts often integrate educational themes into their kids’ clubs.
Interactive Learning: Install educational panels and interactive displays that provide information and activities related to the environment or local culture.
6. Designing Kids Play Facilities for Resorts using Whimsical Design Touches
Creating a Miniature World
Enchant children with a play area designed as a miniature world, sparking their imagination and sense of wonder.
Miniature Buildings: Design play structures as small-scale versions of castles, cottages, or cityscapes where kids can engage in imaginative play.
Fantasy Themes: Incorporate fantasy elements like fairy-tale gardens, dragon slides, or enchanted forests that transport kids to a magical world.
Themed Play Areas
Themed play areas can transform a standard playground into an extraordinary experience.
Adventure Themes: Create themes based on adventures, like jungle expeditions, underwater exploration, or space missions. One & Only Resorts often use thematic designs to captivate young guests.
Cultural Themes: Reflect the local culture or heritage in the playground design, offering children a fun way to learn about their surroundings.
Adding Whimsical Touches
Small whimsical touches can make a big difference in creating a unique and engaging play area.
Surprise Elements: Add unexpected elements like secret tunnels, playful sculptures, or hidden treasures that children can discover.
Interactive Features: Install features like talking tubes, musical stepping stones, or light-up paths that surprise and delight children.
7. Final Touches - Health and Safety Considerations
Multi-Purpose Playground Paving
Choosing the right playground surface is essential for safety and durability.
Soft Paving: Use soft, impact-absorbing surfaces like rubber or foam tiles to cushion falls and prevent injuries.
Durable Materials: Select materials that are weather-resistant and easy to clean, ensuring the playground remains safe and functional over time.
Maintenance and Upkeep
Regular maintenance is crucial to keep the playground safe, clean, and inviting.
Routine Inspections: Conduct regular safety inspections and maintenance checks to identify and address any issues promptly.
Cleanliness: Maintain a high standard of cleanliness, especially in high-traffic areas, to ensure the health and safety of all users.
Creating a Fun and Functional Space
The final touches should balance fun and functionality, ensuring the playground is enjoyable and practical.
Balanced Design: Incorporate both active play areas and quiet spaces where children can relax and enjoy a slower pace.
Parental Comfort: Provide seating and shaded areas for parents to watch and interact with their children comfortably.
Conclusion
Designing an exceptional outdoor play area for hotels and resorts involves a blend of creativity, safety, and functionality. By incorporating these ten design ideas, luxury properties can create engaging and memorable play experiences that delight young guests and reassure parents.
From whimsical themes and innovative structures to educational and sensory play, the possibilities are endless for crafting playgrounds that reflect the unique character and values of the resort.
Whether integrating natural elements or providing opportunities for creative expression, a well-designed play area can significantly enhance the overall guest experience, making it a cherished part of any family vacation.
guide to sustainable hotel resort standards, certification ecolabels — biofilico wellness interiors
Hotels and resorts are linked to air and water pollution, consume considerable amounts of energy that may well be from fossil fuels, emit carbon, consume water and create various forms of waste. Here we provide an overview of the leading sustainability standards, certifications and ecolabels for hotels and resorts in the UK and Europe.
Understanding Sustainable Hotel Resort Standards and Certifications
Hotels and resorts are linked to air and water pollution, consume considerable amounts of energy that may well be from fossil fuels, emit carbon, consume water, and create various forms of waste. A hospitality business now needs to consider its environmental and social impact as well as its economic performance to be considered truly sustainable.
This applies to the planning, construction, design, and fit-out phases in a hotel’s lifecycle, as well as during the operational phase. Food services play a crucial role in maintaining sustainability standards, with food services managers ensuring top-quality food ingredients and preparation. Additionally, higher quality facilities and expanded facilities that meet sustainability criteria contribute to an overall better service quality.
Below, we outline our views as hospitality sustainability professionals on the most prominent sustainability standards, certifications, eco-friendly practices, and ecolabels that provide structure and guidance in minimizing a hotel or resort’s environmental impact.
As hotel sustainability consultants, we work with all of the below to some extent, and can align a hotel sustainability plan with one or more of these solutions, upon request, whether a formal sustainability certificate or annual ESG sustainability reporting is required or not. Increasingly, being on top of this topic is about risk management and reputation, in addition to the climate-related imperative!
Aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals
The 17 macro goals outlined by the United Nations in their SDGs are a global framework for tackling climate change and embracing sustainable development until 2030. These goals are vital for achieving a sustainable future and ensuring that economic development does not come at the cost of environmental degradation.
Not all of these goals relate directly to hotels and resorts, but most do, and many of the goals are interconnected. For instance, reducing energy consumption and improving energy efficiency are crucial aspects that align with these goals.
SDG 12, for example, is Responsible Consumption & Production, which has direct implications for hotel operations in the materials and finishes used in the interiors, operational equipment such as cleaning products, and in-room amenities. This connects us to sustainable agriculture and SDG 15 Life On Land.
By aligning hotel operations with these goals, hotels can significantly reduce their environmental impact while promoting social and economic sustainability. This alignment helps in achieving a balance between economic growth, environmental care, and social wellbeing.
Achieving B Corporation Certification for Sustainability
As with the UN SDGs, a B Corp certification is not specifically tailored to the hotel and resort industry but it represents a valuable addition to sustainability credentials. It thoroughly evaluates the social and environmental impact of a hotel business, encouraging higher standards of transparency and accountability.
During the Impact Assessment process, a hotel business will need to report on governance issues such as stakeholder engagement, ethical practices, health and safety of workers, career development, DEI policy, community engagement, supply chain management, health and wellness of guests, and environmental impact issues from renewable energy to toxin reduction and environmental education. This process helps ensure that business practices are aligned with sustainable development principles.
Achieving B Corporation certification demonstrates a hotel's commitment to sustainable business practices and can significantly enhance its reputation among eco-conscious travelers. It also encourages continuous improvement in sustainability performance, driving better practices across the industry.
Embracing World Travel & Tourism Council WTTC Sustainability Basics
In 2022, the WTTC introduced their own set of ‘sustainability basics’ for hotels and resorts—12 basic criteria split into three segments of four criteria each. Hotels need to sign up for eight criteria initially, with the other four to follow in due course.
The hotel sustainability efficiency section covers energy use, water use, waste, and carbon emissions. By implementing these measures, hotels can reduce their overall energy consumption and minimize their carbon footprint. The Planet section focuses on a hotel linen reuse program, green cleaning products, vegetarian F&B options, removal of plastic straws/stirrers, no single-use plastic water bottles, and bulk amenity dispensers. The third section is socially oriented, addressing community impact and reducing inequalities.
These basics serve as a foundation for hotels aiming to improve their sustainability practices. They provide a clear framework for action, helping hotels to make meaningful progress toward sustainability goals and meet guest expectations for eco-friendly accommodations.
Adopting Global Sustainable Tourism Council Standards
The GSTC is an accreditation body responsible for the widely used baseline standards that influence and guide various hotel and tourism sustainability certification standards. It is an umbrella organization that focuses on sustainability management, social and economic issues, environmental conservation, and protecting cultural heritage.
The GSTC standards are comprehensive, covering all aspects of hotel operations from energy and water use to waste management and community engagement. By adopting these standards, hotels can ensure that they are meeting the highest benchmarks for sustainability.
These standards help hotels to systematically reduce their environmental impact, enhance social equity, and promote economic sustainability. They also provide a clear pathway for hotels to achieve certification and recognition for their sustainability efforts.
Implementing Green Globe Certification Criteria
Green Globe has 25 years of history and covers 44 criteria in four groups: environmental impact, socio-economic impact, sustainable management, and cultural heritage. Green Globe's criteria relate to the UN SDGs, particularly Goals 8, 12, and 14, emphasizing worker rights, ethical business practices, supporting local enterprises, and reducing plastic waste production.
Implementing Green Globe criteria involves a thorough assessment of a hotel's operations and practices. This certification encourages hotels to adopt best practices in sustainability and to continuously improve their performance.
By achieving Green Globe certification, hotels can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, enhance their marketability, and attract eco-conscious travelers. This certification also provides a framework for ongoing improvement, helping hotels to stay at the forefront of sustainability.
Leveraging EarthCheck Certification for Comprehensive Sustainability
EarthCheck is a certification system for hotels, resorts, and destinations, also providing consulting, training, and sustainability software. Their segmentation includes categories for hotels, convention centers, tours, wineries, destinations, tourism precincts, local municipalities, developers, project managers, ESD consultants, small-to-medium size businesses, restaurants, eco-tourism operators, event organizers, festivals, and councils.
EarthCheck promotes guest well-being through health-focused activities, spa services, and recreational opportunities, enhancing guest expectations and overall service quality. This is crucial for ensuring facility quality and meeting guest expectations.
The EarthCheck certification process involves benchmarking and continuous improvement, ensuring that hotels are consistently reducing their environmental impact and enhancing their sustainability performance. This certification helps hotels to achieve higher standards of sustainability and to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
Pursuing Green Tourism Certification
Green Tourism is based in Edinburgh, Scotland and has a strong presence around the UK.
It promotes sustainability in hotels and tourism via a system based on three main pillars: People, Places and Planet.
Essentially, the emphasis here lies on the following criteria:
Reducing energy use
Saving water
Efficient waste disposal
Ethical buying
Staying local and seasonal
Minimizing food miles
Promoting biodiversity
Adopting a smart sustainable outlook
The PEOPLE sustainability category covers support for local communities and staff engagement, PLACES is about buying local and ethically while protecting biodiversity and promoting local culture to guests; finally PLANET zeroes in on reducing carbon emissions, limited the use of natural resources and engaging with Circular Economy principles.
Fees for the first year of registration are GB £75+VAT to cover admin costs, annual fees are specific to business type and size, ranging from a ‘micro’ hotel, B&B or guesthouse with 1-6 bedrooms (GB £150 per annum) up to ‘Extra Large with 91+ rooms (priced at GB £650 annually).
Other categories cover visitor attractions, hostels, self-catering accommodation and holiday parks. Collectively this gives a sense of the target audience for this particular certification
Green Key Certification
Green Key is one of the oldest certifications, especially strong in Europe. It is recognized by the GSTC and aligns with the UN SDGs. The certification involves monitoring water, energy, waste records, and carbon footprint data. It offers a structured 5-step application process managed by the relevant national representative, including an audit and third-party verification.
Green Key certification helps hotels to systematically improve their sustainability performance and to demonstrate their commitment to environmental stewardship. This certification provides a clear pathway for hotels to achieve their sustainability goals and to gain recognition for their efforts.
By securing Green Key certification, hotels can enhance their marketability, attract eco-conscious travelers, and improve their overall service quality. This certification also provides a framework for ongoing improvement, helping hotels to stay at the forefront of sustainability.
Engaging with Travelife for Sustainable Hotels
Travelife offers sustainability certification for travel agents, tour operators, and accommodations. Their standards, recognized by the GTSC, involve a full onsite audit every two years. The certification covers environmental, social, and community criteria, focusing on energy, waste, water, wastewater, hazardous substances, biodiversity, human rights, fair wages, staff training, and supporting local communities.
Travelife ensures higher quality facilities and expanded facilities to meet the diverse needs of guests, including business practices that support sustainable tourism.
Travelife certification helps hotels to systematically improve their sustainability performance and to demonstrate their commitment to social and environmental responsibility. This certification provides a clear pathway for hotels to achieve their sustainability goals and to gain recognition for their efforts.
By engaging with Travelife, hotels can enhance their marketability, attract eco-conscious travelers, and improve their overall service quality. This certification also provides a framework for ongoing improvement, helping hotels to stay at the forefront of sustainability.
Utilizing WAYAJ Hotel Sustainability Rating
The WAYAJ Hotel Sustainability Rating evaluates and promotes environmentally responsible practices within the hospitality industry. It encompasses hotel energy and water efficiency, waste management and recycling, sustainable sourcing and procurement, environmentally friendly construction and design, and promoting local culture and biodiversity.
WAYAJ emphasizes a holistic approach, assessing various aspects of hotel operations, fostering continuous improvement, and enhancing guest experience and satisfaction through unique, eco-conscious offerings. This includes ensuring facility quality to meet and exceed guest expectations.
The WAYAJ Hotel Sustainability Rating helps hotels to systematically improve their sustainability performance and to demonstrate their commitment to environmental stewardship. This rating provides a clear pathway for hotels to achieve their sustainability goals and to gain recognition for their efforts.
By utilizing the WAYAJ rating, hotels can enhance their marketability, attract eco-conscious travelers, and improve their overall service quality. This rating also provides a framework for ongoing improvement, helping hotels to stay at the forefront of sustainability.
Elevating Service Quality with a Star Grading System
A star grading system is essential for evaluating the quality of hotel facilities and services. It helps in setting clear guest expectations and maintaining high standards. This system also encourages hotels to invest in higher quality facilities, ensuring a superior experience for guests. By adopting sustainable practices, hotels can improve their star ratings while also contributing to environmental conservation and social responsibility.
The star grading system provides a clear and objective way to measure and compare the quality of different hotels. It considers various factors, including facility quality, service quality, guest satisfaction, and overall experience. By achieving higher star ratings, hotels can enhance their reputation, attract more guests, and achieve better business outcomes.
Enhancing Facility Quality in Apartment Hotels
Apartment hotels offer a unique blend of home-like comfort and hotel services, catering to long-term guests. Ensuring higher facility quality in these establishments is crucial for guest satisfaction and loyalty. Sustainable practices, such as energy efficiency measures and waste reduction, play a significant role in maintaining high standards in apartment hotels.
By implementing sustainable practices, apartment hotels can reduce their environmental impact while providing a comfortable and high-quality experience for guests. This approach helps in meeting guest expectations, enhancing service quality, and improving overall business performance.
Promoting Sustainable Business Practices
Sustainable business practices are essential for achieving long-term success in the hospitality industry. These practices include energy efficiency measures, waste reduction strategies, ethical sourcing, and community engagement. By adopting sustainable business practices, hotels can reduce their environmental impact, enhance their reputation, and improve their financial performance.
Sustainable business practices also contribute to the well-being of employees and guests, creating a positive and supportive environment. By focusing on sustainability, hotels can attract eco-conscious travelers, meet regulatory requirements, and achieve better business outcomes.
Meeting Guest Expectations with Sustainable Practices
Guest expectations are evolving, with more travelers seeking eco-friendly and sustainable accommodations. By meeting these expectations, hotels can enhance guest satisfaction and loyalty. Sustainable practices, such as reducing energy consumption, minimizing waste, and promoting local culture, play a crucial role in meeting guest expectations.
By focusing on sustainability, hotels can differentiate themselves in a competitive market, attract more guests, and achieve better business outcomes. Sustainable practices also contribute to the overall guest experience, creating a positive and memorable stay.
Expanding Facilities to Enhance Guest Experience
Expanding facilities to include sustainable features can significantly enhance the guest experience. These features may include green spaces, energy-efficient systems, waste reduction programs, and eco-friendly amenities. By expanding facilities to include sustainable features, hotels can improve their environmental performance, enhance guest satisfaction, and achieve better business outcomes.
Expanding facilities also provides opportunities for innovation and creativity, allowing hotels to differentiate themselves in a competitive market. By focusing on sustainability, hotels can create unique and memorable experiences for guests, attract eco-conscious travelers, and achieve better business outcomes.
Achieving Comprehensive Sustainability
Achieving comprehensive sustainability requires a holistic approach that considers all aspects of hotel operations. This approach includes energy efficiency measures, waste reduction strategies, ethical sourcing, community engagement, and continuous improvement. By adopting a holistic approach to sustainability, hotels can achieve better environmental, social, and economic outcomes.
Comprehensive sustainability also requires collaboration and partnership with stakeholders, including employees, guests, suppliers, and the local community. By working together, hotels can achieve their sustainability goals, enhance their reputation, and achieve better business outcomes.
Enhancing Guest Satisfaction with Sustainable Practices
Guest satisfaction is a critical factor in the success of any hotel. By adopting sustainable practices, hotels can enhance guest satisfaction and loyalty. Sustainable practices, such as reducing energy consumption, minimizing waste, and promoting local culture, play a crucial role in enhancing guest satisfaction.
By focusing on sustainability, hotels can create a positive and memorable experience for guests, attract more travelers, and achieve better business outcomes. Sustainable practices also contribute to the overall guest experience, creating a positive and supportive environment.
Achieving Long-Term Success with Sustainability
Sustainability is essential for achieving long-term success in the hospitality industry. By adopting sustainable practices, hotels can reduce their environmental impact, enhance their reputation, and improve their financial performance. Sustainable practices also contribute to the well-being of employees and guests, creating a positive and supportive environment.
By focusing on sustainability, hotels can attract eco-conscious travelers, meet regulatory requirements, and achieve better business outcomes. Sustainable practices also provide opportunities for innovation and creativity, allowing hotels to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
Meeting Regulatory Requirements with Sustainable Practices
Meeting regulatory requirements is essential for the success of any hotel. By adopting sustainable practices, hotels can ensure compliance with environmental regulations, enhance their reputation, and achieve better business outcomes. Sustainable practices, such as energy efficiency measures, waste reduction strategies, and ethical sourcing, play a crucial role in meeting regulatory requirements.
By focusing on sustainability, hotels can create a positive and supportive environment, attract more guests, and achieve better business outcomes. Sustainable practices also contribute to the overall guest experience, creating a positive and memorable stay.
Enhancing Marketability with Sustainable Practices
Sustainable practices enhance the marketability of hotels, attracting eco-conscious travelers and improving overall business performance. By adopting sustainable practices, hotels can differentiate themselves in a competitive market, attract more guests, and achieve better business outcomes.
Sustainable practices also contribute to the overall guest experience, creating a positive and memorable stay. By focusing on sustainability, hotels can enhance their reputation, meet regulatory requirements, and achieve long-term success.
Achieving Financial Success with Sustainability
Sustainability is essential for achieving financial success in the hospitality industry. By adopting sustainable practices, hotels can reduce their environmental impact, enhance their reputation, and improve their financial performance. Sustainable practices also contribute to the well-being of employees and guests, creating a positive and supportive environment.
By focusing on sustainability, hotels can attract eco-conscious travelers, meet regulatory requirements, and achieve better business outcomes. Sustainable practices also provide opportunities for innovation and creativity, allowing hotels to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
best examples of independent sustainable hotels UK — biofilico wellness interiors
A review of some of the most sustainable countryside hotels in the UK many of whom are way ahead on hotel sustainability issues such asenergy efficiency
local sourcing
eco products & materials
enhanced biodiversity
waste reduction
Read on to find out what some of the best examples of sustainable uk hotels in the countryside are doing in terms of sustainability.
A review of some of the most sustainable independently owned hotels in the UK focusing on these sustainable concepts:
energy efficiency & renewable energy
local sourcing & responsible supply chains
eco-friendly products & materials
enhanced biodiversity & biophilic design
waste reduction & recycling
circular economy principles
health & wellness
ethical business practices
The Scarlet Hotel - a sustainable hotel concept UK
eco sanctuary hotel
Located on the cliffs of Cornwall, the 37-key Scarlet is an eco sanctuary that overlooks the Atlantic, offering guests a chance to reconnect with a natural lifestyle.
circular design hotel
The building was constructed using Circular Economy principles, meaning reclaimed materials that can be reused or recycled at their end of life, such as the wooden frame, copper cladding and aluminium roof structure.
hotel energy efficiency
Rather than air conditioning, natural ventilation strategies are used to cool the interiors in summer, rooftops are lined with sea thrift to stimulate biodiversity and electricity is from 100% renewable sources.
Low-energy LED lights with motion sensors reduce unnecessary energy expenditure, the indoor pool is heated by a solar system, heating is courtesy of a biomass boiler and grey or waste water is collected from showers and baths to flush the toilets.
sustainable hotel waste management
Bathroom amenities are sourced from local artisans, the wasteful packaging of an in-room tea tray is done away with in favor of room service upon request and each room booking includes a £5 donation to Surfers Against Sewage to help protect the British coastline (a cause that Biofilico also supports).
sustainable hotel food menu
There is a tangible sense of authenticity to this hotel’s commitment to the environment. So it’s no surprise to find a food concept that is based around seasonal ingredients, sustainable seafood and wines, slow-aged steaks.. it aligns perfectly with the overall stance on sustainability here.
sustainable hotel wellness
In terms of wellbeing, there is an eco spa inspired by Ayurvedic treatments with an outdoor natural reed pool, a clifftop wooden sauna, a meditation space and endless ‘blue nature’ views of the Atlantic.
Spa therapies happen in lantern-lit tented spaces, concluding in a cocoon pod for a moment of contemplative relaxation. Mind-body wellness classes on offer include various forms of yoga and tai chi; with surfing available out front when the waves are doing their thing!
The Green House Hotel - a sustainable hotel UK
sustainable hotel certifications
Billed as the greenest hotel in the UK, The Green House knew where it was headed right from the start and was able to line itself up for BREEAM green building accreditation as well as integrating an ISO 14001 compliant environmental management system and joining the Considerate Hoteliers association. In other words, they meant business from Day 1!
sustainable hotel renewable energy
This boutique hotel of just 32-rooms harnesses the power of the sun to heat its water, reduces energy consumption with energy-efficient lighting throughout, EV charging points, and generates electricity onsite via a Combined Heat and Power (What is CHP?) unit. The thermal envelope of the building was improved with additional cavity wall insulation, roofing insulation, double glazing windows, and high-performance window seals to prevent heat loss / cool air drafts.
sustainable hotel supply chain
Their procurement policy and approach to materials use is impressively considered, from local craftsmen making their furniture from storm-felled timber, to naturally fire retardant (chemical-free) wool carpets in the bedrooms, FSC certified wallpaper made using vegetable inks and eco-friendly, metal-free mattresses.
sustainable hotel waste policy
Waste oil from the kitchen is made into biofuel, coffee beans and food waste are composted for use in gardens, and coffee grounds are repurposed to grow mushrooms, showcasing a commitment to reducing waste and sustainable practices. The restaurant menu is based around seasonal, local, and organic ingredients while alcohol is locally sourced from around the UK.
sustainable hotel operations
Sustainable hotel operations focus around aligning staff behind the environmental policy with ongoing training and rewards for new ideas, recycled toilet roll, eco cleaning products that are free from toxic substances, pesticide free landscaping and a comprehensive waste management system that starts with the procurement process - by asking questions before purchasing products, they team are able to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.
The Green House Hotel's sustainable operations contribute to the global effort towards responsible tourism.
Saorsa 1875 - a sustainable vegan hotel concept in scotland
a vegan hotel concept
This 11-room property in Pitlochry, Scotland was established in 2018 in a building constructed in 1875 and set out to become the UK's first 100% vegan hotel, “designed for vegans, vegetarians and the plant-curious” to be precise.
Interiors play off a bohemian, eclectic vibe with individually styled rooms created more of a home from home atmosphere than a formal chain hotel.
Toiletries, cleaning products and furnishings are 100% vegan, avoiding leathers and. animal-testing in particular.
The food menu is completely plant-based focusing on not just local and seasonal but foraged ingredients too, combined with craft beers and a wine list ‘inspired by the region'.
an ethical. hotel with values
As a business they are aligned with the Good Business Charter (see the small business version here) meaning they are assessed for paying staff a real. living wage fair hours and contracts, employee wellbeing and representation, diversity and inclusion, environmental responsibility, paying fair tax, commitment to customers, ethical. sourcing and prompt payment.
Whatley Manor a sustainable cotswolds hotel
Whatley Manor in the Cotswolds has pledged to reduce its carbon footprint and reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2028, equating to a reduction of 90% from their 2019 data, as well as Net Zero emissions from their supply chain by 2035. Commitments made publicly in this way help to keep a business on track and increase accountability, so are to be commended. These efforts contribute to a more sustainable future by supporting eco-friendly practices and initiatives.
sustainable hotel accreditations awards
Set amongst 12-acres of gardens, the hotel has a Bronze certification from Earthcheck, has a Green Michelin star for sustainable gastronomy in its renowned dining room, and regularly picks up awards as one of the UK’s most eco-friendly luxury hotels.
sustainable hotel energy efficiency
The hotel. runs on 100% renewable energy and removed gas from its kitchens to cook on induction heat only (more. efficient), a new Boiler Management System helps with optimum energy efficiency for heating and hot water needs, LED lighting uses 75% less energy than. the previous lighting set-up and six EV charging stations are offered to guests in the parking area.
sustainable hotel guest rooms
Eliminating single-use plastic is now an established first step for most environmentally conscious hotels, at least in the front of house operations - doing so in the kitchens is far more of a challenge. As part of their eco-friendly practices to reduce waste and promote sustainability, Whatley Manor only change bed linens and towels upon request, have opted for ceramic amenity bottles, compostable coffee pods, in-room recycling bins, digital newspapers for guest use and reusable water bottles.
‘reuse recycle repair' in a sustainable hotel
Not ones to do things by halves, Whatley Manor established their own on-site recycling centre with a glass crusher as part of their commitment to sustainable practices. All food waste is segregated and turned into compost whenever possible, while general waste was reduced by 30% after benchmarking took place in 2019.
nature, organic and biodiversity at a sustainable hotel
Organically grown fruit and vegetables dominate in the hotel kitchen, with a kitchen garden and on-site greenhouses, four beehives, minimal pesticide use, planting schemes to encourage biodiverse natural habits for insects and birds, bio char is used to enhance the soil and organic manure serves as fertilizer. These sustainable initiatives significantly reduce the hotel's environmental impact.
Sustainable country estate hotels UK
biofilico hotel sustainability consultants review the most sustainable country estate hotels focusing on: energy & water efficiency / local sourcing policy /. building and interior materials / waste reduction, recycling & single-use plastics / biodiversity & biophilia / health & wellness
biofilico hotel sustainability consultants review the most sustainable country estate hotels in the uk focusing on core themes such as
energy & water efficiency
local sourcing policy
building and interior materials
waste reduction, recycling & single-use plastics
biodiversity & biophilia
health & wellness
Read on to find out what some of the best examples of sustainable UK hotels in the countryside are doing in terms of sustainability.
Thyme - a nature inspired UK hotel in a conservation area
Thyme is an independent hotel in a restored 31-bedroom manor house on a privately owned farm in the Cotswolds, with a spin-off business of botanically inspired products marketed under the brand name Bertioli.
The central concept here is nature, providing guests with a myriad of ways to connect with and be in nature during their stay (a concept known as biophilia) on this carefully restored, historic estate located within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) with water meadows that have been named a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Around the estate guests will find a Barn restaurant, the Baa Bar, Swan pub, a cookery school, the Meadow Spa and an event space.
An ‘English countryside with a contemporary twist’ style pervades the interiors with their nature-inspired colour palettes and botanical prints combined with a restrained use of the latest technology where required.
In terms of sustainability, a number of energy efficiency measures include enhanced ventilation and insulation measures, as well as on-site heat pumps and boreholes, taking full advantage of what the land offers them. A chlorine-free, spring water swimming pool meanwhile has a high-tech filtration system to provide a more natural swimming experience for guests.
In the food and beverage outlets, ingredients are responsibly sourced and seasonal, there is also a vegetable garden, herb bed and orchard on the estate providing the foundation of what is used in the kitchens.
Decorative flowers used around the manor’s interiors are sourced from around the UK, rather than being imported from the giant producer countries such as Holland, Colombia and Kenya.
Additionally a supplier code of conduct, or Rules of Engagement document, reportedly ensures a minimum of “sustainable standards, transparency, inclusivity & fairness, and product excellence” from businesses in their supply chain.
In hotel operations, commitment has been made to removing single-use plastics as well as composting and recycling, with the aim to achieve zero waste kitchen operations eventually.
As a hotel, Thyme doesn’t shout about its sustainability yet thanks to its nature-inspired brand positioning, a respect for the environment is clearly a vital part of the business’s future success.
Thyme is a member of 1% For The Planet, supports the conservation efforts of Tusk in Africa and is advised on sustainable meadow management by Plantlife to ensure the estate becomes a haven for wildlife.
The Wild Rabbit - a sustainable hotel UK
Billed as a modern British inn, this independent hotel is part of the Daylesford Farm estate, one of the leading sustainable and organic farms in the UK, owned by Lord and Lady Bamford.
Refurbishment works in 2013 used traditional building techniques, local craftsmen and local materials to deliver a high-end concept that is at once rustic and contemporary thanks to Lady Bamford’s architects of choice for all ofher Daylesford projects around the world and biophilic design experts - Spencer Fung Architects.
In both the dining room and bedrooms, we find plenty of exposed stone and aged oak ceiling beams, one-off furniture pieces and fine detailing. Wattle and daub panelling was restored and re-rendered while original beams and joists were exposed and given a new lease of life after the previous countryside pub context.
Roofing was insulated with pure sheep’s wool from the Daylesford estate to improve thermal performance and reducing energy expenditure, while introducing a natural, non-toxic material into the building, just as would have been done several hundred years ago.
The Wild Rabbit runs on renewable power, there are over 1800 solar panels around the farm in total, electric vehicle charging points are provided, low energy lighting has been used throughout the property and a set of recycling bins are standard in each waste collection area.
In the kitchen, no surprises perhaps to find locally sourced, seasonal food on offer with many of the ingredients coming directly from the Daylesford farm, making this an ideal ‘0km’ solution.
Bathrooms feature the distinctive green bottles of the Bamford Bath & Body collection, made with naturally sourced and in many cases organically certified ingredients. These products can also be found at the eco-luxury 1 Hotel spas around the USA.
No sustainability report available online.
Fritton Lake Hotel & Members Club - a green hotel experience
Fritton Lake Hotel & Members Club is part of the Somerleyton Estate, owned by Lord and Lady Somerleyton, who are on a mission to rewild this corner of East Anglia in collaboration with other landowners under the collective moniker of WildEast.
Farmland here is gradually being restored to self-management, ensuring it is home to free-roaming deer, cattle, water buffalo, sheep, ponies and a plethora of birds.
A 16th century clubhouse with restaurant and rooms is joined by a series of cabins and holiday cottages tucked away around the serene lake. On-site ‘wildstock’ is made up of both wild and farmed grazing animals. playing a vital role in re-engineering the land, as nature intended.
By way of a waste reduction plan, Fritton works with suppliers to reduce unnecessary packaging while a local food waste recycler turns waste into energy. Food miles are kept to a minimum as the bulk of ingredients used in the kitchen are from the Somerleyton Estate grounds, with harder to source delicacies coming from local artisans.
After an energy audit back in 2018, tenergy sourcing was switched to renewable energy providers, LED lights were introduced and ongoing energy monitoring has provided valuable real time data to assist with managing efficiencies.
In terms of guest health and fitness, there are plenty of on-site activities such as wild swimming in the lake, trail running, cycling and even one of our own Biofit designed eco-friendly gyms with a group fitness studio.
Heckfield Place - a sustainable countryside hotel
A decade in the planning, Heckfield Place is a 400-acre estate in Hampshire with a main building that dates back to the 1760s. Today it offers a high-end, sustainable hotel experience inspired by traditional values rather than sustainability being its defining characteristic.
Biomass boilers burn wood pellets from sustainable sources to heat the building and water for showers; additional energy from the grid comes from renewable sources; motion-sensors and LED bulbs reduce the energy requirements of lighting. Water meanwhile is taken from an on-site borehole and rainwater is collected for use around the estate, rather than drawing from the mains.
Various natural materials are said to have been sourced locally such as rush mats and headboards - no mention is made of the myriad other building and interior fit-out materials in that particular slice of the procurement strategy however.
Natural ingredients dominate in the spa and this connection. with nature is perhaps where Heckfield Place hits its highest notes in fact.
In addition to. single-use plastic-free bedrooms, extensive waste-reduction strategies in the kitchens include making preserves and cordials from excess fruit, as would have been done in the past, with anything that can’t be used going to compost for the ‘living soil’ that forms a central part of the hotel’s biodynamic farm concept.
Regenerative farming techniques are a commitment, requiring detailed knowledge of the local soil conditions, solar calendars and faith in traditional methods that shy away from fertilizers completely. in favour. of compost, manure and. ‘herbal remedies’ The result is an organic farm with its own dairy, seven greenhouses, a rotating mix of crops, British saddleback pigs, hens, bees and fruit orchards.
Future projects include the addition of solar tiles on the roof for energy production, a windmill and an off-grid community of ‘tiny houses’ as well as ongoing tree propagation and. planting initiatives.
The Victoria, Holkham - a green country estate hotel uk
The Victoria hotel within the Holkham Estate, owned by the Earl of Leicester, located on the Norfolk coast, is made up of two buildings with ten rooms in each.
The setting is the “most pioneering and sustainable rural estate” that has received a Gold Award from Green Tourism every year since 2016 and is regularly references as one of the finest examples of estate conservation in the UK, so the omens were always good for their on-site hotel.
sustainable hotel energy
Heating is courtesy of a biomass boiler fuelled by their own woodchip, from their sustainably managed woodland. A 100-acre solar farm was built back in 2014 in a first step towards becoming what they intend to be a carbon neutral estate by 2040.
There are also ground source heat pump energy units and air source heat pumps on the grounds. In 2021 Holkham undertook two carbon audits covering both the leisure and agriculture components of the estate’s activities.
Working at this level as part of a hotel sustainability strategy, is a far greater commitment than merely buying recycled toilet paper or going digital at reception, it requires long-term planning and expert consultancy services.
green hotel kitchen ingredients
Ingredients are sourced either on-site (such as venison, beef and lamb) or from within a 50 mile radius of the estate, this type of local procurement policy is nothing new of course but it has become increasingly less common in a world where avocados can be flown in from Peru all year round. Making this type of commitment means following the seasons, and reducing the impact of food miles further along the supply chain.
Green Hotel waste management
One of the central tenets of the Holkham sustainability strategy is waste reduction. They are set on closing the loop on compostables with the help of a local recycling supplier who turn it into compost suitable for agriculture.
A target of a 10% reduction in non-recycled waste each year for the next decade shows yet again their long-term vision for reducing environmental impact both on the estate as a whole and at their sustainable hotel The Victoria. No surprises therefore to see a prominent recycling bin strategy in place for visitors to do their bit whilst on the estate.
Sustainable Boutique Hotel Brands UK
Biofilico wellness real estate consultants review the best sustainable boutique hotel brands in the UK today, from The Pig, to Good Hotel, Treehouse Hotels, Room2 and The Zetter Group, each one takes a slightly different approach to their sustainability policy, some focus more on wellness, others on carbon emissions, others on the food or guest experience. Read on to find out more!
our hotel sustainability consultant perspective on the eco friendly hotel chains and boutique hotels leading the way in their sustainability efforts - from social responsibility, to environmental awareness and a focus on guest wellness
good hotels - a socially responsible hotel in london
The Good Hotels are a people-oriented brand of boutique hotels on what looks to be a genuine, founder-led mission to do good and make the world a better place through the medium of real estate, hospitality and social uplift.
The mini group currently just about fits into the ‘hotel chains UK’ category although they have three hotel locations, of which two are in Guatemala (Guatemala City and Antigua), the third is a floating platform hotel located in London that was previously a pop-up in Amsterdam before being shipped across to the Royal Victoria dock in East London.
As a social business, 100% of profits are pumped into community projects, from kids education to training locals who might otherwise not find a way into the hospitality industry. Their Good Training program involves working with local authorities to identify individuals who have been in long-term unemployment and providing them with several months of hospitality training leading to potential job opportunities at a network of partner hotels.
By repurposing derelict buildings they minimize their environmental impact, as new build construction has far higher embodied carbon that a refurb, provided the refurb. takes into consideration long-term energy saving measures such as Passive design to ensure a tight building envelope.
In Guatemala, the properties feature locally crafted textiles, joinery an organic amenities while in London there is a clear Dutch design influence - clean, crisp, unfussy but with plenty of personality too.
The focus is on natural, durable, and repurposed materials, meaning all kitchen ingredients are locally sourced for example. Clearly in Guatemala the two properties are surrounded by worthy causes, artisanal crafts and traditional makers. The transition to a premium London hotel concept from that starting point was always going to be interesting to watch.
Bedrooms in London do not offer a mini-bar or TV instead focusing on communal social areas, this reduced both their initial Capex costs on the IT and ongoing operational energy consumption. By way of ‘compensation’, each night spent in the property helps fun a week of education for a child in Guatemala via their Good Global Foundation (GGF), which supports social causes all around the world such as Niños de Guatemala, a foundation co-founded in 2007 by Marten Dresen, the founder of the Good Hotel.
This raises an interesting question around guest expectations in terms of the in-room facilities, their hotel pricing strategy and the role of pre-arrival, check-in and in-room communications to ensure guests are aware of the ‘give & take’ scenario on offer here. We imagine these three elements have to be closely coordinated right from the start, even from the marketing strategy that needs to tap into a certain target audience of travellers with a social conscience.
room2 hometels - a truly sustainable hotel in london
Room2 is a relative newcomer to the UK boutique hotel scene with locations in Chiswick, Hammersmith, and Southampton on the south coast with a stated expansion strategy of 5,000 keys under lease or management by 2030. The first of these new properties will include Belfast (2022), Liverpool (2023) and Fulham (2024) making them one of the sustainable hotel chains to watch in the UK over the next few years.
The brand is part of the Lamington Group, a family owned business with over 50 years of history as a real estate investor, developer and operator with over 14,000m2 of real estate across its portfolio.
This background information is crucial to understanding what comes next in terms of their extensive hotel sustainability strategy efforts - Room2 is part of a wider organization that includes residential development, residential letting, a serviced apartment operations business and a Coworking concept.
Having committed to achieving Net Zero by 2030 for Scope 1 & 2 emissions, the Lamington Group began their sustainability strategy by establishing a baseline of their Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHG), switching to renewable energy sources, integrating sustainability into operational decisions, implementing energy efficiency programs in existing properties and committing to Net Zero whole life carbon - net zero in terms of operations and embodied carbon.
A lot of resources and expertise has clearly gone into this to align with London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) and the UK Green Building Council Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework, making the effort all the more admirable. A dedicated 2-woman sustainability team is supported by a Green Team including the Managing Director and Finance Director (the brothers Godwin at the helm of the company), with external consultants including Elements on Net Zero Building standards, Climate Partner on carbon offsets and Verco on assessment and reduction of embodied carbon in their development projects.
At property level, we see a rarity in the boutique hotel chains - a brand that has a sustainability strategy covering an impressive range of key concepts from energy, to water, food waste, biophilia / biodiversity, support for local communities and a local procurement policy.
Energy demand for example is met by renewables such as solar, wind and hydro, while ‘lab rooms’ in each property monitor energy use, air quality and water usage in detail to provide data on possible untapped efficiencies. Carbon offsets come from a bamboo project in Nicaragua while low carbon and circular materials are given priority in the build and fit-out of each property.
Locally sourced, plant-based food options are always on offer and Biophilic design brings the outside world in to connect guests to nature while improving the indoor air quality at the same time. This is boosted by a green roof, herb garden and an apiary at Room2 Chiswick for example.
Perhaps the only component missing from the Room2 hotel sustainability strategy at present is a piece addressing health and wellbeing of guests and staff but kudos to their team for this level of commitment nonetheless, they are leading from the front.
Zetter group - sustainable design hotels london
The Zetter Group are London based boutique hotel mini-group with three properties in the portfolio made up of a five-floor hotel in London’s Clerkenwell district, an additional townhouse in the same area and a third property in the more sedate Marylebone.
Interiors are unashamedly eclectic, verging on the maximalist at times, with wallpaper, artworks, carpets and textiles combining to create visually dramatic spaces. Underneath all of this though, lies a group that has made real headway on its sustainability policies.
An internal ‘green team’ meets regularly to drive the hotel sustainability agenda forward. Past wins include the roll-out of a energy loop system that reduces overall energy usage; natural light and passive ventilation via one hotels’ central atrium with a skylight'; occupancy detection in-room to reduce waste energy expenditure while not in use; paper and glass recycling; eco-friendly bathroom amenities;a reduction in packaging in their supply chain (food deliveries); a local procurement policy (food, amenities, textiles).
In terms of certifications, the Zetter Group is a member of the Sustainable Restaurant Association and Green Tourism.
At least according to their website, they are also making conscious efforts to foster staff wellbeing as part of their hotel sustainability strategy and continue to explore new opportunities to improve, reducing their environmental impact along the way.
No sustainability report available online.
Inhabit - health and wellness hotels london
Inhabit Hotels is a self-proclaimed ‘wellness oriented’ and environmentally conscious hotel group in London with properties in Paddington and Bayswater. The brand is working towards B Corp certification and clearly identified a gap in the market for boutique size hotels for the mindfulness generation of plant-based, yoga-practicing, spa-loving self-caring guest profile… and anyone who even vaguely identifies with that lifestyle presumably!
The Paddington site occupies six townhouses with 88 guest rooms while the larger Bayswater property has 158 rooms and suites. Their stated aim is to optimize the mental and physical wellness of their guests via a combination of sustainable interior design one the one hand and health-oriented guest experiences on the other.
Interiors have furniture made by locally based social enterprise Goldfinger and a soft, calming colour palette with British textiles and a loosely Scandi aesthetic using plenty of natural wood. This is essentially a mid-market product in the £150-£250 average price per night range.
Features such as a ‘peaceful library’ are a combination of clever communications and a concept-led approach looking for any and every opportunity to enhance the guest experience, even if most guests will likely not have the time or inclination to. browse through the bookshelves for reading material during their stay.
Other features of note include a pet-friendly policy, the option to choose the type of aromatherapy scent in-room and on-site fitness / yoga rooms combined with a comprehensive activity schedule covering various forms of yoga and meditation.
Plant-based, meat-free and seasonal cuisine comes courtesy of a partnership with Yeotown, a health and wellness retreat in Devon, ensuring an F&B concept fully in line with the hotel’s stance on sustainability and wellbeing.
No sustainability strategy or annual sustainability report available online.
The Pig group - sustainable hotels and restaurants uk
The Pig Hotel and Restaurant Group currently has eight countryside ‘restaurants with rooms’ in locations across England in Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Kent, Cornwall, West Sussex and two locations in Hampshire, each united by their concept of ‘gardener, forager and chef’.
Just like the roadside inns of old, the foundation stone of hospitality at each Pig site is essentially the “simple and honest” philosophy behind their F&B offer, with an organic kitchen garden providing as much of the reared or grown ingredients as possible, with everything else sourced from within a 25-mile radius to create their ‘25 Mile Menu’ concept.
In total, these gardens produce around 17 tons of food each year that would otherwise have arrived by road, increasing their transport related environmental footprint considerably. Fish is from sources approved by the Marine Conservation Society and foragers help bring in other local, harder to find wild ingredients. Several of the restaurants are members of the Sustainable Restaurant Association.
All garden waste is composted, while glass, paper, plastic, and cooking oil are dutifully recycled. Glass bottled water is supplied by BELU, a social enterprise, and all single-use plastics have been removed from their bars. Bedroom soaps are wrapped in paper and used aluminium coffee capsules are recycled.
These small details cumulatively reflect a conscious approach to sustainability that may not follow any strict set of guidelines or certification system but is meaningful and important work nonetheless.
Interior hotel furnishings are mostly antique and upcycled,while lightbulbs have been updated to LED to reduce energy consumption.
No sustainability strategy or annual sustainability report available online.
https://www.thepighotel.com/about-us/
Treehouse - biophilic design hotels uk
Treehouse hotels are (for now at least) a UK-centric sustainable hotel brand within Barry Sternlicht’s SH Hotels & Resorts Group, after his massive success with the 1 Hotels eco-luxury hotel concept this looks to be a smaller scale concept that shares many of the same sustainability values, albeit with more of a nostalgic twist towards traditional values, coziness and craftsmanship. The launch location was a 95-room property in London’s Marylebone with Manchester and Miami opening in 2023.
Sustainability is subtly interwoven into the fabric of the guest experience, from biophilic design in the restaurants to collaborations with meditation teachers and vegetarian chefs, eco-friendly homeware companies and advice on eco picnics in the park.
Treehouse Hotels have adopted a ‘soft’ sustainability stance in other words, one that takes it as a given that ‘this is how things should simply be done’ and assuming their guests will have an affinity with this lifestyle, rather than it being a defining part of the brand’s identity that needs to be driven home with communications.
That said, there is on-site composting, a recycling program, triple filtered water taps in the corridors and a reduction in single use plastics in evidence as well as an abundance of air-purifying plants, natural materials such as wood and organic cotton sheets in the bedrooms.
This does leave some questions unanswered from a sustainability strategy perspective of course (energy efficiency? carbon emissions? wellness initiatives?) but all of that can come with time as the group expands and matures.
No sustainability strategy or annual sustainability report available online.
Further Reading
the aficionados on sustainability at independent hotels
Matt Morley, hotel sustainability consultant, Biofilico, talks to Iain Ainsworth of The Aficionados about wellness and sustainability in the hotel industry, from eco-friendly hotel amenities, sustainability certifications for hotels, the landscape hotel concept and various examples of sustainability initiatives from his member hotels in the Alps.
how are independent boutique hotels in europe integrating sustainability?
matt morley talks to the founder of the aficionados, iain ainsworth, to find out…
In this episode I’m in London talking to boutique hotel expert Iain Ainsworth - Founder of The Aficionados a reference for travel culture and lifestyle that promotes neat edits of hotels, creators and craftsmen as well as its sister company White Line Hotels a marketing network for hoteliers.
He was Executive VP of Design Hotels from 2004-2008 and Regional Director of Sales and Marketing for Concorde Hotels from 2000-2004 so he’s a hospitality insider through and through.
I took the opportunity to take the temperature on sustainability in his corner of the industry today, so we cover everything from eco-friendly hotel amenities, sustainability certifications for hotels, the landscape hotel concept and various examples of sustainability initiatives from his member hotels in the Alps.
FULL TRANSCRIPT COUTESY OF OTTER.AI - EXCUSE ANY TYPOS
interview with the aficionados
Matt Morley
Iain, thanks for joining us today. I'd like to start at a fairly high level overview. You've been in this game for a while you're an insider. How do you see sustainability taking shape or evolving amongst the hotels you're working with? Is it more of an informal organic process or are you seeing more structure coming into play?
natural sustainability in hotels
Iain Ainsworth
Hi, Matt, I think for me, the most overwhelming point is that for all of our hotels, it's a very natural process, it's part of their DNA. When we talked to them initially, 12 years ago about sustainability, they were like, well, what's new? It's always been part of what we do. And we only work with privately owned hotels - 99% of them are indigenous, from that village, from the valley, mountain or town.
So for them, it's pretty natural that they sourced locally, beside the fact that they knew Bert down the road, who was the timber maker, it's very natural thing.
greenwashing in hotels
Green labeling is not something that they they need. Sure, it's not just a marketing process, it does need some structure coming into it. And that's where we try and guide them and filter out what what they do, because for them, it's part of running a daily hotel, and they don't necessarily realize that what they're doing is remarkable.
You know, even for the older hotels, where you might think, to be up to the new standards is quite difficult. You can see the next generation are applying the newest technologies, but they're also going back to how their grandparents originally built the hotels.
renewable energy for hotels
In the Alps, for example, using renewable energy is pretty normal now, if you look at South Tyrol, most hotels have zero carbon emissions, because they are using a grid fostered by the local government. So a lot of them are very, very green, I hate the word green. But this just put them into into that philosophy, if you like, I just think it's a welcome blast of energy and enthusiasm that they have for being sustainable - without necessarily calling it ‘sustainability’.
hotel sustainability certifications
It is difficult within the hotel industry, as you know, and also between countries, to get certification is there's not one mandated policy that you can follow when you're building a new hotel. Equally, if you're renovating, it's very hard to tick all of the boxes. And there is no one's one central template for this.
sustainable hotel architecture
But on the other hand, I think that's quite good. Because then you get personally into innovation and new ideas. The other striking point with our hotels is the lead on architecture and design, again, maximizing the use of light, maximizing the conservation of heat during the winter. And also keeping cool in the summer.
Architects, particularly in the alpine regions are very up to date on sustainable approaches - again, it's part of the DNA of that of that region.
sustainability as part of the hotel culture
Matt Morley
It's an interesting point, isn't it? Because it's almost as if there are certain areas of Europe and in particular, in this case, geographies where you are heavily present with your member hotels, where it's almost part of the culture where it doesn't need necessarily to be introduced from outside and then sort of imposed from above, which is what we're seeing in places like London, and other huge cities where it hasn't been historically part of the local culture but now they're playing catch up, whereas someone like South Tyrol, it's really part of the fabric of society.
sustainable supply chains for hotels
Iain Ainsworth
Yeah, I mean, there's certain aspects they still need to look at like, like, like how do you minimalize the impact of what you're doing because at the end of the day, it's still tourism but I think when your family owned the farm down the road, your other family member is the hotel architect. Your other family are producing hotel linen which is a very natural and sustainable product, even the timber they use in the bedrooms, they will save sleep better because it's holistic and antibacterial.
natural health and wellness in hotels
So you have this natural health and wellness element as part of the building. For me, you know, it's very easy to talk about, you know, sustainability in Lisbon. But it's a very different approach there, you need to dig deeper because, unfortunately, some countries or larger urbanized hubs, when they go for the local furniture, it's not necessarily locals, they just take the design and then source it from further afield.
But we've got an old palace in Lisbon, it was the hardest thing finding an architect that would understand conservation, and reinvigorating the hotel history rather than wiping over it.
certification systems for sustainable hotels
Matt Morley
So you mentioned the idea of sustainability certifications. And we do see a number of them out there at the moment, as you say, it feels like perhaps there isn't quite one dominant leader that works across territories. Each has a slightly different twist, I noticed, but a lot of them are covering, broadly the same bases.
So for example, Son Brull in Mallorca - one of your member hotels - they've gone for Travelife certification, from your perspective, hotel marketing, do you think there's value in going for something like that?
sustainable hotel restaurant ingredients
Iain Ainsworth
Yeah, Son Brull, when they created the hotel some 15 years ago, it was a very sustainable approach to it, it's been a farm for nearly 300 years. So it was a monastery as well, and it came with 40 hectares of land. So as a hotel, you can either sell the land, leave it over to other farmers, or you can take it as part of your concept.
So in this case ‘farm to table’ dining for them is pretty natural as well, because they've got the farm on their doorstep. So they've always been a pioneer of doing things proper, I guess, they're Islanders, and they saw a lot of destruction of the island.
Also, you know, the movement of locals from farming into hospitality, which sort of saddened that one of the owners and a particular and he said, No, this is not right, we need to employ the farming community around us.
So they did it from their own hearts, as it were, but I mean, having certification from Travelife, for example, the gold certification, it's a good tickbox because again, you start to ask yourself, Okay, what am I missing? What else can I do and like all of the certifications, of course, you know, they're covering a very broad spectrum of hotel typologie and sizes.
The smaller ones, invariably are not going to be able to tick every box. But equally, they know, the larger ones are not going to be able to offer fresh lemons from their own orchard in the morning.
Compared to a hotel just saying that they’re green and eco, and sustainable., having a certification means for me that they are following strict sustainability guidelines. And they're fulfilling as many items on the checklist as possible.
It’s also an ongoing process, which I like, because it's not just okay, we've done an initiative, tick the box, close it. You know, it's an ongoing thing. And I think that, for me, is what certification is about. It's ongoing. It's always changing. It's always evolving. Technology, of course, is helping this in terms of collecting data from hotel operations.
sustainable hotel amenities
Matt Morley
One idea that we see a lot of hotels adopting is sustainable amenities, removing single use plastic bottles. You've written about various brands offering that type of product, from plant-based botanicals and organics and naturals - what’s going on there from your view?
Iain Ainsworth
Yeah, it was the straws and now we're going for plastic free amenities. And, you know, the elimination of single use plastics throughout the hotel, whether it's the amenity bottle, or mineral water bottles. The advantage small hotels have is that they can go to a local supplier again, and source materials from them.
I mean, the best elements for me are those pioneers like Susanna Kaufman, who have always used natural products. You know, she's very cautious about minimalist, use of plastic refill bottles.
We see new products emerging all in sort of a block form As soaps, shampoos, conditioners, so they have no plastic and no glass involved at all. And I think that's the way forward but it can also be a question of cost so we didn't want to mandate a certain type of hotel amenity and say they all have to be plastic free, because there are many unique opportunities out there with local suppliers. And also to keep that relationship with the small pharmaceutical companies that are making products for the hotels.
single use plastics in hotels
You can also look at stores like Muji, if you want bamboo slippers, sometimes you can draw inspiration from a High Street store that's gone sustainable, because it's still very hard as a small hotel to get a supply of slippers, that are environmentally friendly - people seem to feel they need these things for the one or two nights in a hotel!
The same goes for the hotel toothbrush, you know, you can find a bamboo option now. The problem is sometimes certain countries demand an array of amenities for their star categorization. Which is crazy for me because you know, I don't need a toothbrush in every room.
eco cleaning hotel operations
Also in into the next stage of this equation, which are the chemicals used in cleaning the rooms. Because after COVID, you know, during COVID There was this huge euphoria for chemicals instead of looking at natural ways of cleaning a room because this is equally as important for me as what's in the bathroom.
local procurement policy in hotels
Matt Morley
A hotelier does have an easy option and it is going to one of these giant hotel supply companies that offer bulk branded bottles that have not much to do with the real brand, it's all just licensed and an easy solution for hotel slippers, bathrobes, amenities etc.
So in a sense, the hotels that are seeking out the individual brands, there's a lot of work behind that there's a lot of extra legwork. Right, it's an it's more of an appeal process than the sort of the easy path. Right. So it's sometimes maybe not evident the guests that what's gone into that.
Iain Ainsworth
Yeah, and I still think some some guests judge your hotel on a brand that they know. Whereas I'm, you know, myself and I would say most of our subscribers that travel into our hotels are more intrigued by finding the local brands and then go and buy it, because you want to take it with you. So I think I think there's opportunity for hotel amenity distribution to continue changing.
Of course, you can buy big brands like Ren - a fantastic sustainable product, and you can buy them from a wholesaler. So there are alternatives there. But if I find somebody that's making a product 20 kilometers down the road, I'm gonna have my first conversation with them as a hotelier!
Health and wellness in Alpine hotels
Matt Morley
You mentioned the idea of the Alps as being quite strongly associated for many of us with with a healthy lifestyle. Someone like the Hotel Arlberg, Lech- they bill themselves as a wellness retreat, exactly what does that mean?
Iain Ainsworth
Well, for them they're a third generation of family, so grandmother's still involved daily, in the business. So their parents run the hotel today, they're keen to refurbish and upgrade. And it's always been changing, he started as cafe and then had a couple of rooms and, and today's become what it is, a fabulous Alpine retreat.
They always had a spa, but when they started to rethink about the spa, they looked really at how do you bring in the Alps inside? So that's where they created the blueprint of Alpine healthy living, and they started to look at the sound, fresh air, nature, it's about the products.
And one thing they noticed in the older rooms, there was always a scent of pine. And this was coming from the wardrobes actually. So they said, Okay, where can we get this old pine from that, you know, is well sourced, and they found a guy in the next village that salvages pine from the older Alpine houses.
Then they looked at the pigments of the local colors. So they started with colors and said, Okay, what are the colors that we want to be in there? But then they looked at, okay, how do you create this moss green color? Well, surely there's a herbal pigment growing up in the mountains that we could use. So then they created natural paints, which they bought into their spa as well. So I mean, spa for them was the starting point. But it's actually extended now throughout the whole hotel.
So there's a wellness concept throughout the whole hotel. They use chemical free paints that are made locally. They also use natural stone, which comes from about 20 kilometers away from the hotel. And they've also then started to look at the treatments that they have and which oils you can use. So they're looking at the old monasteries in the area and what therapeutic oils that they use derive from nature, of course.
And just working with architects very carefully and producers like we were talking about Susanna Kaufman of you how you can give me that total one off wellness experience, which is what I want As the consumer, but also with the added bonus of it being healthy and sustainable, and an ethos behind there that gives you that sort of joy for the Alps and healthy living.
the landscape hotel concept
Matt Morley
What about the Juvet property in Norway, what do you consider goes into a ‘landscape hotel’ concept today?
Iain Ainsworth
I mean, the Juvet landscape hotel was probably the one of the first ones that I encountered back in 2009. And for me, it's this total immersion into nature, but with no disruption to nature itself. So the word you know, the landscape hotel was the pioneer of the owner that had this dream of how can I create a living pods if you like or hotel without disrupting even the moss that grows on the rocks.
So their first thought was, Okay, what if we put these pods on stilts, and the stilts actually mimic the birch tree stem, so you sort of get this beautiful visual integration between the trees, trunks, and the rods that go into the into the rocks. And by doing that, then you can create a platform, which is what a lot of indigenous tribes did in wilderness areas, you know, is it's quite logical, actually to get the elevated from the ground, but it enables the flora and fauna that you fall in love with to continue to thrive and in fact, thrive even more, because you're giving a new habitat to grow along and thing.
I think the landscape hotels, for me, the biggest thing about them is the view. And so they tend to have huge panoramic windows. There's a lot of gimmicks coming in, you know, we're a landscape hotel, you know, and they put things up in trees and things like that. So I think you have to be very careful, you don't become a gimmick.
Matt Morley
And obviously also written about the green philosophy at Hotel Buhelwirt in South Tyrol. Clearly one of your favorite regions, and as I'm discovering, quite a hotbed for case studies in hotel sustainability and wellbeing. So in that instance, how did the architects pull through a concept of sustainability touching on things like construction and energy use?
energy use and building biology in a hotel
Iain Ainsworth
The architects, two brothers, and their real philosophy is environmental building biology. And so they're quite famous in South Tyrol for their work integrating a building into its natural habitat. In this case, it was an old guesthouse, which the owners had inherited from their parents, and they wanted to add to this but by doing so, in a way that, you know, is sensitive to their environment. And so they found the perfect architecture to do that.
You’ve got this very vernacular structure that sticks out of the rock side. And it has a purpose to it as well. I mean, they have always had energy efficiency on their minds, not only because of the cost of it, but to have as least impact as possible. Again, being in South Tyrol is great, because you know, the energy is hydroelectric - power plants provide a lot of the local renewable energy, and without any co2 emissions, so they've got that backup there.
But they've also invested a lot into technology into meter reading, they can see from their app, how much energy they are using each day, how many guests they have, how much energy is being consumed in the rooms? What do we do about pool heating? What do we do about heating in general areas? Again, technology is helping them reduce their carbon footprint.
plastic-free kitchens in hotel operations
But I have to say they are natural enthusiasts for their environment that they live in. And again, they have the farm down the road, they're completely organic, they went a step further in the kitchen, banning all plastic in the kitchen. And when we start to think about our own practices at home, you know, with plastic containers food wrap, we use it to preserve food.
So again, they've gone back to pickling, how do you conserve, how did our grandparents conserve food without using refrigeration, or plastics, so they've taken it to a whole new level. And I would say cutting out plastic in the kitchen is even a bigger challenge than say, in the bathroom amenities, because there is a replacement already there.
Matt Morley
Really fascinating examples. I feel like we could go on for an hour or two more, but I'm going to be respectful of your time - what's your preferred medium for communications?
Iain Ainsworth
Obviously, we're on LinkedIn as a company, and we're also on Instagram. But I'm quite old fashioned. I'd like to hear from people. So anybody wants to pop as me an email, maybe you can put a link in for that love to hear from people, contributors, experiences.
And they say, you know, we as a company as well, we're still learning how to harness all the sustainability aspects that we have 93 hotels now and about 110 makers.
So we're always looking for feedback, suggestions, ideas, of how we can better inform people of what what's going on.
CONTACT @ THEAFICIONADOS . COM
Best New Biophilic Hotel Resorts Using Biophilic Design Interiors — Biofilico Wellness Interiors
biophilic design by Jean Nouvel
Rosewood Sao Paulo luxury hotel with natural materials
https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/sao-paulo
This 93 metre high tower in Brazil was designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel (AJN) and completed in 2022. It houses the Rosewood Sao Paulo hotel with 104 rooms and 124 branded Rosewood suites, as well as a spa, fitness centre and penthouse complex.
The Rosewood Sao Paulo hotel is an example of how biophilic design is reshaping the hospitality industry by meeting evolving guest expectations and creating a unique and immersive experience.
Bordering Matarazzo Park, this 54,100 m² project combines elements of biophilic design with its parkside location to offer a hotel experience connected to nature despite being in a giant metropolis.
Terraces are planted with the same tree species as present in the park to create a sense of visual continuity as well as providing additional privacy for residents and hotel guests inside.
Previously this was the site of the Condessa Filomena Matarazzo Maternity Hospital, thanks in part to the landscaping by Julien Benech from Paris the transformation into a sustainable luxury tower is now largely defined by its nature-centric aesthetics. Biophilic interior designs foster unique and memorable guest experiences by creating a connection to the natural world through elements like wooden materials, living walls, plants, natural lighting, and indoor water bodies.
Biophilic hotel design with natural light
TreeHouse Hotel London, UK
https://www.treehousehotels.com/london/gallery
The TreeHouse Hotel shares some of the 1 Hotels DNA as it forms part of SH Hotels & Resorts, an affiliate of global private investment firm Starwood Capital Group led by Chairman and CEO Barry Sternlicht. So it’s no surprise to see certain similarities between the two biophilic hotel brands, albeit with a number of clear points of differentiation.
Most notably, the Treehouse brand has a smaller format, and perhaps a more ‘eco premium’ positioning, while 1 Hotels is really all about ‘eco luxury.’ This arguably makes the brand more nimble and able to adapt to a wider range of locations, such as its forthcoming Downtown Miami, Brickell site designed in collaboration with Rockwell Group and SHoP Architects in the JDS Development Group’s 1 Southside Park.
A Treehouse Hotel Manchester is also under development, scheduled for opening in 2023. In the London outpost though, it’s all about those large bay windows letting natural daylight flood in from the cityscape outside. Internal glass walls further pull sunlight into the interior of the building increasing the amount of natural light occupant exposure. Interiors are courtesy of the team at Audrey Sterk Interiors.
The rooms are designed to be cozy and welcoming like a childhood clubhouse. They use a color palette of grays, blues, brown and whites. Color palettes are a key interior design element that can evoke a sense of connectivity to nature and reflect the personality of the destination. There is a large quantity of wood used throughout the rooms within the closet, door, window, and bed frames, desks, tables, chairs, and shelves. This brings the tangible feel of nature into the interior of the building through biophilic interior design. A variety of natural materials such as wood, wool, and cotton are used to create a natural and sustainable atmosphere.
A rain shower is also included in each room within a large open spaced tile shower. Each room is playfully accented with iconic London memorabilia and accessories such as cartoon mushroom pillows, plants, and the Paddington Bear with Red Hat Blue Coat. This makes the environment of the room playful, ensuring a disarmingly informal setting for such a city-centre location.
A range of biophilic elements of design are present such as birch tree wallpaper accent walls, leaf designed pillows, whicker lights, and a bar with a bare stone facade.
Moving to the roofscape, plants line a large majority of the area with extensive garden boxes and living walls filled with a variety of flora. A small jungle is created with a beautiful panoramic view of the city.
The world's most biophilic hotel
1 Hotel West Hollywood, USA
https://www.1hotels.com/west-hollywood/gallery
Within the hills of West Hollywood, the 1 Hotel pulls nature inwards, placing it at the center stage of its biophilic interior design. Native species of plants line the outdoors alongside heavily planted gardens. Vines cascade down from the rooftop gardens giving depth of flora to the biophilic space.
The hotel’s design integrates the natural environment to prioritize sustainability and guest well-being. This helps city dwellers reconnect with natural surroundings, leading to benefits such as stress reduction and higher attention spans.
The hotel is USGBC LEED certified meaning it takes deliberate, measurable steps to ensure efficiency in carbon emissions, energy use, water use, waste management, transportation, building materials, occupant health and indoor environmental quality (EQ).
A sustainable building design meant that a series of sustainable hotel operational practices were also needed, from the elimination of single use plastics, to the provision of electric car charging stations, and onsite composting gardens.
Biophilic elements of design include living moss walls, reclaimed oak furniture and skylights. One notable element of design is a large dining / ballroom with thousand of small circular white lights. Looking up it’s like thousands of stars shining in the night sky.
The 1 Hotel in West Hollywood ensures sustainability in both its design and operations, promoting a vision of luxury 5-star hospitality that is aligned with the health of both people and planet.
A new interpretation of biophilic design for resorts and hotels
Patina Ubud, Indonesia (2023)
https://patinahotels.com/ourfootprint-ubud
Designed by Brazilian man of the moment Marcio Kogan of Studio MK27 Architects and scheduled for opening in 2023, Patina Ubud was built within the forest landscape of Indonesia with a design emphasis on integrating the location’s natural beauty, a collection of buildings were positioned along a sloping terrain leading into a river valley.
A long infinity pool runs parallel to the Wos River. Expansive, floor to ceiling windows help illuminate each room with the serenity of the Indonesian jungles, bringing the outside world into the guest experience.
A wellbeing designfocus means that the 102 villas feature neutral, calming hues of browns, whites, and beiges. They are accented with colors of orange and green to bring together small elements of the space. Nature-inspired color palettes are used to establish emotional connections with spaces and create a sense of peace and calm.
Wellbeing interior design promotes positive emotional comfort and restorative sleep via a combination of colours, patterns, textures and wabi-sabi finishes.
Natural light entering the rooms allows the circadian rhythm to balance and intuitive lighting allows guests to set the level of ambient lighting they desire during the latter hours of the night. Each room is also provided with a yoga mat, aromatherapy, and calming breathing technique tutorials.
Healthy and sustainable materials are used throughout the interiors while food is sourced from local suppliers, and single use plastic is avoided completely, three meaningful examples of a green procurement policy in a resort context. The resort also incorporates natural and recycled elements, enhancing its sustainability and connection to the natural world.
Taking biophilic design to new heights in a luxury resort
Joali Being resort, Maldives
https://www.joali.com/joalibeing/
The Joali Being resort is an immersive, natural wellbeing retreat designed for mental and physical relaxation offering everything from customized nutrition programs to mental rejuvenation activities and interactive learning experience to leave guests ‘transformed’ in some small way.
Surrounded by the idyllic setting of the Maldivian beaches, this biophilic resort design fosters a deep connection to the natural world, promoting environmental sustainability and guest well-being. It is to be found on the island of Bodufushi, a 40 minute plane ride the main airport.
Each one of the 68 villas has its own piece of beach and a personal butler while an earth-to-table menu promises locally and sustainably sourced, fresh foods that support small farms as a way to integrate sustainable operations practices. Every meal is curated by the resort nutritionist with health and wellness in mind.
Living spaces are equally designed around maximizing guest wellness, primarily through biophilic design principles. Harmony and balance were the main priority, eliminating negative vibrations and enhancing energy flow.
Other components of this wellness design strategy include private pools, meditative musical instruments, and wellbeing games for mental stimulation.
So-called ‘transformational spaces’ were designed for reflection, movement and personal growth thanks to fitness rooms and meditation rooms in particular.
Full immersion programs were formed to rebalance and increase the mental wellbeing of guests through tailored movements to align specific health concerns such as digestive and weight rebalance and restorative sleep.
This wellbeing real estate development is a shining example of how to create a hospitality experience geared for guest wellness.
An urban interpretation of biophilic architecture and design
Villa M, Paris, France
The vertical garden exterior and contemporary steel structure of the Villa M Hotel in Paris designed by Triptyque Architects (Paris and Brazil) in collaboration with Philippe Starck makes a bold visual statement in a city full of historic architecture.
Nature is lifted into the sky by flora filled balconies overflowing with plant life. Biophilic design is immediately apparent from the exterior of the building but continues through into the interiors as well for a comprehensive, nature-inspired design.
Wood and marble are dominant in the interiors, with vibrant, organic colors promoting a sense of calm and comfort. Spacious rooms were created with a focus on guests’ sleep quality in particular.
Amenities for play, work, and health inspired by biophilic design include a restaurant and bar with its own planted garden. The rooftop space is filled with an array of fruit trees - the perfect place to relax and enjoy the skyline.
Finally, a genuine focus on fitness is a clear point of differentiation at Villa M, in addition to its wellness design interiors, they have doubled down on fitness facilities via a heavyweight boxing champion coach Tony Yoka, 250m2 of floor space including a boxing ring and a range of dance, yoga, martial arts and fitness classes both for hotel guests and external members.
Living walls and biophilia in hotel architecturE
Parkroyal Collection Kuala Lumpur (2022), Malaysia
https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pr-collection-kuala-lumpur.html
The PanPacific-owned Parkroyal Collection’s first hotel outside of Singapore debuted in summer 2022 and, in a similar vein to its predecessor, the eminently biophilicParkroyal Pickering, this too is a fine example of how to integrate biophilic interiors and prominent landscaping in a hotel development.
At 527 rooms, this is no boutique-size hotel meaning any biophilic wellness design interventions had to be replicated over a generous range of rooms and suites.
Overall it’s a self-described ‘eco-chic living’ solution in the Malaysian capital but its most noticeable feature is an exterior facade of 78 sky planters filled with luscious plants. These planters showcase more than 13,000 square feet of plants and trees from the exterior. Natural lighting mimics the circadian rhythm and promotes a healthy sleep cycle, providing a more sustainable lighting option.
Guests thereby have access to garden-like escapes in the center of a bustling cityscape. With a deliberate focus on the wellbeing of their guests, the hotel houses a holistic wellness floor that showcases the St. Gregory Spa, a modern gymnasium, fitness studio, and pool.
Alongside this, there is also an outside pool surrounded by wooden pergolas, greenery, and flowering plants. Biophilic elements of design are showcased throughout the building in the shape of potted plants, stone walls, plant pattern rugs, woven wicker chairs, and a green tiled bar.
Sustainable building design and operation is a large part of the sustainability goals of the hotel. Various steps were taken toward green building sustainable design.
Kitchen menu ingredients are sustainably sourced for all on-site bars and restaurants, while bathroom amenities are sustainably presented in biodegradable packaging. A filtered drinking water system and a food waste management system complete the picture.