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ECO CHIC HOTELS: DESIGN AND ART FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Saturday, 18 May, 2010
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Sustainable development in remote corners of the world is driven by a need to conserve fragile environments and cultures. In more robust urban centres, the impetus for sustainability is reducing the size of our carbon footprint and ensuring that the cityscape is true to the heritage and culture of the city. We explore five properties set in world cities where sustainable development is led by innovative design and, as an added flourish, art. Writes Marisah Smith
UNITED KINGDOM The Zetter, London
Set in an extensively renovated warehouse, the 59-bedroom boutique hotel is listed as one of the world’s 50 coolest hotels by Conde Nast Traveller along with scooping both the Architectural Award for Best New Hotel and the European Innovation Award at the European Hotel Design Awards in 2004. This design hotel is also home to a Mutate Britain exhibition consisting of paintings and prints as well as 3D works.
Environmental awareness was at the heart of decisions made during the renovation process resulting in the property boasting a number of eco friendly measures. These include a borehole beneath the building, an energy loop system; the building’s central semi-elliptical atrium provides natural light and ventilation, occupancy detection systems in the bedrooms, a recycling programme and bicycle rental for guests as well as the hotel being a founder member of the Sustainable Restaurant Association.
St. John’s Square 86 – 88, Clerkenwell Road, London, EC1M 5RJ, Rooms from £180 US$270 per room per night.
THE NETHERLANDS The Lloyd, Amsterdam
The Lloyd Hotel located in the trendy Eastern Docklands area in Amsterdam set the bar for design hotels. With each of the 117 rooms individually designed by top Dutch architects and artists and star rated from one to five stars, this historic building dating from 1921 is a breath of fresh air on the Dutch hotel scene.
High tech dishwashing machines use minimal chemicals and filter water for re-use, state-of-the-art induction stoves switches on automatically when a pan is placed on them and off when it is removed, the use of lights and radiators are monitored and glass, paper, compost and garbage is separated for ease of recycling. In the interest of sustainability The Lloyd has partnered with artisans and regional farms to source ingredients for the restaurant.
Oostelijke Handelskade 34, 1019 BN Amsterdam, Rooms from £80 US$120 per room per night for a one-star rated room and £385 for a five-star rated room.
JAPAN Hotel Screen, Kyoto
Kyoto is viewed as one of the cultural centres of Japan that prides itself on preserving tradition while encouraging new forms of innovation and creativity. Hotel Screen epitomizes this with just 13 bedrooms each of which was created by a different artist or designer. A luxurious feel and clean, minimalist lines are balanced with traditional Japanese elements like sliding doors and tatami mats.
Eco practices are a key priority and are married with the ambience of the property, for example once a week all of the lights are turned out to conserve energy and guests experience Hotel Screen by the light of hundreds of candles.
640-1 Shimogoryomae-cho, Teramachi Marutamachi-sagaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto. Rooms from £115 US$170 per room per night on a room only basis, expect higher rates during cherry blossom season.
SOUTH AFRICA Daddy Long Legs Art Hotel, Cape Town
Situated on Cape Town’s vibey Long Street, a stay at the Daddy Long Legs Art Hotel is akin to being part of an interactive art exhibition. Each of the thirteen rooms of this boutique backpacker was designer by a South African artist, poet, photographer, designer or musician. The outcome is a selection of rooms with themes ranging from Emergency Room, Photo Booth to Being Mak!One designed by local graffiti artist Mak1One.
A city centre hotel accredited by Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) the Daddy Long Legs Art Hotel excelled in the areas of community investment and interaction as well as workplace skills development while making the grade in the areas of fair share, respect, reliability, transparency and sustainability.
134 & 263 Long Street, Cape Town, South Africa, Rooms from £80 US$120 per room per night on a room only basis.
CHINA HOMA Libre, Guilin
Guilin is often described as one of China’s most picturesque cities and frequently ranked as one of the top tourist cities. The Hotel of Modern Art or HOMA Libre is a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux organisation and regarded as a pioneer for design hotels in China.
Located in a 1,320 acre park called the Yuzi Paradise, home to more than 200 sculptures, each of the 46 bedrooms are different and incorporates art. HOMA features a unique sloping roof covered in grass and many of the terraces, pavilions and staircases were built around trees on the property. Good/green housekeeping is practiced in energy conservation, recycling and buying local and organic products where possible.
Dabu Town, Yanshan District, Guilin, 541006, China,Rooms from £362 US$542 per room per night.
Marisah Smith
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