Tourists are far more concerned about the environment these days, and this increasingly affects their accommodation choices. Young travellers prioritise eco-tourism and seek hotels and resorts that incorporate local communities and environmental awareness in their designs and services.
As examples of this type of accommodation choice, we present five members of CF-Hotels who are serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Let’s see how each property integrates environmentally friendly business practices while promoting responsible tourism through various campaigns.
Chiang Mai Marriott Hotel, Chiang Mai
Their Story: The newly renovated Chiang Mai Marriott Hotel is located in the heart of the northern city’s vibrant tourist and business district on Chang Klan Road, a short walk from the centuries-old Tha Phae Gate and the popular night market.
Ancient Lanna aesthetics inspire the hotel’s design with shades of gold and copper setting the scene. A sculpture of “Jiang”, the horseshoe-shaped coins used in the old Lanna kingdom, greets guests in the lobby, while designs based on the dok thong kaow flower and the Yi Peng lantern can be spotted elsewhere.
Entering the hotel is like opening a door to the Lanna history and culture for which the North of Thailand is famous.
Eco Efforts: Chiang Mai Marriott Hotel has initiated practices to reduce emissions for long-term sustainability.
The hotel only uses LED lights and has installed solar cells to reduce its use of fossil fuels. It also aspires to a Zero Waste policy, using only refillable products for toiletries.
Its restaurants, meanwhile, keep food waste to a minimum by passing on surplus food to the Scholars of Sustenance Foundation (SOS Thailand) for distribution to those in need. The kitchens also carefully stock raw materials that accord with the preferences of diners, ensuring that little or nothing is wasted.
Andaman Cannacia Resort & Spa, Phuket
Their Story: Andaman Cannacia Resort & Spa is a hillside resort overlooking Kata Beach on the southern shores of Phuket. This peaceful sanctuary has been run for more than 30 years by a locally recruited management team.
Since those running the hotel are locals, they are devoted to preserving the pristine white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters they have known all their lives.
The resort set out to be an eco-friendly property right from the start, with sustainable practices integrated into both its design and services.
Eco Efforts: Nestled on a quiet hillside surrounded by trees, the Andaman Cannacia Resort & Spa is committed to saving energy and maximizing the use of natural resources like rainwater, sunlight, and natural breezes.
The resort was constructed with two-layered clay bricks to keep the heat out and reduce the use of air-conditioning during the daytime. In addition to using natural resources, the hotel has also installed solar cells to reduce electricity consumption by about 20%.
Its Zero Waste Organic Project recycles organic waste as fertilizer for use in the hotel’s vegetable garden, while its wastewater treatment system generates 100% reused water for the garden. The hotel’s management also sources seasonal and locally produced goods to keep its carbon footprint to a minimum.
Meanwhile, a strict policy is in place to eliminate the use of foam and single-use plastic.
Katathani Phuket Beach Resort, Phuket
Their Story: Katathani Phuket Beach Resort is renowned for panoramic sea views thanks to its location along the 850-metre-long Kata Noi Beach on the Andaman coast.
The hotel sprawls on a vast green space that is sustainably maintained to offer guests peace and tranquility at all times.
Eco Efforts: The resort is on a mission to turn the concept of Zero Waste into reality as part of other sustainable practices that it has put in place from the very start.
The goal is to reduce its carbon footprint as much as possible, with progress measured via data on greenhouse gas emissions provided by the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization.
As part of these efforts, the resort has installed solar panels to reduce the use of power generated from fossil fuels.
It also uses all its vegetable and fruit leftovers to make organic fertilizer, which has helped reduce food waste by up to 20%.
Diamond Cliff Resort & Spa, Phuket
Their Story: The Diamond Cliff Resort & Spa perches on a hillside in Phuket’s Patong Beach and offers authentic Thai hospitality along with stunning views of the Andaman Sea at the front and lush green forest at the back.
The resort complements the spectacular views with delicious food cooked with fresh, seasonal ingredients grown in the property and the local community.
Eco Efforts: The property is keen to preserve surrounding nature and natural resources and has come up with small but sustainable changes to achieve this ambition.
All single-use plastic water bottles have been swapped for reusable glass bottles, while paper coasters have been replaced with rubber ones.
Food waste is also managed for cost-effective recycling, such as making compost from vegetable scraps and fruit peel. This compost is then used to fertilize the vegetable and herb garden. The resort has also joined with UCO SDG Company to sustainably recycle cooking oil.
Amethyst Hotel Pattaya, Chonburi
Their Story: Amethyst Hotel Pattaya provides a tranquil, convenient retreat for guests who are seeking to escape the bustle of Bangkok but retain all the modern luxuries.
With this concept in mind, the hotel was designed to fit every lifestyle, incorporating everything from a waterpark and shopping outlets to a rooftop café and restaurants.
For night owls, the hotel is just a short walk from Walking Street and Pattaya’s world-famous nightlife.
Eco Efforts: Although the hotel’s biggest selling point is “modern luxury”, environmental friendliness has been a priority from the beginning.
Technology utilised to minimize the use of energy includes a heat pump that provides the hotel with hot water and an ERV or Energy Recovery Ventilator for air-conditioning.
It has also installed a Heat Belt system in the kitchen to maximize efficiency from cooking gas.
The hotel is also committed to recycling with its policy of separating cans and bottles for return to suppliers and turning food waste into compost and animal feed.
CF-Hotels platform: An environmental consultant for hotels
CF-Hotels is a free and easy-to-use online platform designed to help hotels and resorts reduce their carbon footprint.
To make the most of it, visit www.cf-hotels.com and fill out a form each month, providing relevant information such as units of electricity used, quantity of wastewater produced, and other factors.
The platform uses this information to calculate the hotel’s carbon footprint. It also offers advice and workshops on sustainability and adds hotels and resorts that are environmentally friendly to marketing promotions and campaigns run by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
