HOW CAN HOTELS BE MORE SUSTAINABLE?

Recently we stayed two nights at the Emerson Resort & Spa, a pretty boutique spa hotel nestled up in the Catskills of New York.

The first thing I noticed when I entered our room was the 18-foot high ceiling. The second thing was the fireplace. These two simple features gave the otherwise modest suite a sense of grandeur. The ensuite was more opulent, a huge bathroom of marble and white tile complete with full-sized jacuzzi and swiss rain shower. As first impressions go, the cheeky bottle of red accompanied by two real wine glasses, properly nailed it. The Emerson had successfully managed to create a cosy yet spacious suite designed to make guests feel instantly at home.

The unexpected outside space was a bonus verandah overlooking the spectacular Esopus Creek. It was the icing on the cake and a fun escape hatch for the children when they got cabin fever. Initially, I wasn’t sure whether this elegant spa hotel would be child-friendly. Turns out, I had nothing to worry about, there was plenty to distract the kids such as the worlds largest kaleidoscope. To my surprise, quite a few families were staying while we were there. During winter this hotel is perfect for families that ski as it’s a short ten-minute drive to the Belleayre ski slopes.

As much as I love to ski this wasn’t what attracted me to the Emerson, although it is certainly a plus with the discount lift passes. Sure, I was looking for somewhere we could stay and ski but the hotel had to be one with a low-impact ethos while actively trying to reduce its carbon footprint. Sadly, a hotel that cares about the environment and the local people surrounding it isn’t so easy to find. Perhaps I should invent an app that lists all the eco-friendly hotels in the world and give them a sustainability rating? Would you use an app like that? I know I would!

In my long search for an eco-friendly hotel, I finally hit the jackpot with the Emerson. If I could rate it on sustainability? It’d be a solid 4 out of 5!

THE ECO-CONSCIOUS EMERSON RESORT SPA

When I look for points of sustainability, water usage is right up there with energy supply. This is where the Emerson proves its dedication to protecting the crystal clear waters of Esopus Creek.

• The Emerson uses the Ecolab Aquanomic System for its laundry facilities, minimising the use of chemicals by way of dispense automation and water dilution. Water consumption is also greatly reduced as the system requires less water through each wash cycle.
• The parking lot is equipped with eight electric vehicle charge stations.
• Solar panel banks heat the groundwater from its wells before the water enters the boiler systems, resulting in reduced fuel and boiler operation costs.
• The Inn at the Emerson Resort & Spa uses a geothermal system for heating and cooling. Geothermal systems are earth loops which consist of a series of pipes and wells buried underground creating a looped system in and out of the building. The groundwater inside this loop is used for heating and cooling a building. In the winter, water going through the system retains stored heat from the ground and brings it inside. The unit inside condenses this heat to make it hotter and sends it throughout the building. In the summer, the geothermal system captures the heat from the building and sends it through the earth loop, where it is cooled by the earth’s ambient temperature, then is sent back to the building’s air conditioning compressors, greatly decreasing energy consumption.
• No mini shampoo and conditioner bottles are provided in the rooms. Instead, there is a stylish stainless steel dispenser mounted on the wall inside the shower. These refillable vessels contain a lovely shampoo, conditioner and body wash. I was also happy to see a small wax paper bag provided for my bar of organic handsoap, should I wish to take the remainder home with me. It smelled of divine essential oils so how could I resist taking it?
• Borrow a bike. The Emerson offers complimentary bicycles in warmer months.
• Food and beverage is locally supplied wherever possible.

CAN YOU BE A LOW-WASTE HOTEL GUEST?

As a hotel guest, there are certain things I can do to limit my impact on the environment. However in terms of the broader problem, all hotels must switch to sustainable practices and reduce emmissions to align with the Paris Climate Change Agreement by 2030. The rest of us should ask our hotel management what sustainable initiatives they’ve adopted so far. This will highlight growing concern to mitigate the environmental impact of tourism. Thus increase pressure on the hospitality industry to become sustainable sooner. Remember, our money speaks volumes, we have the power to force the issue.

It’s estimated there are between 200,000 – 400,000 hotels across the globe, contributing to roughly 1% of greenhouse gas emmissions which, left unchecked, is expected to rise 130% by 2035. What’s more, can you imagine the colossal amount of waste the industry generates?

Every time a hotel chooses energy efficient options, recycles, saves water, installs solar panels, removes single-use plastic or starts composting food waste, it actually makes a difference. Now imagine if every single hotel on the planet implemented sustainable practices… Isn’t that something you want to encourage?

• Take your water bottle and refill it from a fountain or tap instead of using the hotel bottle water.
• Refuse the plastic lid, straw, stirrer or spoon of any drink you buy. Better still, take your re-usable coffee cup or ask the hotel if you could borrow a proper cup for the duration of your stay. Remember to take your bottle when sightseeing or going to the beach too.
  
• Put the do not disturb sign on your door as often as possible to reduce the amount of unnessesary room cleaning.
• Keep the same towels, always hang them to dry.
• If the hotel has a suggestion box, leave some suggestions for them to implement more eco-friendly practices. Such things as providing a drinking fountain for guests to refill their water bottles.
• Leave the mini’s alone. Anything provided in miniature bottles should be untouched. It’s probably a good idea to mention this to the hotel manager so they understand how this type of wasteful service is undesirable.
• Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
• Take a bike sightseeing instead of your car. If the hotel doesn’t offer them try out the local public transport, it’s usually quite an adventure!

THERE’S A LOT TO DO IN THE CATSKILLS

It’s hard to believe, just two hours drive from New York City and we’re deep in the Catskill mountains! I love to be surrounded by nature but I’m no fan of camping so this is the perfect solution. There’s plenty of activity if you’re looking for things to do. Hiking, biking, skiing, fishing and when the weather warms up you can go tubing and kayaking.

If you just want to relax, there is also a lot of choice here. The Emerson Spa has massage therapy and facials, a nail and make-up studio or you can soak away your worries in the hot tub outside by the river.

In terms of more sociable relaxation, stroll through the farmer’s market, sample locally made craft beers or commission a piece of artwork from one of the resident artists. The nearby town of Phoenicia looks intriguing too, although we didn’t have time to explore it, so it’s on the list for our next visit. Yep we’re definitely going back, we didn’t get a chance to eat at the famous retro Phoenicia Diner!

*This post is in collaboration with the Emerson Resort & Spa Hotel. As always, all opinions are my own and by no means influenced by the hotel or its owner.

We all had a wonderful time staying at the Emerson, it’s truly a unique and delightful place. The three days simply wasn’t enough to enjoy everything at the spa and surrounding area. Although the snow was magical and skiing was fabulous, I look forward to experiencing the warmer months and becoming a regular visitor. Thank you to the brilliant people at the Emerson for making our time there so special. Next time we’ll take Blue!

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