The Hotel Britomart has picked up another global accolade, this time in National Geographic Traveller Magazine’s annual Hotel Awards. The London-based magazine’s annual Hotel Awards acknowledge the latest tastemakers, trendsetters and game-changers in the hotel business around the world.
The Hotel Britomart, New Zealand’s first 5 Green Star hotel, was awarded runner-up in the Good Egg (most sustainable hotel) category. Xigera Safari Lodge in Botswana won the category, while Costa Rica’s Cielo Lodge was also a runner-up.
“We’re honoured to be included in this prestigious list, and delighted that the hard work we put into ensuring The Hotel Britomart is a sustainability leader is being recognised,” says Clinton Farley, General Manager of The Hotel Britomart. “Genuine sustainability requires serious commitment in the design and build of a hotel and in its ongoing operations. We know that sustainability matters to our guests, and that our efforts in this area enhance their experience of visiting the hotel. That’s why we continue to strive to minimise the environmental impact of every facet of our day-to-day work.”
The Hotel Britomart’s 5 Green Star rating is certified by the New Zealand Green Building Council. This rating required detailed attention in every aspect of the building, from choice of materials and paints to the selection of efficient tapware, lighting, and state-of-the-art air conditioning systems. 80% of construction waste at the hotel was recycled, while the building is designed to have 50% fewer carbon emissions than a structure that meets the minimum standards of the local building code.
The commitment of the hotel team to sustainability extended beyond what was required for certification. The hotel’s uniforms, for example, are made of sustainably sourced linen and organic cotton and were dyed and made in New Zealand. They can be re-dyed to extend their life, and will compost when they’re no longer suitable to wear. Pillows and duvets in the guest rooms are filled with a microfibre derived from recycled plastic bottles, while the bed linen, bathrobes and towelling are all certified organic cotton. The hotel’s restaurant kingi, works with a local glass studio, recycling glass water bottles into plates and carafes and is a champion of supporting sustainable fisheries.
Like all the buildings in the Britomart precinct, The Hotel Britomart’s ongoing environmental performance is audited and managed using the NZ Green Building Council’s Green Star Performance Tool. Click here for the full list of Hotel Award winners.
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What’s in a name: The Hotel Britomart (name cannot be shortened)
Website: https://thehotelbritomart.com/
Sustainability: https://thehotelbritomart.com/sustainable/
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Tim Feibel, Marketing Manager
+64 21 572 747 / [email protected]
About The Hotel Britomart:
Located in downtown waterfront Auckland’s Britomart precinct. The Hotel Britomart has 99 guest rooms and five luxurious Landing Suites that offer an oasis of calm in the centre of the city. Designed by Cheshire Architects, it is New Zealand’s first 5 Green Star hotel, certified by the NZ Green Building Council. Find out more at thehotelbritomart.com.
About Collection by TFE Hotels
The Hotel Britomart is an affiliate of TFE Hotels under the Collection by TFE Hotels brand. The Collection by TFE Hotels represents beautiful hotels hallmarked by authenticity and provenance, each designed with individual character and charm. With a collection of properties that encompass striking design, customised service and attention to the individual such as The Calile Hotel Brisbane, Melbourne’s The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins and Hotel Kurrajong Canberra. The Hotel Britomart embodies these concepts while remaining proudly a product of its unique location.
The grass is officially greener on The Calile side, with their rooftop now home to an organic, edible garden and a hive of very happy busy bees.
Making the most of the sunshine, eight tidy wooden planter boxes now line the Doggett Street side of the hotel’s roof. Installed earlier this year – French millet, buckwheat, mung bean and other legumes were the first crops to be planted, cultivated and composted in order to produce organic ‘green manure’ – soil for growing healthy, strong and nutrient rich produce.
Last month, the autumn crop was planted, featuring more than 42 varieties of lettuce, sorrel, tomatoes, sugar snap peas, garlic and grapevines to name just a few.
The seedlings have been selected to not only supply and compliment the menus of Lobby Bar and other in-house restaurants, but to pay homage to the hotel owners’ Lebanese heritage.
Lobby Bar Head Chef, Andy Gunn said, “The goal is to achieve zero waste, the menu is flexible enabling us to replace ingredients where required”.
It’s Andy, who alongside the Future Wild team, will continue to farm The Calile garden.
“It sets Lobby Bar apart from other venues and ,as a Chef, it’s an amazing tool and privilege to have this on the roof,” he said.
The produce has been planted with organic, biodynamic and permaculture principles in mind – by growing nasturtium, borage, marigolds and alyssum, pests will be organically controlled and the neighbouring honeybees fed.
To overcome Brisbane’s volatile weather, The Calile’s architect, Ingrid Richards of Richards And Spence, designed a custom-arched trellis to sit over the planters to encourage green canopy growth – made up of plants like grapevines, peas and cucumbers that will in turn, protect the crops.
The Bees and The Bees, No Birds
No garden is complete without some welcome pollinators – bee tête-à-tête starts now. Four Langstroth hives take up residence next to the edible garden and play home to thousands of bees. There is one queen per hive and approximately 85% of the ‘worker bees’ are female (girl power!).
Each hive has ten frames (where the bees do their business) and each frame produces roughly 2.3 kilograms of honey.
This means that sweet, sweet Calile honey will soon be stocked in the hotel’s lobby shop, Museum of Small Things (M.O.S.T.) and be featured in Lobby Bar dishes.
Busy Bee Facts:
According to The Calile’s resident Apiarist, Amy Murray:
- Bees do a ‘waggle dance’ to tell each other where to find the sweetest nectar in the area.
- Like us, bees prefer resort living, well, sunny warm days – they stay in-doors when it’s cloudy or raining.
- The Calile honey is harvested in spring and summer… so roll on summer!
- Rooftop hives will not increase the risk of being stung unless the bees feel threatened – hotel guests do not have access to the hives – so, there is no need to beeware!
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kristie Mancell
Sales & Marketing Manager, The Calile
+61 432 707 722 / [email protected]
Jodi Clark
Director of Communications, TFE Hotels
+61 499 900 658 / [email protected]
ABOUT COLLECTION BY TFE HOTELS
Collection by TFE Hotels represent beautiful hotels hallmarked by authenticity and provenance, each designed with individual character and charm. With a collection of properties that encompass striking design and attention to the individual such as The Calile Hotel Brisbane, The Hotel Britomart in Auckland, Melbourne’s The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins and Hotel Kurrajong Canberra.