eco-hotel of the month

This month Shireen and Barbara, Innkeepers at Hotel Mocking Bird Hill in Jamaica, explain their motivation to set up an eco-friendly hotel and talk about their future plans:

Since opening almost 14 years ago, Hotel Mocking Bird Hill has gained credibility as a leader in sustainable tourism development in the Caribbean. Twice Green Globe certified we are often asked why observing sustainable practices is important to us and what do we undertake to claim we are environmentally friendly.

One of the motivating reasons is that we have grown up in developing and then, later, in first world countries and seen the disparities between the two, as well as the negative impacts of so called “development”. This has influenced us a great deal. We have seen how communities were without water while the water available was directed to the large luxury resorts. We also lived in Germany for a long time and were very active in the “Green” movement in the late 70’s and early 80’s. We actively separated our waste, discarded unnecessary packaging at the supermarket counters, joined a group of friends who would collectively buy local seasonal food from the farmer and take it in turns to drive out there and pick it up for the group.

People living in abject poverty usually do not have the luxury to care about natural resources, as they worry instead about their next meal and obtaining their most basic needs. In the worst cases, their destitution leads to destruction of their environment. At the same time, however, our ability to create wealth and the economic resources that might enable those people to escape poverty will require that we use our natural resources as wisely as possible. Hence we have the doubly challenging task of making prudent use of land, air, water, forests and oceans while trying to meet the demands of an increasing number of impoverished people. We recognise the critical role that tourism can play in addressing these demands and set out to therefore operate our business along sustainable guidelines and demonstrate that even small business can make a positive contribution.

We started toying with the idea of developing an intimate inn / boutique hotel along sustainable guidelines and started by touring the country to select our location. We therefore consciously sought out Port Antonio, the least developed tourist region of Jamaica and set out from the start to plan and develop our business along responsible and sustainable principles. In doing so we sought to identify actions, resources and partners necessary to encourage the provision of products and services, which enhance rather than destroy the environment and culture.

Size is an important aspect that affects operations and costs. Much of what we do is possible because the hotel is small. It would not be feasible for a large resort to dry their clothes in the sun, to do their baking in sun ovens and so on. So in such instances the smaller scale of operations is an asset. It’s like nature, which is not mass-produced. Hence, environmentally friendly operations are ideal for small hotels as it does not require enormous capital outlays and it keeps operating costs under control.

We are constantly working to increase the efficiency of our systems as this is the main area of improving our performance. We install an awning to provide shade and keep our storerooms cooler which in turn lowers the demand on the cooling units (freezers and fridges).

Rather than trying to find solutions to our problems, such as recycling the plastic, we focus on avoiding the issue from the start so that we do not have to worry about the recycling. When considering how to invest money and effort and time for the sake of environmental benefits, choosing the most effective actions, though not terribly difficult, requires a bit of thought and homework.

Our future plans include adding more solar panels and using renewable energy to operate pool and water pumps as well as for outside lighting and guttering the roof of a building which has not been guttered as yet and increasing our storage capacities for harvesting rain water.

Our best moments are when staff who left our services return saying they realise how much they appreciated working with us after they left and that they are so used to our standards that they are not happy working elsewhere and above all they recognise how much they have learnt working with us. This acknowledgement makes our work worthwhile and brings home the fact that our work is not in vain and that we are achieving our goals gradually. Of course positive guest feedback brings moments of quiet satisfaction and a motivation to continue and keep improving.

exclusive special offer - Jamaica

Our competition has now been drawn and the winner notified, but for those of you not lucky enough to win a 7-night stay at the Eco-Chic Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, ecobookers has teamed up with this luxury hotel in Jamaica to give you an exclusive special offer.
This eco-chic hotel is offering you the chance to discover Port Antonio with the below very special offer, available exclusively to ecobookers guests for stays completed between 1st May and 30th October 2008. Book by 31st March 2008 to receive the following special prices and complimentary offers (to make a booking request, reply to this email of use the 'Make an Enquiry' button on the Hotel Mocking Bird Hill page).
Pay just US$1,140 (a saving of US$15) for 7 nights in a garden view room (for two persons) or US$1,470 (a saving of US$245) for 7 nights in a superior room (for two persons) and also enjoy complimentary tropical Continental breakfast with fresh juice, tropical fruit plate, famous Blue Mountain Coffee and a bread basket with home-made breads – Banana Bread, Coconut Bread, scones, muffins; a complimentary welcome cocktail while watching a spectacular sunset against the backdrop of the Blue Mountains and the Caribbean Sea; free shuttle and entrance to Frenchman’s Cove – Jamaica’s most famous beach – just 5 minutes drive from the hotel and an introductory cookery session after which you can enjoy what you have prepared for lunch and take home the recipes and a Mocking Bird apron to treat friends and family at home with a Jamaican evening!

Win a 7 night stay in Jamaica!

In addition to lots of new acccommodations and destinations, plus special offers through our eco-friendly partners, ecobookers are now running a competition in which you could win a 7 night stay in a luxury eco-friendly hotel in Jamaica!

For a chance to win, simply register your details here to receive regular news and exclusive offers by email from ecobookers. All entries must be in by 9th January 2008.

The eco-chic Hotel Mocking Bird Hill is a romantic, peaceful and comfortable hideaway, nestled between the majesty of the Blue Mountains and the Caribbean Sea. The ten select accommodations are lovingly decorated with hand crafted bamboo furniture, locally printed fabrics and original art. Guests are greeted with warm hospitality and can discover creative Caribbean cuisine in the hotel’s highly acclaimed restaurant, Mille Fleurs, which offers terrace dining with spectacular views overlooking the harbour of Port Antonio.

The lucky winner will receive a free 7 night stay at the Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, for 2 people in a double room, worth a minimum of US$1155 (approximately £560). The prize does not include flights or transfers.

family friendly eco holidays!

Picking back up from where I left off a couple of days ago, I've now looked at budget eco-accommodations and luxury eco-accommodations. Next, another one that causes problems - family-friendly... Of course, most eco-accommodations are set in rural areas and it's always going to be necessary to control children and ensure they are respecting the environment. However, a number of hotels have pricing policies and/or facilities which make eco-friendly family holidays that little bit easier:-

Puri Lumbung, Indonesia - Family cottages are available for groups of 4 or more, babysitting is available and children aged 0-11 go free when sharing with 2 adults.

3 Rivers Eco Lodge, Dominica - Cabins and Tree Houses sleep 3 and, as the prices are per room, there is no additional cost to bring a child. The Lodge also has a large children's play area where the kids (big or small) can have fun, allowing the parents to "free up" and relax.

Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, Jamaica - Babysitting is available and children aged 0-11 go free when sharing with 2 adults. Interconnecting rooms are also available if you would prefer to book 2 rooms.

Villas Ecotucan, Mexico - A short walk down the hill will take you to the magical Laguna de Bacalar, perfect for swimming or kayaking, mountain bikes are available to rent and leisure equipment is provided, such as bocci, badminton, croquet, and volleyball if you’d like to play some games. Up to 2 children under 10 can stay in a cabin with 2 adults at no additional cost. The price per additional child aged 10-12 is US$5 per night.

Algonquin Eco-Lodge, Canada - Rates include use of the biking / hiking trail system (over 60km), free use of canoes on Moffat Pond, use of water toys (inflatable raft etc.), bonfire and wolf howl seminars on request. The first child aged 0-12 and sharing in a room with 2 adults goes free. The second child aged 0 –12 and sharing in a room with 2 adults pays 50% of the adult price.

Hotel Oberland, Bolivia - Beach volley, beach soccer, ping-pong and a children's playground are available with quad hire, horse riding and bike hire available closeby to the hotel. Up to 2 children aged 0 – 11 years old go free when sharing a room with 2 adults.

Eco Luxury!

Reading through some comments on a travel forum today it became clear that there are lots of different preconceptions about what eco-friendly accommodation actually entails. For example, I read a comment which said ‘I can’t afford anything like an eco-camp, so it will have to be a budget hostel’. On the other hand, some people think that budget and eco go hand in hand and the only image they seem to muster is that of composting toilets!

In reality, there is as great a range of eco-accommodation as any other holiday accommodation , ranging from budget to luxury, from jungle to city and from family-friendly to romantic-getaway. To prove it, over the next few days I plan to feature different eco-hotels and lodges which fall into these different categories, starting today with Eco Luxury!

Eco Luxury: Who says you can’t enjoy the finer things in life and be eco-friendly at the same time!

Campi ya Kanzi, Kenya – At this luxury camp you will find yourself sleeping in a linen-sheeted king-size bed, in a tented cottage which also features an elegant bathroom and a wide verandah for superb views of either Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Tsavo Hills, and the Chyulu Hills. In the evenings you will dine by candlelight on Italian cuisine, from fine table settings and crystal glasses.

Guludo Beach Lodge, Mozambique – Here you will stay in a spacious tented banda with a raised bedroom, with king-size bed, set under an expansive palm-thatched roof, opening upwards and outwards to make the most of the stunning sea views and cooling sea breeze. Here you will find European fine dining with an exotic local twist and world class fresh seafood.

Hotel de la Paix, Cambodia – As one of Siem Reap's most stylish hotels, this deluxe boutique property offers guests outstanding levels of luxury along with world-class dining and spa facilities. In the guestrooms, chic interiors and contemporary furnishings, including handcrafted lamps and intricate wall mountings, achieve a harmonious balance between modern design and traditional detailing.

Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, Jamaica – This luxury boutique hotel is romantic, peaceful and comfortable. The ten select accommodations have been lovingly appointed with hand crafted bamboo furniture, locally printed fabrics and decorated with original art. Guests are greeted with warm hospitality and can enjoy fine cuisine in the hotel’s highly acclaimed restaurant Mille Fleurs.

So there's just a few to get started with - spanning the Caribbean, Asia and Africa - but there are plenty more out there!