While many hotels are encouraging guests to reuse towels or delay housekeeping services for a day or two, other hotels are going green in a big way. These San Antonio hotels are making conservation a key part of their everyday business.
1. Holiday Inn San Antonio Airport
Courtesy of Holiday Inn San Antonio Airport
The hotel takes part in a number of green initiatives, but "...the most talked-about item is our herb garden because guests can see, smell and taste the results," says Scott Larsen, general manager of Holiday Inn San Antonio Airport. "Everyone loves to see the bartender run out the front doors and jump into the garden to harvest some fresh mint to make a mojito." Guests will also notice the recycling bins throughout the hotel, by the pool, near the entrance, in the restaurant and in every room. The hotel has an innovative irrigation system that captures condensation from the air conditioner and uses it to water the landscape. Read more about Holiday Inn San Antonio Airport.
2. Hyatt Regency San Antonio
The hotel features auto-flush toilets and automatic faucets in all public areas. In each guest room, the bathrooms have 1.5 gallon-per-minute (GPM) showerheads, 1/2 GPM sink aerators and 1.6 GPM toilets. The rooms also have compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) and digital thermostats. The restaurant utilizes a Natura tap water purification system, which provides chilled sparkling and still water. The purified water is bottled in glass containers that are designed to be washed and re-used, eliminating the need for plastic bottles. The Hyatt Regency also recycles cardboard, paper, fluorescent lights, batteries and used oils. Read more about Hyatt Regency San Antonio.
3. JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa
Courtesy of JW Marriott San Antonio
"Water is a precious commodity in our region and the resort was planned with conservation of this natural resource in mind," says Tom Tabler, director of marketing. The fragile Edwards Aquifer is the underground source that supplies water to much of the San Antonio region. To help protect the aquifer, fountains at the resort use recycled water, and the golf course utilizes a closed-loop irrigation system. The 750-acre nature preserve is also protected habitat for the endangered golden-cheeked warbler. The resort receives 70 percent of its power through Windtricity, the city of San Antonio's green energy program that utilizes energy from west Texas wind farms. Read more about JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.
4. Hotel Contessa
Courtesy of Hotel Contessa
In addition to low-flow showerheads and faucets and a towel/linen reuse program, the Hotel Contessa has a number of behind-the-scenes conservation initiatives. They encourage employees to take public transportation by covering some of their costs. Outdoor sprinklers are on timers to save water, and they use high-efficiency washing machines in their laundry facilities. They recycle everything from paper and cardboard to kitchen grease, tin, aluminum and batteries. But the green topic most guests ask about is the food, according to public relations representative Donna Parker. "Right outside Las Ramblas restaurant, we grow sustainable and farm-to-table foods and herbs," she says. "We buy locally, saving on gas and transport costs and refrigeration because herbs are harvested daily." Read more about Hotel Contessa.
5. Grand Hyatt San Antonio
Low-flow water devices combined with a high-efficiency energy management system helped the Grand Hyatt San Antonio reduce energy costs by 11.9 percent in 2009. Thanks to the hotel's single-stream recycling program, the Grand Hyatt recycled 371,230 pounds of paper, plastic, metal and glass in 2010. Use of plastic water bottles has been greatly reduced because of the hotel's Natura tap water purification system. Guests are offered still and sparkling water in reusable, washable, glass containers. Read more about Grand Hyatt San Antonio.
6. Hilton Palacio del Rio
For the Hilton Palacio del Rio, going green has also added a little green to their bottom line. "Our dual-flush toilets saved more than 13 million gallons in their first year of installation, for a savings of more than $26,000," says Brian Getman, director of sales and marketing. The toilets give the user the option of a low-volume flush or a higher-volume flush, depending on the, er, situation. They also use compact fluorescent lighting (CFL), LED lights and energy-saving Inncom thermostats. The hotel's bus pass program encourages employees to take public transportation by defraying some of the costs. The Hilton Palacio del Rio participates in the San Antonio electric utility's Demand Response program. The hotel voluntarily cuts back on power usage during peak times, which helps prevent rolling blackouts without compromising guest comfort. Read more about the Hilton Palacio del Rio.
7. Hotel Valencia Riverwalk
Lighting systems triggered by motion, in conjunction with energy-efficient light bulbs, help the Hotel Valencia Riverwalk minimize unnecessary electricity usage. Low-flow toilets have been installed throughout the hotel, and dishwasher spray nozzles have been retrofitted with low-flow sprayers to reduce water consumption. Room keys are biodegradable. In the Citrus restaurant, they serve chicken from an all-natural farm in nearby Gonzales and fresh shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico. Water glasses are made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled glass and Citrus to-go boxes are made from 100 percent compostable and biodegradable corn and soy paper. Read more about Hotel Valencia Riverwalk.
8. Holiday Inn Northwest/SeaWorld
The most visible signs of the conservation efforts at the Holiday Inn Northwest/SeaWorld are the large, rainwater-collecting cisterns and solar panels. The hotel is pursuing LEED certification. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a widely recognized green building certification system that provides a framework for constructing and maintaining eco-friendly facilities. The hotel also participates in the Green Engage program operated by its parent company, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). The Green Engage program seeks to make participating hotels 15 to 20 percent more energy efficient utilizing a number of tools, ranging from software to high-efficiency air conditioning and lighting. Read more about Holiday Inn Northwest/SeaWorld.
9. Drury Inn & Suites Near La Cantera
As part of its efforts to gain LEED certification, Drury Inn & Suites Near La Cantera has implemented a stormwater filtration system, which removes chemicals and other impurities from runoff, thereby protecting the region's underground water source, the Edwards Aquifer. Solar panels on the roof heat 24 percent of the hotel's hot water. The hotel has also added bike racks and showers as a way of encouraging employees to bike to work. In the landscaping around the hotel, they've used native plants, which use less water and require fewer chemicals than non-native plants. Condensation from the heating/cooling system is collected and used for watering plants. The parking lot utilizes paving materials that reflect solar heat, which makes the whole area cooler and reduces the hotel's air-conditioning costs. Read more about Drury Inn & Suites Near La Cantera.
10. Westin La Cantera Resort
Most people don't think of golf courses as being particularly eco-friendly, but they can be if the design preserves a significant amount of natural habitat. At the Westin La Cantera Resort, the 500-acre property is home to wildlife such as jackrabbits, coral snakes, deer and birds. La Cantera is working to be certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary facility. To get the designation, the resort must present evidence that it's working to protect wildlife, habitat and water. The golf course utilizes a closed-loop irrigation system to conserve water. To get guests to go green, the hotel offers a $5 voucher for each day the guests decline housekeeping services, which cuts down on water and electricity use. The vouchers can be used for food and beverages at participating restaurants. Read more about the Westin La Cantera Resort.