Sustainability with tradition
Sustainability is an ever-present topic these days. However, in some hotels, it has not just been a reality for a few years, but for decades - or more precisely: for generations.
Eco Park Hotel Azalea - Italy
In the middle of the small Italian town of Cavalese in Trentino, surrounded by a lush garden, you will find the Eco Park Hotel Azalea. It has been a project close to the heart of the Delmattio family for three generations. The story of the Azalea begins back in the 1940s, when the great aunts Gisella and Fortunata, together with Bruno, the father of the current owner, converted the farm from their grandparents into the small Azalea guesthouse. Bruno was only 15 at the time, but he had a vision for the hotel: "A place where no alarm clock rings in the morning" was his motto for the quiet oasis.
In 2007, Bruno was faced with a rather urgent decision: the structure of the hotel was very fragile and renovation was inevitable, so along with the renovation he decided now was the time to expand. The current owner Manuela Delmattio and her German husband Olaf, both architects, developed a design for an environmentally-friendly and sustainable renovation. The vision of the two architects was a house full of innovation for guests - but it fell apart. The hotel was on the verge of ruin.
Manuela gave up her career as an architect and in 2008, under her leadership and that of her father, the construction work for an ecological hotel was able to begin. Only four years later, in 2012, Bruno passed away and Manuela decided to run the hotel alone with her employees in a consistently sustainable way and to remain true to her visions. For Manuela, the family tradition and her father's teachings were and remain a source of inspiration.
Tongsai Bay - Thailand
The story of the origins of Tongsai Bay begins in 1983, and sounds a bit like something out of a fairy tale. Khun Akorn Hoontrakul discovered the bay from the sea and fell in love with it. Within a few days, the then owner of the Imperial Hotel Group bought the land. He had a dream to build a resort with minimal impact on the natural environment.
For three months he slept on the beach to ensure that the cottages were positioned correctly, that no trees were cut down, no animals were harmed and that there was as little interference with nature as possible.
After falling ill in 1993, Akorn sold the Imperial Hotel Group, but kept Tongsai Bay to spend the rest of his life there with his beloved wife Chompunute.
In 2000, Akorn passed away and the management of Tongsai Bay passed into the hands of his son Thanakorn and daughter-in-law Saisiri. Both share Akorn's passion for conservation and Thai hospitality. Under their watchful eyes, Tongsai Bay continued to grow and develop its own Green Projects.
In addition to ecological sustainability, the family focuses on social commitment and supports animal shelters, schools, temple projects and "Sisters of Samui", a project that feeds more than 1,000 homeless individuals every day.
Our plan is to leave nature in peace in Tongsai Bay and improve our knowledge of new sustainable ways to further reduce our carbon footprint and achieve our goal of zero waste.
Okelmann’s – Germany
Sisters Kristin and Maren are already the fifth generation to run Okelmann's. The hotel in the municipality of Warpe in Lower Saxony has been in the family for over 130 years, and the building itself has been there since 1879. Since the 19th century, the family has had a farm and still has forestry operations to this day.
"My sister and I had been interested in organic food, natural cosmetics and alternative healing methods since our teenage years," Kristin describes her passion for the topic of sustainability.
A project close to the sisters' hearts: the opening of the hotel's own café. There, grandma Martha's traditional recipes are brought back to life. The love of home is also palpable in the restaurant. Here, the season dictates what finds it’s way on to the plate and all dishes are prepared with love and regional ingredients.
A special feature of Okelmann's? In addition to 16 rooms, the spacious premises also offer room for a wide variety of events: whether it's a wedding, birthday or family celebration, with a view of the garden and surrounding fields, Okelmann's is a wonderful place to celebrate. This makes the celebrations not only sustainable, but also carefree, because Kristin is an event planner and takes care of everything herself on site.
All green hotels, holiday homes and restaurants at Green Pearls® are united by high standards, active environmentally friendly initiatives and social commitment. "Those who choose a "Green Pearl" for their holiday consciously travel differently and contribute to making the world a little bit better.