How can one tell if a hotel genuinely cares about sustainability or is just green washing? It’s all in the details. We took a deep dive with PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering in Singapore, who fully integrates sustainability into the very fabric and DNA of the hotel while continuing to push the boundaries with creative flair.
They say that Singapore is a city in a garden, well PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering is a hotel in a garden. Not only is it highly awarded (like winning the prestigious ‘World’s Leading Green City Hotel’ award in the World Travel Awards, or Design of the Year by President’s Design Award 2013) but also offers a multi-sensorial experience for guests including a newly launched eco-wellness programme.
It’s all in the details, details, details. Here are 10 that highlight how sustainable hospitality can be done.
1) A garden hotel
For every square metre of land area there are two square metres of greenery, with over fifty different plants making up the lush tropical garden throughout the property. These plants help to absorb heat, create shade and improve air quality.
2) Sustainable systems
They have a rain harvesting system which collects and recycles rainwater to water the gardens. And motion and rain sensors to regulate energy and water use across the property. As well as solar cells to light up the gardens.
3) Water filters… in every room!
Yes you read that correctly. They have eliminated single-use plastic bottles by installing a 3M filtered water tap in all of the hotel rooms. This is taking the green experience to a whole new level and was a truly pleasant surprise.
4) An edible garden – farm-to-table and bar
Fresh, nutrient dense herbs grown on site at their edible garden used for their dining, drinking and wellness offerings. Featuring over 50 varieties of fruits, herbs and edible flowers such as stevia, passionfruit marigold and mexican tarragon. The more they can grow on site, the less they have to import, reducing their carbon footprint.
5) Plant-based options galore
Their menu is bursting with incredible plant-based dishes from their open-kitchen concept restaurant. From comfort food stables to fusion dishes, there is something creative for everyone.
6) Conscious cocktails
Here is one area where they push flavour, creativity and sustainability. First they reduce the amount of glass bottles and waste from their spirits by having eco-totes from Eco Spirits – which hold litres of spirits in refillable containers. They also reduced the use of eggs by making their cocktails using a plant-based vegan foam instead. They use seasonal fresh herbs from the urban farm. And have reduced the amount of sugar per cocktail by fifty per cent!
7) Refillable toiletries
A simple yet effective way they reduce single use plastic is having refillable gels in the shower. Shampoo, conditioner and body wash doesn’t need to be in small containers, which is both an annoying user experience and also not great for the planet. Instead, at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, there are large, wall mounted bottles that actually give you the amount of product you need.
8) Multiple bins
Each room has both a recycling and normal bin to support guests to make better decisions and be aware of their impact in the most subtle of ways. It’s these little nudges that can both educate and encourage better choices.
9) Eco-wellness
The hotel prioritises wellness and has now introduced a ‘Sleep Ritual turn down service’ which includes a selection of herbs harvested from the hotels urban farm for guests to enjoy a fresh pot of tea and therapeutic amenities to support a good night’s rest. There are also tours of the urban farm, a wellness set lunch and special healing experiences.
10) An eco wedding
Wedding guests can opt for an eco-chic banquet menu to take their guests on a more sustainable journey and reduce the footprint of the celebration.
These are just a few highlights of how sustainability can be woven into the full experience of a hotel and what an environmentally friendlier future can look like. If you are looking for a green staycation or hotel, look no further than PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, you won’t be disappointed.