“Gold Level” Green Hotel Award for The Nai Harn, Phuket
In recognition of its commitment to sustainability, The Nai Harn Phuket was recently awarded the “Gold Level” Green Hotel Award by Thailand’s Department of Environmental Quality Promotion, which is part of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Ongoing green initiatives at The Nai Harn include the use of natural fertilizers in the garden, which is made from a mix of compost and effective microorganisms and produced on-site using fruit peels and wet waste. Eco-friendly cleaning products are also utilized and all the guest rooms, suites and public areas are fitted with energy-saving bulbs or LED lighting. For water conservation, the bathrooms feature low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators. All the toilets have dual flush functions.
Plastic bottles are recycled, and grey water is used for the plants in the resort’s gardens. Flora, such as bougainvillea trees are not only chosen for their colourful hues, but also for their low water consumption.
“As one of only three hotels on the island certified to the highest "Gold Level" by the Thai Ministry of Environment’s Green Hotel initiative, we are proud and honoured to set a benchmark for sustainability in the hospitality industry on the Phuket,” said General Manager, Frank Grassmann.
Beyond the rooms, The Nai Harn has replaced all plastic straws with paper straws and also switched all the plastic stirrers used in the hotel bars to glass ones. To minimize the distance between farm and table, the resort team plants and maintains its own on-site vegetable and herb garden.
Executive Chef, Mark Jones, is also committed to serving sustainable food and focuses on fresh, healthy ingredients that support the livelihoods of local people while helping create and maintain socially and environmentally responsible food production.
Outside the hotel itself, the staff team regularly organises and participates in environmentally and socially conscious activities and events, including Mangrove planting days, and beach clean-ups.
“We already have numerous green initiatives in place, but we are looking to implement a range of new CSR activities over the course of 2018 and beyond as we continually strive for ways to lessen our impact on our surroundings,” adds Mr. Grassmann.
The Giving Bag
One of the new ideas is the introduction of The Giving Bag, a concept created by two students from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and implemented in a number of hotels worldwide.
Rather than leaving behind items, hotel guests are invited to place unwanted items in The Giving Bag, which will be donated to a charity of choice. The charity The Nai Harn has chosen to support is The Phuket Sunshine Village, a local foster home for children in need.
The cloth bags are specially made from discarded bedroom linen, stitched together by local Phuket ladies who were commissioned for their handiwork.
For more information about dining at The Nai Harn, visit Rock Salt and Cosmo Restaurant
Published: March 2018
