Meliá Ba Vi Mountain Retreat is nestled deep in nature in the Ba Vi Mountain range with a stunning panoramic view of the Northern Delta

Meliá Hotels International Makes Its Mark As A Sustainability Leader The growing hotel group has received multiple accolades for its sustainability efforts

Meliá Hotels International may be expanding its development footprint across Asia, but Spain’s largest hotel group is making the most dainty steps possible when it comes to the environment – and being awarded for its efforts.

Meliá was recently named the second most sustainable hotel company in the world in S&P Global’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), the world’ most comprehensive sustainability assessment, which ranks more than 10,000 companies across all industries. In 2019 and 2020, Meliá ranked first in the global hotel industry, and in 2021 maintained its leadership in Europe and Spain.

“As we continue to expand our presence globally we are committed to working towards a new sustainable and responsible hospitality model, increasing the contribution of the industry to society and helping protect the planet,” said Gabriel Escarrer, CEO of Meliá. “Our company is now seen as a benchmark for sustainability around the world.”

Meliá properties throughout Asia have embraced core sustainability principles by reducing or entirely eliminating single-use plastics and implementing energy and water conservation measures.

Individual Meliá properties are also rolling out environmental programs with efforts to create a more circular hotel economy and to help the environment through collaborative projects.

The 260-key urban hotel Meliá Chiang Mai, which celebrated a grand opening in April, launched with a ‘360° Cuisine’ concept. Dishes served in the dining outlets include produce from the hotel’s organic farm. After every possible part of each ingredient is used in the kitchen, leftovers are returned to the farm as compost. Under the program, the hotel’s kitchen works closely with local farmers to help improve sustainability and encourage ethical production. Meliá Chiang Mai has partnered with ORI9IN The Gourmet Farm, a nearby organic farm, to grow an array of fruits, vegetables and herbs on a two-acre plot on the broader ORI9IN property for its restaurants, bars and spa.

The Balansa organic garden at Meliá Ba Vi Mountain Retreat

In Vietnam, Meliá Ba Vi Mountain Retreat follows a similar philosophy. A range of produce is grown in the property’s Balansa organic garden and used in the restaurant, spa, and the staff canteen. Leftovers are returned to the earth. Each day the property composts approximately 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of organic and biodegradable waste.

Meliá Koh Samui, a beachfront property in Thailand, is also focusing on sustainable agriculture. They have added a four-acre organic garden that will do more than just supply the kitchen with an abundance of fresh produce. The garden will be a site for learning and connection. One of the long term goals is to help educate people of the importance of cultivating the land sustainably, through hands-on farming experiences and cooking classes.

Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort, along Vietnam’s Southern Coast, started their Spice Garden in response to a shortage of vegetables during the ongoing lockdown but the project has grown to encompass a wide variety of different herbs and vegetables. Like Meliá Koh Samui they have plans in the works to roll out a range of fun, free gardening activities for guests, such as painting pots, flower puzzling, leaf crafts, and making herb-infused essential oils.

Eight Meliá properties throughout Southeast Asia from Meliá Kuala Lumpur to Meliá Bali, as well as Meliá Danang, Meliá Hanoi, Meliá Ho Tram, and Sol by Meliá Phu Quoc (all in Vietnam), have worked with hygiene and cleaning solutions company Diversey on the “Soap for Hope” project.

The hotel soap recycling initiative helps save lives in disadvantaged communities by improving hygiene practices, while also creating livelihoods and minimizing the soap waste created by hotels. Local people are taught to use a cold-press method, which requires no electricity or water and takes under 10 minutes, to recycle used soap from hotels into reconstituted bars. The fresh soap is then distributed to communities lacking soap or sanitation.

Meliá is also doing its best to ensure their reach ripples further afield. In February, Meliá was named a “Supplier Engagement Leader” by CDP, an international organization specializing in reporting environmental impact. The hotel group achieved the highest rating in the Supplier Engagement Rate (SER) category in CDP’s annual Climate Change survey. In addition to reducing the emissions Meliá hotels generate directly, Meliá Hotels International works with its suppliers towards a reduction of emissions within the supply chain. The hotel company also has a mandatory Supplier Code of Ethics that ensures the alignment of suppliers with the sustainability commitments made by the sustainably-minded hotel group.

“Every day should be Earth Day,” said Ignacio Martin, Managing Director Southeast Asia at Meliá Hotels International. “Prioritizing sustainability is something we’ve been weaving deeper into the fabric of our company, regardless of what day it is.”

www.meliahotelsinternational.com

Collecting eggs at Fusion Resort Cam Ranh’s Farm

How The Pandemic Changed Food Self-Sufficiency At Hotels & Resorts  Investing in gardens and farms moves from novelty to integral element at many properties 

The hospitality industry has sputtered in fits and starts throughout the pandemic as case counts and quarantines have had their way with us, but there were aspects of the hotel business that literally came to life over the past two years. As the number of guests dwindled, many hotels invested in the land, cultivating gardens, farms and orchards to support staff and move towards a more sustainable model of operating.

“Over the last two years the world has really woken up to wellness,” said Hylton Lipkin, GM of Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion, a natural hot spring resort in Vietnam that has long prided itself on its commitment to health. “But what kind of wellness? Is it physical wellness, mental wellness, or environmental wellness? They’re all connected and this was an integral time for us to deepen our framework to honor all the various facets of what that word means, especially when it comes to food.”

Located on an expansive plot of land on the outskirts of Vietnam’s former imperial capital Hue, Alba had the space to make a difference. More time was invested in the 250m2 organic vegetable plot, to ensure restaurant and staff canteen needs could be met. With more than 150 cage-free chickens on their farm, they became the first resort property in Vietnam to use only 100% cage free eggs.

Fusion, as a brand, has made a number of eco-strides during the course of the pandemic. Fusion Resort Cam Ranh, on Vietnam’s south central coast, is now home to around 200 cage-free chickens, ducks, goats, and even peacocks. Their flourishing organic vegetable garden and mango orchard, spread over 3,100m2, partially supplies fresh vegetables and herbs to the resort’s restaurants and staff canteen. The resort also has over 1,000 coconut trees, with all the organic young fresh coconuts now being served up in the resort restaurant. Previously they were removed at a young stage and not harvested.

“We wanted to involve our guests in all these new initiatives as we believe this is the way forward,” said Dawid Koegelenberg. “It’s an opportunity for guests to learn the importance of where their food comes from.” Guests are free to pick their own organic vegetables and collect eggs for breakfast, while young visitors can attend a farm school on weekends to learn how to care for animals.

Fusion Resort Phu Quoc, on Vietnam’s largest island, introduced an eco-farm in the summer of 2021. An eclectic array of animals from goats to ducks as well as a new vegetable garden and pineapple orchard, that guests have access to, have been added.

The Balansa organic garden at Meliá Ba Vi Mountain Retreat

At the opposite end of the country in the remote Northern Delta region, Meliá Ba Vi Mountain Retreat, is also cultivating land.

“We are located in a mountainous area of the country and are quite far from local suppliers,” explained Noemi Perez, general manager of the property.  “Our organic garden has allowed us to reduce transportation costs and the impact on the environment, while allowing for a consistent food supply when the city was locked down during COVID.”

The Balansa organic garden, named after the French botanist Benjamin Balansa, is thriving with a range of vegetables including kale, broccoli, arugula, radish, celery, lettuce, green pepper, tomatoes, and a range of herbs that are used in the restaurant, spa, and the staff canteen. Leftovers are returned to the earth and each day the property composts approximately 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of organic and biodegradable waste.

Another Meliá property, Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort, started their Spice Garden in response to a shortage of vegetables during the ongoing lockdown.

“Our staff were encouraged to start small, by planting a few fast-growing vegetables and spices that were used in cooking meals,” said Nishant Uniyal, Meliá Ho Tram hotel manager. “From these humble beginnings the project has grown into so much more. We’re now growing a wide variety of different herbs and vegetables such as chili, lemongrass, zucchini, and tomatoes, all of which are free of chemicals.”

The garden is set to play a role in the resort’s offering with plans in the works to roll out a range of fun, free gardening activities for guests. These include painting pots, flower puzzling, leaf crafts, and making herb-infused essential oils.

“We want to engage the next generation, so they can experience gardening as a fruitful activity that preserves the environment while also providing the opportunity for getting together with family and friends,” added Uniyal.

Chef Dean at Tanah Gajah, A Resort by Hadiprana

The team at the Bali property, Tanah Gajah, a Resort by Hadiprana, also dug in when the pandemic hit. They switched to a farm-to-staff-table approach and started a new nursery to supplement the main garden, planting herbs and vegetables (shallots, onions, garlic, chili, turnips, morning glory, etc) that grew quickly, in order to support the food needs of staff.

Siddhartha Oceanfront Resort & Spa, two hours northeast from Tanah Gajah, cultivated a thriving vegetable garden in an area of the island known for its volcanic soil, which is not conducive to farming. They developed a waste separation system where all food and garden waste is composted and used again on the land. The gardens that were first planted last year, have become part of the landscaping and wind their way throughout the property.

“It’s been a trial and error process and we’ve had to remain adaptive,” said the co-owner of the resort, Stefan Brand. “When we first planted we chose easy to grow crops but since all of the yield is going to the staff and their families, we needed to switch that and make a concerted effort to grow foods that are familiar to them.”

“The pandemic planted the seed for this initiative and we look forward to seeing the fruits of our labor for years to come,” added Brand.