1Hotels, with properties in Brooklyn, Central Park, West
Hollywood, and South Beach, has implemented a wide range
of energy, water and environmental design strategies to
keep their footprint small. The brand also organizes advocacy
and educational initiatives to spread the word about the
environment and how the hospitality industry can take an
active role in promoting mindful travel. Their partners? The
Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) dedicated to the
long-term health and wellbeing of all Earth’s inhabitants
through innovative projects that protect vulnerable
wildlife from extinction and restore balance to threatened
ecosystems and communities. 1Hotels also has established
a partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council
(NRDC) which works to safeguard the earth – its people,
plants and animals and ecosystems, and Oceanic Global,
which raises awareness for the devastating effects of
human consumption on our oceans and work with leading
conservationists, scientists and industry experts to drive
positive change.
38 ILHA
Small, international boutique hotels also follow suit
maintaining sustainable efforts that make an impact in
their immediate communities. The 20-estates Royal
Isabela in Puerto Rico reflects the owner’s commitment to
protecting the land and native flora from every aspect of its
non-disturbance architecture, respecting the land and its
unique attributes. The hotel is affiliated with the El Pastillo
Conservation Trust, established in cooperation with Puerto
Rico’s Department of Natural and Environmental Resources
(DRNA) to preserve the ecosystem found at El Pastillo
Beach and its surrounding cliffs. The Trust oversees over
80 acres of land ceded by Royal Isabela to the DRNA to
protect wildlife including the endangered butterfly Atlantea
tulita and Puerto Rican boa. Other efforts include the
conservation of native flora and fauna by managing invasive
species, restoring areas that have been damaged by human
activity or natural disasters, and education of the public
about the importance of ecology by facilitating student
involvement and participation. Cala Luna Boutique Hotel
& Villas in Tamarindo, Costa Rica not only implements