Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) has identified 26 actively sustainable luxury hotels to be part of its newly launched “Considerate Collection.” The hospitality brand has also announced new sustainable initiatives forming part of a renewed strategic vision to mark its 31st anniversary. From the biodiversity-promoting Keemala in Thailand to the culture-preserving Gangtey Lodge in carbon-negative Bhutan, the “Considerate Collection” has properties in 16 countries.
The new collection has been rolled out following SLH's collaboration with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)—the international, independent, not-for-profit body established by the United Nations Environment Program nd the United Nations World Tourism Organization—and Greenview, whose platform is the only GSTC-recognized sustainable tourism management tool.
Criteria for the “Considerate Collection” align with the GSTC criteria across three key pillars, ensuring that all the hotels are community-minded, environmentally conscious and cultural custodians. These pillars are underpinned by a strong sustainability management system. Each hotel within the “Considerate Collection” has either been certified by a GSTC Accredited Certification Body or certified to a GSTC Recognized Standard, or has passed an assessment by the SLH Sustainability Advisory Panel with review by the GSTC.
Le Domaine d'Ablon, Ablon, France
The 26 hotels that form part of the collection, include Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary, Shaba, Bhutan; Gangtey Lodge, Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan; Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Wellness Resort, Bel Ombre, Mauritius; The Fortress Resort & Spa, Galle, Sri Lanka; Keemala, Phuket, Thailand; Pimalai Resort & Spa, Lanta Island, Thailand and The Racha, Phuket, Thailand in the APAC region. Columbia Beach Resort, Limassol, Cyprus; Domaine de Manville, Les Baux de Provence, France; Domaine des Etangs, Massignac, France; Le Domaine d'Ablon, Ablon, France; Hotel Rangá, Hella, Iceland; FORESTIS, Brixen, Italy; Lefay Resort & Spa Lago di Garda, Gargnano, Italy; Lefay Resort Dolomiti, Pinzolo, Italy; Susafa, Polizzi, Generosa, Italy; La Sultana Marrakech, Marrakech, Morocco; The Dylan Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Storfjord Hotel, Skodje, Norway; Hotel Arima & Spa, San Sebastian, Spain; Torre del Marques, Monroyo, Spain and Grove of Narberth, Wales, United Kingdom in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa Region.
The Americas properties forming a part of the collection include GAÏA Riverlodge, Cayo District, Belize; Hotel Nantipa, Santa Teresa de Cobano, Costa Rica; Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa, La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica and Petit St Vincent, Vincent Island, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
SLH has more than 520 hotels in 90 countries. Over the past two years, it has worked with hospitality sustainability consultancy The Considerate Group to develop toolkits to support its member hotels. H2 Sustainability Consulting, headed by former hotelier Hervé Houdré, is among the consultancies SLH is collaborating with to support hotel members. In addition, SLH’s quality inspection reports, carried out annually by its international mystery hotel inspectors (all SLH hotel guests), has been revamped and is being trialed to include a 60-point “Considerate” module focusing on customer-facing, front of house initiatives.
The company is also updating its corporate head office policies, ensuring that it practices what it preaches to hotel members. Policy updates include the implementation of volunteer days for staff and the launch of a partnership with social change and reforestation charity, TreeSisters, among other initiatives.
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