Resort Guest Amenities

During my recent stay at Novotel Hotels Vijayawada Varun, I saw firsthand how hospitality brands are beginning to embrace sustainability. While I know these steps don’t yet make the hotel fully sustainable, it’s good to see meaningful action being taken. From biodegradable dental kits and refillable dispensers to glass water bottles, and cloth napkins, their commitment to reducing waste was clear.  They even provided sterilized reusable footwear - a practical and sustainable alternative to the typical disposable white slippers. Here are the three most impressive sustainability efforts that stood out during my stay: 1️⃣ Green Building: Powered by solar energy and equipped with LED lighting, sustainability is built into its foundation. 2️⃣ EV Charging Station: The first in Vijayawada, encouraging greener travel. 3️⃣ Composting & Herb Garden: Onsite composting and a vertical herb garden reduce waste and support local sourcing. These initiatives have earned Novotel Vijayawada Varun a Bronze Level in Accor’s Planet 21 initiative, a recognition of their efforts to support environmental stewardship. Accor, the parent company, has also committed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and significant emissions reductions by 2030. While there’s still a long way to go, it’s encouraging to see brands I’ve grown up with starting to integrate sustainability into their operations. Every step counts, and it’s these thoughtful initiatives that can inspire broader change in the hospitality industry. What small sustainable changes have you seen recently that made an impression? Let’s share ideas! #Sustainability #GreenHospitality #EcoFriendly #ResponsibleTourism

Most people are surprised when they learn about FIVE’s commitment to sustainability. It’s an interesting paradox: 1️⃣ We encourage our guests to indulge in every way possible, and yet… 2️⃣ We invest heavily in the sustainability of our hotels, concepts, and services. I understand that guests stay at five-star hotels with the mindset to indulge and relax, not necessarily to think about sustainability. It’s why we believe in 'Sustainable Indulgence' – our ethos that allows us to meet our guests' expectations for luxury while also committing to long-term sustainable practices that include resource-saving technologies and nature-based materials at each FIVE destination. As a result: ▶️ 100% of FIVE’s Dubai and Zurich hotels are LEED Platinum certified, with FIVE LUXE holding the highest score in the world for 5-star hotels (LEED v4) and FIVE Zurich being the first LEED Platinum hotel in Switzerland. ▶️ FIVE’s Dubai hotels reported a carbon footprint 5x lower than the average UAE Luxury Resort, while FIVE Zurich runs almost 3.5x lower than the average 5-star hotel in Switzerland (CHSB 2023). ▶️ FIVE’s Dubai hotels formed a historic I-REC agreement with DEWA, enabling 100% electricity procurement from the Maktoum Solar Park. ▶️ In 2023, the group scored the only ‘A’ ESG rating in the world, beating over 7,000 companies evaluated by International Shareholder Services (ISS). ▶️ The Pacha Group has secured a 100% green power contract to run through 2025. …and more! If all of this can be achieved in 7 short years, I think we’ve got a bright (green) future ahead of us. Did you know FIVE Hotels and Resorts was a leader in sustainable hospitality? #Sustainability #SustainableDevelopment #Success

Rejuvenation tech is the next wave of recovery. →  55% of customers are interested in blended spa x tech experiences. →  34% of spa operators now offer red light therapy, 16% percussive massage, and 9% cryo. →  Already worth $137B, crossover therapies will grow the global spa market 8.3% YoY. Facing a shortage of massage therapists, 7% of spas are turning to automated options like Aescape and Danish rival Self®. Meanwhile, Ammortal has installed immersive wellness “chambers” for the LA Rams, Proper Hospitality, and Padel United. Similar concepts, Lumati’s Recharge Station landed at Hotel Del Coronado, and Novak Djokovic’s Regenesis Studio pod is partnering with Qatar Airways. Remedy Place added Bryan Johnson-endorsed hyperbaric chamber Zeugma and Soho Farmhouse featured HOCATT Enterprises USA, LLC’s ozone sauna. The lack of human touch may turn some off, but Aescape’s research found 20% of Americans are uncomfortable with a masseuse’s contact. And at ~$60 per session, robotic massage may actually expand access. The best of both worlds, many spas are automating while also investing in communal contrast therapy and thermal rituals for somatic/social well-being. Whether consumers choose to pamper or optimize—seeking human energy or robotic efficiency—self-care tech will enhance, not dilute, the spa experience. 📩 Subscribe to Fitt Insider for the latest health and fitness headlines delivered every Tuesday.

Singapore Hotel Association learning journey: on sustainability and inclusivity. How some hotels are succeeding in building an integrated approach. At The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong, we saw a truly integrated approach around sustainability, presented by Melanie Kwok: the hotel is the first in Hong Kong/China to obtain the WELL gold certification, an international standard focused on human health and wellness of occupants: indoor air quality, water quality and conservation, lighting and thermal comfort, energy efficiency and sound control. Beyond sustainable actions that you can find in other hotels, a few initiatives that stood out for me: • Up-cycling 862 kg of plastic into 2,800 “EcoBricks” to pave the pedestrian road leading to the hotel  • Collaborating on reef restoration (“CORAL REEFStoration”) and a “Farm by the Ocean” guest-farm experience. At Rosewood Hong Kong ("ultra-luxury" category), Ada Ng explained how the “Blu” initiatives drive inclusivity: • The BluUp Upskilling Programme offers hospitality careers to young people with special needs (e.g autistic people) in the hotel. You may think this can be challenging given the hotel is serving very high profile guests, but it turns out that their presence is even elevating the engagement of the whole staff. • The BluHouse restaurant pledges 1% of revenue to underserved groups and partners with NGOs for employment of autistic people, single mums etc.  • Single mums are given training and the chance to craft flower decorations sold by Rosewood boutique. At Hotel ICON, founded by Professor Professor Kaye Chon Dean, School of Hotel and Tourism Management and owned by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, a unique operating model is in action as a teaching-and-research hotel:  • Their sustainability approach emphasizes innovation: the hotel was built with “thinking green” and student-engagement at its core.  • It is a great living bridge between academia and industry, hospitality students living right next door to the hotel world and being regularly immersed in it. • Local innovation takes place, like re-using used glass bottles as glasses in the guest rooms. Each of these hotels are a very good demonstration that many things can be done to bring meaning and purpose to both hotel staff and guests. The common trait I saw: passionate leaders bringing a specific expertise (sustainability, inclusivity, education) and literally stepping into the hotel to make change happen. Thank you to each for the inspiring sharing! #Hospitality #Innovation #Sustainability #Inclusivity #Education #Hotel #Jobs #TheWayForward

🚨 Hotels & Resorts are the Hidden Water Guzzlers of Tourism A single guest in a luxury hotel can use more than 300 liters of water per night, that’s almost four bathtubs full! 🛁 Now, imagine a resort with thousands of guests, pools, golf courses, and spas. The numbers are staggering. Top water-wasting areas in hotels & resorts: ❌ Unlimited laundry – Towels & linens washed daily use thousands of liters unnecessarily. ❌ Inefficient bathrooms – Standard showerheads & taps waste liters per minute. ❌ Landscaping & pools – Maintaining gardens and pools can require millions of liters yearly. Small solutions hotels can implement today, without blowing the budget: ✅ Install low-flow showers and taps ✅ Offer opt-out laundry services instead of daily towel changes ✅ Use drought-resistant plants instead of water-hungry gardens For travellers: Support hotels that prioritize sustainability! Look for eco-certified accommodations and make small changes, like reusing towels, having a reusable bottle, and taking shorter showers. If you’re in the hospitality industry, what steps have you taken to reduce water waste? 

Why you should run with a strong theme for your brand activation 🔑 Hotel Edition! We've seen brands use a hotel concept for activations and campaigns, from The SheerLuxe Hotel (their 2025 Christmas Gift Guide) to Glossier, Inc.'s You Hotel to The BÉIS Motel in LA a few years ago, the hotel theme is So why do hotel themes work? ➡️ They evoke escapism Hotels symbolise escapism, luxury and transformation. Guests can 'check-in' and step out of everyday life into a curated world, one that belongs to the brand. ➡️ It's natural storytelling From the check-in to the lobby, to rooms, a bar and maybe amenities, hotels offer an opportunity to create and brand multiple touchpoints. ➡️ It feels luxe By using hotel aesthetics (lobbies, robes, keycards, concierge desks), brands 'borrow' the luxury codes of hospitality - polished service, exclusivity and attention to detail, lifting brand perception. ➡️ Content is generated naturally With themed rooms making great photo ops, smaller items like keycards, luggage tags, or 'Do Not Disturb' signs become shareable brand moments. ➡️ It encourages immersion over observation Guests don’t just look, they participate. They can 'check in', 'unpack' and 'order room service'. These rituals and familiar services build emotional connections with the brand. So putting that into action, meet the Glam & Glowtel, SharkNinja's latest pop-up hotel expereince! Created by CNC Agency (Coffee 'n Clothes) agency in LA to celebrate Shark Beauty tools, the experience inspired express beauty rituals and self-care moments! Guests could book in treatments in the hair and skin suites with professional stylists, try Shark Beauty’s newest tools, and unlock exclusive codes, swag, and products from the Key to Glam & Glow wall. My favourite details? 🧳 The luggage trolley 🔑 Fun room keys 🪩 The mirrored check in counter Photos from CNC Agency (Coffee 'n Clothes)

Le Royal Monceau’s Roland-Garros takeover is a good example of how major cultural events are increasingly extending far beyond their original venue. The French Open may take place across the city at Roland-Garros, but brands and hospitality groups understand that the audience surrounding the tournament is just as valuable as the audience inside it. What’s interesting here is that the hotel hasn’t tried to recreate tennis itself. Instead, it has borrowed the visual language of the tournament, the clay tones, striped parasols and distinctive aesthetic cues, and translated them into a hospitality experience. That approach feels much more sophisticated. Guests aren’t checking into a tennis-themed hotel. They’re stepping into an environment that captures the atmosphere of Roland-Garros while remaining unmistakably Le Royal Monceau. More broadly, we’re seeing luxury hospitality become increasingly responsive to cultural moments. Fashion weeks, art fairs, film festivals and major sporting events are no longer treated as dates on a calendar. They’re becoming opportunities for hotels to create temporary worlds that feel connected to what’s happening around them. The result is that the experience of an event no longer begins when you arrive at the venue. Increasingly, it starts the moment you check into the hotel.

𝗜𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱? 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝘁 $𝟭.𝟰𝗧 𝗯𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟴, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀. Trips used to mean beach naps and buffet lines. Then hotel gyms and spas became a way to move more and recharge. Next, people will choose hotels for longevity itself, with DEXA scans, stem cells and diagnostics the priority. From Blue Zones to biohacking resorts, travel is now about extending healthspan, not just escaping stress. Here’s an overview of the leading destinations I hear about most: → NEXT|HEALTH at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts: Imagine getting a stem cell infusion steps from the beach. This partnership brings cutting-edge treatments like NAD+, ozone, and lab reports into a tropical luxury setting. → SHA Wellness: Where East meets West. SHA blends traditional practices like acupuncture and macrobiotic meals with genetic testing and IV detox protocols. Each stay starts with a doctor-led assessment. → Six Senses: Already known for luxury-meets-wellness, Six Senses doubled down with their RoseBar program, built with Mark Hyman, MD. It layers in red light therapy, cold plunges, hyperbaric oxygen, and personalized lifestyle plans based on real-time biomarker data. → CLINIQUE LA PRAIRIE: A pioneer in medical wellness. Known for combining advanced longevity science with luxury hospitality offers genetic testing, cell therapy, and regenerative treatments in a clinical-grade spa setting. → Canyon Ranch: has always been a go-to for holistic health, but Longevity8 is their upgrade. It’s a full reset, sleep tracking, metabolic testing, IV therapies, and medical insights packed into a 4-day high-touch retreat. These are just some of the many destinations shaping the future of longevity travel. 🌍 Europe Lanserhof Group; Surrenne at The Emory (Maybourne group); Grand Hotel Tremezzo; Lefay Resorts & Residences Lago di Garda; Vilalara Grand Hotel Algarve; Grand Resort Bad Ragaz; Clinic Buchinger Wilhelmi I The Fasting Experts; Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne; Hotel Krallerhof; Palazzo Fiuggi; Mayrlife Altaussee; The Kusnacht Practice; ✈️ North & South America Sensei Lanai; THE WELL Bay Harbour Islands; THE RANCH; Golden Door; Cal-a-Vie Health Spa; Lake Austin Spa Resort; Equinox Hotels ; Andaz Costa Rica (Hyatt); Lapinha SPA; Kurotel Spa Médico; 🌟 Asia & Middle East SIRO Hotels; The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel; Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som; Amanpuri(Aman) ; RAKxa Integrative Wellness; Kamalaya Koh Samui Blue Zones; COMO Hotels and Resorts Shambhala Estate; The AEON Clinic; Clinique La Prairie at One Za'abeel; Ananda In The Himalayas; Longevity is no longer a clinic visit or a spa week. It’s a travel lifestyle. What other destinations do you think should be on the map?

After years of travelling, I’ve noticed a growing trend in hospitality: hotels remove complimentary bottled water, leave an empty reusable bottle in the room, and ask guests to walk down the corridor to refill it from a shared dispenser. While it is often presented as a sustainability initiative, many times it feels more like cost-cutting wrapped in green messaging (Greenwashing). Honestly, most guests have no idea how often those shared dispensers are maintained or how properly the reusable bottles are cleaned between stays. That’s why I genuinely appreciated what I found at Mercure Hotels (Langkawi). Instead of shifting the inconvenience to guests and calling it sustainability, they partnered with 3M to install a filtered drinking water system directly inside the room. Clean drinking water, available instantly, without single-use plastic and without compromising the guest experience. I was initially sceptical until I checked the filter itself and noticed the replacement date was less than a month old. That small detail made a big difference because it showed actual operational commitment, not just greenwashing. This is what sustainability should look like: better user experience, reduced waste, and real investment behind the promise. Well done to Mercure Langkawi for getting the balance right. 3M Mercure Hotels #sustainability #greenwashing #UX #userjourney

Can you believe a luxury hotel treats its own toilet water with plants? This is Anantara Hotel, on Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. And yes — the wastewater from the hotel is treated on-site, using a natural filtration system built with nature. No chemicals. No complex machinery. Just plants, gravel, and biology doing what they’ve done for millions of years. Here’s how it works: 1️⃣ Wastewater flows into a planted filtration system filled with gravel. 2️⃣ Underground, plant roots and beneficial bacteria break down pollutants. 3️⃣ Clean water comes out and is reused for irrigation instead of being wasted. This system treats over 62,000 liters of wastewater every day — that’s more than 22 million liters of water saved every year — turning a hidden problem into a resource in one of the driest regions on Earth. The crazy part? Around 80% of wastewater globally is still discharged untreated. This isn’t a future concept. This project has been operating since 2011. Imagine if hotels, resorts, and buildings treated water this way by default: ◾ Less pressure on freshwater supplies ◾Lower operational costs ◾More biodiversity ◾More resilient cities This is not about being “green”. It’s about designing buildings that actually work. 👉 Want to understand how nature-based water systems like this are designed? Comment “Academy” and I’ll send you the link. Project designed by Sievertconsult #Biotonomy #Water #Wastewater #NatureBasedSolutions #Hotels