Care about the environment? Want to make a positive difference? Hotel Verde has been declared the GREENEST HOTEL IN AFRICA, and allows you to reduce your carbon footprint without cutting back on comfort. A few perks to look forward to include an eco-pool, a jogging wetland, and super cool power-generating gym equipment! As it’s just 400m from Cape Town International Airport, it’s pretty much the best stopover for travellers.

FOOD AND DRINKS

• A 24 hour deli means you’ll never starve, no matter what time your cravings strike. The restaurant uses home-grown herbs and veggies, and all other ingredients are sourced from suppliers within a 160km radius.
• A buffet breakfast is included in the room rates, and is served from 04h30 to accommodate guests with early flights.
• The bar has plenty of beers on-tap, still and sparkling water that’s been filtered and bottled on site, and a red wine display cabinet regulated by an energy efficient cooling system! The bar is open from 12h00 to 01h00 daily.
• Order room service using an interactive menu on the television between 12h30 and 23h00.

FREE SHUTTLE

A complimentary shuttle offers transport between the hotel and airport from 04h00 to 00h00 daily. There’s also a daily shuttle to the V&A Waterfront on request. It departs from the hotel at 10h00 and returns at 18h00.

GREEN FACILITIES

• Eco pool

The swimming pool is a living ecosystem with flowing water, living plants, and organisms. The living plants and organisms eat the nutrients in the water which cleans it and gets rid of any algae without using chemicals.

• Wetland and jogging trail

A wetland offers a scenic spot for guests with a 230m jogging trail, outdoor gym, and a pathway leading through a garden of indigenous plants.

• Herb garden

Hotel Verde prides itself on its vertical aquaponic garden. It works on a cyclical system – the plants feed off nitrates from broken down fish waste, and in return, the plants clean the water for the fish. What’s more, the pump works on a timer so no energy is lost! Hotel Verde also grows seasonal herbs like chives, basil, butter sage, mint, and parsley, and vegetables like celery, pansies, spinach, watercress, and lettuce.

• Green conferences

Hold a conference in one of Hotel Verde’s 7 fantastic venues. Each room has double glazed windows and special glass to filter out hot rays and noise. They have separate bins for recycling and composting, recyclable pencils, dual flush toilets, filtered water (bottled on-site), natural lighting, videoconferencing, and all food is responsibly sourced. Chalkboards encourage delegates to share ideas without using paper. Need a team building exercise? Try Laughing Yoga or Second Life Art Creation!

• Indoor and outdoor gym

• Hotel Verde is the first hotel in Africa to have power-generating gym equipment! The health walkers and bicycles pump power back into the hotel and even tell you how much power you’ve generated. You’re rewarded with cool in-house currency to be used at the bar or deli.
• The outdoor gym has monkey bars, balance beams, and health walkers that power the hotel – in the sunshine!

HOTEL VERDE’S GREEN INITIATIVES 

• Reused grey water

Used bath water is filtered and sterilised by UV light at the on-site Pontos grey water plant. No chemicals are used in the process and, once complete, the water is reused for flushing toilets and washing cars.

• Reused rain water

In an effort to save water, only 8 hotel rooms at Hotel Verde have baths. All rain water is collected in a 40,000 litre tank, and used around the hotel. When there’s less rain in the summer months, they use subsoil drainage water. While many buildings with underground areas pump water away so they don’t flood, Hotel Verde collects this water and reuses it.

• Responsible construction

During construction, Hotel Verde placed 100% recyclable polypropylene balls in concrete slabs to displace them. This managed to save 1279 tons of concrete! The 35% lighter slabs optimised construction, used 40% less columns, and lowered CO² emissions by about 112 tons.

• Hot and cold water systems

With good insulation, very little energy is lost in the hot and cold water systems. Having ground-source heat pumps and a geothermal field means that the hotel doesn’t need standard air-conditioning systems that use a lot of energy.

• Vegetated roof garden

The flat roof over reception has a vegetated roof garden which encourages birdlife, biodiversity, and photosynthesis, and thermally cools the reception and lobby below.

• Wind turbines

There are 3 wind turbines producing energy for the hotel.

• Solar panels

Well placed solar panels produce energy used to charge the Uninterrupted Power Supply battery. Any excess energy is sent to power essential appliances and hardware.

• Self-cleaning rain filter

The gutters feed rain water into the rain filter. This filter is self-cleaning, and removes bigger debris like leaves from the water.

• Energy efficient lighting

Energy efficient LED lights are used throughout the hotel. All public areas use motion sensors to activate lights, and they switch off again after 15 minutes of inactivity. Light level sensors measure the light in a room, and either dim or brighten the lights accordingly.

• Energy efficient elevators

The elevators have regenerative drives which allow 30% of the energy to be fed back into the hotel. Whenever the lift goes down or an empty lift goes up, the motor acts as a generator and produces power.

• Waste reduction

Hotel Verde uses recycling bins, separates waste, creates hydroponic compost, and reuses products wherever they can.

• Responsible suppliers

Suppliers are chosen based on their awareness of the environment and their proximity to the hotel. Any delivered packaging is emptied and returned to be reused by the supplier.

• Green tours

On-site tours are offered to guests to check out the hotel’s green design and operations.

• Awareness and community service

To mark every holiday, green holiday, and awareness day, Hotel Verde gives back to the community. This September, they’ll be doing 4 tree plantings at various schools in the Western Cape for Arbor Month. The hotel also supports World Autism Day, World Water Week, Youth Day, Mandela Day, World Oceans Day, Women’s Day, Responsible Travel Week, and National Marine Week.

• Energy efficient equipment

Hotel Verde uses energy saving fridges, Miele washing machines (which uses uncontaminated water from the final rinse cycle for the next load), Energy Star office equipment, carbon monoxide sensors (that switch on the basement ventilation system when needed), Energy Star dishwashers, and water saving taps, shower heads, and toilets.

• Bedrooms and key cards

Access to the rooms is controlled by an electronic key card. The lights and electrical equipment are switched on when you insert your card, and switched off when you leave. The rooms also have low flow shower fittings, dual flush toilets, two recycling bins, a small kettle for 2 cups, a complimentary bottle of water from the on-site bottlers, a small bottle of fresh milk to eliminate wasteful packages, and Just So bathroom amenities made with harmless ingredients.

WE LOVE:

• The Earth Hour celebration

Crank down the lights and dine in the dark! Every Wednesday between 19h00 – 22h00, the hotel hosts an Earth Hour celebration in the restaurant. All non-essential lights and appliances are switched off in public areas and guests can enjoy dinner by candlelight, with live music and specially prepared menus.

• The reading room – sharing is caring!

The reading area has an honesty library. Did you know the average paperback has a carbon footprint of 4kg? Save on carbon emissions by sharing books!

• The upcyled menus

The restaurant menus are made from the wooden crates the elevators came in.

• The freshening up facilities

The hotel offers special rates for those who have long layovers at Cape Town International Airport. Make use of the showers, gym, complimentary Wi-Fi, and restaurant before boarding your flight for just a nominal Freshen Up Only Fee.

• The guest incentives

In-house currency is provided to reward you for making your stay greener. Virdinos can be redeemed at the bar and deli. You can earn Virdinos by:

• Saving energy and not switching on the air-conditioning
• Using the power generating gym equipment
• Reusing towels or bedding
• Recycling waste

THEY’RE AWARD-WINNING!

Hotel Verde has won:

• The Enviropaedia Ecologic Award for water conservation and energy saving
• The Eskom Energy Efficient Forum Award for Commercial Buildings
• The Internorga Company Trendsetter Award

A BIT ABOUT THE ROOMS

• 130 Standard Rooms

The Standard Rooms are ideal for singles or couples with a choice of twin or king-sized beds, and open or closed bathrooms.

• 8 Studio Rooms

The Studio Rooms are suited for 3 people, or 2 adults and 2 children. They have a twin or king-sized bed and a sleeper couch and a private bathroom.

• 4 Executive Rooms

The Executive Rooms are suitable for 4 people with a king-sized bed and sleeper couch. They have a bedroom, lounge, private bathroom, and kitchenette area.

• 2 Universally Accessible Rooms

The Universally Accessible Rooms are equipped for seniors or disabled persons. They a twin or king-sized bed, emergency buttons in the bathroom and bedroom, wider passages, flat panel light switches, Information in braille, and a door leading onto an enclosed balcony for guide dogs.

Want to stay at the greenest hotel in Africa? Book your stay at Hotel Verde today!