In recent years, the luxury hospitality industry in India has been growing, and how. The latest good news on the luxury hotel front comes from Bengaluru, where the ITC Royal Gardenia has earned one of the most prestigious green tags in the world: the LEED India Platinum Rating for green buildings.
The green factor is visible even as you enter the lobby, which is home to luxurious vertical gardens that ensure great ventilation. Walk past this unique vertical garden and you enter the Lotus Pavilion, an area inspired by the design of Tipu Sultan’s summer palace. The Lotus Pavilion has a lush green roof, which further adds to the green design of this luxury hotel. It also makes for a beautiful view from the guest rooms in the hotel.
Wind-powered turbines in Bellary help provide 100 percent renewable energy for the ITC Royal Gardenia. (Incidentally, even the ITC Windsor runs on renewable energy from Bellary.) Water conservation also figures on the list of priorities of this green luxury hotel. ITC has set up a state-of-the-art water recycling plant for reusing wastewater within the hotel complex. Much of this recycled water is then channeled into watering the lush gardens and plants within the Royal Gardenia’s premises. Only recycled water is used to flush toilets as well.
There are other steps that this luxury property has taken in order to stay green. The hotel practices rainwater harvesting and uses only organic sheets that are allergen-free. As much as 90 percent of the wood used by the hotel has approval from the Forest Stewardship Council. Plus, you will not find any air conditioners here. The hotel uses more eco-friendly Evergreen Screw Chillers as well. Plus, there is the “welcome meal” which comprises individual portions of specified dishes to reduce wastage of food by offering the standard portion.
In keeping with its environmental-friendliness, the ITC Royal Gardenia has separate themes for various floors. One might be water, another fire, another wings, and so on. These themes translate into the décor from the paintings to the lamps. That in itself is a reminder that however socially conscious the Royal Gardenia might be, the luxury hotel has not forgotten its top priority: providing luxury to its customers.
The luxury property covers some 600,000 square feet of space. That in itself is a testament to how hard the hotel authorities have worked to reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint. In addition to the LEED India Platinum Rating, the hotel has also won the Trip Advisor award.
The hotel, which has been designed by Francesca Basu, houses 292 rooms. The Kaya Kalp Spa in the hotel won the award for the Best Eco Friendly Spa at the recently concluded AsiaSpa Awards. And if you are still wondering how luxurious this hotel is just have a look at the specs for the Presidential Suite or the Peacock Suite. This duplex room covers 5,040 square feet on the 20th and 21st floors. This seven-star hotel certainly prides itself on maintaining high green living standards without compromising on luxury. This is green luxury at its best.
Via: DNA
