Hotels Need to be totally green non just half green

http://greenhotelnews.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/hotels-need-to-be-totally-green-non-just-half-green/


Posted on August 12, 2010 by stephen B.

Travelers are becoming more aware of the need to be more environmentally friendly when they travel. Hotels need to tap into this growing trend by ‘walking the talk’ just having cards about using your towel or bedding for a few more days is not enough. It’s important for properties to be completely involved in green initiatives be it through water conservation efforts, recycling programs and energy saving initiatives



A recent study by Carlson Hotels found that 76% of travelers said that a hotel’s degree of environmental friendliness influenced their decision of where to stay. More importantly it found that some guests are willing to pay a premium to those with a high CSR involvement.



According to the survey by Cone and Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business (2008)



· 85% of Americans say they have a more positive image of a product or company when it supports a cause they care about



· 84% of women and 75% of men say they consider a company’s commitment to social issues when deciding what to buy or where to shop



· 85% feel it is acceptable for companies to involve a cause in their marketing



A recent poll by CondeNast Traveler echoed similar findings. This survey found that:



· 73% of readers would be willing to pay more to stay in a hotel that helps support the local community through health and education initiatives



· 20% would spend between 1-5% more, 29% would spend between 6-10% more, and 24% would spend 10% more.



Some great examples of Hotels that have a commitment to the environment and to social responsibility is, Kimpton Hotels & Resorts’ with their long-running Kimpton CARES initiatives. KimptonCARES program builds awareness and raises funds for three non-profit organizations through a series of annual events: Dress for Success, The Trust For Public Land, and the Red Ribbon Campaign.

Banyan on Thames gets raving reviews from the critics

THE AM TAKE

http://uk.askmen.com/fine_living/restaurant/banyan-on-the-thames.html
Pub. 2010-08-01

Until now, Battersea has been known as "the middle of nowhere,” thanks to a lack of a Tube stop -- something referenced in the menus at Banyan on the Thames, the in-house restaurant at the recently opened Hotel Rafayel. Imitating the hotel's same glossy style, the decked out restaurant is split across two tiers: one dominated by a long bar and stools, and the other flanked by tables and chairs.

The five-star service offered at the hotel is also carried through to the dining room, where sharp-suited waiters are on hand to take orders with a smile; the mixologist behind the bar, meanwhile, has been pinched from St Martin's Lane. And with fabulous fusion fare served beside views out over the Thames through floor-to-ceiling windows, Banyan on the Thames really does have a winning formula.

THE SCENE

A measure of this restaurant's atmosphere or originality AskMen.com score: 84

With an adjoining hotel that caters to the business crowd, it's hardly surprising that Banyan on the Thames attracts a predominantly white-collared crowd, with BlackBerry-wielding business execs propping up at the bar, conducting conference calls on their cells and downing expertly-mixed mojitos all at the same time.

The dining room, meanwhile, is filled with a mix of the aforementioned business execs, families staying in the hotel and singletons who've ventured out of their rooms for a little something to eat before retiring back to raid the minibar for a nightcap and a pack of nuts. As with any recently opened restaurant, the staff is keen and eager to please and the service is razor-sharp. The good thing about Banyan on the Thames is that, despite its sumptuous surroundings, it's the type of place you can dress up or down for; neither style looks out of place, and that's thanks to its hotel location.

The Cuisine


A measure of the quality of the food and dining experienceAskMen.com score: 87




Interestingly for a hotel restaurant, Banyan on the Thames hasn't opted for the safe, food-to-please-all option. In fact, the menu is a daring fusion of styles, with an Asian theme carried across most of its dishes. Highlights on the mouthwatering menu include fish-and-chips Banyan style, fillet of sashimi tuna and rack of lamb served in a pistachio crust.



The cream of the crop, however, is the fillet steak accompanied by shitake mushrooms, green beans, sesame, and a potato rocket puree. Giving any Argentinean restaurant a run for its money, the dish really does the tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat justice.



As for the desserts, they're as decadent as you'd expect, with chocolate brownies, caramelised Indian rice pudding and chocolate Bailey's cream cups as the signature standouts. Refreshing and inventive, Banyan on the Thames proves that hotel restaurants don't always rest on their laurels; if this is anything to go by, the restaurant works even harder to please the ever-discerning, always jet-setting guests that pass through its doors.





About Banyan on Thames

Set inside London's most exclusive eco-friendly hotel, Rafael on the Left Bank, Banyan on Thames is a chic restaurant overlooking the river and the London Helipad in Battersea. With so much action right outside its sound-proofed windows, this is a fantastic place to watch the world go by. And super-tanned sun-lovers adore the riverside roof terrace for summertime dining. The Hotel Rafayel is popular with an international, glamorous yet ecologically-sensitive set of travellers, and the Banyan on Thames is open to serve them – and you - breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu is a melange of European, Asian and Mediterranean flavours, fusion cuisine at its finest. Favourite dishes here include the duck confit in a ginger and lime sweet and sour sauce; the mango and papaya salad with curry chicken; and the Barcelona traditional fish soup. Banyan on Thames makes the most of the peace and tranquillity of its ideal riverside location.

http://www.visitlondon.com/attractions/detail/7738557

Top Table:

Banyan has been endorsed through nearly 527 individual reviews in less than six months in operation on 'Top Table,' This individual/ day is a record number of reviews for any restaurant in London.


Food is delicious so much so I nearly ordered all of the starters. Settling for 2 of them eventually strawberry and feta salad was sublime if a little bit filling, the tilapia fishcakes with lemon chilli jam beautifully light and tasty. Main courses of 'fish and chips with battered monkfish is unbelievably good as was the sweet chilli beef and rice.

Reviewer : SG - gastronaut
Wonderful location with parking. Excellent service. We had a birthday party here and the staff were attentive and very helpful. Food was good and we'll definitely be back.

Reviewer : RR - gourmet

Guest satisfaction is directly related to costs and fees

Hotel Rafayel firmly believes in the philosophy of 'more savings' and a good stay for the customers, we have established an equation through which we manage our yields, this premium relationship dictates the value of room,quality and luxury we offer. The happiest guests are those who are charged for no extras and pay what they see and receive beyond the quality they expect. The guests at Hotel Rafayel are averagely happier with the hotel and the product.

At 'Rafayel' we try to pass all the savings to the customers, on value basis Rafayel sells great quality 'as affordable luxury.' In our bills we have no extras, no service charges, no additions and no gimmicks. You pay exactly what you see. Our Gym, Jacuzzi, steam room and Sauna are all inclusive, so is the shuttle to the nearest stations, our wifi internet all through the hotel is free. We provide free lap tops, gaming devices too. (only with a fully refundable deposit)


This philosophy has been confirmed by a survey that reveals that the guest satisfaction is directly related to costs and fees they are charged, according to this latest study conducted by J. D. Power & Associates, a research company based in Westlake Village.



Customers who make reservations directly with a hotel, by phone or on its website, are “notably more satisfied with their overall experience” than customers who book through independent travel websites. Such customers are half as likely to report problems with reservations made online.


Guests are starting to expect wireless Internet access. This year, 77% said they had used Wi-Fi rather than cable connections in their hotel room, compared with 55% in 2007.
Customers are more satisfied with their lodging experiences, especially as regards cost and fees, reservations and guest rooms, said Mark Schwartz, director of the global hospitality and travel practice for the company. The study surveyed more than 53,000 hotel guests between June 2009 and June this year.

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS RECHARGES BATTERSEA POWER STATION

A surge of energy will bring Battersea Power Station to life on 22 August 2009 as the dramatic setting is transformed to play host to the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour finale.








A surge of energy will bring Battersea Power Station to life on 22 August 2009 as the dramatic setting is transformed to play host to the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour finale. Twelve of the world’s best Freestyle Motocross (FMX) riders will descend on the British capital to thrill a 17,000-strong crowd as they perform gravity-defying tricks to battle it out for the world title in front of the famous white chimneys.

A double first: not only is it the first time Red Bull X-Fighters has touched down in the UK, it’s also the first time that both the inside and outside of Battersea Power Station will be used as part of the set to entertain the general public.

Red Bull X-Fighters is a high-energy spectacle in which riders on motorbikes combine power, skill, showmanship and bravery to excite fans. The World Tour has garnered a huge international following since its conception in 2001 with jumps and tricks getting harder, higher and longer every year – often reaching heights of 40 feet.

In 2008, 170,000 spectators saw the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour climb to new heights with spectacular contests in the bull fighting arenas of Mexico City and Madrid, the stone quarry of Wuppertal in Germany, the Sambadrome parade ground in Rio de Janeiro, a rodeo arena in Texas and a gigantic historic stadium in Warsaw – which was brought back to life for a day before it was then taken down by the wrecking ball.

The 2009 calendar is no less impressive and before making its debut in London, the series will have already touched down in Mexico City (Mexico), Calgary (Canada), Fort Worth (Texas, USA) and Madrid (Spain).

Sally Chatterjee, Interim Chief Executive, Visit London says: “Red Bull has a history of creating innovative and highly entertaining events that make the most of London’s unique landscape. As such I’m delighted Red Bull X-Fighters has chosen the iconic Battersea Power Station to host the final of its World Tour. The Power Station is a spectacular urban venue and will serve as an incredible backdrop for thousands of people to enjoy such a dynamic show.”

Tickets will be on sale from 1st June and range between £20-45, for more information visit www.redbullxfighters.com and for information on accommodation, restaurants and other activities for a London stay, visit event partner www.visitlondon.com

Shahrukh Khan filming at Hotel Rafayel

Ra.One (also called Ra.1) is an upcoming Bollywood science-fiction superhero film directed by Anubhav Sinha. The film features Shahrukh Khan, who is today considered to be the world's most successful movie star, with an estimated wealth of over US$ 540 million. Being shot in Mumbai and London, Ra.One is being scheduled for release in early 2011. The Hotel Rafayel, situated at Falcon Wharf on the south bank of the River Thames near Battersea has been chosen as the London base for the filming.



The Hotel Rafayel Battersea – opened in December to be London’s first luxury hotel that has embraced cutting-edge green technologies creating minimal environmental impact without compromising on 5-star luxury, quality or comfort.


Utilising property developer Iqbal Latif’s own green principles and partnering with global electronics giant Philips, Hotel Rafayel has become one of the first hotels to adopt a strategy to minimize its environmental impact through the proactive use of low emissions technology, setting a high “green” benchmark for future luxury hotels, and so it isn't difficult to see why the Hotel has been specifically chosen as the London base for the shooting of Ra.One.






L-R: Mr Latif,Shahrukh Khan, Karim Morani



Chunks of the movie will be shot in London near Battersea Power station, as well as actually on Hotel Rafayel's Japanese terrace and Banyan Restaurant too although the Hotel is relatively young, it is difficult to think of a more prestigious testimony than being the London base for the world's biggest film star's latest production.

Birch geared up for Battersea

Red Bull Chris Birch is Britain’s best freestyle motocross rider and he has been thrilling fans across the country on the Red Bull X-Fighters Jams tour in recent weeks ahead of the World Tour stop in Battersea on August 14.

By-Nathan Gallagher

Beatlemania in Battersea

Beatlemania in Battersea as Kevin Spacey sings with his idol Paul McCartney
By Louise Jury