Vineyard Hotel recoginised for its sustainability efforts | The Planner

Travel + Leisure magazine has commended the Vineyard Hotel for its sustainability effortsย  –ย  by honouring the hotel in their 2014 Travel + Leisure Global Vision Awards. The Vineyard Hotel is the only destination in South Africa to receive this accolade in 2014.

The New York-based magazine, which forms part of the Time Inc. group, introduced these awards in 2005, to recognize the outstanding efforts of individuals, organizations and companies that are working to preserve the world’s natural and man-made resources.ย The Vineyard Hotel was hailed as a โ€˜trailblazerโ€™ and a powerful voice in promoting sustainability and the mindfulness of natural resources โ€“ Travel + Leisure went on to describe the hotel as a โ€œbeacon of energy-efficient hospitalityโ€.

Says the hotelโ€™s general manager, Roy Davies, โ€œThe Vineyard Hotel is naturally thrilled with this announcement and to have been included among the top three sustainable properties, globally. However, our sustainability efforts have always been a labour of love โ€“ and not for recognition or fame. Pioneered by CEO Lex Petousis, and Group Sustainability Manager, Chris van Zyl, the Vineyard Hotelโ€™s vision of โ€˜living greenโ€™ comes from the heart and is an integral part of our ethos.โ€

The awards honoured destinations across the world โ€“ including Ciudad Perdida, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia and the Inthar Heritage Houseย andย Inle Princess Resort in Myanmar. The only other two awards received in Africa went to Campi Ya Kanzi, Chyulu Hills in Kenya and Conservancy Safaris Namibia, Swakopmund in Namibia.

Lex Petousis, CEO of the Petousis Group of Hotels โ€“ which includes the Vineyard Hotel, Townhouse Hotel and Oude Werf Hotel, comments on the announcement, โ€œI am very proud of our team โ€“ the inclusion of the property in the Global Vision Awards shows that their hard work is not going unrecognized.ย  This acknowledgement serves to further fuel our passion for a sustainable business approach โ€“ which is an integral part of our operating system and culture.โ€ย