“ In 2014 , the Palms Hotel & Spa launched their Inspired by Nature program , an environmental action plan that pledges to place environmental sustainability at the core of the spa ’ s efforts .”
Spa Ojai ’ s efforts have paid off , both for the planet and for Spa Ojai ’ s marketing : the spa was nominated for the World Spa & Wellness Award for Leadership in Sustainability , and won the 2018 Preferred Hotels & Resorts GIFTTS Pineapple Award for Sustainability .
sustainability is the bedrock The Florida Department of Environmental Protection recognizes sustainable hotels and resorts throughout the state using a rating system that ranges from one to four “ palms .” The Palms Hotel & Spa – Aveda Spa & Salon , located in Palm Beach across the bay from Miami , is proud of its three-palm status , among the highest in the Miami area . The key to its successful sustainability efforts : making it an organized , foundational part of its business .
In 2014 , the Palms Hotel & Spa launched their Inspired by Nature program , an environmental action plan that pledges to place environmental sustainability at the core of the spa ’ s efforts . “ It has set the path for the Palms and our spa ,” said Halley Hargonich , spa director at the Palms AVEDA Spa . The spa partnered with AVEDA in 2010 , in part due to the vendor ’ s commitment to sustainability . AVEDA uses “ sustainably sourced packaging , and all AVEDA products are manufactured with one hundred percent wind power ,” according to Hargonich .
The Palms Hotel & Spa doubled-down on its commitment to going green by ensuring that every sustainability initiative is promoted on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . With sustainability looming large in the mind of modern spa goers , promoting greening practices maximizes the spa ’ s marketing exposure . The spa also includes its latest greening practices in a monthly newsletter . “ Groups will book with us because of our branding ,” added Hargonich .
As with Spa Ojai , the Palms Hotel & Spa has found that education is the key to make sure that guests respond well to eco-friendly changes , which can easily seem to customers like decisions made in pursuit of more profit rather than more sustainability . “ We train and educate our staff and engage with
our guests ,” Hargonich said . “ We want to remind our guests to think with the environment in mind .”
In practice , the Palms Hotel & Spa has rolled out a number of eco-friendly changes over the past several years . Every guest room is outfitted with low-flow toilets , and straws are only available upon request — and the ones provided are reusable , at that . The spa ’ s point-of-sale system sends email receipts ; its HR system is completely paperless ; and it takes care to specially recycle bulbs , batteries and electronics . In both the hotel and spa , 65 percent of the furniture is made from recycled content . Furthermore , the spa ’ s linens and towels are made locally , reducing the environmental damage caused by long-distance shipping .
three spas , one World All three ISPA member spas featured this month understand the critical importance — to the world , to their guests and to their bottom line — of going green . And although sustainability can be boiled down to a matter of practical necessity in 2018 ’ s consumer marketplace , for these three spas , environmentalism represents something more . Kate Morrison from Ojai Valley Inn & Spa shared a point with which I ’ m sure the Palms Hotel & Spa and Cavallo Point would agree : “ We care for the health and wellness of our guests , and it only seems fitting that we would extend that to our environment as well .” n
fEaturEd sourcEs
Matt turNEr Director of Healing Arts & Spa
cavallo PoiNt
katE MorrisoN Spa Director
oJai vallEy iNN & sPa
HallEy HargoNicH Spa Manager
tHE PalMs HotEl & sPa avEda sPa & saloN
October 2018 ■ PULSE 29