Saigon's Caravelle Hotel takes the lead in eliminating single-use plastic

Saigon’s Caravelle Hotel

Saigon’s historic Caravelle Hotel has recently come back online after a major renovation. The newly appointed rooms bring a new policy on plastic waste that will massively reduce the 5 star property's plastic waste output.

The Caravelle Hotel is one of a handful of historic hotels in Saigon’s heart. And the team there like to draw attention to a long history of groundbreaking innovation. The 1950s modernist design was the work of Vietnamese architect Nguyen Van Hoa - representing the fresh optimism of those early post-colonial years.

Stylish reusable glass bottles and pure water dispensers on every floor - simple but effective.

Getting rid of plastic at Saigon’s Caravelle Hotel

In 2019 The Caravelle is celebrating its 60th anniversary. It's taking the lead once again with a new single-use plastic policy that will achieve massive reductions in the hotel’s plastic waste output.

The new guest rooms use refillable, resealable glass water bottles in place of plastic bottles, each floor is now fitted with a pure cold water dispensing machine, and toiletries are dispensed from reusable containers.

According to the hotel, these simple steps will cut an estimated 200,000 plastic water bottles, or seven tons of plastic, from the environment.

Those numbers, reflecting the plastic waste output of one hotel, give a sense of the scale of the plastic waste produced across our entire industry of hotels, restaurants and bars.

Michael Robinson, the Caravelle’s General Manager issued a challenge to the city’s other five star properties, saying, “We’re the most environmentally friendly hotel in the city by far. It’s definitely possible, and it’s definitely possible now. Waiting is unacceptable.”

Congratulations to the Caravelle, and may their initiative produce a contest with other luxury properties and hotels across all categories, to reduce plastic waste and lift the environmental standards of the industry across the board.

If you're aware of important new environmental initiatives in the travel industry - plastic, renewable energy, water treatment or anything else, let us know at info@rustycompass.com