"An Oasis Of Green In The Heart Of Brussels" is the motto of Hotel Indigo in Brussels. This should come as no surprise, as it is the Botanical Garden (next to the hotel) that served as inspiration. Not only for the interior design, but for the entire operation of the hotel. The sustainability efforts are impressive. "And we are only at the beginning," explains general manager Elena Drozd.

Hotel Indigo in the heart of Brussels features 284 rooms and suites. It is part of the IHG Group, which has more than 6,000 hotels worldwide. "Yet they are all unique, as the local environment is always the starting point for the design," Elena explains. At Indigo Brussels, the rooms are decorated in a tropical, floral and herbaceous theme. The birdsongs can be heard in the hallways and a gardener maintains the 200 (real!) plants spread throughout the building.

Hotel Indigo is living proof that attention to sustainability and hospitality can go hand in hand. "The group is strongly committed to sustainability. That is why we have recruited a Sustainability Coach and identified some focus areas where we can make a difference, including energy and water consumption, food waste, waste, use of chemicals and washing bed linen. In fact, 25% of all managers' bonuses are linked to those sustainability efforts," Elena says.

Many steps have already been taken. For cleaning the rooms, housekeeping does not resort to chemical products but uses an innovative solution based on ozone water, all lights have been replaced by LED lighting and in the 'Garden kitchen' restaurant, vegetables form the basis; fish and meat are side dishes. "We are the first in the Benelux to be able to boast with 100% vegan meat, which looks and tastes like real meat. Our other restaurant 'Urban Picnic' also uses organic, natural ingredients from Belgian farms and from a Brussels urban farm. The kitchen has been equipped with a system that automatically weighs and categorises food. A weekly report compiles all the data. Based on that analysis, we are able to take steps. Maybe we can incorporate the peel of vegetables into cocktails, or should we serve fewer eggs at breakfast?".

Raising awareness

Recently, the hotel has also been equipped with 11 AQUALEX drinking water systems: 8 matt bronze Arenas in the hallways, a black Arena in the gym, a tap in the bar and a Tube tap in the restaurant. "We used to put a glass bottle of water in the guest rooms. But apparently recycling glass is not as sustainable as people think. So, we decided to have water fountains installed. After doing market research and the recommendation of a colleague, we ended up with AQUALEX. The decisive factor was the design of the Arenas, as we wanted the devices to fit seamlessly into our interior. Each floor has one of those bronze pillars where guests can fill their own bottle, unlimited. It's beneficial for their wellbeing and health. They love it."

Among younger generations, sustainability awareness is already high, Elena believes. "We consider it our task to raise 'awareness' among other guests too, by helping them to create new habits: don't take long showers, turn off the light when you leave the room,... We are at the beginning of a long road. It's an investment, but in the long run it will be a win-win for everyone."