Thon Hotels was established in 1989 by Olav Thon, back then under the name Rainbow Hotels. Today, the hotel chain has over 90 hotels – in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Brussels and Rotterdam – with a total of almost 13,500 rooms. Brussels is home to five of the group’s hotels, and Rotterdam has one, explains Marketing Manager Nicoleta Manea.

Sustainability

“As one of Norway’s biggest corporations, the Olav Thon Group has an impact on the environment, people and society. We want to do our part for all of these and we have developed a dedicated sustainability strategy. Since 2012, we’ve been taking systematic steps to improve sustainability and we report annually on the most important of these steps. Our goal is to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.”

The hotel chain has set up a range of projects in motion to help it achieve its goal. These include transitioning to sustainable energy: the Brussels Thon Hotels are now getting energy from 581 solar panels, 232 of which were installed at Thon Hotel Bristol Stephanie back in 2021. Any additional energy requirements are met from 100% renewable energy sources. Thon Hotel EU has a cogeneration plant, a system that generates heat and electricity simultaneously.

Four greenhouses have also been installed on the roof of Thon Hotel EU. “We’re growing herbs and vegetables here that can be used in the hotel's kitchens. Growing our own fresh ingredients on site reduces our ecological footprint – and at the same time, it adds something special to our guests’ experience. We have made a start with lettuce and fennel, and we’ll be adding more in the spring. The same roof is also home to three beehives, which yield around 80 kg of honey each year, an insect hotel, and blueberries and raspberries that we serve with breakfast”, explains Nicoleta.

Thon Hotels also sees social engagement as inextricably linked with sustainability, and has built social projects into its strategy. For example, under the ‘Green Bonus’ scheme, hotel guests can opt to forgo daily room cleaning, in exchange for a 5 euro voucher, which they can either use at the bar, or donate to one of the causes supported by the hotel: the Belgian Red Cross, the European Cancer Community, Foundation or Birds Bay. “This encourages our guests to take responsibility for people and planet, while at the same time supporting local community initiatives. In the first half of this year, we were able to donate 12,750 euros to good causes through the Green Bonus scheme”, Nicoleta says. Four of the Brussels hotels also have schemes where guests and staff can donate clothing to social charity ‘Les Petits Riens’. “And earlier this year, we organised a clothing swap at Thon Hotel EU. People contributed clothes they no longer need, and anything that was left over was donated. On car-free Sunday we held a yoga session – a very uniting event in the Wetstraat, which is usually such a busy road.”

Thon Hotel EU x AQUALEX

And in Thon Hotel EU, two AQUALEX water fountains have been installed – the bronze Fine Touchpad, and a stainless steel Tube. “Our guests can now easily fill up their travel bottles in the lobby before they depart. The fountain in the breakfast room provides fresh, cold water. Still and sparkling are both available. The fountains encourage our guests to refill their water bottles, which also saves our staff time as they don't have to fill bottles and put them out; at the same time, we’re reducing plastic consumption. We primarily installed the fountains as part of our efforts towards a greener society, but they’re also a step towards improved customer satisfaction. Working with AQUALEX meshes perfectly with our goals of partnering with local and ‘planet-conscious’ suppliers wherever possible. AQUALEX works with Green Key as its local supplier, and makes products with a focus on sustainability, design and innovation. The company’s focus on recycling fuses perfectly with our sustainability policy, and comes with a convincing story that we can share with our guests to emphasise the importance of the issue. At the same time, the fountains have an elegant design, and since they are available in various colours, we were able to harmonise them perfectly with each hotel’s individual aesthetic. The feedback we’ve been getting is overwhelmingly positive.”

It appears that guests truly appreciate the group’s efforts. “Our Green Key certification is actually the decisive factor that causes some guests to select our hotel. We also sense people’s interest and desire to learn more. Indeed, that's an intentional part of our strategy: we want to inspire our guests and staff to learn more about our initiatives, and then to follow our example! There’s still a long way to go, but we’re implementing our strategy step by step to preserve the health of our planet for future generations.”