Blanket Bay achieves Qualmark’s Enviro-Gold Award

Multi-award-winning Blanket Bay lodge in Glenorchy has added yet another award to its impressive line-up for 2009 -- Qualmark Enviro-Gold.

The luxury lodge has achieved the award in recognition of its ‘Caring Luxury’ initiative and adoption of responsible environmental practices, in particular over the past 12 months.

The Enviro Awards commend top performers in five key areas including energy efficiency, waste management, water conservation, community activities and conservation initiatives, and Blanket Bay is delighted its hard work has paid off.

“Blanket Bay has put a lot of work into our ‘Caring Luxury’ initiative and we’ve always strived to use responsible environmental, economic and social practices,” says General Manager Philip Jenkins.

“For the welfare of Blanket Bay and the economic sustainability of New Zealand we felt we had a moral obligation to formalise many of our existing initiatives and to implement new ones. Achieving a result like this makes all our efforts worthwhile.”

Led by the owner of Blanket Bay Tom Tusher, who is on the World Wildlife Foundation Board of Directors, management and employees work collectively to help to develop ‘Caring Luxury’ initiatives which ensure Blanket Bay lives up to guest expectations of a ‘clean and green’ New Zealand.

Mr Tusher hosted the International Board of Directors of WWF at Blanket Bay in recent years, resulting in considerable resources being channelled towards the New Zealand branch of WWF.

‘Caring Luxury’ was implemented 12 months ago when the team at Blanket Bay made a decision to adopt responsible environmental, economic and social practices, which at the same time would provide enriching and rewarding experiences for hotel guests.

“Signing up to the Queenstown Responsible Business Programme helped us crystallise our thoughts and form a comprehensive plan which steered us towards best practice,” says Mr Jenkins.

“Guests have really noticed a difference since ‘Caring Luxury’ began,” says Mr Jenkins.

“Out of all the changes, the most popular is the introduction of reusable Blanket Bay water bottles -- almost all the guests use them, around 60% of them actually keep them, and they save us 125 cases of bottled water per month.”

Qualmark implemented the Enviro Awards last year and they have since become the world’s first fully integrated environmental and quality accreditation programme for tourism.

“Achieving a gold Enviro Award is an accolade we are most proud of and we will do our best to see that Blanket Bay continues to research and develop other initiatives that further help the environment and the local community,” says Mr Jenkins.

In the 10 years since opening in December 1999, Blanket Bay has enjoyed a dramatic climb into the ranks the world’s best properties with an awards list that ranges from building honours through to Hotel Management Awards, several awards won by individuals of its culinary team and annual places on various lists of the world’s best accommodation properties

In September 2009 it was named as the best leisure hotel in Australasia and the South Pacific by readers of one of the world’s most influential travel magazines.

About Blanket Bay
Established in 1999, Blanket Bay is an expansive lakeside property on a 65,000 high country farm, combining the sophistication of the world's finest alpine lodges and the unique characteristics of New Zealand. An intimate resort, Blanket Bay consists of 12 rooms including spacious suites, intimate lodge rooms and elegant chalets. Blanket Bay is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and its accommodations offer travellers vast sitting rooms, king-sized beds, stone fireplaces, secluded balconies and spectacular views. Blanket Bay is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Located on the northern end of Lake Wakatipu, the intimate, lakeside rooms have a balcony or terrace, king-sized beds and sitting area. 700-square foot suites offer bedroom and sitting areas along with stone fireplaces, bathrooms with steam shower and separate tub. Each suite comes with a 400-square foot private terrace. The chalet bedrooms have spectacular lake views, king-sized beds, stone fireplaces, and bathrooms with steam showers, separate tubs and double vanities. Each has a private courtyard entrance and separate terrace.

ENDS

© Scoop Media