Luxury Comes Naturally at the Inn by the Sea in Maine
Inn by the Sea in Crescent Beach, Maine. So often when we hear the terms “ecofriendly” or “green hotel,” I think most people’s perceptions are…scratchy, uncomfortable bedding; low pressure showers; dim light- ing; less comfort and inconvenience…all this for a higher price! It couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, a recent study found that many green hotels were actually less expensive than other comparable hotels. And you can defi nitely fi nd luxury at an ecofriendly hotel. Voted one of the World’s Best by Travel + Leisure Magazine in 2012, and Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List for 2014, Inn by the Sea is Maine’s premier luxury beach destination. The list of ecofriendly initiatives that the Inn by the Sea has implemented goes on and on. Guests are surrounded by indigenous gardens which provide food and habitat for wildlife, and the rooms are cleaned with non-toxic, Green Seal prod- ucts. Room amenities are natural, pack- aged in recycled bottles and displayed on recycled glass trays. Their sheet and towel program helps protect the endangered mon- arch butterfl y and funds habitat restoration for
bunnies...more on that later! The fi tness
W 6 Essential Living Maine ~ June 2014
ith a tagline like “Luxury comes Naturally,” you can be sure I was looking forward to my stay at the
room has recycled rubber fl oors and no VOC paint and the spa has recycled sheet rock walls and uses bamboo towels. The Inn is heated with biofuel and the pool with solar panels. They truly know how to blend exceptional hospitality with environmental preservation.
What I found really intriguing was
their collaboration with the Department of Conservation, and the Inn’s funding for habitat restoration for monarch butterfl ies and the endangered New England cotton- tail. Now that’s something you don’t always see a hotel becoming involved with… ecofriendly or not! Using local plants that create ever blooming gardens as well as creating habitat for local wildlife has earned the Inn a Wildlife Habitat certifi cation from the National Wildlife Federation. Beautiful indigenous nectar gardens and milkweed are specifi cally planted for endangered but- terfl ies. During the growing season guests are invited to classes on “How to Plant for Wildlife” and children enjoy “Bug’s Life Garden Tours” where they learn about local ecosystems from a bug’s view point. In an effort to stop the New England cottontail from vanishing in Maine, the Inn has assumed responsibility for removing two acres of invasive, non-indigenous plant species, such as bamboo and bitter sweet,
In addition, some of the other ecofriendly aspects include:
• The fi rst Hotel in Maine to heat with Biofuel
• The fi rst hotel in Maine to be Carbon Neutral through offsets (2007)
• The fi rst hotel in New England to have dual fl ush toilets
• The fi rst SPA in Maine to be Silver LEED(R) certifi ed
• Recycled sheetrock and metal studs • Recycled cork fl oors
• 22 nesting boxes and 6 bird feeders • Restoration of Habitat for endangered New England Cottontails
• Recycling bins in rooms & function spaces
• Sheet and towel program donates to environmental agencies
• CFL’s and LED light, lights on timers • Dining room uses local produce and seafood fresh from nearby farms and the sea
• Guests use recycled compostable key cards
• Green Meetings & Weddings
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