We always put our guests first, but we also believe sustainability and social responsibility are equally important factors to take into consideration.
We have successfully implemented waste segregation and recycling. Our staff has been trained to use recycling bins provided to recycle bottles, cans and paper. Additional environmentally friendly practices are composting yards wastes, using table scraps to feed pigs, and recycling used cooking oil from the kitchen for oil clay lanterns in the garden. In an effort to reduce plastic waste, our Spices Garden Restaurant will only offer straws to our guests upon request.
At our Spices Garden Restaurant, fresh locally sourced ingredients are prepared and served daily. We serve locally brewed beer and local spirits are used as much as possible for our signature cocktails. We have collaborated with a local coffee company (www.sitharcoffee.com) to use locally roasted Myanmar coffee beans for breakfast, producing quality espresso, cappuccino, Americano and café latte, as well as, supporting a homegrown initiative.
All the staff, primarily from underprivileged backgrounds from the surrounding villages of the area, is hired locally and trained as part of our employment - what can one do more to help the region to develop than through creating jobs and provide training to the local staff. We, the owner, conduct training opportunities in various areas for their personal and professional development. And we are definitely proud to say that they have come a long way since their beginnings.
The hotel is fitted and decorated with locally made items as much as possible. In support of the local community, regional vendors and artists were used for materials and workmanship. Carpets are not used in rooms to reduce indoor air contamination, and minimum use of paper and plastic in guest rooms helps protect the environment.
Our buildings are covered with thatched roofs. Visually, thatch gives our hotel a charming and natural look that allows us to blend with our rural surroundings. Practically, thatch is sustainable, durable, and a natural insulator. Additionally, we get the thatch from the nearby villages further in support of the local community by replacing them every two years.
The hotel grounds are surrounded by lush garden with native plant species, creating a thriving habitat for indigenous bird, butterfly and squirrel species, and providing a good air quality in a dry zone.
The hotel uses energy efficient light bulbs (compact fluorescent lights (CFL) and light -emitting diode (LED)) in a majority of fixtures to reduce the impact of depleting energy sources.
Additionally, guest rooms are fitted with 8ft25in (2.5m) square large windows, connecting guests to the outdoors and bringing in sufficient natural lighting into the room.
In collaboration with the Advanced Medical & Diagnostics Trading Ltd (www.amdmyanmar.com), a Biomedia Waste Water Treatment System is installed to treat all gray water, black water and domestic wastewater from the hotel and turn it into earth-friendly water. This is then recycled back into the lawn and plant. By doing so, it prevents the ground from getting heavily polluted and minimizes water usage, especially in a region where there is limited infrastructure for public waste water line.