Elite Island Resorts earns Green Hotel Certification

Elite Island Resorts, the second-largest independently owned Caribbean hospitality group, announced yesterday that four of its properties, scattered throughout St. Lucia, The Grenadines and Antigua, have been awarded a Green Hotel Certification for achievements in multiple international standards.

Elite Island Resorts, the second-largest independently owned Caribbean hospitality group, announced yesterday that four of its properties have been awarded a Green Hotel Certification for its achievements in multiple international standards. The properties include the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort (St. Lucia), Palm Island (The Grenadines) Galley Bay Resort & Spa and St. James’s Club & Villas (both in Antigua). All of Elite’s remaining resorts are expected to be certified by the end of the year.

Green Hotels Certification, an independent organization, requires certification in three compliance areas: environment and energy; corporate responsibility; and conservation.

Elite Island Resort properties’ daily operations are geared toward ecological preservation, such as grey water irrigation, organic waste utilized by local farmers and only biodegradable products are used throughout the sites. Foods and products from endangered species are banned and produce and other sustainable products are purchased locally whenever possible. The company also has a carbon offset program, employs a workforce that is more than 95 percent local, and supports cultural events, charities, scholarships and, at Galley Bay, a dedicated bird sanctuary.

“As the famous frog says, ‘it isn’t easy being green,’” said Steven E. Heydt, Elite Island Resorts’ president. “Elite Island Resorts has invested a tremendous amount of time and money into our green certification program. Are we still a premier resort company? Yes. Are we operating in a different mindset? Absolutely. Will casual observers see this? Probably not. But rest assured, there are a hundred plus measures we are doing behind the scenes—all without sacrificing the luxury aspects of our upscale properties. We are extremely proud of these steps.”

“Many so-called ‘green properties’ use self-evaluation, which is not reliable,” said Guido Bauer, CEO, Green Hotel Certification. “Elite Island Resorts demonstrated great commitment by choosing a certification program which sends auditors to each property for detailed inspections and monitors the properties continually.”

For more information, visit Elite Island Resorts online, as well as Green Hotel Certification.