At Hotel Rosa, hospitality and sustainability go hand in hand

Sustainable tourism is becoming increasingly important

Sustainable tourism is becoming increasingly important. Many people are becoming aware of the environmental impact of their travel choices, leading them to opt for more sustainable accommodation alternatives. Striving for sustainability as a hotel helps attract a new ecologically aware generation of customers looking for a travel experience that is comfortable, sustainable and socially responsible. Hotel Rosa in Ostend is an inspiring example of how to embed sustainable practices as a hotel group.

In recent years, the many renovations and refurbishments of hotels have created a real injection of quality in Ostend's hospitality industry. Since June 2023, the queen of seaside towns has added a brand new hotel: Hotel Rosa. Located just a stone's throw from the beach and the centre of Ostend, this is a very special place where comfort, hospitality and sustainability go hand in hand.

La vie en Rosa

Hotel Rosa, a renovation of the former Imperial Hotel on Van Iseghemlaan in Ostend, has 62 perfectly equipped rooms and targets leisure and business guests. The name Rosa stands for 'Rooms with an Optimistic and Sustainable Attitude', a reference to the central role sustainability plays in all the hotel's actions and activities. "Comfort, tranquillity and hospitality go perfectly hand in hand with ecologically responsible business at this hotel," says Xavier Vercaemst. The manager of Flow Hospitality Group, the group responsible for supporting and operating nine quality Belgian hotels, explains how sustainability is integrated into Hotel Rosa's products and services in various ways.

Deliciously local

"For breakfast, we use only the best local ingredients and products. We only work with suppliers and producers located within a ten-kilometre radius of Ostend. In the bar, for example, we serve tasty Belgian drinks from a local brewery, one hundred per cent short chain. This way, we not only let our guests enjoy delicious food and drinks, but we also do our bit to protect the environment. Buying local is not only an excellent way to reduce our CO2 emissions, we support the local economy with it."

Minimising and recycling

"In our daily operational tasks, we strive to minimise our environmental footprint. For example, cleaning is done with organic cleaning products, free of chemicals that are harmful to the environment and health. The in-room care products are developed in collaboration with local cosmetics manufacturer Carin Haircosmetics. We also use as little paper as possible in everything we do, and we encourage both our staff and guests to recycle as much as possible. An added benefit of increased recycling is lower waste transport costs."

Innovation and technology

"Rosa Hotel is committed to grey water recovery, where water from taps and showers is filtered and then stored. This allows us to reuse it for things that do not require drinking water quality, such as flushing the toilet. We are also connected to the Ostend city heat grid, allowing us to use green heat for our heating and hot water. In addition, we have invested in DALI lighting (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface), allowing us to control the lighting in our hotel more efficiently, saving a lot of energy. Finally, we use the innovative Aqualex drinking water systems to filter tap water. This way, we do away with (plastic) bottled water, which also helps reduce our impact on the environment."

Mental well-being

"Finally, a sustainable hotel is also a hotel where you can unwind. In our dedicated wellness area, our guests can take time for themselves, away from every day's busy life. It is an oasis of calm to relax, meditate, read, practice yoga, ... We want our guests to feel good mentally and emotionally. That too is sustainability."■