Once a year around Earth Day (22nd April), AccorHotels organises “Planet 21 Day”, an important event in which the hotel chains and their teams become fully involved in a particular initiative.

It is the perfect opportunity for Accor staff all around the world to proudly showcase their commitment to sustainable development. In 2017, AccorHotels launched the Green Stars campaign to promote sustainable food - a main priority of the Planet 21 programme.

The campaign was developed to challenge their teams from around the world to share their best “green” actions to fight food waste within their respective industries.

The hotels were asked to arrange a project and or activity focusing on one of the 3 topics – healthy food, vegetable gardens or food waste. Since September 2018, Mercure Hotels Randburg have been sending their food waste to a composting depot via Earth Probiotic. Earth Probiotic have an organic product which Mercure Hotel Randburg uses and adds to the hotels food waste which breaks down the food.

On the 3rd May 2019, the hotel chain collected 100kg of compost from Earth Probiotic which had been developed utilising the food waste and donated it to the Mother of Peace organization in North Riding, Johannesburg.

The organisation has an existing vegetable garden however their soil is of poor quality as they are close to a river and in a valley. Together with Earth Probiotic, Mercure Randburg will share some tips with Mother of Peace employee, Lucky who takes care of the vegetable garden whilst continuing to donate compost and seeds to help develop the veggie garden.

On the initiative, General Manager of Mercure Randburg, Michelle Cross said: “As the GM for Mercure Hotel based in Randburg, we are proud to have been associated with the Planet 21 Initiative.

The leadership and staff of Mercure Randburg are driven and geared to support all campaigns or visionary efforts that ensures the long-term sustainability of our plant and the environment. We pledge nil tolerance to environmental pollution.

At Mercure, we attempt to recycle, reuse and sustain all our waste with a vision for “zero waste to landfill. Hence our commitment to Planet 21 and the production of compost from our kitchen waste.

We hope that fellow organizations in all sectors follow suit and we do believe that there is a fortune that we can create from our waste.

The deeply dedicated staff at Mercure Randburg are custodians of this statement. I am proud of the efforts made by my staff and honoured to be associated to the initiatives of Planet 21”.

Globally, the Green Stars campaign was a phenomenal success! Hotels from all over the world got involved and showed their creative side.

That special day of love is just around the corner…and that means the pressure is on, right? Don’t worry, we’ve got great ideas for you, with everything planned from accommodation to activities – all you need is a valentine now!  

Port Elizabeth:

Our Special:

Stay at our Courtyard Hotel Port Elizabeth for only R900 a night on 13, 14 and 15 February 2015. 

Your Valentine’s Date Options: Since this hotel is opposite the famed Humewood beach, we suggest you and your valentine start your day off with an early walk along the beach, muttering sweet nothings to each other while enjoying the fresh air and beautiful scenery – as well as getting some endorphin-inducing exercise to start your Valentine’s Day off just right! After your walk, it’s probably time for a delicious brunch (or lunch, depending on how early you managed to wake up), and so it’s off to P.E.’s Boardwalk Casino and Resort complex, right next to our Courtyard Hotel. While you’re there, you can also pick up any last minute Valentine’s presents…just in case you forgot about that part of Valentine’s Day. Depending on how adventurous you are feeling for the rest of the day, you could either take in the cultural experience that is Route 67, or enjoy an amazing game drive at the Shamwari Game Reserve.   Valentine’s Day sorted, P.E. style – you’re welcome!  

Rosebank:

Our Special:

Stay at our Courtyard Hotel Rosebank for only R900 a night on 13, 14 and 15 February 2015.

Your Valentine’s Date Options: Our Rosebank Hotel Courtyard is opposite a Gautrain station, meaning that you are free to go where your heart desires this Valentine’s Day. We recommend a stop at the Rosebank African Craft Market, to find your sweetheart a real treasure to remember this Valentine’s Day by, as well as to take in the great culture of the market. After that, you will find yourself conveniently in the Rosebank Mall, so why not have a romantic meal at one of the great restaurants and then catch a cosy movie? You have a choice of all the current favourites on the circuit, as well as the Cinema Nouveau option. And there’s your romantic Rosebank Rendezvous, all sorted – enjoy!    

Waterfall City:

Our Special: Stay at our brand new City Lodge Hotel Waterfall City for only R800 a night on 13, 14, and 15 February 2015.

Your Valentine’s Date Options: We’re so proud of our newest family member, City Lodge Hotel Waterfall City, that we could leave it as the only stop on your romantic Valentine’s Day date, but we’ll step back a minute and try and be objective. So after having a delicious breakfast at this hotel, you and your valentine can venture forth to Lory Park for a great morning interacting with the wildlife. A great opportunity for some cute “usies” (selfies with more than one person) of you and your valentine with the animals around. Next, keep the adventure up and spirits high (literally) by going on a helicopter ride over the city of Johannesburg with FlyJozi! It doesn’t get much more thrilling than that – and the adrenaline rush from being up that high will definitely make this a Valentine’s Day to remember. Of course, if you’d like a relaxing end to your Valentine’s Day, why not have a romantic dinner at one of Midrand’s great restaurants? All in all, a great Valentine’s Day in the bag!  

Sandton:

Our Specials: Stay at our Courtyard Hotel Sandton for only R900 a night, and only R800 a night at our City Lodge Hotel Sandton, Katherine Street on 13, 14 and 15 February 2015.

Your Valentine’s Date Options: Staying at Courtyard Hotel Sandton – Start your Valentine’s Day off with one of Macit Tours’ half day tours. Choose from any of the amazing cultural experiences on offer, from a half day Soweto tour, to one of Johannesburg that includes a drive past Nelson Mandela’s Houghton house. This is a great option for a different kind of Valentine’s Day experience, and a brilliant one for you and your valentine if you are both fans of culture and history. After taking in all that information, you will probably be looking for a little relaxation, so book yourself and your valentine into a treatment or two at Orient Spa. Then for a romantic dinner it’s off to Nelson Mandela Square – a perfect Valentine’s Day! Staying at City Lodge Hotel Sandton, Katherine Street – The above all still applies, or you could change things up a bit and organise a Khakiweed Safari Tour for you and your sweetheart.        

Lynnwood:

Our Special: Stay at our City Lodge Hotel Lynnwood for only R800 a night on 13, 14 and 15 February 2015.

Your Valentine’s Date Options: When staying at our Lynnwood City Lodge Hotel, you open yourself up to an awesomely chilled and relaxing Valentine’s Day. We suggest first moseying over to the famed Hazel Food Market for a leisurely breakfast. While there, get your sweetheart some sweet delicacies – they will go down a treat! Spend the rest of the day exploring the area, just taking it easy, and then head off to Cafe Barcelona, a dynamic live music and entertainment venue for a great evening. The venue offers both restaurant and pub facilities, so whatever you feel like to end off your Valentine’s Day, you’ll find it here!  

Pinelands:

Our Special: Stay at our City Lodge Hotel Pinelands for only R800 a night on 13, 14 and 15 February 2015.

Your Valentine’s Date Options: Your Valentine’s Day at Pinelands will be one of the most picturesque you and your valentine have experienced! Start off the day with a delicious breakfast at our City Lodge Hotel Pinelands, and then head off to the beautiful Table Mountain National Park. After a morning of relaxation and possibly a picnic lunch (add a rose to the mix there), we suggest switching things up by heading off to Ratanga Junction for the afternoon! Get those endorphins going with a few thrilling rides and your Valentine’s Day will be brilliant.        

Staff from City Lodge Hotel Lynnwood, which is located at the Lynnwood Bridge complex on the eastern side of Pretoria, recently visited Eersterus Old Age Home in Pretoria to bring them some a “sweet” surprise ahead of Christmas.

They arrived at the home armed with loads of sweets to bring some festive cheer into the lives of the senior citizens residing there.  As can be seen by these photos, their tasty treats were well received by the home’s residents. This is another demonstration of the City Lodge Hotel group’s “I’m Kind” programme in action. Opened in 2010, the 205-room City Lodge Hotel Lynnwood has become a popular accommodation destination for both business and leisure travellers in the Pretoria area. Ever since its opening, the hotel has ensured that it makes a meaningful contribution towards improving the lives of the less fortunate in nearby communities.  

City Lodge Hotel Lynnwood is one of several City Lodge Hotel Group hotels in the Pretoria area – the others being City Lodge Hotel Hatfield, Courtyard Hotel Arcadia, Town Lodge Menlo and Road Lodge Centurion. Importantly, it is not just at Christmas time that hotels in the City Lodge Hotel Group benefit the needy and less fortunate in various communities around the country. It happens throughout the year on a regular basis.

The group’s “I’m Kind” programme involves various acts of kindness that benefit children, the aged and other needy people. Hotels adopt projects within their neighbouring communities and get involved in helping them with various maintenance activities – such as painting – and through the donation of linen and various other items. Through bookings on its website, the group also donates money on behalf of guests to Hospice and Food & Trees for Africa. An annual donation is also made to the Cancer Association of South Africa as a result of tea and coffee bought by guests at 21 Road Lodges around the country.    

Emission reduction equivalent to offset planting of 17,737 trees in one year and 37,412 trees in four years  

JOHANNESBURG September 17, 2014

The City Lodge Hotel Group cut its total greenhouse gas emissions by 16.5% in the year to end June and has slashed its emissions by 28.3% over the past four years as part of its major focus on energy efficiency, sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Significantly, the reduction to 33,044 tonnes of C02 equivalent in the 2014 financial year from 39,589 tonnes in the 2013 financial year is equal to the planting of 17,737 trees as an offset to match the 6,545 tonnes decrease in emissions.

The reduction of 13,805 tonnes of C02 equivalent over the past four years is equal to the planting of 37,412 trees to offset this level of emissions.

Apart from its 51 hotels in South Africa, the group’s two hotels in Nairobi, Kenya, and its hotel in Gaborone, Botswana, are included in the latest carbon footprint statistics listed in the group’s 2014 Integrated Annual Report.

Without doubt the biggest contributor to the decline in the past financial year was the group’s sharp drop in electricity consumption as a result of a group-wide rollout of energy efficient LED lighting and heat pumps. Electricity consumption fell to 30,387 tonnes of C02 equivalent compared to 34,908 tonnes in the previous year.

In addition to electricity, the group also measures water consumption, waste disposal and business travel in its overall carbon footprint and is taking continuous steps to reduce and manage these areas of its operations.

Earlier this year the group received Green Leaf Eco Standard certification for the sustainability measures it has implemented throughout the City Lodge Hotel brand. This certification is based on Responsible Tourism Guidelines including those developed prior to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2003.   

The group also has its own “City Lodge Earth Day” initiative which focuses on every day being earth day and encouraging guests to use resources sparingly and responsibly. 

“We have paid a lot of attention to reducing our carbon footprint over the past few years and our efforts are now paying off – both for the environment and through cost savings for our hotels,” said Clifford Ross, chief executive of the City Lodge Hotel Group.

“As a responsible and far-sighted group, we will continue to implement measures that reduce the impact of our operations and activities on our planet.

City Lodge Hotel Group 

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