Awarded Best City Hotel 

They’ve done it again – Hotel Verde, Africa’s greenest hotel, by BON Hotels, received the international World Responsible Tourism Award for Best City Hotel at World Travel Market UK on 5 November 2014.  Nominated by Cape Town Tourism in recognition of preservation of, respect for and benefit to the City of Cape Town and its local community. “We are grateful and humbled that the international community has recognized our efforts. To be up for nomination alongside other international hotels, and win, is affirmation of our considerable achievements in sustainable innovation, design, building practices, operational practices and ultimately guest satisfaction.” Says owner Mario Delicio. 

This four-star city hotel has set the benchmark in sustainable practices and offers the guest a truly exclusive experience.  Not only are you staying in an environmentally friendly hotel but you also stay carbon free – a first for Africa.  Some of the distinctive offerings at Hotel Verde include green conferencing, weekly earth hour, power-generating gym equipment, eco outings and rewards for sustainable practices during your stay.  “Our aim has been to expand on guest experience by directly rewarding our guest with “verdino’s” our in house currency, for making consciously correct choices during their stay. We have involved and supported our local community by procuring local products, increasing job creation and employment of local youth,” says Samantha Annandale, General Manager at Hotel Verde. 

The Responsible Tourism Awards were founded in 2004 to recognise and encourage change in the tourism industry. In its 11th year this event has grown to be the largest and most respected responsible tourism award in the world!  The principle behind the awards is that all types of tourism, from specialised to conventional, can and should be organised in a way that preserves, respects and benefits destinations and local people.  

Hotel Verde along with Mdumbi Backpackers, South African Animal Sanctuary & Lions and The V&A Waterfront were represented at the World Travel Market (WTM), the leading global event for the travel industry, in the United Kingdom.  South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom, was among many other dignitaries who attended the proceedings, and Roxanne Norman, Marketing Manager at Hotel Verde, was proud to accept the award on the hotel’s behalf. “This award is an accolade to the vision of the Delicio family.  Hotel Verde ‘walks the walk’ and is run on family values and enormous creativity - it is wonderful to be recognised on such a global stage and the hotel is a deserving winner.” 

This award takes pride of place amongst Hotel Verde’s numerous other awards and achievements.   “Over and above winning Best City Hotel, WTM was a great platform for us to share our knowledge about sustainable building practices and operations and encourage other like-minded professionals to follow suit, and invest in the future of our planet,” says Mario.