Aleenta Phuket - Phang Nga Resort & Spa
Celebrating the community,
culture and environment that make our resort special
From the moment we began building Aleenta, our guiding principles have been to respect the environment and to cultivate practices that have a positive impact on our planet as well as the communities who host our hotels and our guests.
We strive to lessen our carbon footprint by blending traditional practices with modern technologies so that we can provide memorable experiences that our guests can feel good about.
The following highlights illustrate our commitment to leadership in sustainable, ethical and community focused hospitality.
- We began removing single-use plastics in our guest rooms and dining outlets long before it was trendy!
- We provide guests with bathroom amenities in refillable ceramic dispensers, avoiding over a million plastic bottles.
- Glass water bottles in the villas ensure less waste (more than a million plastic bottles avoided) and better water quality to keep our guests hydrated.
- Smoothies, juices & and cocktails are sipped through gorgeous glass straws (paper on request).
- The complimentary footwear provided in villas is made from cotton and is professionally washed, ensuring they are reused, not refused!
- Guest amenities (soap, shampoo, shower gel, conditioner and spa products) are 100% natural and made exclusively for Aleenta by a local supplier using locally sourced essential oils and with ZERO chemical perfumes, parabens or animal testing.
- For guests who want to take something home, the locally-made celadon containers used in the rooms and the amenities are available for purchase in our refill boutique, Galleria. Guests who have their own bottle(s) can buy as much or as little as desired, from organic shampoo to body wash to mosquito repellant.
While reducing waste generation is our first priority, minimising what is sent to landfill or incinerated is equally important. We take great pride in our efforts to:
- Compost food and organic waste into nutrient-rich fertiliser for our gardens.
- Sort plastics, paper and metals for recycling.
- Sort glass and wood for reuse and / or recycling.
- Non-biodegradable plant oil is recycled for sustainable biodiesel and eco-friendly aviation fuel, redefining the essence of green hospitality.
- Donate aluminium cans to the Prostheses Foundation (Chiang Mai), which produces artificial limbs. They have given new life to over 20 thousand amputees … for free!
The resort’s low-rise design was carefully planned to protect the local ecosystem and preserve the mountain views; all contours, soil, trees and natural water resources were kept in their original form or utilised with minimal change.
- We use responsibly sourced natural materials, such as engineered woods, that help us prevent deforestation, reduce waste generated (the engineered woods last about 5x longer than pure hardwoods), and improve interior air quality by avoiding products that off-gas dangerous VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) commonly found in synthetic materials and the finishing treatments often used on pure hardwoods.
To minimise the impact of water usage on our neighbouring communities:
- Every villa has its own water treatment system, utilising microorganisms and enzymes rather than harsh chemicals to treat the water.
- Floating aerators oxidate the water in storage ponds, promoting good bacterial growth.
- We maintain healthy water gardens by using a variety of aquatic plants that absorb carbon dioxide and oxygenate the water, keeping it clear, with less algae, and allowing our fish to thrive.
- Treated water is analysed monthly by a professional laboratory to ensure quality and safety.
- Water released back into the environment meets or exceeds government standards
- The government reviews waste water treatment as part of our annual license renewal
To conserve freshwater supplies:
- Grey water is used for watering gardens and landscapes
- Water remaining in drinking bottles is used for potted plants
- We have moderate flow fixtures and are working towards either adapting them to be low flow or replacing them with low flow
To reduce our use of carbon based electricity, we:
- Designed the buildings to maximise natural daylight usage.
- Coated all those glass windows and doors with Solar Guard film (St.Gorbain ©), thereby reducing 60% heat transmission and 99.9% of UV and keeping the rooms cooler without constantly using air-conditioning.
- Utilise a water heating system that ensures guests can enjoy hot water while minimising heat loss and electricity usage by:
- Use copper pipes rather than steel or PVC
- Insulating all the water heaters
- Capturing heat from air conditioning systems to help heat the water
- Installed solar panels to power resort operations and have budgeted for additional solar panels to be installed within five years.
Between the solar panels and the heat exchange system, we have reduced consumption of fossil-based electricity by about 25%.
We have embedded ourselves into the local community by:
- Hiring locals and allowing them to make their community proud
- Our Thai Boxing teacher is a local Muay Thai Chaiya Champion
- Several of our managers began in entry level positions and are now in executive roles
- Adopting Khao Pilai School
As smaller schools in Thailand do not receive an operating budget from the government, we ensure this school can operate, providing the children with a safe, educational environment:
- We built a new playground and library
- Arrange outing days that allow students to gain new experiences and environmental awareness
- In a remarkable partnership driven by the Pure Blue Foundation, Aleenta Phuket-Phang Nga Resort & Spa and Wellington International School Bangkok are uniting to uplift the Natai-Khao Pilai School in Phang Nga, Thailand. This collaborative effort includes the donation of 5 laptops by Aleenta Phuket, sponsorship of 25 mobile devices by Wellington International School Bangkok, and the provision of 1 year of internet access by the Pure Blue Foundation.
- Organising regular beach cleanups throughout the year.
- Supporting local marine research and conservation via our charitable foundation, Pure Blue, which sponsors two turtle sanctuaries: Koh Kloi and Thai Mueang.
As a small luxury hotel, we ensure our guests have genuine and ethical opportunities to experience the exceptional range of activities surrounding us.
- Complimentary wellness programs such as yoga, tai chi, and meditation blend local expertise with stunning mountain and ocean backdrops.
- We offer guests a ‘taste’ of the local flavour with interactive learning experiences such as cooking classes, extracting aloe vera and folding pandan leaves.
- Our ‘Anti-Animal Exploitation Policy’ means we do not sell tickets, accept commissions or in any way promote tours and shows that exploit animals (i.e. elephant rides, tiger or dolphin shows).
- We do promote rewarding and immersive experiences such as releasing rescued or newly hatched sea turtles into the sea … it’s Turtle-ly worth it!
No holiday is complete without nourishing and delicious food!
- We grow on our organic farm (herbs and vegetables) as much as possible.
- When we shop, our preference is organic and to buy locally to support local suppliers.
- Our menu showcases unique ingredients only available from our local area.
- For guests who are vegan or simply trying to reduce their meat consumption, we have a diverse menu of healthy and ethical options that will calm the conscience and tantalise the tastebuds!
Aleenta Phuket-Phang Nga Resort & Spa is fully compliant with Travelife’s sustainability criteria, including standards C4 through C9. More information here.
We welcome feedback from our guests, community and staff about the work we are doing to improve our environmental and social impacts, including suggestions about how we can improve. Please email your comments or ideas to [email protected].