Glen Avon Lodge a Marvel in the South African Wine Lands

Gloriously Green Glen Avon

One of the first things people remark on when they visit Glen Avon Lodge Boutique Hotel in Cape Town’s famous Constantia Valley is often its greenery.  Usually, they are referring to its magnificent rose-filled gardens – but whilst a lot of love and care goes into the grounds, they are not what this 5-star boutique hotel is most proud of. What the Stringer family and the team at Glen Avon is most proud of is their top rating for other green credentials!

General Manager Hans Heuer and his team were delighted with its most recent accolade as a “Green Champion”, scoring 88% overall for Sustainable Tourism Management.

Some of the things Glen Avon does to make a difference include:

1

The Environment

Glen Avon is committed to protecting the environment for future generations and reducing its own environmental impact so far as possible by implementing responsible eco-friendly tourism practices while still providing an impeccable quality of service.
2

Water Conservation

Thankfully the “Day Zero” water crisis has been avoided with the dams around Cape Town nice and full again (some reports say they are over 75% full) after the recent rains, but Glen Avon has had measures in place for over 20 years already before it was “fashionable” to be water-wise. All the hotel’s water is filtered to the highest drinking standard by its own filtration plant.
3

Energy

The hotel has a long-term project underway to become almost self-sufficient in terms of generating its own power via photovoltaic, solar, backup batteries and heat pumps. The hotel also uses energy efficient electrical equipment.
4

Glen Avon Family

The team is Glen Avon’s most prized asset – the staff make the Glen Avon family. Management is committed to helping staff members achieve their full potential through guiding, supporting and investing in training each one of them. They take seriously their duty of care for all employees whilst at work and to ensure all working practices are safe and all risks are assessed on a regular basis and that Health and Safety is of paramount importance. Equality and diversity are core values and an integral part of everything Glen Avon does.
5

Local is Lekker

The hotel is committed to using sustainable, ethically sourced products and services from local suppliers where possible, that have a minimal environmental impact. All Glen Avon’s bathroom products are made locally and are eco-friendly, as well as some of their cleaning materials.
6

Recycling

The hotel recycles as much as possible and all vegetable matter is used for composting. Organic worm farms produce “worm tea” fertilizer for the gardens.
7

Soil for Life

Glen Avon supports the SOIL FOR LIFE NGO Project which assists disadvantaged communities by giving them the means to start a vegetable patch and teaches them how to grow vegetables, to not only feed their own families - but to generate a sustainable income for the future by selling any excess produce on.
8

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace Upliftment Centre is a non-profit that strives to empower and uplift the children living in the Westlake Community in the Constantia Valley, to ensure they develop to their full potential despite any disadvantages such as literacy and numeracy deficiencies, physical handicaps and social imbalances. The project focuses on individual children and ensures they have access to remedial teachers, occupational and physiotherapists, speech therapists, counsellors and psychologists.
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