How ditching single-use plastic bottles put this hotel on the map.
In April 2017, Mike Bosman joined blooming hotel. The new managing director brought with him an innate love for water and a list of changes, meant to up blooming’s sustainability game. Step one? Ban single-use water bottles from its premises – waving goodbye to €100,000 worth of bottled water sales, annually. “It’s been worth it 100%.”
How does a hotel even begin to get rid of single-use plastic water bottles? For blooming, it started with a chance encounter between Mike and Dopper-CEO Virginia Yanquilevich. Eight days into Mike’s new job, the two ran into each other while the Dopper management team was using one of blooming’s meeting rooms to conjure up some ocean-saving, plastic pollution-fighting plans. “I knew Dopper and supported its mission. I’ve been (wind) surfing for over 40 years so we share a love for the water. When I found out Virginia was here, I approached her and pitched a partnership idea.”
One year later, they’d developed water tap points to place in the hotel. They made their sustainable ambition official by signing Dopper’s pledge – promising to ban single-use water bottles from their premises. For a hotel that used to sell €100,000 in bottled water each year, it was a bit of a change, to say the least.
“All of our corporate bookings used to come with single-use plastic water bottles. You could get them in our restaurant, during events and we offered a packed lunch for leisure guests to take away, also including a single-use bottle of water.”
Nowadays, all guests – corporate and leisure – receive their very own Dopper bottle with blooming’s logo printed on the bottle’s cup. The restaurant uses the Dopper Glass to serve table water and multiple water tap points make it easy for guests to fill up their reusable Dopper.
Two ‘Dopper walls’ in the hotel explain blooming’s commitment to helping its guests choose reusable bottles and drink from the tap. Communication also played a big part in making it a smooth transition internally. “During the company New Year’s reception we gifted all employees a branded Dopper and explained our sustainable commitment. Everyone was enthusiastic.”
The Dopper partnership was only the beginning. In 2018, blooming hired a CSR advisor to help approach all parts of the business from a sustainability angle. Flowers, fruit and vegetables are grown in the hotel garden which is managed by young people distanced from the labour market. An old swimming pool was upcycled into a football field.
Guests sleep on mattresses made from natural materials only, use The Good Roll toilet rolls and bamboo tooth brushes. Additionally, the hotel offers placements and on-the-job training to about 20 people a year.
In 2020, blooming renewed its promise to keep single-use water bottles off its premises by signing the Dopper Wave. The hotel’s new personalised pledge can join an almost embarrassing amount of (sustainability) awards on the wall. “Our sustainable choices have brought us media coverage and awards, but mostly guests. People who consciously choose a sustainable location for their meeting, event or getaway. Banning single-use bottles was an investment, but the return on it is clear.”
“Our sustainable choices have brought us media coverage and awards, but mostly guests. People who consciously choose a sustainable location for their meeting, event or getaway. Banning single-use bottles was an investment, but the return on it is clear.”
