Grenada boutique hotel in St George, Maca Bana

 Our Grenada boutique hotel in St George's strives to set an example that responsible tourism and sustainable development is attainable for small family run businesses. We have taken the step away from fossil fuels towards sustainable solar energy; with the addition of 48 solar panels to the existing solar water heaters in 2007 and a further extension of the solar system planned for 2009, we are setting the pace for green tourism in Grenada. At our Grenada luxury banas, our guests can now enjoy a 5 star holiday home with every imaginable comfort, knowing that the high quality appliances are powered by the very sun that they have come to soak up.

We firmly believe that every little step will make a difference and help preserve the paradise we live in. Starting with the construction, we have strived to provide an oasis of peacefulness, luxury and beauty in tune with our lush environment. A local building crew carried out the construction of the villas and local or regional woods were used for the construction such as Grenadian white cedar, Guyanese hardwood, local bamboo etc. Wherever possible sustainable products were used (bamboo and pine). Our organic nursery, fruit tree orchard and herb garden are nourished by compost from the restaurant's and the guests’ kitchen waste collection. In 2007, we planted 30 coconut palms along our beach, creating a palm avenue and root protection to enable sand retention.

The restaurant purchases locally grown products as often as possible from farmers and fishermen. In August 2008, we purchased a 15 acre plot of land high up in the rain forest of the parish of St. David’s which was previously part of a larger nutmeg plantation and has been neglected since Hurricane Ivan. We wish to restore the land to its pre-hurricane-Ivan state and have created permanent employment for 3 local farmers from the area. We strive to preserve our little corner of rain forest by clearing off the vines that are strangling the big rain forest trees (i.e. nutmeg, breadfruit, cocoa etc.).

We have started to organically farm short crops for our Aquarium Restaurant, complementing the local supply and including lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, herbs and sweet peppers which are thriving in the rain forest climate between sugarcane, banana trees and the tall trees. We are already harvesting nutmeg and avocado from the freshly cleared trees and naturally growing bamboo for construction and interior decorating projects.

The flowers for the villas and for weddings and other functions in the restaurant are exclusively purchased from local farmers. All workers, except for the General Manager, are Grenadians who get thorough training in their specific field as well as in general guest relations, health and safety questions and environmental issues. All staff is kept employed full time throughout the quiet low season; interest-free loans have been given to staff members to enable them to build homes etc. Our accommodation and the restaurant take on students from the TAMCC college for practical training during their formal education in the different fields of tourism.

In the empty units all electric devises are unplugged by the housekeeping staff to avoid unnecessary energy usage by electrical equipment on ‘stand-by’ (i.e. microwave, TV, stereo system etc.) Furthermore, housekeeping staff monitors guests’ ac units and turns them off while guests are out. Outdoor lights are either on timers and motion-sensors or have photo-cells and we use energy saving light bulbs where possible. We also have water-conserving toilets and Miele washing machines designed to conserve water and electricity. We provide locally made soaps instead of little shower gel bottles and shampoo and conditioner dispensers to cut down the plastic waste. The linen is changed only twice a week and towels are changed on request.

Environmental practices at Maca Bana include the non-chlorine infinity edge swimming pool, water-conserving toilets, Miele washing machines designed to conserve water and electricity, outdoor lights are either on timers, motion-sensors or have photo-cells and we use energy saving light bulbs wherever possible. In the empty units all electric devises are unplugged by the housekeeping staff to avoid unnecessary energy usage by electrical equipment on ‘stand-by’ (i.e. microwave, TV, stereo system etc.) Furthermore, housekeeping staff monitors guests’ ac units and turns them off while guests are out. We provide locally made soaps instead of little shower gel bottles and shampoo dispensers to cut down the plastic waste. The linen is changed only twice a week and towels are changed on request.