3 sustainable hotels in Amsterdam

12 reasons why these boutique hotels deserve an extra (green) star

3 sustainable hotels in Amsterdam

Part of our hotel chain: the two beautiful boutique hotels TWENTY EIGHT and BOAT&CO, and ID Aparthotel with spacious apartments. TWENTY EIGHT is located in the charmful Amsterdam ‘Oud-Zuid’ district, BOAT&CO is located in the up-and-coming Houthaven neighbourhood, and ID Aparthotel is a stone's throw from the Sloterdijk station. Curious what these hotels do to create a sustainable future? Here we go: 12 reasons why these hotels deserve an extra green star.

WE ARE SUNSHINE READY!

Sunshine on our terrace is not only relaxing; it also helps us generate sustainable energy! At BOAT&CO and TWENTY EIGHT we have solar panels placed on the roof. Solar energy is a clean, renewable and limitless energy source. It aids in fighting the emission of greenhouse gasses and minimizes over-dependence on fossil fuels.

Another way where we generate sustainable energy is by our waste. (How amazing that waste can be the start of something beautiful, right?) At BOAT&CO we have a swill tank that contributes to sustainable energy generation. It collects organic waste that will be converted into compost, biodiesel and biogas. The tank stores a large amount of organic waste, which reduces transport movements. And fewer trips means less CO2 emissions!

ENERGY SAVING

In addition to generating sustainable energy, the hotels are also stepping up their game with energy conservation. How? At TWENTY EIGHT and BOAT&CO, the water temperature and temperature in the room are controlled via heat and cold storage, which means 70% less CO2 emissions! Heat and cold storage (ATES) are a special way to save energy. It’s a method of storing energy in the form of heat or cold in the soil.

FIRST ‘CLIMATE-NEUTRAL NEIGHBOURHOOD’

BOAT&CO is located in the Amsterdam Houthaven district: the first climate-neutral district in the Netherlands with a combined sustainable cold/heat plant. The installation pumps cold water from the IJ in winter and stores it via a thermal storage water buffer to cool the neighbourhood on hot summer days. Refreshingly ingenious!

Also, this district is linked to the new heat transport pipeline. This pipeline, from the waste energy company (AEB), brings environmentally-friendly heat into the neighbourhood and thereby realizes a CO2 saving of at least 70% compared to high-efficiency boilers per home. Quite impressive, right?

ECO-FRIENDLINESS BUILT IN ITS CORE

BOAT&CO has eco-friendliness built into its core. Quite literally: we built it according to Cradle-to-Cradle principles, using sustainable construction materials that produce zero waste. Our efforts have been recognized with the BREEAM Excellent certification. BREEAM is the designation for a series of quality marks to determine the sustainability performance of buildings. This award shows that we are on the right track with our sustainability ambitions and that BOAT&CO is part of the 10% most sustainable buildings in terms of environmental requirements. So, maximum benefits for our hotel guests, minimum environmental impact. And we are proud of that!

ANIMAL-FRIENDLY (TINY) HOTEL ROOMS

Did you know that BOAT&CO offers space for the smallest locals? (Hint: our cuty and tiny locals are birds and butterflies!) The facades contain 40 unique spots for animals to breed and live! There are several bat and bird houses on the roof. There are also insect hotels on the terrace; perfect for bees, butterflies and caterpillars (and you won't notice anything)!

ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE

Sounds interesting, and spoiler: it is! On all levels, we strive for the best rating. And we nailed it with our energy consumption. The Energy Performance Certificate determines the energy consumption for heating & cooling, ventilation and hot water. The lower the EPC, the less energy we use, and the more plusses for eco-friendliness we get! Our Energy Performance rating? It’s 0,041! (Yes, that’s an A+++ rating!)

IF YOU CAN’T REUSE IT, REFUSE IT

At the boutique hotels TWENTY EIGHT and BOAT&CO, you can wake up quietly in a spacious apartment with a delicious coffee by Nespresso. The cups are collected by our Housekeeping and fully recycled by Nespresso. Aluminium is infinitely recyclable and is reused in various materials. Did you know it takes 95% less energy to recycle aluminium than to produce it brand-new?

And the coffee residues? It’s converted into biofuel and compost. Now, that makes your morning coffee and caffeine boost extra enjoyable.

MENU CARDS MADE FROM… TOMATO

We don’t want to brag… but did you know that our menus are made from tomatoes? To be exact: they are made from residual agricultural material. Our menus are printed by print shop De Bij. Not only do they only use organic ink and recycled paper; this company also generates energy using solar panels and has its own windmill (sounds very Dutchy, right?). Oh, and their staff drives only electric cars.

TALKING ABOUT PAPER…

All our toilets have sustainable toilet paper from The Good Roll: 100% tree-friendly and sustainable paper. It’s made of European recycled paper, without chlorine, colourants or fragrances. Their packaging is also 100% plastic-free! In addition, The Good Roll donates 50% of its net profit to building toilets in Africa. Oh, you might want to have this cheerful toilet paper at home too, so check them out (kids love it)!

LET’S BIKE!

As you know, two-wheeling is a way of life in Amsterdam. We partnered up with Roetz, a bike manufacturer who believes in second chances. They use recycled bicycle frames to produce new bicycles.

We encourage all our hotel guests to discover Amsterdam like true locals. So, grab those bikes, and hop on! Ready, set, go! Looking for cool cycling routes? Discover Amsterdam on your bike with these 5 amazing cycling routes (tasty food stops included!).

NO SINGLE-USE PLASTIC POLICY

In our hotels, we use as little single-use plastic as possible. When we do use single-use items, we choose the most sustainable products. For example, at BOAT&CO you can find products from iLoveEcoEssentials. These single-use items are made from natural, reusable raw materials, such as FSC-certified bamboo, which can grow 1 meter within 24 hours! The products are also developed according to the fair trade principle, so everyone benefits.

At both TWENTY EIGHT and BOAT&CO you will find Marie Stella Maris products in the spacious bathrooms. No single-use items, so we don't have to throw away products unnecessarily. Oh, are you familiar with the Marie Stella Maris Foundation? Since the start of its foundation in 2011, this Amsterdam brand has already collected €1,800,000, helping 71,000+ people to access clean water. Did you know that Marie Stella Maris donates a fixed percentage of its turnover to sustainable water projects for every product you buy?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

We believe that all good things in life are meant to be shared. That’s why our chef at Vessel (our vibrant hangout with mesmerizing IJ view) created a menu of culinary dishes you can easily share. Our dishes are made from fresh, seasonal ingredients, sourced from as many local suppliers as possible. By choosing local suppliers and seasonal ingredients, we limit emissions from transport and minimize our ecological footprint. We also encourage our hotel guests to eat less meat with various delicious plant-based dishes on our menu.

Staying at ID Aparthotel? Have a seat at our restaurant Adam's ID, where we have a 'zero waste cooking principle'. We use ingredients in different dishes to minimise the chance of food waste. And by choosing vegetables and fruit from the season, our dishes are always farm-fresh (with minimal use of greenhouses).

And at boutique hotel TWENTY EIGHT? Our breakfast is completely organic and plastic-free!

12 reasons why these boutique hotels deserve an extra (green) star