Cape Town, My City.

400 days left.

Everyone is talking about it… almost everyone is coming to see it. The 2010 Soccer World Cup hosted by South Africa is causing a serious headache for the Cape Town accommodation industry. How on earth are we going to house all of these foreign (and some local) people, and how are we going to do it in an ecologically friendly manner? That’s the question on the lips of most businesses around the city, but not to worry! Many hotels are being refitted with ‘green’ technology, and more are being built to eco-friendly specifications as we speak!

The first five-star ‘green’ hotel in South Africa, the Blaauwberg Beach Hotel, is located right on the beach in Blouberg, with fantastic views over the bay and the city in the distance. For any environmentally-conscious traveller, this Cape Town accommodation is perfect for a guilt-free stay. The lavish 14-story hotel has 187 rooms and is environmentally conscious. Materials used in the construction of the hotel are eco-friendly such as eco sensitive electrical generators with solar panel appliances. The windows are made from recycled glass and, being tinted, reduce heat and glare to cut down on air-conditioning needs.

Solar heaters, low flow taps and shower heads combine to make water wastage a thing of the past, while energy efficient light fittings aid the hotel’s reducing carbon footprint. The basic heating system is derived from solar power, with a backup generator.

The décor in the luxury rooms are made from recycled material, but still have a unique sense of class. Additionally, all soaps and detergents used when cleaning the rooms are biodegradable, maintaining the eco-friendly brief that this hotel was built for. The carpeting and linen at the hotel is made from 100% natural fibres and the restaurant serves pure organic food.

It is true that for too long the environment has taken a backseat in favour of capital and construction, but hopefully with more and more hotels being built to the eco-friendly brief as in the Blaauwberg Beach Hotel, Cape Town accommodation has only one colour in mind – green.