A namesake tree stands before the walled mini-complex that abounds with plant life within. A covered balcony offers views of the city and its volcanic backdrop, as does a rooftop observation deck that's accessed by a spiral staircase. Small lounging areas are tucked throughout the compact and winding property.
ROOMS are done in a style that's simple, rustic and vibrant, and look onto a center strip of greenery that serves as a natural air filter, with a gurgling fountain providing the soothing background track to the medley of music performed by songbirds. The removal of toxic pesticides brought life back to the grounds and filled the space with feathered friends.
ARTWORK on display comes from handicapped artisans who use natural materials like gords to create works throughout the hotel, including signs in bathrooms heralding the fact that the water was heated by solar, and near light switches reminding guests not to waste precious wattage. It's all done in the decidedly Salvadoran style of simple shapes and primary colors made famous by local favorite Fernando Llort.
FOOD is locally sourced and largely organic, including pesticide-free fruit and farm-fresh eggs, part of a breakfast that's included with stays and comes with plantains, or American-style with ham, along with fresh-squeezed orange juice -- pressed by manual juicers that replaced energy-sucking electric machines. It's served hacienda-style on a tranquil covered patio that faces a serene grass-free garden, flush with oxygen-pumping plants. Trimmings are gathered in hideaway compost bins.
GOING GREEN was a necessity rather than a choice for Carolina Baiza, the force behind the eco-initiatives at the family-run business. Runaway energy costs brought the place to the brink of bankruptcy in 2008. USAID, the U.S. Agency for International Development, was brought in to do an environmental audit and identify ways to cut costs while increasing eco-friendliness. Energy-efficient lighting replaced standard bulbs. Rooftop air conditioners got covers to increase efficiency. Energy was also saved in a variety of small ways, like keeping coffee warm in a thermos instead of letting it sit on a continually heated burner. Electricity bills dropped from around $1,300 a month to $300, and the hotel has since picked up a slew of awards for its eco-efforts.
WATER WASTE was halted with low-flow resistors in showers. Rooms get a small pitcher of purified water, ending the hotel's use of around 5,000 plastic bottles a year. For toxin-free laundering, bleach was replaced by natural cleaners, like detergents without phosphates and good old-fashioned lemon and sunlight to remove stains. Sunlight is also employed to dry laundry, which gets hung under a transparent plastic canopy, with a quick tumble in a cool gas-fueled dryer for fluffiness.
NEARBY lies a small park that's bounded by restaurants and shops, as well as a botanical garden and the University of Central America in the quaint neighborhood. It's also close to museums and the nightlife found in la Zona Rosa.
Originally posted on vagabuzz.com
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