The Natura Beach Hotel and Villas received the Business Tourism Sustainability Award. It is also a member of www.responsibletravel.com and organicholidays.co.uk.
Living up to its name the Natura Beach is a hotel with a strong environmental ethos:
Design:
The characteristic low-profile design of the hotel buildings and their distance from the beach are part of our effort of not imposing upon the surrounding environment.
Water conservation and sewage treatment:
A separate piping network provides ground water from our own well to lavatories thus saving valuable drinking water. The ground water is also used for the irrigation of our plantations and herb gardens. All waste water is collected in a sophisticated on-site biological treatment station and the treated water is used for irrigating the orchards. Guests can help in our efforts by choosing when to change towels for obvious environmental reasons.
Energy conservation and recycling:
A solar panel system ensures that for most of the year no fuel at all is used for heating the water. Our photovoltaic systems covers a considerable amount of our everyday electricity needs. Our eight swimming pools are cleaned and filtered with the use of green solar energy. Economy light bulbs are used in all rooms and common areas. The air-conditioning units will go off when the glass doors to the balcony or terrace are not well shut, avoiding wasteful use. Air-conditioning and all lighting in the bedrooms will also go off when the key holder or the card is removed from the slot when the guest is away.
Reuse and recycling are priorities of the Hotel. Huge amounts of organic matter is composted and used in our organic vegetable gardens. Paper, metal, glass and plastic are all recycled.
Turtles:
Our beach was always a breeding ground for Sea Turtles (both the Careta careta and the Chelonia mitas). Because of this, we take measures such as avoiding bright lights, excessive watersports on our beach, etc. Turtle nests are monitored and protected. In fact, the numbers are going up every year.
The Natura Beach is located in an agricultural estate which has been in the family for generations. The present owners continue the agricultural tradition as part of the overall Natura holistic and sustainable concept.
The hotel plantations, on the left, right and in front of the buildings, provide most of the fruit and vegetables used by our kitchen. Over 800 citrus trees supply fresh, organic juice and fruits throughout most of the year. Our nearly 500 olive trees produce a few thousand litres of organic extra virgin olive oil annually, as well as delicious olives, both used extensively by our chef. Depending on the season, guests can participate in olive and orange picking. Other trees like bananas, figs and palm trees turn the estate into an exotic park.
Our organic vegetable garden, at the east side of the estate nearly covers the needs of our kitchen year round. Our diverse range of organic vegetables is used in salads, accompanies the main dishes, and is also the main ingredient in many of our vegetarian dishes.
The organic herb garden, near the tennis court, provides unique Mediterranean flavours to our dishes and also a range of healthy herbal infusions.
The nearby small animal farm (goats, sheep, chickens, turkeys, ducks etc) provides some of our requirements i.e free range eggs or the milk for our cheeses like halloumi and anari.
