Going green at Ottawa accommodations

Ottawa Travel Guide

|

Wednesday, 12 September 2012 17:31

As anyone who travels to Canada can attest, the nation does not take its beautiful environment for granted, building large metropolises like Ottawa in the midst of scenic landscapes. Luckily for first-time visitors, they can take full advantage of their lush surroundings without having to stray far from their Ottawa accommodations, many of which are following recent trends toward a green revolution.

While pitching a tent is undoubtedly the greenest way to spend a holiday in Canada, there are a number of hotels as well as bed and breakfasts that have environmentally friendly practices, from using energy-efficient lightbulbs to locally sourced meal options.

The Westin Ottawa gets green

As one of the members of Green Key, an eco-rating program for Canadian hotels, the Westin Ottawa definitely stands out above the rest with its environmentally friendly ways. Since the hotel began pushing energy initiatives in 2006, it has won numerous awards, including the Hotel Association of Canada's (HAC) Energy and Environment Award in 2009, as well as receiving the highest rating from Green Key in 2011.

Here are only some of the ways the Westin has revamped each of its rooms to be kinder to the earth:

The green experience

Upon first entering their rooms, guests are greeted with a small sign encouraging them to reuse their towels during their stay to reduce the amount of laundry loads. All of the toilets and showers use low-flow plumbing to save even more water, while each room is outfitted with sensitive light fixtures that turn off automatically if there's no movement for a prolonged period of time. Additionally, hotel escalators are turned off during the night when most guests are in bed.

Even Westin's chefs are looking for more ways to reduce their carbon footprint, making sure wholesale delivery companies are efficient and located within a relatively close radius of the city.

Living greener at the Downtown Bed & Breakfast and Spa

Ottawa's Downtown Bed & Breakfast and Spa is located right around the corner from the Canadian Museum of Nature and a short walk from Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal. This charming bungalow teaches guests how to live a more natural life, introducing healthier food into their daily diets and including yoga classes and herbal medicine into the price for staying. The accommodation itself is impressively green, and staff members only use environmentally friendly cleaning products, while composting all of the leftovers from its nutritious breakfast.