Traveling inevitably has a negative impact on the planet; between flying to your destination, driving to your hotel and getting around while you’re there, it’s very difficult to have a completely zero-carbon travel experience. But, you can make sure that the place you’re staying at has a minimal, or even beneficial, effect on the environment.
Enter the Palmaïa – The House of AïA. If, like us, you’ve been dreaming of a (sustainable) beach holiday for months, this might just be the place for you. With plant-based cuisine, renewable energy and sustainable design, this wellness resort on the coast of Mexico’s Mayan Riviera has everything you need to relax sustainably.
Since opening in 2000, the resort, in Playa del Carmen in Mexico, has prioritised having a minimal impact on the amazing environment that surrounds it. For example, instead of being built on top of the mangrove jungle, the resort was built around it, allowing the nature and animals to live naturally without intervention. In fact, guests often report seeing spider monkeys, iguanas, anteaters and armadillos on the property.
For its cuisine, the Palmaïa – The House of AïA follows a “plant-based first” ethos, focusing on vegan dishes that will leave guests feeling full and satisfied, but still offering non-vegan dishes for those that ask. The resort adopted this stance in recognition of the significant environmental impact of industrial agriculture, including animal consumption.
Overall, every room in the resort is cruelty-free, ensuring that animal-tested or derived products make their way into the property, and all bathroom amenities are refillable and made with 100% biodegradable ingredients. Guests also won’t see a single-use plastic item anywhere at the resort; instead, they’ll be provided with a refillable bottle.
Excitingly, the resort recently announced that it is now entirely powered by 100% renewable energy, making it the largest property in Playa del Carmen to switch completely to renewable energy. According to Palmaïa, this initiative will see the resort reduce its output of carbon emissions by 56,000 tons over 10 years.
They’re not stopping here, though – the resort plans to install 2,000 solar panels over the next year to generate more green energy. A special heat pump is also being installed to supply hot water to each of the oceanfront suites, which is estimated to save an additional 22 tons of carbon per year. In its mission to become carbon neutral, these initiatives put Palmaïa well ahead of its competitors.
Learn more about the Palmaïa – The House of AïA at thehouseofaia.com
Sign up for the 8Shades weekly newsletter to get all our top stories in your inbox!
See also: “Stay Clean Go Green” With a Staycation at Eaton Hong Kong
