JW Marriott gives luxury a greener edge

The hotel uses energy-efficient systems and recycled materials across guest areas.

JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong in Admiralty is expanding sustainability measures across its leisure, dining, guestrooms, and event spaces, including energy-efficient lighting, water-saving landscaping, and paperless guest services.

The hotel’s Level 7 leisure and social spaces use energy-efficient lighting and native, drought-resistant plants to reduce watering needs, General Manager GP Yeow told Hong Kong Business.

The floor includes a heated outdoor pool, landscaped wellness areas, an herb garden, Fish Bar seafood restaurant, and indoor and open-air event spaces overlooking Victoria Harbour.

Guests can join weekend yoga sessions or use a meditation space, whilst the landscaping is designed to reduce water consumption, Yeow said.

Fish Bar also uses responsibly sourced timber for its furniture and serves an upcycled dish called Fish Bone Fettuccine. The pasta is made by drying and pulverising leftover garoupa bones before blending them with gluten-free flour.

The hotel received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for operations and maintenance in June.

Sustainability measures also extend to its 608 guestrooms and suites. Digital thermostats and occupancy-sensing systems help manage energy use, whilst more than 95% of lighting fixtures use light-emitting diode (LED) technology.

The rooms have wraparound windows that provide natural light and views of Victoria Harbour and the mountains.

“Furthermore, traditional paper materials have been replaced with digital alternatives, offering guests instant access to online newspapers, magazines and in-room dining menus via their smartphones or in-room TV,” Yeow said in an emailed reply to questions.

The hotel also uses paperless check-in and wooden key cards at the front desk. Filtered-water dispensers in public areas reduce reliance on single-use plastic bottles.

For meetings and events, the hotel uses digital signage, QR (quick-response) code menus, and water refill stations. Its pillarless JW Marriott Ballroom is also equipped with LED walls.