KIRKLAND, WASH.—Sustainability has been at the forefront of family-owned, boutique hotel brand Noble House Hotels & Resorts’ ethos since its inception. The brand is announcing several achievements across its portfolio, which spans 29 properties throughout North America from Napa Valley’s wine country to Jackson Hole’s ski resorts and Florida’s luxury vacation destinations.
“Increasingly, climate change and environmental sustainability, as well as the impact of tourism on communities, are becoming some of the most important issues for travelers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z,” says Stefan Műhle, VP, Regional Managing Director of Noble House Hotels & Resorts. “At Noble House Hotels & Resorts, we aim to be at the forefront of the sustainable tourism movement, and we are proud to share the continuous strides we have taken across the brand to serve as innovative environmental stewards.”
Noble House’s green initiatives are driven by a desire to both enhance and support the unique environments within which each individual property is located. In 2023, the hospitality brand announced partnerships with Green Seal for certification for 13 of its properties, and Green Key Global for certification of all properties within the United States.
Regional Sustainability Efforts
Included below are regional sustainability efforts taking place across the portfolio:
- Northern California: Most recently, River Terrace Inn, in partnership with Visit Napa Valley—the area’s destination marketing organization—became Napa’s first California Green Business Certified hotel receiving the Napa Green Audit, a pilot program that is a relaunch of a rigorous statewide green business certification program. The inn is the sole hotel in the area to hit on all metrics, including reduced water use, energy conservation, and the usage of eco-friendly cleaning products. River Terrace Inn worked with a local recycling provider and the city to maximize its waste management and composting programs, which included workforce development programming and eliminating the use of single-use water bottles. River Terrace Inn employees are also offered a range of commuting options and benefits to reduce the inn’s carbon footprint. Elsewhere in Napa, the brand’s Napa Valley Wine Train unveiled its first green locomotive, the “1864,” in December 2023 to reduce carbon emissions. The “1864” has an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier-4-compliant engine, the cleanest in its class worldwide, that was made in the United States. The new engine also uses less fuel and has nearly zero emissions. The train’s entire fleet is set to be transitioned to all green locomotives by 2025. Additionally, San Francisco’s Argonaut Hotel is certified as a green business by the San Francisco Department of the Environment and is an active member of the California Green Business Network.
- Jackson Hole: In the shadow of Grand Tetons National Park, Hotel Terra Jackson Hole is Wyoming’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certified hotel. The hotel’s innovative commitment to the environment enables a luxurious guest experience with minimal eco-impact. Hotel Terra’s environmentally sustainable building includes 100 percent recycled “Eco Shake” roof shingles and 80 percent recycled content in the structure’s steel, while the hotel’s operating practices push well beyond LEED criteria such as 100 percent of the hotel’s electric power being offset with the purchase of alternative energy, including wind, solar and hydro sources. The hotel also continues to develop eco-friendly efforts to preserve and protect the environment while assuring distinctive and luxurious hospitality.
- Florida: Several of Noble House Hotels & Resorts’ Florida properties offer unique programming in the realm of regenerative tourism. Recent three MICHELIN Key recipient Little Palm Island Resort & Spa partners with local organization Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium to aid in restoration of the nearby Looe Key Reef, part of the third largest living coral reef in the world. Guests of the resort have the opportunity to interact with Mote’s scientists and even sponsor coral reef restoration. The resort’s “Paradise with a Purpose” package includes a $500 donation to MOTE Marine Labs and offers a chance for guests to explore the wonders of the reef. Naples-based property Inn on Fifth is a member of the Florida Green Lodging Program—a recognition by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection of the inn’s commitment to conserve and protect Florida’s natural resources.
Through efforts at both the brand level and across the 29 individual hotels and resorts, Noble House Hotels & Resorts remains steadfast in its commitment to reduce environmental impact and promote the health of the planet. For more information on the sustainability efforts brandwide, visit noblehousehotels.com/sustainability-initiatives.
