MONTEREY, CALIF.—Portola Hotel & Spa says it’s the first hotel in Monterey County to be recognized as a Surfrider Foundation Ocean Friendly Hotel, reinforcing its longstanding commitment to sustainability and ocean conservation along California’s Central Coast. Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Hotels program celebrates properties that make meaningful, measurable efforts to protect the ocean and coasts by reducing single-use plastics and conserving water onsite.
“Protecting Monterey Bay and our surrounding marine ecosystem has always been at the heart of who we are,” said Janine Chicourrat, Managing Director of Portola Hotel & Spa. “We’re proud to be recognized as a Surfrider Foundation Ocean Friendly Hotel and to continue leading by example through waste reduction, sustainable sourcing, and partnerships that help preserve our community’s natural beauty for generations to come.”
Located steps from the scenic Monterey Bay, Portola Hotel & Spa is the first hotel on California’s Central Coast to earn LEED Certification in the Existing Building category, awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. The hotel diverts more than 75 percent of all waste from landfills annually and features Green Label Plus carpets and wallcoverings made from post-consumer recycled materials. Guestrooms are equipped with energy-efficient appliances, low-flow water fixtures, and recyclable amenity containers, while the property’s solar-heated pool and on-site cogeneration system efficiently produce electricity and hot water.
Sustainability extends beyond the hotel’s walls to its on-site brewery, Peter B’s, which uses a heat-exchange system that recycles water during the brewing process and saves thousands of gallons annually. In partnership with Blue Strike Environmental, Portola also launched its Reduced Waste Conference Program, providing groups of 30 or more with a customized post-event Sustainability Report that tracks landfill diversion, carbon emissions avoided, water and food saved, and seafood sourcing aligned with Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guidelines. Together, these initiatives create a holistic framework that minimizes environmental impact while equipping planners with meaningful ESG reporting tools.
Launched in September 2024, Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Hotels program is an extension of its nationally recognized Ocean Friendly Restaurants program. Ocean Friendly Hotels celebrates establishments that adopt practices to reduce plastic pollution by eliminating the use of mini toiletry and water bottles, conserve resources, and build a community of ocean-conscious travelers. Each participating property follows strict criteria to minimize single-use plastics and support a sustainable, ocean-friendly lifestyle for guests and locals alike.
To learn more about Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Hotels program, visit Surfrider.org/OFH.
