PORTSMOUTH, DOMINICA—Secret Bay, the exclusive, sustainable, private, all villa resort and the first five-star luxury experience in Dominica, the Caribbean’s “Nature Island,” announced it has been awarded Green Globe Certification, one of the highest standards for sustainability worldwide. The only operating hotel on Dominica to hold the accolade, Secret Bay was recognized for its innovative guest experience that is designed to seamlessly bring the island’s sustainability efforts to life.
Secret Bay prides itself on existing at the intersection of luxury and sustainability, and has always been steadfast in preserving Dominica’s natural and pure beauty. From sustainably designed villas built with Guyanese hardwood and a farm-to-plate culinary philosophy to the elimination of single-use plastics and various conservation practices on the property, Secret Bay embraces multiple green initiatives.
Beyond behind the scenes efforts, sustainability is folded into the guest experience from the moment guests arrive at the Dominica airport until their departure. First, they’re greeted with locally made provisions served in reusable glass jars to snack. Once at Secret Bay, guests are privately transported via electric golf cart to their private villa and welcomed with paperless check-in and customized orientation where several sustainability initiatives are introduced. Their villa’s fully-appointed gourmet kitchen is pre-stocked with fresh, local produce while the bathroom is equipped with mindfully-sourced, bio-safe products including organic soaps, shampoos and body butters.
‘A Milestone in an Ongoing Journey’
“From our sustainably designed villas to our conservation practices to our farm-to-plate philosophy to the elimination of single-use plastics on the property, we’ve woven green initiatives into everything we do, both behind the scenes and throughout our guest experience,” said Gregor Nassief, Proprietor of Secret Bay. “It is for this reason that we are truly delighted to have achieved Green Globe certification. For us, this accolade is a milestone in an ongoing journey as we continue to expand and evolve our green efforts.”
In addition to building and operating in accordance with Green Globe standards and employing various Environmental Impact Assessments, some of Secret Bay’s eco-friendly practices include:
- Replacing plastic water bottles with reusable borosilicate glass bottles, allowing guests to refill using an under-sink Culligan water filtration system;
- Using biodegradable food packaging exclusively;
- Sourcing local foods and herbs from the land;
- Recycling and composting waste;
- Establishing an effective drainage system consisting of a drip irrigation process to reuse wastewater;
- Adopting thoughtful energy conservation measures, like the use of LED lighting; and
- Reducing greenhouse emissions (i.e. using electric golf carts on the property).
The Green Globe Standard covers four key themes: Sustainable Management; Social/Economic; Cultural Heritage; and Environmental. The standard includes 44 core criteria supported by over 380 compliance indicators. To guarantee compliance with the highest international standards, a third-party independent auditor is appointed to work with clients on-site.
