Homestays are sustainable from the word go. The entire business model is predicated on the fact that one is leveraging a home’s existing brick and mortar assets.
Somebody has already made those investments and sunk those ecological costs; we are just making the most out of it. In many ways, we repurpose the old inventory, which was earlier a white elephant and leverage that for hospitality. While building a new hotel, one is adding to the ecological footprint. In our case, there is zero impact on ecological footprint, which makes homestays inherently sustainable.
MINDFUL DECISIONS
Our homestays follow environment-friendly practices like avoiding use of single-use toiletries and changing towels and linens every alternate day. This is communicated to guests through our in-home content.
We procure all ingredients from local markets within a radius of 5-10 kms, which encourages local employment. It also ensures that our guests get locally grown fresh produce.
Since our villas are located in relatively lesser-known places, we hire locals, which helps boost employment in the area. Needless to add, the staff’s familiarity with the region enables them to ensure the guests have the most authentic experience.
Our team trains them about our standardised processes and guidelines to ensure uniformity all through. However, with their local touch, the cooks, caretakers and housekeeping staff makes a guest’s stay even more authentic and immersive.
GOING ECO-FRIENDLY
Many of our homes are located in remote villages and the decision to go eco-friendly is entirely the homeowner’s. For instance, the Calamond Inn Bungalow in Coorg has a 10kw solar power plant, which runs the lighting, borewells and appliances.
Alongside the LPG, the wet waste goes into a biodigester to produce cooking gas. Similarly, the plastic is
recycled and reuses. Milk and honey are produced in-house along with homegrown herbs, while organic veggies are sourced only from the local market.
Few of our villas, like SaffronStays Lattitude By The Lake in Kamshet, are built using natural elements from around the landscape, be it the organic farms or reclaimed wood for the home’s furniture. This appeals to our discerning guests, who appreciate the luxury of not just renting a place, but owning a private villa. Mindful of the home and its surroundings, they revel in some unique experience while staying eco-conscious.
