Limketkai Luxe Hotel kicked off its Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on November 16, stressing sustainability in its Christmas decors by repurposing its old decorations from previous years, in an inspiring validation that elegance and environmental responsibility are not mutually exclusive.
“Previously we imported 11 Christmas trees in honor of the nine Limketkai siblings and their parents. However, this year we wanted to stress sustainability, so we had materials from the old trees repainted and refurbished. You will also note we had our empty wine bottles colored red, gold and pink for our façade and all our outlets,” explained GM Jerome de la Fuente.
However, he stressed the hotel’s thrust for sustainability will not be limited to the Yuletide season, but will henceforth me an integral part of Limketkai Luxe’s operations.
Limketkai Luxe’s Main Xmas Tree for 2024 is made entirely of recycled materials from its previous trees. (LKK Luxe)
“To further promote reducing, reusing and recycling, we will next be replacing the disposable plastic bottles of the toiletries in our rooms with attractive, permanent glass decanters by Diversey Philippines. We will also have reusable glass bottles for the guests drinking water in their rooms,” he stressed.
Sustainability will likewise not be confined to the hotel’s guest rooms but also practiced in its restaurant, banquet and function rooms.
“You will note we don’t use plastic straws anymore in our outlets but paper ones. And we will eliminate plastic take-out containers with bio-compostable ones made from polylactic acid (PLA) derived from corn starch, which is a renewable resource. This material is molded the same way conventional plastic is, but it breaks down into harmless biomass or organic matter. Plastic cups will be replaced with biodegradable paper cups; while plastic stirrers for beverages would be replaced with compostable wood stirrers.”
While De La Fuente admits these sustainability shifts would require a significant investment, it would pay off in the long run not only through lower operating costs for the hotel, but also in its social and environmental costs.
GM Jerome de la Fuente (2nd from right) is pitching sustainability to his fellow members from COHARA
“The change to eco-friendly materials is just our latest in the environmental initiatives that Limketkai Luxe is integrating into its operations and core strategy. We are also advocating the same to our fellow hoteliers and restaurateurs in the Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association (COHARA) and eventually to our annual Kumbira Culinary Show and Live Competitions so these would also trickle down to the students and professionals competing in this event, which they hopefully can then carry back home to their respective establishments.”
