Comments on: New Luxury Hotel on Easter Island

By: Julia T.

Julia T. — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 03:04:06 +0000

I was at the Explora hotel and Chile and found a similar disconnect between the green hype and how the staff actually worked in practice. This is not unusual with luxe hotels anywhere, unfortunately. Unless you go to a true ecolodge, there’s a lot of posturing going on.

By: Timothy

Timothy — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:05:29 +0000

Wow, obviously we hit a nerve on that one! In fairness, you’re right Ben that Explora and Remota do not share the same management–just the same architect. Duly noted now in the original entry.

As for the LEED certification, that only applies to design, not practice. What our reviewer saw in practice is akin to an LEED-certified office building using styrofoam coffee cups and disposable plates in the cafeteria and not recycling its used copy paper and bottled water plastic containers. Just because a building has green design doesn’t mean the staffers or managers are doing anything beyond that to hold down waste and preserve the environment. It’s better than nothing, sure, but it doesn’t end when the building is finished.

As for the other hotels on Easter Island sucking, sorry James, but just read the past few years of travel press stories and the reviews on the likes of TripAdvisor and you’ll see I’m not exactly taking a controversial stand saying that…

By: James

James — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:35:58 +0000

This review is painfully unqualified. “That hotel on Easter Island that doesn’t suck”??? No need to further comment, just delete this entry altogether. It’s not only bad it’s also totally wrong.

By: Ben

Ben — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:52:11 +0000

Need to do much better research. Explora and Remota have nothing to do with one another other than they have operations in Chile. Really, need to do much better research before publishing such lousy type of “news.”

By: Andrea

Andrea — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:28:30 +0000

Contrary to the poorly researched review, here is the short list of the environmentally focused attributes of explora’s new Easter Island lodge:

• Passive design of the energy, lighting and “skin” of the building, with ample windows to allow in daylight and enhance cross-ventilation of rooms and public spaces
• A sound structural mass with thermal retention for energy storage
• High-efficiency lighting, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, transformers and appliances
• “Free” cooling and economizer cycles in public spaces for energy savings
• Low flow water fixtures and reclaimed water from air conditioners
• Use of renewable, recyclable and fast-growing building materials
• Landscaping with native and adapted species requiring low or no watering
• A low-waste process that protects the environment during construction and throughout the life of the hotel
• explora encourages guests to join daily guided hikes, bicycle excursions, swims and snorkeling

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Not only does LEED provide the tools for owners and operators to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance, but it also promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in key areas of human and environmental health. These include: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.