Where to stay when you leave.
4/07/2008 at 9:26 AM
Tags: URBN Hotels, Shanghai Hotels, Eco-Hotels
We said they'd be opening in December, and they actually got there. On top of that, the whole concept of the URBN Hotel Shanghai is so unique that we really want to stay there. It's the first of a planned chain of carbon-neutral hotels in China and, the owners hope, the start of a new pro-environment trend in China.
The URBN Shanghai was built in an eco-friendly way by including both salvaged bricks and tiles from buildings that were being demolished, and by buying additional materials only sourced from local manufacturers. Other green factors include natural shading from living bamboo, and fluorescent lights which have been made ambient by housing them in lanterns--the result of six weeks' research.
Now that the hotel is up and running, any energy used--and that even includes the commuting done by staff--will be calculated and neutralized through buying carbon credits. Naturally, some of this will be built in to the price you're paying for a room, and with rates starting around 2000CNY (US$280), it's not a cheap place to stay, but it's a green one.
[Photo: URBN]
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by amandak
11/19/2007 at 10:17 AM
Tags: URBN Hotels, Shanghai Hotels, Eco-Hotels
No, it's not a misprint, although any search engine worth its salt will try to suggest you search for "urban" instead: but Shanghai is about to get the first URBN Hotel. The first of a planned dozen or so "design and carbon neutral" hotels, the URBN Hotels, Shanghai is due to open in December and should be taking bookings in November, apparently--although the reservations tab on their website doesn't seem to be functioning yet.
The concept behind the URBN Hotel is impressive: as well as being a designer hotel, it aims to be totally carbon neutral both by building and operating in a green way, and by buying carbon neutral credits to offset some of the necessary activities of the hotel once it's up and running.
As well as being eco-friendly, the developers want guests at the URBN to get more deeply involved with their destination, so they'll be adding services like tai chi, yoga, Chinese cooking classes and even basic Mandarin lessons.
In the near future, URBN hopes to expand to cities including Beijing, Hangzhou, Dalian, and Suzhou, following the same method of renovating an existing structure and "greening it up". China and green seem like a new combination to us and we're looking forward to following the evolution of URBN.
[Photo: URBN]
Related Stories:
· China's First Carbon-Neutral Hotel [Carbon Neutral Tourism]
· Hotels in Shanghai [HotelChatter]
· Travel Stories in Shanghai [Jaunted]
by amandak
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