I had a speaking engagement in Miami and had an opportunity to stay at the super Eco-friendly Clifton Hotel in South Beach. There isn’t a detail of this hotel that hasn’t been thought about from a sustainable perspective. The hotel is the only LEED Certified Gold Hotel in Miami which is an amazing accomplishment.
The hotel structure itself is that of a historic Art Deco hotel, built in 1948, and was gut-renovated with many sustainable features. With two stories, the boutique hotel is intimate and cozy in a great way. Right on the main strip in South Beach, everything is easily accessible.
The custom and locally sourced furniture and floors throughout the hotel are made of bamboo, with the exception of the lobby, which kept the original terrazzo floors. The curtains and headboards are made from recycled materials. Even the dry wall and signs are made using recycled materials. The doors are recycled steel. All the rooms use an occupancy sensing energy management system in conjunction with the hotel’s air conditioning system. The system is an EcoMode air conditioning which auto set to turn off when a person leaves the room; this system reduces energy use significantly.
The pillows are made from recycled soda bottles, mattress made from natural rubber and bamboo, and even the carpets are recycled. And don’t be fooled, the pillows are really soft and you would never think this is made from soda bottles. The unseen and smartest design of this sustainable oasis is the custom system that produces heat generated by the air conditioning system used to cool the building. Brilliant!
Solar panels are also mounted on the roof which provide 15 kilowatts of energy.
All paint and adhesives are low VOC (volatile organic compounds), which the interior paint contains zero VOCs. Even the paintings in the room used vegetable based ink.
The tiles of the bathroom floor are recycled. Water is conserved via use of low flow faucets, rainfall shower heads and a dual flush toilets.
The bathroom amenities are packaged in biodegradable bottles and recycled packaging printed with soy based inks. Partially used guest soap products are also collected and donated to the foundation Clean the World.
Cambean Hospitality owns the Clifton hotel. They have partnered with the Everglades Foundation to support the the Cambean Earth environmental initiative. The Cambean Earth Environmental Fund contributes to the Everglades Foundation by donating a portion of the proceeds of the sale of Cambean Earth apparel and a percentage of room sale profits from Cambean Earth-branded properties. The Everglades foundation works toward protecting and restoring one of the world’s unique natural ecosystems, the Everglades.
The hotel is only few feet from the beach. You can sign towels and chairs out in the lobby to take with you.
I asked Brian and his wife Eve, owners of the Clifton, why sustainable and why now? They simply answered, “We do it because we should.”
In my opinion, the Clifton Hotel is the perfect destination for individuals families with allergy sensitivities. The combination of bamboo furniture and hypoallergenic materials make sleeping a truly organic experience. What I also appreciate about my stay is that the sustainability is not obvious at all. It isn’t in your face green; It exists under the radar so no one feels a sense of obligation or being “forced” to be eco-friendly. For all this and more, the Clifton Hotel has earned my appreciative 5 leaf rating.
Disclosure: Complimentary hotel stay and services were courtesy of Clifton Hotel. I received no other compensation and no requirements that I express a particular point of view.
