One big reason that travelers love Terranea Resort is how seamlessly the Rancho Palos Verdes resort blends into its bluff and oceanfront locale, south of Los Angeles. This week, Terranea got a serious validation of its commitment to that environment, winning a Platinum Leader in Sustainable Tourism Award from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), in conjunction with National Geographic Traveler.
These days, the tourism industry is realizing that green efforts can extend well beyond recycling bins, and to great benefit. "Sustainability at Terranea is not just a concept, an aspiration or a brand pillar, it has become the fabric of our very existence,” says Agnelo A. Fernandes, Terranea’s senior vice president of marketing and sales. “What was initiated by the leadership at Terranea, because of our passion and dedication to help save our planet for future generations, is now being acknowledged by the authorities who shepherd the very concept of sustainability at a global level.”
The organization touted Terranea’s wide-reaching efforts for its win—from its monthly “green meetings,” challenges and campaigns, to the fact that the hotel was chosen to join the World Wildlife Fund Pilot Project on hotel food waste management. The resort’s Destination Earth initiative has also sought to decrease the resort’s water and energy usage, boost recycling and composting, and go local, as much as possible, in terms of food and drink. That translates into features like native-only landscaping, dimmers in rooms, hybrid on-site vehicles, and a cool “bioswale” irrigation system on the golf course, which both remediates any polluted water and creates a habitat for local birds and marine life.
A nice bonus: Those good efforts also enhance the luxurious experience. Terranea’s spa uses honey that came from the resort’s own beehives, and the restaurant Mar’sel (one of the property’s eight dining establishments) uses resort-harvested sea salt and greens and herbs from the onsite garden. You can even attend one of the resort’s Sea Salt Workshops for fun tastings and wine pairings that might refine your salty palate.
“Our Farm-to-Terranea culinary program continues to evolve its efforts to further enhance its sustainable growing philosophy, minimize its environmental footprint, and promote awareness and education of eco-friendly practices,” says Terranea president Terri A. Haack. “Our guests enjoy participating in unique activities such as our sea salt workshops, Chef’s Table Dinner series, and Culinary Immersion experiences that allow them to learn and participate with tours of our gardens, chicken coop, and honey bee apiary.”
