When Amity Motel was built in 2009, being sustainable was already a priority for us. We ensured that the rooms were built to face the sun so that we could use as much natural lighting as possible. With the natural lighting, the fully insulated rooms and double glazing on all the glass, this keeps the room at a comfortable temperature for our guests and reduces the need to use our in room heating and cooling. It also allows for the heat pumps to be run at a lower temperature, which in turn uses less energy. Our heat pumps are cleaned and serviced regularly, which means they are running efficiently and saving power. All rooms at Amity Motel were also fitted with guest controlled power slots. This means that when a guest leaves their room, all of the non essential power gets turned off and is only turned on again when a guest re-enters the room. All of the outdoor lights at Amity Motel are on timers, which means they are only on when needed and no energy is wasted. In 2017 all of the lights in our units were converted to use energy efficient LED light bulbs reducing our energy consumption by half.

In the bathrooms our focus was to conserve water without sacrificing comfort for our guests and we have done this by installing water restrictors on our shower heads and providing toilets with the option to use half flushes. We also ensure that we keep the water temperature at the recommended 60℃ to keep our energy consumption low. This way the guests can enjoy a nice hot shower and all the comforts of home while also restricting any unnecessary water waste.

We are regularly checking and responding to any leaks around sinks and toilets so they can be fixed immediately to reduce any wasted water. We also ensure that our storm water drain has fitted little filters to limit any litter that may otherwise end up in our seas and rivers. 

Single use products have long been a source of concern in the hospitality industry. We want to provide our guests with all the comforts of home but without the strain that single use products put on the environment with their packaging and ultimately waste. In the past Amity Motel has done a soap donation scheme to recycle soap but we were still dealing with the waste of the excess packaging around these soaps. We wanted to move towards eliminating unnecessary packaging so have now installed a range of beautiful Amber glass bottles from ECO Society who offer sustainable and ethical goods. In our search for a soap provider that meets our needs for a product that is environmentally friendly while still offering a luxurious experience for our guests, we found Ecostore met this criteria. By using refillable bottles and buying our refills in bulk, we have eliminated 1,000s of single use bottles and packaging that would end up in landfill. Our soap from Ecostore is delivered in sugar plastic bottles that are 100% recyclable and the sugarcane removes carbon out of the atmosphere as it grows making it a sustainable and renewable source, which aligns with the Amity Motel commitment to the environment.

All of the cleaning products that are used at Amity Motel meet the requirements of being eco friendly while still being a hygienic and effective cleaning product that sanitises without damaging the environment, in particular the waterways. Our cleaning products are sourced from Ecolab who is the global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions They deliver comprehensive science-based solutions to maintain clean and safe environments, and optimise water and energy use. Not only are all the chemicals we use to clean eco friendly but the cleaning cloths we use are as well. They are all sourced from companies that ensure a green manufacturing product. Each cloth is colour coded for specific areas and surfaces and are changed between each and every room ensuring a hygienic and green experience for all. The cloths are then washed onsite, along with our towels, to reduce the carbon footprint that would occur by transporting them offsite. We have invested in energy efficient washing machines and dryers to help cut down on chemical, water, and power usage making the process as sustainable as possible. 

We would love for you to be a part of all the amazing initiatives that we are doing at Amity Motel because every little bit makes a difference. By staying at Amity Motel you are able to participate in our in room Recycling Programme. Each room has a bin that is divided into landfill and recycling. If you can sort your waste into these categories we can do the rest. So far we have saved 20,000 tonnes of recyclable items from going to landfill with our awesome guests’ help. If you’re wanting to do more you can reuse your towels to reduce the amount of water and chemicals used in washing them. You can also help by ensuring you are using our guest controlled power slots, which ensures that no unnecessary power is used while you are not in the room. If you’re here to explore our region, jump on one of our complimentary bikes to see the sights instead of using your car to reduce carbon emissions. Do you have any ideas that could help us to be better? Let us know because we are always happy and willing to grow.

At Amity Motel our mission is to make each stay for our guests a comfortable and enjoyable experience and as such, we have very high standards when it comes to our beds and linens. This means that at times we are replacing and updating our beds and the linens when they still have plenty of life left in them. Rather than trying to sell these items to make a profit, here at Amity Motel we choose to find local community organisations that can give these items to people who need them most. In some cases these are the first beds that local children have had to call their own and so far we have helped at least 15 children to go from sleeping in overcrowded beds or sleeping on the floor to having a quality bed all of their own at no cost at all to them. By staying you are helping us to give back and build a stronger community, which benefits everyone.

We know that in order to be sustainable we need to care for the environment around us and support those people out there who are doing amazing things. We would like to work closely with an organisation whos ideology aligns with ours, so we can continue to see them carry out the incredible things that they’re doing.