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Guests who take a complimentary morning tour of the resort get the chance to visit the greenhouse and sample its fresh produce. // © 2010 Karisma Hotels & Resorts 2010 |
The all-inclusive El Dorado Royale, a Spa Resort by Karisma, is going green in a big way. The adult-only resort, which encompasses 639 suites and casitas in Mexico’s Riviera Maya region, also has its own 70,000-square-foot greenhouse project, which is comprised of 11 separate greenhouses, including a large central area for tomato harvesting. The greenhouses were completed in June 2009 and use all-organic and hydroponic growing methods to supply the resort with a variety of fresh produce.
After some trial and error, the resort found that some plants fared better in the region’s humid climate, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, xcatic chiles, basil, spinach and cilantro. And, as an example of how successful the project has been, the greenhouse project’s combined production of Roma, round and cherry tomatoes for the period from September 2009 to March 2010, totaled up to a whopping 50,066 pounds.
Now in its fourth harvest, the greenhouse produces enough tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers and other vegetables to supply a total of seven different properties: El Dorado Royale, A Spa Resort; El Dorado Casitas Royale; El Dorado Maroma, A Beachfront Resort; El Dorado Seaside Suites; Azul Beach Hotel; Azul Sensatori Hotel and Hidden Beach Hotel by Karisma.
By growing its own fruits, vegetables and plants on-property, El Dorado Royale is saving money while reducing emissions created via the transportation of products from their harvest locations to the resort. This green effort has also had a ripple effect since employees at the resort have also had the option of purchasing greenhouse vegetables, taking the keep-it-local effort to a whole other level.
Guest of the resort can also take part in learning more about the property’s eco-friendly and sustainable efforts by taking a daily 10 a.m. complimentary guided bike tour around the resort, which includes a visit to the greenhouse project. During the tour, cyclists get a quick briefing about the resort’s greenhouse initiative and are then invited to sample some of its fresh-picked produce.
El Dorado Royale, a Spa Resort by Karisma
www.karismahotels.com
