Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa announces their participation in the Earth Hour 2012, together with the action plan to celebrate the special event. At the same time, the property has made all the food and beverage venues non-smoking and increased the number of non-smoking rooms to 75% of the inventory.

The hotel will participate by turning off all lights and electrical devices from 8.30pm-9.30pm. Guests will also be encouraged to participate by turning off the lights in their rooms and joining the team in Connexions for a cocktail event.

Sheraton associates are taking the opportunity to protect the earth by arranging a clean-up of rubbish in a local center that cares for the elderly and the young on the 24th March.

All associates have been educated on the event by an in-house newsletter and are encouraged to further share the knowledge with their families and friends about the importance of the environment, they are all encouraged to participate and turn off their lights at home.

“Environmental issues are some of the biggest concerns around the world at the moment” said Catherine Racsko, the hotel’s general manager “We believe in contributing to the welfare of the society, giving back to the local community and being a good corporate citizen through implementation of green initiatives at Sheraton Nha Trang”.

This is not a first for this beautiful seaside property. Since opening in 2010, the hotel has periodically organized beach cleaning events in Nha Trang with the participation of both staff and in-house guests. Other notable environmental initiatives in place include a paper recycling process, water conservation fixtures in the lavatory, energy-efficient low voltage lighting in hotel areas, green program card in the guestroom for guests to select when they want their bed linen and towels changed, thus less water and chemical usage, energy-saving key card system that automatically turns off the electricity in the room when guest pulls the key out of its slot.

“We are also planning to install recycling bins in hotel guestrooms and the public areas in the future” added Catherine.

All the cleaning chemicals in the hotel come from a global company specializing in sanitation products and have the pH level at 6.5, meaning when it turns into sewage water, it becomes neutral. The laundry chemicals - certified by a laboratory in North America - are biodegradable within 28 days in sewage water.

In relation to the decision of turning 75% of room inventory and all F&B venues into non-smoking space, Catherine shared “At Sheraton, we care about our customers, especially their health and safety. This decision comes as our answer to the growing concerns worldwide over passive smoking. By providing a smoke-free atmosphere to our guests and their families, we ensure they have an enjoyable experience throughout the stay. Furthermore, it also benefits the environment by reducing air pollution”.