Regenerative Tourism Award 2023
CoolRooms Hotels: turning luxury into sustainable innovation
"We are looking for a tourist who feels the fact of traveling as a knowledge, an opening of mind, a global vision of life, of the countries and cultures in which he immerses himself."
- Lydia Pérez, director of communications and marketing at CoolRooms Hotels
Transforming tourism with responsibility and sustainability: this is the reason that led CoolRooms Hotels to win the award in the Regenerative Tourism category at the third edition of the Traveling for Happiness Awards. Beyond the undoubted comforts of its luxury hotels, this award recognizes the group's commitment to actively improving the natural state of the areas where it operates, encouraging tourist inclusion and counteracting the negative impacts of tourism on the environment and local communities.
The company, a specialist in choosing emblematic buildings to locate its hotels while respecting and enhancing their historical legacy with great delicacy, has led a unique project in the regeneration of high-impact tourist destinations, something that has served them to achieve different national and international awards, as well as to mark a new era in the way of approaching sustainability and social responsibility.
The unwavering commitment of CoolRooms
According to CoolRooms Hotels' communications and marketing director, Lydia Pérez, "Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been part of our company culture since the day we were born. We have been working on it for the last five years through our annual sustainability plan, and we have seen that, little by little, we are achieving our objectives". These objectives have been aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing their efforts on specific areas such as decent work and economic growth or responsible production and consumption.
The group's commitment translates into the creation of 140 new direct jobs and 300 indirect jobs, in addition to having remarkable gender equity among its employees. In terms of environmental sustainability, CoolRooms has been able to go beyond standard certifications. "We have had an audit by Auren to improve our energy consumption. We also have a certification of all our hotels with Bioscore both in waste generation and responsible consumption, sustainability, carbon footprint...", explains Pérez. To achieve this, they have had to work for a whole year, always looking for areas for improvement. They are also currently installing solar panels in their facilities and trying to ensure that all materials are certified.
Environmental sustainability and responsible management of resources is something that is reflected in the communities where CoolRooms is present. The case of the Hotel Palacio de Luces, in Asturias, where they have contributed to enhance the value of the destination, preserving and promoting both its heritage and its history and culture, as well as the art, products, gastronomy and traditions of the area, is an example of the role as an agent of positive change that the company has decided to exercise.
By addressing fundamental aspects of tourism transformation, such as a commitment to preserving the cultural assets of the areas where it operates and ensuring that these gems are accessible to both locals and tourists, they seek to break away from traditional patterns of seasonal tourism, something that benefits local communities and promotes the creation of sustainable economic opportunities.
Craft route in Seville with the journalist, researcher and curator specialized in contemporary crafts Macarena Navarro-Reverter. Photo: Coolrooms Hotels
Designers of unique experiences
"We are looking for a tourist who feels the fact of traveling as knowledge, an opening of mind, a global vision of life, of the countries and cultures in which he immerses himself. We are talking about a client who is open to a longer stay and who brings value to the local, who wants to discover craft and design routes to which he/she gives the value that we believe they have," stresses the director of communication and marketing.
In times when there is so much talk of touristification, CoolRooms is committed to the creation of personalized routes and experiences outside of saturated tourist areas, helping to disperse the impact of tourism, allowing more regions to benefit in an equitable manner. The company aims to create an environment where the tourism offer is not only high quality, but also sustainable and enriching for the visitor through unique and meaningful experiences.
"We have just worked with Macarena Navarro-Reverter on a handicraft route in Seville and we are launching another handicraft route in Madrid with the aim of highlighting all those works that, in the end, if they are not properly cared for, will end up disappearing", Lydia tells us, pointing out that in Asturias they are working with the anchovy net menders and canneries with the aim of highlighting the local, our handicrafts and traditions. All this through unique experiences designed for the customer, one of the great revolutions in the tourism industry in recent times, taking hotel excellence beyond the comfort of the rooms and high quality services.
Terrace of the Hotel CoolRooms Palacio de Atocha (Madrid). Photo: Coolrooms Hotels