HONG KONG 15 September 2021 Rosewood Hotels & Resorts is deepening its commitment to sustainability through a partnership with ecoSPIRITS that will reduce single use glass, starting with their flagship property in Hong Kong. This collaboration will see the ecoSPIRITS low carbon, low waste technology used in the property’s eight bars and restaurants and celebrated in a special menu of ecoCOCKTAILS that will be available throughout the landmark hotel.
Soaring over Victoria Harbour, Rosewood Hong Kong is a highlight of the Kowloon waterfront and the crown jewel of the Victoria Dockside arts and design district. The hotel embraces a sustainability ethos through Rosewood’s Verdes® Responsibilities, which commits to elevated hospitality without compromising the natural environment. The ecoSPIRITS technology, with its elimination of single use glass and dramatic reduction in carbon footprint of spirits, is a natural fit.
Rosewood Hong Kong’s beverage programs, including its acclaimed Darkside Bar, are led by Director of Bars, Arkadiusz Rybak, an award-winning bartender and manager who brings to the team extensive experience working in Conde Nast’s ‘Hot List’ hotels and in Michelin-starred restaurants in London and Hong Kong. His talented team at Rosewood Hong Kong include Francois Cavelier, Bar Manager and Simon Rossi, Beverage Manager at the Darkside Bar.
To bring the hotel’s beverage sustainability principles to life, and to celebrate the partnership with ecoSPIRITS, Arkadiusz and his team developed a range of special low waste cocktails, including the signature Eco Negroni. A special ecoCOCKTAILS Menu, printed on sustainable compostable paper which is embedded with tree seeds, is now available throughout the hotel. Guests can take the menu home and plant it in soil — as the paper composts away, all that is left behind is new life and zero waste.
The making of a climate friendly cocktail with Widges Gin and Tried & True Vodka
A fresh take on the White Negroni, which is traditionally made with gin, dry vermouth, and gentian liqueur, this sustainable serve is made with a base of Widges London Dry Gin that is delivered in ecoTOTE™ format, Mancino Bianco Vermouth, and two house-made infusions to take the place of gentian liqueur, each made with upcycled ingredients that might otherwise have been thrown away. A sophisticated and herbaceous tipple is garnished with a green lime gel made with oxidized lime juice that is stabilized with natural and alternative preservatives to give second life to juice that would otherwise go down the drain.
Arkadiusz Rybak, Director of Bars, Rosewood Hong Kong
“By using the ecoSPIRITS at Rosewood Hong Kong we are able to reduce our glass bottle waste tremendously. Not only do we minimize waste, but we also reduce the amount of storage required for spirits. In addition, we give back through ecoSPIRITS Forest Program initiative. Overall, ecoSPIRITS allows us to seamlessly operate at a high-volume beverage program and care for our environment.”
In addition to significantly reducing their glass and packaging waste with ecoSPIRITS, the Eco Negroni is prepared without ice. To conserve this resource-intensive ingredient, the cocktail is batched and bottled in the back-of-house and kept chilled for service. Overall, the Eco Negroni eliminates 30g of C02 emissions per serve by reducing single use glass waste.
The Eco Negroni. No single use glass
Darkside Bar at Rosewood Hong Kong. One of Asia's 50 Best Bars
Clear Bitter, a Sustainable Gentiane Substitute
Low waste, housemade infusions to take the place of gentian liqueur, a traditional aperitif that originates from the French Alps. To recreate the wintery backbone of gentian liqueur, the Rosewood Hong Kong beverage team creates an infusion called Clear Bitter, made with leftover lemon peels, dandelion, and gentian root mixed with Tried & True Vodka delivered in ecoTOTE™ format. To balance and brighten the Clear Bitter infusion, the team makes a citrus infusion from leftover lemon peels, coriander seeds, and buddha hand leaves that is also infused in Tried & True Vodka. Together, the Clear Bitter and Lemon Buddha’s Hand Liqueur take the place of gentian liqueur and create substantial carbon savings!
Beyond the Eco Negroni, Arkadiusz and his team are using the ecoSPIRITS technology across the property’s bars and restaurants to further reduce waste and beverage costs. The partnership between ecoSPIRITS and Rosewood Hong Kong is eliminating thousands of single use glass bottles per year, reducing Hong Kong’s landfill waste and saving 550g of carbon emissions per bottle eliminated.
To further supplement this impact, ecoSPIRITS, its spirits partners and Rosewood Hong Kong are planting one tree for every ecoTOTE™ ordered by the hotel in the endangered Kalimantan rainforest in Borneo, Indonesia. This reforestation commitment increases the sustainability impact per serve, including for the Eco Negroni, to 150g per cocktail. Rosewood Hong Kong’s Borneo reforestation and C02 impact is made available to hotel guests through the ecoSPIRITS Forest Program’s unique ‘proof of planting’ digital interface.
Through this partnership, and the exquisite cocktails, Rosewood Hong Kong and ecoSPIRITS hope to inspire others to incorporate sustainable principles into their beverage and hospitality. Elevated beverage experiences without compromising the natural environment are now possible.
About Rosewood Hong Kong
Soaring over Victoria Harbour, Rosewood Hong Kong is a new centre of gravity on the Kowloon waterfront — the crown jewel of the Victoria Dockside arts and design district. On passing the gate and traversing the cobblestoned drive, the urban din falls away, revealing lush topiary and a serene forecourt that commands the harbour. A warm welcome heralds a stay of unparalleled comfort and distinctive hospitality at the Hong Kong luxury hotel.
For more information, visit: https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/ or follow @rosewoodhongkong on Instagram.