The Gaia Napa Valley Hotel & Spa (www.gaianapavalleyhotel.com) claims to be Napa Valley’s first ’eco-sustainable’ hotel cum spa and the world’s first Gold LEED certified hotel. So before we begin an inquisition into the Gaia’s mojo, let’s just take a gander at what exactly ’LEED’ stands for and what having a Gold certification from aforementioned entity means.

LEED stands for ‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’  and it is run by the U.S. Green Building Council. You can read more, in mind numbing detail, at their website - www.usgbc.org. As you can see, its not exactly something your neighbour Joe just dreamed up a couple of days ago as a green standard for the entire Street. LEED certification is serious stuff, because you have to earn points at every level from design to construction, daily management and consumption practices.

The fact that the Gaia Napa Valley hotel managed to get it means that they are ‘certified’ green on most all things you would encounter when you visit. Sarah Backhouse, gliving.tv, provides the lowdown on the Gaia’s ‘greeniness’. Each of the 132 guest rooms utilize lumber that’s Forest Stewardship Council approved. Low VOC paints are used throughout the hotel for coatings, adhesives and sealants. Carpets are made from post consumer recycled material.

Recycled tile and granite line the restroom floors, which are fitted out with low flush toilets. Gaze out of your efficient windows at the chemical free landscaping while breathing in improved air quality courtesy of your HVAC unit. But what cements the Gaia Napa hotel as the greenest hotel in the world lies in the nightstand drawer. Alongside the Gideon Bible and Buddha’s teachings is a copy of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth”.

Wen Chang, the creator of this green paradise, has painstakingly made his dedication to green tourism eminently clear. Watch his video interview with ZDNet’s Sumi Das, and you’ll see why. The Gaia has an energy usage meter which tells guests how much water and electricity the hotel is using every minute. Color me impressed! This is not just a token nod to the importance of green tourism and lodging. This is a shining example of how innovatively green a hotel can be without making guests uncomfortable or inconvinienced.

It seems a bit unfair to talk about room rates and bathroom fixtures after all this, but I’ll give it a shot. Each room comes with cable TV, complimentary tea and coffee maker with organic fair trade coffees and teas, high speed internet, refrigirator, microwave, hairdryers, iron & ironing board, complimentary local calls. Room rates start at $139 per night, but the hotel offers a ‘Manager’s Special’ package which comes at $99 per night, provided you book a stay between Sunday and Thursday.

Additional amenities at the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel include a heated outdoor pool, hot tub, a full-service health spa, takeaway breakfast brown bags for $5.00, 24-hour front desk, and an onsite fitness facility. You want a tour of the wine country and have a good time, just book in at any of the Napa Valley hotels you find on the way from San Francisco. You want to have a good time, and do some good, book in at the Gaia.

Info: 3600 Broadway Street, American Canyon, CA 94503; (888) 798-3777 

Posted on April 12th, 2008 by PLing
Filed under: Hotels