Innovation

Owner Lucy Carolina Vilte is dedicated to finding creative ways for the hotel and the community to live in harmony with nature, conserve energy, and nurture each other. No detail or possibility is overlooked. Lucy's parents taught her precious values… respect and care for the environment, the “Pachamama” as she calls it (mother earth), the local communities and the animals. She was shown that she could only live well if she could have balance in her life.

“Our aim is to not generate any waste.”

• Nearly 100% of waste is reused or recycled.
• Recycled and natural materials are used.
• Renewable energy consumption is a priority.
• A solar cooker prepares most of the inn’s food.
• A revolutionary solar tube system takes advantage of the sun to provide soft natural lighting and reduce electricity needs.

There’s also a dedication to accessible tourism: Ramps, accessible trails, wide doors, and handicap devices are all around the hotel to eliminate physical barriers. Collaboration with a local school for the blind provides Braille maps and info about the area.

Lucy says, “Everybody should be able to enjoy the nature, culture, and traditions.”

Travelers with food issues need not worry. Special breakfast options are provided for people with celiac, diabetic, or high blood pressure issues, so they don’t have to fret about what they can eat while travelling.

There are many examples of promoting activities to be in harmony with the community. The hotel collects all bottle caps, plus those of other companies and neighbors to recycle them. Then the money goes to support a local Foundation that helps kids with cancer get needed chemotherapy and develop environmental awareness.

Promoting cultural opportunities the hotel created the Purmamarca Children’s Orchestra and supports it with collaboration from other sponsors.

Inspiration

Owner Lucy Carolina Vilte says, “I cannot allow myself to be the best hotel without my community. If I get the prize of the ‘greenest hotel’ and my town is falling apart, everything I did is in vain, the change has to be everywhere… All I did is in vain if I can’t take it to a large scale.”

Overall impact

The hotel has developed an internal manual that provides guidelines on how to shop responsibly and to have ethical, inclusive, transparent and fair commercial practices. The eco-friendly values are not just part of employee training. Guests are encouraged to consider their carbon footprint in all their activities.

Examples: The country inn buys cleaning products from suppliers that provide environmental friendly or biodegradable products only. They buy products from San Salvador de Jujuy workshops, where handicapped people produce many high quality articles. They buy organic and local foods to promote good health. They buy local equipment and traditional decorative products from local artists. The inn tries to incorporate agro-ecological cotton for the linens, when available in the market, by buying baby sheets and baby carriers under the brand Chunchino Ecobebé.

Business benefit

The attention to detail to separate waste, recycle, conserve water, cook with solar energy, use natural materials, respect the local culture and biodiversity, and educate staff and visitors about the importance of nurturing the environment and each other is not just inspiring… It creates pride, savings, and more profit.

Social and environmental benefit

“Posta de Purmamarca is a hotel in which every investor wants to invest, every employee grow, and every visitor return.”

Ongoing training helps motivate and commit employees to the sustainable development of their region and the care of the environment because they understand how important it is and how it impacts each of them. Guests of the hotel are exposed to creative and memorable ways they can minimize their carbon footprint… a legacy they take home with them where they can inspire their own communities.

Interview

Lucy Carolina Vilte, Owner