Sustainability - The Yeatman Hotel

Respect for our environment has been one of the main pillars of our business since the beginning of The Yeatman project.

Many features were incorporated into the design and operation of The Yeatman to help reduce its impact on the environment and its carbon footprint.

Gardens

Prior to construction of The Yeatman, there was no demolition on site as the land was not in use and there were no pre-existing buildings. The Yeatman was designed and built to blend with its environment, using local materials (such as granite) and an architectural style which have allowed it to merge unobtrusively with the historic area and hillside landscape of the Port wine lodges.

Three and a half acres (1.4 hectares) of gardens were created, providing a refuge for migratory birds as well as 6500 types of herbaceous plants, 6100 types of shrubs and 22 different types of trees, chosen for their historic and sustainable value, including a 1400 year old olive tree, a symbol of millennial renovation. Several hundred plants were chosen for their medicinal and therapeutic properties. The gardens, which did not exist prior to building The Yeatman, except for a handful of trees, provide a much-needed green area and natural habitat in the city.

Energy

80 thermal solar panels harness the sun’s solar power to provide hot water for hotel use, including the indoor pool heating system – amounting to a yearly average of 102.000Kwh.

Energy saving lighting is used throughout the hotel including LED lights, where possible, and lighting areas are controlled by presence detectors.

Water Conservation

Rain harvesting and water wells on the land, supply water for sanitary use and garden irrigation, thus saving on local water supplies. (This represents a saving or re-usage of 210,000m3 of water in the last 10 years of our existence).

Waste Reduction and Disposal

Waste reduction and separation is an important environmental initiative at The Yeatman.

A strict separation of rubbish is carried out in all hotel departments, that includes glass, metal, plastic and paper and their subsequent collection. Office printing has been reduced to a minimum in all departments.

Industrial equipment produces compost from recycled waste from the kitchen and grass mowed from the lawns, which is then used as fertiliser in the gardens. This cycle ensures The Yeatman’s self-sustainability with regard to the existing flora.

Additional Sustainable Initiatives

A purification system produces purified drinking water from the mains supply for use in many of the hotel outlets, reducing emissions created by the transport of bottled water and the recycling of glass.

Guests are informed of sustainable initiatives within the hotel and the contribution that they can make, for example, in helping to separate rubbish and save on their water usage in bathrooms and in the need for washing sheets and towels.

The Yeatman also enforces the following additional environmental measures:

Wooden coffee spoons in the staff vending machines (replacing plastic spoons);
The abolition of plastic straws in all F&B outlets;
Daily water, electricity and gas consumption control to guarantee efficiency and prevent leaks;
Waste management and minimisation;
Bedrooms and offices have waste separation bins to promote adequate waste disposal and recycling;
Plenty of natural light which helps save electricity in artificial lighting, in both front and back areas of the Hotel;
Bedroom windows have fixtures whereby when opened, the air conditioning cuts out immediately;
Electricity meters are installed in the Kitchens and Laundry to track consumption;
Signs for staff and guests are placed next to light switches and kitchen and laundry equipment to help reduce energy consumption by turning off lights when not in use and by using machinery at full capacity only, etc.;
Water flow regulators are used in the Kitchen and Bathrooms taps and showers to save water;
The kitchens use predominantly seasonal, fresh produce, the majority of which is sourced locally;
There is a focus on sustainably sourced products and healthier cuisine - less meat, fat and salt for example as well as vegetarian options;
The Yeatman Wine Spa treatments and products offer gentle skincare that is rich in anti-oxidants from the grape and vine and free of chemicals and parabens;
Naturally purified and refillable, complimentary water is offered in bedrooms and at meetings.

Sustainable Tourism Tips

Portugal in general, and especially the city of Porto, are holders of a vast cultural heritage, full of monuments and amounting to immeasurable wealth.

Everyone should help protect and restore monuments to allow their story to be told to future generations.

We can contribute to the conservation of Cultural Heritage in various ways:

By Visiting Monuments and Public Interest Sites:

Visiting monuments and sites of interest is a way of protecting our national heritage;
Usually one must contribute with an entrance fee which helps cover maintenance costs and/or visitor information;
Encouraging children to visit monuments – to understand their culture and to preserve and respect their heritage.

By Helping to maintain Monuments and Public Interest Sites in respecting their rules of use:

By not leaving any rubbish on site – unless disposed of in the correct manner;
By keeping noise levels down allowing other visitors to contemplate and enjoy the site;
By respecting the existing rules in each space.

Recycling

Recycling is an important way we can help protect the environment when we travel.

We encourage guests to recycle by:

Providing a bin to help separate rubbish in your room;
Providing an Eco point in the Hotel in Reception/Concierge.

In addition to recycling, we can help the environment by using items with a long life.

For example, at The Yeatman, we use reusable glass bottles for drinking water (in the bedrooms and for events) - to avoid using disposable plastic bottles, and to save on CO2 emissions.

We encourage our guests to use a ‘long-life’ Refillable water bottle too – instead of using a regular plastic one.

This is useful when sight-seeing to avoid the wastage of plastic bottles, also to save on C02 emissions.

Certifications

The Yeatman was awarded Green Key Certification in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and Travelife Certification in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 for its high standards within the realm of sustainability.

About Green Key:

GREEN KEY is a leading international eco-label for tourism and hospitality facilities, one of the biggest global eco-labels in the world. Green Key works with international hotel chains and independent hotels, such as The Yeatman, who recognise the value of Green Key to support their work to make their establishment more sustainable.

About Travelife:
The Travelife Certification programme encompasses a 3-stage approach: 1) Engagement and Commitment; 2) Provision of Sustainability Report and Requirements; 3) Travelife Certification following evaluation by independent auditors based on an on-site assessment.

Learn more about our Certifications, Sustainability Plan, Quality & Sustainability Report and Purchasing Policy.