Special Achievements:
We have participated in Programme for Belize's implementation of Rainforest Alliance's "Best Management Practices" and have seen a 22% increase in our 'green' score over the past 18 months.
We were short-listed for the 2006 Responsible Tourism awards.

Energy Rating: ★★★★★ (5)
Staff Comment - Renewable energy is an important part of our philosophy and we continually strive to reduce our use of non-renewable energy. Our power system is a combination of three sources - solar panels, a battery-inverter system, and a generator (required by Belize hotel legislation).

The generator is run for a minimum number of hours each day - usually four to five hours in the evening – when all all our 'power-hungry' tasks are carried out so as to maximise the generator’s use and minimise fuel consumption. Whilst running, the generator charges up a bank of deep-cycle batteries, to supplement the power provided from our solar panels.

Since opening in November 2005 we have successfully halved our generator useage to an average of five hours each day, through vigilence, guest education, and the installation of additional solar panels and batteries.

Water Rating: ★★★★★ (5)
Staff Comment - We collect rainwater – our preferred choice – but also have a 100 foot well. The cottages, bar-restaurant, and our own house each have their own water treatment systems, with grey water being filtered through a leach field planted with bananas, and the black water treated in a rotoplas 'biodigestor' septic system.

Our water heaters, efficiency-tested shower heads, and hot taps are sited as close together as possible, and water heaters are switched off when the cottages are not occupied. Our gardens are landscaped with native plants hardy enough to withstand the dry season, and therefore do not require irrigation. The only area of our land which we irrigate is our small farm, using collected rainwater or by the regular 'draining' of our reserve tank, which forms part of our preventative maintenance plan.

Our policy is to change linen and towels every three to four days, unless otherwise requested. We ask our guests to be mindful of their water consumption, to turn off taps when not required, and to report any leaks immediately. We monitor water consumption by means of a water meter.

Disposal Rating: ★★★★★ (5)
Staff Comment - Sophisticated waste management systems are not easily available in Belize and we are constantly mindful of the 'cradle to grave' principles: we reuse wherever and whatever possible, whether natural products or man-made.

The majority of our glass bottles are recyclable in Belize, and are returned to the local drinks' 'depot' for return to the bottling plant. Wine bottles, for which there are no formal recyling facilities, are donated for bottling honey, wine, and coconut oil, or as fish traps. We have eliminated the purchase of plastic water bottles, adapting empty spirits bottles for use by guests in the rooms and restaurant, and provide insulated sports bottles for guests’ use on day-trips. We encourage guests to refill water bottles by providing free refills from our larger bottles which are themselves recycled by the bottling plant. Paper is kept to a minimum – we use both sides of each sheet of paper, save and reuse paper and newsprint, and print only business cards for our marketing purposes. We avoid the use of plastic bags, but those we do have are washed, sterilised and re-used wherever possible. Our boxed lunches are packaged in reusable plastic containers, we provide guests with jam-jar ashtrays, and ask them to bring their garbage back with them. Guests are encouraged to make use of our composting bins as appropriate.

Eco-Active Rating: ★★★★★ (5)
Staff Comment - Our successful participation in Programme for Belize’s implementation of RA’s Best Management Practice required detailed analysis and corrective measures in all areas of our business, the formal introduction of monitoring programmes, and the documentation of policies. We educate both staff and guests on environmental measures, have installed water metres, and improved our energy efficiency and waste management systems.

We use a minimum of chemicals on our farm (and, where choice exists, purchase products that are least harmful to the environment) and use natural cleaning products such as vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. We grow trees for replanting on our and neighbouring land, and work closely with the Forestry Department in an attempt to reduce illegal logging.

We provide the use of free bikes for our guests, encourage them to 'tread lightly', have a range of books on Belize's flora and fauna, and have several trees and plants identified throughout the property.

Protection Rating: ★★★★★ (5)
Staff Comment - Our philosophy is to minimize the negative socio-cultural impacts of tourism, whilst maximizing economic benefit to the community. We are committed to raising awareness and educating our guests in the different local cultures and the impact that their presence may have.

We provide comprehensive information in our room folders, and have established a small but growing library of books on Belizean history and culture for guests to enjoy. We use only registered Belizean tour operators and certified tour guides to support the local tourism industry, and also endeavour to increase the number of activities guests can enjoy using public transport and local 'site' guides. Our gift shop stocks only Belizean items, and features items unique to Toledo - MayaBags, handmade ocarinas, and hand-made clay necklaces.

We serve locally produced coffee and organic chocolate to our guests, and play local music produced by Stonetree Records. We encourage our guests to 'eat out' for an authentic Belizean experience, and do not compete with local restaurants. We are committed to purchasing as many goods locally as possible, with approximately 90% of our purchases made within 3 miles of Hickatee Cottages. We give preference to local products, and work with local providers to improve the range of goods available, and to make products more environmentally friendly.

When we have no alternative but to buy imported goods we purchase these locally first, and nationally second, giving preference to CARICOM produced goods. We consider staff training an integral element in ensuring long-term sustainability of the tourism industry in Toledo, and we are committed to training, empowering and supporting our staff in all aspects of their work. We operate an equal opportunities policy, and employ four local permanent members of staff, providing them with a safe working environment, and operating under terms and conditions above those required by the employment laws of Belize. Our staff are involved in both the day to day running of the business and the longer term development of our business, and we support those who wish to further their education or training wherever possible.

All staff receive training in the areas of resource conservation and environmental impact, and at least one member of staff is involved in annual reviews of policy documents, and our interim walk-through monitoring exercises. We work with a local environmental organization, donating marketing and design services, and donate to several other local organizations. We serve on the CacaoFest committee (which has now staged its second successful festival of cacao and culture) as well as the Toledo Responsible Tourism working party.

Contact Details

Name:
Hickatee Cottages
Address:
PO Box 148
Ex-Servicemen Road
Punta Gorda
Toledo District
Belize
Telephone:
00 501 662 4475
Website:
www.hickatee.com
E-mail:
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