Sustainability
Pump Bottles
Without compromising on our luxurious Byredo and Appelles amenities, Little National Hotels opted to rid the hotel of single use plastics wherever possible in 2021.
All bathroom amenities are now delivered via wall mounted pump bottles which present multiple benefits. Byredo and Appelles Bottle pumps are guest friendly, re-filled tamper proof, easily cleaned and replaced as needed.
When replaced the large bottles are recycled and product waste has been significantly reduced, especially from one-night stays.
Seedling Sole slippers
Little National Hotel made the conscious decision in 2021 to change to Seedling Sole slippers which are natural, plant-based and 100% biodegradable.
Costing the hotel more per unit than our previous generic white hotel slipper, this change, whilst costing us more, means a better outcome for our environment and something that can be thoughtfully discarded into the compost where they will completely decompose.
In addition to the slippers themselves decomposing, the packaging is paper which can be recycled, not individually wrapped plastic ending up in landfill.
Samsung tablets by Tapendium & Chyma
All guest rooms at Little National Hotel Sydney and Little National Hotel Newcastle are fitted with a Samsung tablet which has replaced our paper hotel guide, alarm clock and phones.
The tablet operates as a digital compendium enabling real time property updates. In addition to the compendium function, it doubles as the in-room phone using Chyma technology enabling us to remove the traditional phones from the rooms.
The old, yet still perfectly operational phones, were then transferred to another Doma Hotel in need of a phone upgrade. This prevented 120 phones going straight to landfill.
We also use the tablet as a means to communicate our environmental practices with our guests. Presented as a main tile on the home page, our sustainability messages are easily accessible for in house guests to review.
Contactless check in/out kiosks
In conjunction with our paperless practices, Little National Hotel spent over two years developing our guest kiosk and launched the service in 2020.
The kiosk enables efficient, contactless check in and check out and is perfectly aligned with our paperless practices which have been in place since hotel conception.
With guests opting for contactless experiences more recently, the kiosk is a great addition to our hotel lobby.
Paperless property
Little National Hotels has seamlessly embraced hotel software to operate efficiently through electronic invoices, confirmations, folios, and reporting.
This approach eliminates the need for storing archive boxes filled with registration cards and guest information, maximising space and streamlining processes.
Beyond financial savings, this shift has significantly enhanced the guest experience. By removing the requirement for guests to complete registration forms upon arrival, the check-in process begins with genuine, face-to-face interactions—a refreshing and increasingly rare personal touch in today’s digital age.
Energy saving practices
The Orion Energy Management System (EMS) was implemented in the planning stages of the hotel. The program works cohesively with the hotel software system to ensure electricity is only utilised when needed.
With technology that identifies the difference between a staff and guest key, lights and air-conditioning are activated when a guest checks in at reception, eradicating unnecessary usage when staff enter rooms and eliminating the possibility of lights and air conditioning remaining on when a room is unoccupied.
Once inside the guest room, motion sensors detect movement to enable the system to stay active or turn off if there is no movement.
Who Gives a Crap toilet paper
Who Gives a Crap? We do!
Fifty percent of all profits made in product sales from WGAC toilet paper are given back to communities through the construction of sanitation amenities in developing countries.
Although less financially viable than our previous toilet paper, WGAC shows greater environmental and charitable benefit making Little National Hotel a proud supporter despite the higher cost of this guest amenity.
SoapAid recycling
Little National Hotel Sydney has been involved with SoapAid for five years now and continues its partnership despite this moving to a paid program (previously this was a complimentary program). This initiative involves our used soap bars being collected in bulk and taken for processing and repackaging. SoapAid then ship boxes of newly packaged soap to third world countries.
For five years Little National Hotel Sydney committed the $1000 annual fee but now has the support of amenities suppliers, Vanity Group who support this program and pay the annual fee on behalf of Little National Hotel Sydney.
CAPI water
Little National Hotel proudly offers CAPI water, a 100% Australian-owned and made company, using only real, high-quality ingredients — never anything artificial. Their drinks are bottled in recycled glass, not plastic, helping to reduce environmental impact.
As a beverage company, CAPI recognises that packaging matters. They work to minimise their footprint by using plastic-free, recyclable packaging; bottling locally to reduce freight emissions; and partnering with like-minded, sustainable suppliers.
Solar panels
Most recent annual output at Little National Canberra was 76,285 kWhs. (Less than previously possibly due to the La Nina weather system generating less solar energy.)
Our paid energy consumption of that same period was 317,213 kWh, so over this particular period has really only covered 20% of our consumption requirement.
The financial savings for this period come to 15.7K.
Low Emissions Stay
Little National Hotel’s Low Emissions Stay initiative gives guests the option to reduce their environmental impact while enjoying a $10 nightly room rate reduction, available on stays of two nights or more.
Sustainable Tourism Accreditation
Australia’s largest and longest-running tourism sustainability program, with over 3,000 businesses accredited, integrates environmental, cultural, social, and commercial sustainability practices.
Accredited businesses deliver high-quality, memorable visitor experiences that exceed expectations while showcasing sustainability.
The program covers key areas of sustainable tourism, including:
Environmental Management
Social & Cultural Responsibility
Ethics & Professional Conduct
Customer Service, Safety & Protection
Staff Wellness & Human Resources
Sustainable Operations
Regulatory Compliance
Sustainable Marketing & Promotion
Source: Sustainable Tourism Accreditation – Quality Tourism Australia
Sustainability achievements
NABERS rating 4* for Energy 4* for Water (Little National Sydney)
ACT AHA Awards winner
‘Excellence in Innovation, Sustainability and Environmental Practice’
Everyday Climate Choice Awards winner
‘Corporate Climate Leader’
Everyday Climate Choice Awards winner
‘Ministers Award for Leadership’
General Manager, Kathryn Carling
Everyday Climate Choice Awards finalist
‘Excellence in Innovation’
Tourism Employee Awards winner
‘Excellence in Sustainability’
General Manager, Kathryn Carling
Hotel Management Awards, finalist
‘Innovative Collaboration’
ACTSmart Official Accreditation
(ACT Government sustainable business accreditation)
No Vacancy Hotel Conference & Exhibition, sustainability panel guest speaker
‘Less talk, More Action’