A Quinta da Auga is a boutique hotel and spa. Situated in Santiago de Compostela, at the end of the world-famous pilgrim’s way, the hotel is on a journey of its own: to support the WWF’s Earth Hour by becoming a true eco-hotel.
It marks the WWF’s Earth Hour every March by planting naturally fire-resistant chestnut trees on its estate for each guest—helping offset the effects of summer wildfires. The harvested chestnuts also feature in the restaurant menu—a quintessential example of the quinta’s “tree to table” local sourcing philosophy. It also supports Earth Hour through its eco-hotel initiative—embracing the latest energy technologies while preserving its historic buildings. It has installed micro-cogeneration for electricity and hot water—cutting the energy used by up to 40%; fitted 15, carefully concealed solar panels; and moved to underfloor heating and cooling for the entire building. This last innovation uses the building’s ancient, thick stone walls to deliver considerable savings over conventional approaches.
