Ritz Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara to end plastic waste

With 81% of travelers surveyed recently saying they plan to choose a sustainable lodging option, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara, CA, has announced another major step in its continuing drive toward sustainable operations.

FloWater Refill Stations have been installed throughout the luxury property in a move to eliminate single-use plastics and provide guests with a healthier, high-end drinking water experience.

“Our guests are keenly aware of sustainability and wellness lifestyles and more and more of them are arriving with their refillable water bottles in hand, expecting that we will have a plastic-free option for hydration,” says Steve Janicek, General Manager at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara. “FloWater is a popular brand of water and with its Advanced Purification, alkalization, added electrolytes and great taste; fits right in with our premium guest experience.”

The FloWater Refill Stations are part of a comprehensive sustainability strategy at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara that delivers unparalleled guest experience, while protecting natural resources. The environmentally responsible initiatives include: reducing energy and water usage, offering a linen and terry reuse program, implementing recycling initiatives, and utilizing environmentally preferable cleaning products. The luxury resort destination also offers organic and local foods and sustainable seafood in our restaurants, organic treatments and products in their spa and paperless billing to guests upon checkout.

Ultra-purified FloWater is changing how drinking water is served in the US as a popular alternative to plastic water bottles and 5 gallon plastic jugs in offices, hotels, gyms and schools. The company has been recognized by Inc. Magazine for three consecutive years as one of America’s fastest-growing, privately held companies. “There is a mega-shift away from single-use plastics underway across North America with consumers demanding less plastic waste where they work, rest and play,” says FloWater CEO and Co-Founder, Rich Razgaitis. “Our FloWater Refill Stations solve the immediate need in the hospitality market for hotels to adapt to these rapidly changing consumer expectations.”

FloWater Refill Stations feature a 7-stage water filtration and purification process that removes up to 99.9% of all contaminants, including microplastics, chlorine, PFAS, fluoride, lead, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, herbicides, and other environmental toxins. The Ritz-Carlton Bacara has placed its FloWater Refill Stations for guest use at The Spa, fitness center, tennis courts and on the Ballroom Level and near the Front Desk. There is also one in the property’s executive offices for staff hydration.