The Ambassade Hotel: Heartwarming efforts in the Amsterdam canal district

The Ambassade Hotel offers you a waterfront vantage point from which to immerse yourself in the wonderful atmosphere of Amsterdam’s canals. Relish the charm and comfort of an extraordinary private hotel in the heart of one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Green Globe recently recertified the Ambassade Hotel for the second consecutive year.

Maro van Andel, Adjunct Director at Ambassade Hotel, said, “We are proud to be a Green Globe member, we see the certification as recognition for our efforts made and the chosen path for a more sustainable hotel.”

As the community and city of Amsterdam is of great importance for the vitality of the Ambassade Hotel, the property is committed to making a constructive contribution to the sustainable quality of life in its surrounding neighborhood. The property offers monthly free cultural events for neighbors such as conversations between writers and interviewers, and twice-a-year free musical performances and a reception for local residents are held.

Ambassade’s fine dining restaurant Brasserie Ambassade features French cuisine based on seasonality with vegetarian and vegan dishes and works diligently with responsible suppliers, while monitoring and reducing wastage.

Last winter, the Ambassade Hotel assisted with the conservation of UNESCO heritage listed buildings. The hotel worked in partnership with a contractor, who specializes in the restoration of monuments, to undertake major repairs and maintenance on two canal houses. The project ensures that the historical buildings will be around for future generations to enjoy.

The Ambassade Hotel is a respected employer in Amsterdam and has introduced a renewed industry standard as part of the collective labor agreement. In the Netherlands, everyone has health insurance but employees receive a discount through the collective agreement. The property promoted and continues to support collective health insurance for all its employees.

Collaboration with local government, universities and peer hotels is part of the hotel’s commitment to regional development. Ambassade Hotel participated in research to keep the old city center accessible and a vibrant and sustainable environment to live and work in. In addition, the property was a leader in defining the practice of circular economy for hotels in Amsterdam. Furthermore, as part of a waste project in the old city center the hotel targeted the reduction of the number of trucks collecting waste, deciding appropriate pick up points and ways to improve the segregation of waste.

To reduce its footprint, guests can now opt to take electric taxis to the airport. Last year 500 rides were booked, and Ambassade Hotel will continue to actively promote e-taxi’s in 2018. Other green initiatives carried out included the installation of the last conventional light bulbs with LEDs, the replacement of an old water pressure system with a more energy efficient one and the changeover from a motorcycle (moped) to an electric bike which is available for hire.

Green Globe is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe is based in California, USA and is represented in over 83 countries. Green Globe is an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). For information, please visit greenglobe.com