I recently attended the ReBoot22 Conference hosted by Traverse Events in Hamburg. The conference was all about creativity within your work, recharging ones energy to help you work better and being more productive. The conference spanned over four days Friday to Monday. On the Friday and Monday, we enjoyed days out to explore Hamburg which was arranged by Traverse.
On the Saturday and Sunday, there were hands on lectures and practical sessions hosted by some amazing speakers on a variety of topics. The evenings were time to mingle and party at various different venues in and around Hamburg.
Hamburg is the second largest city of Northern Germany and it is also one of Europe’s third largest ports. It is connected to the North Sea by the Elbe River and throughout Hamburg there are many rivers and canals and over 2500 bridges. It is a very green city with lots of parkland and open spaces.
Hamburg boasts a rich architectural heritage; the city is also home to iconic venues such as the Elbphilharmonie and Laeisszhalle concert halls.
Their architectural designs are simply stunning and the views from the roof top of the Elbphilharmonie are spectacular.
Getting around Hamburg is easy; there is the Hamburg Metrowhich is an underground transport system known as U Bahn. It has 4 major lines that are colour coded and 91 stations.
There are plenty of hotels and hostels in Hamburg to suit all tastes and budgets. During my stay, I stayed at the Scandic Hamburg Emporio.
The hotel is very contemporary in design, but what I was totally impressed with was their commitment to sustainability. The Scandic Hamburg Emporio has taken various actions to make a difference. They have a water design theme around the hotel to show this and focus on taking measures to reduce water wastage. All the water is filtered, carbonated and chilled in the hotel to save 160 tons of CO² by eliminating transportation. Guests are encouraged to reuse towels where appropriate and additionally, in order to reduce unnecessary water waste and laundry costs, the restaurants do not use table cloths.
Scandic pays attention to the careful use of resources by using green energy from renewable sources. You will find that throughout the hotel, there is energy saving lighting and motion sensors which avoid unnecessary use of electricity.
The hotel decor is bright and airy; all the rooms are eco rooms which are very spacious and have real wood flooring, an ensuite shower and toilet. The rooms have a mini bar, kettle with tea and coffee recycling.making facilities and a fridge; therefore it is perfect to enjoy a drink whilst spending time in the room. You will find everything you need in your room such as; a hair dryer, ironing board and iron and also shampoo and shower gel in refillable dispensers. All the rooms have bins with compartments for separating the waste for
At breakfast, there is a huge variety of food on offer. The self-serve buffet has options of continental, cold and hot foods, together with cereals, breads, fruits and juices. The hotel sources seasonal and organic products and supports fair trade.
I was really impressed that there was a gluten free section too and plant based milks and yoghurts for those guests with dietary needs. Sustainability does not stop there, I was amazed to learn that the oils as well as fats used in the hotel kitchens are converted to second-generation biodiesel via Refood and food waste is converted to biogas.
During our stay we had the pleasure of having the free mini bar that was replenished daily and we also had the use of the living room on the seventh floor. The living room has a private work space and kitchen facilities with drinks and snacks available throughout the day. It was perfect for those guests that want peace and quiet to work or relax and get a bite to eat without having to go down to the main restaurant.
To continue their support in sustainability, in the ArtRooms on the 7th and 8th floors, guests use toilet paper from the non-profit company Goldeimer and support the sanitation projects and work of Viva con Agua with their purchase. Every Scandic hotel commits to supporting charitable projects each year.
The hotel has conference rooms with facilities for hosting meetings too. For those that enjoy their daily exercise, there is a well-equipped gym and sauna too.
The hotel is totally barrier free and braille is used in the lifts for those partially sighted guests. I am so glad I stayed at a hotel that is supporting sustainability in such a strong way and also ensuring that all the guests have a comfortable stay and are encouraged to support sustainability too.
**This post was in collaboration with Scandic Hamburg Emporio, who offered me a discounted stay, all views and opinions expressed in this post are of my experience of the stay.
