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#ResponsibleLuxury

Travel with a lighter footprint

Crystalbrook Collection acknowledges the Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Owners of the land, sea and waters of the Australian continent, and recognise their custodianship of culture and Country for over 60,000 years. We acknowledge and extend our respect to Elders both past and present, and upcoming future leaders.

At Crystalbrook Collection Hotels and Resorts we aspire to protect the environment and create sustainable experiences that enhance, rather than compromise the guest experience.

We enjoy modern living through attitude, design, technology and a passion for a better world – or what we call #ResponsibleLuxury. Because the little things make a big difference.

Across the Group since we opened our first hotel in November 2018, we've saved the following from going into landfill...

Plastic amenity bottles saved

6,189,048

Plastic water bottles saved

2,338,808

Here are some more ways we embrace #ResponsibleLuxury:

EarthCheck Certified Partner

Our three Cairns hotels; Crystalbrook Riley, Crystalbrook Bailey and Crystalbrook Flynn, as well as our Brisbane hotel, Crystalbrook Vincent and Newcastle hotel, Crystalbrook Kingsley have all received silver level certification from EarthCheck.
With Crystalbrook Byron in Byron Bay receiving bronze certification.

The process involved an analysis of our sustainability management systems and an audit of each hotel considering factors such as; energy consumption, water use, carbon emissions, waste and more.

Read more about our sustainability policies

Forget counting fat calories, climate calories are the future

Crystalbrook Collection has begun labelling menu items across our 17 restaurants and bars with Climate Calorie info, to enable you to enjoy your meal, comfortable that you're mitigating your environmental impact.

Through Climate Calories, you'll be able to immediately see whether the ingredients in your dish are:
- Locally sourced within a three-hour drive
- Sustainably grown or caught
- Are culturally considered, using native ingredients and working with indigenous producers
- Consciously reduce waste, using the whole ingredient
- Supplied to the restaurant in eco-friendly packaging

Discover restaurants and bars

(Constantly) composting

At Crystalbrook Byron in Byron Bay and Crystalbrook Flynn
in Cairns, we’re doing our bit to grow, ten Subpods®. Food waste from our restaurants, bars and guest rooms and suites goes directly into our Subpods®. By using Subpods® for composting we divert up to 105 kilograms per day of waste from landfill.

Discover Subpods®

The first hospitality group in Australia to achieve 100% waste-free bathrooms

All of our bathroom amenities are biodegradable or recyclable (even the toothbrush is made from sugarcane and corn starch), and we've introduced EcoPure® lining to the packaging of items, an organic additive which activates enzymes in the packaging to help fast-track the biodegrading process, ensuring no waste is left behind.

Goodbye plastic pollution, hello sustainability revolution

We say no to plastic water bottles and instead offer reusable glass bottles in our rooms, removing over 375,000 plastic bottles from use each year.

Large pump amenity bottles

Small plastic bathroom amenity bottles have been replaced with Crystalbrook Immersion large pump bottles. Crystalbrook Immersion is our bespoke amenity range featuring essential oils and indigenous Australian ingredients such as Davidson Plum and Rosella. By using large pump bottles, we save approximately 1.9 million bottles from going into landfill each year!

Guilt-free caffeine hits

We have partnered with TerraCycle to provide a zero-waste approach to coffee capsules. This allows guests to enjoy quality coffee without the guilt of what happens to the pod. Through TerraCycle, used pods and mechanically and/or manually separated into metals, organics and plastics. Metals are melted so they may be recycled. The organics (such as the coffee grounds) are composted. The plastics undergo extrusion and pelletization to be moulded into new recycled plastic products.

(Constantly) composting

Crystalbrook Albion utilises BioPak's compost initiative, Organic Recycling Group, where all single-use paper bags, coffee cups, napkins and paper straws, coffee grounds and leftover food are collected for compost. The housekeeping team also collect biodegradable waste from in-room during cleaning service.

Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef

We are a Founding Citizen and ongoing partner of the Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef. Spearheaded by Earth Hour founder, Andy Ridley, Citizens of Great Barrier Reef is a social movement designed to change consumer understanding of how everyday actions have an impact on the Great Barrier Reef and overall environment.

Discover Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef

Recycled coat hangers

Even our coat hangers have had another life – they are 100% recycled made from pressed cardboard.

Plastic straws no more

Our straws, disposable bags and takeaway containers are plastic-free, made from corn, sugar cane and related environmentally friendly and fully degradable materials.

Containers for Change

We recycle all possible guest waste material and we're part of the Containers for Change scheme.

Discover Containers for Change

100% recycled wooden key cards

We've replaced traditional plastic guest room key cards with wooden key cards, made from 100% recycled wood.

$10 food and drink credit to help save the planet

For each night you choose to have a 'Footprint-free stay' (aka opting out of having your room serviced and linen changed), you'll enjoy a $10 food and beverage credit to spend at our restaurants and bars.

Staying at Crystalbrook Byron? You'll get $20 food and drink credit.

Recycled or FSC paper only

Where paper is required, we use recycled or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper stocks only.

Paperless tech

Through the use of technology, such as in-room iPads, we have removed an estimated 90% of the paper found in a typical five-star hotel room. We also use technology in other parts of the hotel to reduce paper usage – as an example, we run a paperless press office and paperless check-in and check-out.

Farewell fast fashion, hello hire heroes

In Cairns and Newcastle we have partnered with local fashion hire company, Bella Boutique Hire and Goldies Dress Hire, to encourage our guests to hire their holiday outfit rather than buy a one-off piece that contributes to landfill.

Discover Bella Boutique

Kaizen Workwear

At Crystalbrook Byron, our chef’s are sustainably suited up by Kaizen Hospitality Workwear. This Australian startup based on the Gold Coast uses innovative, eco-conscious threads to make hospitality workwear that's better for chefs and the planet. The design process involved in creating their garments is thorough, making sure that they make eco-conscious choices as well as making sure that their uniforms are comfortable, high quality and stylish.

Discover Kaizen Workwear

Sustainable suppliers

St. Agni, a sustainable Byron Bay fashion label, has partnered with Byron at Byron to provide eco-friendly and sustainable uniforms for the Resort’s front-line staff.

Discover St Agni.

Caffeinating, sustainably

HuskeeCups are available for purchase in all Crystalbrook Byron guest suites. Plus, they'll throw in a free hot drink to get you started on your waste-free journey. Cheers to sustainability (and free coffee!)

Discover the HuskeeCup

Koala Lager and Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital

At Byron, $2 from every pint of Seven Mile Brewing Co’s Koala Lager goes directly to building and operating Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital, Australia’s largest mobile wildlife hospital, which bridges a significant gap in specialist care, equipment and facilities to treat and rehabilitate injured and traumatised wildlife to recovery.

Find Out More

Buzzing for bees

Crystalbrook Byron is also home to three thriving honeybee colonies each housed within their own Flow Hive. The bees will forage up to 20sqkm and visit more than one million flowers for every half kilo of honey produced. The honey is then served to guests as part of the Resort's commitment to offering local, organic and sustainable cuisine. The installation and maintenance of bee apiaries help the environment by providing bees with a home to pollinate the surrounding gardens and native plants.