ECOTEL status for city hotel

Chennai, Apr 19 (UNI) The city-based five star hotel 'The Rain Tree' has been awarded the prestigious ECOTEL certificate by the US-based HVS International today.

With this certification, the hotel is the only 5-star hotel in southern India and the fifth hotel in the country to have received this status so far.

HVS International Managing Director Manav Thadani told reporters that ever since the first property was certified as an ECOTEL hotel way back in 1994, over 1100 hotels, resorts and inns had applied for this certification.

The certificate is awarded only after satisfying the five globes-- energy conservation, water conservation, solid waste management, employee environmental education and environmental commitment.

Mr Thadani said five more hotels including one each at Kolkata, Pune and Hyderabad would receive the certification within a couple of years.

Hotel Managing Director Subba Reddy said he was going to put up another hotel project in the city at an estimated cost of Rs 80 crore.

He said the new project woudld start by July this year and would adopt the prescribed 'globes' for receiving ECOTEL status.

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