Ground was recently broken on Dubai’s first sustainable hotel, which will have 100 per cent of its energy needs met by solar power. The 143-room Hotel Indigo will be part of  The Sustainable City, the emirate’s first sustainable integrated development. It will have a neighbourhood café and a speciality restaurant, and will be located near to an organic farm that will supply all the herbs the hotel needs.

The architecture and interior design across the new IHG hotel, as well as its operations and guest experiences, are aimed at incorporating  sustainability principles. The hotel’s approach will include recycling all waste water produced, and material waste will be sorted at source and then recycled. A solar powered shuttle bus transportation service will be available to guests, ensuring they are well-connected to Downtown Dubai.

Guests will be able to enjoy an array of meals and snacks at Hotel Indigo Dubai Sustainable City’s all-day dining restaurant and pool bar, in a family-friendly, alcohol-free environment. During their leisure time, they can work out at the health club or various wellness and leisure facilities, including a fully-equipped gymnasium, an outdoor pool inspired by cascading natural pools and an outdoor yoga deck within the orchard.

“Upon completion, we look forward to welcoming our guests to this exclusive property, that reflects the changing tastes of the discerning travellers who not only seek unique local experiences but are also sensitive to their own carbon footprint and believe in greater environmental stewardship,” says Pascal Gauvin, InterContinental Hotels Group chief operating officer for India, Middle East & Africa.

Phase 1 of The Sustainable City has completed, and when finished, the complex will house 2700 residents in 500 residential villas. Its attractions will include 10,000 trees, autonomous vehicles, a community centre, an equestrian centre and solar-covered parking lots, as well as tourist attractions such as a planetarium and a grass amphitheatre for hosting events.

Faris Saeed, Diamond Developer CEO, added: “We have created a living, breathing, sustainable community that is cost-effective and eco-friendly for over 300 families, and after proving that the concept is feasible and successful, we look forward to commencing phase 2 of The Sustainable City, with Hotel Indigo representing the first of four buildings that we are adding.”