Sustainability & Community Investment

At Brook Serene & Co Ltd we choose to work with a range of local charities, arts & cultural organisations where we can achieve a long-lasting impact on our local communities.  Our community group and charitable initiatives mirror our commitment to innovation, change and living well.

Supporting nutrition – Our passion for delicious, healthy cuisine is echoed in our involvement with organisations such as City Mission and DineAid. We also support efforts to contribute to the quality of life for under-served communities through work with organisations such as Salvation Army.

Supporting literacy– we support the development and appreciation of life long skills such as literacy and numeracy through organisations such as WORD and the Readers & Writers Festival.

Supporting arts, culture & sports– we have a number of arts & cultural partnerships including NZ Opera, The Court Theatre, Crankworx, TOGETHER Foundation, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and the Christchurch Arts Festival.

Developing local talent – Brook Serene hotels take great interest in enabling youth to gain employment within the hospitality industry.  Through training, internships and tours through our properties, we hope to inspire the next generation of dedicated hoteliers with passion, creativity and style.

Community investment – At Brook Serene, we support our local community partners with a particular focus on health and the environment.  All Brook Serene & Company Ltd employees are offered the opportunity to take two (2) fully paid days off in which to volunteer and engage in charitable work, with an organisation of their choice. This allows our employees to volunteer for causes that are close to their heart, their specific community and interests.

Brook Serene recognises that each of our boutique hotel locations’ is unique and faces different local challenges and opportunities for sustainability.  Yet, the basis for all of our efforts are founded on the same firm belief that we can deliver a distinct, personalised and memorable experience for every guest while operating responsibly. We call it Caring Luxury.

Reducing waste – Brook Serene properties recycle paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, and aluminium while our cooking oil and fat is collected and converted to bio-fuel.  Recycling bins are offered in guest rooms for waste separation.  We use refillable, recyclable containers for guest toiletries to eliminate unnecessary packing and food scraps are sent to be composted rather than added to landfill.

Reducing energy consumption – A variety of energy management initiatives are in place in each of our hotels including energy saving light bulbs, motion sensors automatically turn lights and heating off if spaces are vacant.  Geothermal energy is used at Regent of Rotorua, LED television screens are in guest rooms as they are more efficient than other screens.  Individual in-room heat pumps offer a more efficient air conditioning system.

Reducing carbon footprint  – Our hotels feature electric vehicle charging stations, and we recommend Corporate Cabs to our guests as they offset carbon emissions with carbon credits.  We actively procure environmentally certified, organic and sustainable products.

Sourcing locally and sustainably– Brook Serene properties are committed to, where possible, purchasing goods & services locally which reduces carbon emissions and helps the local economy.  Our restaurants source locally or regionally grown produce, and sustainably sourced menu items. Each of our hotels also has their own herb garden and the coffee grinds from our baristas are used as mulch and moisture conservation.

At Brook Serene & Co Ltd we recognise that destination stewardship is a cooperative and long term endeavour in which every individual employee, their partner or a guest can play an active role.

Habitat and biodiversity– from teams clearing rubbish from the River Avon in Christchurch to bee-hives atop a hotel roof providing bees for fertilisation and single origin honey to the guests, to worm farms, and composting initiatives, reuse of coffee grinds as a fertiliser and mulch, each hotel also has it’s own vegetable and herb gardens we aim to preserve natural habitats to allow the ecosystems of each destination to develop.

Preserving culture – Each Brook Serene & Co Ltd hotel is developed to respect and showcase the natural and cultural heritage of the region.  From the carefully curated local art of The George, to the considerate restoration of the historic Hulbert House in Queenstown.