San Diego GreenLife

by Erik Pettersen

During a time when other businesses implode from the bad investments of a greedy few, Hotel Indigo strives to grow on green principles by building San Diego’s first LEED certified hotel.

Incorporating a brand identity that uses San Diego’s own natural resources as a theme, Hotel Indigo’s attractions for green travelers aren’t just luxury for luxury’s sake.

Each hotel in the Indigo chain offers luxury that weaves local resources and art into a tapestry that rewards guests searching for a four-star boutique hotel with a conscience. Indigo’s combination of comfort and eco-friendliness give San Diegans hope its presence will bolster the downtown economy at a much lower “cost” to the environment.

Using the colors and styles of San Diego’s East village, Hotel Indigo blends, rather than disrupts, the local environment. Located on the corner of 9th and Island, one of the standout features is a series of 33 rectangular glass panels that extend from the exterior. They were designed by local artist Lisa Shirmer, and signal the hotel’s dedication to local arts, the environment, and keeping money in the San Diego economy.

When sunlight bounces off the colorful panels that make up “Indigo Waters”, the sculpture will mimic the waves of the Pacific Ocean. Set in a triangular pattern, the panels are arranged in seven layers that stretch from the 9th to the 12th floors.

According to general manager Chris Jones, “’Indigo Waters’ will be a bright spot in the San Diego skyline, and a visible moniker in our commitment to the local community.”

Arranged according to the Fibonacci Sequence, intended to create a natural harmony, the glass panels introduce visitors to Hotel Indigo’s desire to reflect San Diego’s natural beauty in the hotel’s design.

In the lobby guests will re-experience the colors and feeling they enjoyed walking among downtown’s unusual harmony of Spanish colonial buildings, Victorian homes, old saloons and hotels, and modern buildings built to complement the urban ball park.

Designed by local artist Ian Cummings, photographic-murals of agaves, California poppies, San Diego beaches, and other local scenery decorate the corridors, guest rooms, Phi Bar and Bistro, and many other areas of the hotel. Hotel Indigo invested $300,000 in local art and artists.

On the 9th floor, a rooftop garden of various herbs, such as basil, spearmint, and chocolate mint will provide the chefs at the hotel’s Phi Bar and Bistro with many of the flavors needed for their menus. It will decrease the need for trucks to ships herbs, reducing Hotel Indigo’s carbon footprint and costs — and give them more control over the quality of the food they serve.

Three stories up, another garden of native plants, including Stone Crop and Silver Carpet, will function as a “green” or “living” roof. The twelfth-floor garden will reduce the need for heating and air conditioning, filter stormwater run off, and provide a cleaner environment. Planted with organic seeds, both gardens will receive nourishment from the compost tea provided by the Phi Bar and Bistro’s organic waste.

Along with Hotel Indigo’s attempts to bring San Diego’s natural environment into the corridors, guest rooms, and restaurant, they seek to inspire guests to take part in their green efforts. Indigo will provide discounts and reserved parking to guests who drive low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles. For those who travel without a vehicle, Hotel Indigo is situated an easy four-block walk from the Park & Market Trolley station, within a few blocks of various bus routes, and a couple of blocks from Petco Park.

They are also pet friendly and a completely non-smoking facility. Outside decks overlook downtown, and one exclusive area has a view of the field at Petco Park.

From the 33 glass panels that make up “Indigo Waters” to the murals throughout the corridors and guest rooms, to the rooftop gardens and other amenities, Hotel Indigo’s investments in San Diego’s local arts and natural resources ensures guests the chance to stay in luxury, reduce their carbon footprint, and support San Diego’s local economy.

All these great amenities aren’t only for the tourist and traveler, either. Indigo has a commitment to local community gatherings as well. Beginning in the fall there will be weekly Canine Happy Hours in the lobby, where locals can meet and bring their doggy friends. Phi Bar & Bistro will have regular music nights featuring local musicians, and there are areas available for meetings and events.

Hotel Indigo brings a new style of green luxury to San Diego that allows both locals and tourists to enjoy a venue dedicated to investing in a green future and the local arts and economy.

Hotel Indigo will soon have 28 U.S. locations, with the addition of hotels in St. Louis and New York by the end of 2009. Each location is designed to be environmentally friendly, to reflect the local ecosystem, and to utilize as much local art and design as possible. No two are alike.