The Most Eco-friendly Hotel in Mallorca | Sustainable Travel & Eco-Tourism

This video was kindly sponsored by the Nick Morn Foundation. Welcome back to Going Green. Today we are in Soller, Mallorca filming with Ico Sirer, a healthy sustainable stay in the heart of the mountains. Located in the idyllic Valley of the Oranges, peering up at the surrounding Serra de Tramuntana mountains, Ico Sirer's early 20th century high stone walls and steel-framed glass doors offer a preview outside of what the stay has to offer inside. The perfect blend of Soller's authenticity and historic charm, as well as the comfort of modern amenities and eco-conscious luxury. The first and most noticeable thing about Ico Sirer upon walking into its lobby is the calming smell of essential oils streaming from the diffuser resting on the check-in desk, as well as the soothing sounds of a water feature and relaxing music. The lobby is furnished with plush couches and other seating areas for you to get some work done or curl up with a good book when the afternoon siesta time rolls around. You can also pick up a copy of owners Barbara and Martin's cookbook, Eating Colors, in which they reveal some of their favorite recipes and tips for eating the rainbow and prioritizing one's own health all year round. The lobby then flows seamlessly into a sun-soaked back courtyard with more seating, artwork created by artist Francesca Marti, Barbara's mother, and seating for breakfast the next morning. As a kid, waking up in the morning to a breakfast cooked by your parents is a feeling that makes you excited to get out of bed. At Ico Sirer, waking up with the knowledge that Barbara and Martin have prepared a beautiful, healthy breakfast closely replicates that feeling. With the goal of re-energizing the body after hours of rest and giving guests plant-powered energy to start their days, every morning offers a new menu with items packed with nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. Served alongside a litre of water and with a few drops of butterfly flower extract from Thailand, fresh pressed juices are served prior to the meal to wake up the cells and hydrate the body. We had a green juice on our first day and a blueberry and coconut water purple juice on our second. Breakfast is always also served in two parts and included delicious dishes like overnight oats with mixed berry coulis, pistachio pieces and fresh strawberries from Barbara and Martin's garden, followed by beetroot sourdough toast with cashew cream, avocado, marinated papaya, capers and dill. And on the second morning, coconut yoghurt with cacao, walnut granola and strawberries, followed by guacamole and spelt bread with cordia, greens and sesame seeds. To say it was delicious and nutritious would be an understatement. Devoted to eco-conscious living, Ico Sirer's entire interior, from the lobby up to the rooms, is furnished with recycled and upcycled furniture and decor that has all been restored and given a second or third life, creating a creative space that allows for inspiration and true relaxation. Each of the seven rooms at Ico Sirer is given a name to represent a wish for each person who visits the hotel. Spread out over three floors, the rooms include fly, dream, sense, imagine, believe and the one we stayed in, love. With plenty of natural light streaming in from the windows, offering views of Soller and the mountainous landscape, love was exactly what we felt toward this beautiful room. In addition to growing their own food to be used by the hotel, Barbara and Martin prioritize sustainability and overall wellness above all, while also maintaining a focus on quality and producing minimal waste. Very little single-use packaging is used around the property, with any additional plastic waste being properly recycled. The supplied beauty products including hand soap, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner and body lotion are available in each room and are made by Ico Sirer, using only the finest natural organic ingredients and essential oils. Energy use is one of the key aspects of sustainability that many hotels and stays often forget to consider. Washing sheets and towels every day uses significant energy and water, so unless otherwise requested, Ico Sirer changes their 100% organic cotton bed linens and towels every three days and of course in between guests. On our last day in Soller, Barbara and Martin invited us to visit her family's estate in Forna Luce, about 10 minutes from Soller by car, where their abundant garden provides for the hotel and its miles of orange, lemon, almond, carob and avocado groves offer endless space for adventure and exploration. Especially for Barbara and Martin's two daughters, Mango their yellow Labrador, children of Ico Sirer's guests and some local children who attend the daily summer camp led by Barbara every weekday after serving breakfast at the hotel. Soller today is a beautiful rural town lined with eco-conscious shops, independent cafes and idyllic townhouses adorned with the iconic green Mallorcan shutters. The people of Soller, known as Sollerics, have lived there since around 5000 BC but were able to live quite independently as the years passed due to its remote location in the mountains that was difficult to access until a three kilometer tunnel through the mountains was completed in 1997. Pirates and other invaders throughout the 16th century often threatened Soller's inhabitants, leading the main village to be pushed a few miles inland while the port, Port de Soller, was kept on the coast to be used predominantly for trade and shipping. Especially in the 19th century when scientists discovered the benefits of vitamin C on human health, making Soller's orange and lemon export business boom. Being the largest of the Balearic Islands, getting around Mallorca without a car can be challenging if you want to visit some of the more remote towns on the island. Although a reliable bus system frequently takes travelers from Parma to any of the other big towns on the island, we decided to rent an electric car for our time there. With plenty of stations to charge up while we explored around the island, we definitely recommend following the roads high into the mountains near Deia and Valdemossa for unparalleled views. Icosirer is truly a haven, showing you a different way of life and the alter ego of beautiful Mallorca. Open year-round and offering activities for both children and adults, Icosirer is a passion project born of a family's love for themselves, for the island they live on, and for the earth on which they live. Thank you much for watching, we hope you enjoyed this episode. If you want to see more episodes like this then make sure you hit the like and subscribe button down below. We'll see you in the next one.