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Our commitment to quality and sustainability
Qualmark
St Leonards Vineyard Cottages is dedicated to providing a safe & sustainable accommodation service for our guests to enjoy. We are proud to have been awarded a Silver Qualmark rating.
St Leonards Vineyard Cottages is certified by Qualmark, whose Sustainable Tourism Business (STB) Criteria are Recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) for being equivalent to the GSTC Industry Criteria. This approval ensures that we are being as sustainable as possible and reassures our guests that we are a safe place to stay.
In addition to Qualmark, we have also been marked as Covid Clean approved. This assessment provides visitors with the assurance that we are aware of and working to take measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Qualmark award is a recognised and trusted sign of a quality travel experience.
A Silver Award is evidence of a sophisticated tourism business that consistently exceeds visitor expectations.
Proactive leadership and management ensure that a culture of high performance is evident throughout the entire business.
The business will have a real focus on continuously improving their economic, social and environmental performance to ensure the tourism product they deliver is a genuine, constantly improving, sustainable experience.
- Qualmark NZ
Our sustainability commitment
Our approach to sustainability means caring for the land, respecting all people & cultures, expressing Manaakitanga hospitality to our guests, minimising our impact on our environment and giving back to our community.
We embrace the Māori concept of Kaitiakitanga to protect, guard and preserve the environment.
While we continue on our sustainability journey, we enjoy using locally sourced produce (including eggs from our free-range chickens and fruit from our home orchard), planting native trees & minimising waste through recycling and composting. Food scraps are given to our animals or composted in our worm farm.
Our cottages are insulated to save power and have energy efficient LED lighting. When not in use, all power outlets are switched off.
Water for the property is freshly sourced from our private bore and is treated and filtered prior to reaching your tap, ensuring you have refreshingly pure New Zealand water with every glass.
Our bin liners are either biodegradable or made from recycled plastics, and our toiletries are sourced from Forest and Bird, a New Zealand company which uses eco friendly product and packaging, while also donating to the protection of NZ native flora and fauna with every purchase.
To further reduce our carbon footprint, we will replace your towels and linen after three nights' stay or upon request. We encourage guests to hang your towels to dry, so they can be reused during your stay.
As well as focusing on our own sustainable practices we work with suppliers who are committed to fostering sustainable business practices also - not only in their approach to protecting and enhancing the natural environment, but also socially and within their communities. This helps us to select and work with like-minded suppliers who have a vested and active interest in doing 'business for good'.
We support our local community through sponsorship, community involvement and by purchasing locally within the Marlborough region as much as possible.
We care for our land, our region, our guests and future generations.
Tiaki promise
Tiaki – means to care for people and place. New Zealand is precious, and everyone who lives and travels here has a responsibility to look after it.
The Tiaki promise is a commitment to care for New Zealand, for now and for future generations. By following the Tiaki Promise, you are making a commitment to New Zealand - to act as a guardian, protecting and preserving our home.