Hyatt at Olive 8 is the first LEED certified “green” hotel in Seattle

by Scott Carmichael on

Green is in – we’ve been covering green travel all month, and as August slowly comes to an end we’ll take a close look at some impressive green properties that deserve extra attention.

The Hyatt at Olive 8 in Seattle opened in January, and received their LEED Silver certification in July. This marks two firsts – the first LEED certified hotel in the Hyatt chain, and the first LEED certified hotel in Seattle.

The hotel offers 346 rooms, including 13 junior suites, a governors suite and a presidential suite. As is expected from any modern hotel, all the rooms are outfitted with flat panel TV’s, iPod docking alarm clocks, as well as wired and wireless Internet access. Rooms also have floor to ceiling windows, which means lots of natural light.

The “green” features of the Olive 8 are pretty impressive:

  • Low-flow plumbing (which saves 2.4 million gallons of water each year)
  • Dual mode toilets use 29% less water (when compared to single mode flushers)
  • 20% of the building was constructed using recycled materials
  • 75% of the interior space has access to daylight
  • The entire hotel was built using virtually no VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds)
  • Rooms use key-controlled light switches from WattStopper Inc.
  • All cleaning products are low-VOC and 100 toxin free


Rooms at he Hyatt at Olive 8 start around $190/night. The hotel has its own restaurant (Urbane, also LEED certified), a spa, 24 hour fitness and almost 18,000 square feet of meeting space.

The hotel pool deserves some special attention – it is a 65-foot saline pool, which means the hotel does not have to use chlorination chemicals to clean the water.

The Hyatt at Olive 8 is located at 1635 8th Avenue, Seattle, WA.

Adventure Destination: South Dakota

by Kraig Becker on

When adventure travelers think about exotic locations to visit they seldom mention South Dakota. There are plenty of mountain states in the western U.S. that get more attention, thanks in no small part to the higher elevations in the Rockies. But South Dakota can hold its own in terms of rugged backcountry and beat most other locations with the diversity of its terrain.

Make no mistake, the eastern part of South Dakota has little to offer adventure travelers. It is mostly flat, and uninteresting, plains. But travel west, and you’ll come across amazing scenery ranging from the lush and green Black Hills National Forest to the arid and desolate landscapes of the Badlands. In between, you’ll find the iconic Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument, which remains under construction 61 years after work first commenced.

The Black Hills and Badlands offer plenty of activities to keep even the busiest of outdoor enthusiasts occupied. The area recently played host to Primal Quest, a ten-day, 600 mile adventure race, that saw teams trekking, peddling, and paddling their way across the South Dakota backcountry. That means that there is top notch mountain biking, kayaking, and hiking to be had throughout the region, with miles of trails stretching in all directions. Rock climbers will find impressive big walls, while spelunkers and campers will find that their needs are well met too.South Dakota is also home to many diverse species of animals as well. Roaming the region you’ll find plenty of deer, both white tail and mule, elk, coyote, mountain lion, bighorn sheep and more. The state is also home to the elusive, and endangered, black footed ferret as well as the largest remaining herd of buffalo on Earth. For wildlife lovers, South Dakota has plenty to offer as well.

For a better idea of what it’s like in the Badlands, check out the video below.

Classic Treks: The Pacific Crest Trail

by Kraig Becker on

When it comes to long distance hiking, the U.S. is blessed with several great trails, the most famous of which is the Appalachian Trail, which covers more than 2,175 miles, running from Maine to Georgia. For many, the AT is the standard for long distance hiking anywhere in the world, but others prefer the lesser known, and longer, Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from the Mexican border to the Canadian border through the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges.

First designated as a national scenic trail back in 1968, the PCT stretches 2,650 miles in length, passing through California, Oregon, and Washington in the process. The trail mainly stays in deep wooded areas, rarely passing close to civilization, and across its length, it enters six unique ecosystems, including high and low deserts, old-growth forests, and arctic-alpine regions as well. The trail wanders through some iconic landscapes too, including the Mojave Desert and Yosemite National Park, while passing within the shadows of Mt. Whitney, Mt. Hood, and Mt. Rainier.

Each year, roughly 300 people attempt to thru-hike the entire length of the Pacific Crest Trail, which requires anywhere from four to six months to complete. About half are actually successful in their bids. Many more hikers cover smaller segments of the scenic and challenging route, which ranges in altitude from sea level to 13,153 feet at its highest point.

What many people don’t know, is that the PCT is actually an equestrian trail in addition to hiking. Its entire length is accessible on horseback, and many riders make long distance mounted journeys each year as well, preferring to explore the remote regions of the country while in the saddle instead of on foot.

Regardless of how you decide to explore it, the Pacific Crest Trail is one of the top long distance hikes anywhere in the world. It offers diverse scenery and remote trekking that is very different than what is found on the Appalachian Trail, or just about any other major hike. Those qualities set the PCT apart and should put it high on the list of any backpacker.

Australian eco spa resorts going green in the wilderness

by Scott Carmichael on

A recent poll shows that Australia is, once again, the top destination for American tourists (outside the US, when cost is no consideration). The country has some of the most amazing scenery in the world, and some beautiful spa resorts taking full advantage of that scenery.

Here are three of the most impressive, and eco-friendly resorts in Australia.

Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa

The first of these three resorts won’t be open till October, but when it does, it’ll provide 40 free-standing suites nestled between two national parks. built within a world heritage area. The hotel is located in Wolgan Valley, about three hours from Sydney.

Suites offer private decks and pools. Activities in the area include Aboriginal interpretive tours, nature walks, AWD wildlife safaris and horse riding.

Some of the green credentials of the Wolgan Valley resort & spa include rainwater collection, full domestic water recycling, heat exchangers, solar heated water, over 100 solar panels for electricity and wind powered water pumps.

The resort is part of the Emirates hotel and resorts group (yes – that Emirates). Reservations are being accepted for stays starting on October 1st, and rooms start at AUD1490 (about $1250). For rates, reservations or to learn more about the new Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, click here.

Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat

The Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat is located one hour south of Broome, on the western Australian coast.

The resort consists of 25 “eco villas” and 30 safari style “eco tents”. The resort offers a safari, whale watching tours, cave exploring, fishing and of course, an on-site spa.

The Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat reduces its impact on the planet through solar power, low-flow faucets and toilets, waste water recycling and a full assortment of natural products in all bathroom and spa products.

Off season rates start at just AUD130 ($110). For rates, reservations or to learn more about the Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat, click here.


Pinctada Cable Ceach

The Pinctada Cable Beach Resort & Spa opened just 3 months ago. Like the previous resort, it too is located on the western coast of Australia.

The 72 room intimate resort features a massive “asymmetrical pool with spa nooks and waterfalls”. Its spa offers Vichy shower treatment rooms (a 5 head massaging shower table), a juice bar, sauna and hair salon.

Its restaurant serves dishes created by award winning Melbourne chef Greg Malouf, where you can dine on spiced sautéed pearl meat, a nod to the long standing pearling tradition in the area.

The green initiatives at this resort include a full-resort grey water management system, solar heating as the primary source of hot water and a carefully planned natural light layout.

Rooms start at AUD420 ($350). For rates, reservations or to learn more about Pinctada Cable Beach, click here.

Mongol Derby is an adventure on horseback

by Kraig Becker on

This past Sunday, a group of 25 riders set out on a unique adventure across the Mongolian Steppe that will have them following in the ancient footsteps of Marco Polo and the fabled horsemen that roamed that region centuries ago, as they raise money for a variety of charities in the country.

The Mongol Derby is the latest idea from the same group that brought us the Mongol Rally. In this case, it pits the entrants on a long distance horse race through some of the most remote areas on the planet as they make the journey from Kharkhorin to Ulaanbaatar following a series of routes that were created as a postal system by Genghis Khan back in 1234 AD. The race directors caution that this isn’t about the speed of the horse however, but more of a test of the skill and stamina of the riders themselves.

Along the route, the riders will have to check into a series of horse stations called Urtuus, where they will be forced to change out their mounts for fresh ones. Veterinarians will also be on hand to ensure that the horses are being well cared for, and not pushed to their limits. The course designers have also taken great pains to design a route that will pass by multiple water sources, meaning the riders and horses won’t have to go far to find a drink.

The website will offer updates on the progress of the riders as well as live tracking of their current locations. There is also a long FAQ that answers a lot of questions about the event as well. So if driving to Mongolia by a very slow car isn’t your cup of tea, perhaps you’d prefer to explore it via horseback instead, either way, the Adventurists have you covered.