Sustainability is at the very heart of Virgin Limited Edition and throughout the year the teams work hard to take care of the environment and the local communities within which the luxury retreats reside. On 25th March 2017 Virgin Limited Edition will be showcasing its best work and putting sustainability into the spotlight by celebrating Earth Hour with a series of fun and thought-provoking activities.
Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa will be replacing the usual Game Drive with a Game Walk in the bush to reduce the use of fuel. All meals throughout the day will be cooked on an open fire, without electricity or gas, and dinner will be served by candlelight in the heart of the wilderness.
Guests can learn about the smaller creatures that populate Kenya’s unique ecosystem with a Game Walk instead of a Game Drive at Mahali Mzuri. For an unforgettable insight into local cultures and traditions, there will also be the chance to join a Community Tour and spend time with a Maasai family.
Mont Rochelle Hotel & Mountain Vineyard is the perfect place to experience a taste of South Africa with a selection of locally-influenced dishes available at the two restaurants, Country Kitchen and Miko. Guests can also enjoy a walking tour of the vineyard, ending in the cellar to sample the wines that are produced in the hotel’s grounds.
Dinner at The Lodge will feature vegetarian-inspired cuisine cooked on an open fire and paired with local wines. It wouldn’t be a celebration without being able to raise a toast, and a specially prepared cocktail made from spirits that have been infused with the fruity flavour of damsons picked in Verbier during the summer and autumn will be available throughout the evening.
Guests on Necker Island will be treated to delicious and sustainable snacks all day long; from raw energy balls to pizzas made from hand-kneaded dough there will be something for everyone to enjoy. As the sun sets the tiki torches will be lit for a Caribbean-themed barbecue on the beach.
‘Cured not cooked’ is the order of the day at Babylon Restaurant in London where the chefs will present a special menu using energy-efficient cooking methods. Diners can look forward to a variety of dishes including Beetroot and Vodka Cured Chalk Farm Trout, sourced from sustainable Hampshire farms. To toast the occasion a ‘Sleepy Bee’ cocktail has been created using Sipsmith Gin, distilled less than 5 miles away, combined with Krupnik honey liquor, chamomile tea and lemon, all sweetened with honey from The Roof Gardens’ own rooftop beehive.
For further information and images, please contact:
Charlotte Dollin
charlotte.dollin@virginlimitededition.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 8600 0468
Or
Lauren Beaty
lauren.beaty@virginlimitededition.com
+44 (0)20 8600 0472
Notes to Editors:
Food Made Good is run by The Sustainable Restaurant Association to allow food lovers to indulge their passion for dining out without having to check their principles in at the cloakroom. Restaurants, cafés and caterers are assessed on their sourcing, impact on society and environmental footprint and diners can then find out their star rating. Virgin Limited Edition first joined the Sustainable Restaurant Association in 2012, first with Babylon Restaurant and then in 2013 on a global rating basis for Necker Island, Ulusaba, Kasbah Tamadot and The Lodge. In 2016 two further Virgin Limited Edition properties received accreditations: Mont Rochelle and Mahali Mzuri.
Virgin Limited Edition is an award-winning collection of unique retreats, chosen for their beautiful locations and magnificent surroundings; each offers a sense of fun, style, luxury and exceptional personal service. The group includes Necker Island in the Caribbean’s British Virgin Islands, Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa, The Roof Gardens and Babylon Restaurant in London, Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco, The Lodge in Verbier, Necker Belle, a 105 foot luxury catamaran, Mahali Mzuri, a tented safari camp in Kenya, Mont Rochelle Hotel and Mountain Vineyard in South Africa, and Son Bunyola Estate in Mallorca.