We are very proud to announce that one of our members, farm no. 725 – Hótel Eldhestar, received The Icelandic Tourist Board‘s Environmental award 2011 last week! This award has been granted annually since 1995 to an individual or business within the tourism sector for outstanding work on environmental issues.
 
This year, Hótel Eldhestar has been honoured with this award for their systematic environmental policy and sustainable operations. Eldhestar was founded in 1986 and is today one of the leading horse-back riding companies in Iceland. In June 2002, they opened a little countryside hotel, Hótel Eldhestar. The hotel has 26 double rooms, a restaurant that seats up to 70 guests, and a conference room. The emphasis during the past years has been on combining the hotel and the horse rental which has resulted in an increased service and more comfortable accommodation for riders.
 
Hótel Eldhestar was the first lodging in Iceland to receive the international environmental certification of the “Nordic Swan“. They received it in 2002-2007 and again in 2011. Hence, they have been a leading tourism business in Iceland in regard to environmental issues. With the Nordic Swan label, Hótel Eldhestar had fulfilled all the necessary criteria to be eligible for the Icelandic Tourist Board‘s environmental award.
 
We sincerely congratulate Hótel Eldhestar on this honour and acknowledgment and hope that other members of Hey Iceland will be encouraged to follow their example in environmental policy.