Celebrating its 40th anniversary soon, the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort family-owned property has expanded from a 37-room exterior-door property to a 166-room 5-story interior-door resort since 1974. An October visit with Jennifer Holdereid, Owner & Director of Marketing, who grew up at the property, revealed their extra-special green features. She has been exceptionally energetic at greening the resort, and is now a 14-year full-time veteran.

The resort is situated in the middle of downtown Lake Placid, NY, yet overlooks the 122-acre Mirror Lake, so they are in the middle of it all. Though set in a famous winter resort, 58% of their revenue is earned from June to October each year.

Here are some of the spectacular green highlights of Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort�s success:

� Every hotelier knows how difficult it is to keep hallways undinged and clean. Here the problem is hockey sticks, skis and other sports paraphernalia. Jennifer is especially thrilled to have found stoneybrookpaper.com. The wallpaper has the appearance of being torn, and is actually torn to quickly cover any size ding and mar. Using this paper on the lower hallway walls means the walls can easily, quickly and inexpensively be kept crisp and clean.

� Furniture is purchased from hardenfurniture.com, a local manufacturer. Solid wood headboards, chairs, tables, etc. are very high quality and well priced. Their wood is harvested from New England, and their sustainable initiative is particularly strong. Golden Arrow always looks at the green aspects of the business before purchasing from any vendor.

� Carpet is purchased from interfaceflor.com, well known for their core sustainability, in rolls rather than tiles. In determining waste, the design or pattern is very important. Smaller patterns mean much less waste. If a design is 15�x15� repeat, then much more carpet will be wasted certainly when compared to a 1.5�x1.5� repeat.

� Upholstery fabrics from Valley Forge Fabrics, Inc. �Fresh Fabrics� (valleyforge.com/products/sustainability-fresh/reclamation-program) are made from plastic bottles. Because a very long lead time is needed when ordering these fabrics, Jennifer says she will place an order for X number of yards well ahead of when she knows she�ll need it. The manufacturer knows what types of patterns she prefers, and sends her samples from which she chooses what will be purchased. She will order overruns because they are cheaper, and the vendor can sell discontinued stock.

� Upper New England still suffers from acid rain problems, especially in all waterways. To help keep Mirror Lake healthy, each year Golden Arrow brings in tons of crushed limestone for the lakefront beach. The limestone helps clean the storm-water runoff that pours into the lake by acting as a filter. The white limestone is also very attractive.

� Ten allergy-free rooms are available in one area of the hotel. No pets are allowed in that area. HepaSilent Air filters are changed every 6 months. Chlorine filters are on all showerheads. Dust mite covers are on the mattresses. Uncarpeted floors as well as leather furniture complete the rooms� special features.

� Golden Arrow�s 3,000 sq. ft. green roof, installed in 2008, is viewed from a restaurant window, and saves energy by acting as an insulator. It also traps pollutants in storm-water runoff, and the plants release oxygen to help reduce the carbon footprint.

� Their solar array heats the swimming pool all summer, while fuel oil is used in the winter.

� Bee hives were attempted on the roof, but, unfortunately, hornets attacked the bees.

� The 200-seat Generations Restaurant chef, Chef Hunt, is a very special food activist. He buys fruit and vegetables from local farmers and meat from a local bison farmer. He has organized the certification of a mobile slaughter house so that animals do not have to be trucked many miles to be slaughtered and then the meat trucked back to the area.

� Small framed vignettes wholly made from recycled materials may be found all over the hotel. Their �Green Quiz� project was totally created, devised and completed by staff, and each of the 30 frames is a unique green story in itself. As a group they form a fun, informative activity for adults and children to accomplish especially on rainy or snowed-in days.

� Summer activities include farm tours, a corn maze and pumpkin patch visits in the fall as well as horseback riding. In winter on the frozen lake, 55 hockey fields are laid out along with an ice bar, dog sledding and a toboggan chute that is as high as the building. Jennifer raves, �There is no $5 better spent on this planet than on that toboggan run out onto the lake!� Whoo, sounds like fun!

Believe me, there is a great deal more to 7-year GHA PARTNER MEMBER Golden Arrow�s greening. It is ingrained in every part and parcel of the property. Owner, management and staff all deserve our hearty applause and praise!

Want to know more? See golden-arrow.com or contact Jennifer Holdereid at info@golden-arrow.com.

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