The Parkside Hotel & Spa

For centuries, Indigenous communities of the Pacific Northwest have used kelp as everything from food to medicine; kelp forests also provide a marine habitat and canopy over the sea floor. Sadly, kelp forests are in decline globally, but The Parkside is doing its part by planting one kelp for every guest reservation through the Coastal Kelp project. When guests choose to opt out of housekeeping, the hotel plants ten.

In 2021, The Parkside aligned its policies with Indigenous values and reconciliation principles, which recognize and respect the hotel’s place on traditional territory. Guests have the opportunity to book a tour with the ləkʷəŋən peoples, discovering the histories of the Songhees, Xwsepsum, and W̱SÁNEĆ people, and how their traditions and relationship to the land are still maintained today.

The Parkside partners with Rainbow Kitchen Society, an organization dedicated to providing nourishing meals and a welcoming space for members of the community experiencing food insecurity. Throughout the year, the Parkside team volunteers alongside Rainbow Kitchen staff and collaborates on a special holiday fundraiser that brings neighbors together in the spirit of giving.

The Parkside’s Green Team cares for the hotel’s onsite vegetable garden and bee colony, which guests can tour on the roof. The team also offers educational tours for guests about the hotel’s sustainability practices, and the simple actions everyone can take at home and work to achieve a lower-impact lifestyle.