India's Royal Gardenia Lands Largest LEED

On Christmas Eve, a splash sounded in the travel industry as India's Hotel Royal Gardenia announced itself as the largest LEED Platinum certified hotel in the world. That's right... the WORLD. The new luxury digs in Bengaluru join the lineup of ITC properties to be carbon positive, water positive, and solid waste recycling positive.

Dubbed a "monument to the future" by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Hotel Gardenia's sister Green Centre in Gurgaon, was the world's first largest green building. This time around, ITC is boasting the slogan "Forward to Green, Back to Nature," highlighting efficiencies such as energy savings, solid waste management and the newest en vougue terminology: green banqueting.

What greens the guest experience? Besides a wash of natural light, vertical gardens hang, electric cars are available through the hotel concierge, and "Dudson" crockery - eco friendly cooking tools - are used for food and beverage.

If you're booking a stay in Bengaluru, the country's third largest city, get the deets by calling +91 80 22119898.