Green Hotels: Mandarin Oriental Miami Volunteers in the Everglades

Its sister hotel may be hogging the spotlight in Paris (talk about a wow-worthy debut!), but the Mandarin Oriental Miami has also been making headlines. Recently the staff of the five-star spa took a volunteer trip to Everglades National Park to work in the "Hole-in-the-Donut" Restoration area-- a 6,600-acre portion of the park that's been overrun by exotic, invasive plants. Previously farmland, the area was planted with Brazilian Pepper in order to aerate the soil around tomato plants and green beans. Alas, the Brazilian Pepper samba-ed its way across the land, quickly taking over the habitat and disrupting the natural ecosystem. The Mandarin Oriental Miami to the rescue. The spa staff-- clad in long-sleeved shirts and long pants to protect against sun, insects, and poison ivy-- pulled up the weeds and replanted the landscape with native trees. Next time you hit up the spa, book the Thai Herbal Compress Ritual, and the Mandarin will donate a native tree to the Everglades.