The project of converting the original estate into a luxury rural tourism hotel for Ibiza is closely bound into our concern for the environment and the concept of organic farming. Cas Gasi has been registered with the Balearic Islands Organic Farming Council (CAEB) under the legal name of "Sa Rota" since 1996. We have carried out an enormous number of improvements on the land, promoting sustainable use of all the estate's resources with the greatest respect for the environment. Only natural fertilisers are used and alternative organic methods are employed to fight crop pests and other problems.
The estate has its own well supplying the hotel and its land with excellent quality drinking water drawn directly from the borehole, either using a pressure controller or via tanks and cisterns: one holding 125 tons and another holding 50 tons, together with another two at the top of the estate that hold 15 tons each and work by gravity. In the years before the house was converted into an Ibiza rural hotel, its farming activity was focused on selling the produce from its organically farmed vegetable garden. Already in its early days, a sewage treatment plant was planned and installed on the estate, enabling waste water to be re-used. We actively recycle all waste produced by the hotel.
Almond, olive, carob, fig and pine trees all grow naturally on the estate. The following fruit trees are also grown: orange, lemon, apricot, cherry, plum, pomegranate and medlar. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are also grown on the organic plots: potatoes, onions, peppers, leeks, courgettes, pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes, runner beans, various kinds of lettuce and rocket, beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, broad beans, etc., and strawberries. We grow local Monastrell grapes for making our own country-style house wine.
A project started 8 years ago led to the planting of approximately 350 Arbequina olive trees fed by a drip watering system. The result is the production of an excellent organic first cold pressed olive oil, for our own use and for use in the hotel, and of which we are very proud. The olive trees are watered at night from two large water tanks high up on the hill, installed underground so as not to interfere with the landscape. They provide water for the trees with no energy costs and also serve as a backup system for supplying drinking water to the hotel under natural pressure in the event of a power failure.
Another large-scale project involving major investment last year was the replacement of the sewage treatment plant with a new improved and much larger system that uses advanced technology to achieve completely pure water for re-use in the garden. At the same time a sand filter unit was fitted to do the job of in-depth filtering and softening of all the water obtained from the borehole without the need for salts or additives.
We grow a huge variety of ornamental and cut flowers. The majority of our ornamental plants and trees are either adapted or local varieties that do not need copious amounts of water. Our hens are free to wander around the orchard and every morning they supply the hotel with fresh eggs for breakfast and for use in the kitchen.
We produce our own homemade jams and compotes from our organic fruit trees and there is a continuous and active programme that gives top priority to picking and using our home-grown products, either in the restaurant for our guests, or for preserving in vacuum packs and jars or freezing.
We guarantee that everything is washed in the hotel's own laundry, in high-efficiency low water consumption machines and using environmentally friendly biodegradable products, with no need for bleach.
Finally, and taking a view in keeping with our philosophy of care for the environment and keeping water consumption to a minimum, and because we believe that luxury is not incompatible with sustainability, we change bed linen every other day rather than every day, unless their state or our guests require it.