'If you would like your towels washed, please place them on the bathroom floor. If you would like to reuse your towels and save water, please hang them on the towel rail. Thank you for considering our environment'.

Two years ago, this phrase - appearing on a small printed sign in the bathroom - was the mark of a forward-thinking, eco-conscious hotel. But, so fast are the expectations of eco-aware travellers growing that these days, accommodation providers are having to go much, much further than the now ubiquitous towel sign.

Here at Auckland City Hotel Hobson Street, such change is afoot. Since opening this 138 room hotel in April 2008, general manager Andy Tan has been hard at work implementing environmentally friendly features at a steady pace.

Whether it was his intention or not, Andy's choice of location may have saved a few carbon emissions on my part before I even reach the hotel: At the airport I forgo the usual rental vehicle and hop aboard an airport shuttle. With the hotel just a five minute wander to Queen Street, and around 10 minutes from the Britomart transport centre and ferry terminal I reason I can walk or use public transport for the duration of my Auckland stay.

That said, I could always hire one of the hotel's bicycles or utilise the hybrid-vehicle pick-up and drop-off service...

"We want to do things properly, and sustainably," says Andy. "A hybrid vehicle is a good thing for us and a good thing for the guests."

Not to mention a good thing for the environment. Whilst the hybrid vehicles haven't actually arrived yet, they are just one of many initiatives Andy and his team are in the process of implementing in their quest to create an eco-hotel.

"Going green has helped us to capture a part of the rapidly growing global eco-tourism market, so it's something that we are continually expanding on. "By taking these initiatives on board slowly, we can ensure we are doing them properly."

It's clear that, to date, a lot of thought has gone into the eco-awareness of this hotel. It starts in the elevator. As I'm whooshed up to the ninth floor, I see that the elevator is operated by 'eco-disc' - a system that uses no oil in its operating system and up to half the energy of regular traction or hydraulic elevator mechanisms.

In the plush corridor, the flickering on of lights as I walk not only makes me feel somewhat like royalty, but tells me that corridor lights are motion activated, saving huge amounts of power consumption. Andy later tells me that 50 per cent of the corridor lights are on motion sensors and all light bulbs in the corridors and guest rooms are compact, energy efficient fluorescents.

My pristine room is warm as I enter: two oil heaters have been awaiting my arrival. The hotel has no centralised air conditioning system. Instead, guests can request heating or cooling units as required. Later, as I snuggle under the hefty duvet and lay my head on pillows as soft as ether, I realise there's no worry of being cold.

Next morning I notice more eco touches. The small fridge is empty, except for a couple of bottles of water (in bio-bottles produced by The Good Water Company, I might add!), a few milk samples and a jug of chilled tap water. So, where's the mini-bar?

"Fridges are kept empty where possible, to reduce power usage," explains Andy.

Minbars are filled at the request of guests, who order from their in-room list. The other advantage, I find, is that I'm not tempted by that $8 chocolate bar or teeny $15 bottle of wine that I'd find taunting me in most hotel room fridges. Perfect!

The mini bar list, however, is getting a revamp, says Andy.

"We're completely redoing the mini bar items, offering only organic products from New Zealand.

"Sourcing ingredients and items from New Zealand is very important and I have found a number so far, such as a line of organic biscuits from Nelson."

The organic theme will also stretch to the hotel's cafe, which is due to open in October. There will be a focus on organic and locally sourced menu items, as well as the possibility of biodegradable potato plates.

"We're looking into using them," says Andy. "They're biodegradable, reusable and you can even eat them if you wish!"

Waste reduction is also implemented via the 100 percent biodegradable and compostable BioBags used throughout the hotel room kitchens, and the internal recycling scheme in which all staff are trained.

Whilst all of these initiatives are great for the environment, they also make "good economic sense", and are appealing to the ever-increasing breed of eco-travellers.

"Auckland City Hotel Hobson St offers a clean environment for travellers who want to reduce their exposure to chemicals while supporting conservation," says Andy.

"Less electricity used by the hotel means lower emission of gases linked to global warming, such as carbon dioxide, and improved air quality as a result of less energy usage."

And if that's not enough, just the knowledge that I am supporting a business with an eco-responsible outlook and a commitment to helping the environment is heartening. I may not have a bath in my room, or a heating system to play with. But each time I walk into town instead of drive, and each time I hang my towel in a 'don't wash this towel' kind of way I feel plenty warm and fuzzy.

Amelia travelled to Auckland courtesy of www.fourcorners.co.nz. She was a guest of Auckland City Hotel Hobson Street.