“Our guests are regrowing a forest,” says Anthea Dimitrakopoulos, GM of Brand and ESG at Quest Apartment Hotels and its parent company, Ascott Australia. Not every accommodation chain can say that – in fact, Ascott Australia is the first in the country to do so, thanks to a new partnership with not-for-profit Hotels for Trees.

The partnership is driven by Quest’s commitment to Doing Better – we believe it’s part of our ethical obligation to take decisive environmental action, and we want to look back on the decisions we make as a business today with pride in the years to come.

Now, when a guest hangs an eco-friendly door hanger to indicate they do not want their room cleaned, the participating Quest property donates $6.50 to Hotels for Trees to plant a tree. And we’ve already helped plant over 1000 trees right here in Australia.

“Research indicates that a stay at an Australian hotel emits 35 kg CO2e per room per night,” says Hotels for Trees APAC representative, Hugo van Roermund. “Planting just one tree or shrub results in an average offset of about 200 kg of carbon captured during the first 25 years after planting.”


Quest Frankston in Melbourne pioneered the initiative for the Quest brand, and it has since grown into a national partnership involving a host of Quest properties.

Hotels for Trees began in the Netherlands in 2021, then quickly spread throughout Europe and the UK. In 2023 the organisation launched in Australia, with Quest Frankston becoming one of the first Australian hotels to sign on.

"We chose Hotels for Trees because we wanted to do something that was innovative and where our guests could see the real time effect of their contribution towards a global environmental cause,” explains Quest Frankston’s General Manager, Nellie Tinga. “Our team were so excited to be one of the first hotels in Australia to partner with Hotels for Trees. It provides an opportunity to stand out from our competitors and shows our team and guests that we are a purpose driven business. Our corporate clients love it!"

The trees are planted in the Byron Shire region of NSW, as part of the reforestation of endangered rainforest. Here, the climate enables year-round planting at high density which not only delivers optimal biodiversity, but utilises rainforest species of trees that sequester more carbon.

David Mansfield, Managing Director of The Ascott Limited, Australasia, points to the initiative as an example of the brand’s deep-rooted commitment to sustainability. “We are driven by the need to preserve the planet for future generations, while simultaneously enriching the hospitality industry and our guest’s experience.”

Quest is proud to host guests who are not only sustainably-minded, but willing to be a proactive part of the solution, say Anthea Dimitrakopoulos. “When guests choose to stay, they can take comfort in the fact they are choosing a brand-family that’s committed to taking proactive steps to reduce emissions and environmental impact,” Anthea says. 

“We’re delighted that Hotels for Trees offers comprehensive and transparent environmental reporting, which means our business and our guests can measure our impact as we grow this initiative together.”

You can track the planting progress of Quest and Ascott Australia properties here, and when you’re staying at participating properties, choose to skip a room clean and help us build a rainforest!