You’ve traveled to discover what the world can offer you. But now, it’s time to give a little back.
As we’ve mentioned in earlier posts, there are plenty of ways you can travel sustainably. Today, we’re taking a look at how you can go green for one of the most important aspects of your trip: the accommodations.
From hotels that use natural-made energy to power operations, to resorts that help replant deforested areas, there are plenty of highly respected and well-reviewed hotels and lodges that work to please their guests while also preserving the earth and the local culture.
Here are some you won’t want to miss:
Barceló Maya Beach Resort, Mexico
Vegetable gardens, green houses, and a water purification plant—need we say more? This resort is all about the green experience, from encouraging guests to reuse their towels to growing plants used for reforestation. And if you go during turtle season, you can help take part in the release of hundreds of turtles that hatch on a nearby beach, which the resort fences off to protect the local turtles each year.
Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort, Fiji
This award-winning resort, which was built in collaboration with the locals in a marine-protected area in 2004, excels on all levels of sustainability. Some of their green practices includes the planting of mangroves to prevent erosion, overseeing a clam farm to repopulate the local reefs, using low-energy lighting and solar panels, and even proving private mooring lines at snorkeling and diving sites to prevent boat and anchor damage. The resort also earns extra brownie points for not using phosphate-based kitchen or laundry products. It was conceived by the son of famed explorer and conservationist Jacques Cousteau.
Çırağan Palace Kempinski, Istanbul
Thanks to the trigeneration unit and seawater cooling system, this former Ottoman Palace is able to power all of its electricity, heating, and cooling systems on its own, while also reducing CO2 emissions. But it’s not just the mechanical operations that are green — the staff is encouraged to embrace sustainable habits as well; the hotel dubs the first day of each month “Green Day,” where the staff works together to clean and collect garbage that accumulates on the property.
Hilton Stockholm Slussen, Sweden
In the Nordic countries, services or products that meet certain sustainability standards can receive the Nordic Swan Label to promote that they’re certifiably eco-friendly. And this Swedish hotel has earned the label for good reason. In addition to recycling, they also purchase wind-generated electricity, environmentally certified water, and supply cars that run on renewable fuels. They even welcomed 60,000 bees onto their property to produce honey for their customers— but don’t worry, the bees live in hives located on the hotel’s roof. The hotel also encourages its staff to go green by sending them through sustainability training when they’re hired, as well as annual refresher courses.
Ranweli Holiday Village, Sri Lanka
The natural mangroves of the former coconut plantation provide the perfect setting for peace-seeking travelers. The resort, which was built exclusively out of local materials, features a variety of bungalows, river-view rooms, and a cottage. To support the local businesses and townspeople, the lodgings also feature locally made terra cotta pots, brass lamps, and other décor.
Have you visited any of these or other sustainable hotels around the world? Let us know!
Photo from Ranweli.com.
