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Sustainable traveling it’s on the rise! So it’s time to discover some of the top eco-friendly hotels to travel this 2022.
Over quarantine, most of us have missed traveling. A LOT. To start fresh, this summer 2022 we should most definitely consider eco-friendly hotels.
Guan Zhong, a Chinese philosopher, and politician, said: “The best return for one year is to grow grains; the best return for ten years is to grow trees; the best return for a lifetime is to educate people”.
With the world now suffering the effects from the coronavirus, in many places much more so than necessary due to lack of preparation and awareness – the need for foresight and action is hopefully being reiterated. Because climate change is next.
The time to learn and take action is now. We’ve conducted a survey polling eco-friendly hotels around the world to learn how they’re innovating to be environmentally conscious. Their wide range of ideas and efforts are inspiring.
As George Bernard Shaw, an Irish playwright said: “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
Certificates earned by eco-friendly hotels
- Pureist (the Pavilions Hotels and Resorts)
- Certification from TripAdvisor as green leaders (Hacienda Jimenita Wildlife Reserve)
- Rainforest alliance (Selva Lodge)
- Earthcheck (Soneva)
- Wild Asia Award (Sarinbuana Eco Lodge)
- Green Cloud (La Fattoria dell’Autosufficienza)
- Green Globe (Fond Doux)
- Gold LEED, BioShere, Greenleaders (Hostal Grau)
How Eco-Friendly Hotels are becoming more sustainable
Top strategies to minimize the impact on the natural environment
- Powered by renewable energy
- Locally grown produce and ingredients
- Maximum use of natural materials
Top 11 innovative eco-friendly hotels
Here some innovative actions from hotels to become more sustainable; these efforts are based on each eco-friendly hotel experience.
1. Binga Beach Resort
- 100% solar-powered.
- We run our own very advanced water filtering and septic systems.
- We are completely off-grid using state-of-the-art systems so that may make minimal impact.
- We feature an extensive vegan menu, and otherwise use very locally grown produce and ingredients.
- We are starting to operate our own farm nearly right across the street!
- Hands on Palawan beach clean-up events.
2. Pavilions Hotels and Resorts
- Entire resort is powered by renewable energy, which includes solar, water and biogas.
- An organic farm sources all the resorts fresh produce.
- Signature toiletries from natural Nepalese ingredients are produced on-site.
3. Green Roof Inn
- Support local produce market.
- Rainwater collection for all water consumption.
- Solar heated water.
- Greywater recycling.
- One pint flush water-saving toilets and showers.
- Pig food collection of compost from the kitchen.
- LED lighting.
- No A/C only fans.
- No Clorox based detergents in cleaning.
4. Hacienda Jimenita Wildlife Reserve
- Use solar energy.Media
- Grow our own organic vegetables.
- All the organic waste is used to make fertilizer.
- Have our water treatment system, so we do not pollute the rivers of Ecuador.
5. Selva Lodge
- Recycle garbage disposal and classify it. Once a week we take out the trash to the main city which is Coca and take it to the disposal.
- Filter greywater and reuse rainwater.
- Use glass instead of plastic.
- Have a lot of signs that say how to save energy.
6. Soneva
- We are carbon neutral including guest air travel and other indirect emissions.
- 90% of our solid waste is recycled through our Eco Centro Waste-to-Wealth concept
- Soneva Glass Studio, that turns glass waste from our resort and neighbouring resorts into art pieces.
- We banned the use of plastic straws at its resorts in 1998.
- In 2008, we banned imported bottled water. As a result, 1.5 million plastic bottles have been prevented from going into landfill in nine years.
- We have donated a significant proportion of water revenue to help over 750,000 people in over 50 countries to access safe water. We are 100% self-sufficient with water.
- Soneva Namoona is an initiative to provide alternatives to single-use plastic and to encourage reuse and recycling.
- The island councils of three islands(Maalhos, Dharavandhoo and Kihaadhoo): to eliminate single-use plastic and stop open burning of waste. In February 2020, Maalhos became the first island in the country to end the practice of burning its garbage in open bonfires.
7. T-Nest
- Based on the highest sustainability standards, completely inspired by nature
- Maximum use of natural materials: the use of wood, stone and other natural materials in furnishing and equipping the facilities within the resort.
- Horticultural development: planting over 45.000 autochthonous species typical for this part of Croatia.
- Solar farm: development of the solar farm is planned for the second phase of the project.
- Eco-friendly transportation including electric golf-carts, bicycles and a Tesla car instead of conventional vehicles.
- Innovation in guest communication: all in-room collateral and other promo materials to be available in the electronic/ interactive form.
- Promoting environmental consciousness on all levels: designing specialized programs with the aim to educate management, employees, guests and other parties involved about the importance of ecology.
8. Sarinbuana Eco Lodge
- No Chemicals.
- Energy, Land & Water Saving measures.
- Our Community Sponsored Projects.
- A natural swimming pool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFmx00xeNBk&feature=youtu.be
9. La Fattoria dell’Autosufficienza
- We produce most of the food required to run the farm stay and we reduced the use of fossil fuels to a minimum.
- We do not use chemical fertilizers, pesticides or any other product that cannot be produced naturally on the farm.
- We build in a smart and ecological way, in order to reduce energy consumption to minimum terms, lower our environmental impact and host people in healthy and comfortable buildings.
- All furniture and floors are made of wood colored with ecological paints; bed linens and blankets are made of certified organic cotton and wool; detergents and soaps are environmentally-friendly.
- We only serve organic and locally produced food: mostly we serve whole meals and vegetable-based food.
10. Fond Doux
- Every year thousands of cocoa plants, bananas, flowers and fruits trees (coconuts, guavas, carambola, grapefruit, tangerine, sour orange, wax apple, apricots, mangoes etc.) are replanted to replace and enhance the plantation experience.
- The buildings enjoy a bioclimatic design with a view to harnessing the power of nature while enjoying her wonderful gifts. This design takes into account natural wind directions, the rising and setting of the sun, rainfall directions. Thus, the private balcony, which graces each room, not only allows for the guests’ enjoyment of nature visually and physically but also plays a practical role in providing a natural cooling of the rooms making it ideal for a tropical environment.
- The resort hosts walks to commemorate World Environment Day, Earth day along with tree planting exercises with in-house guests.
- The resort is on a continuous mission of preserving St Lucia’s architectural heritage: whereby they purchase abandoned colonial buildings throughout the island, rebuild, and restore them in the gardens of Fond Doux as holiday accommodations.
- The solution of reducing single-use plastics:
- We have replaced the plastic bags for bagging at the gift shop with personalized Fond Doux paper bags.
- We banned the use of large plastic garbage bags for the housekeepers to carry their daily supplies and have replaced them with durable cloth bags.
- We have banned the use of Styrofoam takeaway plates, cups and cutlery and have replaced them with biodegradable products.
- Banned the use of plastic straws and the portioned controlled plastic shampoo, lotion and conditioner. These have been replaced with dispensers in each cottage.
Hostal Grau
- Using certified wood, water-based paint, no PVC.
- Use of Geopanel (it is a range of acoustic and thermal insulation panels manufactured with a high percentage of recycled material and 100% recyclable).
- Have a vertical garden 8m x 15m on the back wall of the building.
- Organic handmade beds (naturalmat).
- Own-produced organic perfume using essential oils.
- Testing a pilot room with a low radiation system. You can have a connection, with a special green router and low radiation waves.
Welcome words from our top 11 eco-friendly hotels
Binga Beach Resort
Welcome to Binga Beach Resort for elegant glamping on one of the most pristine and natural beaches in Palawan, Philippines very near to the world-famous destination of El Nido. Guests to our resort are afforded tons of space in their large private glamping units, and first-class service. Many adventure activities are included and we operate many tours from mountain climbing to island hopping and more.
We are located on a remote beach without any other tourists, so overall the experience is uniquely peaceful, private and very close to nature. For the best white sand, blue water beach and jungle experience join us!
The Pavilions Hotels and Resorts
Greetings from The Pavilions Hotels & Resorts, Group Director of Marketing, Tim Sargeant, here to present some exciting news on one our flagship eco-resorts, The Pavilions Himalayas which features 2 resorts in one location – The Farm, which is focused on the environment and community, and Lakeview, for the adventure seeker looking an unforgettable experience.
The Pavilions is a collection of 9 hotels around the globe. Our ultimate objective is that The Pavilions Himalayas is a social business where we provide a large majority of our net profits to our various social activities which the co-owners Douglas and Insuba have been engaged in collectively for the past twenty years.
Green Roof Inn
Carriacou island 20 minutes off of Grenada is the perfect destination for those looking to go off the beaten track in search for the genuine Caribbean free from mass tourism and standardized resorts. Green Roof Inn focuses on sustainable tourism with social responsibility, fair employment, and support of the local community as important as the ecological impacts of our operations.
Hacienda Jimenita Wildlife Reserve
We are Hacienda Jimenita Wildlife Reserve, a unique place in Quito, Ecuador where you come as a guest and leave as a friend.
We are a boutique hotel with just 15 rooms, where we offer the experience to be in a historic building that connects with nature and Ecuadorian culture. We have 18 acres of land with over 90 different species of birds that have made this their home. We do not offer TV, we are focus on connecting people with nature and culture.
Selva Lodge
Welcome to the Selva Lodge, this a magical and extraordinary place on earth and we hope you have a visit of a lifetime. We are maintaining sanitized policies. So please just sit back and enjoy the tour. No danger here, only incredible memories.
Our location in Ecuador is a very interesting selling point, because many people don’t know where to choose, to visit the Yasuni national park or the Cuyabe ecological reserve. So, our location is right in the middle of these 2. Another selling point is that we are a wellness lodge; you can get pampered and have a lifetime experience with wildlife adventure expeditions. Our guides have worked for more than 25 years in the Amazon and have a lot of information and experience in the area.
Soneva
As the custodians of pristine locations, Soneva in the Maldives is built on the foundation that a business must exist for a greater purpose than shareholder returns. We believe in natural excellence in everything we do, whether it is delivering the ultimate guest experiences or providing energy to the rural poor in Myanmar through the Soneva Foundation. The impact of our activities extends far beyond the fringes of our coral reefs, and as a company, we take responsibility for our total impact on society.
We are known for our personalized and excellent service. Furthermore, our food offering is second to none and has more variety than our competitors both in terms of flavors, outlets, and experiences. This is important for guests going to an island destination where what we offer is their choice.
T-Nest
Welcome to T-Nest in Zagreb, Croatia, the next-generation eco-luxury resort based on the highest sustainability standards, nature, and innovation inspired by great Nikola Tesla.
There is no other luxury resort nearby basing its offer on the highest sustainability standards, innovation in all areas and nature as the main inspiration for such an unconventional service execution. Our location has historical significance being located near the home town and memorial center of famous innovator Nikola Tesla who is discreetly incorporated in T-Nest philosophy.
Sarinbuana Eco Lodge
We hope to welcome back guests soon to our lodge on the slopes of Mount Batukaru in Bali. While Sarinbuana Eco Lodge has been closed for 2 months due to C-19 we have been renovating our bungalows and improving our Permaculture gardens. We are looking forward to sharing our new No chemical swimming pool with you all. Until then stay safe.
Featuring a natural, no chemical swimming pool – system engineering designed by Lodge partner Norm vant Hoff and style design by Linda vant Hoff with construction by their son Larz. We work inclusively with our local stakeholders & the environment. We are a small family business committed to sustainability. We offer an authentic experience in Nature to our guests.
La Fattoria dell’Autosufficienza
We are ready to host you at La Fattoria dell’Autosufficienza, an ecological center located on the Italian Apennines, on the edge of the National Park of the Casentino Forests. A wonderful place surrounded by a breath-taking landscape and uncontaminated nature. Warning: Experiencing our farm stay might change your life forever!
We are not just a farm and farm stay, but it’s a project that aims to be a model of a sustainable human settlement for a new way of living in harmony with nature thanks to permaculture, happy degrowth, organic agriculture, synergistic agriculture, green building, energy self-sufficiency, holistic techniques and organic food.
Fond Doux
Guests of the Fond Doux resort have full access to two onsite restaurants serving plantation to plate cuisine, organic spa, boutique, Circle of Love wedding gazebo, triple cascading pool and the “Plas Cacao” Chocolate shop. The resort is conveniently located just minutes away from St. Lucia’s main attractions, including the Pitons, Sulphur Springs – ‘The Caribbean’s only drive in volcano’– and the best diving sites on the island.
Located on a historic 19th century working cocoa plantation within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Soufriere, St. Lucia, Fond Doux Plantation & Resort offers a serene and tranquil escape from the more crowded St. Lucian hotels. Framed by 135 acres of picturesque rainforest landscape, cocoa fields and tropical gardens, experience the authentic history, culture and character of this beautiful property
Hostal Grau
Our hotel the Hostal Grau looks like a big house and oasis in the middle of the urban rushing Barcelona. Once you close the door you forget you are in a city. Small, urban and green are the words that defined our place. Urban is because you are in Barcelona and in the center, like other hotels but we are in a street that is away from the main one (Las Ramblas) so it is quieter.
The world is changing and our planet needs some help to avoid more contamination. If you have an ethical and conscious way of traveling, you have found a hotel that fulfills your expectations. Eco Hostal Grau will make you feel like home and will help you to live a green experience in an urban city like Barcelona.
