It is not just a matter of eliminating courtesy sets packed in plastic bags or inviting guests to reuse towels. There are now plenty of hotels that boast greenwashing on the face of it, while truly eco-friendly hotels are rarer. Among them, Net-Zero hotels are starting to appear, i.e. buildings that produce as much energy as they consume.
Because hotels are among the worst buildings in terms of energy consumption and must reduce CO2 emissions by 66% by 2030, as stipulated in the Paris Agreement.
Moreover, truly climate-friendly hotels are committed to reducing consumption, promoting the local area, supporting local communities and choosing organic and km0 cuisine.
Here is a selection of new eco-friendly hotels for the discerning green traveller.
Sustainable hotels, more beautiful for green travellers
Hotel Marcel New Haven, Tapestry Collection by Hilton - Connecticut, USA
Room2 Chiswick - London
SCP Hotels - California, Colorado, Hawaii and Oregon
Six Senses Shaharut - Shaharut Negev Desert, Israel
Relais & Châteaux Suján Sher Bagh - Ranthambhore, India
Oasy Hotel - Tuscany
Aristi Mountain Resort - Aristi, Greece
Hotel Marcel New Haven, Tapestry Collection by Hilton - Connecticut, USA
Last May, theHotel Marcel, the first zero-emission hotel in the United States, opened in New Haven, Connecticut. Built in 1970 as the headquarters of the Armstrong Rubber Company, the Pirelli Tire Building, an icon of Brutalist architecture designed by Marcel Breuer, has reopened its doors as the Hotel Marcel New Haven, Tapestry Collection by Hilton.
Thanks to architect Bruce Redman Becker who converted it into the Net-Zero hotel. The 165-room Hotel Marcel, with its Bauhaus-inspired geometric motifs, will be fully electric and use solar panels to run the lighting, heating, cooling and hot water systems.
Power over Ethernet technology, a low-voltage system that consumes less energy than traditional cables, is expected to reduce energy consumption for lighting by about a third. Thermal insulation and triple-glazed windows stabilise the interior temperatures and have thus enabled it to achieve Passivhaus certification, the top rating for energy efficiency in buildings. The kitchen in the hotel restaurant will also be fully electric. The Hotel Marcel is expected to consume 80 per cent less energy than the average American hotel. For this gem, architect Becker intends to apply for LEED Platinum certification, the highest rating for sustainable construction set by the US Green Building Council.
Room2 Chiswick - London
Last December 2021 in London, the two brothers and builders Robert and Stuart Godwin opened Room2 Chiswick, an 86-room Net-Zero hotel . Wherever possible, recycled materials were used in the construction, from the reclaimed terracotta floors in the lobby to the hallway carpets made from plastic fishing nets found in the ocean trash.
Much of the furniture was produced within 10 miles of the property and compensated by planting over 4,000 trees. To keep the investment local, the developers purchased wallpaper, ceramic tiles, mirrors and mosaics from local artists. The hotel is also equipped with geothermal heating and cooling systems.
Beneath the green roof on the top floor, which houses flower beds and beehives, is a blue roof, i.e. a reservoir that can hold 50,000 litres of rainwater, mitigating runoff and providing water for the plants. All guest rooms are equipped with recycling bins, including a section for food to be composted.
Compared to the average UK hotel, Room2 Chiswick is 89% more energy efficient, according to its owners, who are working on the next Room2 in Belfast and plan to open more than 40 hotels in Europe and North America by 2030. Finally, the hotel offsets emissions it cannot eliminate by investing in a bamboo farm in Nicaragua that grows woody plants to capture carbon.
SCP Hotels - California, Colorado, Hawaii and Oregon
Ken Cruse, CEO and co-founder of SCP Hotels, has set a goal to make the hotel's seven locations in California, Colorado, Hawaii, and Oregon completely zero waste starting in June.
Absolute zero waste is clearly a difficult standard to achieve, but Cruse would like to reduce waste from standard hotel operations by 90 per cent. The hotel group, whose name stands for Soul, Community and Planet, in reference to its founding principles such as wellness, kindness and sustainability, will follow the Total Resource Use and Efficiency measures for zero waste established by Green Business Certification Inc.
Using e-mail and digital messaging, for example, the hotels have eliminated paper, which Cruse says accounts for 25 per cent of the waste produced by hotels. In rooms, glass jugs replace plastic water bottles and there are containers to sort waste. Instead of paper coffee cups, guests will find mismatched cups from thrift shops. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans produce about 2 kg of municipal solid waste, or rubbish, per day. The target for SCP Hotels is 400 grams per guest per day. For all the waste it sends to landfill, the company will compensate by investing in green operations, including working with the Hawaii Wildlife Fund to clean the beaches.
Six Senses Shaharut - Shaharut Negev Desert, Israel
In an enchanting setting with biblical echoes like the Negev desert in Israel, the Six Senses Shaharut resort and spa was born last August. It is the first hotel in Israel to be awarded LEED certification by the US Green Building Council. Thanks to its sustainable design and construction, which seamlessly integrates the hotel into the landscape, the Six Senses Shaharut achieved a 25 per cent reduction in energy consumption. Energy use is optimised by highly efficient mechanical and electrical systems and energy-efficient lighting systems.
Food waste is composted to feed their organic garden and water is bottled on site to avoid plastic. Used cooking oil is donated to produce biodiesel in the community. The hotel does not discharge liquids into the environment and uses a palm grove to absorb 100 per cent of the wastewater treated on site. During their stay, guests can also visit the Earth Lab to learn about the resort's sustainability efforts to reduce consumption, produce locally and support local communities and ecosystems. The experience is fun and interactive: one can participate in workshops and engage with local community members who share their knowledge of local desert crafts. Here, where sunsets merge with the orange-coloured dunes, the Six Senses Shaharut offers a luxury yet environmentally friendly holiday.
Relais & Châteaux Suján Sher Bagh - Ranthambhore, India
In the renowned tiger reserve of Ranthambhore, Rajasthan, lies the Relais & Châteaux Suján Sher Bagh, a luxury tented camp created with the intention of preserving its natural environment.
Sher Bagh sensitises its suppliers to the use of natural, traditional and organic farming methods and a 'no plastic' policy.
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it uses solar energy and waste-fuelled fuel for heating and electricity. At the hotel restaurant, there is no seafood on the menu (the sea is too far away), but only dishes based on organic and km0 products.
In addition, important work is done in cooperation with government wildlife agencies and NGOs: the hotel provides them with resources and manpower for the vital work of conserving the natural habitat.
Native plants are cultivated throughout the property, which supports the development of the area by helping locals develop new skills and creating new jobs. Among its various collaborations, the Relais & Châteaux Suján Sher Bagh boasts one with Dastkar, a local non-profit association that promotes women's emancipation through handicrafts: by purchasing clothes, accessories and household linen handmade by the women of this community, guests concretely support this solidarity initiative, buying authentic and valuable objects. The Relais & Châteaux Suján Sher Bagh is therefore an elegant safari experience, run for several generations by the family of Jaisal and Anjali Singh, which has become a model of sustainable tourism.
Oasy Hotel - Tuscany
It is the first nature hotel in a nature oasis in Tuscany for an eco-chic holiday. In a WWF reserve, in the heart of Tuscany, precisely in the municipality of San Marcello Piteglio, the Oasy Hotel was born at the end of May 2021, a project of Oasi Dynamo, based on the values of environmental sustainability. In a 1,000-hectare nature reserve at an altitude of 1,100 metres, there is a nature hotel with 16 eco-lodges surrounded by greenery with the services and comforts of a luxury hotel.
Photo: © Oasyhotel
There are two types of accommodation: double eco lodges designed for couples who want to spend a few days in intimacy and harmony with nature, or family eco lodges for families or a group of friends.
All of them, however, are houses in nature made of wood and glass, perfectly integrated into the environment and created by creating continuity between indoor and outdoor space.
Large windows and a veranda let in natural light at all times of day and night. Inside, comfort and services of a five-star hotel. The hotel also has two haute cuisine restaurants, recreational areas, relaxation and wellness areas recreate an atmosphere of home. When you arrive at the reserve, you leave your car behind and travel solely on the e-bikes provided, thus entering a true oasis, far from the hustle and bustle of city life. The Oasy Hotel, therefore, is the ideal address for a green holiday in total harmony with nature to reconnect with oneself.
Aristi Mountain Resort - Aristi, Greece
A different Greece from the one we know. TheAristi Mountain Resort, hidden among mountains, lush valleys and ancient villages in northern Greece, is another model of a sustainable hotel. The Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas respects the architectural heritage of the Greek region of Zagori, using traditional construction techniques and local materials such as stone and wood, allowing the structure to blend harmoniously into the surrounding mountain villages.
Energy-efficient systems, LED lighting and water conservation programmes demonstrate the Aristi's extensive ecological efforts, which include the elimination of single-use plastic. The resort also supports the local area by offering visits to surrounding villages. Guests, for example, can visit the village of Elafotopos to watch traditional weaving demonstrations and create handmade woollen textiles. Photography workshops with Zagori photographer Costas Zissis take guests to nearby villages to learn about and photograph natural and architectural attractions, including the preserved stone bridges of Kipi.
In addition, the resort has helped fund the reconstruction of the area's traditional cobblestone paths, according to ancient construction techniques, without cement.
Aristi also helped found the Zagori Excellence Network to promote sustainable tourism practices in the 46 villages of Zagori. Made up of local hotels, restaurants and tourism companies, the association also focuses on supporting community businesses and the preservation of local churches and monasteries. Aristi is also committed to promoting the culinary traditions of the region in its Salvia restaurant, which serves regional specialities based on local and seasonal products. The hotel also offers intensive cooking classes for those who want to learn more about traditional dishes such as tzatziki, Greek salad and Zagori cake.
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