Eco-Friendly Hotels Around The World

Here at Best at Travel, we’re encouraging you to “go green” and give back to the environment on your next adventure. You can do this in one of many ways (or all of them!) – by hand-picking an eco-friendly hotel that prides itself on its sustainable practises, reducing your carbon footprint by sightseeing on foot or bicycle or by planting a tree and leaving a natural legacy to remember your holiday by. Here are our top picks for a sustainable holiday…

Sarova Hotels – Kenya

What to do: Plant a tree or support anti-poaching

Pick Sarova Hotels for your next green getaway and give back to the environment by literally growing it. These impressive safari hotels (of which we feature six!) offer guests the chance to plant an acacia or commiphora tree in the Taita Wildlife Sanctuary during their stay as part of their Sarova Cares programme – complete with a certificate of appreciation! Plus, the hotels use sustainable practises such as recycled paper for business cards and they support elephant anti-poaching campaigns. It’s a no brainer!

Stay at: Sarova Salt Lick in Tsavo,  Sarova Stanley in Nairobi, Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa in Mombasa, Sarova Mara Game Camp in the Maasai Mara, Sarova Shaba in Samburu, and Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge in Lake Nukuru.

Amari Hotels – Thailand

What to do: Plant a tree or get involved in a beach clean up

Whichever Amari Hotel you stay at – from Bangkok to Hua Hin to Phuket – you’ll have the chance to plant a tree in the local area on public holidays or to mark a special occasion, such as a honeymoon or anniversary. They’re incredibly eco-conscious with a focus on reducing energy and water usage and they use eco-friendly cleaning products to reduce their impact on the environment. Not to mention their monthly associate village cleaning day (where they gather together to clean the neighbouring land), their annual donation of food to the local children on hotel anniversaries and Christmas as well as their regular beach clean ups.

Stay at: Amari Koh Samui, Amari Hua HinAmari Vogue Resort in Krabi, Amari Boulevard Hotel in Bangkok and Amari Phuket.

Denis Private Island – Seychelles

What to do: Switch off from the modern world

Denis Island is big on conservation. This self-sustainable lodge in the Seychelles is unique in that everything you eat has been grown right there on the island – from dairy products and island-grown fruits and vegetables to eggs, meat and poultry from the farm. There’s also a lumber mill, carpentry workshop and coconut palm plantation that’s used as cattle fodder (and in turn, to produce milk production for the entire island). You’ll also enjoy some incredible nature here as Denis Island has provided a home to nesting Hawksbill turtles and some rare birds on the IUCN Globally Threatened Birds list. Did you know that Denis Island is the only place in the world where you can see the Seychelles fody, magpie robin, paradise flycatcher and the Seychelles warbler?

Stay at: Denis Private Island in Malé, Seychelles.

1 Hotels – United States of America

What to do: Reduce your carbon footprint

1 Hotels are a collection of eco-friendly hotels across America that encourages you to “live green”. The hotels were built using reclaimed wood and in order to lower the levels of city pollution caused by cars, they encourage you to reduce your carbon footprint by walking and cycling – we love that they offer complimentary bicycle hire! Where cars are used, however, you can rest assured they are fully electric. The hotel itself has been built to make the most of natural light with windows, retractable walls and open doors but energy-saving light bulbs are also used where necessary.  Other sustainable practises include using 100% organic cotton, recycling waste, water reduction and using filtered water.

Stay at: 1 Hotel South Beach in Miami, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge and 1 Hotel Central Park in New York.

Grand Velas Riviera Maya, Mexico

What to do: Explore the natural surrounds on an eco-tour

Guests staying at Grand Velas Riviera Maya (a Green Globe Certified resort) have the chance to “put down roots” and reconnect with nature as part of the resort’s twice-weekly ecological tour. It includes a local nature walk throughout the property to reveal facts about the native fauna and flora, including over 15,000 transplanted trees, details about the beach coral preservation and even local Mayan legend! Guests can plant a tree at the end of the eco tour and watch it grow from home on Google Earth. The experience comes complete with a free t-shirt and official certificate!

Stay at: Grand Velas Riviera Maya in Mexico.

Maya Ubud – Bali, Indonesia

What to do: Help grow the resort garden

Maya Ubud is blessed with hundreds of trees and perhaps it has something to do with their tree-planting initiative. Each guest is invited to plant a tree of their choice in the resort’s riverside garden (pssst! The mango tree is most popular!) Complete with a plaque displaying the guest’s name and a personal message, it’s the perfect way to mark a special occasion. Maya Ubud also runs best sustainable practises such as paper reduction, recycling and green building –  did you know that over 90% of the materials used to build the hotel has been sourced locally?

Stay at: Maya Ubud in Bali.

Want to plan your green holiday with us and give back to the environment? Give us a call or browse our website!