Travelers want to protect the world they love to explore and are increasingly adding eco- friendliness to their list of must-haves when choosing hotels. As many as 81 percent of travelers planned to stay in at least one green accommodation in 2021, a United Nations report on climate change says¹.

And hospitality industry is meeting that demand with eco-friendly initiatives that reduce waste and resource use, innovatively recycle materials and protect human health. For anyone considering greener travel, the following properties practice earth sustainability daily in business and housekeeping, and greatly exceed that benchmark with individual, creative approaches.

Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa - Orange County, California

The Marriot property’s guest room balconies offer sunny views of the Pacific Ocean, and nearby Laguna and Doheny State beaches and Dana Point Harbor make the perfect day trip for water lovers. After hanging out seaside, visit the sustainably-operating spa at Laguna Cliffs for a guilt-free pampering. Spa sales and appointment-booking are paperless and all treatments use organic and/or natural ingredients by Eminence Organic Skincare. In partnership with Marriott, Eminence Organics plants a tree for every product sold and uses sustainable materials in shipping.

Upcycling – turning the old into new – was used in a chic and environmentally-conscious recent renovation of the spa. The new design incorporated existing fixtures such as cabinetry, mirrors and lockers, with reclaimed wood and recycled glass elements.

Green initiatives at Laguna Cliffs span the entire property, which is completely smoke-free, and allergen-free guest rooms are available by request. Water-conscious measures include low-flow water devices in each room, a water purification and recycling system in the resort’s splash zone, a rain-sensitive irrigation system and the use of saline in pools to reduce chlorine gases.

Virgin Hotels - Chicago, Illinois; Nashville, Tennessee and Dallas, Texas

With properties in three urban centers, Virgin Hotels takes advantage of vibrant surroundings to promote walking tourism as part of its sustainability approach. Guests are further empowered to practice sustainability through a carbon-offset program that aims to neutralize carbon emissions from the three hotels. For .75 cents a night, Virgin Hotels assures that an equal quantity of carbon produced per stay will be removed from the atmosphere or prevented from happening elsewhere in the world. 

Virgin Hotels also participates in Clean the World, an independent initiative that distributes recycled soap products from more than 8,000 hotel partners to families susceptible to diseases caused by poor access to hygiene. And the hotel’s green roof system promotes responsible stormwater management.

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge - Brooklyn, New York

“1 Hotels is inspired by a simple idea: those that travel the world should also care about it,” Raul Leal, CEO of SH Resorts, says in Forbes. “It is, after all, one world.”

With nine locations, the 1 Hotel brand, part of SH Resorts, puts these words into practice with waste reduction and resource conservation measures and an aesthetic that brings nature indoors. 1 Hotel Brooklyn is the brand’s first sustainable ground-up development. A design that widely incorporates reclaimed wood, marble, bricks, stone and locally sourced glass finishes helped earn the property a LEED Gold certification, and gives it a uniquely Brooklyn feel. In a tribute to local history, many of the materials used in construction were reclaimed from local landmarks, including the original heart pine beams from the former Domino Sugar Factory and walnut from the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

Local artists inspired by the Brooklynn Bridge and the character of the borough, contributed to many details and focal points throughout the hotel; a striking obsidian rock boulder and rope sculpture by local artist Rachel Mica Weiss sits beneath a two-story spiral staircase in this 1 Hotel lobby. And the outdoors is brought indoors with floor-to-ceiling windows in each guest room that let in water and bridge views and ample natural light, a 25-foot living, green wall and vegetation throughout the building.

The hotel’s restaurant, The Osprey, sources local and seasonal ingredients for many menu items, bringing a sustainable approach to food.

Hotel Terra Jackson Hole - Jackson Hole, Wyoming

The beautiful boutique hotel sits at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Village, amid snow-covered mountains with ski slopes. Innovative construction that takes the principle waste not, want not to extreme helped earned the property the accolade of Wyoming’s first LEED-certified hotel.

Steel, wood and concrete used as the main building materials were largely recycled, and the beams of old barns and farmhouses were upcycled for some building elements. Roof shingles on the 55,000 square foot hotel were made from recycled tires and have a life of 50 years. And much of the cement needed to produce concrete was replaced with fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion. At the end of construction in 2008, Hotel Terra tallied that as much as 50 percent of waste produced during the process was reused or recycled.

The hotel’s furnishings and interior finishings also make extensive use of reclaimed materials. Old seatbelts were recycled into chairs in Hotel Terra’s cafe and elevator tiles were crafted from recycled leather that covered old BMW seats. Bright orange and green pillows in guest rooms were made from plastic bottles.

The building’s practical design includes an underground tank where run-off water is collected, filtered and released back into the environment. Furthering its commitment to resource conservation, Hotel Terra purchases its energy from renewable sources. And an aesthetically pleasing layout allows almost all interior space to receive natural light, which cuts down on energy use and showcases mountain views.

Planning on staying at an eco-friendly hotel on your next adventure? Make sure your travels are protected from the unexpected – get a quote for travel insurance today.

Related Articles

• 20 Sustainable Travel Tips for the Eco-Conscious Traveler
• Domes, Treehouses, & the Exciting World of Sustainable Travel Accommodations
• Your Guide to Boutique Hotels