According to Booking.com, 69 percent of U.S. travelers identified sustainable travel as being important to them, while 53 percent said they were more determined to make sustainable choices when looking to travel again in the future.
As we prepare to celebrate Earth Day (April 22), we’ve rounded up 10+ hotels that go the extra mile to care for the planet and give back to their local communities. These properties, including some of the world’s most luxurious 5-star hotels, are spotlighting sustainability with eco-friendly adventures and cool conservation-focused initiatives – from recycling paper workshops to low-waste vegetable menu offerings and complimentary reef-safe sunscreen.
Banyan Tree (Properties include: Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués, Banyan Tree Tamouda Bay)
Rooted in their corporate ethos of “Embracing the Environment, Empowering People,” Banyan Tree’s sustainability approach emphasizes on building in harmony with nature and contributing to the growth and development of the community where each of their hotels are planted. Banyan Tree prioritizes sustainability every single day and has continued to enhance an array of social giveback programs at their resorts including recycling paper workshops at Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Meatless Mondays at Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués and tree-planting events at Banyan Tree Tamouda Bay. Banyan Tree Spas at each property also prove that sustainability is engrained in the brand’s DNA; a few of the practices put in place include using handmade ceramic containers for treatment products instead of single-use plastic and the implementation of biodegradable massage oils. This Earth Day, Banyan Tree Group is launching an extensive “Restore our Earth” campaign aligned with Earthday.org’s theme, which includes:
- “Stay for Good” program in partnership with The Canopy Project, where Banyan Tree will donate one sustainably planted tree for every one night booked throughout the campaign
- A voluntary pledge centered around energy conservation for visitors and future guests to take part in
- A global cleanup so individuals can experience first-hand the extent of our world’s single-use plastic problem, and begin to recognize how systemic our pollution and waste challenges are
Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda – Miches, DR
Opened in November 2019 as the very first operating resort in the emerging region of Miches, a secluded paradise located on the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic, this eco-chic, all-inclusive resort was built and is currently operating with sustainability in mind. Currently performing under the Green Globe certification, meeting the highest standards of sustainability, the resort offers additional eco-friendly initiatives, which include:
- On-site “community” garden, providing guests a hands-on opportunity to learn about planting, recycling and composting local ingredients
- Staff uniforms constructed from recycled plastic, with the manufacturing process using approximately 40 percent less energy consumption than polyester production (and recycles more than 200,000 plastic bottles in the process!)
- To ensure minimal impact of the land’s natural state, Club Med worked with local government agencies to perform an in-depth environmental impact study, enacting a tree replanting program where every tree removed has been replanted on or around the resort area (2,000+ trees, over 93 acres)
- Growing more than 30,000 new plants in a dedicated plant nursery
- Solar panel project – an estimated 45,000 square feet of solar panels are being installed in the resort to generate renewable energy
- Hydration stations throughout the resort for guests to refill reusable water bottles
- Features a natural pool, filtered by plants and without any chemicals
- Enacting company-wide ban of single-use plastics
- While in construction, the infrastructure underwent a series of assessments in order to earn its BREEAM certification
The Westin Cape Coral Resort – Cape Coral, FL
Sesuit Harbor House – Cape Cod, ME
The Spectator Hotel + French Quarter Inn – Charleston, SC
Altamer Resort – Anguilla
- In an effort to support Anguilla’s natural environment and ecosystems, Altamer Resort has committed to offset carbon emissions from all guests traveling to and from Altamer as part of the inclusion in all future bookings. As Altamer Resort continues to be a home away from home for travelers visiting the island, the resort is dedicating its’ time and resources to explore energy efficiency, water efficiency, natural and organic bath amenities, eco-friendly cleaning services, and contribute to zero waste efforts.
Zemi Beach House – Anguilla
Urashima Village – Kagawa Prefecture, Japan
- 100% renewable energy throughout the facility: 90% of electricity is supplied by solar panels in the facility; the rest is purchased with a certificate of renewable energy.
- All the wood furniture is sourced locally from the prefecture.
- Onsite plants are native to the area.
The Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club – Waikiki, Hawaii
- To protect Hawaii’s beaches and coral reefs, the hotel offers complimentary eco-friendly amenities like an onsite reef safe sunscreen dispenser along with a reusable Surfjack tote bag that items like a reusable water bottle.
- Locally sourced designs liked framed vintage beach postcards line the walls while Oahu-based aloha wear company Tori Richards dress the bedroom headboards. Local artists like Honolulu-based design studio The Vanguard Theory were commissioned to design the hotel’s 1960s art-filled, mid-century interiors and spaces. The hotel called over a dozen island artists to help outfit the spaces like the wall mural titled, “Our Treehouse,” painted by local Hawaii artists, The Wooden Wave, a colorful POW! WOW! Hawai’I piece in the café area and the swoon-worthy Wish You Were Here pool which features original typography from Hawaii artist, Matthew Tapia.
- Onsite Surfjack bikes are available for use to encourage guests to lower their carbon footprint.
Satoyama Stay — Gifu Prefecture of Japan
- All furniture is commissioned by local furniture makers and craftsman to revitalize the local economy.
- 100% of the hotel power is purchased from a natural power company.
- Room amenities and interiors were designed by local artisans to help sustain the craftsmanship.
The Sinclair is the first hotel in the world to power itself entirely through ethernet cables, reducing the building’s energy consumption by over 30%. For those who want to chip in to further conserve energy, the downtown Fort Worth hotel’s fitness center allows guests to help power the hotel through their cardio workouts on the workout bikes. The sophisticated guest rooms are equipped with Kohler digital showers, electric mirrors, LG OLED TVs, LG wallpaper TVs, and Network Presence Sensing technology, which automatically customizes lighting, shades and locks, while the amenities include a unique podcast recording studio in the lobby. All of these high-tech, eco-friendly features are housed within a beautiful adaptive reuse 1940s Art Deco building in the heart of downtown Fort Worth.
This 9-floor, 9-suite boutique property is the first luxury hotel in Hawaii to offer guests complimentary ocean-friendly sunscreen in partnership with Shiseido. Responding to Hawaii’s ban on sunscreen containing oxybenzone and octinoxate, the hotel was pleased to introduce guests to Shiseido’s new reef-safe Ultimate Sun Protector SPF 50+ found alongside the property’s host of coveted amenities. The Hawaii-compliant formula is powered by WetForce x HeatForce technology, allowing for longer wear and clear coverage on all skin tones. Hawaii’s most private enclave offers 2,250 square-foot suites that each occupy a full floor and come equipped with a jacuzzi-clad ocean-view balcony, 3.5 spa-like bathrooms, in-suite dry sauna and designer kitchen.
Top Honolulu-based hotel management company Aqua-Aston Hospitality operates 25+ properties in the Islands and played an instrumental role in Hawaii’s new sunscreen law banning oxybenzone and octinoxate, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2021. The company championed for real change through property activations, #ForOurReef public awareness campaign, lobbying and more, which eventually led to Hawaii becoming the first state to ban SPF formulas that harm coral reefs. Aqua-Aston has since distributed nearly 80,000 reef-safe sunscreen samples to the tourism industry and Hawaii community. During the pandemic, Hawaii’s marine ecosystem thrived due to low tourism numbers. As travel to Hawaii resumes, Aqua-Aston is committed to doing its part to preserve the state’s marine life by continuing reef-safe sunscreen efforts and educating guests on eco-friendly travel.
Nestled away in the countryside of the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York, Another World Bed and Breakfast offers travelers an eco-friendly escape surrounded by nature. Ideal for an Earth Day getaway, the modern B&B is equipped with an energy-efficient, geo-thermal system to sustainably power the property’s heating and cooling. After enjoying a home-cooked breakfast in the morning (options available for vegans, vegetarians, etc.), visitors can reconnect with the outdoors by exploring the nearby lakes, hiking the region’s best trails, and sampling local wineries and breweries minutes away from the B&B.