Top 6 eco-friendly hotels in the world

When we think of sustainable travel, the image of an eco-lodge on a beach in Costa Rica, for example, often comes to mind. But traveling sustainably and responsibly isn’t just reserved for the realm of “ecotourism” and nature getaways – there are a number of ways that you can lower your impact on the environment when traveling for business as well.

A great step to take towards becoming a more sustainable business traveler is to book environmentally-friendly hotels. Low-impact travel and staying in high-end business or luxury hotels can coexist, and hotels around the world are exploring ways to step up and be more sustainable every day.

So, whether you’re booking your next big company retreat or simply hoping to find a hotel with a lower carbon footprint the next time you travel to meet the team in person, this is the list for you.

How to identify hotels with sustainable practices

There are many things to look out for when booking an eco-friendly hotel. It boils down to asking yourself “what green initiatives has the hotel implemented?”. Here are a few things to think about before booking a hotel:

1. Have they made an effort to get rid of single-use plastics? Getting rid of those small shampoo bottles we all love to take home, or bottled water, are great examples
2. Has the hotel been built in harmony with its natural surroundings? Think about whether the construction and building materials are harmful to that specific ecosystem or not.
3. Does the hotel use renewable energy (like solar energy), at least in part? 
4. Has the hotel deployed the use of technologies like motion sensors to turn the lights or air conditioning off in guest rooms when no one is inside them?
5. Does the hotel support local communities? Do they employ locals? Do they source food from the neighboring area?
6. Does the hotel have a composting or recycling program implemented to help make more responsible travel a reality?

These are just a few of the many ways hotels can be sustainable. For a more in-depth look, check out our dedicated article here. 

Top 5 most sustainable hotel chains for business travelers

Sustainable travel isn’t just about checking into a treehouse hotel in Tulum or a beachfront bungalow in the Philippines. Some of the world’s biggest hotel chains are taking measures to become more eco-conscious, and choosing hotels with sustainability practices is an important step toward making business travel more sustainable.