Hotels contribute about 1 percent to global carbon emissions. When hotels say they’re carbon neutral, it means they’re taking the same amount of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere as they emit. This is similar to offsetting strategies many airlines are currently implementing to become carbon neutral net-zero by 2050. Carbon offsetting happens in several ways– planting enough trees to make up for the number of emissions released, investing in green energy projects, re-wilding, and reforestation.
To be fair, there are setbacks with these initiatives as it’s hard to really measure how much offsetting is happening. A hotel may be sustainability built, but it’s completely different once guests start inhabiting the space. That’s when the real work to maintain its pledge to sustainability begins. However, there is data to match their commitment.
If you’re intrigued by carbon-neutral hotels, keep some of these on your radar for your next trip!
Chyulu Club, Kenya
This wilderness resort is situated in Kenya‘s heart of the Chyulu Hills. The resort takes a lot of pride in it’s is carbon-negative (it replaces more carbon than it emits!) and zero-emission credentials. It’s a place for the whole family – where parents can opt to create itineraries they can enjoy alongside their little ones, or opt to have the kids enjoy educational activities at the resort while they go on a safari.
Each experience allows travelers the opportunity to reflect on their surroundings and develop a profound understanding of the Maasai’s connection to their land. The resort is surrounded by giraffes and hippos, allowing guests to truly connect to the ecosystem and align with the resort’s sustainability mindset. Guests are encouraged to participate in wildlife preservation and reforestation projects with the help of specialists from the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, to learn, assess and help solve the planet’s conservation challenges.
Accommodations at the resort include Lodge tented cottages raised above the ground on wooden platforms. There are also Luxury or Quadruple Tents, depending on your preference; all tents have en-suite bathrooms. All guests pay a nightly Conservation Fee.
Two Bunch Palms, California
Despite being built in 1940, Two Bunch Palms hotel’s ethos proves its dedication to sustainability. Two Bunch Palms is a contemporary wellness escape that has undergone a series of renovations post-2014 to add a solar farm saving 20 million gallons of water, a mindfulness camp providing chakra-balancing massages to all guests, and organic earth-tone flooring. The hotel is located boundaries of Joshua Tree National Park.
The mineral waters at the resort flow from a 600-year-old natural spring that recharges every 24 hours and returns to the ground thereafter. The menu changes seasonally to avoid food miles and offers a variety of options from vegan and vegetarian dishes to hearty and comforting meat dishes. This is a great resort for a group retreat or personal escape.
Senda Monteverde, Costa Rica
Senda Monteverde is a luxury mountain lodge in Monteverde, Costa Rica. The resort offers access to Monteverde Cloud Forest adventures and unlimited hiking at the Aguti Wildlife Reserve. The resort is a member of the Cayuga Collection of Sustainable Luxury Hotels & Lodges — a group of award-winning sustainable luxury hotels tucked away in the most incredible corners of Latin America.
At Senda Monteverde, no single-use plastics are allowed within the vicinity, hot water is solar-powered, the cleaning materials are biodegradable, and they’ve planted 5,500 native plants and trees on the grounds to provide guests with organic food without adding the food travel miles.
Sani Resort, Greece
Sani Resort is the first in Greece to go carbon neutral. The resort is home to 225 bird species (with many of them rare and globally endangered), 272 acres of protected wetlands, and miles of fine golden beach.
Since 2019, Sani Resort has been running on 100% renewable energy. It has cut its water usage and single-use plastics and is on course to be plastic-free and waste-free by 2024. In 2021, Sani Resort has recycled over 219 tonnes of glass and ensured all single-use plastics (EU List) are banned.
The resort includes five hotels and features 1,000 acres of Mediterranean charm. Over 35 exquisite bars and restaurants, from fresh local fare to the fine artistry of Michelin Star gastronomy. Endless pools, spas, and spaces to relax.
Room2, United Kingdom
Room2 is a fully net-zero carbon hotel optimizing a heat pump and solar panels to provide heating and hot water energy throughout the premise. The hotel is divided into twin colored roofs – blue and green whereby the green roof promotes biodiversity, while the blue one collects rainfall beneath it.
The 86-room structure which takes its nuances from Chiswick’s Arts and Crafts past provides its guests with innovative vacationing techniques like a smart lighting and heating system, water-saving showers, and three-in-one recycling bins out of which electricity is generated later on.
BOAT&CO, Netherlands
BOAT&CO, is an apartment hotel at the waterfront in Amsterdam. It has become Amsterdam’s first climate-neutral neighborhood. Their sustainability-led innovations include a thermal storage system for heating and cooling, a roof covered in solar panels – and nesting boxes – while bathrooms are fitted with water-saving showers and taps.
Pumpkin Island, Australia
Pumpkin Island is the first fully carbon-neutral hotel in Australia. The tiny island houses accommodation for up to 34 guests at a time. Its units are completely powered by hydro and solar power. They intentionally choose to work with service providers that align with their eco-consciousness ethos. The hotel fills water via filtered rainwater and cares to reduce waste production and increase composting. Travelers can engage with the rich wildlife, see dolphins, turtles, and whales, and snorkel and kayak, but will have to abide by the sustainable regulations put by the hotel.
Hotel Marcel New Haven, Connecticut
The Hotel Marcel New Haven is part of the tapestry Collection by Hilton, in Connecticut opened in May 2022. “Hotel Marcel New Haven is a major milestone for the Tapestry Collection by Hilton brand as the first anticipated net-zero hotel in the U.S.,” said Jenna Hackett, global brand head, Tapestry Collection by Hilton.
All the hotel’s 165 rooms and suites, restaurant and laundry areas use energy produced from on-site solar panels. Some of the sustainably-minded design features include a power-over-ethernet lighting system reducing lighting energy by 30 percent; repurposed building materials; as well as installing energy-efficient upgrades that allow the building to consume less energy per square foot than other hotels.
Guests to the hotel can enjoy electric vehicle chargers, locally sourced meals, organic wines, a water-filling station for reusable water bottles, 7,000 square feet of meeting spaces, and more. The hotel is currently open for booking.
Alohilani Resort, Hawaii
The Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach is the first carbon-neutral hotel in Hawaii. They are now powered by 100% renewable electricity. They are also committed to planting 100,000 indigenous trees with the Hawaii Legacy Reforestation Initiative. Hotel guests will pay a $5 tree fee to contribute to this effort. The award-winning hotel also announced its commitment to achieve PAS 2060 carbon-neutral certification.
The Stay Hotels Group, Turkey
The Stay Hotels Group was founded in 2017 and is Turkey’s first independent and locally owned carbon-neutral hotel chain. Just this past June 2022,a new Stay Hotel just opened – The Stay Boulevard Nisantasi – bringing the group’s presence in Istanbul up to four hotels.
Euronews reports, “As part of its commitment to operating sustainably, the company invests in green-energy projects, scrutinises its suppliers to make sure they also operate sustainably, and uses recycled materials wherever possible.” Additionally, the Stay group plans to be zero waste by the end of 2022. They are also replacing all company vehicles with electric versions, and installing electric charging points in front of their hotels.
