With today’s growing environmental concerns at the forefront of global discussions, sustainable hotels play a vital role in shaping the hospitality industry’s increasingly embracing sustainable practices.

While these hotels revolve around integrating eco-friendly architectural concepts, they also redefine the concept of luxury travel by offering guests a unique green experience. 

Let’s look at some of the top eco-friendly hotels around the world and their influence on sustainable tourism and architecture globally.

Adr?re Amellal | Egypt

A castle of clay and salt- a hidden gem of Siwa rightly located at the foot of White Mountain, Adr?re Amellal is one of the top eco-friendly hotels. Minimal yet harmonious, it is rigorously committed to authenticity and sustainability.?

Located near the Salt Lakes of Siwa, this distinctive and exclusive location consists of 40 uniquely hand-built bedrooms with earthy walls, salt beds, sandstone bathrooms, palm trunk chairs, woven fabrics, wooden flooring and doors. 

The individually crafted bedrooms offer a unique view of the salt lakes or oasis, with zero electricity throughout. Rooms are softly lit with tons of beeswax candles, complemented by the starry desert sky and some lanterns. A tribute to nature and local craftsmanship with its simplicity is paid through every element here.

This timeless escape sources water from its own spring, which also oddly fills the serene swimming pool shaded by palm groves. Even the fruits and vegetables are grown in the hotel’s gardens, bread is baked onsite, and meat is sourced from the local farmers. 

Pench Tree Lodge | India 

Spread across 40 acres, located in a small tribal hamlet of Sarahiri, this eco-sensitive and adventurous share benefits of tourism far & beyond.  A minimum carbon footprint is maintained through its 6 tree houses & 10 cottages.

With a mushroom hut, and organic herb & vegetable garden, maintaining a healthy, farm-to-table, and regional-focused cuisine.

Made of natural materials like stone, local sal and teak wood and perched 18 feet above the ground, the treehouses have large French windows and sit-out decks. 

A uniquely crafted dining hall is built around a century-old Mahua tree, while the interiors throughout the lodging are composed of earthy tones and a modern-traditional design. 

The environmentally friendly and sustainable travel accommodations call for a stress-free, relaxed experience, also promoting community-driven initiatives to boost local employment.?

The Brando | French Polynesia 

In this extraordinary world of Tetiaroa, encircled by the coral reef, these 35 sustainably-built villas welcome guests with luxury in the heart of nature. 

The rich tapestry and Polynesian heritage create a strong bond with the surroundings as you’re guided through their ancestral lands. 

Celebrating their culture through activities like art, music with ukuleles, colourful pareu, and more in this LEED Platinum-certified hotel. 

With careful practices and considerations, it breathes sustainability using local, natural, and recycled materials like renewed glass. The seawater air conditioning system reduces energy consumption and helps achieve carbon neutrality being entirely self-sustainable. The solar panels soak in the day to light up the paths at night. 

Tierra Patagonia | Chile

Built by Chilean architects Caz? Zegers, Roberto Benavente, and Rodrigo Ferrer, this hotel stands amidst the wildest places in the world, harmonising cohesively with its surroundings. 

Offering serene views of Sarmiento and Torres del Paine National Park through each of the 40 rooms, it is a luxurious retreat with subtle hints of Patagonia’s rich culture and history through artworks. 

Built in a form inspired by the shape of fossils, the hotel is also entirely composed of local natural materials, particularly local lenga wood for textiles and furnishings. 

The strategic spatial layout calls for an interesting floor plan that smartly utilises the sun’s direction to induce almost no air-conditioning in summers and low heating in winters. LED lighting is used throughout to minimise energy wastage.

Svart Hotel | Norway

Combining luxury and sustainability, explore your senses in the stunning Svartisen National Park. This immersive experience is packed with waking up to breathtaking views, stargazing, serene sounds of nature, and more, making it truly unforgettable.

Built with a strong commitment to sustainability, the innovative hotel creates new standards for environmentally friendly construction and operation. The 100 rooms provide eco-luxury, have a sustainable farm to provide for the restaurants,  and produce its own energy with solar panels.

Svart Hotel aims to be the world’s first energy-positive hotel. The donut-shaped property preserves flora and fauna on the site and looks to achieve a low carbon footprint. Estimated to save 85% of its annual energy consumption, the hotel indulges in sustainable methods like solar energy, boat shuttles, use of local resources, zero-emission construction, and more.  

It aims to set a new standard for minimising environmental impact through a sustainable lifestyle in the hospitality industry, adding to the list of environmentally conscious hotels.

These examples of sustainable architecture in hotels, make us aware of its influence on eco-friendly tourism and the responsibility as architects to make the change.

How to choose eco-friendly hotels for your next trip

Here is a small checklist to consider while you’re looking to stay in eco-friendly luxury hotels with sustainable practices, to be sure it’s not all just a make-belief strategy.

• Look for eco-certified and verified accommodation
• Choose low-carbon transport
• Research on its sustainability practices 
• Find ties to the community 
• Read guest reviews
• Discover how the hotel positively impacts the ecosystem

Some common sustainable practices to look out for during your stay are:

1. Use of 100% organic cotton sheets
2. Non-smoking environment
3. Use of renewable energy sources
4. Very little or no usage of single-use plastics
5. Energy-efficient lighting systems and HVAC units
6. Local resources for food and culture
7. Green vehicles for transportation
8. Greywater recycling

The main benefits of sustainable design in hospitality lie in reducing carbon footprint, promoting a healthier environment, and fostering connections through supporting the local community while offering a unique experience.

Promoting green architecture in hotels embraces green initiatives while complying with environmental regulations and transforming the idea of hotels worldwide.

Green architecture helps significantly reduce finances by implementing energy-efficient systems, and water-saving fixtures, and introducing sustainable waste management strategies like food management and recycling materials. This also increases the demand for green travellers maximising the idea of prioritising environmental conservation.

Sources

• https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thehoteljournal.com/worlds-most-sustainable-hotels/&usg=AOvVaw2dvQ7_xf89Uf96o-3LCGYe&cs=1&hl=en-US
• https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.glion.edu/magazine/eco-friendly-hotels-explained/&usg=AOvVaw3wHv410GbaRxFjUyB6iyrE&cs=1&hl=en-US
• https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.adrereamellal.com/adrere/&usg=AOvVaw1Cr3ypsJV1XRFuc7eS6-ei&cs=1&hl=en-US
• https://www.google.com/url?q=https://outofofficegal.com/blog/sustainable-accommodations&usg=AOvVaw3d4-3wpASo6xr8zkWU4FT1&cs=1&hl=en-US
• https://www.hotelsinheaven.com/top/the-10-best-eco-friendly-luxury-hotels/