Checklist to See If You’re Staying
in a Sustainable Hotel

When it comes to choosing accommodation, it’s always better to select a sustainable hotel or eco friendly resorts. This is to both help the environment and allow future travellers to also enjoy each destination. Today we will show you some common eco friendly features you can look for in your next accommodation to make sure you’ve chosen an eco friendly hotel.

Key cards operating the room’s lights

By having a key card slot that turns on the lights in a bedroom, an assumption is made that the guest is physically in the room at that time. This is because travellers need their key cards to get inside, so if you’re out, the card should be with you. This feature prevents lights from being left on in empty rooms, saving energy and electricity across entire eco friendly hotels.

Reusing towels

When the staff leave you a note saying you can use your towel more than once, this is a top indicator that they’re a sustainable hotel. When they don’t have to wash every towel after a single use, an astounding amount of water is saved across the entire property.

Local hires

As a traveller, it’s great to see locals that have been hired to work in a sustainable hotel as this helps keep the local economy running. When the staff are treated well and they enjoy their role, they’re being helped in more ways than one, both with their salary and by giving the local residents an opportunity to make a living at the eco friendly hotels.

Locally produced products

Similarly, to hire people from the area, a reputable and sustainable hotel will also tend to use foods and products that were grown or made locally. Not only is this a great way for travellers to know where the things they eat and buy have come from, but it is helpful to the local business owners who grow the food and hand-craft artisans as they profit from working with these eco friendly resorts. 

Multi-use items

One of the biggest problems facing the environment is single-use plastics, so when an accommodation cuts down or bans them altogether, you know that they’re a sustainable hotel that cares about being eco-friendly. Some examples could be using ceramic mugs instead of plastic, using metal straws or none at all, as well as using anything that can be washed and used again rather than items that should be thrown after one use.

Refillable amenities 

As a traveller, you might already know you’re likely to find small soaps, shampoos and conditioners in your room at eco friendly resorts. But what makes it even more eco-friendly? When a hotel has refillable containers in the bathroom instead of single-use plastic bottles, they are able to prevent wastage, help guests, and save the planet all at the same time. 

Water fountains

In some eco friendly hotels, you’ll find publicly available water fountains where you can refill your own water bottle or use a provided glass. This makes a much more sustainable hotel than one that provides plastic water bottles in their minibars or on daily bottle service. By using refillable items, you avoid having to recycle or throw them out after use.

As you can see, there are many ways eco friendly hotels can help the environment while still providing a great experience for us travellers. With sustainability being so important, it’s always worth checking to see what features each property utilises to make sure you’re selecting the most appropriately eco-friendly accommodations for your own trips.

Would you like to receive more inspiration directly to your email inbox?
Please click here to register for Ecotourism World newsletter!