Salinda Resort, Vietnam

Low-impact travel and luxury can coexist thanks to an ever-expanding list of properties striving to respect their guests desire for environmentally friendly accommodation. Heres a look at some of the worlds top sustainable hotels.

Camp Glenorchy

Camp Glenorchy, New Zealand

Listed as one of TIME Magazines Worlds Greatest Places, Camp Glenorchytakes sustainability seriously. Its New Zealands first net-zero energy accommodation. The property was built according to the Living Building Challenge, which is said to represent the most rigorous sustainability standards on the planet. The property uses 50% less energy and water than comparable resorts and also relies on earth-friendly amenities like a solar garden, smart lighting, solar panels and an advanced onsite energy and water management system. Adding to Camp Glenorchysenvironmental allure is its incredible natural surroundings between the Humboldt and Richardson Mountain range.

Pikaia Lodge

Pikaia Lodge, Ecuador

Explore the iconic natural beauty of the Galapagos Islands from eco-luxurious Pikaia Lodge. The carbon-neutral property usesalternative energy resources and has anoutstanding social responsibility program. Recyclable, eco-friendly building materials were sourced for its construction (bathroom tiles, for instance, are made from lava stone taken from local sites that were approved by the National Park Service). Most of the furniture and decor were made from sustainable, agro-cultivated teak and bamboo wood from Ecuador. The property also uses only biodegradable cleaning products and hotel water is heated through the use of solar panels.

Discovery Rottnest Island

Discovery Rottnest Island, Australia

Rottnest Island, just off the coast of Perth, is home to the quokka, an adorable creature that looks like a miniature wallaby. Protecting wildlife and maintaining a low environmental impact are key concerns for Rottnest, which carefully limits development. Discovery Rottnest Island is the first hotel to be built on the island in over 30 years and the property created a Wildlife Management Plan to limit the impact on wildlife. The hotel offers a one-of-a-kind, low-impact glamping experience on gorgeous Pinkys Beach. The elegant eco-tents are made from sustainable materials that rely on air-flow rather than air conditioning for ventilation. The property also harvests rainwater for reuse. To exist in harmony with its surroundings and ensure fauna like the quokkas can roam freely, there are no fences or boundries around the hotel.

Fogo Island Inn

Fogo Island Inn, Canada

Set on one of Canadas most striking islands, the Inn is a community-friendly initiative and 100% of the operating surpluses are reinvested into the community to help the people of Fogo Island prosper. Additionally, the architecture and operational systems have been designed to meet the highest levels of energy efficiency and conservation within a luxury setting. Collected rainwater is filtered for use in toilets, laundry and appliances and solar panels supply hot water. Local suppliers for food and materials are used wherever possible, and the furniture is handcrafted and produced at the Inns Woodshop, which employs local craftspeople. Even the incredible quilts in each guest room are made by Island quilters.

Salinda Resort

Salinda Resort, Vietnam

Luxe Salinda Resort on Phu Quoc island lauds sustainability as one of its core values. In 2019, the resort became WWF-Vietnams official partner for plastic reduction management on Phu Quoc, with the goal of eradicating single-use plastic. In honor of this partnership, the hotel organizes a beach clean day once a month where staff and guests join to remove garbage from the beaches and surrounding neighborhoods. The hotel also prioritizes sustainable design in both its structures and surrounding landscape with a focus on biodegradable and renewable building materials. The property has also replaced plastic room keys with wood, shampoo containers with ceramic and uses LED lighting.

Aquila Eco Lodges

Aquila Eco Lodges, Australia

This property, located in spectacular Grampians National Park, showcases environmentally-responsible living at its finest. Accredited by Eco Tourism Australia, Aquila is a verdant retreat for families and travelers of all ages. The property generates power and deals with all waste on site. Additionally, the resort has a rain water collection program, as well as a worm-based composting system to return nutrients back to the environment. Inside, guests will find low-wattage appliances and lighting, non-toxic paint, natural oil finishes and flushing compost toilet systems all designed to ensure an ozone-friendly experience.

Soneva Fushi

Soneva Fushi, Maldives

Soneva Fushi is an eco-pioneer among resorts in the Maldives. It recycles 90% of its waste on-site at its own Eco Centro recycling plant as part of its "Waste-to-Wealth" program, which transforms waste into new products. Food waste from the resort's restaurants is composted to create nutrient-rich soil for the vegetable gardens. In 2017, the property was the first in the Maldives to recycle plastic on site. Soneva is also working with local government to open recycling facilities and introduce the resort's "Waste-to-Wealth" concept to three neighboring islands, which would help support local communities to reduce plastic consumption. The program also aims to educate local kids about waste and respect for the ocean, as well as teach locals to swim and surf.

Blue Waters Resort & Spa

Blue Waters Resort & Spa, Antigua

With a goal to go completely plastic free in the near future, Blue Waters Resort & Spa is at the forefront of the sustainability movement among luxury hotels on Antigua. The property implemented plastic-reducing initiatives by installing refillable water stations throughout the resort and introduced complimentary BPA-free water bottles for guests.Other sustainability measures include growing fresh produce on-site, recycling and providing suitable food waste to local farmers for animal feed. The hotels most recent eco-effort is the launch of its proprietary bath amenity brand, Neem Avenue, which will eliminate approximately 55,000 single-use miniatures within a year.

Petit St Vincent

Petit St Vincent, St. Vincent & The Grenadines

This idyllic, eco-aware hotel, which is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, goes out of its way to show that sustainability and luxury are not mutually exclusive. The property uses a state-of-the-art reverse osmosis desalination plant to processes ocean water to supply fresh drinking water. The hotel also bottles its own drinking water using reusable glass bottles, to prevent the need to import bottled water. Much of the produce served at the resorts restaurants are harvested from its local organic garden. Recently, the property started a coral restoration and reef monitoring project with help from the Philip Stephenson Foundation and CLEAR Caribbean.

Capella Ubud

Capella Ubud, Bali

Hidden in Ubuds lush rainforest, hugged by rice paddy fields and the Wos River, lies this incredible tented camp sanctuary. To preserve the pristine surroundings, no tree was cut during the construction of the resort. The property also has a no single-use plastic policy and offers the local surrounding villages an educational program that focuses on a sustainable approach to waste management and eliminating plastic. Capella Ubud also has a variety of sustainability focused scholarships programs for the local villages youths.

Heckfield Place

Heckfield Place, England

This Georgian Manor estate, nestled in the heart of Hampshires Jane Austen country, is set on 400 acres of sustainable farmland. The estates farm abides by bio-dynamic principles, and its lush gardens and orchards form the base of celebrated chef Skye Gyngells extraordinary cuisine. The farm also supports pigs, sheep and chickens and relies on its own biomass energy center to power the hotels water and central heating. An aerobic digester processes all recyclable waste to supply compost to enrich the garden soil and it also provides pellets for the biomass energy center.

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Travel Green: Discover Some Of The Worlds Best Eco-Friendly Hotels - Forbes