creativecommons.org/Moto “Club4AG” Miwa
In this day and age, it’s chic to be environmentally-conscious. Hotels and destinations around the world are catching on to this trend and offering tempting green options for their guests, as well as doing their part to be eco-friendly while remaining truly luxurious. Below you can find a roundup of some of our favourite eco-friendly hotels...
1. Auberge Saint-Antoine
This quaint Quebec City hotel has made an effort to be environmentally conscious by using hydroelectricity and installing dimmer switches in its rooms to save energy. The restaurant’s chef, Louis Pacquelin, believes strongly in fostering local producers and farmers. He uses primarily locally-grown, organic products, including fruits and vegetables grown in the hotel’s organic garden, and serves sustainable fish selected according to the rules of Seafood Watch, an organization that assists -consumers to purchase from sustainable sources.
2. Ritz-Carlton Montreal
Ritz-Carlton Montreal has been the most elegant address in Montreal since 1912, but following its recent renovations, it has also become a destination for green travellers. Take a dip in the hotel’s salt-water swimming pool that is heated using reclaimed energy or check out the thermostats that remember a guest’s temperature preference upon check-in. There are also motion sensors that activate the lights are other eco-friendly amenities. Guests can also dine in a 46-person greenhouse featuring an herb garden that provides some of the restaurant’s fresh produce.
3. El Silencio
Located in Costa Rica, El Silencio Lodge & Spa’s 15 mountainside eco-suites are set on stilts in the cloud forest canopy. 90 per cent of this luxury hotel’s grounds are designated as a private forest reserve and the restaurant’s cuisine is provided by local farmers or the hotel’s garden. And there’s a bonus: each suite is assigned an ‘EcoConcierge’ for a truly personalized experience.
4. Masseria Cervarolo
Masseria Cervarolo in Puglia, Italy, has been awarded an EU Ecolabel for its environmentally sustainable practices. A family-run 18-room farmhouse, Masseria Cervarolo has a knack for repurposing materials. Old barn doors are now headboards and bathroom racks are made of recycled driftwood. This eco-friendly retreat generates its own solar power and supplies only Malin + Goetz green toiletries.
5. Casa Bonita
creativecommons.org/Wicker Paradise
Casa Bonita the Dominican Republic is a 12-suite hotel set in the rugged Barahona rainforest, a leading eco-tourism destination. This retreat was built entirely from locally-sourced materials and uses a hydroelectric generator. On site is Pat’s Organic Garden, which provides produce for the restaurant and the rest of the restaurant’s food is sourced from the surrounding community. The property’s Tanama Eco Spa, a haven for butterflies, is set in the rainforest.
6. Rancho Platon
This hotel’s mission is to offer the best eco-tourism experience in the Dominican Republic. At Rancho Platon, travellers can sleep in a tree house. The hotel features bungalows among trees, waterfalls and natural pools that are free of chemicals.
7. Casa de Campo
This luxury Dominican Republic resort prides itself on its green practices. The resort uses solar panels to heat water and its spa was built using only naturally-sourced materials. The products used for spa treatments are 100 per cent natural and are created daily at the on-site ‘Spa Pharmacy’ from indigenous ingredients.
8. Atlantis, Paradise Island
creativecommons.org/Nugget04
Atlantis, Paradise Island is passionate about ocean conservation and animal rescue. In fact, the Atlantis Animal Rescue Team successfully rescued Georgie, a West Indian manatee and relocated her to the Atlantis Dolphin Cay Marine Mammal Rescue Centre earlier this year. After a successful rehabilitation period, Georgie was released in August to Great Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands. The property’s rescue centre is a haven for injured marine mammals.