BELLEVUE, Wash., April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Travel is not just
about seeing the wonders of the earth but understanding our impact
upon it. With increasing frequency, people are looking to make the
shift from "tourist" to "conscious traveler" by finding ways to
maximize positive impacts on the locations they visit. Making
thoughtful choices about how, when, and where you go on a vacation
can make a significant difference. So, this Earth Day, Expedia®
analyzed its global bank of over eight million traveler reviews
from last year to find the key hot spots for eco-travelers.
Delving deep into sentiment, the global data showed the 10 best
places to stay around the world, as reviewed by Expedia travelers.
From boutiques with beehives and resorts with rainwater recycling,
to grand urban retreats with solar cell power, many of these
amazing places show that luxury and sustainability are not mutually
exclusive. Additionally, Expedia highlighted the top countries with
the best reviewed eco-conscious accommodations, with the
USA topping the charts.
Top 10 eco-friendly stays on Expedia according
to travelers
- Sandos Caracol Eco Resort, Mexico
- Nomad Hotel Roissy CDG, Paris, France
- Siloso Beach Resort, Sentosa, Singapore
- Habitat Suites, Austin,
Texas
- Pakasai Resort, Krabi, Thailand
- PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore
- The Green House, Bournemouth,
UK
- Listel Hotel, Vancouver,
Canada
- Hotel Verde, Cape Town, South
Africa
- Sherwood Queenstown, Queenstown, New Zealand
Top 10 sustainable countries around the
world
- USA
- Mexico
- Canada
- Australia
- UK
- Costa Rica
- Thailand
- New Zealand
- France
- Italy
Sustainable travel is the perfect opportunity to show Mother
Earth and fellow inhabitants how much you care. Ready to book your
eco-friendly hotel? Just visit
https://www.expedia.com/earthday or download the Expedia
app, which is available to download for free on iOS in
the App Store and on
Android devices through Google Play.
Take a closer look: Expedia's 10 most recommended
eco-friendly stays from around the world
1. Sandos Caracol Eco Resort – Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Situated between dense jungle and the blue of the Mexican
Caribbean coast, this Rainforest Alliance-certified destination is
among the highest-rated by travellers for the multitude of positive
impacts it offers.
- Extensive policies governing waste management, resource
consumption and natural conservation
- Opportunities for guests to engage in ecologically sustainable
practices: eco-tours, cruelty-free animal interactions and beach
meditation
- A commitment to the community, reflected in celebrations of
local indigenous culture, on-site markets that support local
artisans, and local partnerships to improve area schools
2. Nomad Hotel Roissy CDG – Paris,
France
Located five minutes by car from Charles de Gaulle airport, the
Nomad Hotel Roissy CDG boasts Scandinavian-inspired design,
tech-enabled customisable room layouts and a mission to "to
reduce the ecological impact of these buildings to a minimum, at
every stage of life, from design to operation"—making it the
perfect accommodation for digital nomads with green leanings.
- Rigorous standards for creation/loss of heat and a low total
annual energy consumption, supported by green (living) exterior
cladding, solar panels, air handling units
- Proactive efforts to neutralize water impact through use of
rainwater collectors
- Use of sustainable materials, including PEFC wood, carpets made
from recycled fishing nets, recycled stone and glass shower
units
3. Siloso Beach Resort, Sentosa – Singapore
Just off Singapore's south
coast lies Sentosa Island, a haven
whose southwest coast is the home to the Siloso Beach Resort. Steps
from the sandy beaches of the South China Sea, this award-winning
eco-resort has taken special care to integrate the surrounding
habitat into its design by prioritising open spaces and preserving
established natural features like mature trees and flowing springs.
The result? A uniquely organic take on a luxurious beach resort
experience.
- 200 original trees preserved (and 450 planted) on-site;
landscape pool fed by underground waters and built according to
natural terrain formation
- 72% of the resort is open-air—and activities including cycle
tours, hikes and other eco-adventures
- Operations keep ecological impacts top-of-mind, emphasising
locally-sourced foods, limited use of plastics, and reduced energy
consumption
4. Habitat
Suites – Austin, TX, USA
Habitat Suites, a sustainable gem in the heart of Texas' most progressive city, boasts a 30-year
track record of forward-thinking environmental stewardship. Habitat
Suites has been a charter member of the Green Hotels Association
since 1991—and won an Austin Green Business Leader Gold Award in
2018.
- Widespread use of alternative energy, including solar panels,
solar thermal and electric vehicle charging
- On-premises organic fruit and herb gardens; clean, local and
organic food options
- Use of plant-based, zero harsh chemical detergents for
cleaning; bio-safe guest shampoos and detergents; hypoallergenic
suites that include live potted plants and windows that open for
access to fresh air
5. Pakasai Resort – Krabi, Thailand
Spa treatments, boxing and cooking classes plus plenty of space
for lounging by the pool—the Pakasai Resort delivers on
everything you'd expect from a tropical Thai resort, then sweetens
the deal with an impressive list of sustainability efforts.
"Krabi's Greenest Resort" was the first in the area to win an ASEAN
Green Hotel Award (2014).
- Resource conservation efforts include rainwater capture and
greywater recycling, energy efficient lighting, biogas production
and reduction of plastic use
- Careful attention given to reducing carbon emissions through
waste minimization program and collaboration with the local
community and local organizations
- Guests are encouraged to make their stay even greener by
joining the #GreeningPakasai campaign, which incentivises visitors
to make low-carbon choices around food, transportation, linen
services and local activities
6. PARKROYAL on Pickering – Singapore
With 15,000 square metres of greenery and a cutting-edge design,
the PARKROYAL is equally impressive in what it does and
doesn't do. This LEED-certified masterpiece saves 32.5
Olympic-sized swimming pools' worth of water annually and could
power an estimated 680 households with the energy saved by its
conservation efforts.
- Highly regulated resource consumption through employment of
light, motion, and rain sensors
- Solar cells and rainwater collection mean zero-energy
maintenance of the 15,000
m2 sky gardens
- Thoughtful construction processes reduced concrete (and
associated waste and energy expenditure) use by more than 80%
7. The Green House – Bournemouth, UK
Equally suitable for weddings, self-care weekends and romantic
getaways, every detail of this eco-hotel has been designed to help
guests feel great while doing good. That ethos touches every facet
of The Green House, from the building's renewable energy production
and Forest Stewardship certified, UK-crafted furnishings to the
on-site restaurant's adherence to local sourcing and high animal
welfare standards—the company car even runs on bio-fuel from the
kitchen's old cooking oil!
- The use of earth-friendly cleaning products and efforts toward
energy conservation
- Staff are trained in the ethos of sustainability and are
encouraged to find new ways to improve the Green House's
efforts
- Environmental efforts extend to the exterior grounds, including
bird and bat boxes (to provide a safe place for breeding) and
rooftop beehives that produce honey
8. The Listel Hotel Vancouver – Vancouver, BC, Canada
The Listel Hotel dedicates itself to both environmental
responsibility and the arts. The hotel provides a location to
elevate local and international artists—including a gallery
dedicated to First Nations artists from the Northwest Coast—while
participating in the city of Vancouver's "Corporate Climate Leader"
program, setting an example for sustainable tourism efforts across
the globe.
- Responsible food practices including membership in Vancouver
Aquarium's Ocean Wise sustainable seafood program and a commitment
to offering local and sustainable food and wine
- Conservation efforts including 20 solar panels, a
state-of-the-art heat capture program (reducing the hotel's natural
gas use by 30%) and water reduction and air quality programs
- Adherence to a 100% Zero Waste policy since August 2011
9. Hotel Verde – Cape Town, South Africa
"Sustainable by design, stylish by nature" is the modest motto
of Cape Town's Hotel Verde. The
first hotel in Africa to offer
100% carbon-neutral accommodation and conferencing, the Cape Town
Verde has earned an extensive list of international accolades (LEED
Platinum certification and a 6-star rating from the Green Building
Council of South Africa) for its
extensive adherence to sustainable practices.
- Restoration of the surrounding wetlands now supports indigenous
water-wise vegetation and a healthy population of Cape honeybees—as
well as an ecotrail, outdoor gym, and eco-pool for visitor use,
plus on-site edible food gardens and aquaponics
- Energy efficiencies include photovoltaic panels on the roof and
north-facing facades, wind turbines, energy-generating gym
equipment and geothermal heat
- Commitment to social responsibility through sustainable
procurement practices, waste management and community
involvement
10. Sherwood Queenstown – Queenstown, New
Zealand
Sustainability and connection with nature are behind every
detail you'll encounter at the Sherwood Queenstown, a boutique hotel perched on three
acres of alpine hillside overlooking Lake Wakatipu. The Sherwood
operates based on the belief that "a simple respect for nature
lies at the heart of any sustainable practice". The hotel's
orchards and kitchen garden supply its award-winning restaurant;
most rooms offer sweeping mountain or lake views, and all are
outfitted with South Island wool blankets and locally-sourced
beverages. Mornings start with optional yoga sessions, followed by
hiking, mountain biking, skiing or snowboarding.
- A focus on materiality selection that integrates the building
with the landscape, while employing upcycled fixtures, fittings and
furnishings
- Conscious choices about energy generation—the Sherwood is one
of the largest private solar installs in New Zealand and currently generates enough
electricity to return surplus to the grid
- Selection of food, wine, beer, spirits, and other consumable
products that are local, natural, healthy, ethical, seasonal and
sustainable in their production and use
NOTES TO EDITORS
*Top 10 lists compiled from measuring sentiment and volume of
reviews from travellers globally on Expedia that mention
'sustainable' or 'eco-friendly'
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