Lying by the pool, sipping a chilled lemonade, taking in the view, perhaps even joining a guided tour to explore the stunning natural surroundings and ancient temples – doing good can be so rewarding. All it takes is a charity hotel.

What are charity hotels?

The term “charity hotel” was coined by Trivago, a hotel search engine, to describe hotels that are actively involved in social causes and donate a portion of their resources or income to charitable causes. Charity hotels are either part of or have a partnership with a non-profit organization.

The benefit to you is that you can have a direct positive impact on the local community at your destination without spending extra money or volunteering.

Here are three hotels that have made a commitment to a good cause.

#1 Farmhouse Smiling Gecko – Luxury Resort and Work & Education Campus in Cambodia

The Farmhouse Smiling Gecko in Cambodia is part of the Smiling Gecko Association based in Switzerland. In 2014, the organization founded the “Smiling Gecko Campus” there. With an initial nine hectares, about 60 kilometers from the capital Phnom Penh. The campus has since grown to 150 hectares and is home to a school, kindergarten, handicraft businesses and training centers, as well as agriculture and livestock.

A central component is the Farmhouse Smiling Gecko Resort. There are a total of 34 rooms in luxurious houses and bungalows, a swimming pool with pool bar and sundeck. And the hotel restaurant, the gourmet restaurant UN, where chef Mariya Un Noun has made Cambodian fine dining famous far beyond the borders. (You can read more about the restaurant in our blog article about hotel restaurants).

Smiling Gecko is all about education and jobs. The jobs are fairly paid and the workshops – such as carpentry, sewing and butchery – are run according to modern Swiss standards. The furniture for the accommodation is made by the carpentry workshop. While the food in the restaurant comes from their own agriculture, cattle breeding and fish farming.

A way out of poverty

Many of the people who have found work here originally came from the slums of Phnom Penh. As described by the Taramana organization, Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia. And life in the slums is characterized by overcrowding, unemployment, inadequate sanitation, poor educational opportunities, and poverty.

The Smiling Gecko Campus is able to accommodate many people with their whole family. While the parents work on the farm, the children go to kindergarten, school or start an apprenticeship in one of the workshops or at the resort. To ensure that there is enough work for everyone, tourists are encouraged to visit the resort.

Here you can enjoy a relaxing and sustainable vacation and use the Green PearlsⓇ Resort as your base to explore Cambodia. Top attractions include temple complexes such as the famous Angkor Wat, floating villages, river markets and pepper plantations. If you are interested in the campus, there are also tours that will give you a better understanding of the entire project. And when you return home, you may find yourself continuing to be a supporter and voice for the project.

#2 The Pavillons Himalaya – The Farm – Support for children and organic farming in Nepal

According to USAID, Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. Poverty particularly affects young girls and women. And tragically, illegal human trafficking is widespread, with many being trafficked to India and beyond.

The Pavilions Himalayas – The Farm raises awareness and supports the organization Right4Children by donating 70 percent of its net profits to the empowerment of children.

Right4Children supports children and youth

Since 1995, Right4Children has operated day centers that provide free childcare and hot meals. There are programs for all ages up to adolescence. As The Pavilions Himalayas reports, funding the Right4Children center in Pokhara (on the same site as the resort) was a motivation from the beginning to build the sustainable tourist accommodation.

There are 15 spacious, luxurious Nepalese style villas with stunning views of the countryside and a swimming pool. Sightseeing tours and safaris are available, as well as in-house yoga and meditation. (Learn more about the yoga offerings in our article on sustainable yoga retreats for pros.)

Das zweite Standbein ist die ökologische Landwirtschaft, welche das Resort umgibt. Auch hier ist The Pavilions von Anfang an engagiert und baut selbst Bio-Produkte für die Küche an. Zudem motiviert die Nachfrage nach Bio-Produkten, die das Hotel generiert, den Umbau konventioneller Landwirtschaften zu Biobetrieben in der Region. Weitere nachhaltige Maßnahmen sind die Verwendung von Solarenergie, Grauwasser, Erzeugung von Biogas und die Herstellung biologisch abbaubarer Pflegeartikel aus natürlichen Zutaten der Region.

#3 Green City Hotel Vauban – Ecologically oriented integration company in Germany

Although not a charity hotel in the strict sense, the Green City Hotel Vauban was founded as a hotel with a focus on inclusion and social responsibility from the outset. Located in Freiburg, in the south of Germany, the shareholders of the hotel are the association Freiburger Sozialarbeit e.V. and the municipal housing company Freiburger Stadtbau GmbH.

50 percent of its trainees and employees are people with disabilities who have found a fair and sustainable place to work. The hotel also works with other integrative organizations among its suppliers. For example, its coffee is sourced from a roastery that operates as an integrative organization, and the hotel works with Hofgut Himmelreich for the education and training of its employees.

The modern city hotel is largely barrier-free and built in an environmentally friendly way. You will stay in rooms with a bright and friendly architecture and you will be directly connected to the light rail, which will take you to the city center in just 10 minutes. A free regional ticket is available for your stay.

👉 See what you can experience on a sustainable weekend in Freiburg, Germany, here.

A stay at Green PearlsⓇ charity hotels offers you not only relaxation and experiences. But also the opportunity to actively contribute to the well-being of others.