Not everything that calls itself green is green. Because terms like “sustainable” or “eco” are not protected, anyone can use them for anything. We also see a lot of “greenwashing” in hotels and accommodations. Others are very committed without showing it. In this article we would like to give you some examples of how to recognize sustainable accommodation.

 

Environmental awareness in tourism has increased

When Green Pearls started in 2013, sustainability was still new territory in the hotel industry. 10 years later, we are fully in the eco-trend. You may have noticed it yourself. Years ago, we used “cheap flights” to just do some weekend-shopping in a metropolis – now we rather save up for an e-bike. In 2021, an international Booking.com survey of more than 29,000 people found that 76 percent of travelers consider sustainable travel important.

 

Greenwashing confuses consumers

One problem is greenwashing. This is the deliberate misleading of consumers through advertising, marketing and wording that makes an accommodation appear more environmentally friendly than it actually is. Bloggers report disappointed that the place does not look as green as expected. Towels are left purposely hanging in the bathroom – and new ones are inadvertently provided. Or every tea bag is shrink-wrapped. But on the other side, you yourself may not understand why the spa is no longer open all day. Sustainability can mean many things. And as we will see, different hotels and vacation rentals have very different priorities.

 

Transparency is key

In an interview with HOUSE of MANAO, Stefany Seipp, founder of Green PearlsⓇ, says: “Whether an accommodation has a solar system, for example, depends on various circumstances. That’s why she says it’s especially important to “make the different sustainable aspects transparent. In some places, for example, there are legal hurdles to solar installations. Or the house may be under a preservation order that prevents changes to the exterior. The reasons are many, and many remain hidden to us as guests.

With us, i.e. Green Pearls®, every accommodation that becomes a partner receives a microsite on which its sustainable commitment is listed in detail. That way, you don’t just see a seal, but you can get specific information about their commitment to sustainability. Even what you can’t see in the pictures  

 

7-point check for sustainable accommodation

Green PearlsⓇ checks a number of criteria with its partners, although, as mentioned, you don’t have to be involved in all of them. The following seven points can help you understand how to identify sustainable accommodations:

 

#1 Architecture

Renovating an existing building is more sustainable than building a hotel from scratch. A great example is the Relais del Maro in Italy. Owner Elena Scalambrin built an Albergo Diffuso out of several old commercial buildings in her childhood village of Borgomaro. This means that the rooms are spread out over several houses in the village, and you come to the main house for breakfast. Win-win: You live among the locals, and the locals are happy that the formerly vacant buildings have been revitalized in a meaningful way.

Another example is the Hotel Klosterbräu in Seefeld, Tyrol. A monastery was built here in 1516, and for more than 200 years the property has been owned by the Seyrling family, who have transformed the former monastery into a sustainable 5-star hotel. New natural rooms and suites have just opened (June 2023). Up to 95 percent of the materials used are from the region. For example, the wooden floors and furniture were made from trees in the hotel’s own forest, and the walls are clay plastered.

 

Especially when a hotel expands with new rooms or when rooms need to be renovated, sustainable accommodation should pay attention to the materials used. In Germany, “the regrowing hotel rooms” of the Creativhotel Luise in Erlangen and the “Circular Living room concept” of SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA are prime examples of ecological room design.

 

#2 Climate Neutrality / Renewable Energy

More and more accommodations are now offering CO₂-neutral accommodations. But there are also some that are pioneers in this field. In the center of Milan, for example, there is the Hotel Milano Scala. This “zero-emissions accommodation” opened in 2010 and was the first CO₂-neutral hotel in Italy! The city hotel is powered by geothermal energy from a 30-meter deep geothermal well beneath the hotel. All rooms are connected to a computer system that controls heating and cooling.

 

 

At the Naturresort Schindelbruch in the Harz region, Germany, efforts are made to avoid CO₂ emissions right from the start. For example, you won’t find a mini-bar in your room or electric hand dryers. The sustainable accommodation draws its energy from four sources: its own photovoltaic system, its own geothermal system, pellet heating and green electricity from hydropower. The Nature Resort is certified with the Viabono environmental seal and determines its carbon footprint annually. It regularly ranks among the best. In order to become “climate positive”, in addition to its own measures, a rainforest project in Panama is being reforested – so you can be sure that your stay here will not have a negative impact on your CO2 balance.

 

#3 Support a climate-friendly trip

If you want to travel in a climate-friendly way, you should also think about the journey. “Depending on which study you want to believe, (between) 70 and 80 percent of CO2 emissions are caused by arrival and departure,” says hotelier Daniel Ganzer of Naturhotel Outside in East Tyrol. That’s why it’s a good sign for sustainable accommodation if the website already provides information on how to travel as environmentally friendly as possible and also helps with the “last mile”. Naturhotel Outside takes care of both. In addition, you will receive a guest card at check-in that allows you to use local public transportation free of charge throughout the vast Hohe Tauern Alpine National Park.

 

#4 Regional organic cuisine

Another way to recognize a sustainable accommodation is the food. It should be regional, seasonal, and organically grown. The use of chemical products (pesticides, herbicides) is prohibited in organic farming, which protects the groundwater. By buying local, you avoid transportation emissions, strengthen the region and eat fresh and natural.

At the Genießerhotel Die Forelle on Lake Weissensee in Austria, you can experience how import self-sufficiency and Slow Food are put into practice under the guidance of chef Hannes Müller. If you are interested in the subject, you can book various Slow Food seminars at https://www.forellemueller.at/de/slow-food and even fish for and prepare wild fish with chef Hannes Müller.

 

 

Another trend we are seeing is a shift towards vegan cuisine. Even if you’re not a vegan, sustainable accommodations like the all vegan hotel LA VIMEA in South Tyrol can show you how delicious and varied plant-based cuisine is. Because let’s face it, if you want to help the climate, you need less meat on your plate.

 

#5 Water

Clean water is our most important resource, which is why every sustainable hotel and green vacation rental should have a water conservation policy. This can be done with water-saving shower heads and taps, the use of grey water (e.g. for flushing toilets) and the collection and use of rainwater.

At STURM in the Rhön, cisterns are used to irrigate the 30,000 square meter snack garden. Whatever grows in the garden is used in the hotel kitchen, is available for guests to snack on, and provides shelter for insects and small animals.

 

#6 Waste Prevention / Zero Waste

Packaging waste is still a big problem for hotels. In fact, for a long time, guests and hoteliers couldn’t even imagine what a bathroom or breakfast buffet would look like without packaged disposable products and mini portions in plastic trays. Fortunately, that has changed. Hotels like Keemala on the Thai island of Phuket are leading the way in Zero-Waste-Travel: Since 2015, plastic bottles and straws have been completely banned from the resort, and even wedding decorations (on the beach or in the forest) are made entirely of natural materials.

Nevertheless, according to the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA), each hotel guest generates between 3.4 and 9.1 liters of waste per day. Logically, most waste is generated where disposable products are used.

But what happens to the waste? What you don’t notice as a guest is how the waste is disposed of. For example, the proper separation or recycling of organic waste. The LIFESTYLE Resort zum Kurfürsten on the Mosel, for example, uses leftover food as animal feed for local farms.

 

 

#7 Social sustainability

Carbon-neutral and organic are not the only factors that make a hotel or holiday-accommodation sustainable. There is also the pillar of social sustainability. Green PearlsⓇ accommodations typically operate with local staff and a permanent workforce.

At the Green City Hotel VAUBAN in the southern German city of Freiburg, half of the staff is made up of people with physical and mental disabilities.

Social sustainability is also an issue, especially in poorer countries. In Cambodia, the sustainable resort Farmhouse Smiling Gecko is part of an NGO that creates prospects for the rural population through training and education centers.

 

There is no such thing as 100% sustainable

You probably know it yourself – not everything is possible. If you buy vegan shoes, they likely contain plastic. Choosing sustainable bamboo means that it grows in China, not around the corner. So even with sustainable lodging, you can’t make everything perfect. To find a sustainable accommodation, we recommend that you make sure that the owners really care about the issue personally and that they are transparent about their efforts. This means that they don’t just write on their website that they are sustainable or carbon neutral, but that they show you how they do it and maybe even take you on a tour. Also, labels like GreenSign (or of course Green PearlsⓇ :-)) are a good place to start.

Do you have any other tips on how to identify sustainable accommodation? Write them down in the comments!

 

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Save this 7-Point-Check for your next vacation planning!