If you are a person who a) lives on this Earth, b) likes to travel, and c) is not a monster, you probably care about sustainable travel a lot. But, unfortunately, like many things in the eco-friendly space, green travel is not immune to greenwashing (when a company is misleading about how environmentally sound they are). Tons of hotels these days sell themselves as sustainable hotspots, and it can be hard to tell which ones are genuinely following through on their promises and which ones are just, ya know, hopping on the eco bandwagon for the profit of it all (ugh).
But don’t worry—I’ve got you! To help you understand what actually makes a hotel sustainable, and thus be a ~smart booker~ of green spots, I checked in with two sustainable travel pros: Alix Collins, the director of communications at the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST), a non-profit dedicated to sustainable hospitality, and Jonathon Day, PhD, a professor of sustainable tourism at Purdue University. Their TL;DR summary? Truly sustainable hotels do way more than just swap out single-use plastics (though, yeah, that’s important, too). On an even bigger scale, legit eco-friendly hotels also do their best to care for the entire environment around their properties—an area experts refer to as the “tourism ecosystem.”
“In addition to reducing their carbon footprint, actually sustainable hotels protect and promote the surrounding community’s local culture and economic well-being,” explains Collins. In fact, many tourism experts have begun to refer to this more expansive approach to sustainable travel as regenerative travel, because its whole mission is not just to do no harm, but to help do good, too—aka leave a destination better than it was when you arrived.
Of course, it’s one thing to know what makes a hotel green, but it’s a whole other skill to actually find the ones that make the cut. Start by scoping a hotel’s website, blog, or social platforms, Collins suggests—and be sure to look for initiatives that go beyond carbon footprint reduction. “While sustainable hospitality is definitely a journey for many hotel companies, you’ll ideally find a hotel’s commitment to the well-being of the community around them, which may include but isn’t limited to: localizing their supply chain, hiring local staff and paying them fair wages, honoring the sense of place, and creating meaningful partnerships with individuals, organizations, and businesses in the area,” she continues.
If you’re not in the mood to sleuth around a million hotel websites, you can also check out some other platforms that do the curating and info-gathering for you. Booking.com, for example, recently launched a sustainability badge. Or, you can scroll through KindTraveler, Responsible Travel, and Tablet Hotels for more vetted options, suggests Collins. CREST also has a list of green hotels and impact tourism programs that put sustainability front and center. But the best option? You can just scroll down and check out this Cosmo-approved list of sustainable hotels, below. Good news: they’re all super chic—so you can go green and still live that luxe travel life, too.
1. Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape
📍Bali, Indonesia
Of course I had to put a Bali hotel on the list. The Indonesian hotspot is a mecca for all things eco, and Banyan Tree’s latest property—Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape, which opened in June 2022—10,000 percent delivers. The global hotel brand, which is highly regarded in the travel industry for its sustainability initiatives, hired local architect Gede Kresna and his team to do a four-month study on the cultural and physical impact the resort would have on the area surrounding it. They then used their research to best honor the land and its people when constructing the 16-villa property.
The result is a seriously gorgeous adults-only hotel that employs staff from the community and was created using local construction methods and materials. There are also tons of activities that honor Balinese culture, including a lesson in making jamu (traditional Balinese herbal elixirs), and a “Tri Hita Karana” journey that will introduce you to the three sources of happiness in Balinese life. The hotel brand also recently launched immersive experience programs, which give travelers the chance to connect with local communities. At Buahan, you can follow a local farmer on a tour of his land and then enjoy a traditional home-cooked lunch at his home (don’t sleep on the moringa soup if ya go!).
Perhaps best of all, though, at least on the “how is this real life” front? The hotel has an epic “no walls, no doors” concept that’s exactly what it sounds like: You are literally immersed in the middle of nature, with nothing between you and the jungle except lots of high-quality netting. Prepare to wake up with the birds and be one with nature!
2. The Rooster
📍Antiparos, Greece
Annnnd exhale.
The Rooster—a boutique hotel located on the under-the-radar Greek island of Antiparos—is not going to have you dancing on beach club tables until dawn. But that’s the point. Built on 30 acres of hills, ruins, rocks, and sand dunes, this low-key spot is all about slow living and straight chilling, with plenty of ways to unwind and reconnect with nature (not least its location, on the sparkling waters of the Aegean Sea). On the sustainability front, the hotel—which has 17 individual houses for guests—was intentionally designed with local, earthy materials that blend into the natural environment, as the goal is to honor the island’s heritage and not interrupt what’s been there for centuries.
There’s also a sustainable farm, the bostani, that provides organic ingredients for the on-site restaurant. You can even pick your own vegetables and herbs from the bostani and create a custom meal with the chef to truly experience the connection to the local land. Finally, the spa lovers among us (hi, everyone?) will be *obsessed* with the holistic spa, the House of Healing. It offers all sorts of incredible and locally-inspired treatments, including a ceremony of fire as a nod to ancient Greek culture.
3. Our Habitas San Miguel
📍San Miguel de Allende, México
When can we move in?
The Habitas hotel brand basically has sustainability woven into its DNA. All nine of their beautiful boutique properties—in locations including Mexico, the US, Namibia, and Morocco, with more on the way—are designed to have both a minimal impact on the environment and a positive effect on the surrounding community. Oh, and they’re also gorgeous and oh-so-chic. The San Miguel outpost, which opened in December 2022, features 60 rooms designed with decor from local artisans, and their farm-to-table restaurant highlights locally-sourced produce and recipes (here for the tuna tlayuda!!!).
But the true star of the sustainability show is the brand’s global impact initiative, Habitas RISE, which works to create opportunities for locals living in the areas near their hotels. They even donate $10 to the RISE fund for every guest that stays in one of their “Homes,” and have a pledge on their website committing to fulfilling the UN’s sustainable development goals for 2030.
4. Rockhouse Hotel & Spa + Skylark Negril Beach Resort
📍Negril, Jamaica
BRB, diving in…
Rockhouse, and its sister property, Skylark Negril Beach Resort, consistently top lists of best boutique hotels to stay at in the Caribbean, and it’s easy to see why. Located in Negril, a gorgeous and fun beach town on the far west side of Jamaica, both hotels (which you can shuttle back and forth from) have breezy seaside rooms, delish local dishes, and epic views of the sparkling, crystal-clear Caribbean Sea…siiiiigh.
On the sustainability front, the highlight here is The Rockhouse Foundation, a non-profit founded by Rockhouse in 2003 to support the education of local children in Negril. The brand donates one-third of its profits from both hotels and their signature restaurant, Miss Lily’s, to the foundation, which has led to the transformation of six(!) local schools throughout Western Jamaica and the Negril Public Library. Rockhouse also has its own organic farm, and recently introduced a new hydroponic farm, too. They offer tours of both farms to help spread the word about the importance of sustainable tourism, and they’re super cool.
5. Hotel Nantipa
📍Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
So lush.
Is this even a story about green hotels if Costa Rica is not on the list?! The country is a serious leader in the world of sustainable hospitality, to the point that its tourism institute developed a weighted certification program called The Certification for Sustainable Tourism to award hotels that are doing it right. Hotel Nantipa, a 21-room boutique property that’s pretttty much the definition of barefoot luxury, was awarded the highest level of the certification (the elite level) in February 2023.
All of their sustainability initiatives are outlined on their website, but some highlights include: giving priority to locals when hiring staff, sourcing everything from small businesses when possible, and the design itself. Only six trees were cut to build the hotel, for example, and all of those trees were used to make the furniture in the hotel. Take me to those hammocks!
6. Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa
📍Grand Cul de Sac, St. Barts
The best kind of blues.
As one of the most popular and chic spots in the Caribbean, Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa—a gorgeous 44-suite beachfront boutique hotel on the French Caribbean island of St. Barts—is also doing it right when it comes to sustainability. The property’s breezy, open-air layout was designed to reduce energy consumption by using natural light and solar energy, and the architects used all-organic and low-impact materials (think local stone and wood) to build it.
The biggest eco highlight, though, is Le Barthélemy’s reef restoration program, where they work year-round with the ETA (Environmental Territorial Agency) to support conservation. This year, they expanded on their partnership with Coral Restoration St. Barth to offer guided scuba and snorkeling dives, so guests can help improve the surrounding coral reef while enjoying its beauty. Related: The brand only uses organic fertilizers to protect the surrounding land, and all staff members are trained on environmental protection. It’s a oui from me!
7. Six Senses Ibiza
📍Ibiza, Spain
Golden hour at its finest.
Ibiza may have a reputation for being *the* quintessential European beach party spot, but in the last few years, it’s developed more of a wellness-y side, too. Enter: the dreamy Six Senses Ibiza, which just opened last year as the first BREEAM-certified resort in the Balearic islands. The 137-room oceanfront property not only works with the Ibiza Preservation Fund to be sure preservation in Ibiza continues, but they also offer all sorts of sustainably-minded activities as well, including a composting workshop that brings guests on a visit to the property’s organic farm.
And on an even bigger scale, the Six Senses brand as a whole has a big collection of environmental and social initiatives. The main highlight is the Six Senses Sustainability Fund, which guarantees that 0.5 percent of the brand’s overall revenue, 50 percent of its house-bottled water sales, and 100 percent of its soft toy sales and donations go toward restoring habitats and improving the quality of life in the communities around their hotels.
8. Nayara Bocos Del Toro
📍Isla Frangipani, Panama
Epic.
Raise your hand if staying in an overwater villa and/or staying in a treehouse bungalow is on your travel bucket list. Well, guess what: Nayara Bocas Del Toro, an all-inclusive eco-resort on a private island off Panama’s Caribbean coast, has both—so you can legit live out two of your big travel dreams in one go. The 16-villa property, which is 100 percent off-grid and runs mostly on solar energy, recently added a collection of solar-powered treehouses designed by Bali-based designer Elora Hardy, who’s known for her sustainable bamboo structures. The new treehouses are made from reclaimed wood from the Panama Canal, and they also have floor-to-ceiling windows and open-air living rooms, so you can ~commune with nature~ while looking down at the canopy of mangroves below.
But the best part of this property (aside from the major IG appeal) is that Nayara as a hotel brand is known for its sustainability. For this particular spot, they conducted five different studies to be sure they wouldn’t harm the local mangroves and coral reefs, and it ended up being on stilts and off-grid as a result. Some of their other initiatives include: buying all food from local farmers and businesses, getting 100 percent of their water from harvested rainwater, and hiring local staff.
9. Tierra Patagonia
📍Torres del Paine, Chile
Magic hour perfection.
As a destination, Patagonia is already synonymous with sustainability. And Tierra Patagonia, a legit breathtaking boutique hotel on the edge of Torres del Paine National Park, fits right into this all-eco-everything landscape. The Chilean hotel brand is all about protecting the local environment and wildlife (“Tierra” literally means “earth” in Spanish), and all three of their boutique hotels—one in Patagonia, one in the Atacama Desert, and one on Chiloé island—are built as an extension of the surrounding landscape to prevent harm.
Chilean architects built the Patagonia outpost from local natural materials inspired by the shape of fossils, and it’s filled with local textiles and furniture, too. It was also designed around the sun, so it allows for no air-conditioning in summer and low heating in winter. Plus, the hotel supports reforestation by collaborating with the Chilean Tourist Board and Forestry Association to plant a tree for every visitor who stays with them. Plus plus, it’s seriously epic—do you see those rooms on the edge of the world??
10. 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
📍Brooklyn, New York
Urban oasis vibes.
If you’re looking for a super-green stay in NYC, look no further than 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, a 195-room hotel on the waterfront in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The 1 Hotel brand is another global hotel company with major sustainability street cred, which includes being LEED certified and 100-percent carbon neutral since 2018. The Brooklyn property in particular uses native greenery and natural organic materials—like locally-sourced glass and reclaimed wood—to keep things eco, and they feature the work of Brooklyn-based artisans throughout the hotel to honor the surrounding community.
They also offer sustainably-minded events, like a daily farmstand in the lobby with goodies from local farmers, and volunteer experiences where guests can help clean up the park or plant a tree. There’s even a “dark sky” candlelit evening once a month where the hotel dims the lights and serves specialty cocktails to conserve energy and help guests truly unplug. Cheers to that!
11. UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa
📍Trancoso, Brazil
Brazilian bliss.
Located in Bahia, one of the most culturally-rich states in Brazil, this tropical oasis of a hotel is a true collaboration with Trancoso’s local artist community—and, not surprisingly, it’s super chic as a result. Designed by local artisans who collaborated with Dutch designer Wilbert Das, who’s best known for his work as the former creative director of the fashion label Diesel, the hotel features individual casas (homes) instead of rooms. The structures are all made from reclaimed materials and antiques to preserve and protect the area’s heritage. One of the beds, for example, is made from an old fishing boat, and wastebaskets are woven from overgrown weeds along the Trancoso River. Even the hotel’s stationery is handmade, using recycled paper.
The spa is also one of the true sustainability highlights here, as it spotlights all sorts of traditional folk medicine practices and healing wisdom. It also uses locally-made products with ingredients native to the area, like the almescar tree. But UXUA is perhaps most known for its cultural programming collaborations within the local community. The hotel provides access to capoeira lessons for all of Trancoso’s children, and they have an Artist in Casa program where global artists come to create pieces from local materials, thus giving them new life. The hotel even finances the Trancoso Fisherman’s Association, a collective of 10 fishing boats and more than 100 fishermen committed to using traditional fishing practices (without nets and poles) to help preserve the surrounding ecosystem.
Annie Daly is a fourth-generation freelance journalist based in New York City. A former editor at SELF, Cosmopolitan, BuzzFeed Travel, Yahoo! Travel and Good Housekeeping, she has also written about wellness and travel for AFAR, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, Women’s Health, and more. Destination Wellness is her first book.