Green Travel - Eco-friendly Touches You Can Find in a Hotel

Over the last few years, more and more people embrace the green lifestyle and try to travel responsibly. So hotels around the world find different and imaginative ways to answer the demand for eco-friendly accommodation. The idea behind most environmental practices is that they shouldn’t interfere with the experience of any guest, which is why details such as solar panels and water efficiency equipment would normally go unnoticed during the travellers’ stay. Still, there are certain green touches that can be seen or felt.

Electric Car Charging Stations

Electric cars have been around since 1884, remaining popular until the early 20th century. Their recent renaissance is prompted by the growing interest in zero-emission vehicles and the innovations in the sector (with brands like BMW, Toyota, Tesla and Apple competing, the results should be interesting). For a number of reasons, electric cars are on the rise, and will continue to be in the years to come – so we are about to see more of them.

Hilton, Mariott, Radisson and other chains continue to increase the number of their electric vehicle-friendly properties. Radisson Blu Hotel Berlin is one of the hotels offering an electric car charging station. The service is complimentary for guests who are currently staying at the hotel and for car manufacturers presenting their electric cars at the property. Members of Club Carlson could also benefit from a battery charging in exchange for gold points.

In-house Gardens

Green Travel - Eco-friendly Touches You Can Find in a Hotel

What could be greener than a garden? If properly designed and cared for, it enables hotels to supply their restaurants with seasonal organic produce of their own, ensuring its quality and minimising costs. Herbs in particular don’t require much space so even city hotels can boast a lovely garden (most likely on the roof) where they grow basil, oregano, chives, thyme, rosemary, dill, parsley, sage, mint, lavender…

As for travellers, they certainly do appreciate the invigorating aroma and taste of the freshly picked herbs and vegetables on their plate. Some in-house gardens include a small relaxation area with one or more benches or chairs, perfect for an hour of tranquillity and quiet observation. If sitting around is not enough for you and offering your help feels right, don’t hesitate – you might end up with a different experience and maybe a gardening lesson or two.

Rooftop Beehives

The decline of bees in the last decade is a fundamental problem, due to their key role as pollinators of many essential crops. As habitat loss and agricultural chemicals are among the major reasons behind the alarming decline, cities with their variety of trees and flowers have proved to be a suitable alternative environment for honeybees. Urban beekeeping has become quite popular and, naturally, city hotels are constantly joining the buzz. Kempinski Hotel Cathedral Square’s rooftop beehive initiative began in 2014 with one hive (or a Bee Suite, as they like to call it) and was so successful that a second Bee Suite was added the following year. The bees are looked after by a local expert whose knowledge and skills are vital for the well-being of the colonies. The natural raw honey harvested at the end of summer is enjoyed by the hotel and restaurant guests.

Some hotels go a step further in their endeavor to help conserve bee populations, by planting bee-friendly flowers, herbs and vegetables in their gardens, and by avoiding using pesticides.

Reclaimed Wood Decorations and Furniture

Green Travel - Eco-friendly Touches You Can Find in a Hotel

Reclaimed wood is merely one of all the sustainable materials that could be incorporated in an eco-conscious interior (and exterior for that matter) but unlike most of them, it always stands out. If the term is unfamiliar to you, you can think of it as wood with a past. Whether it came from an old factory, barn, warehouse, fence, wine cask, boat or somewhere else it was no longer needed, this material has a unique look and can be reused in all sorts of creative designs.

It could be found in the hotel lobby, restaurant, guest rooms, bathrooms, gardens – virtually everywhere – in the form of flooring and ceilings, tables and chairs, night stands, picture and mirror frames, mantelpieces, headboards… Yes, it’s that universal, and so gorgeous that it often inspires guests to think how to give a new purpose to old items instead of throwing them away.

Have you been impressed or influenced by a hotel’s sustainability efforts during your own travels? If you have, this would probably happen a lot more in the future, as the hospitality industry is definitely going green.

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