With the world’s spotlight shining brightly on the environment and climate change, it’s great to know that there are hotels out there that pride themselves on sustainability. Here’s a quick round up of five that top our list, starting with everybody’s favourite tropical getaway—the Maldives.
1. Jumeirah Vittaveli, The Maldives
This absolutely breathtaking resort certainly looks like the type what would skimp on just about anything environmentally friendly to get those numbers rolling in. Well, looks sure can be deceiving, especially, if you’ve hit all 349 marks to grab hold of a Green Globe Certification. Jumeirah Vittaveli does its part to save the planet by doing what most hotels should already be doing—switching to LED light bulbs. Just as bright as conventional light fixtures, these light bulbs save up to 75 per cent more electricity on a daily basis. The hotel has also installed an ingenious heat recovery system that heats water after channeling energy from generators. To add to that is the resort’s use of Eco Pure, a filtration system which treats seawater to create fresh drinking water. It doesn’t stop there: Jumeirah Vittaveli bottles its own water in recycled glass bottles, saving around 50,000 plastic bottles a year.
2. The Hix Island House, Puerto Rico
Luxurious retreat with Zen-like design (Credit/Tripadvisor)
You know what they say—location, location, location. That’s one of many things that The Hix Island House, Puerto Rico has gotten right. Situated on a hilltop, you can expect a constant flow of wind to never break a single sweat. The entire hotel is also built specifically to let in as much wind as possible so as to cut down on energy usage as well as maximise its natural surroundings. What’s more is the absolutely innovative use of solar panels to provide power as well as hot water, which is then effectively used to water the guavas, bananas and papayas growing nearby. This is sustainability to the max.
3. Six Senses Con Dao, Vietnam
Soul healing, nourishing food, beautiful sunsets (Credit/Con Dao)
Five star resort? Eco-friendly? Vietnamese hospitality? You got it. Only at the Six Senses Con Dao will you find the lines blurred between luxury and sustainability. A quick 45-minute flight packed with stunning views from Ho Chi Minh City will bring you to the majesty island of Con Dao. Remote yet easily accessible, this hotel also prides itself on being able to maximise natural airflow throughout its premises and room, which are also mostly built using only locally sourced sustainable materials. Who needs the A/C when you’ve got the ocean breeze? The hotel also educates its staff on reducing their carbon footprint as much as possible.
4. Alila Villas Soori, Bali
Award-winning sustainable design (Credit/Soor Bali)
Soori Bali takes into account the rising trend of sustainable luxury and has implemented measures to achieve this level at all costs. For example, in a region like Bali where monsoon rains are but a part of life, this hotel has become masters of weather by installing rainwater filtration systems to meet all its water needs. Also, more than half of all its produce, goods, services and even building materials are locally sourced. Materials such as sand stones, natural stones and indigenous volcanic rocks have a natural cooling effect and were used in building the resort.
5. Spice Island Beach Resort, Grenada
Fully inclusive luxury resort (Credit/Spice Island)
For those seeking a holiday guaranteed to breathe life back into one’s soul, Spice Island Beach Resort will without a doubt hit the mark. Located a stone’s throw away from Grand Anse Beach, this hotel is the marriage between paradise and love for the planet. For example, the resort has also implemented solar panels to help with heating. Being surrounded by oceans, desalination plants ensure that water taken from the surrounding ocean can be used. The community is heavily involved in keeping the island clean through beach clean-ups and the replanting trees. The best part? All pools are non-chlorinated and smoking is prohibited throughout the resort.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Written by: Jeremy Chan