Many of the most sustainable cities in the world are in Europe, so it’s no surprise that there are plenty of eco friendly hotels in Europe as well.
There are several factors that go into making a hotel sustainable: using produce from local farmers, diminishing the use of plastic, using renewable energy, employing local people, reducing and composting food waste, recycling waste, and preserving the surrounding environment. Take a look at our top picks of eco friendly hotels in Europe that use these methods to be sustainable.
Tip: be mindful about greenwashing. A large, all-inclusive resort that claims to be an eco friendly hotel is less likely to engage in sustainable practices than a small boutique hotel.
Below are our top picks for eco friendly hotels in Europe
Nido Verde; Amalfi coast, Italy
Nido Verde is a family-run Bed & Breakfast in Agerola, around the Amalfi coast region. The B&B is easily accessible by bus from Amalfi town, and there’s a bus stop right in front of the hotel.
What makes Nido Verde special?
Nido Verde is walking distance to the hiking trail Path of the Gods, a major point of interest for that region that takes you directly to Positano after a hike of about 3 hours.
Insider tip: There are a LOT of stairs on this hiking trail, especially towards the end, and my knees were killing me. In hindsight, I would have skipped the trail and taken our rental car to Positano instead.
The B&B offers a charming and peaceful stay, with their homemade breakfast served every morning in the courtyard. All the rooms have a small balcony to enjoy the fresh mountain air. Roberto (the owner) is incredibly helpful and goes out of his way to help his guests.
What are the eco features of Nido Verde?
It’s an eco hotel that minimises waste by:
- Composting leftover food.
- Using solar panels for energy.
- Making daily organic breakfast using fresh local produce.
Villa Le Barone: Chianti, Italy
Villa Le Barone is a luxury boutique hotel in the countryside of Chianti, Tuscany, and the perfect spot to rejuvenate in a serene setting with a Renaissance flair.
What makes Villa Le Barone special?
The villa is surrounded by the Tuscan hills, and is located exactly between two major cities of Tuscany: Florence and Siena.
At Villa Le Barone you can spend peaceful and quiet days there without ever having to leave. Guests can enjoy delicious food from the restaurant, take a stroll in the surrounding protected gardens, watch the sunset from the terrace, learn a bit of Renaissance history, or hang by the outdoor infinity pool.
Villa Le Barone’s eco features:
Social and environmental sustainability are important aspects of Villa Le Barone.
- They use solar panels for most of their energy consumption.
- They recycle.
- They source their ingredients from local suppliers.
- The villa works with local NGOs for a collective effort to be an eco-friendly hotel.
- They avoid using chemicals like pesticides on their plants or chlorine in the pool, which is heated with a heat pump.
Schloss Wartegg: Rorschacherberg, Switzerland
Schloss Wartegg is located on the Rorschacherberg between Lake Constance and the Appenzell hills, and is about 5-10 minutes walk from Staad train station.
What makes Schloss Wartegg special?
Schloss means castle, and the name fits the hotel well: it is a 16th-century castle in Rorschacherberg, near Lake Constance (otherwise known as Bodensee in German).
Wartegg Castle offers cultural activities, nature excursions such as hiking in the mountains, bicycle tours, and swimming by the lake, a spa with a historic (also called “turquoise”) bath (1928), scenic gardens, and an organic restaurant.
What are the eco features of Schloss Wartegg?
The hotel’s focus on sustainability is evident in their décor as well as reflected in how they treat their employees, the way they source their food, their materials, their cleaning processes, how they manage their park, garden, etc.
More specifically, their eco features are reflected in their:
- Eco products.
- Use of natural materials.
- Locally sourced seasonal produce.
- Efforts in making their own energy.
- Recycling and composting process.
- Bee garden.
- Limited use of chemical products.
Sandymount Hotel; Dublin, Ireland
Sandymount Hotel is a family-run, award-winning hotel in Dublin.
What makes Sandymount Hotel special?
Although located within walking distance to Dublin’s city centre, Sandymount Hotel is not a city hotel. Its position by the Ballsbridge suburbs and Sandymount coastal village make this hotel a great spot for a relaxing but scenic vacation.
If you stay at the Sandymount Hotel, you can easily access the Dublin Bay and enjoy gastropubs, restaurants, some retail therapy, and gorgeous seafront views.
At the hotel itself, you can enjoy beautiful gardens, a Victorian terrace, indoor and outdoor dining, luxurious rooms, a library, and a fitness room.
What are Sandymount Hotel’s eco features?
The Sandymount Hotel is dedicated to minimising their environmental impact by:
- Recycling 95% of their waste.
- Using compostable and biodegradable products for coffee cups.
- Reducing their water consumption.
- Using renewable energy.
- Working with local suppliers who re-use their packaging.
- Using natural methods of pest control with the help of the insects in their gardens.
Eco friendly hotels in Europe: our final thoughts
And there you have our top 4 picks of eco hotels in Europe. We hope this list inspires you to seek out eco-friendly accommodations when travelling, because these hotels mentioned above demonstrate that sustainability, nature, and mindfulness about the environment make for a serene, rejuvenating, and even at times luxurious, vacation.
Download your free pdf guide on actionable tips to be a sustainable traveller here.
