Is it possible to travel in luxury while being sustainable? It sure is! Back in the day, the idea of luxury travel might mean complete hedonism and consumption without a thought for the impact on people and the planet. But today, it’s a different story.
In fact, sustainability and luxury travel often go hand in hand. If you’re trying to minimise your carbon footprint, you don’t necessarily have to skimp when it comes to treating yourself, eating well, living in opulence, and experiencing all that a destination has to offer.
There’s no need to compromise on quality or sustainability anymore – many luxury places to stay make greener choices part of the experience. To make it simpler for travellers to navigate sustainable tourism, many hold sustainability certifications that will let you know if where you’re staying lives up to the hype.
Among these is Green Key – a certification issued to tourism companies that tick all the environmental requirements. There are over 1,500 Green Key certified hotels and lodgings worldwide – from chain hotels to boutique stays, you’ve got lots of options.
There are so many ways to make your trip more environmentally conscious – we’ve listed a few unique opportunities below. To find sustainable accommodation for your next trip, click below and look for the KAYAK Travel Sustainable label on property listings. Enjoy your luxury with peace of mind!
Stay at one of the world’s most environmentally-friendly hotels
Norway scores pretty high when it comes to sustainability. As well as the vast majority of electricity produced coming from hydropower, Norway is also leading the world in electric car adoption, with more than 65% of new cars sold in 2021 being electric. You’ll soon be able to go on a 100% battery-powered cruise in the majestic fjords, and the country is planning to launch the world’s first all-electric commuter plane into the sky by 2026, so one day it could even be possible to fly to your destination on a zero-emissions craft!
So once you’ve disembarked from your electric plane and are winding your way through the stunning Norwegian countryside in an electric vehicle, you might want to visit the Hotel Svart (opening 2024), soon to be the world’s first energy-positive off-grid destination designed by luxury Norwegian architects Snøhetta. The hotel is perched at the tip of the Svartisen Glacier not far from Bodø, a town just above the Arctic Circle.
This eye-catching hotel is built to the best green building standards and will use approximately 87% less energy than hotels in the same class. The design of the hotel is in a world of its own (just check out those wraparound windows!), and has already received several awards before it opened the doors to its 99 rooms.
If you’re looking for luxury accommodation in nature in Norway, you don’t have to look far. There are so many places dotted throughout the length and breadth of the country, why not take a green road trip in your humming electric rental car, and visit more of them? To find an eco-friendly vehicle, click below and toggle through to find eco-friendly options under ‘More’.
Luxury in the world’s most sustainable city
As the birthplace of “flygskam” (flight shame) and activist Greta Thunberg, Sweden also ranks highest on many lists of sustainable tourism. Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest city, is doing particularly well when it comes to sustainability. In fact, it’s doing so well that in 2021, Gothenburg was named the most sustainable metropolis in the world!
Around 95% of all hotels in Gothenburg are environmentally friendly, so you will be spoilt for choice when booking a trip. One of these is the 4-star boutique hotel Pigalle, housed in a beautiful 18th-century former bank. Here, they’ve scrapped the Scandinavian minimalism and have gone all-in on the glitzy art deco style of the 1920s. In the restaurant, playful and delicious dishes are mixed together using ingredients that are of course organic and local.
In this picturesque city, you’ll find climate-friendly public transport, an environmental zone in the inner city, a wealth of second-hand shops, and a multitude of restaurants focusing on local ingredients and minimal food waste. Even the airport is climate certified! If you really want to be environmentally smart, you can reach Sweden by train in a little over 24 hours. To make sustainable travel easier, an overnight sleeper from Hamburg to Stockholm will be launching at the end of 2022, with ticket prices that will rival even the budget airlines.
Find Travel Sustainable stays in Gothenburg
Get closer to nature, the glamourous way
If you’d rather escape the city to stay in nature, there are plenty of opportunities to nestle into your surroundings by glamping (aka ‘glamorous camping’), or staying in a luxury cabin that provides the comfort of a hotel while really immersing you in the natural world we need to take such good care of. There are plenty of opportunities for this type of stay throughout the UK, Europe, and further afield.
Hotels for foodies
If your holidays are best spent sampling local cuisine, look no further than Forest Side in Grasmere, UK.
Nestled into the heart of the Lake District National Park, Forest Side is a hotel and restaurant truly reflecting its surroundings. Built in 1853 and surrounded by stunning grounds planted with rare and exotic specimens brought by some of the great Victorian plant hunters, the light, airy hotel contains a variety of different options, ranging from cosy rooms to huge master suites, with dog-friendly and accessible stays.
Book a stay here, and experience a traditional Cumbrian Breakfast and a 6-course tasting menu. The ethos of the hotel kitchen is firmly rooted in the local landscape, and much of the food is either grown in the restored Victorian walled garden or foraged nearby, with cured-meats, pickles, and cheeses mostly made in house or around the local area. Ultimately, a meal at Forest Side is a journey through the rich green landscape in which it exists.
Visit lush forests, nature reserves and the sustainable capital of Ljubljana
Slovenia may be small, but she sure packs a punch when it comes to sustainability. With as much as 60% of the country covered by lush forests, there are nearly 40 national parks and nature reserves in this Central European country. The capital, Ljubljana, has also been named one of the world’s most sustainable cities, thanks in part to its car-free centre, zero-waste management approach, and the plethora of urban green spaces. Slovenia has for many years been a front runner when it comes to sustainable tourism, making it a great source of inspiration for other countries in their own journeys.
With a long line of luxury hotels with a strong climate-friendly focus, Slovenia has proved that it really is possible to combine opulence with sustainability. Sunrose 7 on Lake Bohinj is a great example. House in a 130-year-old building, this exclusive boutique hotel boasts a range of green certificates including Green Key. Here, the focus is on a digital detox, holistic wellness, good food, and providing guests with the highest level of service in scenic surroundings.
If you want a more down to earth stay, check out the Chocolate Village by the River near the quaint city of Maribor in Slovenia’s wine region. This glamping resort consists of minimalist glamping cabins, where chocolate is all part of the experience.
It is possible to get from the UK to Ljubljana by train, albeit with a few changes. Changing in Paris and Zürich, you can then snooze your way to the Slovenian capital via an overnight sleeper train!
Baltic sustainability
There are a few top scorers in the field of sustainable tourism among the Baltic countries. In Estonia, ecotourism plays an important role with environmentally and socially-minded stays. A sustainable luxury holiday in Estonia equals visits to organic farms, relaxation in eco-spas, and experiences in one of the country’s many protected national parks – in short, nature is part of the experience in every conceivable way!
Many hotels in Estonia place great emphasis on sustainability. You will find 20 hotels, including luxury hotels, in Estonia that hold green certifications, including the Green Key certification. One of these is the Villa Ammende Restaurant & Hotel – a luxurious boutique stay where you will find a unique combination of romantic architecture in the Art Nouveau style, exciting local tastes, and the tranquility of nature and warm-hearted staff.
Find a stay at the Villa Ammende
Sleep among the treetops in Denmark
The Danes do many things well when it comes to sustainability, adopting a holistic approach that includes renewable energy, water management, waste recycling, and green transportation including, of course, the bicycling culture. The island of Samsø – a community of under 4,000 residents – is particularly sustainable. Since 2007, Samsø has been 100% self-sufficient with the help of energy from wind, solar, and biomass. But the rest of Denmark can now also be proud of its many opportunities for green transport, more and more “farm-to-table” restaurants, and a host of sustainable businesses throughout the country.
Luxury camping has become more popular, and new glamping sites are popping up across the country. At the top of Brorfelde Hill in the middle of Zealand sits Denmark’s largest observatory, once a base for astronomers at the University of Copenhagen, and now an experience centre for all. For an experience out of this world, why not book yourself an overnight stay in one of the Observatory’s four stargazing shelters, each made with biodegradable and recyclable materials, where you will have a direct view of the changing night sky.
To get closer to the skies, how about sleeping in the treetops at Løvtag by Mariagerfjord, Jutland. In these architect-designed wooden huts, you can relax to the sound of the wind in the leaves, without having to leave the warmth of your duvet. Danish hygge in its truest form.
Overall, the Danish hotel scene is doing particularly well when it comes to green certifications. In fact, every fifth hotel in Denmark is a Green key hotel! One of the options that really stands out is the organic hotel chain Guldsmeden’s Manon les Suites, located in downtown Copenhagen. This exotic hotel feels like a trip to Bali with its accomplished oasis atmosphere, beautiful indoor pool, and organic buffet.
