Green Lodging

Element by Westin
All of Westin’s Element hotels are currently pursuing LEED certification, and offer a number of eco-conscious features aimed at minimizing waste, and conserving energy. Guest rooms are outfitted with recycling bins, water-efficient faucets and showerheads, toiletry dispensers (as opposed to wasteful miniature bottles), LED lights, and oversize windows to let in as much natural light as possible. Further, the wooden frames for each guest bed are crafted from certified forests. Element hotels house Energy Star rated appliances, and use recycled carpets as well as low-VOC paints. Learn more at http://www.starwoodhotels.com/element/index.html.

Kimpton Hotels
Kimpton employs a chain-wide EarthCare policy guaranteeing guests of numerous earth-friendly features and practices including: green cleaning products, use of recycled paper and soy-based inks, complimentary organic and Fair Trade coffee, opportunities for linen/towel reuse, in-room recycling, energy efficient lighting, and low-flow faucets and showerheads. Their Kimpton Kids program is an added bonus, which provides guests with a list of local kid-friendly activities (parks, restaurants, classes, etc.) as well as in-room child safety kits. For more, visit http://www.kimptonhotels.com/.

Andaz by Hyatt
Hyatt’s new Andaz hotels boast sustainability on both global and local scales. In addition to using low-impact materials, serving plenty of organic food, and a pledge to re-use and recycle as much as possible, each hotel seeks to create alliances with the surrounding community. Visit http://www.andaz.com/ for more.

DoubleTree
The majority of DoubleTree’s hotels are certified by a number of eco-conscious programs, including State Green Lodging, Energy Star, Green Seal, and the Green Hotels Association. Further, they’ve joined forces with the Arbor Tree Foundation to create Teaching Kids to Care, an environmental program that aims to educate students in the US and Canada about the vital role that trees play on our planet. To learn about DoubleTree and Teaching Kids to Care, visit http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/promotions/thinktrees/index.jhtml.

Green Hotel Certification Programs
Looking for something more specific? Numerous hotel certification programs exist to provide green-minded travelers with the information they need to vacation consciously and responsibly.

• Energy Star rates for the energy efficiency of appliances used in over 240 US hotels.
• EU Eco-Label provides information on green hotels in countries that are a part of the European Union.
• Green Globe lists certified-green hotels for over 80 countries worldwide.
• LEED is the US Green Building Council’s certification for energy efficiency and conservation.
• Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas is a collaboration between the Rainforest Alliance and the International Ecotourism Society.