Eco-Friendly Hotels

In lieu of #EarthDay, I'm sharing eco-friendly hotels I've stayed at; as well as sustainable hotels that are on my list to visit. As a traveler, it is important to recognize environmental conservation where you can and seek accommodation that supports environmentally friendly and sustainable tourism.

Hotels around the world are developing award-winning environmental, economic, and socio-cultural programs that preserve and support the local culture and economy. Tourists are then able to experience and appreciate natural spaces and cultures while conserving and minimizing their effect on the environment.

• I just visited Acre in Baja Mexico, a farm stay consisting of 12 tree houses only 30 minutes outside of Cabo San Lucas. If you don't have time to stay in a tree house, you can visit the restaurant that grows every bit of produce off the land.

Elegant treehouses nestled into a lush sanctuary.

• For 5 years I was a DMC Program Manager dedicated to Terranea Resort. I operated over 100 programs and stayed on property countless of times. Terranea is involved with many #destinationearth environmental initiatives, making it one of the top eco luxury hotels in the world.

Terranea is an ocean-front eco resort in Southern California.

• There are several eco-lodges in Latin America. In Peru, my brother and I stayed at The Posada Amazonas Lodge in Puerto Maldonado. Eco-lodges aren't as luxurious as resorts, but are necessary for eco-tourism in places like the Amazon.

The rooms are connected by raised walkways, which means the rain forest is left as untouched as possible.

• Eco-conscious hotels and treehouse hotels are popping up everywhere. Take a 30 minute drive outside of Seattle and stay at TreeHouse Point, made famous on Animal Planet's Treehouse Masters show.

One of the first Treehouse Hotels.

A list of places I dream of visiting . . .

• Forest preservation is a big part of what these guys do at Free Spirit Spheres.

Eco Spheres in Vancouver taken by Free Spirit Spheres

• In Tulum, you'll find numerous eco-hotels and restaurants like Casa Jaguar. Casa Jaguar is opening in Todos Santos too. Hoteliers, like Azulik build water paths to protect the surroundings.

Azulik in Tulum taken from Pinterest

• Based in Iceland, Ion offers eco-conscious luxury.

Soak in the Northern Lights from Ion's luxury eco hotel taken by Ion Hotel

• Singapore's famous green building is a must see for one of the best garden buildings in the world.

By encouraging the adoption of innovative architectural design and energy-saving technologies, Singapore has emerged as a model of green buildings.

• Chile has jumped high onto my list just because of Ecocamp. EcoCamp is situated in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park and provides the region’s first fully sustainable accommodation, complete with green technology.

World's 1st Geodesic Dome Hotel taken by EcoCamp

• Maya Resorts are eco-luxurious properties. Talk about a lush environment - as a staying guest, you'll be invited to join its tree planting program, introduced since 2007.

Maya Ubud is enlisted as a Green Globe ‘elite member’, and integrates a wide range of green practices and initiatives.

• Luckily there are thousands of eco-friendly hotels. For more ideas, Venue Report as a stellar list of Eco-Woke Hotels. Some I've already listed and ALL that I'd like to visit.

• Design Hotels build eco-luxury hotels - link to their other properties.

• Link of dream eco-hotels from Hotels Combined.

There has been a growing interest in environmental conservation and understanding the impact of tourism on a destination - plan your next trip with eco-tourism in mind.