Start with the bigger picture
Where you sleep is usually a smaller part of a trip’s footprint than how you get there and how far you go. A very efficient hotel at the end of a long flight will not offset that journey, and a modest guesthouse reached by train may be the lighter choice overall. That does not make accommodation irrelevant: it is a decision you make for every night away, and it can reward businesses that take their impact seriously. It is just worth keeping in proportion.
Why claims are hard to judge
Eco-friendly accommodation is a phrase with no fixed meaning. A property can use it for anything from reusing towels to running on renewable energy. Some of the actions behind such claims are genuine but small, and some save the business money more than they help the environment. Others are simply marketing. The general problem of greenwashing claims on products applies here too, and the same habits help: look for specifics, check who says it, and be wary of broad or absolute words.
Examples of wording that tells you little include “eco-friendly”, “green”, “natural”, “planet-friendly” and “sustainable” on their own, with nothing to support them.
What specifics are worth looking for
A property that has really thought about its impact can usually describe it in concrete terms. On a website or in an email, you might look for:
- Energy: How is the building heated, cooled and lit? Is there insulation, efficient LED lighting, or a heat pump? Does it generate or buy renewable electricity? Be aware that buying power on a green tariff has limits, since the wording of such claims can be loose.
- Water: Are there low-flow fittings, a policy on laundering towels and linen only on request, or rainwater use?
- Waste: Does it avoid single-use items such as miniature toiletries and wrapped portions? How does it sort waste and recycle?
- Food: Does it offer seasonal produce or locally sourced ingredients, and vegetarian options? Remember that local is not automatically lower impact, because transport is only one part of a food’s footprint.
- Getting there: Does it give clear directions for arriving by train, bus or on foot, or offer bike storage?
- Local benefit: Does it employ local people, buy from nearby suppliers or support community projects?
- Nature: If it is in a sensitive area, how does it protect wildlife and habitats?
Detail is a good sign. A property that tells you what it does and what it has not yet managed is more believable than one with a long list of unexplained claims.
Certifications: useful, but not all alike
Some accommodation displays an eco-label or certificate. These can be helpful because an outside body has set criteria and checked them, but they are not all equal. Schemes differ in how strict they are, whether they inspect in person or rely on self-reporting, and what exactly they cover: energy, water, social impact or a mix. Some are run by industry bodies or booking platforms, and a few are little more than a logo.
When you see one, try to find out:
- who runs the scheme and whether it is independent of the business it certifies;
- what the criteria are, and whether they are published;
- whether there is an inspection or audit, and how often;
- whether the certificate is current and covers this property, not just a chain.
If you cannot find answers, treat the label as one piece of weak evidence rather than proof.
Questions you can ask directly
Smaller places are often happy to answer a short email, and how they respond is informative. You might ask:
- What are the main steps you have taken to reduce energy and water use?
- How is the building heated, and is the electricity renewable? If so, how?
- How do you manage waste and avoid single-use plastics?
- Do you hold any independent certification, and can I see the details?
- How can I get here without a car?
A clear and honest answer matters more than a perfect one. Be cautious if you get a vague reply, if the answer is a marketing paragraph, or if a business claims to be “carbon neutral” without explaining how. If offsets are involved, remember they come with real limitations, including questions about permanence and whether the project would have happened anyway.
Type of stay and its trade-offs
Different kinds of accommodation each have strengths and weaknesses:
- Hotels may offer shared infrastructure and, at larger sites, formal environmental management, but often have energy-hungry features such as pools, air conditioning and large laundries.
- Hostels and guesthouses often share rooms and facilities, which can mean less space heated or cooled per person.
- Self-catering rentals give control over cooking and waste, but an empty, poorly insulated property being heated for a short stay is not efficient.
- Camping can be low impact when done with care, though it depends on facilities, travel and the effect on the site.
A smaller, modest room that you use sensibly may do more good than a luxurious “eco-resort” that needs significant energy and a long flight to reach.
What you can do once you are there
Your own habits count during a stay. Turn off lights, heating and air conditioning when you leave the room, reuse towels if the property offers that choice, take shorter showers, carry a reusable bottle and use public transport or walk once you arrive. These are modest actions, and they cost little.
A sensible approach
You will rarely find a perfect answer. Prefer places that give real detail, accept that certificates vary, ask a couple of questions, and weigh accommodation alongside travel distance and mode. If you have little to go on, choosing a simple, well-located place that you can reach without a car is a reasonable starting point.