Go beyond reusing your towels and turning off lights; these sustainable hotels in Europe will help you lessen your carbon footprint when traveling. 

You’re already taking the train for slow travel; double down on your eco-friendly holiday by staying at one of Europe’s tranquil (and often luxurious) sustainable hotels.  

From the UK down to the Mediterranean, Europe’s hoteliers are meeting traveler’s demand for more sustainable accommodations. Renewable energy, minimal environmental impact, and intimate community relationships are transforming the way you stay (and negatively effect) Europe’s ecology.  

Here are 9 green retreats and sustainable hotels you can check out across Europe. Image credits, Unsplash, Alex Cassels. Location, Cornwall, England.

　　4 Refreshing Eco Retreats in Europe 

　　Atlantic View Lodges | Cornwall, England 

A short ride from London and you’ll have hours to spend relaxing at Cornwall’s Atlantic View Lodges. These six eco lodges have zero gas or oil on site, instead relying on renewable energy from solar thermal and solar panels. Green roofs provide eco-friendly insulation and profits are partially directed to Surfers Against Sewage to help with marine litter cleanup efforts. 

　　Your Nature | Antoing, Belgium 

Your Nature takes an eco-responsible approach to their green retreats: all eco lodges were created without excavation, tree cutting, earthwork, or modification to the natural circulation of water. That means you can get lost in 700 acres of forest knowing that the topography and bio-structure of surrounding flora and fauna are fully preserved.  

　　Whitepod Original | Monthey, Switzerland 

If an eco-friendly holiday is on your itinerary, Whitepod Original is a member of the Eco Luxury World Retreats Collaboration, so their lavish geodesic pods are enjoyed without guilt. The company has won a World Prize for Sustainable Tourism, thanks to its individual bathrooms connected to underground springs, a public compost area, and a preference for snowshoe movement over motorized transportation. 

　　Cottages Antoinette | Champagne, France 

Say oui to eco holidays in France’s Champagne region at Cottages Antoinette. Slow travel you can savor like a glass from your favorite crux, these three cottages sit on stilts amongst the vineyards, were constructed with 100% wood from the area, and require minimal energy to operate. And as for your journey around the Champagne region, you’re free to use their all-electric Mehari to sightsee. 

Image credits, iStock. Location, Lisbon, Portugal. 

　　5 Splendid Sustainable Hotels in Europe 

　　Martinhal Lisbon Oriente | Lisbon, Portugal 

The Martinhal brand is nothing new in Portugal, but their second Lisbon recently opened with another eco-friendly holiday for travelers. Martinhal Lisbon Oriente was sustainability designed to improve thermal performance, reduce energy consumption, and limit noise pollution. The hotel also features art installations by local artist Bordelo II, who constructs his pieces using trash he finds discarded around Lisbon. 

　　Casa di Langa | Langhe, Italy 

Despite it being a multi-million dollar industry rife with indulgence, there’s a way to sustainably truffle hunt and lounge in luxury at one of Italy’s newer sustainable hotels. Casa di Langa in earnest as a recycled structure; the original owners abandoned the building and Casa di Langa’s developers molded their vision around the existing structure. Today, they continue minimizing their carbon footprint with 100% recycled irrigation water and tending to their own private forest for regenerative truffle hunting.  

　　Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers | Copenhagen, Denmark 

Centrally located in Denmark’s capital city, Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers is all business when it comes to sustainability. Solar panels and groundwater-based cooling are just the start; the hotel also turns waste into reusable products, such as acoustic ceiling tiles made from PET bottles, floors made from recycled concrete and rubber, and discarded sails covering ventilation shafts. 

Image credits, iStock, Xbrchx. Location, Vienna, Austria.

　　Boutiquehotel Stadthalle | Vienna, Austria 

While other hotels are only now making sustainable adjustments, Boutiquehotel Stadthalle has won awards for its eco hotel since 2009. It was the first hotel in Austria’s capital to receive an EU Ecolabel and has been a net-zero hero since its inception.  

　　Six Senses Svart | Arctic Norway 

Opening in 2024, Six Senses Svart is an off-grid eco hotel in Arctic Norway that plans to harvest a staggering amount of solar energy to not only power the hotel, but also overall operations including the energy used to construct the hotel and the boats that shuttle travelers. The hotel also aims to operate at net-zero environmental impact which includes zero-waste dining. 

　　How to have an eco-friendly holiday: Take the train 

When it comes to slow travel, a comfortable train ride through Europe’s unspoilt landscapes is our favorite way to take it slow. When you’re searching for an eco hotel or sustainable hotel in Europe for your next vacation, see if there are train stations nearby that can help get you from your arrival airport to your hotel or retreat with environmentally-friendly ease.

Header Image credits, Unsplash, Les Attridge. Location, Cornwall, England.

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