Many of us are all starting to live a little more sustainably. We are making better use of our waste, using fewer resources when we can, and conserving energy and water on a greater scale than before.
We are slowly becoming a society of much more eco-friendly homeowners and tenants. But what about when we’re not at home? Do we give the same consideration to the hotels we stay at?
Hotels across the world are starting to take notice of their responsibility to their community and their environment. It’s worth looking out for those that do.
The next time you’re in London, consider these hotels for a stay that’s both high-quality and environmentally responsible.
One Aldwych
A five-star, boutique hotel nestled just four minutes away from Covent Garden, One Aldwych has served as one of the best examples that a hotel can be luxuriant without being wasteful.
While the rooms are cosy, they come with all the bonuses you could hope for, including a top-quality spa, sumptuous décor, and a fantastic view of the London skyline, including the gorgeous Lyceum Theatre.
The One Aldwych has earned its many awards for green business, too. With a thorough internal recycling scheme, use of LED lighting throughout, biodegradable packaging for all in-room amenities, and a no bleach policy amongst many others, it takes its pledge to sustainable accommodation very seriously indeed.
Novotel London Paddington
A stylish, contemporary hotel in Paddington, Novotel London is a great stop for those who want a little comfort during a busy city break.
With close proximity to Paddington square, it offers easy reach to public transit, the train station and the airport to go with large rooms and comfortable sofas to lounge on.
With large conference rooms and meeting rooms, it’s a great option for those high-powered business people amongst you looking for somewhere convenient and comfy to meet in London.
As part of Accor Hotels, Novotel is dedicated to more sustainable practices. This includes planting trees to make up for their towel usage, recovery of rainwater for toilets, water efficient features throughout and energy-saving light bulbs in every single room.
The hotel has a lot of other advantages for the more responsible traveller, including promotion of locally produced foods and a complete lack of endangered seafood species on their menu.
The Zetter Townhouse
A cosy, homey sanctuary set in Clerkenwell, where creatives work and live amongst stylish restaurants, boutique shops, historic markets, and classy nightlife, this is a great option for a romantic city break.
The Zetter Townhouse itself looks like a traditional, warm little corner of the area and to a degree, it is. But it has a real personality of its own, too, with a variety of themed rooms taking you on safaris and underwater but without getting too kitsch our obvious.
It also happens to have one of the most creative dining experiences, with mad science-themed cocktails at the bar and a variety of wacky twists on British classic foods, such as Scotch eggs with curry mayonnaise and haggis.
The Zetter Townhouse gets creative with its energy use, as well. Everything in the hotel runs on an energy loop, which means that the same energy is being used in multiple appliances at once, such as running both your lights and your fridge.
Much of the water used in the hotel is drawn from a borehole, too, or recycled from rainwater. As a founder of the Sustainable Restaurant Association, it also uses eco-friendly foodstuffs and materials through the entirety of the hotel.
Rafayel on the Left Bank
Ending on a luxuriant note just as we started, the Rafayel on the Left Bank is one of the newest hotels in London, established in 2010.
On Lombard Road, just facing over the Thames, it rocketed up to prominence shortly after its opening, quickly earning five stars and reputation for its unique décor, plethora of amenities including gym and spa, and top hotel dining experience.
“Eco-luxury” is the niche the Rafayel is aiming for and some would say it has hit the mark perfectly. The hotel is almost paperless and uses sustainable packaging throughout, but it’s also built sustainable, using synthetic wood made of recyclable veneered mahogany, recycled leather furnishings, zero carbon Hypnos beds and much more.
The gorgeous bamboo garden is another green initiative of theirs, too, providing not just style but cleaner air with a 35% higher oxygen production rate than most trees.
If you consider yourself a responsible, sustainable-living individual, you have to think about how to be more eco-friendly everywhere you go, not just in your own home.
For your next city break, conference, or shopping trip to London, look to the eco-friendly hotels mentioned above to make sure you’re always doing your best for the world.