Top 6 Sustainable Hotels in Europe

Cap Rocat is a 19th-century military fortress, renovated by the prestigious and renowned architect-owner Antonio Obrador. It is located in the middle of a 30-hectare nature reserve and with a 2km marine-protected coast in Mallorca. Respect for the environment and pride in Mallorca’s natural and cultural history serve as the cornerstones of their ideology.

By supporting organizations like Ondine and Save the Med Foundation, who look after the marine conservation of the Balearic Islands, their idea of respect for nature has come to fruition, enabling the Balearic Sea to restore its rich biodiversity and thrive in harmony. Additionally, they back the organization Whole World Water, whose mission is to deliver clean water to regions of the world in need.

Powered by green energy, this hotel is owned by the Copenhagen Food Collective (Cofoco), a restaurant and hotel collective that is committed to sustainability and social responsibility.

In 2017, Cofoco developed a 6-acre solar energy farm in Nees, northwestern Jutland, an area similar in size to nine football fields. This solar farm not only powers the Coco Hotel and Cofoco’s 16 restaurants but also provides excess energy to the national grid.

The Rome Cavalieri Hotel is an opulent oasis located high on the Monte Mario hill which overlooks Rome’s city center. It is the first hotel in Rome to receive the Green Key award – a leading standard for excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operations. Some of their key accomplishments are recycling 800kg of soap bars, and 910kg of plastic from bathroom amenities, planting 74,000 trees and reducing their carbon footprint by 780 tonnes.

In an effort to reduce food waste worldwide, Rome Cavalieri introduced a new eco-initiative last year that involves turning the hotel’s leftover bread into beer. The hotel donates its leftover bread to the nearby brewery Birrificio Vale la Pena, which employs prisoners as part of a work release program, in collaboration with the charitable organization Equoevento in Rome. Prisoners are involved in many stages of the process, including the bottling and labeling of the beer, and the brewery uses the extra bread to ferment a variety of beers, one of which is called RecuperAle.

Situated in the picturesque UNESCO world heritage listed Douro Valley of Portugal, the expansive 20-acre Six Senses Douro Valley resort is dedicated to sustainability, implementing a range of practices to reduce its negative impact and promote positive outcomes for the environment. The resort’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its preference for locally sourced and environmentally friendly products, as well as its encouragement of suppliers to reduce packaging and deliver in bulk, thereby reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the resort is actively involved in supporting underprivileged children, at-risk animals, and a nearby community forest, reflecting its commitment to making a positive impact on the surrounding community and natural environment.

Six Senses collection of hotels and resorts around the world are known for their dedication to environmental and social responsibility. At the heart of their approach is a deep-seated passion for not just protecting the earth, but for being a regenerative business that gives back more than it takes.

This hotel promotes female empowerment by having a 60% to 40% ratio of women to men in executive positions, higher than the EU average in 2019. Additionally, it supports small local businesses by purchasing their products for use throughout the hotel – for example –  Eva Maria Cosmetics is run by a female entrepreneur and can be found at the hotel spa. The turn-down service chocolates that are placed in the room each evening are made from organic ingredients and hand-made by an NGO run by another young female entrepreneur. Within the hotel, decorations are made by a nearby shop that uses dried local foliage such as lavender and immortelle, conserving water and revaluing waste as art.

They offer authentically authorized Croatian souvenirs made by local artisans with an emphasis on traditional cultural aspects. The hotel can also organize contacts with local tour organizers to visit places of historical interest, museums, heritage villages, and local green markets, benefiting the local community. 

Mas Salagros EcoResort, located only 30-minutes from Barcelona, was originally constructed as a summer home for a family of the Catalan upper bourgeoisie – but in 2015 it was acquired by businessman Silvio Elías, the owner and CEO of Caprabo and a former director of FC Barcelona. The original farmhouse dates back to 1497 and was formerly known as Can Sala Gros. Its location in Vallromanes, overlooking the Serralada Litoral Protected Park, together with the history of the estate, inspired the founders to create the first 100% ecological destination on the peninsula.

Mas Salagros is the first 100% eco-resort on the Iberian peninsula. The EcoResort excels on every front – from efficient energy consumption, bioclimatic architecture, organic gastronomy, and responsible waste management – all the way down to sustainable room decoration.