Renewable Energy: Hotels Are Shifting to More Sustainable Practices

Do you want to enjoy your next hotel stay with a clearer conscience, knowing you’re doing your bit for the environment? Hotels everywhere are rethinking their energy use with sustainability in mind. Behind the dimmed lighting in your room, perfectly adjusted bathroom temperature or the cool air in the lobby, a (r)evolution is underway. Renewable energy is gradually becoming the norm in the hotel industry. And the good news is that it helps hotels reduce their environmental impact while also enhancing your stay.

Every hotel stay uses a lot of energy: hot water, heating, air conditioning, lighting... the list goes on. But how can it be reduced without sacrificing comfort? This is increasingly the question hoteliers are asking – and they're finding the answer in renewable energy.

Solar power is becoming more common. Panels on the roof of Sofitel Barcelona Skipper provide part of the energy needed to run the hotel. Geothermal energy, which harnesses heat in the ground, can also optimise a building’s thermal performance. The recently opened Fairmont Golden Prague uses this process to recycle heat produced by equipment and reinject it into the hotel’s heating system. The aim is to ensure a stable, pleasant temperature all year round, with less demand for finite resources.

More than just a trend, the shift towards renewable energy is part of a wider approach. Hotels are looking to reduce their carbon footprint while enhancing your travel experience. It's a win-win situation, making better use of local resources and reducing waste, while maintaining the same high standards to welcome and serve you to the standards you expect.

Choosing a hotel that uses renewable energy is a simple way to contribute to a sustainable transition without changing your habits. You'll enjoy the same level of comfort with the bonus of knowing that you're generating fewer unnecessary emissions.

Hotels are not asking travellers to compromise – they are rethinking their business model to deliver a better experience that has less impact on the planet.

Staying at a hotel that uses renewable energy is just as enjoyable, but in a better-controlled, less wasteful way. Smart systems regulate the temperature in your room, the lighting adjusts to your needs and water is used more efficiently. If you’re planning a romantic trip to Rome, you can see for yourself: Sofitel Roma Villa Borghese has replaced traditional light bulbs with energy-saving LED lighting. All the elegance, with fewer emissions.

And it’s not just about power – water is also precious. The Fairmont Golden Prague's recent design incorporates a system that recovers rainwater to be used for certain purposes throughout the hotel and to water the gardens. So you get to enjoy lush green surroundings while putting less of a burden on the planet's reserves.

Architecture plays a key role in this transformation – and not just at luxury resorts in trendy destinations. Take JO&JOE Gentilly, just outside Paris, for example. Midway between a hotel and a youth hostel, its energy-efficient design has been awarded the French BBCA certification for low-carbon buildings. Built from sustainable materials, it is designed to optimise insulation and natural ventilation. The temperature is regulated by the building itself, with no need for excessive air conditioning or heating. Just one example of how luxury can go hand in hand with simplicity.

If you love the character of old buildings, look for green hotels that are upgrading their facilities with energy-saving innovations. Modern systems that can be seamlessly integrated into existing surroundings offer the best of both worlds. Choose destinations that are steeped in history but embrace the future.

You book a hotel for its setting, comfort and convenience. But when you choose to stay at a green hotel, where the focus is on responsible consumption and renewable energies, your travel experience takes on a whole new dimension without you even realising it.

Say you choose to holiday in Ireland. You've been staying at Carton House near Dublin for a few days. You get back from a scenic morning bike ride and jump into the shower. You may not know it, but that pleasant warm water you're enjoying could be heated by biofuel made from the cooking oil from yesterday's meal. Behind this likely scenario lies a virtuous circle that means you enjoy a more sustainable trip without making the slightest effort or sacrifice.

Hotels everywhere are consciously moving towards more sustainable solutions. In 2023, the Accor Group partnered with Green Globe, the world leader in sustainable tourism certification. The following year, the group signed a three-year agreement with French environmental agency ADEME. The aim of such partnerships is to accelerate the ecological transition of hotels, with a focus on energy efficiency.

As a traveller, there are some things you can look out for when planning a trip. These pointers can help you to identify hotels that are changing the way they work with sustainability in mind:

• Look for environmental labels and certifications. A hotel with Green Key, Green Globe or EarthCheck status is committed to managing its resources more sustainably.
• Read the hotel's environmental policy. Many hotels now post their commitments on their website.
• Find out about the hotel's facilities and infrastructure. Do they have energy-efficient lighting, rainwater harvesters, a vegetable garden that supplies the hotel’s kitchen?
• Choose hotels that respect their environment. A hotel that promotes the area’s natural resources without cashing in on them suggests an ethical approach.

Choosing a hotel that uses renewable energy is a first step towards more responsible travel. And to take it even further, why not explore Europe's most beautiful routes by train rather than by plane? More scenery and fewer emissions make for a better travel experience for you and for the planet!