Hotel Green Flags Every Smart Traveller Should Know

When it comes to hotels, red flags are pretty easy to spot. Reviews that sound like they were ghostwritten by Stephen King (flickering hallway lights, midnight desk clerks who vanish) or hotels where the only amenity is a functioning padlock are obviously red flags.

Suspicious, crime scene carpet stains or photos only taken at ankle height, conveniently hiding all the décor, are also never a good sign. Green flags, on the other hand, require more thought. There are table stakes like beautiful marble floors and staff who greet you by name, but what about the rest?

We turned to our experience welcoming travellers all over Australia and around the world to identify the most sought-after green flags to look for when booking a hotel. Let the green flags fly!

Hotels with legitimate eco-credentials walk the talk. It's easy to slap “eco-friendly” on a brochure, true eco-certification means more than skipping the daily wash for bath towels.

Kingfisher Bay Resort Fraser Island (K’gari) is dedicated to helping protect its incredible environment through sustainable architecture, guided eco-walks, and staff who are trained in conservation practices. All of their tours have Advanced Eco Accreditation from Ecotourism Australia, and the beautiful resort was carefully designed to integrate with its environment.

Down south, Mövenpick Hotel Hobart takes Tassie’s pristine air, crystal-clear waterways, and farmland so lush it makes you swear off grocery-store produce for life and runs with it, folding sustainability right into the Swiss-inspired hospitality they’re known for. From energy-efficient fixtures to ethically sourced local ingredients, they’re actively demonstrating genuine, measurable environmental responsibility. They even make sure their famous daily chocolate hour complies with eco-friendly sourcing of the sweet stuff.

Back on the mainland, The Cullen Melbourne, is proof you can be both edgy and green. Part art gallery, part boutique hotel, The Cullen champions sustainable practices of minimal waste, energy-efficient lighting, and conscientious sourcing.

EV charging stations also suggest the hotel is thinking about the future: yours, theirs, and the planet’s. Massive green flag. The grand William Inglis Hotel Warwick Farm in New South Wales may lean into its equine heritage with an homage to local racecourses in its décor, but they know the future in horsepower is green. You can plug into one of three EV charging stations and parking is free.

The sleek Wonil Hotel in Perth was Accor's Handwritten Collection brand debut and is a gem stay - all beautiful Danish design, thoughtful touches and plush bedding. There’s an EV charger on site but parking onsite is limited so make sure to pre-book with reception in advance.

When a hotel invests in a high-quality day spa, it’s a bright-green beacon telling you they’re serious about your wellbeing. These hotels with spas cater to everyone; from business travellers who need to destress to couples looking for romantic rejuvenation, and families who’ve spent all day herding wild children.

Vie Spa at the Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa uses eastern massage techniques and Gua Sha crystal stones for their amazing facials. The Daintree Ritual starts with a sea salt scrub, followed by an aromatic full-body and scalp massage. Ninety minutes later, you’ll float out feeling more human than you have in years.

Just over an hour’s drive out of Sydney, Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains’ exquisitely designed UBIKA Day Spa spans two levels and they work on four pillars for keeping you semi-sane. Hydration (they even have a floatation tank), nourishment (a little more balanced than a triple cheeseburger), restore (mending what’s broken), and regenerate (scrub away the old so the new you can glow).

And while Queenstown calls itself the adventure capital of the world, let’s not forget “adventure” sometimes leaves you limping. Enter So Spa at Sofitel Queenstown, which uses a mix of French-inspired pampering and Kiwi hospitality to glue you back together.

A serious hotel sauna should do more than just blast you with heat until you can’t stand it. It’s where you exhale city stress, plane fatigue, or the headache from that chatty seatmate who wouldn’t take a hint.

Novotel Canberra’s sauna is a beautiful example of a traditional Finnish dry sauna, with that glorious wood and eucalypt sauna smell. In South Australia, Pullman Adelaide’s sauna is perfect for when you’ve overindulged in Barossa or McLaren Vale’s finest, renewing your spirit for the next round of tasting. Up in Cairns the hyper-modern Pullman Reef Hotel Casino has a sleek sauna that’s open all hours, making it easy to switch from high-stakes table action to a soul-cleansing steam.

We’ve all suffered through the dreaded overpriced, underwhelming “hotel restaurant” meals. But when a place genuinely commits to great food and drink, it can elevate your entire holiday.

Percy at Hotel Woolstore in Sydney is the stuff of legend; fresh seafood, artisanal cheese, crisp veggies. Percy harnesses that bounty with a creative twist, all in an elegant, flatteringly lit space. It’s the kind of place you’d happily visit even if you weren’t staying upstairs.

Hyde Paradiso at Peppers Soul Surfers Paradise is pure Surfers’ glitz: a breezy bar and restaurant where cocktails come in flamboyant, photo-worthy forms, and the delicious tapas menu holds its own.

Down by the bite, Adelaide’s Luma at The Playford is really raising the hotel restaurant stakes. From its glowing Art Nouveau fit-out to the fresh produce from nearby markets, and South Australian wines that’ll make you forget there’s a world outside the Barossa, this property is restaurant first, beautiful hotel second.

If a hotel pool is so good it makes you question your entire itinerary, that’s a massive green flag. Swissotel Sydney’s rooftop pool is one of the city’s best kept secrets. Perched above the city centre, the startling blue of the water and stylish cabanas give a Palm Springs vibe while light meals and creative cocktails are served poolside.

Novotel Suva Lami Bay’s big, beautiful pool is an invitation to lounge with a tropical cocktail in hand, while watching the sun dance across calm waters and local fishing boats chug by. And in Queensland, Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas has a lagoon pool complete with a sandy shore, waterfalls, swim up pool bar and lush foliage that says, "You’re on holiday, act like it".

If you can open your door and see waves, you’re in the right place. A beachfront hotel is about as close as you’ll get to an instant mood lifter - nature’s salted, sunlit cure-all.

The iconic Manly Pacific’s prime position means morning beach walks, midday surfing, and easy strolls to local cafés. Further afield, Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa is barefoot paradise, with an exclusive beach club and lagoon pools. Perfect for couples looking for romance, but equally friendly to families with two dedicated kid’s clubs.

In Queensland, the exquisite Reef House Palm Cove is very Hamptons-goes-tropical. An adults only affair, they serve canapes and punch at golden hour and the property is just metres away from a beautiful white sand beach.

A decent gym says the hotel acknowledges travellers who refuse to skip leg day, even on the road. That’s respect for your routine, plain and simple. Mercure Melbourne Albert Park gym doesn’t just check the fitness centre box. You’ve got enough equipment to actually break a sweat properly, ellipticals that don’t squeak and weight benches that aren’t older than you are. Runners can also head outside for a lap around the lake.

Another fitness green flag is hotels with their own Peloton bikes. Overlooking the city skyline in Sydney, Sofitel Darling Harbour caters to business travellers and holidaymakers alike. If you’re itching for a Peloton fix, you’ll find it here along with a well furnished gym complete with floor to ceiling windows so you can enjoy the hotel's waterfront vantage point while you work out.

Finally, the The Adnate Perth - Art Series may be known for its eye-popping murals by Australian street artist Matt Adnate, but it’s also got a fabulous, full sized gym featuring Pelotons with live or on-demand rides. The vibrant art that might even distract you from your burning quads.

Offering tennis courts is about giving guests variety, especially couples or families who like a bit of friendly competition. Drop the kids off at the giant outdoor chess set or impressive pool area and rally on a court flanked by vineyards, and toast your victory with a local shiraz at the Novotel Barossa Valley Resort.

Another wine region, another excellent court, the cozy Mercure Hunter Valley Gardens in New South Wales has a range of accommodation options, each classically appointed, ideal for your Hunter Valley getaway. The tennis court is surrounded by beautiful, and extensive, gardens.

Up north, Mercure in Townsville’s two full sized day/night tennis courts will help you work up a healthy sweat before you cool off in the city’s largest freeform swimming pool.

Golf facilities hint at a hotel’s commitment to leisurely pursuits. It’s a big investment that suggests they take guest experience seriously, making it the ultimate green flag for a truly great hotel.

For the serious golfer, Mercure Bunbury Sanctuary Golf Resort in Western Australia gets rave reviews for its well-kept fairways and friendly locals (kangaroos). The championship 18-hole layout features some pretty challenging sand and water hazards and the resort is close to Bunbury’s beaches, so you can trade the green for blue in under an hour.

Or for something genuinely exotic, Novotel Nadi in Fiji is a nine hole course set in tropical splendour. After fortifying yourself at the incredible breakfast buffet, head to the on-site green (there’s also mini-golf for the kids) for a challenging course, partly set on a steep slope, fringed by palm trees.

So the next time you’re scrolling for holiday inspiration, eyes glazing at endless reviews, look for these hallmarks of hospitality done right.