The Ultimate Eco Resort Guide

Luxurious, eco friendly, pristine beaches – these are the terms that come to mind when you think about an Eco Resort. But what exactly does it take to be an eco resort? Can any resort or hotel change a few parts of their establishment (like switching to eco friendy products or energy saving lightbulbs) and then label themselves as “eco”?

With many hotels, lodges, and resorts jumping on the eco and sustainable buzz, “greenwashing” is becoming more and more prevalent. So what is a true eco resort and where can you find them? Here is the eco travel guide to this hot topic.

Please note, this article has been updated in 2024 with the latest tips and advice for choosing an eco resort.

What Are Eco Resorts?

Eco resorts are designed to exercise the principles of eco tourism. In theory they should:

• Minimise their environmental footprint
  • energy, water, waste, (saying no to plastic where possible)
• Promote the wellbeing of local people through education
• Promote and care for the local landscapes & wildlife

Whether the eco resort in situated in a national park, a nature reserve or on an island, it will be striving to achieve the 8 principles of eco tourism. The more of these principles that it can achieve, the more “eco” it is (in a sense).

What Is The Difference Between An Eco Resort, Eco Hotel And Eco Lodge?

Eco Resorts are generally a self-contained destination. They can provide for all of your travel needs whether it’s entertainment, experiences, relaxation, or privacy that you are after. They are usually situated somewhere remote (like a pristine beach or island) and cater for eco conscious guests who like the finer ammenities. Private villas including swimming pools are offered by some of the top eco resorts. The Rockhouse Negril & True Blue Bay Boutique resort are great examples of eco resorts around the world

Eco Hotels are usually smaller in size, and cater for lodging and eating. Guests are more likely to leave the premises for entertainment and experiences. They are often more centrally located (near the town). La Fortuna and The Good Hotel are some beautiful eco hotels we have stayed in.

An Eco Lodge tends to be in a more remote environment like a pristine beach, up in the jungle treetops, or in the mountains. For example, Laguna Lodge in Guatemala protects over 100 acres of nature reserve behind their property, and Hobbitenango has built their zero waste hobbit holes, into the mountain side.

Regardless if an accommodation has labelled itself as an:

• Eco resort
• Eco hotel
• Eco lodge
• Green hotel
• Eco Island Resort/Mountain Resort

They should be striving to achieve the 8 principles of eco tourism. 

The 8 Principles Of Eco Tourism

Let’s start off by looking at an ideal scenario. What makes an eco resort as “eco” as possible.  Here are potential solutions or implementation techniques to achieve the principles of eco tourism.

1. Minimise physical, social, behavioural and psychological impacts

• The resort is built with consultation of local community. Built using local materials, minimalist footprint fo clearing of land.
• An eco resort encourages local communities to continue their traditions and rituals by sharing with tourists. 
• Financial distribution occurs throughout a community with help of an eco resort to ensure “fair” treatment of all those involved.

2. Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect

• The resort has programs set up for guest volunteering or donation to local environment

3. Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts

• Employing passionate, friendly staff who are educated on the eco tourism industry and local culture.
• A friendly hotel is a memorable one.

4. Provide direct financial benefits for conservation

• Through some form of donation or percentage of sales, financial aid goes direct from the resort to local or global conservation projects or positive animal tourism.

5. Generate financial benefits for both local people and private industry

• Hiring local staff, training local people to cater for tourist markets in a sustainable way.
• Providing resources for locally owned & operated tours.

6. Deliver memorable interpretive experiences to visitors that help raise sensitivity to host countries

• Through the use of social platforms or information boards, eco resorts can share awareness of local social, political and environmental topics relevant to the time.

7. Design, construct and operate low impact facilities

• Low impact design – limiting natural land or trees that need to be removed for resort construction.
• Using local contractors and construction materials from sustainably sourced providers
• Operating Low Impact
  • Low energy devices
    • Water saving (showerheads, limited cleaning in rooms – towels etc.)
    • Light saving (energy efficient bulbs)
    • Heat saving (solar heating, fans instead of air-conditioning)
  • Renewable energy sources
    • Solar power
    • Hydro power
    • Wind power
    • Goethermal power
  • Onsite water treatment
  • Food Composting
  • On site recycling program
  • Access to public transport
  • Chemical free / natural products used
  • Use save water slogans to remind guests of sustainable water use

8. Recognise the rights and spiritual beliefs of the Indigenous People in the community

• The resort provides educational platform for local Indigenous People (if suitable).

A resort who does not accomplish all of the above mentioned principles is not “not eco”. It may just be somewhere on the spectrum. There are many different tourists looking for very different types of tourism. And it is impossible to cater to everyone’s expectations. However, the name “eco” is directly related to the above mentioned table.

Eco Resorts & Greenwashing

The term “eco” is being used more and more. So much so that a counter term “greenwashing” has been invented.

“Greenwashing” refers to the overuse of “eco” labelling. Many “eco resorts” will advertise themselves as being eco, when in fact only a small (or insignificant) part of their establishment is actually eco.

What To Check For When Choosing A Resort

There are a few practices that are particularly “not eco”, these include

Resorts or hotels that have animal shows or animal entertainment. Animals practicing “entertainment” is unethical and should not be encouraged. Many places run animal eco tourism programs that are not abiding by international guidelines. Learn how to avoid negative animal tourism and pick positive animal tourism experiences.

Generally, “all-inclusive resorts” are not practicing eco-initiatives. This is due to the food. Buffets are one of the highest sources of food waste. And while many hotels are currently undergoing significant changes to improve this “On average hotels waste 35 per cent of all food purchased“

Are There Luxury Eco Resorts?

Eco travel is not about roughing it. You can stay in resorts with private villas, swimming pools or even a private beach.

All around the world, the concept of eco luxury is exploding, with new options on the market on a seemingly daily basis.

In most cases, the really high end options are luxury with a hint of eco. As per the above mentioned resort spectrum. You can still be eco if you incorporate some of the principles into the resort.

Popular Luxury Eco Resorts

Luxury Eco is becoming its own type of tourism, fast. People want something nice, unique and to know that they aren’t causing significant environmental damage while doing so. Here are a few top trending luxury eco resorts to get you started.

• The Rockhouse, Negril, Jamaica. Beautifully set stone villas sit along the Negril cliffs looking down at blue water so clean you can watch fish from your room.
  • The resort has strong ties to the local community and runs educational programs for guests with donations and volunteering experiences to local schools which the Rockhouse help fund.
  • Considered one of the top green hotels in the Caribbean close to some of Jamaica’s best beaches
• Itz’ana Belize is set between the rain forest and the reef in southern belize. It takes sustainability seriously, incorporating three pillars of sustainable focus
  • Natural Conservation: with carbon-neutral villas and organic farm to table food, Itz’ana is mindful about minimising their environmental footprint.
  • Arts & Heritage: the resort focuses on preserving the Mayan traditions and art forms
  • Health & Wellness: they are committed to an organic and healthy lifestyle, ensuring their staff and guests eat farm to plate food.
• Kudadoo Maldives is a full solar powered luxury resort in the Maldives. Situated on it’s own private island, it values the necessity for preserving and protecting the environment.
  • The resort has 984 solar panels that allow it to be purely powered by the sun
  • They say no to single use plastics and use natural and organic toiletries
  • Fish and seafood is caught locally from suppliers that use sustainable fishing practices
  • They have a partnered with Manta Trust and offer sustainable diving and snorkelling experiences with a marine biologist.

Each of the above mentioned have facebook, twitter and instagram so you can get a real feel for guest experiences, check what events might be or ask for additional info.

Where To Book Eco Resorts

Greenpearls

• This amazing site has handpicked some of the most incredible eco accomodations around the world and placed them into a conveniently designed platform. 
• They’ve also created their own ranking system so you can compare just how “eco” the places really are in comparison with others!

Booking.com

• When searching a location, you can simply type “eco” and some options will come up. But it’s not until you check the accommodation yourself that you will see just how “eco” it is.

Platforms To Find Eco Accommodation

If you want to stay in an eco accommodation but not looking for a resort there are plenty of other platforms where you can find eco hotels, eco lodges, glamping tents, volunteer exchanges and more.

Check out the top 7 platforms to find eco accommodation!

Eco travel is about making conscious actions to travel better & greener. Choosing a good eco resort is one way, but there are lots of different ways to eco travel, check out more eco travel tips, here! Or learn how to eco shop and bring your own reusable gear!

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