Sustainability Is Shaping Luxury Travel – Here’s Where to Stay

Posted by Tim Cotroneo
on April 16, 2026

With Earth Day approaching on April 22 and summer travel about to ramp up, travelers are choosing hotels and destinations that prioritize sustainability to protect the environments they’re visiting. Virtuoso found that 68 percent of luxury travelers want to travel more responsibly, up from 55 percent.

Certain properties in the United States and abroad are going above and beyond when it comes to eco-friendly luxury, embracing unique and innovative ways to reduce their carbon footprint, minimize waste, support local nonprofits, and more. From Napa Valley to Aruba, below is a selection of hotels and destinations aiming to leave the world a better place for future generations.

U.S.

Carneros Resort and Spa – Napa Valley, CA

Set in the heart of wine country, the 28-acre Carneros Resort and Spa is a proud member of Beyond Green, meeting more than 50 indicators that align with global sustainable tourism standards.
The resort recycles and composts in unique ways such as: porch rocking chairs crafted from recycled milk cartons, compositing through The Mill to nourish and support its on-site gardens and feed the chickens, and even converting used cooking oils into clean biofuel. Carneros Resort and Spa also houses organic Culinary Gardens which are the heart of its farm-to-table philosophy, inviting guests to reconnect with the land through immersive experiences that blend flavor, education, and community.
Additionally, the property has an extensive beekeeping program led by Beekeeper Rob Keller to support the bee population, which ultimately enhances the gardens that provide fresh ingredients for each dining venue. Guests can reserve a Hive Walk & Tasting to learn about the importance of bees, then indulge in a honey and cheese tasting with a view of the vines.

Edgewood Tahoe Resort – Stateline, NV

Nestled on the shores of Lake Tahoe, North America’s largest alpine lake, and bounded by the majestic peaks of the Sierra, you’ll find Edgewood Tahoe Resort, a one-of-a-kind boutique resort where luxury reaches new heights every day. Edgewood Tahoe’s number one focus is always minimizing their environmental footprint and keeping the region pristine for future visitors and locals . Prior to breaking ground on The Lodge, Edgewood completed “threshold” improvement projects including: Treating and removing 500,000 lbs. of sediment per year from Lake Tahoe via enhanced wetlands and deepened filtration settling ponds. Additionally, Edgewood Tahoe Resort acquired and demolished several obsolete, environmentally unsustainable properties and restored the land to a natural state, creating a neighborhood park on one site.
Edgewood Tahoe Resort also offers special Earth Day Experiences such as tree planting on April 22 in collaboration with the Sugar Pine Foundation, providing guests and employees with an authentic Lake Tahoe experience by planting native pine seedlings, fostering sustainability and connection with our natural environment. The resort also provides an Eco-Heritage Tour to guests looking to explore generations of Edgewood’s rich history, focusing on protecting, preserving, and celebrating both our storied past and the limitless potential of what lies ahead.

Regent Santa Monica Beach – Santa Monica, CA

Regent Santa Monica Beach, in partnership with Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back program, supports Marine Mammal Care Center. The mission of Marine Mammal Care Center is to inspire ocean conservation through marine animal rescue and rehabilitation, education, and research. Through its community impact program, Regent Santa Monica Beach donates $1 per night of every guest stay to support Marine Mammal Care Center.
Regent Santa Monica Beach is also dedicated to sustainability through various practices, such as using aluminum water bottles and compostable containers to eliminate plastic waste. In order to save energy, Regent Santa Monica Beach guest rooms feature motion sensor lighting and A/C systems that shut off when doors are open. Additionally, the hotel supports local ecosystems with on-site beehives to pollinate local flowers and promote a recycling program.

Scottsdale, Arizona – Scottsdale, AZ

Scottsdale has made its mark as a premier destination in Arizona that prioritizes sustainability and environmentally friendly practices. Though more people, houses, and other built structures come to Scottsdale each year, the city has taken giant leaps to keep Scottsdale wild.
Scottsdale has set aside more than 30,500 acres, protecting them within the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, enough to account for about one-third of Scottsdale. Scottsdale has also embraced technology and innovative rulemaking to maximize its water supply. A network of water treatment facilities, pumps, and pipes known as the Reclaimed Water Distribution System can clean 20 million gallons of used water per day and deliver it to sports fields, where the water keeps them playable. This system irrigates nearly two dozen North Scottsdale golf courses. Additionally, Scottsdale’s Advanced Water Treatment Plant can purify wastewater to the point that it can be sipped.
Scottsdale’s Museum of the West collects rainwater and HVAC condensate, using both to irrigate nearby plants. This building is made from a whopping 75% recycled materials. In Scottsdale, several forthcoming apartment buildings have plans to pursue initiatives like rainwater harvesting and solar capture. The present is green – and so is the future.

Grande Lakes Orlando, Ritz-Carlton & JW Marriott

With sustainability as a key pillar of this expansive resort, Grande Lakes Orlando is committed to protecting the planet through efficient measures for guests, the community and future generations. As a four time Green Key Global recipient, Grande Lakes Orlando has demonstrated significant strides and leadership towards environmental protections demonstrating measurable results.
The resort limits food waste by donating safe and unused buffet food to Good Samaritan Outreach. This initiative both reduces food waste but also supports local families experiencing food insecurity. In 2025, the resort diverted 290 tons of food waste, reducing methane-producing landfill waste.
They are also an official partner of RTI (Restaurant Technologies, Inc.) to recycle and repurpose cooking oil from the resorts’ kitchens. RTI collects all cooking oil and is processed and converted into renewable biodiesel. This initiative helps prevents oil from entering the waste stream, drainage systems, or landfills and supports the circular economy by turning a waste by product into a renewable resource.
The property is also a proud partner to local farms and artisans such as Frog Song Organics, Sugar Top Farms, Mick Farms, Fungi Jon Mushrooms, Simple Seafood, DiCuru Mozzarella, and Lake Meadow Naturals – to source fresh, responsibly produced ingredients while supporting our local community.

International

Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel – Rome, Italy

Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Rome’s leading luxury city hotel, was the first hotel in Rome to be awarded a coveted Green Key certification in 2019 for its ongoing commitment to sustainable management, with recertifications year over year.
In addition to implementing practices, including the use of compostable alternatives to plastic products, finding alternatives to single-use items, and water and energy conservation, Rome Cavalieri is spearheading outreach programs in the local community to help reduce food waste and restore local parks and natural lands. Through their efforts thus far, they have been able to reduce their carbon emissions by 27.1%, saved 8.54 tonnes of CO2 from utilizing Renewable Energy, planted over 74,000 trees, served over 6,600 hot meals from excess banqueting and events, food with Equoevento, and other achievements.
The hotel also incorporates sustainability into guest programming through sustainable luxury experiences such as RE(F)USE, where guests are able to visit the immersive creative workshop of Carmina Campus by Ilaria Venturini Fendi to learn about sustainable creativity and the use of materials. Its Roman Holidays excursion allows guests to explore the best of the Eternal City in an eco-conscious manner on board a Vespa, which runs solely on electric power. Travelers seeking culinary experiences may explore Foraging – Nature & Adventure, where they spend the day with an expert in the Colfiorito Nature Reserve to forage through some of the local woods and fields in order to pick together herbs, fruits, berries, mushrooms, and truffles that will be utilized in an authentic Italian cooking class.

InterContinental Maldives Maamangau Resort – Maamunagau Island, Raa Atoll, Maldives

Located in close proximity to Baa Atoll’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, we wanted to ensure that InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort was on your radar. The resort is leading sustainable operations in the Maldives through its ‘Green Engage’ initiatives, which focus on vastly reducing its carbon footprint. These include solar power conservation, where, to conserve the fragile environment, the resort has installed 1,577 heavy-duty solar panels covering 2,594 sqm. This system produces 952,620 Kwh, which is 15% of the resort’s total energy requirement resulting in a vast reduction of 900 tons of CO2, annually. The resort has also implemented a glass crushing system that helps minimize glass particles to be used as a component alongside aggregate in concrete work. Wastage of food is thoroughly monitored and registered, with strict procedures in place for food shipment and preparation. InterContinental Maldives is committed to reducing plastic use by 90% and glass waste by 80%, with new technology and investments helping to optimize resources year by year.
By virtue of its proximity to one of the Maldives’ largest manta ray gathering spots in Hanifaru Bay, the resort also champions marine conservation through its collaboration with onsite research and conservation organization, Manta Trust, and offers guests ample opportunity to learn about and explore these important manta habitats up close. This culminates in the highlight of the resort’s calendar – the immersive and purpose-driven Manta Retreat– a four day experience that blends luxury travel with meaningful and ethical marine engagement. Over the course of the retreat, guests gain insight into the ongoing study of manta rays, participate in conservation challenges, and observe the manta rays up close in the resort’s own lagoon- home to one of the Maldives’ largest and healthiest population of manta rays.

COMO Parrot Cay – Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos

Located in lush Turks and Caicos, COMO Parrot Cay celebrates the great outdoors every day through its diverse landscapes, outdoor adventure, and commitment to eco-friendly practices. The hotel’s dedicated Director of Marine Science and Sustainability, Dr. Ed Butler, is committed to bettering the hotel and its picturesque surroundings, with he and his team implementing an impactful marine conservation study program whereby they tag and monitor at risk and endangered species, including the whitespotted eagle ray, oceanic whitetip shark, southern stingray, and others.
The hotel produces its own power, makes its own water, manages its own developments, and processes its own waste. A recently launched water conservation initiative utilizes a fully automated machine to bottle, sanitize and clean water, resulting in ultra-filtered drinking water that is available in the gym, spa and restaurants. The kitchen garden and plastic recycling scheme collects up to 100kg of food scraps and 1000kg of landscaping byproduct every day, which is used to generate compost for the onsite gardens. Speaking of the gardens, guests are welcome to tour the fruitful coconut and banana groves to learn more about how fresh produce is grown and used right in the on-property restaurants. Guests can experience the island’s diverse landscapes by kayaking through mangroves, diving, and biking amongst Turks and Caicos flora.
Guests can also sponsor a coconut tree during their stay and with the help of a specialist, design their own sign and plant their very own tree to be nurtured right on site for years to come.

Domes Resorts – Properties across Greece and Portugal

Set on the picturesque Greek island of Zakynthos, Domes Aulūs Zante, a property in Domes’ Resorts prolific portfolio of luxury resorts across Greece and Portugal, partnered with ARCHELON to adopt and protect 70 sea turtle nests along its beachfront. This initiative not only helps safeguard the endangered loggerhead turtles, but also invites guests to engage more deeply with the surrounding ecosystem, offering opportunities to observe these animals respectfully in their natural habitat. Through on-site education sessions and conservation activities, the resort transforms wildlife protection into an immersive, guest-facing experience, reflecting a broader commitment to sustainable tourism and the preservation of Greece’s fragile coastal environments.
In addition, Domes Resorts extends its sustainability ethos to younger guests through KiEPOS (meaning “garden” in Greek) an interactive program designed to make complex ideas like eco-responsibility and healthy living tangible and engaging. Children are invited to cultivate their own vegetable gardens under expert guidance, learning firsthand about growing food, caring for the environment, and the rhythms of nature. By combining education with play, KiEPOS fosters a sense of curiosity, responsibility, and lasting appreciation for sustainable living.
Also, Domes Resorts is committed to actively supporting the destinations in which it operates. Its sustainability efforts include cleaning excursions, recycling programs, environmental initiatives, collaborations with local NGOs, and more. Guests are invited to participate in voluntary experiences, gaining insight into the challenges facing local ecosystems while making a meaningful contribution to the preservation of each destination’s natural beauty.

Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa, Aruba

Perched on the coveted Eagle Beach, Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa – named #1 Best Caribbean Resort by USA Today 10Best – continues to set the standard for boutique Caribbean luxury. Guests enjoy wellness-inspired experiences such as beachfront yoga, rejuvenating spa treatments at Spa del Sol, and a freshwater pool, alongside elevated culinary experiences at four acclaimed restaurants, offering everything from Omakase to local Caribbean Cuisine.

Recently, Green Globe recertified Manchebo Beach Resort and Spa in June of 2025, making it one of very few resorts in the Caribbean to achieve the certification. A few sustainable initiatives supporting this recognition include, but are not limited to:
Solar Panels: Integrated into operations, the resort leverages solar panels to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and move closer to a cleaner, renewable future.
Join the Pipe partnership: Every guest receives a reusable, sugarcane-based water bottle. Hydration stations throughout the resort make it easy to refill while reducing plastic waste.
Glass Bottles Turned Art: All glass bottles are collected and run through an in-house glass crusher, turning them into a fine sand-like material. A local painter reuses this crushed glass in his work, transforming waste into art.