The coolest eco friendly hotels in Europe:
These 5 eco friendly hotels in Europe focus on design and, in return, have become some of the coolest places to stay across the continent.
From outlandish style that has attracted international supermodels and movie stars, to remote treehouses perfect for snuggling into while watching natures best show; the northern lights.
These are 5 of the most interesting eco friendly hotels in Europe.
SERIFOS, GREECE: COCO MAT SERIFOS
The Greek island of Serifos is an alluring mixture of rugged rock formations and typically Greek beaches, with small clusters of towns and villages. Scattered throughout are 19th century miner’s houses – many abandoned, others converted into boutique stores or hotels. At just 2 hours by boat from Athens, Serifos is a favourite weekend retreat for many of the Greek capital’s wealthier residents. As such it does the ‘boutique’ lifestyle well.
Coco Mat Serifos caters for this cliental and indeed anyone looking for a place to really get away from the bustle of daily life. Located on a remote beach, Coco Mat Serifos offers views over the Aegean sea to rival those of any of its more famous island counterparts.
The lifestyle at Coco Mat Serifos is relaxed, and eco-friendly. Designed by Greek architect, George Zafiriou, the authentic Cycladic architecture blends into its natural landscape and uses bio-climatic techniques to utilise as much natural light and air conditioning as possible. Food is locally-sourced and all food and drink are served using the least artificial sugar and preservatives as possible.
Indeed, everything here is designed to help you escape, relax and improve your mental and physical wellbeing.
This is #islandlife at its very best.
BERLIN, GERMANY: HOTEL ZOO
If ever a hotel was in-tune with the vibe of its host city, it’s Hotel Zoo Berlin. Once a private residence, this late 1800’s building has been restored, refurnished and revived, and has since played home to international film festivals and supermodels.
Whimsical design meets original features; think grand spaces filled with opulent, outlandish style, cutting to Berlin’s very essence.
Despite all of the drama it serves, Hotel Zoo has is one of the leading eco friendly hotels in Europe. It maintains sustainable foundations and has been honoured with a Green Globe award for its achievements in this field.
SOUTH TYROL, ITALY: LA VIMEA
This is an eco friendly hotel with a difference. Located in the beautiful South Tyrol region of Italy, La Vimea was the first completely vegan hotel to open in the country.
Even though La Vimea is a four-star hotel, the owners have made a conscious choice not to offer a wide away of fancy spa facilities. This is because they see nature itself as the best spa, with the power to regenerate, heal and calm us. There’s a natural pond on the grounds where you can go for a refreshing swim, and there’s a wooden deck where yoga sessions take place daily.
The mountains of South Tyrol are a nature lover’s paradise, and there are plenty of activities on offer nearby. Go hiking, mountain biking or jogging along the river Adige. If you just want to relax, recharge your batteries and do nothing, that’s encouraged as well.
The attached restaurant is not only 100 percent vegan but 100 percent organic, too. On the menu are raw and cooked dishes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Dinner is a five-course gourmet affair featuring international dishes as well as Italian classics with a vegan twist.
– Words by Wendy Werneth / The Nomadic Vegan
FINLAND: ARCTIC TREEHOUSE HOTEL
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Finland is what happens when dreams of childhood dens meet a stylish designer. These are not your ordinary treehouses.
Scandi-design means these individual rooms are sleek yet simple. Floor-to-ceiling windows give you a front row seat to some of nature’s best shows including thick Arctic snowfall, the dazzling and dancing Northern Lights, and the magical winter sun.
Sustainability is at the core of Arctic Treehouse Hotel’s philosophies. The cabins themselves were built using biophilic design principles – crafted off-site to ensure no damage to the surrounding forest they’re housed in today. Sustainable maintenance solutions are used including waste reduction, local sourcing of materials and the use of solar-thermal energy. As a valuable addition, the owners plant between 5000 – 10,000 trees in their surrounding forest each year.
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS: ALBUS HOTEL
In 2019 the Albus Hotel in Amsterdam was the first hotel in Europe to become entirely CO2 neutral. It lead the way for eco friendly hotels in Europe, and in Amsterdam’s pledge to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2025 and entirely by 2050, in line with the Paris climhttps://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreementate agreement.
To achieve this they’ve installed a sustainable heating and hot water control system, that uses 100% green energy. They also use more energy efficient LED lighting and rain showers.
The hotel’s location in the centre of Amsterdam means that you too can reduce your ‘travel footprint’. Rather than taking taxis, opt to walk or cycle to many nearby attractions. The Rijksmuseum, Vincent van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House are all less than a 20 minute walk away.
– Find out more about responsible tourism