Sleeping in eco-friendly accommodation: what is it, why do it, and where is the best place to go?

What is eco-friendly accommodation?

• An eco-friendly accommodation or sustainably run accommodation aims to minimize its impact on the environment.
• It follows measurable practices in energy, water, and waste management.
• It actively promotes or nudges sustainable options for their guests: sufficient vegetarian menu options, sustainable partnerships for tours and excursions, and active waste segregation.
• To be eco-friendly, an accommodation doesn't have to be surrounded by nature. Even in the middle of the city, a guest house, hotel, or hostel can operate as eco-friendly or sustainable accommodation.

What is an eco-lodge?

• An eco-lodge is a small, nature‑based accommodation designed to have minimal impact on the environment while supporting conservation and local communities.
• The eco-lodge is built and run in a way that protects the surrounding environment. 
• The main goal of this type of accommodation is to offer guests an authentic nature experience while keeping the ecological footprint as low as possible.

What is the difference between an 'eco-lodge' and a 'lodge in nature'

• Compared to a regular lodge in a nature setting, a lodge becomes an eco-lodge when it has:
  • Low environmental impact: the lodge uses sustainable building materials (like local wood, bamboo, or recycled materials) and is designed to blend into the landscape, not dominate it.
  • Sustainable operations: it typically runs on renewable energy (solar, wind, hydro), conserves water (rainwater harvesting, low‑flow fixtures), and carefully manages waste (recycling, composting, avoiding single‑use plastics).
  • Conservation focus: many eco-lodges actively protect local wildlife and habitats, sometimes funding or running conservation projects in the area.
  • Support for local communities: they often employ local staff, buy food and goods from nearby (organic) producers, and may support community development or education initiatives.
  • Environmental education: guests are usually encouraged to learn about the local ecosystem and sustainability through guided nature walks, talks, or interpretive materials.
• A safari lodge can be a regular lodge or an eco-lodge, depending on the way it operates.

What is accommodation greenwashing?

• Because tourists are willing to pay a little extra for 'eco,' 'green,' and 'sustainable,' regular hotels and lodges market themselves greener than they actually are.
• Greenwashing refers to marketing claims or branding that present a lodge or accommodation as environmentally friendly or sustainable, while its actual practices do not back up those claims or are only minimally implemented.
• The appearance of sustainability is used to attract guests without meaningful, verifiable action.

Where is the best place to sleep at a true eco-lodge?

• Costa Rica: an early epicenter of ecotourism.
• Ecuador: has options from beachfront and mountainside to deep in the Amazon.
• New Zealand: national focus on low-impact outdoor tourism has encouraged genuinely low-impact eco-lodges.
• Indonesia: various ecosystems, rainforests, volcanic slopes, and remote coral islands.
• Saba: mainstream mass tourism is rejected in favor of deep environmental conservation.
• Dominica: a lot of ec-lodges off-grid and food served from farm to plate.
• Sweden: sustainability is deeply rooted in the culture.