As travel slowly comes back, you might be thinking about taking a much-needed vacation. A little time away from the everyday routine.
The issue? Traveling can come with lots of unnecessary waste, carbon emissions, and more. But caring about the environment shouldn’t keep you from traveling and seeing the world!
As with everything in life, you can find a healthy balance between traveling and staying true to your values.
How? You came to the right place!
At Gosili, we’re all about enjoying life responsibly. And we believe that you can travel, go out to eat, and do any activity you want while protecting and respecting the environment.
To help you in your eco-travel quest, we rounded up some of our favorite eco-friendly resorts + hotels. Plus, we’re also sharing a few tips to help you make your travels less wasteful and more fun! With this information, you’ll be all set to take a mindful vacation—kids included!
5 Sustainable Resorts and Hotels in the United States
Stunning landscapes and unmatchable natural beauty are abundant in the US. And there are many ways to experience these places responsibly—starting with eco-lodging. By being mindful of the hotels you book when traveling, you take a huge step forward in making your vacation sustainable.
To help you make the choice easier, we rounded up five eco-conscious resort and hotel options we love!
From luxurious eco-resorts to cozy, rustic cabins, these places have everything you need to have a once-in-a-lifetime vacation. And all options are great for a family + friends vacation or romantic getaways—your choice.
These are our five favorite sustainable resorts in the United States:
1. El Monte Sagrado, New Mexico
This place is as beautiful as it is sustainable—a luxury eco-staple. Surrounded by mountains in Taos, New Mexico, this resort allows for many different activities like hiking and skiing.
The town has a rich history— and you can immerse yourself in it by visiting one of the many museums in town. But the resort itself also offers many activities! You can take a morning yoga class, book a day in their ‘living spa’, visit the wellness center, or experience their dome-shaped greenhouse.
If you’re looking for an out-of-the-ordinary vacation staple, you found it!
2. The Ranch at Rock Creek, Montana
This one-of-a-kind ranch has had sustainability built into its structure since it was first created. And its location is breathtaking—one of Montana’s most pristine valleys. This 5-star ranch experience is perfect for anyone!
The activities range from fly fishing and hiking to a day in the pool or spa.
This all-inclusive ranch also managed to completely eliminate single-use plastics since 2019. And their environmental efforts continue to grow side by side with their 5-star ratings.
3. 1 Hotel, West Hollywood
For a fun Cali summer experience, the 1 Hotel in West Hollywood is the place to be. Their sustainable efforts are plenty—they’re LEED-certified, carbon-neutral certified, and they offset emissions.
Their restaurants serve locally grown food and their menu is crafted to be sustainable. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy a time at a 5-star hotel that brings both sustainability and luxury together. And of course many activities like yoga, a pool, spa, and live music on the weekends.
4. Sadie Cove Wilderness Lodge, Alaska
For the adventure-orientated, this lodge is a staple for sustainability and off-the-grid living. The owner Keith, built the cabins himself with local materials and driftwood. “Where the mountains meet the sea” is how the owners describe it.
This might not be the most luxurious place, but it has been named one of the top ten eco-resorts in all of North America. And the activities are plenty—bear watching, kayaking, hiking in secret guest-only trails, and much more.
The lodge uses 100% hydro and wind energy and it's owned and operated by the same people who built it!
5. The Ritz-Carlton, North Carolina
Another 5-star hotel excelling at sustainability! It’s located in Charlotte, NC— a fun, vibrant town with plenty of things to do. Great for both outdoor activities or indoor, city outings.
The hotel is LEED-certified, and they have a roof veggie garden that also acts as a seasonal safe haven for bees! They offer free bikes to their guests with valet parking for the bike included. They also have free parking for electric vehicles and a charging station.
4 Eco-Lodging Resorts Around the World
Trying to vacation outside of the US? We know the feeling. These are four of our favorite places to visit internationally. Amazing food and culture included!
1. LUX Resorts, The Maldives
Traveling sustainably to this paradisaic location is easy thanks to LUX Resorts—the first vegan-friendly resort in the Maldives. But their efforts don’t end there—they also banned single-use plastics and use solar-powered shuttles.
And the resort? A few pictures are all you need to see. We’re mentally there right now.
To take your responsible travels a step further, Secret Paradise Maldives offers all kinds of eco-tours and activities. Run by locals, these tour company takes you to the best-kept secrets of the Maldives. Plus, they’re helping preserve the beautiful landscape you’ll get to experience.
2. Playa Viva, Mexico
Experience Mexico like never before at this eco-conscious luxury resort located in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa (say it three times fast 😜). There is a pristine private beach, yoga classes, an on-site farm, and an abundance of nature and life.
They excel at sustainability, running 100% on solar panels. They also have a turtle sanctuary you can volunteer at alongside many other activities focused on conservation.
If you’re experiencing Mexico, this is the way to go!
3. Pacuare Lodge, Costa Rica
Stunning views, unique biodiversity, and sustainable lodging all come together at Pacuare Lodge. This amazing eco-resort is a luxurious adventure for the whole family or for romantic getaways.
The activities are plenty and range from a chill day at the spa to water rafting and zip-lining. Their farm-to-table food options are mouth-watering—they even make their own goat cheese.
Fun fact: no trees were harmed in the making of this resort—they built it around the trees!
4. SVART, Norway
You can visit Norway and stay true to your sustainable lifestyle thanks to SVART—Norway’s first self-sustainable bespoke resort. Since it’s located near the arctic circle, the summer days are long and welcoming and the winters are lit up by the northern lights.
The unique architecture of the hotel is paired with an amazing eco-spa and wellness clinic. The resort is sitting right at the base of one of Norway’s largest glaciers. Plus, Norway is a staple of outdoor activities like deep-sea fishing, hiking, climbing, and sailing.
Tips to Keep Your Travels Sustainable
Choosing the right resort or hotel is essential to keep your trip earth-friendly, but you can always take it a step further. These are a few simple tips to help you reduce waste while traveling!
Eat + Shop Local
A big part of what makes traveling special is getting to know a different culture, place, or cuisine. Not only is it fun to explore new things, but eating and shopping locally it’s also key to keeping your trip eco-conscious.
Instead of big chain restaurants and stores, opt to support locally-owned businesses! You’ll be helping the local economy and trying new things. Win-win!
Explore National Parks or Spend Time in Nature
National parks are safe havens for wildlife and the environment—and when you visit, you support the conservation of these places! It’s also a great reminder of why it’s important to take steps to protect nature.
When visiting National Parks, avoid helicopter rides or other fuel-powered adventures. Instead, opt for hiking, kayaking, or biking. You’ll get to truly experience the landscape and you’ll keep your adventure sustainable.
Bring Your Own Reusable Goodies
A big problem with traditional traveling is the amount of unnecessary we’re creating—bottled water, plastic everything (straws, cups, cutlery, bags), wrapped snacks, and more.
The good news is that tackling this issue is very easy and convenient. Make sure your luggage has these few things to help you reduce waste:
- Your favorite bottle of water (saves money and keeps you hydrated too!)
- Travel mug (for coffee, tea, or any drinks)
- Reusable silicone straw (ours comes in a travel tin to make it even easier!)
- A couple of tote bags for shopping
You can even have your eco-kit ready with all your reusable goodies inside your tote bag. That way you don’t forget anything when you leave!
Shop Travel-Ready Reusables →
