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Eco ski hotels
Sustainable ski hotels with SNO
Nothing beats that good night’s sleep after a grand day on the hill, but to really rest easy, make your base one of our environmentally-friendly ski hotels. Set in landscapes of snowy white, these properties move mountains to make your stay as green as possible, from banning plastic straws to offsetting all carbon emissions.
Skiing simply wouldn’t be without the wonders of Mother Nature and climate change is SNO joke. The good news is that more and more mountain hotels are upping their eco game. If you want to help protect the planet and enjoy a jolly good ski trip while you’re at it, these are the best sustainable ski hotels in the business.
Hotel Belvedere uses hydroelectric power for energy and Grindelwald’s wood-fired heating plant for heat. Any waste heat is then used to warm the indoor swimming pool. Other litter is separated for recycling with any organic waste being sent to a biogas plant. Energy saving lamps and biodegradable cleaning products are also used.
Grindelwald
Highlights • Classic ski destination • Exciting excursions • Linked to the Jungfrau ski area
Sunstar gallantly offset all CO2 emissions to make staying in Arosa’s Alpine Hotel carbon neutral. Charging is available for Teslas, or if you’re travelling by another method you can request that they calculate the carbon emissions of your journey and add the offset cost to your bill, for a totally carbon-free trip. The hotel uses renewable energy sources, energy saving lights and water saving showers. Food and wine served is local, sustainable and d-e-licious.
Arosa
Highlights • Awesome off-piste • New linked ski-area • Sunny, high altitude skiing
Perks of being part of the Sunstar group include the fact that this hotel completely offsets all its CO2 emissions to give guests a carbon neutral holiday. The hotel is connected to Grindelwald’s wood-fired district heating system and takes energy-minimising measures like installing long-life light bulbs. Charging is available for electric vehicles in case you’re considering car hire or driving to Grindelwald.
Grindelwald
Highlights • Classic ski destination • Exciting excursions • Linked to the Jungfrau ski area
Not to boast, but this is Slovenia’s first Green Globe certified hotel and the most energy efficient hotel in the area – so it deserves to scream ECO in its name. A water well next to the hotel works with a heat pump to warm the hotel and water wastage is kept to a wonderful minimum. Why stop with a water well? There’s also an energy station which cogenerates electric energy and heat, providing all energy needed for the hotel - and its spectacular aquapark. Floor heating, LED lights, insulated walls and roofing are also used.
Bohinj
Highlights • Beautiful scenery • Multi-resort lift pass • Slovenia's best ski resort
Leading the way in green hospitality, this LEED certified ECO hotel is earth friendly from the inside, out. You’ll find everything from fluorescent lighting to organic mattresses and reusable aluminium bottles to slash plastic usage. Water saving systems have been put in place and all power is offset by wind, solar and hydro power. The structure of the hotel is 80% recycled and the roof is made from Eco-Shake shingles. Half of the waste produced in the building process was reused or recycled.
Jackson Hole
Highlights • World class skiing • Wild West après • Superb ski school
New eco measures seem to be put in place every time we return to the Fairmont Chateau. Favourites include the fact that discarded soap and bottled products are recycled or donated to food banks. And the Rooftop bee hives, which provide bees to pollinate the local area in the summer (and produce cracking honey). There’s also in-room recycling, LED lighting and water-saving showerheads. Food and drink-wise, it’s all regional, organic, sustainable and Fairtrade whenever possible. 90% of organic waste gets diverted from landfill and kitchen grease is recycled. Straws are only provided on request - and even then, they’re completely compostable.
Whistler
Highlights • Largest ski area in North America • Consistently voted best in the world
This hotel has Canada’s 5 Green Key Eco Rating and has nobly practiced ‘No Net Negative Environmental Impact’ strategies for over a decade. 50% of the energy comes from wood biomass power and total energy use is on the decrease. 80% of lighting is energy efficient and water saving fixtures are fitted throughout. Meals are made from local, sustainable and fairly traded ingredients when possible. There’s an extensive recycling program and leftover toiletries are donated to the Clean the World Foundation to be distributed to those in need.
Lake Louise
Highlights • Legendary ski resort • Designated beginner zones • Massive ski area
Besides having a fantastic location right at the foot of the Triffolet home run, Le Sam proudly brandishes La Clef Verte label for its excellent environmental friendliness. Geothermal energy heats the spa here as well as part of the building, which utilises natural materials, eco-cleaning products and low energy lightbulbs.
Val d'Isere
Highlights • ½ of Espace Killy • Fantastic après • Traditional chocolate box village • Skiable glacier
If you choose this hotel in car-free Wengen, your stay’s totally carbon neutral thanks to the Sunstar group who offset all emissions. The Sunstar Alpine makes a huge effort to keep energy and water consumption to a minimum, with features such as energy saving lighting and economy spray shower heads. Sustainable food and wine is served in the restaurant – from the local area where possible to make sure food miles stay minimal.
Wengen
Highlights • Part of the Jungfrau ski area • Quintessential mountain village • Lauberhorn World Cup piste
Not only is your stay here gloriously CO2-neutral, the hotel actually has a positive CO2 footprint and it’s all thanks to the property’s very own hydropower station. True troopers when it comes to minimising waste production and water pollution, the owners recycle as much as possible, have installed refillable soap dispensers and use environmentally friendly cleaning products. You’ll also find electric vehicle charging points for guests. Food wise, as much as possible is sourced locally and from the hotel grounds. No wonder this place holds the Austrian and European Ecolabels.
Bad Kleinkirchheim
Highlights • St Katherin and Römerbad baths • 4 and 5* spa hotels • Resort with history
Banff Park Lodge
The Lodge has earned a Four Green Leaf Rating by taking various eco-conscious measures including water conservation, environmentally conscious cleaning, recycling, waste-reduction and maximising energy efficiency. Bedrooms are kitted out with recycling bins, water saving shower heads, long-life lighting and locally made furniture. The roof is made with eco-friendly Enviroshake tiles which are almost entirely made from reprocessed polymers, elastomers and fibres.
Hotel Ischgl
First things first, food: regional, sustainable, organic and fairly traded produce is used in the kitchen at Hotel Ischgl. And once you’ve stuffed yourself silly, you can retire to your room where you’ll find features like sustainable, Austrian-made textiles and LED lamps. Day and night, the energy used comes from hydroelectric power.
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
Another example of Fairmont’s fine effort in the eco department, Jasper Park Lodge has a 5 Key Green Eco Rating. There are car charge stations so if you’re planning to hire some wheels, you can make them electric powered ones for the ultimate green ski trip. Local, organic, sustainable food is served in the restaurants and there’s even an on-site greenhouse growing ingredients with zero food metres - let alone miles. The Outlaw the Straw program is in full force, with the hotel offering paper straws on request. Even more plastic is saved by swapping plastic bottles for glasses and pitchers and the thorough recycling program here. Water saving fixtures are also installed throughout.
Fairmont Banff Springs
Fairmont does a jolly good job at making its hotels earth-friendly and this Banff Springs one is no exception with a HAC Green Key Eco Rating of 4 keys. The meals here are all the more delicious being made from local, organic, sustainable and Fair-Trade foods. Energy efficient lightbulbs and water-saving fixtures have been installed throughout, too. If you’re hiring a car, make it an electric model to ski green as can be – the hotel is kitted out with EV and Tesla charging stations.
Hotel Amerikan
Built largely in natural wood and stone, this Italian ‘Eco-Hotel’ runs on alternative energy. An environmentally-conscious electrolysis system provides chemical-free, sensitive-to-skin swimming pool water. The Amerikan has also installed a Burrasca Palina electric vehicle charging station for those travelling to resort by EV.
Eager to do more in the eco skiing department? Take your eco ski trip to the next level by checking out the most eco ski resorts and following advice in our Eco Ski Holidays guide.
You can also keep your carbon offset minimal when it comes to the journey part of your holiday by driving to the Alps - particularly in an Electric Vehicle - or travelling to your ski resort by train.
Best eco ski hotels
| Hotel | Rating | Resort | Country | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairmont Chateau Whistler | 5 | Whistler | Canada | In room recycling, efficient lighting & showers, plastic-straw free, sustainable food |
| Sunstar Alpine Hotel | 4 | Arosa | Switzerland | All CO2 emissions are offset, tesla charging, runs on renewable energy |
| Bohinj ECO Hotel | 4s | Bohinj | Slovenia | Green Globe certified, own water well & energy station |
| Hotel Terra | 4 | Jackson Hole | USA | LEED certified, sustainably built, organic mattresses, minimal energy, water & waste |
| Hotel Belvedere | 4s | Grindelwald | Switzerland | Runs on hydroelectric power & wood-fired heating, excellent recycling practices |
| Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise | 5 | Lake Louise | Canada | Canada’s 5 Green Key Eco Rating, extensive recycling, sustainable food |
| Sunstar Alpine Hotel | 4 | Grindelwald | Switzerland | Offsets all carbon emissions, powered on wood-fired heating, EV charging |
| Banff Park Lodge | 3 | Banff | Canada | 4 Green Leaf eco rating, great at maximising recycling & minimising water waste and energy usage |
| Hotel Ischgl | 4 | Ischgl | Austria | Sustainable food & textiles, runs on hydroelectric power |
| Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge | 4 | Jasper | Canada | 5 Key Green Eco Rating, EV charging, sustainable food, plastic straw free |
| Fairmont Banff Springs | 4 | Banff | Canada | 4 Green Key HAC rating, sustainable food, efficient lighting & water saving |
| Hotel Amerikan | 4 | Livigno | Italy | Runs on renewable energy, chemical free swimming pool, EV charging |
| The Crystal Lifestyle Hotel | 4 | Obergurgl | Austria | Runs on renewable energy, homemade & local food and drink |
We update this list often but facilities can change, so if any specific feature is essential to your trip, make sure you ask us to confirm the details before you book your holiday.
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