Chic Aussie hotels that are making holidays more sustainable

There’s a hidden issue lurking in hotels which young people have become wise to – and it’s making them change their holiday choices.

Holidays are a time to relax but, for anyone with an environmental conscience, the very places they stay in can be far from calming.

The little plastic tubes that adorn the bathroom, single-use towels, plastic bottles of water, not to mention the enormous amount of energy and water hotels consume mean the tourism sector has a raft of sustainability issues.

It’s something Amanda Lambert tackled during the eight years of running holiday accommodation in the Hunter Valley, NSW.

“It gave me a deep-seated understanding of sustainable tourism,” she said.

Amanda’s accommodation was one of the first properties in the area to be certified with the EcoTourism Australia stamp. But she wanted to do more.

“I felt that there was a need to promote and support the work being done by Australian accommodation providers to minimise their environmental impact,” she said. And so she decided to create a platform specifically for holiday destinations focused on being eco-friendly.

Stream more environmental news with Flash, a dedicated news streaming service. New to Flash? Try 14 days free now >

Many people are looking for more eco-focused holidays. Picture: Instagram chlobeargoesthere.

In 2014 the tourist accommodation directory Green Getaways was born.

“We started out with 20 listings,’ Ms Lambert said. “This has now grown to around 200 listings and is growing weekly.”

It’s an area she says is becoming important to people when choosing their holiday.

“Sustainability is now increasingly mainstream – partly because social responsibility and the environment are becoming more of a focus area within both the tourism sector and the corporate world,” she said.

“Younger consumers [particularly] are becoming increasingly concerned about sustainability issues and prefer to go places that share their environmental values.

“To my mind, a hotel’s approach to sustainability must be more than just the token ‘box-ticking’ of green issues, which travellers can see through. We are a long way past not washing your towels every day. Sustainability needs to be a core value of a hotel’s vision.”

Ms Lambert points to replacing single-use plastic with refillable toiletries like The Lake House in Daylesford, Victoria.

The Lake House in Daylesford is making steps to be more sustainable.

Recycling is also a hugely important area as is infrastructure like solar panels, water recycling systems, electric car recharging station, and energy star-rated heating or cooling.

“One of our favourites is Kestrel Nest Eco Hut (NSW) where the owners live and breathe sustainability,” Ms Lambert said, adding that Thala Beach Nature Reserve, Queensland is also a great example of eco-tourism, where the owner has turned a rundown sugar plantation into a wildlife area.

“Sustainable travel can mean many things such as leaving a smaller environmental footprint, consideration for natural resources, respect for Indigenous communities and coexistence with animals and nature,” she said.

It’s not just rural tourist settings which are focused on sustainability as David Doswell, the general manager of The Alto Hotel on Bourke in Melbourne is keen to point out.

This 50-room inner-city hotel has sustainability at its heart and is Australia’s first carbon neutral hotel.

“All our electricity is generated from renewable sources, we have efficient lighting and airconditioning, a rainwater tank provides water for the toilets and we have a composting area as well as beehives to make our own honey on the roof,” Mr Doswell said.

The hotel, which has been shut for much of the pandemic, is now undergoing a sustainable revamp using furniture made from recycled materials.

The Alto Hotel on Bourke is Australia’s first carbon neutral hotel. Picture: Supplied.

“There is a constant emphasis on sustainability,” Mr Doswell said. “The hard work has been done with all the infrastructure which was put in place but there’s always more things to add. This year all plastic bottles will be removed from the hotel, wooden key cards will replace the plastic ones and our new check-in will be completely paperless.”

He said the industry is seeing more demand for sustainability from guests.

“It began as a personal project for the then-owners but the demand for sustainable hotels is growing,” he said.

“We have developed a very loyal following.
“People from sustainable companies want to stay with us but so do the average family. There’s a need for this kind of hotel but also a very real demand.”

Emma Levett is a freelance journalist.

This content is created in partnership with Volvo.