The travel industry and global traveller’s choices are rapidly changing. In an annual survey, the renowned booking website Booking.com found that 71 percent of travellers planned to travel greener, up 10 per cent over the results from 2021. With more options available, many travellers are making sustainable choices, thanks to the variety of eco-friendly practices hotels, lodgings, and inns are implementing.
Many hotels have committed to going carbon neutral by 2050, and several Canadian hotels are among the growing lists. If you are looking for eco-friendly, sustainable hotels in Canada, you don’t need to fret; we rounded up Canada’s most sustainable hotels without skipping on luxury and comfort.
1 Hotel, Toronto
The hotel’s unique architectural design includes interior and exterior style attributes that pay tribute to Toronto’s local environment and natural habitat. It utilizes hand-selected limestone and granite sourced from local quarries and elmwood taken from local barns in Ontario. 1 Hotel also boasts wood finishes and hand-crafted furniture inspired by the city’s diverse natural habitat. It epitomizes environmentally sustainable practices, by serving locally sourced organic cuisine and including an on-site composter that turns its organic waste into reusable soil.
Banff Aspen Lodge, Alberta
Located in the heart of the Alberta mountains, the Banff Aspen Lodge is committed to sustainable living thanks to its wide range of eco-friendly amenities and features. All rooms have eco-friendly biodegradable amenity containers, hand towels, and toilet paper made from recycled materials. The hotel has an extensive property-wide recycling program, including low-flow toilets, water-saving devices, and motion sensor lights. If you are staying for more than two nights and do not wish to use the on-site housekeeping service, the hotel will make a $4 donation on your behalf to support local environmental projects within the community.
Boxotel, Montreal
Striving to continuously find new and innovative ways to reduce the ecological footprint, Boxotel was recently rewarded for its eco-friendly commitment, winning the 2020 Prix Distinction Tourism Montreal Award for sustainable development. As an environmentally sustainable hotel, Boxotel boasts several eco-friendly services. For example, housekeeping and towel and sheet replacement are not done daily and are optional, depending on the duration of your stay. Energy-efficient features like indoor temperature controls are accessible, thanks to the hotel’s solar and thermal panels. The hotel utilizes eco-friendly products, and uses email billing to eliminate paper waste.
Trout Point Lodge, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia’s premier luxury wilderness resort and hotel was nominated among the ten most innovative and sustainable hotel travel programs by the National Geographic Society. As a nature lodge located in the pristine protected wilderness of Nova Scotia, everything in this hotel encourages and uses sustainable products. Built from eastern white spruce wood, each lodge is a cabin made from thick tree trunks.
Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland and Labrador
The Fogo Island Inn proves that sustainability and comfort can be combined. The hotel utilizes many self-sustaining practices, from its distinct architectural design to the wide range of amenities. The Fogo Inn uses filtered rainwater in its washrooms, and for guest laundry, it also includes 68 powerful solar panels to heat its water and floors. The Inn is an asset for the local community; 100 percent of its operating surpluses are reinvested into the local community to secure a sustainable future. Local suppliers and craftspeople are employed whenever possible. Everything nurtures sustainability, from the local cuisine that includes deeply rooted culinary traditions, to the interior decoration and quilts in every guest room.
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Alberta
Elegant and polished, the luxury resort in Banff National Park lives up to its name, thanks to its exclusive state-of-the-art guest rooms and luxurious suites. The hotel supports several environmental conservation programs and is committed to supporting long-term sustainability goals. Fairmont supports several programs that address reforestation, water conservation, energy saving, and food waste reduction. It also recognizes the catastrophic effects of climate change as a global issue of concern. To that end, it dramatically reduced its energy and water consumption, and the amount of generated waste to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Whether you are planning a quick weekend trip or a vacation, this hotel has the perfect setting.
David Messiha | Staff Writer
