Environmentally conscious travelers appreciate hotels and resorts that reflect their sustainable values. Green lodging that is eco-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Green Seal are the most environmentally friendly accommodations. Desirable destinations, such as Seattle, Portland and Jackson Hole, offer eco vacations with luxurious hotels.
Seattle’s Hyatt at Olive8
Environmental responsibility and sleek design converge in the city’s first LEED-certified hotel:
Located near Pike Place Market, Capitol Hill and Pacific Place shopping, the Hyatt makes an ideal base for seeing Seattle, Washington.
The Hyatt’s all-glass exterior allows views into the modern interior and grand cityscapes for those who stay at the hotel.
Innovative energy- and water-saving features — energy-efficient lighting, a living green roof, dual-flush toilets and water-reducing showerheads — help the Hyatt use 32 percent less water and 20 percent less energy than other buildings its size.
Urbane, the Hyatt’s ground-level restaurant, offers sustainable, locally grown Pacific Northwest cuisine, wine and beer.
Elaia Spa is eco-friendly, featuring spa treatments with organic and local ingredients.
The 346 luxurious, smoke-free guestrooms include Hyatt Grand Beds, flat-panel TVs, Wi-Fi and iPod interfaces.
Chemical-free cleaners are used by the Hyatt’s green housekeeping staff.
Portland’s Avalon Hotel & Spa
Oregon’s first LEED-certified hotel blends green, sustainable practices with luxurious accommodations:
Located along the Willamette River close to downtown Portland at the edge of the South Waterfront District, the Avalon abuts Cottonwood Bay on the Willamette River, a protected green space.
Avalon’s 800 square feet of protected natural habitat is favorable to butterfly populations.
Nearby public transportation takes the Avalon’s guests to the Portland Art Museum, downtown shopping and riverside jogging trails.
Native, drought-tolerant plants have reduced the hotel’s irrigation needs by 95 percent.
The 99-room luxury boutique hotel features riverside balconies, private fireplaces, king-size beds in all rooms and wireless internet access.
The Avalon has reduced overall water consumption by 22 percent through conservation products including water-saving aerators, shower heads and toilet-flow diverters.
All guest rooms are non-smoking and have a living plant to improve air quality, as well as unique window and door designs to allow for natural ventilation.
Hotel Terra Jackson Hole
The first green hotel of the Terra Resort Group offers many green features:
The LEED-certified Hotel Terra is located in Teton Village, just outside Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and near Grand Teton National Park.
Hotel Terra utilizes radiant heated flooring in its parking garage to help retain building heat and reduce energy costs.
Usage of recycled, renewable and reclaimed materials includes lobby pillars made of reclaimed lumber and roof shingles made of recycled materials.
Water-saving systems, such as dual-flush toilets and native landscaping that doesn’t require irrigation, reduce the hotel’s water usage by 34 percent annually.
Eco-amenities for guests in the 132 rooms include 100 percent organic cotton mattresses, bed sheets, towels and robes.
Chemical-free cleaning products, non-toxic paints and carpets are used throughout the hotel.
Chill Spa treatments feature Eminence Organic Skin Care products.
Eco-Adventure packages include a biologist-led wildlife tour, fly fishing, scenic river floats and white-water rafting.
Eco travel can be enjoyed when staying at a Northwest green hotel. Such high-end hotels in Seattle, Portland and Jackson Hole allow guests to keep their sustainable ideals and living practices while experiencing luxurious, environmentally friendly accommodations and vacations.
