For today's eco-conscious travelers, here are four sustainable stays for your next trip.
AARU Collective
Luxury travelers in 2025 aren't just talking about sustainability; They are prioritizing it and over two-thirds are now willing to pay more for environmentally conscious experiences.
And they no longer limit responsible travel to just their carbon footprint.
For the first time, more than half are now thinking about the impact their trip will have on the local community and the environment. Almost three-quarters of travelers want the money they spend to return to the local community, while two-thirds want to leave the place better than before they arrived.
“Sustainable practices have been around for a long time, but the pandemic accelerated change. With travel and options limited, people supported local businesses and discovered their true value while carbon emissions fell. These habits persisted, making sustainability increasingly important to travelers. Although the pandemic was a tragedy, it revealed a silver lining that we can carry forward,” says Kelly Forbes, Founder of the sustainable hotel collection A'ARU Collective.
But as travelers' intentions improve, greenwashing is more pervasive than ever, warns Kelly.
“It's a double-edged sword. As demand for sustainability grows, hotels with superficial policies are making their efforts louder than ever, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish those driving real change from those just checking boxes. And hotels with larger marketing budgets can amplify their claims the most, but they are often the ones who do the least.
“No hotel wants to admit that it is not sustainable, and this is where tokenism and greenwashing come into play.”
For example, every hotel in A'ARU Collective's portfolio is screened against the UN Sustainable Development Goals and must deliver quantifiable impact metrics to demonstrate that it delivers tangible results, rather than ambitious claims. Each hotel has a proven commitment to protecting the environment and supporting local communities while providing a luxurious stay.
For today's eco-conscious travelers, here are four sustainable stays for your next trip.
Maldives resort with the largest coral restoration in the Indian Ocean
Soneva Fushi is a luxury resort in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on one of the largest untouched islands in the Maldives. The resort has been carbon neutral since 2012, is powered by a solar energy system and recycles 90% of waste.
Soneva Fushi has also created the Maldives' first hot glass studio, transforming yesterday's wine bottles from the resort's 14 restaurants into valuable works of art. Guests can watch world-renowned artists work with molten glass, then try to create their own masterpiece from recycled bottles under the guidance of experienced specialists.
Guests can also visit the resort's Science Center, home to the largest coral restoration facility in the Indian Ocean, whose mission is to bring damaged reefs back to life, create homes for fish and other marine life while protecting the coastline.
The water reserves of Soneva Fushi.
AARU Collective
Here, marine biologists care for thousands of tiny young corals, gradually nurturing them until they are strong enough to be replanted on the reef. To date, 63,000 coral colonies have been restored and the center aims to breed 150,000 new corals every year.
Guests can then snorkel over the reefs they are restoring and observe fish and marine life that have returned thanks to the revitalized coral colonies. Soneva Fushi features 63 wood and thatch villas, tucked away in lush jungle or perched over crystal clear waters, offering seamless indoor-outdoor living.
In the evening, guests can take a one-hour and 15-minute zipline adventure through the jungle canopy to reach the resort's overwater restaurant. Then enjoy expert stargazing with the local astronomer at the observatory, or take it a step further and camp under the stars on a private sandbank in a Bedouin-style tent.
Malaysian resort restores one of the world's oldest rainforests
Deep in one of the world's oldest rainforests, The Datai Langkawi achieved its first zero waste to landfill milestone in December 2021. Today, 98% of solid waste is processed locally, keeping over 50 tons out of landfills annually.
Since 2020, the resort has restored fragmented forests and expanded its native tree nursery to house 3,015 trees from 19 species. And the guests are not just there to admire the ancient rainforest, but are actively involved in its restoration. Visitors and employees have already planted over 2,730 trees.
At Datai Bay, guests can also snorkel and get up close to the five artificial coral reefs created by the resort's marine biologists, where they can observe an exciting variety of marine life now thriving in the pristine waters.
Deep in one of the world's oldest rainforests, The Datai Langkawi achieved its first zero waste to landfill milestone in December 2021.
AARU Collective
Visitors can also see firsthand the results of the resort's turtle conservation work. Depending on the season, guests can even watch the little cubs take their first steps and waddle into the water.
Datai Langkawi has also installed a glass water bottling plant on site to eliminate plastic water bottles throughout the property.
The five-star beach resort is tucked away on a stunning 1.5 km long white sand beach where guests can watch coral being planted during their morning snorkeling. In the plush suites and villas, guests awaken to the sounds of the ancient rainforest outside their villa and are pampered with their own hidden private pools and dedicated butler service. Meals are served in the four on-site restaurants, with many ingredients sourced from the waters and forests surrounding the property.
Watch women lead the way in a Moroccan boutique hotel
La Sultana Oualidia is located on Morocco's Atlantic coast overlooking a tidal lagoon in a nature reserve. The boutique hotel has achieved 100% sustainable water use by creating an innovative underground management system. It purifies and recycles water and uses processes from filtration to eucalyptus-powered evaporation to irrigate the gardens.
They also have a thriving organic garden that produces 4,637 kilograms of fruits, vegetables and herbs each year, including carrots, pumpkins, leeks and sweet peppers depending on the season. Guests can sample the fresh produce at lunch from the farm straight to the table at the vegetable patch.
La Sultana strives to provide equal opportunities to its workforce, with almost half of leadership positions held by women. For every ton of CO2 the hotel produces, it donates 350 Moroccan dirhams to fund everything from local charities to eco-friendly projects. When the Morocco earthquake struck in 2023, the hotel doubled its planned commitment to support regenerative efforts.
With just 28 rooms or suites, La Sultana promises an intimate stay. Each has private terraces and seawater hot tubs overlooking the hypnotic lagoon where the tides dictate the rhythm of daily life. After an argan oil massage at the spa, guests can enjoy Moroccan mint tea from their private hot tub and spot flamingos and gray herons during migration season.
The concierge team can organize boat trips to the oyster beds to sample fresh oysters with Moroccan white wine at sunset, private picnics on secluded beaches reached by fishing boat, and bird-watching safaris by kayak through the lagoon's protected ecosystem.
Secluded Portuguese farmhouse supporting young people with disabilities
Hidden among olive trees and cork fields in remote Portugal, where only 4% of the land is developed, lies Craveiral Farmhouse. The nature-oriented property sits on a 9-hectare estate on the Atlantic coast and is surrounded by ancient ecosystems.
The property grows 70% of its organic ingredients on-site and recycles wastewater to irrigate the landscape, while rainwater from the roof irrigates the gardens. Guests can stroll through the vegetable patches, where carrots, leeks and sweet peppers grow in organic soil and can be picked for the evening menu.
Hidden among olive trees and cork fields in remote Portugal, where only 4% of the land is developed, lies Craveiral Farmhouse.
AARU Collective
Craveiral Farmhouse works with the VilacomVida Association to create employment opportunities for young people with Down syndrome, autism and other developmental disabilities. They are trained in pizza baking in the hotel's own pizzeria.
The property's 30 solar panels power each cottage's LED lighting, while the all-electric kitchen and transportation fleet operate without a drop of fossil fuels. Even the sauna works without electricity, heats only with wood and also serves as a smokehouse for meat from the region.
Not only can guests use all of the property's facilities, including the hammam, yoga classes, open-air cinema screenings and cooking classes, but they can also explore the nearby cycling and hiking trails. The legendary Vincentian Route winds along the wild coast of southwest Portugal, offering clifftop hikes overlooking sandy coves and white storks nesting on rocky pinnacles.