We all know about offsetting carbon emissions on flights but there are also great ways to reduce your impact on the environment and give back to communities when you travel by staying at an ethical hotel. And with a billion tourists now roaming the globe its never been so important to give thought to how we can keep travelling both sustainably and responsibly.
There are many ways you can contribute to a positive travel experience for yourself, the environment and society on your next trip but choosing to stay at a social enterprise hotel or an environmentally accredited or sustainably designed accommodation is a great start.
Here are our top 8 ethical hotel options in Australia for you to consider for your next stay:
1. Y Hotel Hyde Park Sydney
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Located a stones throw away from Sydney’s major attractions, this YWCA-associated hotel is one of their unique social enterprises, meaning all revenue goes back to fund their crucial programs for Australian women and girls, not to mention their families and the community. Staying in this hotel is contributing to the sustainability of all YWCA programs across NSW. Where possible, they also source free trade products, supporting third world farmers.
2. Alto Hotel on Bourke, Melbourne
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A truly green business that has Earthcheck Gold Certification and takes an eco approach to all aspects of the hotel – including energy efficiency, rainwater toilets, a rooftop beehive, complimentary recharging of electric vehicles, and more. This carbon-neutral hotel even has an ALTO GREEN TEAM to keep their commitment to the environment in check.
3. Voyages Sails in the Desert, Ayers Rock, Northern Territory
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This award-winning five star resort lies on the edge of the Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park. Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia is a social enterprise owned by the Federal Government’s Indigenous Land Council, which aims to assist Indigenous people to acquire and manage land for social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits. All business proceeds go into the Our Land Our Jobs project that provides education and training to Indigenous people, and they have had over 330 Indigenous employees at the Ayers Rock resort.
4. The Canopy Treehouses, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland
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Immersed in 100 acres of private rainforest in tropical Queensland these luxury treehouses with an eco-friendly design use 100% renewable energy. On top of that, they have the environment at the forefront of many of the accommodations finer touches including natural soaps and linens as well as biodegradable detergents. The Canopy Treehouses also run seasonal tree planting sessions to extend the forest into surrounding cleared land and encourage guests to adopt carbon offsets that are academically approved.
5. Hotel Hotel, Canberra
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This cutting-edge hotel inspired by the Australian shack, utilised a sustainability consultant in the design, which resulted in using materials such as clay rendered walls, salvaged oak beds, restored furniture, wallpaper made from natural fibres, reclaimed timber and even a library of vintage books! They also use recycled and biodegradable hotel and cleaning products, use the highest-rating energy efficient appliances, source local produce for their kitchens and bar and cultivate bees. It’s also a bike-friendly hotel, with Goodspeed bikes available for guests to use free of charge.
6. Huon Bush Retreats, Hobart
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This gay owned and operated retreat is GLBTIQ friendly with Rainbow Tasmania Accreditation. It’s also carbon positive, as the land on which it resides absorbs more C02 than the property releases. Carbon is stored and absorbed in large areas of tree plantation and conservation covenanted old-growth forest. Since it was opened by then Greens Senator Bob Brown in 2004 it’s commitment to environmental excellence has been acknowledged with accreditation and awards – including the internationally recognised Earthcheck Accreditation and by being Highly Commended in the Qantas Awards for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism (2008/2009). From rainwater use to composting toilets and solar powered lights, Huon Bush Retreats offers a truly eco experience set within Tasmania’s stunning Huon Valley.
7. O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, Gold Coast
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O’Reilly’s opened in 1926 and were early pioneers of ecotourism. This eco-accredited resort is situated on the border of the incredible World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park. In addition to a commitment to nature conservation, they are also certified by Respecting Our Culture (ROC) for respect for Indigenous cultural heritage. They also offer educational tours aimed at inspiring a message of bio-diversity, especially to children.
8. Mitchell Falls Wilderness Lodge, The Kimberley, Western Australia
This new development featuring 24 tented cabins in the remote Kimberley wilderness shows an outstanding commitment to Indigenous tourism, and was built with the support of the local Kandiwal community. The Lodge also recently opened the award-winning Ungolan Pavilion featuring a dedicated Indigenous art gallery, with all proceeds going back to the local community, where they have already donated significantly to the development of Indigenous schools. They also have acquired certification of Advanced Eco-Tourism as well as ROC accreditation by Aboriginal Tourism Australia for respecting Aboriginal culture and heritage.
For more information on the best social enterprise tours, restaurants, cafes and shopping outlets that should be on the itinerary of any ethical and adventurous traveller in Australia check out our previous post on Australia for the ethical traveller.
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