Today’s post is a guest post from Isabel Clift.
If you’re planning a trip and looking for cheap hostels to stay in along the way, it makes sense to pick places with great eco credentials. As well as being fun, friendly and affordable, plenty of eco hostels now offer environmentally-friendly services like recycling programs and organic cafes, with some offering improvements like solar power as well. Browse the list of the world’s ten best eco hostels below and discover a greener way to stay.
10. Jemby Rinjah Eco Lodge in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia
These traditional timbre lodges sit in the heart of Australia’s Blue Mountain National Park. Private cabins and group lodges have energy-efficient lights and heating, plus there’s a romantic retreat cabin with a Japanese hot tub that runs on rainwater.
9. Bellas Artes Guest House Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sunny Rio de Janeiro is the perfect setting for this eco hostel that heats water via solar power. The hostel itself is run by locals, sells Brazilian crafts through an on-site shop and serves up Brazilian coffee as well as regional food like Minas Gerais cheese.
8. Hostelling International Washington DC USA
The only hostel in the world to be Energy Star certified, Hostelling International Washington DC has a recycling centre on every floor, uses energy-efficient fluorescent light-bulbs and only washes linen on request to conserve water.
7. St Christopher’s at the Mosaic House Prague, Czech Republic
St Christopher’s at the Mosaic House in Prague is home to the Czech Republic’s first grey-water recycling and heat recuperation unit. This eco hostel’s heating system runs on solar power, and rooms are temperature-controlled based on whether they’re occupied or not.
6. Birdwatcher’s Paradise Lodge Monteverde, Costa Rica
Birdwatcher’s Paradise works with the Monteverde Institute to plant trees to help reforest the former farmland that it sits on. You can spot tons of indigenous wildlife here, as well as take tours from local guides and sip on organic coffee from the farm next door.
5. La Casa Verde Banos, Ecuador
With aims to go totally off-grid by running on wind-generated power from the valley, this eco-retreat has banned unsustainable building material like jungle hardwood, has a strong recycling program and gets almost all of its produce from local suppliers.
4. Deepdale Backpackers in Norfolk, England
Housed in 17th-century barns converted to incorporate green technology (roof insulation, under-floor heating, low-flush toilets, energy drawn from solar panels), Deepdale Backpackers won Enjoy England’s Sustainable Tourism award in 2009.
3. Eco Oasis Mojkovac, Montenegro
The family-run Eco Oasis consists of four traditional log cabins sits close to the River Tara in Montenegro’s Black Pine Woods, a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cabins are TV-free: you’re encouraged to hike, bike and tour the stunning surroundings instead.
2. Loch Ossian Hostel on Rannock Moor near Edinburgh, Scotland
Loch Ossian’s electricity is generated by wind turbine and solar panels, and it’s only reachable on foot (a mile’s walk from the UK’s most remote train station Courrour, as featured in Trainspotting). All water is recycled, and the hostel even uses bat-friendly paint!
1. Tranquility Island Eco-Tourism and Dive Escape on Moso Island, Vanuatu
Offers beds in a traditional thatch-roof fare on the tiny island’s beach; with reef diving and baby turtle and dolphin-spotting on offer too. Electricity is generated at set times of the day, with no light at all except from your own torch at night. It’s a comfy escape to paradise.
Isabel Clift writes for HostelBookers, the best place on the web for booking hostels and budget accommodation. As a London-based travel writer and blogger, she’s obsessed with all things Scandinavian and has reviewed hotels from New York to Berlin to Tetbury on past travels. She also has a thing for long-distance train journeys.
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Here are a few others that are on Hostelworld.com:
Mellow Eco-Hostel Barcelona- FeetUp Hostels, Barcelona, Spain, 20 minutes from Barcelona city centre by tube, is a top-notch eco hostel. In order to reduce their impact on the environment, the hostel utilises renewable energy. For example, the water used in the hostel’s showers is heated using solar panels on the roof. Other ‘green’ features at the hostel include recycling facilities, biodegradable cleaning products and low energy light bulbs.
Aveiro Rossio Hostel, Aveiro, Portugal: You’ll find Aveiro Rossio Hostel right in the heart of downtown Aveiro, a town on Portugal’s west coast. This hostel prides itself on being the first eco hostel in Portugal and has implemented a number of initiatives to win that distinction. For 9 months of the year, the hostel’s water is heated using solar panels. Recycling is encouraged and many pieces of furniture in the hostel’s common areas are recycled pieces bought from a local non-profit organisation.
Sleepzone Connemara, Connemara (Co. Galway), Ireland: Located deep in the heart of Ireland’s famous Connemara region in the west of Ireland, Sleepzone Connemara is one of Ireland’s most environmentally-friendly hostels. Following an environmental audit by Sustainable Energy Ireland, and as part of an environmental policy which will include Sleepzone’s other hostels in Galway City and in a part of Ireland known as The Burren, their Connemara hostel has begun installing solar panels. The hostel itself is a hunting lodge dating back to the 1800’s which overlooks The Killary (Ireland’s only fjord) and now provides private and dorm-style rooms, all ensuite. Plans are also in place to convert to the use of biomass fuels and to update water conservation methods. Each Sleepzone hostel has also incorporated compact fluorescent efficient lighting, recycling systems and more.
Hedonisia Hawaii, Pahoa, Big Island, Hawaii, USA: For those wishing to enjoy an affordable stay on the tropical island of Hawaii and do their bit to help the environment at the same time, Hedonisia Hawaii is the perfect place. Located in Pahoa on Hawaii’s ‘Big Island’, rather than use new materials, the hostel was made from donated and free materials. Most of the products which are used are also recyclable and renewable products such as bamboo. But by far the most interesting feature of Hedonisia Hawaii is their eco-friendly toilet which looks out over the jungle. As Mojo, the hostel’s manager describes it, ‘it’s an eco-friendly toilet with a view!’
Hostel One66, Singapore, Singapore: Deep in the heart of Singapore, one of South-East Asia’s most popular cities with travellers, Hostel One66 has decorated its hostel with uniquely recycled materials. The signboard at the entrance is made from a discarded PVC door and children play mat, the lamp is an unwanted Kerosene lamp converted into an electric lamp, while the table holding their computer is a recycled sewing-machine table so you can exercise your legs while on the internet making it the healthiest way to surf the net! The local newspapers have called it “The Karung guni Hostel”, ‘Karung guni’ meaning rag and bone men who pay you a small fee for your unwanted stuff.
Gyreum, Sligo, Ireland: Direct from Middle-Earth and nestled snugly in the Irish countryside, this solar and wind powered eco-lodge is constructed from renewable resources, including sheep wool insulation and a ‘living roof’. Designed with a reverence to the natural world, the structure aligns to the dawns and dusks of the summer and winter solstices when beams of light enter into the great central hall.
Hostelling International Boston Downtown, Boston, USA: Located at the birthplace of the American Revolution in Boston’s Back Bay, H.I. Boston is at the forefront of another uprising – the movement towards environmentally conscious lifestyles in bustling urban jungles. This hostel not only provides guided tours of the Freedom Trail and kayak trips down the Charles River, but also an eco-program that pushes both staff and patrons to be stewards of the earth by offering recycling stations, energy efficient lighting and appliances, recyclable carpet and low-flow plumbing.
Grampians YHA Eco-Hostel, Grampians, Australia: Situated in Grampians National Park, the YHA Eco Hostel is the epitome of eco-friendly living, utilizing solar hot water and state-of-the-art energy and water conservation techniques to reduce consumption to approximately 50 percent of the standard hostel. Free-range eggs are available from the resident chickens and seasonal organically grown herbs, vegetables and fruit tantalize the senses. Ideal for nature enthusiasts and thrill-seekers alike, Grampians offers its guests park tours, camping and fishing expeditions and, not for the faint of heart, rock climbing and rappelling excursions. For those who prefer serenity to adrenaline, there are wine tastings and constant views of the native wildlife meandering through the hostel’s landscaped gardens. At dusk, kangaroos congregate to eat on the hostel lawn.
Reykjavik City Hostel, Reykjavik, Iceland: Iceland is a country steeped in natural beauty, from tremendous icecaps and explosive geysers to steaming solfataras and magnificent waterfalls. Reykjavik City Hostel, one of the capital’s top hostels, has received awards for both its responsible treatment of nature and its excellence in service and quality. Located next to one of the great geothermal swimming holes in the city, this hostel promotes energy monitoring, erosion control and extensive recycling services, while offering its pampered guests high-speed internet access, laundry service and fully equipped kitchens.
Liverpool International Inn, Liverpool, England: Housed in former a Victorian warehouse the International Inn is committed to Green Tourism and promoting eco friendly policies at every opportunity. With a choice of shared or private rooms, all with their own “green guide”, the hostel offers modern facilities combined with a tremendous character. Holding the Silver award for Green Tourism the Liverpool International Inn’s philosophy is Reduce Reuse Recycle!
Botanical Villas Campground: St. John, US Virgin Islands: Channel your inner Swiss Family Robinson with a stay at the Botanical Villas, home to environmentally friendly tree houses that overlook the ocean and pristine St. John beaches. Guests can also chose from a variety of ecotents that allow for greater privacy but provide the natural feeling of being outdoors. Those seeking more traditional accommodations can enjoy the quietness and seclusion of Peters Bay in one of the campground’s cabins. All options are geared to environmentally-conscious travellers that want to experience the natural beauty of the islands while reducing their eco-footprint.
HI-Montréal, Montréal, Canada: Located in the heart of downtown Montreal, this environmentally-focused hostel uses new ecological and biodegradable cleaning products and low energy-consuming light bulbs. Making various ecological alternatives available to all guests, the hostel provides information on public transportation and car-pooling, as well as reusable grocery bags and equitably and biologically produced coffee. However, their eco-conscious attitude does not stop at the hostel’s front door. HI-Montreal uses suppliers sensitive to environmental causes, ensuring their impact on the environment is minimal.
Hostelworld Eco-Friendly hostels
I’m planning to visit Prague during my Euro trip next summer. Thanks for the heads up!
I am a nature and traveling lover.I think much more about how we can safe our environment without damaging it.I like your post so much Elizabeth.Post gives good information about the hostels which works according to nature means Eco- friendly.This post helps me also during my visit to Costa Rica.I prefer to stay in Birdwatcher’s Paradise Lodge cause it is nature friendly.Can i also get the information about the Eco-Friendly hostels available at the Spain.Thanks for this reliable post.
Thumb’s up for the post.Post provide awesome knowledge about the green hostels.These hostels are Eco-friendly and don’t affect environment in direct or indirect way.This knowledge of the green hostels help me when ever i have to visit some of the place where these hostels are available.good post.
none in asia yet?
It is great to see ‘La Casa Verde’ in Banos, Ecuador on your list. They are often writing to us at the Black Sheep Inn for advice! Ecuador is a great country that has many ECO GREEN options for accommodations.
Check out:
Rio Muchacho
Alandaluz
Bellavista
Yachana Lodge
El Monte
Sani Lodge
and of course the Black Sheep Inn!
CHEERS ~ Andres
Hey Guys,
Amazing suggestions. I am currently traveling through south and central america. Do you know any more eco HOSTELS in south and central america, thanks for your green support!
cheers
Naomi
This is New York City first full service “green tour company” providing walking tours, pedicab carriage tours, bike tours and rentals from Harlem to Battery Park. REMEMBER “green is good”.