Are night trains sustainable?

Since night trains are seen as an alternative to air travel, they can definitely be considered sustainable. Of course, railways also impact nature, but compared to cars and air travel, trains are the more environmentally friendly solution.

• For instance, according to the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), traveling by train from Zurich to Hamburg saves about 170 kg of CO2 per person compared to flying.
• According to its own figures, the European Sleeper is 12.5 times more climate-friendly than flying and 8 times better than driving on the route from Amsterdam to Berlin.
• Austria’s ÖBB night train (Nightjet) runs on 100 percent green electricity.
• The high comfort of new night trains (such as the new ÖBB Nightjets) with more space (= fewer passengers) and private bathrooms with showers is not necessarily an ecological plus, but it helps to make night trains attractive.
• Unlike cars and buses, trains do not emit microplastics into the air through tire abrasion. (There is not enough research on how harmful microplastics actually are, but it is clear that tire abrasion is the largest source of microplastic emissions).
• Night trains do not play a role in discussions and measures regarding noise pollution and noise emissions, as they are very quiet compared to freight traffic.

Night trains are growing in popularity

According to Tagesschau, in 2020 there were only 90 night train connections in Europe. In 2023, more than 200 connections. ÖBB recently announced that a further 24 Nightjets will be added by mid-2026.

The ÖBB Nightjet’s new night trains

At the end of 2023, the new ÖBB Nightjet trains started operating, offering even more comfort than the old ones and, above all, additional capacity! For us as passengers, this means more routes, more flexibility and more attractiveness. Reason enough for us to take a look at the facts:    

• The passenger cars for the 24 new trains will be developed by Siemens Mobility and delivered by mid-2026. They will be built in Vienna.
• The new trains are not intended to replace old trains, but to complement and expand new routes.
• New standards for smoothness, accessibility and bike transport.
• Another new feature are sleeping pods in the couchette cars, offering more privacy.
• Instead of 6 beds, there are only 4 beds per compartment in the couchette car.
• Each compartment in the sleeping car has its own bathroom with toilet and shower, which reduces the capacity considerably. Only 20 beds fit in a sleeping car.
• The new Nightjet trains are certified for a speed of 230 km/h. (This is slightly less than the speed of ICE high-speed trains, which travel at up to 300 km/h).

Why are night trains rightly becoming popular?

According to a survey conducted in 2024 by the German automobile club ADAC, 42 percent of Germans can imagine starting their vacation on a night train. The main reason: “Travel more relaxed and arrive refreshed.”

I’m a fan of night trains myself, and luckily I can sleep well anywhere. Personally, a night train has a touch of adventure to it and yes, I’m a big fan of “Tintin” (Les aventures de Tintin) where trains are often an important part of the adventure 🙂.

Another reason, of course, is sustainability, currently cited as one of the main reasons for the newfound popularity. This means that many travelers (like you?) prefer an environmentally friendly alternative to air travel. However, it is important to note that this is also supported by politicians. According to the Handelsblatt, ÖBB is profitable in Austria, but this was only made possible by subsidies from the Austrian government. The business is not considered “easy”. Deutsche Bahn, for example, discontinued its sleeping cars in 2016, and the French Thello night train followed suit in 2021. ÖBB is now filling the gap.

On the other hand, subsidies are also a problem when it comes to flying: while domestic and short-haul flights remain dirt cheap (due to factors such as a lack of taxation, etc.), a night train journey for the same route can quickly become very expensive.

New option: European Sleeper

In addition to the Nightjet, there is also the new European Sleeper. The initiative is organized as a cooperative and was launched in 2021 to great acclaim: the initial start-up capital of €500,000 was raised in just 15 minutes. There are now over 4,000 investors who have collectively invested more than €5 million. The European Sleeper already connects cities such as Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Prague—and more routes are in the pipeline.

In the next section, we take a closer look at what it’s like to travel through Europe in a sleeper car – with exciting night train routes and suitable sustainable accommodation.

“Traveling on our night train not only reduces your carbon footprint, but also gives you the opportunity to travel more slowly, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and connect with other travelers.” – European Sleeper

Across Europe by sleeping car – Four night train journeys + sustainable accommodation.

#1 By night train to Vienna (8 connections)

Vienna, the city of coffeehouses, parks and museums-a wonderful place for culture and surrounded by the most beautiful nature as well. Vienna is doing a lot when it comes to sustainability. The city aims to be carbon neutral by 2040 and is committed to zero waste, green mobility and sustainable construction. Due to its many parks, Vienna is also considered one of the “greenest cities in the world”.

Night train connections to Vienna

… on the Austrian Nightjet:

• Amsterdam – Münster – Nuremberg – Vienna
• Berlin – Dresden – Vienna
• Brussels – Cologne – Passau – Vienna
• Hamburg – Würzburg – Vienna
• Paris – Strasbourg – Passau – Vienna
• La Spezia – Milan – Vienna

… with the Polish PKP:

• Munich – Vienna – Warsaw

… or with Hungarian Railways MAV:

• Stuttgart – Vienna – Budapest

Sustainable accommodation near Vienna: Gut Guntrams 

Gut Guntrams is not in Vienna, but 60 kilometers away on the edge of the Bucklige Welt. However, the unusual floating accommodation is well worth a visit. Gut Guntrams is its own organic retreat with a small nature museum, crystal garden, farm shop and a farm specializing in the preservation of old fruit varieties. If you’re looking to relax in nature after a day of culture in Vienna, this is the place to be

To find out how to reach Gut Guntrams from the Vienna train station (continue to Pitten station), click here.

#2 Awake in Munich (10 connections)

The Bavarian capital of Munich offers a combination of big city and nature. The Isar River flows right through the city and there is the famous English Garden. The historic old town, Marienplatz, Frauenkirche and Nymphenburg Palace are all must-sees. Unfortunately, Munich plans to wait until 2050 to become carbon neutral. But at least there are climate-friendly projects underway.

Night train connections to Munich with

… the Austrian Nightjet:

• Amsterdam – Munich – Innsbruck
• Brussels – Aachen – Munich
• Hamburg – Würzburg – Munich
• Milan – Padua – Salzburg – Munich
• Paris – Munich – Salzburg – Vienna
• Rome – Munich 
• Venice – Munich – Stuttgart

… the Hungarian Railway MAV:

• Budapest – Munich – Stuttgart

… the Croatian Railways HZ:

• Zagreb – Ljubljana – Salzburg – Munich – Stuttgart

… or the Polish PKP:

• Warsaw – Krakow – Vienna – Munich

Eco-friendly accommodation near Munich: Gut Sonnenhausen

Munich is home to the Ecological Education Center, but if you want to see the ideas put into practice, head to Gut Sonnenhausen (about 30 kilometers southeast of Munich). Here, eco-pioneer and art collector Georg Schweisfurth has transformed a 120-year-old stud farm into a unique hotel surrounded by nature. Gut Sonnenhausen runs its own organic farm according to permaculture principles and uses only organic produce in the kitchen. However, the estate is difficult to reach by public transportation, so you will probably need to rent a car in Munich. You can choose to drive an electric car, as there are two charging stations on the property’s parking lot.

#3 Sleeping car to Milan (2 connections)

From the two cities mentioned above – Vienna and Munich – you can sleep throught to Milan. Italy’s fashion capital also has many famous addresses for sustainable vintage lovers. There is the Bosco Vertikale (Vertical Forest) – a green skyscraper in the middle of the city that stands for modern urban greening and biodiversity.

Nightjet connections to Milan:

• Munich – Padua – Milan

European Sleeper connection to Milan:

• In planning

Sustainable accommodation in Milan: Hotel Milano Scala

The Hotel Milano Scala is located in the center of Milan (within walking distance of the famous La Scala Opera House and other attractions). It is the first zero-emissions hotel in Milan and powered by green energy from its own geothermal probes. The roof terrace is particularly beautiful, where you can enjoy a wonderful end to an eventful day.

By night train to Paris (2 connections)

The French capital has once again used the 2024 Summer Olympics as an opportunity to showcase its green initiatives – even cleaning up the water in the Seine, with new bathing-corners in 2025. You can now enjoy a relaxed (!) bike ride in Paris, with a 10-kilometer running route along the banks of the Seine. For an alternative Paris, Barbara Tascijevic-Porwoll, owner of Green Spirit Hotels, recommends a visit to the REcyclerie. A café, repair shop, gardening project and cultural center all in one.

The Berlin-Paris route is one of the brand new Nightjet routes launched in December 2023. Since then, you can wake up in France’s capital three times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays). You board the train at 6:55 p.m. at Berlin Ostbahnhof or 7:08 p.m. at Berlin Hauptbahnhof and arrive at Paris Gare de l’Est at 9:38 a.m.

Nightjet connections to Paris:

• Berlin – Frankfurt – Paris
• Vienna – Mannheim – Paris
• Paris – Munich – Salzburg – Vienna
• Paris – Strasbourg – Passau – Vienna

Eco accommodation in Paris: Green Spirit Hotels

There are two Green PearlsⓇ accommodations in the lively 7th arrondissement: Hotel Le Pavillon and Hotel Amélie. These small boutique hotels are not only centrally located (the Seine, Eiffel Tower, etc. are within walking distance), but they are also ecological and individual. You can nevertheless enjoy your breakfast in the quiet inner courtyard.

By the way, Belgian reporter Tintin and his companion Snowy were also in Paris! So you have a good chance of experiencing an adventure…

This is an update from July 26, 2024.

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Der Beitrag Wake up to a vacation: Tips for a sustainable night train trip erschien zuerst auf GREEN TRAVEL BLOG.

Interview with collector Stefan M. Gergely

Stefan M. Gergely is a science journalist, non-fiction author and entrepreneur. Since the 1980s he works in organic farming, nature and species protection. In 2015 he founded Gut Guntrams near Vienna on land he inherited from his mother. Gut Guntrams is a combination nature hotel and organic farm with a farm shop, orangery, café and his art collection.

Green Travel Blog: I would like to start with the most difficult question: human rights and their violation often come up in the context of gemstones and minerals. Are there certain seals or structures that you can rely on as a collector?

Stefan M. Gergely: I think first we have to answer if humans have the right to extract natural resources. Some would say “plunder the earth”?

GTB: And what is your response?

SG: One might object that the crystal does not come to the fore as long as it is hidden in the rock.

GTB: This reminds me of Dschelal-eddin Rumi, who attributes to God the statement (as the reason for the creation of man): “I was a hidden treasure and wanted to be known.”

SG: Yes, you can philosophize about it for hours! In any case, it is remarkable what beautiful crystals are hidden deep in the earth.

GTB: What do you know about stone mining?

SG: As often criticized in the media, regulations are often not followed in the mining industry. Whenever possible, I visit the site or mine. When that’s not possible, I ask specialists who know the area how things are there. But as far as I can tell, transparency leaves a lot to be desired. In recent years, businessmen from Asia, many from China, have been buying up crystals like crazy, and they probably don’t care about the conditions under which the minerals were mined.

Pyrite mining in Spain

GTB: Do you buy the exhibits on site? I thought that most collectors walk around the mineral show in Munich in suits.

SG: Whenever possible, I like to visit the sites in person, most recently special pyrites in La Rioja, Spain. They are mined in open-cast mines. But I’ve never been down into the depths of a mine; it’s just too scary for me. The shows in Munich, Alsace and Tucson in Arizona are also interesting because you can network there.

GTB: Have you ever looked for (and found) crystals or fossils?

SG: Yes, pyrite on Elba and rock crystals in Engadin! I started collecting crystals when I was still in primary school. Fossils came much later.

“Fossils are a cautionary tale for humanity”

GTB: Fossils and petrified wood tell us stories from tens to hundreds of millions of years ago – what do you find most exciting?

SG: To me, fossils are witnesses to past catastrophes. You can find giant fossilized ammonites that were wiped out by a meteorite impact or devastating volcanic eruptions. This is not only fascinating, but also a warning to modern humans, who are responsible for the disappearance of many species in the so-called Anthropocene.

“When will we stop plundering nature?”

GTB: Some geologists suggest that the Anthropocene should be dated not from the beginning of humanity, but from the beginning of industrialization. After all, humans have been largely responsible for species extinction, global warming, and other catastrophes for about 200 years.

SG: The Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) suggests 1950 (which, by the way, is the year I was born). In my opinion, however, it is not so important when the Anthropocene began; much more important is when we will stop the overexploitation of nature and the loss of biodiversity. In this sense, I hope that visitors will reflect on what they see in my exhibits.

GTB: Which exhibit in your collection gets the most attention from your guests?

SG: The large amethyst is a popular photo subject for guests, as is the colorful labradorite.

GTB: Personally, I am also interested in the meteorite on display at the Café-Restaurant Veranda. Is a rock from outer space different from a rock from Earth?

SG: Yes, of course! The meteorite in the Veranda was found in southern Argentina. Impacts from the asteroid belt are found there. The meteorites from there consist of iron and nickel, which is why they are so heavy and different from the stones on our Earth.

GTB: One last question: Do you offer personal tours?

SG: I am happy to give private tours (for groups).

GTB: Thanks for the interview!

Service-Info: The Crystal Garden is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is €5 per person and is donated to the Arche Guntrams Nature Museum, which is dedicated to the protection of endangered species. For more information, visit their website.

 

You can find information about vacationing at Gut Guntrams (in “floating garden lofts” above rare apple trees) on the Green PearlsⓇ microsite.

Der Beitrag The Crystal Garden of Gut Guntrams – Collector Stefan M. Gergely on the importance (and exploitation) of minerals erschien zuerst auf GREEN TRAVEL BLOG.

Is venison sustainable?

The hotel Gut Guntrams, near Vienna, is an architecturally appealing organic retreat with a great ecological concept. Sustainability is always taken into account in the culinary delights, especially when it comes to meat. As we have reported, for example, in the topic of vegan travel or the Planetary Health Diet, you should limit your meat consumption very much for a climate-friendly diet.

The Consumer Advice Centre of Rhineland-Palatinate cites the following advantages for game meat:

• The carbon footprint of game meat is 0.3 to 5 kg CO2 equivalents/kg of meat, which is only half as high as for conventionally reared cattle.
• Wild animals live in their natural habitat.
• Wild animals do not have to experience transport to the slaughterhouse.
• The animals’ diet is natural and neither medication nor antibiotics are administered.

However, you should pay close attention to WHERE the game meat comes from. It should come from a trusted hunter in your immediate area (not imported from New Zealand). In addition, it should not be shot with lead, as this can contaminate the meat with heavy metals. Gut Guntrams obtains the meat directly from local hunters in the area.

Print

Tuscan roast venison from Gut Guntrams in Austria

A fancy recipe with parsnips, apples, cranberries, orange zest, and chocolate. It was created by Gut Guntrams near Vienna, whose café/restaurant is recommended by Falstaff.

Course Dinner, Festive Meal

Cuisine austrian

Keyword game meat, Venison

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Equipment

• 1 roaster / Casserole

Ingredients

• 600 g venison
• 100 g onion
• salt
• pepper (black)
• 600 ml game stock
• 5 g garlic
• 25 ml olive oil
• 80 g pastinaken
• 80 g apples
• 20 g tomato paste
• 50 g cranberry jam
• bay leaf
• allspice
• 1 tbsp orange peel (organic)
• 1 pinch of cinnamon
• Verjus (sour, non-alcoholic grape juice from Austria)
• 70 g chocolate (Fair Trade dark chocolate 80 %)
• Pine rosemary

Instructions

• Brown the meat all over in the roasting tin over a high heat.
• In the meantime, dice the onions, parsnips and apples, grate the zest from the organic orange.
• Remove the meat from the roasting tin and fry the onions in the oil first, then add the parsnips and apples and fry briefly.
• Deglaze with the game stock and Versus.
• Stir in the tomato purée
• Add the meat again and all the other ingredients and spices
• Leave to cook on a low heat with the lid closed for about 1.5 hours, turning the meat occasionally

Side dish

• Sage polenta and rose hip chutney go well as a side dish

Der Beitrag Roast venison with orange and chocolate – A recipe from Gut Guntrams erschien zuerst auf GREEN TRAVEL BLOG.

The problem with disposables in hotels

When you stay at a hotel, you get everything you need: your luggage is taken care of, a refreshing drink is waiting for you in your room, a variety of toiletries are available in the bathroom, towels and slippers are provided… and while you are lying by the pool or sitting in the restaurant, your room is cleaned, the bed is made and all opened tubes and packages are replaced with new ones. Sound great? For sustainability-minded travelers like you, probably not. Because: All of this (among other things) creates a lot of waste. Hotels and vacation rentals definitely have a single-use problem, and it has to do with the following::

• Service standards and expectations (Many things “just have to be there”)
• Star qualification (in this article on the new 2025-2030 hotel star catalog, Green PearlsⓇ discusses whether certain star specifications undermine the efforts of sustainable hotels)
• Hygiene regulations
• Legal requirements

Expensive hotels produce less waste than cheap ones

According to the DEHOGA environmental brochure, 0 to 2-star hotels produce 9.1 liters of waste per guest per day, 4-star hotels 3.4 liters (5-star hotels produce slightly more at 3.7 liters). According to the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA), this is mainly due to disposable packaging in the lower star categories.

In the upscale hotel industry, less disposable packaging is used simply for style’s sake – e.g. cloth napkins instead of paper napkins, ceramic or stainless steel milk jugs instead of plastic condensed milk containers, etc.

But simply choosing a higher star rating is not enough to eliminate waste and single-use packaging. Especially since not everyone can or wants to. Above all, it takes hoteliers who really care and are committed to reducing waste in their properties. Zero waste or at least “less waste” is a central concern for Green Pearls® accommodations. Each accommodation has its own approach to waste reduction, which you can read about on the Green Pearls® pages and on their individual websites. As mentioned above, many of them are Zero Waste representatives, striving for a low environmental footprint and a circular economy in all areas. We believe that Green PearlsⓇ hotels are among the lowest waste producers in the industry.

“In terms of waste and plastic reduction, sustainably certified hotels are generally more advanced than non-certified hotels.” – WWF

WWF study on single-use and reusable products in the hospitality industry

In 2019 and 2024, WWF Germany investigated the issue of single-use plastics in the hotel industry.

For the 2019 study, WWF surveyed hotels and hotel guests in Italy, France, Greece and Spain. In 2024, the data was supplemented by expert interviews and a literature review.

It found that the majority of guests use significantly more reusable packaging at home than on vacation. Hoteliers are determined to act, but face many obstacles:

• High cost
• Insufficient supply
• Lack of suppliers
• Lack of knowledge about green alternatives
• Waste management in the resort area

For every 50 million disposables, only half a million reusables are sold

“In 2022, the share of reusable packaging (by number of items) in the hotel industry was only 1.2 percent. (600,000 items compared to 50.6 million disposable items) and consisted almost entirely of beverage containers.” – Untersuchung der Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarktforschung mbH (GVM) für den WWF

All too often, “habit” is to blame for not using reusable products. By the way, the WWF believes that reusable products make much more sense than disposable products made from “eco-materials”. In other words, a refillable plastic bottle is better than a disposable bamboo cup. Washable cloth napkins are better than disposable napkins made from recycled cellulose.

This is how sustainable hotels avoid disposable packaging

Amenities upon request

Many sustainable hotels and resorts have started to remove amenities such as toothbrushes, razors, sewing kits, etc. from the rooms and store them at the front desk. That way, you still get them, but only if you really need and ask for them.

“By providing standard amenities only upon request, we avoid unnecessary use,” says Farmhouse Smiling Gecko in Cambodia. The resort also offers many homemade products from the resort’s own workshops, which Smiling Gecko uses to support the local community.

When it comes to the amenities that are still offered on request, sustainable accommodation also ensures that they are produced sustainably and fairly. This is what the Naturresort Gerbehof in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance reports.

Honesty bar with reusable glasses instead of a minibar

The minibar is another element that must be provided to meet hotel standards. In addition to energy consumption, drinks and snacks in disposable packaging also have a negative impact on the environment. Gut Guntrams near Vienna therefore installed a “central minibar” in the form of a Honesty Bar and left the individual minibars in the rooms empty. The Honesty Bar offers homemade sweet and savory treats in reusable glass jars.

Homemade welcome cookies

A small welcome gift for guests is a nice touch. But as Zero Waste advocate Béá Johnson says, promotional gifts and giveaways are often a source of waste. Not so at the Hotel Bella Vista Zermatt in Switzerland. There, homemade cookies on a plate greet guests in the mountains near the Matterhorn.

A water bottle for the duration of your stay

Many hotels provide their guests with a refillable water bottle. At the OCÉANO Health Spa Hotel on Tenerife, the “OCÉANO Glass Bottle” is available and there are water dispensers throughout the hotel where you can refill the bottle with fresh, filtered water. This fits in with the wide range of sports and wellness activities on offer and also saves a lot of bottles and miles of transportation 🙂

Source of waste: breakfast buffet? Zero waste is also an option!

One of the biggest contributors to packaging and food waste in the hotel industry is the breakfast buffet. All Green Pearls® hotels have optimized this aspect. “There are no packaged products at our breakfast buffet,” reports the APIPURA hotel rinner on the ritten in South Tyrol. Instead, the child-friendly hotel offers organic products in small jars – one of the highlights are the various types of organic honey from the hotel’s own beekeeping.

Zero waste measures at the breakfast buffet:

1. Butter machine: This “spits out” small portions of butter and replaces the small, pre-packaged pieces of butter
2. Small mason jars for jams and spreads
3. Loose tea that can be poured into a pot instead of individually packaged tea bags
4. Milk and plant-based drinks in jugs, or cappuccino directly into the porcelain cup
5. Cloth napkins at the tables
6. Egg dishes made fresh to order
7. Smaller platters that are continuously replenished
8. At the end of the buffet, guests are actively asked what else they want, and only those items are replenished.

Elimination of disposable hygiene products

Disposable bathroom hygiene products are the second major area where mountains of plastic waste accumulate in conventional hotels. This refers to the small packages of shampoo, shower gel, soap, body lotion, shower cap, toothbrush, razor and so on. Sustainable hotels show that these products can be provided to guests in a stylish and hygienic way and do not have to be the norm.

Solid Soap and Shampoo

At the Klosterhof Alpine Hideaway & Spa in Berchtesgadener Land, Bavaria, the bathroom features soap and shampoo bars, as well as refillable shower gel dispensers as an alternative to traditional bottles. You can do the same at home, by the way!

Dispenser

Speaking of dispensers: Another option you might want to consider for the home are refillable, larger, and often more attractive dispensers for soap, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and the like. According to soap manufacturer MarcelsGreenSoap, a refill bag saves 85% of plastic packaging!

Almost all Green Pearls® accommodations now use dispensers – with natural ingredients. “Our shampoos and shower gels (in the dispensers) are from Tiroler Kräuterhof, so they are 100% natural and regional,” reports Summit Lodges Pfunds.

Biohotel Grafenast in Tyrol even offers dispensers with arnica muscle gel for relaxation after long hikes around the Pillberg 😉

Natural cosmetics free of chemicals and microplastics

For our Green PearlsⓇ partners, the use of environmentally friendly cosmetic products is very important.

At Pavilions Himalayas – The Farm in Nepal, you can buy bamboo toothbrushes with hemp bristles and plastic-free toothpaste tabs made according to Ayurvedic principles, as are the other personal care products. Avoiding chemicals and microplastics is particularly important to them to protect the water quality of their organic farm..

The Green Spirit hotels in Paris (Hotel Malar, Hotel Amelie and Hotel Le Pavillon, all in the central 7th arrondissement within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower) use soaps, shampoos and shower gels from Austrian natural cosmetics company Pure Green. The luxurious Klosterbräu wellness hotel in Seefeld, Tyrol, spoils its guests with premium products from Augustinus Bader – some of which have been developed exclusively for the hotel. The Lifestylehotel SAND in Timmendorfer Strand on the Baltic Sea has embraced ‘Björk&Berries‘. Nordic, sustainable, refillable and stylish,” they say.

Food from their own harvest

In the hotel industry, buying food in bulk is one way to reduce unnecessary packaging. Where possible, regionally. “We work almost exclusively with local suppliers to avoid long transport routes and support the regional economy,” says My Arbor near Brixen in South Tyrol.

However, food packaging is avoided in particular through direct in-house production. “From cakes to chocolates to syrups, we make everything ourselves,” explains the adults-only wellness hotel.

“All our fresh fruit and vegetables come from our own farm in Albisano on Lake Garda. The owner, Mr Huber, personally takes care of the harvest and brings the produce directly to the hotel (without packaging waste) so that our guests can enjoy the freshest ingredients.” – My Arbor

Dishes and glasses

Disposable plastic cups at hotels? They do exist! Some hoteliers find them more convenient and less risky than glass or porcelain, especially for the lawn or pool. Unfortunately, they create a huge amount of waste. Sustainable hotels are careful to use only high-quality, plastic-free materials. The energy-independent aparthotel OLM Nature Escape in Sand in Taufers, South Tyrol, uses only glass, porcelain, ceramic, clay and enamel for food and drink.

Tablecloths and napkins

Just as glass and porcelain are more stylish than plastic tableware, cloth napkins are more sophisticated than paper napkins. You can find them, for example, at the Relais del Maro in Liguria. The Albergo Diffuso in the picturesque village of Borgomaro takes care to avoid waste in all areas. Consequently, linen tablecloths are washed rather than thrown away.

Towel change upon request only

Since laundry does not produce waste, but does use detergent, water and energy, daily hotel laundry is another factor that you, as a guest, can help with. Many guests notice that even towels that have been hung up are all replaced the next day. This calls for well-trained staff who, like at the Lifestyle Resort Zum Kurfürsten on the Mosel, change towels only when requested. Even in the large wellness area with sauna and several pools, guests are asked to use sauna towels sparingly and sometimes several times.

Forgoing daily room cleaning and turn-down service

Similarly, as a guest, you can support a hotel’s sustainability efforts by choosing not to have your room cleaned daily. In most cases, you have to explicitly decline. For example, the sustainable Hotel Luise in Erlangen, Germany, tried to switch to opt-in (i.e., you get daily room cleaning only if you want it), but that would have meant being stripped of all their hotel stars by the Hotel Stars Union!

However, at the ADLER Lodge RITTEN in South Tyrol (a luxurious all-inclusive resort close to nature), the turndown service has become an opt-in offer. This means that rooms are only prepared in the evening if you, the guest, specifically request it.

No slippers

The slippers provided in a hotel’s spa area are disposable products that generate huge amounts of waste. According to the German magazine Focus, the Steigenberger Hotels alone (a total of 60 hotels and resorts) would order 180,000 pairs of slippers for their guests each year. One can only imagine the mountain of slipper waste in the entire industry!

The HUBERTUS Mountain Refugio Allgäu has therefore removed the slippers from the rooms and will only provide them upon request. Instead, guests are asked to bring their own.

The romantic Hotel Das Rübezahl in Füssen, Germany, takes a similar approach to the slipper issue: guests are only provided with hotel slippers for the spa upon request, and the slippers are made of linen and cork, making them compostable.

Backpack and shopping bag provided

In many vacation destinations, plastic bags are still the norm. Even though a lot of plastic waste could be avoided! That is why CERVO Mountain Resort Zermatt in Switzerland provides guests with both a backpack for hiking and reusable bags for shopping.

Digital Guest Magazine

Digitization also reduces waste. Guests receive a digital reservation confirmation, there is a digital guest magazine and digital services. At the Eco-Hotel Okelmann’s, for example, you can download Komoot maps created by Senior Okelmann to your phone so you can start cycling right away. The Hotel Klosterbräu in Seefeld, Tyrol, has a guest channel on the hotel TV where you can find out about all the events and offers at the hotel.

Offering waste separation for guests

As mentioned at the beginning, many people use more disposable items on vacation than at home. Recycling is also often not as successful on vacation. However, this is not always the guests’ fault… You may have experienced the situation where there is only one disposable waste bin in the hotel room and you don’t even have the opportunity to separate your own waste. Some hotels may also think that their international guests don’t know how to it.

Not so at Keemala on the island of Phuket in Thailand. “We have clearly marked recycling and waste stations throughout the resort, making it easy for guests to dispose of their waste properly,” they wrote to us. Unlike many internationally managed hotels on the island of Phuket, Keemala is owned by a local family who are very conscious of their impact on the environment. The 5-star ADLER Lodge RITTEN is another example of how in-room waste separation can be done in style.

Toilet paper made out of Tetra Pak

According to Statista, global per capita consumption of toilet paper reach almost 14 kilograms per person in 2023. However, in Germany, the figure is much higher, at 30.6 kilograms per person. A lot of trees have to be cut down to produce all this fresh fiber. The SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA in Bad Herrenalb has switched to toilet paper made from recycled beverage cartons. This reflects the concept of recycling that the wellness and selfness hotel also applies to its room furnishings.

Wooden coffee pods eliminate single-use plastics

Coffee capsule machines are definitely not the most sustainable way to make coffee. However, they are a great solution for allowing guests in a hotel suite to make their own coffee.

The Birkenhof***** Spa and Genuss Resort uses Rezemo wooden coffee capsules. They contain coffee from sustainable sources. The other amenities of the 5-star wellness hotel are packaged in plastic-free cardboard as well.

Zero-Waste Goodbye Gift

When you leave, hotels often give you a small parting gift – and that too is a source of packaging waste. Of course, sustainable hotels have also thought about how to give you, the guest, a gift that is both beautiful and environmentally friendly. At the Naturhotel Outside in the Hohe Tauern National Park in East Tyrol, Austria, guests receive a jar of homemade jam in a reusable glass jar.

The Hotel Weihrerhof in South Tyrol, on the Italian side of the Alps, offers soaps from its own organic cosmetics line, BergSea, which uses water from the Wolfsgruben Lake, located directly in front of the hotel. “We want our guests to take the soaps home with them and continue to dream of the Weihrerhof,” says the host family.

As you can see, Green PearlsⓇ hotels have put a lot of thought into how they can eliminate single-use items, waste and plastic, which means you may use no more single-use items on your vacation than you would at home – in fact, you may use fewer items than at home!

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What is a place of power?

“Places of power are in vogue. But their effects are not scientifically proven.” SRF in its article on magical nature

A place of power is a geographical location in nature where, according to esoteric belief, a particular energy or earth radiation exists. Scientific methods cannot prove this; instead, people identify such places using a pendulum or divining rod.People also designate some power places based on ley lines or Feng Shui principles.

Some (or many) also use the term for places in nature that are simply beautiful and subjectively uplifting. You can probably think of an example right now, can’t you?

Places of power and tourism

Powerful sites are key attractions in the tourism industry—take Stonehenge, for example! In 2019, authorities closed Ayers Rock in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park after the Anangu people protested. They opposed the increasing number of tourists climbing their sacred mountain, damaging the environment, and trampling on their cultural heritage. Uluru holds deep cultural and religious significance for Australia’s indigenous people.

However, with our Green PearlsⓇ partners, we don’t get the impression that power places are being exploited for tourism. Instead, they often align with the personal worldview of the individual hotel hosts, particularly in the case of Feng Shui power places.

Lifestyle Resort Zum Kurfürsten – An entire hotel as a Feng Shui place of power

“The entire hotel has been declared a place of power by a Feng Shui master from Beijing.” – Zum Kurfürsten Lifestyle Resort

Feng Shui and TCM play an important role at Lifestyle Resort Zum Kurfürsten. The wellness hotel in Bernkastel-Kues on the Mosel River used to be a simple hotel for coach tours – until Heiner Buckermann took over and transformed it into the lifestyle resort it is today. Today, it boasts a 4,500-square-foot wellness area with saunas, pools and a natural swimming pond, as well as a diet based on the Five Elements and TCM therapy.

Heiner Buckermann remembers the construction phase and the Feng Shui master: “The master was visiting Germany from Beijing and met one of our TCM therapists. We were building at the time and asked for his help. The master explained the details of how to connect the energies in the place of power.”

The goal was to ensure that the entire place stayed coherent and, like a turtle’s shell, blocked negative energies. To achieve this, they directed the water from the various pools to flow in a specific way, and followed precise instructions on maintaining contact with the street or hotel staircase to protect the energy of the Power Place.

By connecting all the outbuildings to the main building, the energy can “flow freely”. The choice of materials, the polygonal tiles, the nine flags on the street – everything follows the Feng Shui rules for a place of power.

According to Heiner Buckermann, the Feng Shui instructions were all “logical” and “pleasant” and “contributed positively to the design of the hotel. The master himself then declared the entire hotel to be a place of power, and anyone sensitive to this can still feel it today.

Biohotel Grafenast – A place of power, confirmed by geomancers

Peter Unterlechner of the Biohotel Grafenast in Tyrol, Austria, also believes in flowing qi and has had the hotel, now in its third generation, aligned accordingly.

“We had the grounds designed according to Feng Shui and then had them tested by a geomancer,” says Peter Unterlechner. The geomancer confirmed that both the hotel and the surrounding nature are places of power. The hotel sits beautifully in the mountains, offering stunning views of the valley.

“The panoramic location and the combination of an old house and a fresh spirit bring the power to life and make it tangible” – Biohotel Grafenast

You can create your own places of power

As you can see from the examples, you can create your own places of power by implementing certain esoteric rules.

“We have created various places of power ourselves,” reports the HUBERTUS Mountain Refugio Allgäu. There are various retreats in the wellness area of the Mountain Spring Spa and the “Power of Silence” place with a bonsai tree. The sustainably managed hotel is also an advocate of Ayurveda and mindfulness, offering yoga classes and retreats throughout the year.

At Naturhotel Gerbehof, the owners strongly believe in the Philippi method. They offer bioenergetic motivation sessions in-house, and there is a stone circle in their private forest where guests can experience a “meditation on the four primary elements.”

Crystal Garden at Gut Guntrams

If you are interested in crystals, the Gut Guntrams near Vienna has an impressive crystal garden with some huge exhibits. However, owner Stefan Gergley does not make any esoteric connections. He simply has a passion for crystals, petrified wood and minerals, he explains, and shares them in his private collection and his own nature museum at Gut Guntrams.

Places of power around sustainable hotels

Many Green PearlsⓇ accommodations are located near one or more places of power. The way these sites are transformed into a tourist experience varies widely.

The “Snake God’s” place of worship must not be disturbed

For example, Rajiv Desraj Shrestha, general manager of The Pavilions Himalayas – The Farm in Nepal, knows of a place of power near the resort – but he won’t take you there because he thinks tourists (and people in general) are a disruptive factor.

“We have a place of power. It is a very old place of worship according to Hindu understanding, dedicated to the ‘Snake God’ and according to Hinduism can only be worshipped on certain auspicious days. In general, it is disturbed by human presence and therefore a visit is not recommended.” – Rajiv Desraj Shrestha

Temples and the “holy forest” to experience in Thailand

At Keemala in Phuket, on the other hand, the surrounding power spots are integrated into the program. They tell us there are three areas:

• The “sacred” forest: “The nearby ancient forests are said to have spiritual significance and energy.”
• Buddhist Temples: “The temples and spiritual sites in our area are known for their peaceful atmosphere and historical significance and can be visited.
• Nature and Meditation: “Special guided hikes through these power spots are part of our wellness programs and combine immersion in nature with meditation exercises.”

The enchantingly beautiful Keemala Resort is nestled in the tropical forest of Phuket.

Guests of the Hotel Weihrerhof in South Tyrol will receive a “power places booklet”.

The Pichler family, who run the Hotel Weihrerhof* on the shores of Lake Costalovara in Renon, South Tyrol, actively sought out places of natural power in the area around their hotel. This came about because the host family carefully studied the surrounding nature.

Of particular interest are the Celtic-Rhaetian sites and settlements typical of the Ritten. When exploring places of power, their goal is to “feel more and think less”. In order to understand the energy involved, they have enlisted the help of geomancer Bernd Traber.

As a guest, you will find a small booklet in your room in which you can learn more about each place and get ideas for consciously experiencing them. Afterwards you can visit them with a new feeling and let nature have a deeper effect on you.

Hotel room design inspired by a place of power in Bad Herrenalb

The SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA has just renovated its hotel rooms (according to Cradle to Cradle™) and created the room category “Falkenstein”. The Falkenstein is a local landmark in Bad Herrenalb, and according to hotel owner Stephan Bode, the “vibrating primeval energy” is particularly noticeable here. He wanted the new hotel rooms to reflect this: “As soon as you enter the room, you feel a unique and unbridled energy – powerful and balanced. Falkenstein is the perfect design concept for every guest who wants to feel primal power.”

Bad Herrenalb – a place of power

There are also other places of power in the area, such as one “directly above the junction of the two supercontinents of Gondwana and Laurasia”. The entire town of Bad Herrenalb is considered a healing place of power, evident from the unusually large number of twin trees, a wonder pine growing on an archway, and its healing water and climate.

The hotel team emphasizes that you don’t have to believe in the special power of Bad Herrenalb to feel it:

“Even guests unfamiliar with the special qualities of the place often confirm at check-out that they feel relaxed and energized.” – SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA

Recharge your batteries in Warper Wood

Sisters Maren Geisler-Okelmann and Kristin Okelmann of eco-hotel Okelmann’s in Warpe are spiritually open. The water that flows through their pipes has been revitalized using the Grander method, and the hotel offers yoga, meditation, and sound massages.

“Our power spot, almost on our doorstep, is the magical Warper Wood. We do some retreats that include forest bathing. We spend as much time there as possible.” – Hotel Okelmanns

“Heartstone” Place of Power near Hotel Klosterhof – Alpine Hideaway & Spa

The health hotel Klosterhof – Alpine Hideaway & Spa has a focus on medicine and is happy to offer scientifically based methods (e.g. medical liver fasting instead of other types of fasting). Additionally, you can participate in a guided forest bathing tour. The guide Jana likes to integrate the power place Herzstein into her tour.

It is only a 5 minute walk from the hotel. Lisa-Maria Standl from the hotel says: “I’ve been there several times, and even though it’s a bit esoteric, I think the word ‘place of power’ is appropriate.

Hexenbödele on the Ritten in South Tyrol

Near the APIPURA hotel rinner* on the Ritten in South Tyrol, there is a mystical place called “Hexenbödele”. It is a forest clearing with a larch tree in the middle. Legend says that devils and witches once danced here. One night, a young boy, wanting to prove his courage, visited the place. By morning, they found him lifeless—trampled to death by the witches. After this tragic event, they hung a crucifix in the larch tree to honor the boy, and since then, the witches are said to avoid the place.

In addition to the Hexenböderle, Karin Rinner from the hotel’s host family recommends the Waldner Eck and the Mitterstieler See viewpoint.

“I often visit the places of power around us because they are breathtaking sites where you can get a lot of strength.” – Karin Rinner

Stone circle in Seefeld

In Seefeld, where the sustainable Hotel Klosterbräu is located, there is a stone circle as a place of power. They built it on the Pfarrerbichl as a “magical place.” In 2000, they measured the constellation, and in 2007, they inaugurated the place of power. The 12 stones are meant to represent the 12 apostles, and in the middle, there is a way of the cross, starting from the parish church in Seefeld.

The Hotel Klosterbräu was built on the 500-year-old walls of an old monastery. The staff here likes to play with biblical names. The sunbathing area by the outdoor pool is called the “Garden of Eden.” And down in the vaults is the “Cellar of Sin“.

Places of natural power with our Green PearlsⓇ partners

As we researched the places of power among our Green PearlsⓇ partners, many emphasized the natural treasures of their surroundings.

The sea as an inexhaustible source of energy in Tenerife

At the OCÉANO Health Spa Hotel on the island of Tenerife, they believe that the Atlantic Ocean, which borders the hotel, is a powerful source of energy.

“The sea gives peace and strength. You can feel and experience this source of strength and find your own rhythm.” – OCÉANO Health Spa Hotel

The sea also plays an important role in the various health therapies offered by the hotel, such as “Ocean Balancing” or “Thalasso”.

Subjective places of power in East Tyrol

The Naturhotel Outside in Matrei in East Tyrol immediately named four places that, in their opinion, are suitable for subjective experience as a place of power.:

• Zedlacher Paradise: Here you can find larches that are more than 500 years old with a trunk circumference of up to seven meters. This place is especially beautiful in the fall..
• St. Nicholas Church: This 12th century Romanesque church is the oldest preserved sacred building in East Tyrol. Research by the University of Innsbruck proved that a Roman tomb stood here 1,800 years ago. It is a 45-minute walk to the church.
• Innergeschlöss: This is one of the most beautiful valley heads in the Eastern Alps. It offers a great view of the Großvenediger.
• Glacier River Isel: The last free-flowing glacial river in Austria is also within walking distance of the hotel.

The best way to experience the power of the East Tyrolean Alps is by hiking. The Outside Nature Hotel is an official hiking hotel located in the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park. Find out more in our interview with hiking concierge Karin Steiner.

Place of Power Matterhorn

Switzerland’s most famous mountain, the Matterhorn, is also often described as a “place of power” – with no esoteric overtones. “The mountain is often seen as a place that gives people energy and inspiration,” reports the CERVO Mountain Resort in Zermatt. The nature-oriented design resort offers direct views of the Swiss landmark.

Recharge your batteries with a forest bath in South Tyrol

At the adults-only wellness hotel My Arbor*, the surrounding forest is mentioned. It not only provides “a picturesque backdrop for the hotel,” but also “a retreat full of peace and natural energy. My Arbor offers forest bathing at least once a week as part of its weekly program.

“Forest bathing is a wonderful way to reduce stress, clear the mind and harmonize body and soul. The soothing effects of the trees and pure mountain air are appreciated by many of our guests.” – My Arbor

The Riva Waterfalls in Sand in Taufers

From the energy-self-sufficient OLM Nature Escape* in Sand in Taufers, South Tyrol, it is only a 30-minute walk to the Reinbach Waterfalls. These are three spectacular waterfalls in the Tauferer Ahrntal. The upper and middle ones are about 50 meters high and the lower one is over 10 meters high.

According to OLM Nature Escape, the Reinbach Waterfalls are one of the most beautiful destinations in the area. Definitely an energizing place to recharge your batteries. The aparthotel itself is also a special place – the round building blends harmoniously into nature.

Do places of power work?

Many people visit a place of power and “recharge their batteries” – from nature, from pausing, from consciously pausing. There are scientists who are trying to scientifically prove the healing effects of nature (e.g. through forest bathing). There are already some indications, such as the reduction of stress hormones or a positive effect on the cardiovascular or immune system. However, we are talking about nature in general, not “places of power”.

The most important thing is that both “official” and purely subjective places of power are always a personal feeling in the sense of “that does me good”, “that gives me strength.” Visitors to places of power do not need scientific proof of this.

*CIN CODES Italien

IT021072A1L46PNBHX (Hotel Weihrerhof)

IT021072A1UOWUIDH4 (APIPURA hotel rinner)

IT021011A1AE4737IT (My Arbor)

IT021017B4CPKU6WK9 (OLM Nature Escape)

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Bread between cultural heritage and world market

A while back, I bought a loaf of bread at the kiosk late at night – whole grain toast out of the bag. Sometimes you just have to take what’s there. But I was surprised when I studied the label: “Made in Saudi Arabia.” Is the desert country now a wheat grower? An exporter of bread?

According to World Grain and Agflow, Saudi Arabia produces the most wheat on Saudi Arabian farms “abroad” and imports wheat from five continents (Russia is number one). There are only small wheat farms in the country itself.

Of course, it didn’t say where the wheat in my toast came from exactly. Grains, sweeteners, spices, delivery, storage, plastic packaging… I was holding a real global market product in my hand, costing a little over 4 Euros – at the bottom of the ecological scale! Needless to say, I didn’t buy it again.

“Industrially produced baked goods, often made overseas using cheap raw materials from distant places, have little to do with sustainable food.” – Benjamin Profanter

How sustainable is bread?

As you just learned, bread is not automatically sustainable, even though it has been one of the most important (regional!) staple foods in many parts of the world throughout the ages of humanity. The history of bread goes back to the earliest times (about 14,000 years ago).

But bread is not only a staple food, it is also a cultural asset. Pretzels and dark rye bread in Germany, baguettes in France, ciabatta in Italy, flatbread in Turkey, roti in India. No matter where you go on vacation, you should always try the local bread 😉

Bread has the best conditions to be sustainable. However, you should pay attention to the following:

• Raw materials should be sourced locally.
• Ideally, the raw materials come from organic farming.
• It is made by hand (supporting the bakery trade, culture).

Some bakers also work with traditional millers.

The importance of ancient grains

The trend of using ancient grains in baked goods is one we have already seen in several sustainable hotel kitchens (e.g. with Chef Giuseppe Schimmenti of the ADLER Spa Resort SICILIA, who uses ancient grains from Sicily in his pasta recipes).

As bread sommelier Benjamin Profanter tells me, ancient grains also play an important role for him:

“Ancient and heritage grains are less demanding to grow and do not require artificial fertilizers and herbicides. That’s why they’re ideal for organic farming. Ancient grains are not only more sustainable for nature and the environment, but also for people as they have additional nutritional benefits over modern, highly bred varieties. Personally, I prefer and always recommend breads made from ancient grains, as they also offer more in terms of taste.”

• Insert: Nutritional physiology refers to the “ratio of nutrient content to caloric value of a food” – in simple terms, how many nutrients are in the calories..

Good to know! 4 Questions for Bread Sommelier Benjamin Profanter

Green PearlsⓇ: Hi Benjamin! Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! Let’s start with the question our readers are probably asking themselves right now: What exactly does a bread sommelier do?

Benjamin: A bread sommelier, like any other sommelier, is an ambassador for his trade. In my case, I am a bread ambassador, communicating the history, culture and value of good bread to consumers. It’s about making people aware of what makes good bread and how to recognize its quality. I am particularly interested in sensory perception, food pairing and the language of bread. It is similar to wine, where in the past people only knew the difference between red and white wine, but now wine sommeliers have built a lifestyle and made wine the quality product we know it to be today. Good wine is celebrated, and good bread has more than earned it too.

GP: Can you give us and our readers some tips on what makes a bread good?

Benjamin: First of all, the production method is relevant: was the bread made by hand? Were pre-doughs or sourdoughs used? Did the dough have enough time to rise and ferment? Were local or organic ingredients used? Only when the inner values are right is bread not only a delight, but also healthy and digestible.

What kind of bread goes with what kind of cold cuts?

GP:How do you choose the right bread for a spread or a meal?

Benjamin: It is important to me that bread is not just a filler, but also a flavorful accent. White bread and jam may taste good, but they are far from being a culinary delight. Only bread with character can turn a snack into a real treat. Personally, I love heavy breads with lots of crusts, and I like to combine contrasts. A prime example is sweet fruit bread with savory cheese.

GP:What kind of bread do you bake for the Green PearlsⓇ accommodations My Arbor* and OLM Nature Escape*?

Benjamin: A colorful mix of different types of bread and rolls, all with one thing in common: they are 100% organic, vegan and made with traditional craftsmanship. Our added value is the use of natural sourdoughs such as “Lievito Madre”, natural yeast, the purchase of regional raw materials and the pursuit of the common good in harmony with people, animals and nature.

Tip: If you are on vacation in South Tyrol, you can visit the Naturbackstube Profanter in Brixen.

Sustainable accommodations that make their own bread

While some hotels and accommodations purchase their bread from local bakeries, there are also many sustainable accommodations that bake their own bread. For them, offering exclusive homemade bread with your daily breakfast buffet or dinner is part of excellent service.

“”We bake our own bread with organic ancient wheat from East Tyrol,” reports the Naturhotel Outside. The hiking hotel in Matrei, in the mountains of the Hohe Tauern National Park, focuses on gourmet cuisine using regional ingredients, and its restaurant has been awarded three Falstaff forks.

At Gut Guntrams near Vienna (whose Café Veranda also won a Falstaff award), bread is baked in-house every Friday. Demeter-quality emmer, spelt, rye and wheat are milled on site at Gut Guntrams.

Organic bread from the Herrmannsdorfer Landwerkstätten

Gut Sonnenhausen has a sister company, Herrmannsdorfer Landwerkstätten in Glonn (near Munich), from which it purchases organic food and meat from organic livestock. They also bake their own bread, including a special “Sonnenhausener Laib” – especially for guests of the accommodation.

The STURM in Mellrichstadt also bakes its own bread. The family-run hotel is located in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Rhön, a region where various methods are being tested to reconcile the needs of man and nature. A good example of this is the bread from organic farming and the regional organic bakery, which the STURM offers in addition to its own baked bread.

At the Lifestylehotel SAND in Timmendorfer Strand on the Baltic Sea, an “enthusiastic breakfast chef” will provide you with homemade bread and rolls. In addition, you can order freshly prepared egg dishes at the hotel’s front cooking station.

Preparing food according to guests’ preferences is very important to the Hotel Bella Vista Zermatt. Not only has host Fabienne Anthamatten removed tropical fruits from the breakfast buffet, she also pays close attention to zero waste and local ingredients. Bread and rolls are mostly baked in-house.

The Relais del Maro* in Borgomaro, Liguria, with its Albergo Diffuso, or “scattered hotel,” has even helped keep the village bakery open. The distribution of the hotel among several vacant residential and commercial buildings owned by the family has saved the picturesque village from decay. In addition to the “0 km bakery”, the Relais del Maro also bakes its own bread.

Our hotels’ natural bakers

The Green Pearls® partners who don’t bake their own bread buy it locally. Where they buy it is very important. As you probably know, as a consumer you can choose whether you want to support a cheap bakery chain or the local (organic) bakery with your money.

Sustainable hotels also pay close attention to their suppliers. We asked them where they get the bread for their guests:

• APIPURA hotel rinner* (on the Ritten in South Tyrol): “We get our organic bread from the natural bakery Messner, which has its own small mill and is increasingly processing local grains. By the way, at breakfast you will find many varieties of organic honey from the hotel’s own beekeeping.
• Green Spirit Hotels Paris (Hotel Malar, Amelié and Pavillon, all in the 7th arrondissement): “We offer fresh bread and pastries every day from a traditional Parisian artisan bakery on our street, as well as gluten-free bread.”
• Biohotel Grafenast (Pill, Tyrol, above the Inn Valley): “We offer bread with organic certification from the Austrian family-owned wholesaler Haubis.”
• Naturresort Gerbehof (Friedrichshafen, Germany): “Our baker is from the region and uses mainly Demeter grain from the region (especially organic spelt). Our baker also delivers his bread by electric car”.
• Birkenhof***** Spa & Wellness Resort (Upper Palatinate Lake District): “Our bread is baked locally by Bäckerei Kutzer“.
• Hotel Das Rübezahl (Füssen in Allgäu, near Neuschwanstein Castle): “Our bread comes from the Gschwill bakery, which bakes its bread using only organic products and traditional craftsmanship”

Info: Mentioning the bakeries is a service and neither we nor the accommodations mentioned receive any benefit.

Good bread is worth it

The point is that not all bread is the same – and not all bread is necessarily sustainable. If you want sustainable bread, you should think about the ingredients and the production process. Since most people eat a lot of bread (in Germany, for example, the average annual per capita consumption is 75 kilograms), it is definitely worth it.

A lot depends on bread – farming (remember that organic farming does not use pesticides and thus contributes to soil health and groundwater protection), craftsmanship and, ultimately, flavor.

Finally, we recommend our blog article on jams and marmalades. The perfect zero waste spread for your bread. According to bread sommelier Benjamin Profanter, a sweet spread works best with a hearty, dark bread with a thick crust.

CIN Codes:

IT021072A1UOWUIDH4 (APIPURA hotel rinner)

IT021011A1AE4737IT (My Arbor)

IT008010A1NIWKHTTF (Relais del Maro)

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Sustainable hotels offering silent retreats

Does silence need any kind of instruction? Not really. Later in this article we give you a list of hotels and accommodations in quiet, open natural settings – where you can easily experience silence for yourself.

But many of us are already so ‘programmed’ that we are constantly busy with our phones, work, family or other things. In most cases, “time for yourself” means putting on some music and getting on the treadmill. But have you ever consciously allowed yourself to experience silence? Without music, radio, television, screaming children and chattering partners? When was the last time you did that? And “endured” it for an extended period of time?

Well? Got you?

In such situations, it can be helpful to find and consciously experience silence with a professional trainer. Don’t worry, it’s going to be quiet now.

Personal retreat at Gut Guntrams in Austria

Gut Gunstram is situated about an hour from Vienna in the middle of an orchard. A 25 minute walk from the nearest train station, you will find yourself in a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere with a natural swimming pond and crystal garden.

You can book a silent retreat with Petra Kaltenböck as a one-to-one retreat at any time. Petra is a professional horse guide and selfness coach with over ten years of experience.

“Guidance (means) we will walk a path together in which you will come more and more into contact with your own strength! (…) It takes what it needs. (…) Sometimes it’s just being together in silence and awareness.” – Petra Kaltenböck

👉 Find out more about the retreat here.

Fasting weeks with quiet moments at Biohotel Grafenast

The Biohotel Grafenast in Tyrol is also a dream location for moments of tranquillity. This small, family-run hotel, with just 23 rooms, is situated high above the Tyrolean Inn Valley and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside.

The eco-hotel recommends its fasting weeks as a way of experiencing silence, where ‘silent moments’ are an integral part of the programme:

👉Next date: April 2025 Ayurvedic fasting week with Isolde Ackermann

That’s why silence is good for you

According to the Spectrum of Science, numerous studies have shown a link between long-term noise exposure and cardiovascular disease. This has led to noise legislation in several countries. Silence, on the other hand, allows the brain to “better regenerate its cognitive resources”.

 Silence clears the mind and helps you organise your thoughts and develop new ideas.

Ocean Balancing – Silence in the water

Of course, there is no such thing as 100% silence in nature. Leaves rustle, birds chirp – and for most of us, even distant traffic noise is part of everyday life. You can always hear something. But as scientific studies show, the level of noise makes a big difference to our brains.

So-called ‘floating tanks’ are used for scientific research involving silence. Subjects are placed in salt water tanks with sound and light proof hoods and left to float for a period of time, shielded from the outside world. (Personally, I think that would be a bit too much for me!)

At the OCÉANO Health Spa Hotel in Tenerife, you can find peace and tranquillity in the open air with the OCEAN Balancing treatment. During this “treatment of deep and lasting relaxation”, you will float in water, accompanied by a therapist. Your muscles relax, the water muffles the sounds and the calm connection with the element of water gives you new impulses.

Room of tranquillity as a counterpart to the relaxation room

Many spa hotels have quiet rooms. But the Hotel Das Rübezahl in Allgäu (with a direct view of Neuschwanstein Castle) has found that a quiet room next to the sauna is not quiet enough. People tend to chat there. So the hotel’s ‘Boutique Spa’ now includes a ‘Room of Silence’ where it really is quiet.

STURM in Mellrichstadt has named its quiet room the ‘House of Silence’. It was recently designed by the renowned architect Professor Matthias Loebermann and is completely paneled with natural silver fir. You enter the room, located in the garden next to the outdoor sauna, through a long corridor. This transition is designed to trigger a mental reset and prepare you for the silence to come. Time to unwind. And relax.

At Eco-Hotel Okelmann’s in the small town of Warpe in Lower Saxony, you can find peace and tranquillity in nature and through yoga and meditation. Maren Geisler-Okelmann, a member of the host family, is a qualified yoga teacher.

“We have a room of silence that is used for ‘just being’ and meditation.” – Hotel Okelmann’s

Room of Tranquillity on holidays

The SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA in Bad Herrenalb is another hotel that promotes mindfulness with its Selfness Centre. However, the ‘Room of Tranquillity’ is reserved specifically for Christian holidays: Easter, Christmas and New Year.

The room offers with yoga mats, atmospheric decor and a reading corner. “This way, our guests can escape the hustle and bustle of their holidays and find peace,” the hotel says.

Relax & Calm’ – Sustainable wellness hotels with multiple quiet rooms

The slightly larger properties of our sustainable Green PearlsⓇ partners are also ideal for a relaxing holiday in peaceful surroundings.

The Lifestyle Resort Zum Kurfürsten in Bernkastel-Kues on the Mosel River, for example, was designed entirely according to Feng Shui principles and includes numerous relaxation rooms.

👉 Learn more about the lifestyle resort’s “Relax & Calm” concept here.

At the Birkenhof***** Spa & Genussresort in the Upper Palatinate, you will also find a spacious hotel with a large outdoor area. The Spa & Genussresort is beautifully secluded on a hill in the Upper Palatinate Lake District. “We have many quiet rooms for perfect relaxation,” says the owner family.

At CERVO Mountain Resort in Zermatt, Switzerland, they also believe that special retreats are not necessarily required for moments of silence.

“Guests seeking peace and relaxation will find the mountains to be the perfect place to unwind in silence. Our yurts, relaxation room and ritual room (outside of yoga classes) are perfect for enjoying this tranquility.” – CERVO Mountain Resort

Nature-oriented hotels and vacation homes where you can find silence

According to the staff, the Silence Room at Keemala’s Mala Spa in Phuket, Thailand, is always very quiet because it is only open to guests who have booked a treatment at the spa. There are other quiet corners throughout the resort, which is tucked away in the backcountry in the middle of a small tropical forest. The hotel team recommends walking barefoot through the Enchanted Forest to heighten your awareness of nature.

The Gerbehof Nature Resort in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance in Germany also cites its “own forest” as the best place to enjoy silence. There is also a “room of silence” in the house itself. The resort also has a stone circle on the grounds.

“In our house, every room is silent”

That’s how Marco Spiss describes his Summit Lodges in the Tyrolean village of Pfunds. The two log cabins are located in the middle of quiet nature, and you (and your loved ones) will have a large wooden house of about 120 square meters to yourself – with a sauna and a fireplace. In the evening you can sit on the balcony and listen to the rabbit and the hedgehog saying good night to each other.

The My Arbor* Hotel in South Tyrol near Brixen is an adults-only hotel and a good address if you are looking for a relaxed and quiet atmosphere. “We don’t currently offer any special ‘quiet retreats’ or ‘quiet rooms’ (but) of course there are many quiet corners in the hotel where our guests can enjoy moments of silence and relaxation – be it in our spacious spa area, on a walk through the surrounding woods or in the peaceful atmosphere of our suites,” they say.

By the way, the construction noise stopped when I reached the end of the article. The good man with the hydraulic hammer seems to be done for the day. Thank you very much! It is possible to actively enjoy the silence at home during a moment like this. Why not try it right now?

CIN-Codes:

* CIN: IT021011A1AE4737IT (My Arbor)

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#1 Tip: candles, candles, candles

One hotel that truly deserves to be called “magical” is the Hotel Klosterbräu in Seefeld, Tyrol. Built on the site of a 500-year-old monastery, the sixth generation of the Seyrling family to run the hotel has preserved many of the old walls and vaults.

Candlelight creates the perfect atmosphere. Hotel Klosterbräu is famous for its daily candle-lighting, with around 500 candles. However, a number of these have now been replaced by LED lights – fire safety and sustainability here go hand in hand. Piano music and a fireplace in the hotel bar, as well as the morning mist over the “Garden of Eden,” also add to the special atmosphere.

The Lifestylehotel SAND on Germany’s Baltic coast also uses candles to create a magical atmosphere.

“At SAND, we love real candlelight, and lots of it. It creates a very special, relaxed and warm atmosphere in all areas. Through the large glass windows you can especially enjoy the “blue hour” in November.” – Lifestylehotel SAND

Side note: How environmentally friendly are candles?

That depends on what kind of candles you use. Most candles on the market contain paraffin, a byproduct of petroleum refining, and many also contain palm oil. Both are environmentally questionable ingredients, as we explain in our look at sustainable candles. Soy candles are sustainable and vegan. Unfortunately, they are not very affordable.

Tip: Buy eco-friendly candles and use them selectively. For an hour in the afternoon or evening and not as a permanent light source (which would also take away the “magic” effect). It is also better for the air quality.

#2 Tip: Decorate with natural materials

At the Naturresort Gerbehof in Friedrichshafen near Lake Constance and at the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA in Bad Herrenalb, natural decorations create a charming atmosphere during the winter season. Twigs and pine cones are especially popular during the Christmas season.

Floral decoration at Keemala in Phuket

The Keemala in Phuket, Thailand is part of the “zero waste” movement and tries to avoid plastic throughout the resort. This includes decorations, of course. For weddings and other celebrations, Keemala uses only natural flower garlands and floral decorations that are completely biodegradable.

Keemala owes its “enchanted” atmosphere to the unique architectural style of its villas, which blend seamlessly into the Thai rainforest – it would be difficult for you to recreate such a setting at home 🙂

Side note: How sustainable is decorating with natural materials?

The more natural, the better! Once they’ve served their decorative purpose, colorful leaves, chestnuts, pine cones and fallen branches can go straight to the compost, where they will decompose into soil.

It is less sustainable to paint or spray the leaves, especially with glitter. Glitter is made of plastic and essentially “microplastics in a can”. The small glitter particles spread quickly and can easily enter the water system.

Tip: Avoid glitter and varnish when making decorations, and use natural twine to hold your natural decorations together-it can also be composted. And if you must use glitter, opt for organic glitter..

#3 Tip: Fireplace

The two German Green PearlsⓇ hotels Birkenhof***** Spa & Genussresort in the Upper Palatinate and STURM in the Rhön Biosphere Reserve both recommend an open fire for a magical atmosphere.

Of course, this is not easily done at home, and major renovations are not feasible. Especially if you live in a rented property. The only option then is to enjoy candles. But if you want to spend this winter in a cozy hideaway with a fireplace, you can find our recommendations here.

Side note: How sustainable is a fireplace?

According to the German Environmental Agency, you should avoid using a fireplace as a heat source because wood (trees) is a major CO2 sink. If you do occasionally use a fireplace, such as in a vacation home, make sure you use seasoned, untreated wood and do not use paper to light it.

#4 Tip: Firebowl

While you can not easily build a fireplace into your home, a fire bowl is affordable and provides a safe surface for a cozy fire in the backyard or on the patio.

It is also a popular way for our sustainable partners to create a magical winter atmosphere for their guests.

Hotel Das Rübezahl

Naturhotel Outside

Hotel Weihrerhof*

Side note: How environmentally friendly is an open fire in a fire bowl?

According to the German Federal Environmental Agency, there are many dangers to be aware of when using an open fire, and pollutants can also be released into the air – especially when burning green waste or shrubs.

Tip: Use only untreated and well-seasoned wood in the fire bowl, and be aware of other things such as wind, flying sparks, and proper behavior around the fireplace (especially when children are present).

#5 Tip: Garden lighting

Garden lighting can also help create a magical atmosphere. For example, Gut Guntrams near Vienna illuminates its Crystal Garden (which is already magical) and its water lily pond features underwater lighting.

Side note: How sustainable is garden lighting?

At night, darkness is best. In particular, insects and other nocturnal animals can be disturbed by lighting. For this reason, some regions have designated light-protected areas.

Tip: You don’t have to leave your lights on all night. When planning your garden lighting, make sure you can turn it off. Some solar garden plugs, for example, are not designed to be turned off. Then you can use the lighting on a limited basis (when you’re expecting guests, like a hotel) and turn it off when it’s no longer needed.

Tip: Colorful foods to beat the winter blues

We recently received a rather unusual tip from the LA VIMEA Vegan Hotel** in Naturns, South Tyrol:

“We create a magical atmosphere during the dreary fall months with the fantastic colors of our all-vegan menu!”

Colorful food and bright colors in general lift the spirits and create a special magic! We hope these tips help you look forward to the magical season of fall with positivity and anticipation, and whet your appetite for coziness! Do you have a tip for creating a magical atmosphere in your home? Let us know in the comments below!

CIN-Codes:

* CIN: IT021072A1L46PNBHX (Hotel Weihrerhof)

** CIN: IT021056A1J4HHYSU4 (LA VIMEA Vegan Hotel)

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Extra tip: Book directly with the hotel and get help with your arrival

First, a general tip for green and fair travel: Book your accommodations directly through the hotel’s website. It’s no secret that travel sites like Booking.com take a commission from hotels when you book through them. So while you pay the same room rate, the hotels get less of it.

The sustainable accommodations featured in this article are all personally and individually managed and you can contact them directly – you will find links to their websites on the Green PearlsⓇ microsites that we link to here.

Our tip for traveling by train: Contact the hotel or vacation rental before you book (by email or phone). Tell them you are booking directly with them, that you are coming by train, and ask if there is anything they can do to help you travel green. Often there are special offers, such as a day of free e-bike use, or you can “beat” a free shuttle ☺️ Especially if you are staying longer, a sustainable accommodation will often meet you halfway.

How sustainable accommodations reward and support you when you travel by train

Upgrade to first class for the train ride to Zermatt

Car-free Zermatt in Switzerland is the perfect destination for a vacation close to nature by train. The Visp-Zermatt line is considered to be a particularly picturesque route through the Swiss picture-book countryside ( like a route of these routes that you can watch on YouTube to relax).

• For stays of three nights or more, the Hotel Bella Vista Zermatt will pay for your upgrade from 2nd to 1st class on the Visp – Zermatt route.

The boutique hotel, with a small spa and views of the Matterhorn, is run by the Anthamatten family and is committed to sustainability in all areas (e.g. zero waste principles and regional organic products).

Free public transportation pass or guest card

Another great offer from eco-friendly hotels are free local transportation passes – so you can get around in a climate-friendly way during your stay.

Eco-friendly accommodation and transportation in Freiburg

The Green City Hotel Vauban in the beautiful German city of Freiburg im Breisgau is an example of this. The modern city hotel with its green facade is easily accessible by train. Take the train to Freiburg’s main station and from there the number 3 tram to Paula-Modersohn-Platz – the stop is right in front of the hotel.

• Upon arrival, the hotel will provide you with a free regional ticket for the entire RVF area for the duration of your stay. (This includes buses, trams and all Deutsche Bahn 2nd class trains)

Green PearlsⓇ hotels on the Ritten in South Tyrol offer you the RittenCard

The Ritten Plateau in South Tyrol is a popular destination for an active vacation in the Italian Alps. You won’t need a car here, as the entire region is exemplary in its commitment to environmentally friendly transportation. The RittenCard gives you free use of all local transport, including the historic mountain railway and the cable car to Bolzano, as well as free entry to some 90 museums, exhibitions and attractions.

• The family-friendly Hotel Weihrerhof* at Wolfsgrubensee on the Ritten will send you the RittenCard in digital form prior to your arrival. They will also provide free luggage transport from your home to the hotel and back.

“Thanks to our Green Mobility service, the car is a distant memory,” reports the ADLER Lodge RITTEN*. Here you also receive a RittenCard, as well as the possibility to rent e-bikes and hire experienced guides to accompany you on hikes or e-bike tours.

Arrival: From the Bolzano train station it is a 5 minute walk to the Renon cable car. The cable car leaves every 4 minutes and takes you to Soprabolzano in 12 minutes. Once there, a shuttle from ADLER Lodge RITTEN will be waiting for you.

• Learn more about ADLER Lodge RITTEN’s Green Mobility concept.
  

The RittenCard is also included in the room price at the APIPURA hotel rinner and will be sent to you before you arrive. You can also reach the hotel from Bolzano with the Ritten cable car and from Oberbozen with the Ritten train – the “Rinner” stop is right in front of the hotel! If you are a bee lover, you will love the APIPURA hotel rinner: the hotel has its own organic apiary, there is a bee nature trail and organic honey is served daily at the breakfast buffet.

• Special: If you arrive by train, you will receive a 50% discount on the in-house e-bike rental at the APIPURA hotel rinner.

Eco-friendly hiking vacation in the Hohe Tauern National Park with a guest card

East Tyrol also has a guest card that allows you to use public transportation and offers free or a discount at many attractions. You receive one as a guest at the family-run Naturhotel Outside in Matrei. The hotel is an official hiking hotel with a hiking concierge and also offers a free shuttle from Lienz train station (there and back). A shuttle from Kitzbühel train station is available for a fee.

Complimentary e-Shuttle service powered by green electricity

If you travel by train, you are already traveling in a pretty environmentally friendly way. Now imagine being picked up at the station by an e-shuttle powered by the hotel’s green electricity – pretty green and convenient, isn’t it?

This is possible at the Hotel Das Rübezahl in Füssen (the train station is also located here). And once you are there, the best way to explore the picturesque Allgäu region with its panoramic view of Neuschwanstein Castle is on foot. Hiking concierge Bergbaschdi will be happy to assist you.

The Birkenhof***** Spa & Genussresort Hotel in the Upper Palatinate Lake District will pick you up at Schwandorf train station with its own electric shuttle. The hotel includes a large spa area with several saunas and pools, as well as the 2-star restaurant Obendorfers Eisvogel – you’ll find it hard to find a reason to leave the premises 🙂

At the Hotel Klosterbräu in Tyrol, you can order the hotel’s “Green Shuttle” (an electric Viano bus) for free throughout the Seefeld area. The Seefeld ICE train station is only 200 meters from the hotel, so you can easily walk there. However, the shuttle is worthwhile if you have heavy or bulky luggage, such as ski equipment or the like. The sustainable hotel complex within the old monastery walls offers a wide range of services, including wellness, its own brewery, yoga classes, a petting zoo and child care.

“The electric vehicle is a highlight for our guests,” reports the CERVO Mountain Resort in Zermatt. As mentioned above, the village of Zermatt is car-free, and apart from the electric vehicles, only horse-drawn carriages are allowed. The CERVO consists of several wooden chalets and has an award-winning design style.

Rail and Hotel: More eco-friendly hotels with shuttle services in Europe

To stay within the scope of this article, we will give you a brief overview of even more sustainable European hotels with shuttle services:

Germany

• The STURM in Mellrichstadt is a 5-minute drive from Mellrichstadt train station and offers a free shuttle service. The hotel has a natural swimming pond, a snack garden and a sauna area.
• The HUBERTUS Mountain Refugio in Balderschwang offers guests a shuttle service from the Fischen train station or the Hittisau bus station (for Swiss guests arriving by train from Bregenz).
• The Lifestylehotel Zum Kurfürsten – a wellness hotel with Feng Shui and TMC therapy – offers a shuttle from Wittlich train station. There is a fee for this service.
• Bayerisch Gmain train station is only 2 kilometers from the Klosterhof – Alpine Hideaway & Spa and will gladly arrange a taxi for you to the hotel. The hotel also has an E-Smart car rental service to help you get around.
• Gut Sonnenhausen is also surrounded by nature. The closest train station is Grafing, which can be reached by S-Bahn or regional train from Munich. The rest of the way is by taxi (at your own expense).

Austria

• The Biohotel Grafenast, high above the Tyrolean Inn Valley, will order a taxi for you from the nearest train stations in Jenbach and Schwaz. For stays of 3 nights or more, the Biohotel will also pay half of the taxi costs.

Italy

• “Traveling by train is becoming increasingly popular,” reports My Arbor*. The extraordinary tree hotel is located about 15 to 20 minutes by car from Brixen train station. Brixen can be reached by direct train from cities such as Milan, Verona, Innsbruck, or Munich. There is a pick-up service for guests from the station. (free for stays of 7 nights or more, otherwise a taxi will be arranged at a cost of 30 euros).
• The Relais del Maro* in Liguria is located in the small town of Borgomaro. Tucked away in the hinterland, there is, unfortunately, no good public transportation network here. But the hotel will help you reach the family-run Albergo Diffuso from Imperia train station with a partner taxi company. Once at the Relais del Maro, you can rent an e-bike for further exploration.

Eco-hotels in Paris and Milan

Of course, city hotels in European metropolises are ideal for combining train and eco-hotel. “Paris has 6 train stations, and depending on which direction guests are coming from, they arrive at the appropriate station. From Germany, it is Gare de L’Est and Gare du Nord,” says Barbara Tascijevic-Porwoll of the Green Spirit Hotels. The Amelie, Malar and Le Pavilion hotels are all in the 7th arrondissement, within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower.

By the way, Paris has done a lot to become more bike-friendly and has created many new bike paths! Of course, there is also the famous metro, which is an environmentally friendly way to get from A to B.

The marbled Milan Central Station is also accessible from all over Europe with direct lines. Here, in the heart of the city, lies the Hotel Milano Scala, Italy’s first zero-emissions hotel. All electricity is generated by geothermal probes.

From the train station to the hotel by bus, bike, or on foot

For our more rural partners, traveling by train is not quite as easy – but no less appealing for it.

“We recommend that you take your bike with you when you arrive by train. And then cycle the rest of the way from Eystrup or Nienburg station to us,” explain the host sisters at Hotel Okelmann’s in Warpe. The train stations are about 20 kilometers away and can be reached from Bremen or Hannover. There is also a lot to discover in the area by bike. The Okelmanns’ father is an enthusiastic cyclist himself and has entered several routes in komoot.

The Gut Guntrams in Austria can be reached from Vienna’s Pitten train station. From there, it is a 25-minute walk along a forest nature trail to Guntramsburg. The hotel’s website offers a beautifully designed map of the trail, complete with photos and arrows.

First by train, then by bus

The Pfunds in Tirol bus stop is just one minute from the Summit Lodges Pfunds, so you can catch the bus right outside your vacation home. The spacious log cabin has its own sauna and fireplace! During the winter there is also a ski bus to the ski area. The nearest train station is Landeck-Zams.

To get to the Naturresort Gerbehof by train, you must first get to the train station in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance. The station is 5 kilometers from the resort and there are buses to Ailingen every 15 minutes. The walk from Ailingen bus station to Gerbehof is 1.2 kilometers.

A little exercise in nature never hurts anyone, as they say! Alternatively, you can always take a taxi from the station to your accommodation. Either way, you are traveling in a climate-friendly way and keeping your carbon footprint small. Both by traveling and by choosing your accommodation. You may even find that you enjoy traveling by public transportation or bicycle and use them more at home.

*CIN-Codes: IT021011A1AE4737IT (My Arbor), IT008010A1NIWKHTTF (Relais del Maro), IT021072A1L46PNBHX (Hotel Weihrerhof), IT021072A1UOWUIDH4 (APIPURA hotel rinner), IT021072A1QCJQTLUQ (ADLER Lodge RITTEN)

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Why I love hotel restaurants

Some hotel restaurants have a separate entrance for external guests, while others require you to enter through the hotel lobby. You may also have to wait there for a while before being shown to your table in the restaurant. I love hotel lobbies: it’s a bit like an airport or train station, but much more intimate and cosy. You see lots of different faces, tourists from different countries, business travellers, lovers… yes, I admit it, ‘people watching’ is one of my private hobbies. 🙂

The holiday feeling

So order a drink in the lobby and soak up the atmosphere. As many of the guests are on holiday, a bit of holiday spirit and atmosphere will rub off on you! When my children were younger, we were always allowed to take the lift in the hotels 🙂 (After asking politely, of course). That way you can soak up a bit more of the hotel atmosphere.

Many hotel restaurants feature stunning decor, with large panoramic windows offering breathtaking views or intentionally traditional furnishings, creating the ambiance of a private cultural museum.

The hotelier’s family often runs the kitchen

Finally, in family-run hotels, the kitchen is often run by the owners themselves or one of their children. It’s a classic scenario: one child studies business and the other becomes a chef (or yoga teacher, ayurvedic trainer, spa manager, etc.). I like the fact that the owner or the son or daughter of the host family personally does the cooking.

Our picks for sustainable hotel restaurants around the world

#1 UN – The Farmhouse Smiling Gecko’s Restaurant and Chef Mariya Un Noun, Cambodia

Fine dining and a rediscovery of almost lost Khmer cuisine – all at UN Restaurant, about 60 kilometres from Phnom Penh. The restaurant is owned by our Green PearlsⓇ partner Farmhouse Smiling Gecko.

Mariya Un Noun runs the restaurant, and I highly recommend reading this Gault Millau article about her. Raised in the slums of Cambodia, sold into marriage, and later abandoned, she has transformed her life through Smiling Gecko. After training with top chefs in Europe, her restaurant is now praised by Gault Millau as ‘one of the best in Cambodia.’

What can you eat here? For example, fish with different kinds of lemongrass.

Link: UN Restaurant

#2 Mala Restaurant at Keemala Resort, Phuket, Thailand

“We welcome external guests. At the sustainable Mala Restaurant you can enjoy organically grown fresh produce, environmentally friendly (zero waste) practices and a unique atmosphere.” – Keemala

The Mala Restaurant at Keemala is beautifully situated in the middle of a tropical forest in Thailand and has been decorated with natural materials from the region. The resort is owned by a family from Phuket (not common in Thailand where there are many foreign investors).

What can you eat here? Thai and international dishes with an Indian twist (the chef is from India)

Link: Mala Restaurant

#3 Organic Fine Dining at The Pavilions Himalayas – The Farm, Nepal

Another very special hotel restaurant to visit as an external guest is the farm-to-table restaurant at The Pavilions Himalayas – The Farm. This luxurious resort, located at the foot of the Himalayas, sits on an organic farm, providing fresh, farm-to-table food directly from its own grounds.

“We only use regional and seasonal ingredients,” they tell us. They are also part of the Slow Food movement.

What can you eat here? A weekly changing menu with fresh produce from the farm

Link: Farm-To-Table Restaurant The Pavilions Himalayas

#4 Hotel Bella Vista Zermatt – Cosy dining in Switzerland

For a more down-to-earth atmosphere and a cosy, intimate setting, try the restaurant at Hotel Bella Vista Zermatt. This small boutique hotel offers you the choice of sitting on the terrace or in front of the panoramic window with views of the Matterhorn.

Info: To avoid excessive food waste, external guests can only dine here by prior arrangement.

What can you eat here? Cheese fondue, tarte flambée, Valaisan platter or homemade soups cooked by the host mother.

Link: Hausgemachtes in Home cooked cuisine in Zermatt

Hotel restaurants in Germany you should know

In Germany there are six of our sustainable Green Pearls hotel restaurants where you can dine as an external guest.

#1 New German cuisine’ at the 2-star Eisvogel restaurant at Birkenhof***** Spa & Gourmet Resort, Upper Palatinate

Obendorfer’s Eisvogel was founded by chef Hubert Obendorfer, who over time earned two Michelin stars. In 2022, his son Sebastian Obendorfer took over the kitchen – and immediately managed to maintain the two-star level.

If you would like to combine a gourmet weekend with a wellness weekend at the Birkenhof ***** Spa & Genussresort, we recommend our blog article about a 7-star gourmet weekend, in which we introduce you to the Birkenhof and its restaurant.

What can you eat here? “New German cuisine” at its best

Link: Obendorfers Eisvogel

#2 Otto|s organic restaurant at STURM in Mellrichstadt

Every day from 6pm to 9pm, Otto|s from the STURM offers a unique open kitchen concept that combines 100% organic ingredients with a seasonal focus. The open kitchen lets you watch the chefs prepare dishes and gives you the chance to chat with them as they work.

What can you eat here? Vegetarian, vegan, fish or meat, with variety and freshness.

Link: Otto|s

#3 Slow Food at the HUBERTUS Mountain Refugio Allgäu

HUBERTUS Mountain Refugio Allgäu lies in the beautiful mountains of Balderschwang. The cuisine not only follows the Slow Food concept, but also has a strong Ayurvedic influence, which you will notice in the spices used by chef Kristian Knölke. They warmly welcome external guests and serve them the same menu as house guests. The same applies to the breakfast and lunch buffets.

What can you eat here? Regional Allgäu cuisine with a touch of Ayurveda.

Link: Culinary Mountain Experience

#4 Enjoy a changing menu at the Klosterhof – Alpine Hideaway & Spa, Bayerisch Gmain

As an external guest at Klosterhof – Alpine Hideaway & Spa, you can enjoy an evening menu created by Head Chef Sascha Förster. There are three menus to choose from every day (‘Chefs Choice’, ‘Mountain Meadow’ and ‘Cabbage & Turnips’), which you can mix and match. The ‘Cabbage & Turnips’ menu is purely vegetarian and therefore suitable for vegans.

Info: External guests can only attend by prior arrangement

What to eat here: Creative alpine homestyle cuisine

Link: Klosterhof Restaurant

#5 Romantic dinner at the Hotel Rübezahl in Schwangau, near Füssen

Hotel Das Rübezahl recently revised its culinary concept, and the Restaurant Louis II now serves both cosmopolitan dishes and authentic regional cuisine. They source their meat and dairy products from grazing animals in the Allgäu region.

As a special highlight, you can book a candlelight dinner in the Zirbenstube every day. A 5-course menu awaits you (and your loved one) in a romantic atmosphere.

What can you eat here? Allgäu classics such as Kässpatzen or Wiener Schnitzel, as well as vegan dishes with sweet potato or couscous.

Link: Restaurant Louis II

#6 Planet healthy enjoyment at the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA, Bad Herrenalb

“At least 90% of the food and drink we serve is organic.” – SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA

The SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA takes its name from the magnificent panoramic views of the Black Forest from the restaurant and terrace. In the evening, both hotel guests and external guests can enjoy a three-course gourmet dinner or dine à la carte. What’s special about this restaurant is that it strives to keep the carbon footprint of its dishes as small as possible, in line with the ‘Planet Healthy‘ diet. The menu shows the CO2 emissions generated by each dish. They also clearly mark Vegan dishes.

What can you eat here? Planet Healthy meals made with fresh local organic produce. Fish, pasta, vegetable dishes, burgers.

Link: Restaurant La Vie

#7 FARMER’S CLUB Restaurant with live music at Gut Sonnenhausen

The FARMER’S CLUB restaurant at Gut Sonnenhausen near Munich is only open to outside guests once a month – on the first Wednesday of the month. But on these evenings you can expect more than just a good meal.

What can you eat here? Organic dishes from the fire kitchen (accompanied by live music)

Link: Wednesday music at the Farmer’s Club Restaurant

Fabulous (vegan) hotel restaurants in South Tyrol

Vegan restaurants are becoming increasingly popular, but vegan-only hotels are still a rarity. South Tyrol has two – the first in northern Italy!

#1 LA VIMEA Vegan Hotel – 5-course dinner, Naturns

LA VIMEA* in Naturns is an adults-only hotel. The vegan gourmet cuisine is known for its exciting colour and flavour combinations and delights with beautifully arranged plates, sometimes including fresh flowers. The restaurant also follows zero-waste principles and has a ‘no plastic policy’.

Info: The cost of a five-course dinner for external guests is €77 (excluding drinks). You must make reservations at least 24 hours in advance.

What can you eat here? Gourmet, organic, vegan (food intolerances catered for).

Link: LA VIMEA Vegan Restaurant

#2 Paradiso Pure.Living Vegan Hotel – Vegan pizza on the Seiser Alm

The Paradiso Pure.Living Vegan Hotel** is situated at an altitude of over 2,000 metres, right on the slopes of the Dolomiti Superski area. The restaurant can be reached on skis in winter and on mountain bikes or hiking boots in summer. There is a large outdoor terrace and a cosy indoor restaurant. All food and drinks are 100% vegan. The kitchen concept has recently been overhauled by Aggeliki Charami in 2024. The Greek vegan chef is a social media celebrity and a pioneer of modern vegan cuisine.

What can you eat here? The hotel tells us that the vegan pizzas on the terrace are a particular highlight. They are baked in a special pizza oven. There are also a variety of vegan dishes and delicious desserts.

Link: Paradiso Pure.Food Restaurant

#3 Dining at the elegant My Arbor tree hotel near Brixen

“We welcome external guests to book a table for dinner in our hotel restaurant. Our head chef, Matthias Hinteregger, offers an exclusive seven-course menu of your choice, freshly prepared every day.” – MY ARBOR

‌About a 15-minute drive from Brixen, My Arbor is a wellness hotel built on stilts in the treetops. The adults-only hotel is both sustainable and luxurious.

What can you eat here? The menu changes daily and is based on different themes. Example: ‘We love South Tyrol’ day or ‘Bella Italia’ day.

Link: Restaurant Plose

Hotel-Restaurants of our Green PearlsⓇ partners in Austria

Austria also has great sustainable hotels with excellent restaurants. Again, our partner hotels focus on regional and organic produce.

#1 Outside Nature Hotel – Award-winning natural cuisine in Matrei, East Tyrol

In 2024, the restaurant at Naturhotel Outside earned 3 Falstaff Forks (90 points) and welcomes external guests year-round. Situated in the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park, this family-run hotel stays close to nature, a value clearly reflected in its restaurant.

What can you eat here? 6-course gourmet menu plus à la carte classics such as Wiener Schnitzel or East Tyrolean specialities such as Schlipfkrapfen (click here for the recipe).

Link: Outside Restaurant

#2 Lunch at Café Veranda at Gut Guntrams near Vienna

Café Veranda was also honoured by Falstaff in 2024, receiving 89 points in the Falstaff Café Guide. Gut Guntrams in Schwarzau/Steinfeld is surrounded by fruit trees. There is also a “Edelmacherei with farm shop’ and a crystal garden.

Info: The café is open to external guests on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (opening hours 8.30-16.00).

What can you eat here? Game dishes and homemade cakes made from in-house produce.

Link: Cafe Restaurant Veranda

#3 Dinner at the Biohotel Grafenast with views of the valley, Tyrol

Biohotel Grafenast is located in Pill, overlooking the Tyrolean Inn Valley. It has a cosy, wood-panelled restaurant and an original parlour from the early days. The menu changes with the seasons and there is a daily dinner menu – all organic.

What can you eat here: Think game and dumplings with fresh mountain herbs.

Link: Grafenaster Organic-Restaurant

#4 Dining in the brewery cellar of the Hotel Klosterbräu in Seefeld

Hotel Klosterbräu has been owned by the Seyrling family for over 200 years, with nine members of the family looking after guests. Among its special features is the hotel’s own brewery. Outside, guests can enjoy culinary delights in the 500-year-old vaults of the former monastery. There is a brewery cellar, a wine cellar and a grill house where they grill meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes. For a romantic dinner for two, you can also book your own ‘flying dinner’ on the Romeo and Juliet balcony.

What can you eat here? Barbecue specialities, tapas, rustic dishes, Austrian country cuisine.

Link: Culinary delights at the Hotel Klosterbräu

Sustainable gastronomy against food waste

Food waste is a huge problem in the hospitality industry. Some hotels appallingly stack food on ‘all-you-can-eat’ buffets without considering how much will end up wasted. Once food has been on the guests’ tables or the buffet, it cannot be reused. As a matter of principle, I do not attend such buffets and “offers”.

On Green PearlsⓇ you can see what each accommodation is doing to prevent food waste in the ‘Green Initiatives’ section. In addition to good planning and inventory management, many use their kitchen ‘waste’ to make homemade stocks and syrups and maintain a compost heap.

Some use cooked food left over by guests to produce biogas. Pavilions Himalayas – The Farm follows the Slow Food concept, actively working to minimize food waste. Any leftover food is either fed to the farm animals or fed into its on-site biogas plant, which in turn powers the kitchen.

Sustainable hotels that do not run their own agriculture, such as the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA in Bad Herrenalb, Germany, provide cooked food waste to ‘ReFood’, which uses it to produce electricity, heat, fertiliser or biodiesel.

Local ingredients in the restaurants of Green PearlsⓇ hotels

Another major advantage of hotel restaurants in sustainable hotels is the regional nature of the products. The benefits are obvious:

• 0-km products cause almost no CO2 emissions from transport and storage
• Absolutely fresh (no need for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), where the ripening process takes place in plastic)
• Strengthening regional agriculture
• Relying on strong partnerships and fair wages

There are also a growing number of star chefs (such as three-star chef Norbert Niederkofler from South Tyrol) who focus entirely on regional produce. But this also requires the courage to banish ‘exoticism’ from the kitchen. Unfortunately, many diners still expect exactly that.

Take the cheese platter in Germany. They think: ‘Oh, how nice, a fresh fig with it’. And they forget that this ‘premium fig’ has come out of a box in which each one is wrapped in thick plastic. Maybe it came by boat, or maybe it came by plane. Then it was transported by lorry. A piece of pear or cranberry could have created the same ‘wow’ effect – without travelling as far!

Sustainable cooks think about these things, and as a consumer you can support them by choosing a restaurant!

CIN:Codes

*CIN: IT021056A1J4HHYSU4 (LA VIMEA)

**CIN: IT021019A16MFGOUCR (Paradiso Pure.Living Vegan Hotel)

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Der Beitrag Sustainable hotel restaurants – Our Green PearlsⓇ favourites erschien zuerst auf GREEN TRAVEL BLOG.