Do People Prefer Eco-Friendly Hotels? Here’s What Travelers Really Want in 2025

More than 70% of travelers say they’d pay up to 20% more to stay at a hotel that actually practices sustainability-not just claims it. That’s not a guess. It’s from a 2025 Global Sustainable Travel Survey of 12,000 people across 28 countries. And it’s changing how hotels are built, run, and marketed.

It’s Not Just About Recycling Bins Anymore

Back in 2015, eco-friendly hotels meant reusable towels and a small sign asking guests to turn off the lights. Today, it’s a full system: solar-powered water heaters, rainwater harvesting, zero single-use plastics, and food grown on-site. Guests aren’t fooled by greenwashing anymore. They check the hotel’s carbon footprint report. They look for third-party certifications like LEED, Green Key, or EarthCheck. If a resort says it’s sustainable but doesn’t show numbers, most travelers walk away.

In Costa Rica, a boutique lodge reduced its energy use by 65% in two years by switching to solar microgrids and installing motion-sensor lighting. They didn’t advertise it as a ‘green stay.’ They just showed guests the real-time energy dashboard in the lobby. Bookings jumped 40% in six months. People don’t want to be told they’re saving the planet. They want to see proof they’re part of the solution.

Who’s Choosing Eco-Friendly Hotels?

It’s not just millennials. Gen Z travelers are the most likely to research a hotel’s environmental practices before booking-89% of them check sustainability ratings. But the biggest growth is in travelers over 50. In New Zealand, where I live, bookings at eco-certified lodges among retirees increased by 52% last year. Why? They’ve seen the effects of climate change firsthand. They’re not just traveling for relaxation. They’re traveling with purpose.

Family travelers are another growing segment. Parents don’t just want a pool for the kids-they want to know the water is filtered naturally, the cleaning products are non-toxic, and the staff are trained in local conservation. A resort in Bali that replaced chemical pool treatments with saltwater systems saw a 35% rise in family bookings within a year. Parents don’t ask, ‘Is this eco-friendly?’ They ask, ‘Is this safe for my child?’

What Actually Matters to Guests?

Here’s what travelers care about, ranked by importance:

1. Energy use - Solar panels, LED lighting, and smart thermostats top the list. Guests notice when rooms are too hot or too cold because the system isn’t optimized.
2. Water conservation - Low-flow showers, greywater recycling, and drought-resistant landscaping. In places like Thailand and Spain, where water shortages are worsening, this isn’t a perk-it’s a necessity.
3. Food sourcing - 78% of guests say locally grown, organic food makes them more likely to choose a hotel. A resort in Tuscany that sources all produce from within 10 kilometers saw guest satisfaction scores jump from 4.1 to 4.8 on average.
4. Waste reduction - No plastic bottles, no single-use toiletries. Instead, refillable dispensers and compostable packaging. One hotel in Bali eliminated 12,000 plastic bottles a year by offering filtered water stations and branded glass bottles as gifts.
5. Community impact - Do they hire locally? Pay fair wages? Support indigenous businesses? Guests want to know their stay helps the people who live there, not just the shareholders.

It’s not about having a few bamboo toothbrushes. It’s about building a system where sustainability isn’t an add-on-it’s the foundation.

Why Some Eco-Friendly Hotels Still Struggle

Not every green hotel succeeds. The ones that fail usually make one of three mistakes:

• They overcharge without delivering value. A resort in the Philippines raised rates by 30% for being ‘eco-certified’ but kept using imported bottled water and imported organic soap. Guests felt scammed. Trust is fragile.
• They don’t explain their practices. A lodge in Canada installed geothermal heating but never told guests. Visitors assumed it was just a quiet, cozy place. They missed the chance to turn guests into advocates.
• They treat sustainability as marketing, not culture. If the housekeeping staff aren’t trained to explain how the compost system works, or the manager doesn’t care about local reforestation projects, guests sense the disconnect.

The most successful eco-hotels don’t just do the right thing-they make guests feel like they’re part of it. At a lodge in Costa Rica, guests can join a morning tour to plant native trees. For $15, they get a certificate with their name and GPS coordinates of the tree. That’s not a gimmick. It’s a memory.

The Future Is Already Here

By 2027, the UN expects 60% of all international travelers to choose accommodations with verified sustainability credentials. That’s not a prediction-it’s a shift in demand. Hotels that treat eco-friendly practices as optional are already falling behind. Those that build them into every decision-from the paint on the walls to the way they train staff-are seeing higher occupancy, better reviews, and stronger loyalty.

It’s no longer about being ‘green.’ It’s about being responsible. And travelers are voting with their wallets.

What You Can Do as a Traveler

If you’re planning your next trip and want to support real sustainability:

• Look for certifications: Green Key, EarthCheck, LEED, or B Corp. These require audits-not just a logo.
• Check the hotel’s website for annual impact reports. If they don’t publish them, ask.
• Ask questions: ‘Where does your food come from?’ ‘Do you use renewable energy?’ ‘How do you handle wastewater?’
• Support hotels that partner with local conservation groups. A resort that funds sea turtle patrols or protects coral reefs is doing more than just avoiding plastic.
• Leave reviews that mention sustainability. Your words matter more than you think.

Travel isn’t just about where you go. It’s about how you leave a place. The best eco-friendly hotels don’t just reduce harm-they restore. And travelers are choosing them because they know the difference.