‘Stone Tent’ Offers New Green Camping Option in UK

They're cheaper than a backpacker hostel, but more comfortable than a night under canvas - 'stone tents', as they're known by visitors to the UK's Lake District National Park in north west England, are simply converted stone barns, and the latest to open has been converted with sustainability in mind.

The Lakeland Camping Network own twelve camping barns in Cumbria, most offering hot water, flushing toilets and a kitchen area - little luxuries that traditional camping can't provide, and all for as little as $14 per person, per night. The latest addition to this network is Wythmoor, a barn in an environmentally sensitive area, north east of the town of Kendal. The 19th century barn features solar panels to provide hot water, underfloor heating via a ground source heat pump, and electricity generated from a wind turbine.

Most of the barns in the network are close to long-distance hiking and cycling paths, and to make navigation simpler, the organization has also compiled a series of circular barn-to-barn walking and cycling routes, enabling guests to stay at a different barn each night without using a car or public transport.

The walks, which are based around central Lakeland within the National Park, range from around 6 miles up to 10 miles per day and take in high ridges, cairns, tarns and river valleys all offering spectacular Lakeland views which can never be reached just by driving.

lakelandcampingbarns.co.uk

Irish B&B Opens Chip-fat Sauna

Fast food restaurants and the environment often don’t mix, but with enterprising drivers filling their cars up on old veggie oil many restaurants can now claim a green side – and in Ireland the Glenribeen Lodge, a small bed and breakfast in County Waterford, has found another way of making use of waste oil from local restaurants, by fueling their sauna with the oil.

The lodge already operates a small home-made-windmill, solar powered water heaters and a feed their guests using organic vegetables grown in the garden, and have now built the waste-oil burner to heat the self-catering-apartment, the furniture-workshop and the sauna. The sauna and rooms are continually heated via the under-floor heating and infra red lamps that are charged via a hydro-system built into a stream that runs by the property.

To make the most of their eco-friendly fuel, the lodge has also been super-insulated, with the result that the oil tank, which used to have to be filled every six weeks, now only needs to be filled three times every two years.

bandbwaterford.com

Water Shortage to Spark Recycled Hotel Boom

Why build new when you can convert? It's this enterprising thought that has resulted in castles, lighthouses and even old airplanes being transformed into hotels, and with the recent water shortages in southern USA, hundreds of water towers could soon be made redundant, and perhaps recycled as hotels. This wouldn't be anything new, however, as some of the world's most impressive looking hotels have been crafted from water towers; here's our guide to some of the most unique.

La Auberge hotel - Uruguay

L'Auberge, towering up over the town of Punta del Este on the Uruguayan coast, is the centrepiece of a luxury resort where you have lunch in a mock-Tudor tea room, listen to a piano recital, and take a room in the tower for only $120 a night. The rooms in the water tower are one per floor and small in size, but offer some great sea views.

laubergehotel.com

Movenpick hotel - Hamburg

This vast tower is now one of Hamburg's most unique hotels and boasts 226 curved rooms. The elevators rise up the central shaft with the rooms circled around in pie chart shaped wedges - and with windows stretching all the way along the exterior walls, many of the rooms have great panoramic views over the city. And as a reminder of the hotel's previous use, you'll be greeted with the sounds of dripping water when they arrive in the lobby.

moevenpick-hotels.com

De Koperen Hoogte - Holland

This Dutch watertower has been a landmark since the 1930's, and is now a four star hotel with 16 rooms and two suites. The designer, Hennie van der Most, is also responsible for some of Europe's most unusual recycled hotels, including Kernwasser Wunderland (a former nuclear power-station in Germany), and Speelstad Oranje (a former potato factory in Holland's Oranje region).

dekoperenhoogte.nl

Greenwood Pier Inn - Elk, California

A cottage, lighthouse and watertower all house rooms in this small Californian hotel. The small watertower here has been converted into a three level room with private bath, fireplaces and an outdoor deck; and clamber up into the loft space for some great views over the Pacific Ocean.

greenwoodpierinn.com

China's First Carbon Neutral Hotel Now Open

China may be the fastest growing emitter of greenhouse gases, but the green movement is gaining momentum too, especially in the tourism industry, and this month the country's first carbon neutral hotel opened in Shanghai.

The 26 room Urbn hotel (and that's not a typo) makes use of a converted 1970's post office building, reclaimed Shanghai hardwoods and brick, energy efficient appliances, and also features a green wall and atrium. The hotel will also purchase carbon credits to offset the energy use of the building, including staff commutes and food delivery.

Urbn is firmly targeting the boutique hotel market, however, and at around $220 is unlikely to attract any backpackers; but guests with extra cash to splash can choose to offset the carbon emissions from their travel to the hotel, and also take part in localized activities such as tai chi and yoga classes, bike tours, and basic Mandarin Chinese lessons.

The American duo who own the hotel are also aiming to expand the chain throughout China, and are currently negotiating on sites in Beijing, Hangzhou, Dalian, and Suzhou, and like the Shanghai hotel, they plan to renovate existing structures rather than build new and maintain a green policy in all future hotels.

UK's newest eco-hostel opens in National Forest

The National Forest project began in 1990, with the aim of reforesting a large swathe of Midlands countryside in order to lock up carbon and create a new recreation area.

The project still has at least 15 years before it is completed, but the Forest has already become popular with hikers, cyclists, horse riders and even survival skills students - and on Friday (14 December) the Forest's first backpacker hostel will be opened.

The YHA hostel, in fitting with its surroundings, has plenty of eco-friendly features, including a wood-chip boiler which uses sustainable wood chips sourced locally in the Forest, solar hot water heating, natural air conditioning and greywater collection. Guests at the hostel won't be roughing it though, as it has been built to a four star hostel standard - all the two, three and four bed rooms are en suite, and the hostel boasts a coffee bar, games room, and bar and restaurant serving local food. Rates, however, are still are bargain rate, only around $30 a night.

The new hostel is part of a $20 million building program by YHA, which also includes refurbishing hostels in Bath, Manchester and Oxford, and the opening of the YHA London Central in Westminster in January 2008 - although there is no information yet on whether these hostels will have any green features.

yha.org.uk

N.Carolina Hotel Aims To Be US' Greenest

Greensboro, North Carolina may not be top of the list of must-see US destinations for travelers, but it may soon rank high for anyone seeking a state-of-the-art green hotel - earlier this month the 147 room Proximity Hotel opened its doors, and with a stack of green features, it's hoping to become the first LEED Platinum certified hotel in the US.

The hotel has been designed to use a third less energy than a conventional hotel and features solar panels for hot water, geothermal energy for the restaurant’s refrigeration equipment and low-energy elevators, which generates electricity as it descends.

The majority of the materials used during the build are also eco-friendly, from recycled steel used for the structure, through to organic paints and salvaged wood used to make furniture.

The hotel designers have also extended their green approach outside the hotel. Guests will be able to borrow bikes to use on a nearby five mile greenway, 700 feet of stream near the hotel was restored by replanting vegetation and rebuilding banks - and in 2008, the hotel will complete the construction of a green roof on the hotel restaurant.

Along with an outdoor swimming pool and digital TVs in the rooms, Greensboro suddenly seems quite appealing, maybe its time we check out North Carolina.

proximityhotel.com

Caribbean Island Eco-resort Planned For 2009

Plans were revealed this week for a new, off-the-grid, eco-resort on Star Island in the Bahamas, and although it won’t offer any budget accommodation, it does aim to provide sustainable tourism inspiration for the travel industry.

The resort, expected to open in 2009, will provide five star lodging with pools, spas, restaurants and a marina – yet the resort is also being designed to be green in all areas.

Building materials will include cold-formed steel, which is made from recycled metals, and make use of local materials; water will be provided by rainwater harvesting and purification systems, organic food will be served in the restaurants and even the bed sheets will be made from bamboo fabrics.

The resort, when it is completed, will also be entirely energy self-sufficient, with power coming from solar, wind and micro-hydro generators.

According to the architect, David Sklar, the project will also aim to be to an environment for testing and demonstrating the latest eco-friendly technologies, materials and practices, which could benefit the travel industry as a whole.

starislandbahamas.com

Rezhub.com Launch Green Travel Booking Site

With the recent boom in interest in green travel it's no surprise that travel agents are keen to get in on the market, and one booking agent, rezhub.com, has now launched a dedicated green travel booking portal.

The site gives travelers the option to book a stay at green hotels across the US, book hybrid cars from car hire companies and offset the carbon from their flights when they book. Rezhub.com also donate a portion of their profits to green organizations and charities such as the World Wildlife Fund.

Rather than focusing on eco-lodges, however, the site's hotels are all city based - and that's where the problem lies. There are so few genuinely green city hotels presently, that rezhub.com has seemingly also labeled hotels as green for not using disposable cutlery or a 'Fresh-Air Exchange System', which could mean the hotel opens windows occasionally.

Rezhub's green portal is a nice idea but lacks execution - or any budget hostel options, but it probably won't be long before sites such as expedia or hostelbookers do offer a dedicated green accommodation section.

greentravelhub.com

The Top Eco-friendly Hostels

Luxury eco-hotels are appearing across the world, many with green spas and rooms filled with organic bath goodies - but if you're travelling on a budget and just want the basics there are a few options too. Here's a few of our favorite eco-friendly hostels from around the globe:

Das Park Hotel, Ottensheim - Austria

Pod hotels are becoming a popular trend across the world, but the unique Das Park Hotel is the first to offer pod rooms in concrete drainage pipes. Each recycled pipe has room for a double bed and bedside table, and has a small window, and showers and toilets are available in nearby public facilities in the park. Guests are given a door code when they book online, and pay the amount they think the stay was worth when they leave.

Book rooms at Das Park Hotel

---

Lova Lava Land Eco-Resort, Big Island - Hawaii

Budget accommodation in Hawaii does exist and at this imaginative hostel, built on an old lava field, guests can either stay in a rather luxurious yurt, or one of several old VW camper vans, converted to become twin rooms. Guests also share a communal kitchen, a compost toilet and an outdoor lava rock shower.

Book rooms at Lova Lava Land Eco-Resort

---

Eco Beach YHA, Apollo Bay - Australia

Apollo Bay, a popular stop for surfers on the Great ocean Way, is home to this solar powered hostel, which opened in 2005. The hostel was designed for low-energy use and the large kitchen also has a bread maker and organic herbs straight from the garden available for its guests. Beds are available in four bed dorms, singles, twins and doubles.

Book rooms at Eco Beach YHA

Read more...

---

Reykjavik City Hostel, Reykjavik - Iceland

The Reykjavik City Hostel is the proud owner of a Swan - a Nordic eco-branding that can be given to everything green from accommodation to washing up liquid. As well as adhering to its own green policies the hostel actively encourages guests to reduce waste and energy consumtion. The hostel also offers a wide range of nature tours and is next door to one of Reykjavik's largest geothermal swimming holes. Guests can stay in twins, doubles or six bed dorms.

Book rooms at Reykjavik City Hostel

---

Hostel One66, Singapore - Singapore

The unusual Hostel One66, located in a residential area of Singapore, is known locally as the rag and bone hostel - due to its bizarre range of recycled furniture, which includes seats made from old jerry cans and mini-lockers crafted from plastic piping. Guests can stay in a ten bed dorm or a twin room, and the owners also offer free guided nature walks in nearby reserves such as the unbelievably humid Bukit Timah nature reserve.

Book rooms at Hostel One66

---

The Omagh Hostel, Omagh - Northern Ireland

This small, family hostel, three miles from the centre of Omagh, uses green electricty, bio-mass boilers and recycles or composts everything it can. Guests can stay in dorms, doubles or singles and the owners are also WOOF hosts, if you wish to work on their organic farm in return for your food and board.

Book rooms at The Omagh Hostel

The Rise Of Urban Green Hotels

Fully stocked mini bar, trouser press, complimentary shampoo – all standard features for many city hotels, but for those of us who don’t care if our jeans have a crease there’s often little to choose from between urban hotels – but that could soon be about to change.

The green hotel industry, once the preserve of rainforest eco-lodges and countryside yurt retreats, is beginning to creep into towns and cities across the globe, with hotels introducing plans that range from four minute shower timers for guests staying in areas with water shortages, to offering discount rates for drivers of hybrid cars.

It’s not all about saving the environment, of course. Several recent surveys have suggested that holiday-makers would be willing to pay more to stay in a green hotel, and hotels which try something new stand to gain an edge on the competition.

According to Alastair Sawday, owner of Special Places to Stay guidebooks, “To stay in a hotel that makes imaginative efforts to reduce its impact on the environment is like meeting an interesting and worthwhile fellow-traveller." Claims Alastair Sawday, owner of Special Places to Stay guidebooks, "who would choose to swim in an oil-heated pool if there was a solar-heated alternative?” To eat imported food if the local food was equally delicious? Each of those alternatives, when chosen, adds something special to a holiday.”

The increased demand for green accommodation has also triggered a rise in popularity for green hotel ratings, which reward properties for their environmental practices rather than whether they boast Egyptian cotton sheets and fresh pineapple at the breakfast buffet.

In Canada, for instance, hotels can apply for a Green Key rating, with five keys given to the most eco-friendly properties. Over 500 hotels have already signed up for the Green Key scheme with 700 more expected to join by the end of the year.

Read more...

“Our Green Key program is becoming a standard across Canada,” says Anthony Pollard, president of the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC). “After running the program for 10 years, it is now taking off like gangbusters.”

To achieve a Green Key rating, hotels must excel in areas such as energy management, water conservation, waste management, air quality and community involvement.

Similar schemes are in place across the world. In Wales, for instance, hotel owners can apply for a Green Dragon rating, in central America eco-friendly hotels are awarded with up to five Green Leaves, and the Green Globe scheme operates in over 50 countries.

Although many top rated green hotels are currently located in wilderness locations, there are plans for new eco-friendly city hotels across the world. Geothermal heating and cooling systems will be used in the ALT hotel in Montreal and the boutique Greenhouse 26 in New York, and the hotel chain Starwood will introduce the new eco-friendly hotel brand, Aloft, in 2008.

Aloft hotels, which will open in cities including Beijing, Sydney, Mumbai and Toronto will feature materials such as recycled teak, will offer hybrid only parking zones and grassy back yard areas and will make use of eco-friendly detergents in the laundries and swimming pools.

It may be some time before green ratings become an industry standard, but as long as consumer demand for green accommodation remains, it won’t be long before you can choose to stay at a city hotel with organic cotton sheets and offers FairTrade pineapple at the breakfast buffet.

New Irish hostel shows touch of green

Ireland's newest backpackers, the 5 star Errigal Hostel in Donegal, opened it doors for the first time this week.

The 60 bed hostel, which lies at the foot of Errigal Mountain, was purpose built as a backpackers and as well as a shiny new restaurant, self-catering kitchen and common room, it offers the choice of twin, four bed and six bed rooms - all with views over the intriguingly named, but apparently beautiful, Poisoned Glen.

The glen, legend has it, is home to a ghost named 'the green lady', so perhaps it's apt that Errigal Hostel has several green features. A wood-pellet boiler provides all the heating and hot water, movement sensors trigger the lights - which means lights automatically switch off if the room isn't in use, and the hostel will be recycling or composting any waste it produces.

Errigal, which is part of An Óige - the Irish Youth Hostel network, is only 10 minutes away from the Glenveagh National Park and ten minutes away from the nearest beach, but most importantly, only five minutes away from the local pub.

Errigal at Hostelworld

Visit Wales to launch yurt accreditation scheme

Visitors to Wales could soon be able to choose to stay in five star yurts and caravans thanks to a new accreditation scheme being launched by Visit Wales.

The tourism body, which currently grades accommodation including boutique hotels, hostels and B&B’s, are developing a new inspection scheme to cover the many popular alternative accommodation options in Wales.

Visit Wales said: “Wales certainly provides enough variety when it comes to places to stay; there are all sorts of unusual places to put your head down for the night, tepees, Romany caravans even wigwams are now hot favourites with visitors looking for something a little out of the ordinary.”

The scheme is likely to give alternative accomodation a one to five star rating, similar to the current hotel grading scheme, but is unlikely to launch until next year at the earliest.

visitwales.com