Green hotels follow strict green guidelines to ensure that their guests are staying in a safe, non-toxic and energy-efficient accommodation. Here are some basic characteristics of a green hotel:
Housekeeping uses non-toxic cleaning agents and laundry detergent
100% organic cotton sheets, towels and mattresses
Non-smoking environment
Renewable energy sources like solar or wind energy
Bulk organic soap and amenities instead of individual packages to reduce waste
Guest room and hotel lobby recycling bins
Towel and sheet re-use (guests can tell housekeeping to leave these slightly used items to reduce water consumption)
Energy-efficient lighting
On-site transportation with green vehicles
Serve organic and local-grown food
Non-disposable dishes
Offers a fresh-air exchange system
Grey-water recycling, which is the reuse of kitchen, bath and laundry water for garden and landscaping
Newspaper recycling program