The 10 Most Sustainable Hotels in Thailand
For an Ethical and Sustainable Stay in Thailand.
A Sustainability Ranking in partnership with ETIC Hotels
You’re planning a trip to Thailand and you’re trying to be as ethical and sustainable as possible?
niood lists you the 10 most sustainable hotels in Thailand:
1. Soneva Kiri
Ko Kood, Thailand
From $1,200 per night
ETIC Hotels Green Score: 9.5/10
What makes Soneva Kiri sustainable?
Soneva Kiri supported Restaurant Against Hunger since 2010 and donates US$0.50 of each main dish goes to projects that help fight malnutrition. By 2018, we have supported thousands of children suffering from malnutrition.
WWW’s objective is to raise money to finance the provision of safe water to people who do not have access to an improved water supply. Soneva Kiri has banned imported water and produces its own mineralized drinking water in reusable glass bottles.
Soneva Kiri set up a coral nursery in 2011 where branching corals grows.
2. The Sarojin
Phang-nga, Thailand
From $200 per night
ETIC Hotels Green Score: 9.5/10
What makes The Sarojin sustainable?
While plastic has many valuable uses, it’s no secret that the extent we rely on single-use and disposable items causes severe environmental consequences. According to research done by the UN, one million plastic bottles are being purchased every minute around the world – resulting in major pollution of our planet and oceans. With this in mind, we set out to reduce the plastic waste we produce at The Sarojin. From small changes such as replacing plastic straws with sustainable lemon grass alternatives to investing $50,000 in a brand-new on-site water bottling plant – we’re constantly looking for new and innovative ways to help the environment.
The bottling plant has been in operation since October 2019 and upon arrival, all of our guests are given refillable glass bottles in their room with water from our on-site plant. We’ve already seen fantastic results from this initiative and we estimate that we could reduce plastic waste by up to 120,000 bottles per year with our new plant. In a time when every little really does help, we’re really proud to have been able to introduce this for our guests.
3. Bangkok Treehouse
Bangkok, Thailand
From $110 per night
ETIC Hotels Green Score: 9.5/10
What makes Bangkok Treehouse sustainable?
Its sustainability features are endless, including LED lighting powered by solar and wind energy, solar cookers, rainwater harvesting, floors, as well as walls and ceilings built from reclaimed wood and bamboo and insulated with discarded juice cartons.
Despite the rustic feel of the space, the hotel does offer all the tech-friendly amenities-computers, free wireless access and other common appliances. The LED-lit rooms are named after and decorated with different types of insects, which is meant to reflect the owner’s deep appreciation for nature. The hotel’s dedication to supporting eco-friendly causes is demonstrated by the fact that The Tree House has pledged to remove a kilo of trash from the Chao Phraya River for each of its bookings.
4. Keemala Phuket
Phuket, Kamala Beach, Thailand
From $1,200 per night
ETIC Hotels Green Score: 9.5/10
What makes Keemala Phuket sustainable?
A large part of our overall brand and design concept is respect for the environment and to cultivate practices that have less impact for our planet overall. Wherever possible and continually we are seeking to use techniques to lessen our carbon footprint through the following best practices:
- Every villa has its own water treatment system. The quality of the treated water that is released back to the environment is in line or even exceeds the government standard.
- To ensure the quality of the treated water, it is analyzed in a laboratory monthly.
- The efficiency of water heating system is carefully selected to reduce electrical energy loss.
- Methane that is released from the waste management system is directed into the ground to reduce ‘greenhouse effect’ that the gas would have released into the air.
- Waste and rubbish is classified and treated efficiently including recycling and other methods.
- Water circulation of the natural water stream, pond and other water resources is implemented to increase level of oxygen.
- Greywater is reused to water the gardens and landscape.
- We’ve reduced usage of natural materials, for example wood, by using environmental friendly synthetic material instead to help prevent further deforestation and other environmental impact including release of CO2 as a result of materials transportation.
- In an effort to reduce plastic waste, only glass-bottled water is provided in the villas, paper straws are used instead of plastic straws, and as much as possible packaging for toiletries are made of cloth materials and recycled paper.
- The design has been carefully considered to protect existing ecosystem. Contours, soil, trees and natural water resources are kept either in their original form or have been utilised with minimal change.
5. Rabeang Pasak Treehouse Resort
Chiang Mai, Ban Pa Sak, Thailand
From $80 per night
ETIC Hotels Green Score: 9.5/10
What makes Rabeang Pasak Treehouse sustainable?
Showers are predominantly open-air, Bedroom windows are netted, and there is no air conditioning.
6. Zeavola Resort
Krabi, Thailand
From $130 per night
ETIC Hotels Green Score: 9.5/10
What makes Zeavola Resort sustainable?
Our environmental sustainability objectives aim to:
- Reduce energy consumption through the implementation of energy efficient devices in all aspects of the operation
- Reduce wastewater consumption by improving on the education of consumption, and improve on wastewater treatments throughout the resort
- Not using any saline water directly from the sea or introducing any overflow water directly back into the sea
- To continue to improve on the reduction of single use packaging for products used within the hotel, particularly non-biodegradable products
- To continue to recycle materials where possible
- A composting cycle is introduced so that all organic waste will be re-purposed as a rich fertiliser for the plants and trees on the resort
- 100% of all possible trimmings of plants are to be shredded, mulched and used as jungle plant food, eliminating the need for incinerating rubbish
7. The Tongsai Bay Hotel
Surat Thani, Thailand
From $300 per night
ETIC Hotels Green Score: 9.5/10
What makes Tongsai Bay Hotel sustainable?
The Tongsai Bay is a Green Leaf accredited Resort that employs a full time Green Projects Manager – Khun Jul who trains, educates and develops the Tongsai Bay’s systems or processes for environmental protection.
His key areas are focused on:
- Conservation of Animals and Plants
- Garbage Management/Recycling
- In house production of Effective Micro-organism liquid (EM) and minimization of chemical useage
- Energy saving (water, electricity, oil and gas)
- The Education of Environmental Awareness both within Tongsai Bay and beyond
- Participation of Community Services
- Less-harmful washing detergent for kitchen and laundry, i.e. ECOLAB product
8. The Hideout
Phang-nga, Thailand
From $150 per night
ETIC Hotels Green Score: 9.5/10
What makes The Hideout Phang-nga sustainable?
- Plastic-Free
- WI-FI-Free
- Electricity-Free
- Cooking Classes
- Wellness Packages & Retreats
- Excursions
- Solar-filtered Salt Water Infinity Pool
9. TreeHouse Villas, Tambon Ko Yao Noi
Ko Yao District, Thailand
From $500 per night
ETIC Hotels Green Score: 9.5/10
What makes TreeHouse Villas Tambon Ko Yao Noi sustainable?
ECOLOGICAL STANDARDS AND ACCOLADES
1) Travelife Gold Award: Travelife is an internationally recognised accommodation sustainability programme. Their Gold Certification is awarded to Travelife members that continue to meet their standards in the areas of human rights, labour, community engagement and environmental impact.
1) Travelife Gold Award: Travelife is an internationally recognised accommodation sustainability programme. Their Gold Certification is awarded to Travelife members that continue to meet their standards in the areas of human rights, labour, community engagement and environmental impact.
2) Tui Environmental Champion: Another international recognised award for hotels that work particularly hard to protect the environment and exercise their social responsibility
3) Green Hotel Award (Silver Class): A Thailand award from the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for hotels that meet the standards of resource and energy consumption.
10. River Kwai Jungle Rafts
Kanchanaburi, Thailand
From $80 per night
ETIC Hotels Green Score: 9.5/10
What makes River Kwai Jungle Rafts sustainable?
It is our lasting philosophy that we care about sustainable environment. We conserve the environment by setting a septic tank under each room to avoid dumping the waste directly into the river. This type of Sewage treatment effectively helps to decompose or minimalize the waste. All woods used to form rafts, moreover, are woods from dead trees. We choose not to cut down living trees. What we want is to grow with the nature surrounding. The more we conserve, the more beautiful jungle we have.
Moreover, at River Kwai Jungle Rafts we believe in conserving the local culture, but at the same time we want to improve their standard of living and give them education. River Kwai Jungle Rafts resort therefore support Mon community by building Mon cultural temple, Mon Chedi, accommodations, Mon school & playground, drinking water hygienization, proper waste management and helping them fix houses and eradicate malaria from the area.
We offer jobs to locals and also education.
