How to Travel Green in 2025: Eco-Friendly Hotels and More

Your crew needs hotels for the project, but you don't want to trash the planet getting there. Most business travel destroys the environment faster than you can say "carbon footprint."

The good news? Eco-friendly hotels save you money while cutting emissions.

Here's everything you need to know about traveling green. From booking environmentally friendly stays to the top LEED-certified hotels your crew can book in 2025.

What Makes a Hotel Eco-Friendly?

Most hotels waste energy like there's no tomorrow. Lights on in empty rooms. AC blasting when no one's there. Laundry running 24/7.

Eco-friendly hotels cut the waste. They use less power, less water, and create less trash. But what makes a hotel "green" instead of just claiming it?

Cut Energy Use Without Breaking the Bank

The average U.S. hotel spends about $2,196 per room per year on energy costs. That's money that could go toward better rates for your team.

Eco-friendly hotels use:

• Solar panels or wind power
• LED lights that turn off when rooms are empty
• AC that adjusts when no one's there
• Energy-efficient appliances

Slash Water and Waste

The average hotel room uses up to 73,000 gallons of water every year. Hotel guests create about 2.5 pounds of waste per day.

Green hotels tackle both problems with low-flow toilets and showers that cut water usage without affecting pressure. Many collect rainwater for landscaping and non-drinking uses.

You'll find recycling bins in rooms and soap dispensers instead of tiny bottles that create plastic waste. Food donation programs redirect unused meals instead of sending them to landfills.

Other Practices Worth Noting

• Local food sourcing (cuts transport costs)
• On-site gardens for restaurants
• Chemical-free cleaning products
• Locally sourced building materials

Whether you're booking luxury accommodations or boutique hotels with green initiatives, these practices cut operating costs. Engine helps you find hotels that won't break your travel budget.

Cut Costs and Emissions With Smart Travel Practices

Booking a green hotel is step one. But you can cut emissions and costs during your whole trip.

Pick Low-Emission Transportation

Walk or bike short distances. Driving one mile in a gas car releases 404 grams of CO2. Walk to meetings within a mile.

Share rides with your team. Carpooling cuts fuel costs in half with two people. One car to the job site instead of four. Simple math.

Use public transit. Book hotels near buses, trains, or light rail. Public transportation saves the U.S. 11 million gallons of fuel daily.

Rent electric vehicles. Electric cars produce 60% less greenhouse gas than gas cars. If your travel budget allows it, rent an EV.

Maximize Hotel Room Efficiency

Reuse towels and sheets. Fresh towels every day waste water and energy. Ask the front desk to skip daily service.

Turn off everything when you leave. Switch off lights, turn off TV, set AC to energy-saving mode, unplug chargers.

Pack Smart to Save Money

Bring your own water bottle. Buying bottled water all day adds up. Four bottles daily means 1,460 plastic bottles per year.

Pack your own toiletries. Those tiny hotel bottles barely last one shower. Refill travel containers with products from home.

Bring reusable utensils. Skip plastic forks and straws. Americans throw away half a billion plastic straws every day.

Plan Flights and Trips Efficiently

Book direct flights. 16.6% of airplane fuel goes to takeoff, landing, and taxiing. Skip layovers.

Bundle trips. Hit multiple cities in one trip instead of separate flights. Chicago, Detroit, and Columbus in one week instead of three separate trips.

Use cruise control. KIA says cruise control can save 7–14% on fuel on highways.

For more cost-cutting strategies, check out our guides on business travel planning and managing business travel expenses.

Support Green Travel Without Breaking Budgets

Beyond individual choices, here's how companies can support green travel without breaking budgets:

When You Have Travel Policy Flexibility

Set preferred green hotel chains. Add "or LEED-certified equivalent" to existing hotel requirements.

Negotiate corporate rates with eco-certified properties. Many chains offer discounts for volume bookings.

Build location requirements into policy. Require hotels within 2 miles of meeting locations to cut transportation emissions.

When Your Budget Is Tight

Target efficiency over luxury. Green hotels often have lower operating costs, which can mean better corporate rates.

Bundle requirements with existing cost controls. Use the same approval processes, just add certification requirements.

Focus on major cities first. LEED-certified options are easier to find in business hubs like NYC, Chicago, and San Francisco.

For more ways to control travel costs, check our business travel software guide and travel expense management resources.

Find and Book Green Hotels for Your Team

Now that you know how to travel smart, here's how to find hotels that practice sustainability instead of just talking about it:

1. Look for Real Certifications

Some hotels just slap "green" on their website. Others earn third-party certifications that prove they walk the walk.

LEED Certification is the gold standard. LEED buildings use 26% less energy, emit 33% less carbon dioxide, use 30% less water, and send significantly less waste to landfills compared to regular buildings.

LEED has four levels:

• Certified: 40-49 points
• Silver: 50-59 points
• Gold: 60-79 points
• Platinum: 80+ points

Other legit certifications: Green Globe, Green Key Global, and Green Seal.

2. Ask Direct Questions

No certification? Call the hotel and ask specific questions:

• Do you use renewable energy?
• What's your waste reduction program?
• Do you source food locally?
• What water conservation measures do you have?

Listen for concrete answers, not vague "we care about the environment" responses.

3. Book Through Platforms That Show Green Options

Use booking tools that highlight sustainability. Engine committed to planting 250,000 trees through our One Tree Planted partnership. We hit that goal in December 2021.

Engine helps you score corporate hotel discounts while booking environmentally friendly stays that don't destroy your travel budget.

Book These Top Eco-Friendly Hotels for Your Crew in 2025

Ready to book? Here are specific properties across America. Some are industry-recognized leaders, others are solid certified options:

Industry Leaders: Ranked as Top Green Properties

Proximity Hotel, Greensboro, NC Voted #1 eco-friendly hotel by TripSavvy. First hotel in America to get LEED Platinum certification. Uses 39% less energy than regular hotels. Has 100 solar panels on the roof. Your crew gets complimentary bikes and locally-sourced food. Works for East Coast projects and conferences.

Inn By The Sea, Portland, ME Named a top 10 American Green Hotel by MSNBC and Forbes Traveler. LEED Silver certified. Runs on 100% renewable energy from Maine solar farms.

Solid LEED-Certified Options

h2hotel, Sonoma County, CA LEED Gold certified. Solar-heated pool, EV charging stations. Good for West Coast client meetings.

Hotel Terra Jackson Hole, WY LEED Silver certified. Near Grand Teton National Park. Recycled building materials, organic bedding. It has a ski valet and business center.

Bardessono, Napa Valley, CA LEED certified. Napa wine country location. Non-toxic construction, organic linens. Good for client entertainment.

Pro Tip: Call hotels directly and ask for corporate rates. Most work with business travel programs and offer discounts.

Regional Options with Green Programs

Major hotel chains like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt all have LEED-certified properties in major cities. Ask specifically about their green-certified locations when booking.

No need to overthink this. Pick one near your job site with real certification. Book it. Move on.

Start Saving on Green Travel Today

Green business travel isn't just good for the planet - it's good for your budget. LEED-certified hotels often cost less because they waste less energy. Walking to nearby meetings cuts taxi costs. Reusing towels and bringing your own water bottle eliminates daily expenses that add up across your whole crew.

Don't spend hours researching certifications and calling hotels individually. Engine's platform highlights green-certified properties alongside our corporate discount rates, so you can book sustainable stays without breaking your travel budget.

Ready to cut travel costs while going green? Explore Engine's eco-friendly hotel options and see how much your company can save on LEED-certified accommodations.

FAQs

Do Green Hotels Cost More Than Regular Hotels?

Not usually. Many eco-friendly hotels focus on efficiency over luxury amenities, which keeps costs down. Energy and water savings often translate to lower rates.

How Do I Verify a Hotel Is Eco-Friendly?

Look for third-party certifications like LEED, Green Key, EarthCheck, or Green Seal. Avoid hotels that just claim to be "green" without proof. Real sustainability has measurable results, not marketing fluff.

What's the Environmental Impact of Choosing Green Hotels?

LEED hotels use 26% less energy and 33% less water. They send 50-75% less waste to landfills. That's measurable impact across your whole crew's stays.

How Do I Find Green Hotels for My Team?

Use booking platforms that show certifications. Check hotel websites for environmental programs. Look for the certification logos we mentioned. Engine makes it easy to find green options while controlling costs.

Can My Company Travel Policy Require Eco-Friendly Hotels?

Yes. Work sustainability requirements into your travel policy without breaking budgets. Many companies already require green certifications for business travel.