Sustainable hospitality: redefining luxury as an experience, rejecting excess

Sustainability in hospitality has long been seen as a constraint, often perceived as incompatible with a high-end experience. Yet, as early as 2021, Hotel Tech Report noted that 81% of travellers sought hotels with sustainable practices - a demand that has only grown over the past six years and is now a major priority for leading hotel groups.

Indeed, according to the Global Sustainable Tourism Report 2023, hotels that implement sustainable practices have seen a 12% increase in overall revenue compared to their more traditional counterparts. Additionally, sustainability efforts contribute to lower operational costs by reducing energy, water (1,500 litres of water per day for a standard hotel room), and waste consumption.

Based on these observations, some prestigious hospitality groups have taken swift action to reduce their environmental footprint. Hilton, for example, conducted a survey in 2018 that revealed that 33% to 44% of its client segmentation considered a hotel’s social and environmental policies before booking a room. Fairmont is also making significant strides towards greater sustainability, notably with its Grand Hotel in Geneva, which has closed for two years to undergo an extensive eco-conscious renovation.

The trend is on the rise. Despite these efforts, however, luxury hotels with a truly comprehensive sustainable approach remain rare. Yet, a few pioneering properties scattered around the world are leading the way.

One example which stands out is Bambu Indah, the top-ranking property among the five Indonesian hotels that received the International Sustainability Award 2024. Ranked sixth globally in the Luxury Lifestyle Awards’ Top 100, this resort is entirely designed around its natural surroundings. Its natural pools are fed directly by spring water from a nearby river, subterranean caves allow guests to reconnect with the sound of flowing water, and a suspended platform above the forest offers space for yoga and meditation. The resort’s bungalows vary in design: some take the shape of traditional Javanese teak structures, while others, with more unexpected forms, are conceived by the IBUKU agency, renowned since 2010 for its innovative bamboo architecture.