Sustainable Hotels

Eco Friendly Hotels in Denmark in 2024

TravelGreen.dk contains hotels with environmental certifications. CO2 neutral is labelled with

Zealand and Islands

Absalon Hotel
Helgolandsgade 15, 1653 København V
smalldanishhotels.dk/absalon-hotel
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,5
See Reviews
Hotel Hebron
Helgolandsgade 4, 1653 København V
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-hebron
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,0
See Reviews
Hotel Hillerød
Milnersvej 41, 3400 Hillerød
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-hillerød
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
3,5
See Reviews
Marienlyst Strandhotel
Nordre Strandvej 2A, 3000 Helsingør
smalldanishhotels.dk/marienlyst-strandhotel
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,0
See Reviews
Skjalm Hvide Hotel
Bygaden 1, 3550 Slangerup
smalldanishhotels.dk/skjalm-hvide-hotel
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,0
See Reviews
Skovshoved Hotel
Strandvejen 267, 2920 Charlottenlund
smalldanishhotels.dk/skovshoved-hotel
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,0
See Reviews

Funen and Islands

Fjelsted Skov Hotel & Konference
Store Landevej 92, 5592 Ejby
smalldanishhotels.dk/fjelsted_skov_hotel
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,5
See Reviews
Frederik VI’s Hotel
Rugårdsvej 590, 5210 Odense
smalldanishhotels.dk/frederik-vi-hotel
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,0
See Reviews
Hotel Faaborg Fjord
Svendborgvej 175, 5600 Faaborg
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-faaborg-fjord
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,0
See Reviews
Hotel Knudsens Gaard
Hunderupgade 2, 5230 Odense M
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-knudsens-gaard
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,0
See Reviews
Tornøes Hotel
Strandgade 2, 5300 Kerteminde
smalldanishhotels.dk/tornøes-hotel
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,5
See Reviews

Jutland

Aarhus Hostel og Hotel
Beringvej 1, 8361 Hasselager
aarhushostel.dk
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,5
See Reviews
Fjordgaarden
Vester Kær 28, 6950 Ringkøbing
smalldanishhotels.dk/fjordgaarden
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,0
See Reviews
Herning City Hotel
Skolegade 1, 7400 Herning
smalldanishhotels.dk/herning-city-hotel
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,0
See Reviews
Hotel Eyde
Mindegade 1, 7400 Herning
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-eyde
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,5
See Reviews
Hotel Fredericia
Vestre Ringvej 96, 7000 Fredericia
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-fredericia
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,0
See Reviews
Hotel Jutlandia
Havnepladsen 1, 9900 Frederikshavn
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-jutlandia
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
3,5
See Reviews
Hotel Oasia Aarhus
Kriegersvej 27, 8000 Aarhus C
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-oasia-aarhus
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,5
See Reviews
Hotel Phønix Hjørring
Jernbanegade 6, 9800 Hjørring
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-phønix-hjørring
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
3,5
See Reviews
Hotel Randers
Torvegade 11, 8900 Randers
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-randers
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,5
See Reviews
Hotel Sønderborg Strand
Strandvej 1, 6400 Sønderborg
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-sønderborg-strand
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
3,5
See Reviews
Hotel Thinggaard
Jernbanegade 5, 7760 Hurup Thy
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-thinggaard
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,5
See Reviews
Hotel Vejlefjord
Sanatorievej 26, 7140 Stouby
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-vejlefjord
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,0
See Reviews
Kompas Hotel Aalborg
Østerbro 27, 9000 Aalborg
smalldanishhotels.dk/kompas-hotel-aalborg
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,5
See Reviews
Montra Hotel Sabro Kro
Viborgvej 780, 8471 Sabro
smalldanishhotels.dk/montra-hotel-sabro-kro
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,5
See Reviews
Torvehallerne
Fiskergade 2-8, 7100 Vejle
smalldanishhotels.dk/torvehallerne
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
3,5
See Reviews

Bornholm

Hotel Allinge
Storegade 3, 3770 Allinge
smalldanishhotels.dk/hotel-allinge
Certification
Green Key
Tripadvisor
4,0
See Reviews

Guide to Sustainable Hotels

Guide to sustainable hotel accommodation. We’ve compiled a wide range of green tips and advice, whether you’re staying in a hotel in Denmark or abroad.

Guide to: Sustainable Hotel AccommodationWhat Is a Sustainable Hotel?

Guide til bæredygtige hoteller

Guide til bæredygtig hotelovernatning. Vi har samlet en lang række grønne råd og tips, hvad enten du skal på hotel i Danmark eller udlandet.

Guide to:
Sustainable Hotel Accommodation
What Is a Sustainable Hotel?

Sustainable Hotel Accommodation

When you choose to stay at a hotel, you have a unique opportunity to make a difference to the environment through your daily choices and behaviour. Every action, big or small, contributes to a more sustainable future. In this section, we will explore a number of simple yet effective steps you can take to make your hotel stay more environmentally friendly.

Reduce Your Energy Consumption

When staying in a hotel, there are several effective ways to minimise your energy consumption and thus contribute to both environmental protection and cost reduction for the hotel. A basic but often overlooked action is to switch off lights, TVs, air conditioning and other electrical appliances when not in use. Although it may seem like a small action, this simple habit can significantly reduce energy consumption, especially when you think about it in a larger perspective with many hotel guests.

Another way to save energy is to utilise natural light instead of artificial lighting where possible. Opening the curtains during the day can reduce the need for indoor light while improving the room’s atmosphere with daylight. This is not only energy efficient, but can also have a positive effect on your well-being during your stay.

You can also take steps to minimise your energy consumption when using air conditioning and heating. It is recommended to set the thermostat to a moderate temperature. A setting of around 20-22 degrees in winter to heat the room and 24-26 degrees in summer to cool it down can create a comfortable room temperature without over-consuming energy. It’s also important to ensure that windows and doors are tightly closed when heating or cooling is in use to avoid wasting energy.

Many hotels also offer a programme where guests can choose to reuse towels and bedding instead of having them laundered daily. By signing up for these programmes, you reduce the water and energy used for washing and drying, which is a significant part of the hotel’s overall energy consumption.

Minimise Your Water Consumption

One simple action you can take to minimise your water consumption is to take shorter showers. By reducing your shower time, even by just a few minutes, you can save significant amounts of water. If your hotel offers a ‘green button’ or similar settings on the shower that limit the water flow, you may also want to take advantage of these. Another important detail you can implement is to switch off the water while you soap up and wash your hair. This can also help save several litres of water.

The same principle applies when brushing your teeth or shaving. Switch off the water while you’re brushing or shaving. These may seem like small changes, but if each guest practises these actions, it can result in a big reduction in water consumption overall.

You can also choose to reuse your towels and ask that bed linen is not changed every day unless necessary. Most hotels have programmes that encourage guests to hang up their towels if they are willing to use them again. This not only reduces water consumption from washing, but also saves on energy consumption and detergent use.

By taking these small steps, you as a hotel guest can play an active role in reducing water consumption and supporting the hotel’s sustainability initiatives. These habits are not only useful at the hotel, but can also be implemented in daily life at home.

Reduce Your Waste

An effective way to start is to reduce the amount of disposable products you use. For example, you can bring your own toiletries such as toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo and soap in refillable containers instead of using the small disposable products often offered in hotel rooms.

You should also bring a reusable water bottle that you can refill again and again instead of using the plastic water bottles that hotels typically provide. Many hotels have water dispensers available, making it easy to refill your bottle without generating unnecessary waste from disposable bottles.

When it comes to food, you can also take steps to minimise your waste by avoiding ordering more food than you can eat and by bringing or requesting reusable containers for any leftovers.

Another way to help is to utilise your hotel’s recycling options. Many hotels now offer clearly marked recycling centres where you can sort paper, plastic and other recyclable materials. By making use of these facilities, you ensure that waste is handled correctly and has a chance of being reused or recycled, rather than simply ending up in a landfill.

By making these conscious choices, you as a hotel guest can play an important role in minimising waste and promoting sustainability during your stay. These practices are not only good for the environment, but can also enhance your overall travel experience by giving you a sense of responsibility and contribution to a greener planet.

What Is a Sustainable Hotel?

As environmental awareness grows globally, the concept of sustainability is becoming increasingly prominent in all industries, including the hotel industry. A sustainable hotel is an accommodation that takes active steps towards minimising its negative impact on the environment while maintaining high standards of hospitality and comfort. This often involves implementing energy-efficient technologies, utilising renewable energy sources, water conservation, advanced waste management and responsible purchasing policies.

Sustainability Principles in The Hotel Industry

In this section, we will explore the basic sustainability principles that modern hotels are implementing to promote more responsible operations. These initiatives illustrate how sustainability can be integrated into everyday operations and create value for both the business and society.

Energy Consumption

The energy consumption of hotels is a significant part of their environmental impact and there is a strong focus on finding sustainable solutions to reduce this consumption. Traditionally, hotels are energy-intensive operations, requiring continuous operation of lighting, heating, air conditioning, water heaters and kitchen facilities. To address these challenges, sustainable hotels have taken steps towards implementing a range of energy-efficient technologies and strategies. A key initiative is the installation of LED lighting, which not only significantly reduces energy consumption compared to traditional light sources, but also has a longer lifespan, further minimising waste.

Furthermore, more and more hotels are adopting advanced energy management systems that automatically adjust lighting and temperature based on room utilisation. This can include motion sensors that switch off lights and adjust the air conditioning when a room is not in use. Similarly, many hotels are now using programmable thermostats and upgraded HVAC systems that can adapt to both external weather conditions and internal demands, resulting in significant energy savings.

To reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, some hotels are also investing in renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind turbines. These technologies can sometimes even produce more energy than the hotel consumes, allowing them to send excess energy back to the grid, further contributing to their sustainable profile. Another innovative step is the use of heat recovery systems, which recycle heat from, for example, kitchen equipment and laundry facilities to heat water, saving both energy and costs.

These improvements in energy efficiency not only help reduce the environmental impact of hotels, but they can also lead to significant cost savings in operations, making them a win-win situation for both the environment and the business model. These actions demonstrate the potential of the hotel industry to be at the forefront of environmental responsibility and serve as a model for other industries looking to reduce their energy consumption and promote sustainability.

Water Management

Water management is another crucial dimension of sustainability in the hospitality industry, where innovative methods are used to optimise usage and minimise waste. Hotels consume significant amounts of water for daily activities such as cleaning, laundry, swimming pools and garden irrigation, making it essential to implement efficient water-saving solutions. Central to this effort is the installation of water-saving fixtures, such as low-flush toilets, faucet aerators that reduce water flow without compromising the user experience, and low-flow showers that can significantly cut water consumption in guest rooms.

In addition, many hotels use advanced water recycling systems that allow them to reuse grey water – wastewater from washing machines, sinks and showers – for secondary purposes like toilet flushing and watering gardens. Some hotels go even further by installing rainwater harvesting systems that collect and store rainwater for use in the hotel’s landscaping and other non-potable water needs, further reducing their dependence on local water resources.

To address water management more comprehensively, some hotels are also implementing sophisticated water management systems that monitor and control water usage in real time. These systems can identify leaks or excessive usage, enabling quick intervention to correct these issues, often before they lead to major water waste. By combining such technological solutions with a strong water conservation policy, hotels ensure that they comply with local regulations and sustainability standards.

These water saving initiatives are essential to building and maintaining a sustainable operation that respects and protects the environment. By focusing on both reducing consumption and recycling resources, hotels can not only reduce their ecological footprint, but also achieve significant financial savings in the form of reduced water bills, making sustainable water management an integral part of the modern hotel industry’s future.

Waste Management

Waste management in the hospitality industry is an essential aspect of sustainability efforts as it directly impacts the environment and the hotel’s operating costs. Effective waste management in hotels requires a carefully planned waste sorting, recycling and reduction system, which often starts with a thorough evaluation of waste streams to identify what materials are generated and how best to manage them. Hotels generate a wide range of waste types, including food waste, packaging, electronic waste and consumables from guest rooms, requiring diverse strategies to effectively minimise the impact on the environment.

One of the most effective methods of waste management is the implementation of recycling programmes. This includes setting up clear and easily accessible recycling stations around the hotel, as well as educating staff and guests about proper waste sorting. By promoting recycling, hotels can significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill while ensuring that materials such as paper, plastic, metal and glass are recycled into new products. Some hotels are taking this a step further by partnering with local recycling companies or participating in programmes that offer compensation for recycled materials.

Food waste is another critical area of waste management in the hotel industry. Many hotels employ strategies such as portion control, improved inventory management and food consumption tracking to reduce food waste. Surplus food can also be donated to local charities, both reducing waste and supporting the local community. In addition, some hotels implement organic waste composting, which turns food scraps into nutrient-rich soil that can be used in hotel gardens or landscaping.

To address the issue of hazardous waste, such as electronics and cleaning products, hotels often implement special handling procedures to safely collect and dispose of these materials. This is especially important as improper handling of hazardous waste can lead to serious environmental and health risks. Hotels dedicated to sustainability also seek to minimise the use of disposable products and promote products with longer lifespans and less environmental impact.

Effective waste management in hotels not only improves the environmental profile, but also creates economic benefits by reducing waste disposal costs and strengthening the hotel’s brand as an environmentally conscious and responsible business. This holistic approach to waste management is crucial to achieving sustainability in the hospitality industry and shows the way forward for businesses to operate more responsibly.

New Technologies

As the hospitality industry strives for increased sustainability, new technology is driving opportunities to revolutionise how hotels operate and reduce their environmental footprint. One of the most significant trends is the integration of intelligent building systems that use Internet of Things (IoT) technology to optimise energy and water consumption. These systems can automatically adjust lighting, heating, air conditioning and water consumption based on real-time data on weather conditions and guest preferences, ensuring resources are used as efficiently as possible.

Another prominent technology is the use of blockchain to track and verify hotel sustainability initiatives. By utilising blockchain, hotels can create a transparent and immutable record of their green practices, which can both strengthen guest trust and facilitate compliance with sustainability standards and certifications. This is especially important in an industry where consumer demands for transparency and accountability are growing.

To address waste and improve recycling, more hotels are also introducing advanced waste sorting systems that use sensors and artificial intelligence to accurately distinguish between different types of waste. This allows for more efficient recycling and reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. Furthermore, AI can be used to analyse consumption patterns and identify areas where further efficiencies can be made, such as reducing food waste or optimising energy consumption.

Energy storage technologies such as advanced battery systems are also becoming increasingly relevant for hotels, especially those that generate their own renewable energy. These systems allow hotels to store excess energy produced during periods of low consumption for use during peak periods, stabilising energy use and reducing dependence on the traditional energy grid.

Finally, biotech solutions like vertical gardens and green roofs are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they also help improve air quality and offer natural insulation to buildings. These green initiatives can help regulate building temperature, reduce the need for artificial cooling and heating, and create a more comfortable and healthy atmosphere for guests.

These technologies represent only a fraction of the innovative solutions that modern hotels can implement to become more sustainable. By embracing these new technologies, hotels can not only reduce their environmental impact, but also improve their operational efficiency and meet the increasing expectations of environmentally conscious travellers.

About Certifications

On TravelGreen.dk we indicate whether our partners have one or more of the following environmental certifications from authorities or environmental organisations.

Green Key

Green Key is an ecolabel awarded by the environmental organisation FEE and HORESTA. The certification is a prestigious eco-label awarded to hotels and other tourism businesses that actively work to minimise their environmental impact. This international label, administered globally by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), focuses on promoting sustainable operations in the tourism industry, including hotels, hostels, small and large resorts, campsites and conference centres.

To achieve Green Key certification, a business must fulfil a strict set of criteria covering areas such as energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, use of sustainable materials and resources, food, outdoor spaces, green activities and environmental management.

An important part of the Green Key programme is also involving and informing guests about environmentally conscious choices during their stay. Hotels with Green Key certification often encourage guests to participate in sustainable practices, such as reusing towels, saving energy and sorting waste. This contributes to a wider awareness and commitment to the environmental movement.

Evaluation for Green Key certification is ongoing and hotels undergo regular audits to ensure they continue to meet the required standards. By choosing a Green Key certified accommodation, travellers can ensure they are supporting a business that takes real and verified steps to protect and improve the environment, making their travel experience both responsible and sustainable.

Read more at greenkey.dk.