Eco-responsible hotels that do more than just sort your garbage

Christine Robalo | 3/21/25, 10:07 AM

Sleep in an eco-designed bed, enjoy a meal from the chef's vegetable garden or be pampered with organic cosmetics: these eco-responsible hotels have got it all. Green without boring, comfort without guilt, here are 6 places to travel with a light conscience.

Travelling while respecting the planet is no longer utopian. The hotel industry is increasingly going green - and not just for decoration. Behind the leafy facades and committed speeches, some establishments are actually taking action: renewable energy, zero plastic, short circuits and even bio-sourced spas. But don't worry, no one will force you to learn about dry toilets or to swap your cocktail for an infusion of wild plants gathered in the scrubland. These six hotels prove that it's possible to combine comfort and ecological awareness without sacrificing pleasure

Le Domaine des Vanneaux Hôtel Golf & Spa MGallery, an 18-hole Clef verte hotel

An eco-responsible hotel with a golf course? The association may seem surprising, but Le Domaine des Vanneaux has succeeded in marrying nature and the fairway. Certified Clef Verte in 2025, the Dommaine des Vanneaux is not content with just a label: nestled in the heart of a preserved environment, the green is watered via a groundwater table, and is home to an abundance of biodiversity, which is preserved by the installation of beehives. just a stone's throw from the Impressionist town of Auvers-sur-Oise, this rehabilitated former farmhouse offers the perfect scenario for lovers of artistic strolls and outdoor activities alike.

Architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte used raw materials - wood, stone and zinc - to blend the hotel into the landscape without distorting it. Vast bay windows maximize natural light, while the spa and relaxation areas feature ethical and organic products. In terms of leisure activities, the hotel focuses on slow tourism: pétanque, badminton, mölkky, bike rides and, of course, an 18-hole golf course bordered by ancient trees. As for Le Piaf restaurant, chef Ludovic Bernier works closely with local producers to offer seasonal cuisine in a sober, elegant atmosphere, far removed from unnecessary excess. The chef has also set up a vegetable garden in partnership with a work-integration association, where he can pick vegetables and herbs for his dishes.

Price: €194/night (DDP not included).
Where? 1 Route du Golf des Vanneaux- 95590 Presles. Tel: 01 34 08 40 60
See Gault&Millau's review of Domaine des Vanneaux

MOB HOTEL Cannes, a commitment to eco-responsibility

Forget the palaces of the Croisette, with their excessive gilding and dubious carbon footprints. Here, there's no excessive marble or air conditioning, just a simple philosophy: renovate rather than raze, reuse rather than discard. Opening in spring 2024, the MOB Hôtel Cannes is a hotel with a mission, the kind that doesn't just use bamboo straws in its cocktails to flaunt its good intentions. Behind its 70s-era walls, updated with local and natural materials, lies a hybrid place, part urban refuge, part eco-responsible manifesto. Green roofs as vegetable gardens, photovoltaic energy, total elimination of plastics and furniture designed with a circular approach: here, every detail counts. Certified Clef Verte, Ecocert Cosmos Organic and, more recently, B Corp, the hotel, owned by the group founded by Cyril Aouizerate, doesn't pretend and works with committed players such as Patagonia, Biocoop and Malongo. On the plate, no concessions either. The restaurant relies on organic farming and short circuits, without blowing the bill. The minimalist design of the rooms, designed for restful sleep, is accompanied by organic cosmetics made in France. As for the outdoor spaces, they are designed as living spaces: shared vegetable gardens, eco-designed furniture and cultural events give the MOB an extra soul. Here, sleeping is already activism!

Price: €324/night (DDP not included).
Where? 1 avenue De Lyon - 06110 Cannes. Tel: 04 23 40 07 70
See Gault&Millau's review of MOB Hôtel Cannes

Hotel Sezz Saint-Tropez, responsible elegance

The Sezz Saint-Tropez proves that it's possible to be a five-star address without sinking into energy-guzzling bling. The hotel, which has embraced eco-responsibility, displays chic, well-thought-out sobriety without losing any of its Tropezian glamour. Gone are the days when champagne was poured directly into the pool. In this Mediterranean sanctuary, luxury is lived differently: low-energy light bulbs as glitter, thermal insulation better thought out than a bespoke dressing room and electric shuttles that take you to the beach without ruining the ozone layer. Even the soaps are given a second life thanks to a recycling program benefiting disadvantaged populations. At the Colette restaurant, chef Philippe Colinet works in short circuits, with seasonal, locavore cuisine that avoids unnecessary kilometers. You can dine on the terrace under the stars, with no artificial light to disturb the sleep of nocturnal birds. Even the details count: water bottles are made from recyclable cardboard, flip-flops in the spa are bio-sourced and towels are changed only on request. And if you want to indulge in well-being without any ulterior motives, the spa offers exclusively organic and ethical treatments.
and from May 3 to 5, 2025, the hotel will host "Les Chefs Fêtent les Producteurs", a culinary event featuring top names in gastronomy, from Cédric Grolet to Georges Blanc, to celebrate artisanal skills and local produce.

Price: €626/night (DDP included).
Where? 151 Route des Salins - 83990 Saint-Tropez. Tel :04 94 55 31 55
See Gault&Millau's review of the Sezz Saint-Tropez hotel

Les Sources de Caudalie, a palace rooted in its terroir

Les Sources de Caudalie is an exception in the world of luxury hotels. No ostentatious pomp, but an immersion in an ecosystem where luxury is in tune with the rhythm of nature. Nestled in the heart of the vineyards of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, this 62-room and suite establishment is the first French palace to bear an ecolabel, proof that excellence can also be sustainable. Nestled between forests and vineyards, the estate cultivates a respectful art of living: natural materials, intelligent renovation and cuisine that celebrates the terroir without unnecessary frills. The gastronomic restaurant La Grand'Vigne sublimates local produce in a setting worthy of a goldsmith. A feast for the eyes and the taste buds. As for the Spa Vinothérapie, a pioneer in the use of grape polyphenols, it's as good for the body as it is for the mind. The recent renovations of La Grange au Bateau and La Maison du Lièvre perpetuate this quest for harmony: clean lines, raw materials and antique furnishings lend the premises a discreet charm, far removed from stereotypical palaces.

Price: €252/night (DDP not included).
Where to find us Smith Haut-Lafitte - 33650 Martillac. Tel: 05 57 83 83 83
See Gault&Millau's review of Les Sources de Caudalie hotel

La Grée des Landes, a pioneer in hotel slow-life

Yves Rocher didn't wait for ecotourism to become a trend before making it a matter of course. As early as 2009, the plant-based cosmetics brand set up its eco-hotel in La Gacilly, Morbihan (the creator's nativeateur), far from beaches and tourist spots, but right in the heart of an ecosystem where nature dictates the tempo. The site, chosen by a dowser for its telluric energy, is home to a sleek wooden building topped by a green roof that naturally regulates temperature. Solar panels, wood-fired heating and rainwater harvesting complete a system designed to limit environmental impact. The program? A gentle, immersive reconnection: open-air yoga, an organic spa with plant-infused treatments, organic flower baths and even a nap on an air cushion. And because taking care of yourself shouldn't rhyme with deforestation, every night spent on site funds the planting of a tree. Les Jardins Sauvages swears by organic and local produce, sublimated with a simplicity that leaves plenty of room for taste. An address where well-being isn't measured in stars, but in its (slight) footprint on the environment.

193 €/night (DDP not included).
Where to stay? Cournon - 56200 La Gacilly. Tel: 02 99 08 50 50
See Gault&Millau's review of Hotel La Grée des Landes

Fleur de Loire, short-circuit gastronomy

Some chefs sign hotels as an extension of their reputation, others as an expression of their commitment. Christophe Hay resolutely belongs to the second category. With Fleur de Loire, his 44-room Relais & Châteaux (including 11 suites) on the banks of the Loire, the chef combines gastronomy and eco-responsibility with an almost scientific rigor. Far from being fashionable, every detail of the project has been designed to limit environmental impact, starting with the renovation of this 17th-century building, where architectural constraints have not prevented ambitious choices: closed-circuit air-conditioning to avoid energy loss, rainwater recovery stored in underground tanks to water the gardens, LED light bulbs and a 100% wind-powered energy supply. And the efforts don't stop there. Furniture is sourced exclusively from sustainably managed forests, room keys replace plastic with wood, and soaps are made by a local soap factory. Even the room directory is digitalized, so as not to turn trees into instruction manuals. When it comes to sourcing, self-sufficiency is the order of the day: the hotel's 1.5-hectare kitchen garden supplies fruit and vegetables to the hotel's restaurants, guaranteeing ultra-short supply chains. Fleur de Loire is not just a committed hotel: it's proof that a great chef can design a sustainable project with as much precision as a prestigious dish.