Eco-friendly accommodation in Scotland

It's becoming easier and easier to be green, even when you're on holiday. And better still, you needn't forgo life's little luxuries on an eco-friendly trip in Scotland, unless you fancy getting back to basics, of course.

Why should I choose eco-friendly accommodation?

You can sleep soundly on holiday in the knowledge that you've picked green accommodation with high environmental and ethical standards. Chances are you won’t even notice much difference, but the planet will.

What is green tourism?

Great news: regular accommodation, attractions, tour companies and tourism businesses are all reducing, re-using and recycling to make your holiday more sustainable.

Many of these eco-friendly places have a bronze, silver or gold award from Green Tourism for offering a good quality of service, working to minimise their energy and water consumption, and meeting various ecological requirements.

Green Tourism members also work to source produce, products and materials locally where possible and responsibly from ethical initiatives such as the Fairtrade movement.

What will picking Green Tourism accommodation mean for me?

You'll find a number of eco-friendly elements in your Green Tourism accommodation, each making a small contribution towards big improvements for the environment.

Stay in a hotel with low energy lightbulbs and eat home-grown vegetables in the restaurant, watch the birds feeding in the B&B's wildlife garden, or find information on the nearest cycle hire companies in your self-catering lodge.

What do I need to do?

Simply search for the Green Tourism logo, select and book accommodation and enjoy your holiday. The accommodation will make it easy for you to help the planet, if you want to. By using your towel twice before it's laundered, or switching off lights when going out, your can really make a difference and help to save energy.

Types of eco-friendly accommodation

With luxury B&Bs, eco-friendly castle hotels, self-catering lodges and quirky hostels, your choice won't be limited by going green. Here are just a few of your options:

Holiday Parks

Seton Sands Holiday Village in Port Seton has adventure trails and a beach onsite. It's got nature at its heart and has a Green Tourism award and a David Bellamy Conservation Award to prove it.

Castles

As part of your booking at Torrisdale Castle in Kintyre you’ll be invited to plant one tree to off-set their carbon emissions - remember to come back and see how it’s doing!

Stay in a luxury 5-star glamping pod on the estate of Dundas Castle in South Queensferry for an eco-friendly holiday. The pods are completely sustainable with composting toilets, and solar and propane power, whilst still being glamourous.

Self-catering

The Green House in Ettrickbridge was built with low carbon principles, and designed to be as energy efficient as possible. As it's located on a smallholding farm, you can even try the farm’s own honey from the shop – you can’t get more local then that!

Hostels

Loch Ossian Youth Hostel on the banks of Loch Ossian has an environmentally-friendly back-to-basics approach to holidays, with sustainable comforts, such as power sourced from a wind turbine.

Hotels

The plush Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow's city centre plays its part in being sustainable through its efficient boiler system, recycling initiative and use of local suppliers, to name but a few green touches.

Lodges

Designed with the environment mind, the Eco Lodges at the Mains in Croy fuse state-of-the-art green technology and luxury living to ensure that you have a fantastic break without harming the earth.

B&Bs

At the The Dulaig in the Cairngorms National Park you can breakfast on eggs from their very own flock, admire an array of wild birds in the garden, and relax in the knowledge that the B&B has a Gold Green Tourism award.