New 'GreenHotels' Directory launches

A few months back, we posted an entry on how the “big boy” online travel giants like Expedia and Travelocity were getting in on the green game, stating that their efforts were “half-hearted attempts to reel in customers with the promise of something that is far from complete”. Personally, I have always been a fan of rezhub.com and wholetravel.com for green travel searching. Now, however, a new contender has stepped up, and it looks very, very good.

The GreenHotels Directory, a complete online reservation system designed for travelers seeking environmentally-friendly hotel accommodations, was launched by a partnership between Environment News Service and ARES Travel Network. Business and vacation travelers are able to instantly locate and make online reservations at hotels offering responsible conservation features.

Thousands of hotels have participated in the launch of the GreenHotels Directory initiative and more are being added every day. ARES has documented the environmental contributions of hotels and attractions so that travelers are offered a way to identify green lodging when booking their vacations.

Industry-wide surveys of more than 47,000 hotels have pinpointed quantifiable green features offered by the participating hotel members. Sustainable practices provide comforts away from home to travelers and to the environment. The GreenHotels Directory online reservation system promotes hotels engaged in green practices, from non-caustic cleaners to recycling to renewable energy.

Meeting the Needs of Travelers

“We know that travelers care about the environment and they will choose an Earth-friendly product when given the opportunity, said ARES president Alec House. “We also know that many of our partners are focusing on environmentally-friendly practices in order to strengthen our industry’s green impact and we want to share their strides with consumers.”

The GreenHotels Directory has captured the contributions of suppliers and highlighted them in the online booking engine. From platinum level entrepreneurs like the Proximity Hotel to the diverse line of Kimpton Hotels, visitors can recognize environmentally-friendly hotels by the “Travel Green” icon. Clicking the icon opens a summary of that hotel’s sustainable activities in the GreenHotels Directory.

In evaluating members of the GreenHotels Directory, all efforts by each hotel were considered as a whole in building each property’s green identity, rather than using a narrow rating system, which provides relatively few in-depth details about a hotel’s practices.

“Now consumers have detailed information on what each hotel is doing and can make the decision to ‘Travel Green’ wherever they go,” said Jenny Mendoza, ARES vice president of marketing.

Directory of Responsible Hotels

The Environment News Service, with its worldwide audience of environmental professionals, many of whom travel regularly, recognized the need for an information resource that would allow readers to find comfortable accommodations in responsible hotels.

“Professionals, activists and journalists working to solve complex environmental problems are often required to travel to conferences and meetings,” said ENS managing editor Jim Crabtree. “There is nothing quite so debilitating for people working in this field as having to stay in a hotel that is dramatically over-consuming resources and, generally, offering uncomfortable accommodations.”

“The problem is so pervasive that we determined to do something to address this issue,” Crabtree added. “In our effort to bring about a solution, we sought out ARES and because of their extensive work, formed an instant bonding partnership. We are delighted to be able to offer our readers and the public at large an easily available, effective resource for lodging that is considerate of the needs of people dedicated to environmental restoration.”

Decisions, decisions

While I still tend to prefer wholetravel’s light, airy and almost soothing design style and interface experience over GreenHotels’ slightly traditional look-and-feel, I would be interested to see them pull off a more traditional search mechanism in addition to their unique “What’s your travel inspiration?” starting point. Rezhub.com, on the other hand, seems to be a bit too old-school. While I really like the site’s functionality, I think the user experience needs an update. Perhaps the new GreenHotels will fill a void somewhere in between the two? Time will tell.

For more, visit www.greenhotels-directory.com.