Vivid, passionate, enchanting Spain is the country we can’t stop flocking to, come summer beach vacation or winter city break. It’s celebrated across the world for its brilliant landscape – both on the mainland and throughout its many islands – and, of course, the saturation of its culture and heritage that sparkles on every street corner.
Naturally, tourists are spoilt for choice when it comes to the hotel scene in Spain. From the big blockbuster names of the luxury tourism sphere to the smaller boutique hotels in buildings older than the United States itself, Spain is indisputably a world leader in its unique fusion of top-tier international levels of indulgence with classic, old-school Spanish hospitality.
In keeping with current trends towards sustainability, Spanish hotels have also started making a deliberate effort to offer environmentally proactive measures to both their guests and the local communities. Some hotels, however, are truly world leaders in their conscious commitment to providing radical approaches to sustainability without once compromising on flawless hospitality. Here are the best eco-friendly hotels in Spain.
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Barceló La Bobadilla, Andalucia
Sprawling across 860 acres of glorious Andalusian countryside, the estate’s olive and oak trees characterize the vistas and perfume the air with great Mediterranean romance. La Bobadilla is designed to resemble a Spanish village, and the interiors are truly idyllic; think tiled roofs, rustic terracotta tones and Moorish flourishes.
But it’s not just for general aesthetic that La Bobadilla uses its olive grove for. The hotel is the first to use olive-stone biomass fuel as an energy source for its heating and hot water, which has resulted in an impressive 80% reduction in carbon emissions. The hotel also utilizes its organic garden to provide stock for the hotel’s kitchens and donates discarded furniture to local charities.
This is countryside serenity at its most gorgeous. The ambiance feels akin to staying at a friend’s personal villa, and guests can enjoy the plethora of amenities, including a pool, a brilliant spa, a fitness center, a fantastic restaurant, a library, and tennis courts. We recommend the Junior Suite Alhambra for panoramic views across the rolling Spanish hills.
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Six Senses Ibiza
It will come as no surprise that Six Senses Ibiza is on our list of the most eco-friendly hotels in Spain. With hotels and residences across the world, the brand has quietly revolutionized the luxury hospitality industry with its unflinching approach to sustainability, garnering a loyal fan base across the world.
For the brand’s beautiful Ibiza resort, Six Senses has partnered with the Ibiza Preservation Fund in an effort to protect sea and land biodiversity, and use some of its profits to support community foundations. All food is locally sourced and most is grown at the hotel’s farm. In line with the rest of the brand, Six Senses Ibiza strives to be plastic-free, too.
Together, these efforts make for an utterly guilt-free vacation experience at one of the world’s most beautiful resorts. As committed to beauty as it is to sustainability, Six Senses Ibiza is just as glorious as other Six Senses properties; the hilltop location offers brilliant and peerless vistas across the island and the Mediterranean, while the design is kept minimalist to really let the utopian island beauty shine.
Again, being Six Senses, the spa is a masterclass in entwining state-of-the-art technology with traditional yoga and wellness practices in the most beautiful of settings. Naturally, there is a pool, with sensational views across the sea: otherwise, some suites come with their own private pool for ultimate privacy. The several dining options are divine; we especially love restaurant North for its modern Israeli menu and romantic outdoor ambiance.
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Mas Salagros, Barcelona
A half-hour drive away from the magnetic city of Barcelona is Mas Salagros, a spa hotel dedicated to environmental sustainability across every fiber of its operations. We’re not exaggerating: everything across this eco-resort is totally organic, from the amenities of the bathrooms to the buildings and its textiles and furniture.
Compromised of six buildings within a fairytale-esque woods, the hotel uses the original 15th-century building of the compound as a reception area. And while the rest of the buildings are new, they have been designed to slip right into the timeless Spanish ambiance of the resort.
There’s a thermal bath spa, in which all products are organically prepared; there are also two pools, and numerous restaurants and bars to enjoy brilliant cuisine wholly compromised of organic produce. As for the rooms, we like the light and airy Suite Salvia that offers panoramic vistas across the sun-kissed terrain.
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La Donaira, Andalucia
Back to Andalusia for the wonderful La Donaira, located within the mesmerizing Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, where the mountainous landscape is punctuated by southern Spain’s brilliant rolling hills. There is something undeniably utopian about the La Donaira experience; perhaps it’s the sun-soaked farmlands that surround it, or maybe the rooms, in which the boutique hotel’s yurt option is as stylish as it is comfortable.
Billed as an eco-retreat, La Donaira asserts itself as a leading eco-friendly hotel in Spain predominantly through its organic farm. Covering 17,000 acres of untouched southern Spanish terrain, the sustainable approach to the hotel’s farming sees an innovative field-to-fork approach, in which the vast majority of what guests and staff of La Donaira consume is produced onsite.
Encompassing a medicinal garden, natural beekeeping and stables, La Donaira also hosts endangered species Andalusian Donkey and the Pajuna Cow. Guests are invited to tour the farm and engage with the gardens; otherwise, onsite experiences include a wide array of yoga activities, horse and donkey riding, paragliding, rock climbing, and even stargazing led by the hotel’s star specialist.
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Gran Hotel Son Net, Mallorca
The whimsical island of Mallorca is one of the most popular of the Balearic Islands due to its fabulous beaches, brilliant weather, and wealth of hospitality and dining options. Let us introduce the Gran Hotel Son Net, a slice of tranquillity tucked within the hills and offering sensational views of the island.
Styled to resemble a country house, the luxury eco-friendly hotel boasts pieces of art by Marc Chagall and David Hockney alongside historical artifacts that render the experience all the more enchanting. The hotel features its own vineyard, in which guests are welcome to tour with an expert. Also take advantage of the magnificent hiking opportunities through the Sierra de Tramuntana, or just enjoy the awing 17th-century courtyard and chapel.
Small touches implemented across the hotel experience render the Gran Hotel Son Net one of the best eco-friendly hotels in Spain. The (excellent) swimming pool is saline, not chlorine; the textiles and furniture are re-upholstered, rather than brand new. Even the products of the bathrooms are made out of recycled materials.
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Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid
Right in the heart of the Spanish capital is the uber-luxurious Hyatt Centric, housed within a handsome Art Deco building with its own role within Spanish history: it was bombed during the Spanish Civil War, and remains the only American hotel branch within Madrid’s iconic Gran Via street. Buzzing with urban murmurings and decked out with all the stylings and amenities of a modern luxury city hotel, Hyatt Centric Gran Via is one of the unmissable hotel experiences in Madrid.
There is a plethora of Spanish cultural offerings, from the hotel’s art offerings to Spanish and Latin American restaurants to the El Jardin de Diana rooftop bar that offers brilliant views across the city. Sustainability measures are subtle, yet effective. These include energy-saving lighting, organic toiletries, the elimination of major single-use plastic and locally sourced produce for its kitchens.
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