Many hotels promise to be green nowadays, but where can travelers find more information to help them choose the most eco-friendly hotel?

Online booking site Travelocity believes that travelers actually prefer green hotels. According to its statistics, eco-friendly properties get higher reviews than their non-green counterparts.

For many consumers, search sites such as Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz will be the first stop in booking a hotel and all three have tried to make it easier.

Travelocity lists more than 2,000 hotels in its Green Hotel Directory and refuses to accept “self-certified” hotels, forcing companies to provide their commitment to sustainability.

Expedia lists over 1,700 hotels in its Green Hotels program and also offers customers the chance to offset carbon based on distance flown.

Orbitz, another major travel site, uses its own research and market managers to identify green hotels, saying that hotels must have efforts in place in at least one of five areas to be recognized as eco-friendly.

It also automatically recognizes all US properties that have earned the Energy Star efficiency rating.

The rating for each booking site varies slightly, so sometimes it can be easier to check directly with the hotel operators itself, although some brands make it easier than others.

Starwood brand Element is probably the easiest for consumers — it mandates that all its properties pursue the US government’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, along with initiatives to reduce waste at properties and offer electric car charging stations.

Earlier this month, Spanish hotel chain NH Hotels introduced a Carbon Footprint Calculator, which tells guests exactly how much carbon they’ll generate getting to and staying at an NH property.

The calculator is the first of a kind for a hotel chain and can calculate the impact of using different modes of transport to get to different properties — the chain also offers biodegradeable toiletries and offers “eco-meetings” for business customers.

Nordic chain Scandic has also been cited as an industry leader after removing bottled water from its hotels in 2008 and promising 100 percent organic uniforms for staff by the end of this year.

For independent analysis, consumers can consult the same schemes that Travelocity and Expedia use to certify their properties, such as Green Key, Sustainable Travel International, Earthcheck, Green Globe or Energy Star.

Source: AFPrelaxnews