Sustainable Stays: Six Vancouver Hotels for a Greener Travel Experience

Here in Vancouver, we’re all about being green. And we don’t just mean the shade of the leaves on the trees at Pacific Spirit Park, or the colour of the waves at Kitsilano Beach on a particularly sunny day. When it comes to accommodation options that share our values, we feel lucky to have plenty of sustainable hotels to choose from. While there are many ways to measure a hotel’s sustainability, we’re paying close attention to the ‘Green Keys’ awarded by Green Key Global, a prominent hotel and lodging industry sustainability certification program, and Gold LEED Certificates, a widely-recognized green building rating system. To help you plan your visit, we’ve gathered six of the greenest hotels between the seawall and the skyline.

Fairmont Waterfront

Feel that fresh salty Vancouver sea air on your face at the Fairmont Waterfront. Nestled right on Vancouver’s famous harbour, this hotel has earned rankings as a 5 Green Key Hotel and a 4 Green Key Meetings Hotel by Green Key Global.

“Bee” sure to check out seasonal specials like their Bee Sustainable Package, which offers a terrace room opening onto their iconic rooftop pollinator garden, a take-home honey jar, and $10 donation to Hives for Humanity to support the Pollinator Corridor Project. We aren’t “pollen” your leg, this hotel's dedication to eco-friendly practices extends to initiatives like a partnership with the Growing Chefs program, commitments to waste diversion, and pledges to Ocean Wise and Plastic Wise. Check out the Fairmont Waterfront’s sustainability page for the full scoop, and be sure to order a drink from their ARC Restaurant + Bar. Many of them are made with fresh ingredients grown right there on the rooftop garden!

JW Marriott Parq

Sandwiched perfectly between the scenic False Creek waterfront and the bustling Downtown entertainment district, the JW Marriott Parq hotel definitely has green travellers covered. Gold LEED certified, the Parq Vancouver Resort makes it easy to stay eco-conscious with a Green Spa for sustainable relaxation and bamboo amenities from Sustayne. While toilets probably aren’t the first things to come to mind when you think of luxury accommodation, we’re loving this hotel’s water-saving showerheads and toilets, as well as their timed light switches for energy efficiency.

Wait, did somebody say sandwich? If you get hungry, be sure to check out one of the JW Marriott Parq’s many dining options, where their kitchens prioritize sourcing local products and composting all food scraps. Take a peek at the JW Marriott Parq sustainability page for more info.

Best Western Premier Chateau Granville Hotel & Suites

Our city is so green, even the parks have their own version of traffic. But don’t worry, it’s all cyclists!

Just steps away from the waterfront David Lam Park and its gorgeous cycle paths, you’ll find the Best Western Premier Chateau Granville Hotel & Suites. Holding 4 Green Keys, approximately 80% of the food waste at this hotel is composted instead of going to the landfill.

Herb your enthusiasm: some produce and herbs used by the kitchen are even grown on site. To dig a little more into this hotel’s sustainability priorities, including pledges to reducing greenhouse gases and minimizing consumption of water usage, check out their Green Initiatives page.

Paradox Hotel Vancouver

If sleek architecture and design is your vibe, you’ve gotta check out Paradox Hotel Vancouver. Just a stone’s throw away from Coal Harbour, this hotel is the second tallest building in Vancouver. They’ve been awarded 4 Green Keys for cool features like their rooftop Honey Bee Hive, as well as their responsible purchasing policies and use of eco-friendly cleaning products. There’s nothing paradoxical about it: from energy-efficient building practices to reducing single-use plastics, this hotel clearly has a passion for sustainability.

We also love that Paradox offers travellers tips for a sustainable stay beyond their own walls, including a tip to choose local when selecting nearby dining options. We recommend Botanist, Nightingale, or Nook.

Hyatt Regency Vancouver

Smack dab in the heart of Downtown Vancouver, the Hyatt Regency Vancouver is an equally great place to stay for jet-setting, busy travellers or for those with more time on their hands to explore everything Vancouver has to offer.

With a restaurant that serves responsibly-sourced seafood, cage-free eggs, grass-fed beef and fair-trade coffee beans, this 5 Green Key hotel takes the idea that eco-conscious food is the tastiest food seriously. Within walking distance of Robson Street, Stanley Park, the Convention Centre, and the magical doorway that teleports you to the city’s further away attractions (we’re talking about the SkyTrain station, here), there’s plenty to explore near this green hotel. To read more about this hotel’s sustainability tenets, including water preservation, waste and circularity, and sustainable food philosophies, head on over to their Environmental Sustainability page.

Delta Hotels Vancouver Downtown Suites

Cobblestone. Steam Clock. Quirky. Heritage. These are just a few words that come to mind when we think of Vancouver’s trendy Gastown district, mere minutes away from the Delta Hotels Vancouver Downtown Suites.

A member of Delta’s national sustainability program, Delta Greens, this Vancouver hotel has earned 4 Green Keys for their environmental efforts. Whether its water-efficient faucets and toilets, energy-efficient lighting, compostable food containers, or prioritizing locally-sourced food and beverages, Delta’s national sustainability program puts eco-consciousness at the forefront.

And if you’re in a walking mood, venture five minutes further past Gastown and explore Dr. Sun Yat‑Sen Classical Chinese Garden for a green oasis in the middle of downtown Vancouver.