Travel briefs: Four hotels going plastic-free

In the wake of World Environment Day and World Ocean's Day, we have rounded up some of the hotels committing to sustainability

A luxury suite balcony on a beach view room at Nikki Beach Resort & Spa. Courtesy Nikki Beach Resort & Spa

These hotels are committed to going plastic-free and reducing their carbon footprint - whether it's by getting rid of single use plastic straws or hosting an onsite bottling plant elimination disposal system, here's where to go to help with sustainability.

Say goodbye to single-use plastic in the Andaman Islands

India announced a range of different initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint – including one from South Asia's largest Indian hospitality company, The Indian Hotels Company Limited, who pledged their first "zero single use plastic hotel". Taj Exotica Resort & Spa in the Andaman Islands, a 72-villa resort surrounded by 46 acres of forest and mangroves, has an onsite bottling plant eliminating the use of plastic bottles, a waste disposal system – converting wet waste to gas and compost, and a sanitation treatment plant. The company will also reduce the usage of single use plastics – including replacing plastic-wrapped dry amenities with eco-friendly substitutes, across 20 of its hotels.

A villa here costs from 25,000 rupees (Dh1,372) a night. For more information, visit www.tajhotels.com.

Ride the wave of change in Bali

Alila Hotels have implemented a number of initiatives across the brand in a bid to promote sustainability. At the Alila Manggis in Bali, the hotel collaborates with the local dive centre to host a monthly "dive against debris", where guests are invited to join trained divers to remove underwater debris, such as plastic bottles and bags. Travellers are then asked to identify and document everything that is seen underwater as part of a long-term effort to manage marine debris and clean up the home-grown reef. At the Alila Ubud, guests are given a bamboo straw at the beginning of their stay, while at Alila Villas Uluwatu, the hotel has its own eco-friendly water bottling system.

Stays at Alila Manggis start from US$131 (Dh481) per room. For more, visit www.alilahotels.com/manggis.

Help the cause in Asia with Akaryn

The commitment to sustainability begins the moment you walk through the door at Akyra Sukhumvit Bangkok. At check-in, guests are offered the chance to donate to the Pure Blue Foundation, in doing so they get a branded stainless steel water bottle to use during their stay. Drinking water dispensers are located on every floor, and guests are encouraged to take the bottles with them for day-tripping outside the property. Akaryn Hotel Group aims to become a single-use plastic free company by 2020. Currently, the property uses bio-degradable bags, provides reusable shopping bags, and bathroom amenities are presented in locally-manufactured celadon pottery containers, filled with essential oil-based products. Glass bottles and containers are substitutes for single-use plastics in the restaurants.

A superior room here starts from 3,500 baht (Dh397) a night. For more, visit www.theakyra.com/bangkok

Plan a sustainable staycation at a beachfront resort in Dubai

Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai is currently getting rid of straws, but it's only the beginning of its environmental campaign for a better future. The hotel will now use "bio-pla" straws, which are made of polylactic acid (PLA) or cornstarch and are 100 per cent certified bio-degradable. The hotel has a "360 approach to sustainability", and that means removing takeaway containers from all their dining outlets, cutting down on plastic packaging, focusing on recyclables, and hosting regular beach cleaning activities. The hotel says it's a move towards more sustainable practices for the brand, which is particularly apt as their properties around the world are all by the beach.

Rates at Nikki Beach Dubai start from Dh595 a night. For more, visit www.nikkibeachhotels.com.