Beyond Green, a collection of some of the world’s most sustainable hotels, has added five new properties to its list.
In locations from Florida’s Miami Beach to Italy’s Dolomites, each new hotel is recognised for its commitment to sustainable travel.
Launched in 2021 by Preferred Hotel Group as a platform to showcase hotels demonstrating impact in responsible travel around the world, Beyond Green is a growing portfolio of hotels, resorts and lodges, all of which have passed inspections led by sustainable tourism auditors.
And the latest additions are no different. In the US, conscientious travellers heading to Nevada can book a stay at Beyond Green’s lakeside Edgewood Tahoe Resort.
Located on the shores of North America’s largest alpine lake, guests staying at the boutique resort have endless views of the peaks of the Sierra and easy access to the region’s numerous outdoor activities. The property has long-running eco-programmes, including recycling, community clean-ups and platforms designed to help increase habitats for local wildlife.
For travellers who want a sustainable stay by the sea, The Palms Hotel & Spa in Florida is a tropical getaway in Miami Beach that’s been operating its eco-friendly "Inspired by Nature" programme for more than a decade.
Inn by the Sea in Maine is another new US addition. Built on a pristine stretch of shoreline, the cosy hotel champions sustainable policies including running campaigns to raise awareness for protection of the endangered monarch butterfly and New England cottontail rabbits.
In Italy, two new hotels are now part of the portfolio. Both properties are from Lefay Resorts, a brand known for its commitment to sustainability, and both are zero-emission hotels.
In the Dolomites, a Unesco World Heritage Site, travellers can stay at Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti where they have access to the region’s innate beauty, encompassing snow-capped peaks, winter glaciers and green mountain pastures in summer.
Lefay Resort & Spa Lago di Garda is the fifth new destination for sustainable travellers, ideal for those seeking a Mediterranean escape in Italy’s Riviera dei Limoni. Surrounded by 11 hectares of natural park, hills and woodlands, the resort comes with impressive views over Lake Garda.
Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
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Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
The five pillars of Islam
Company profile
Company: Verity
Date started: May 2021
Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Size: four team members
Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000
Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors
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