Sleep soundly (E F N)
It’s an increasingly popular way of enjoying the natural environment – Heidi Fuller-love takes a look at the latest eco-friendly accommodation craze and checks out the best places to sleep with a clear conscience
Propelled by a plethora of TV programmes proposing back-to-nature vacation ideas, and cool makeovers of tenting gear by designers such as Paul Smith, eco-friendly places to stay are flourishing all over the planet.
“Not so long ago, green accommodation was perceived as a neohippy thing, but now it’s trendy to think in an environmentally friendly way,” says Kostis Maroulis, owner of an organic farm near Athens. Guylhem Feraud, President of French campers’ organisation FRHPA (frhpa.com), agrees. “People are seeking a way to get back in touch with nature, so green accommodation is becoming very popular,” he says. If you fancy following the latest trend and doing the planet a favour too, follow us on a tour of the greenest sleeps – from luxury yurts and log cabins to organic farms and gypsy caravans – around the Brussels Airlines network.
Back to nature near Brussels
This snug log cabin complex, often referred to as Cabane d’un Autre Monde (tel. +32 (0)4 9833 2312), buried in a luxuriant patchwork of forest and fields near Gooik, Belgium, has an organic farm shop where you can buy local goat’s cheese and specialities such as east Flanders cheesecake speciality mattentaarten and Lennik liqueur distilled from juniper berries.
Eco-plus Zero light pollution, back-to-basics plumbing and a roaring campfire where you can heat and eat your organic treats.
Expect to pay From €25 per day for a small log cabin.
Green pod pad near Geneva
Kept cosy with sheepskin throws, oil lamps and wood-burning fireplaces, the six electricity-free geodesic domes at Whitepod (whitepod.com) are clustered around a beautifully refurbished, spa-equipped chalet high in the Swiss Alps.
Eco-plus Private ski zone, meals selected by a qualified nutritionist and, since there are no roads to the camp, guests have to get there by ski or on foot.
Expect to pay All-inclusive packages from €570.
Planet-friendly ‘glamping’ near Lyon
Four-poster beds, poolside massages and tent service are all part of the glam camping package at Canvas Chic (canvaschic. com), a yurt village clinging to a rocky, oak-forested pinnacle overlooking France’s dazzling Ardèche river.
Eco-plus Solar power, idyllic natural bathing areas and plenty of green spaces where you can chill out.
Expect to pay From €500 for three nights.
Environmentally friendly cottages near Faro
Clustered on the fringes of the 74,000-hectare Costa Vicentina natural park, the six cottages of Cerro da Fontinha (cerrodafontinha.com) are hewn from natural materials and have lots of quirky fixtures and fittings, including chunky mantelpieces, pebbles for coat hooks and cushioned stone sofas. Eco-plus Solar-panel heated water, pristine beaches and organic breakfast goodies.
Expect to pay From €55 per night (minimum booking of two nights in the low season).
Holistic hotel in Hamburg
The small-scale Ökotel (oekotel.de), located near the city centre, uses solar panels to produce energy, recycles its waste and even has a rainwater toilet-flushing system. All the rooms have sleek, oiled wood floors, untreated fleece carpets and bed linen made from biologically cultivated cotton.
Eco-plus Centralised vacuum system to reduce dust levels, the city centre within walking distance and organic beer on tap in the bar.
Expect to pay From €65 per night for a single room.
Think green in June
■ Fridays from June to September are blade days in Brussels (weather permitting), so leave the car in the garage, don your roller skates or blades and head to the Roller Parade, an eco-friendly two-hour tour of the city. bruxelles-tourisme.be
■ Ease your eco-conscience and save money with the UK’s National Trust. If you arrive at some of its properties by foot or bike this summer, you’ll receive a discount on entry. nationaltrust.org.uk/carfreedaysout
■ Join Copenhagen’s 500,000 cyclists and rent a bike from Baisikeli, basking in the knowledge that your dosh goes to fund projects in Africa. cph-bike-rental.dk
Straw house near Warsaw
The Podlachia region is renowned for its unspoilt natural beauty and it’s now home to Poland’s first straw-bale house. The cosy eco-cottage 15 minutes from Lake Hancza is run by non-profit organisation Earth Hands & Houses (earthhandsandhouses.org) and sleeps four.
Eco-plus Clay inner walls, an old-fashioned wood-burning stove and as much nature as you could want on your doorstep. Expect to pay From €21,30/PLN 100 per night.