Karen Edwards | 01 April 2023
Green sleeps: 7 sustainable places to stay in the Middle East
These are the eco-friendly stays in the Middle East making a difference....
These are the eco-friendly stays in the Middle East making a difference....
(Shutterstock)
This solar-powered eco lodge gives a portion of its profits to the nearby Dana Biosphere Reserve. Impressively, one of its key energy-saving methods involves using waste from pressed olives as ‘charcoal’ for heat during winter.
Booking information: ecohotels.me/Feynan
(Habitas AlUla)
Set in the Ashar desert valley, Habitas AlUla welcomes guests to learn about the area’s heritage. Its regionally inspired restaurant sources its ingredients from local farms, and the hotel also offsets carbon emissions through reforestation projects managed by the Cooperativa Ambio’s Scolel’te.
Booking information: ourhabitas.com/alula
(Shutterstock)
Taking low-impact stays to a new level, this desert trailer camp provides comfortable, if no-frills, accommodation on the banks of the Hatta dam. Its Airstream trailers come with amenities such as wifi, tea and coffee-making facilities, a firepit and a wooden balcony.
Booking information: visithatta.com
(Alamy)
The hotel’s dive team has linked up with Oman’s Ministry of Environment to remove 1.4 tonnes of ghost nets that have been left by local fishermen in the sea. The hotel also looks after the fragile desert too, using recycled grey water to feed the surrounding vegetation.
Booking information: sixsenses.com
(Alamy)
From renewable energy-use to a permaculture garden growing fresh, seasonal produce, Atlas Kasbah is an inspiration and adopts several environmentally conscious measures. The eco-lodge has even installed a rare phyto-purification system, allowing its wastewater to be purified on-site.
Booking information: atlaskasbah.com
(Shutterstock)
Deep in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve lies 14 solar-powered, dune-shaped suites, welcoming guests to the arid Arabian desert. The highlight? With no nearby light pollution, this is a rare spot for stargazing in Dubai. The resort’s Sky Safari even teaches guests about astronomy in connection with the Arab world.
Booking information: nara.ae/nest
(Kasbah du Toubkal)
This High Atlas stay gives plenty back, with a concession fee going towards helping fund local infrastructure, including ambulance services, as well as a branch of the Education For All project, which helps young Moroccan girls access secondary education.
Booking information: kasbahdutoubkal.com
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