Are you looking for a hotel experience without staying at a hotel? Many hotels offer various ways for non-hotel guests to get a taste of that vacation experience. From dining and on-site activities to a few relaxing hours at the spa, non-hotel guests can enjoy the amenities and special features for a day. So, if you’re in the mood for a day of sustainable vacationing, here are a few selected sustainable hotels and their non-hotel guest offerings.
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Sustainable Hotels with Day Trip Offerings
One Baltic Sea Experience, please – Lifestylehotel SAND
Location: Timmendorfer Strand, Germany
Short Profile: The lifestyle hotel SAND at the Timmendorfer Strand is the perfect place for a relaxing and sustainable break. With its stylish ambiance, high quality, and holistic focus on naturalness and sustainability, the hotel offers a unique experience. Even for a day. The relaxed atmosphere, the proximity to the beach, and the wide range of activities on offer at the Baltic Sea ensure that there is never a dull moment and plenty to talk about in the evenings.
Day-trip offerings:
- SANDbreakfast for late risers until noon with local ingredients and open kitchen
- SANDbar offers specialty coffees and cakes into the early evening
A Day in the Black Forest – SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA
Location: Bad Herrenalb, Germany
Short Profile: The Hotel SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA is a wellness and health hotel with the Selfness Center in the beautiful Black Forest. The region is ideal for nature excursions, especially considering that Bad Herrenalb is a certified climatic health resort. In the evening you can enjoy new interpretations of traditional Black Forest cuisine in the restaurant „La Vie”.
Day-trip offerings:
- Zero-waste breakfast buffet
- 3-course gourmet dinner
- Brunch buffets with a theme
- Day SPA
- Massage and cosmetic treatments
Vegan Delights in South Tyrol – LA VIMEA
Location: Naturno, Italy
Short Profile: LA VIMEA, Italy’s first all-vegan hotel, is located in the sunny Vinschgau Valley in South Tyrol. Not only does it offer creative vegan cuisine, but it is also an adults-only retreat for relaxation. The hotel takes a holistic vegan approach and focuses on sustainability in all areas. From the food to the decor to the lifestyle, everything is geared toward an environmentally conscious and animal-friendly approach. The kitchen uses only local and seasonal ingredients.
Day-trip offerings:
- Vegan breakfast buffet
- Vegan restaurant is also open for outside guests (lunch and dinner)
Inspiration and Enjoyment – Hotel Luise
Location: Erlangen, Germany
Short Profile: As the first climate-neutral hotel in Franconia (2010) and the first climate-positive hotel in Germany (2015), as well as certified with the EU Ecolabel 2023, Hotel Luise is one of the leading environmentally friendly city hotels in Germany. The hotelier family’s philosophy emphasizes the responsibility towards future generations and above all wants to inspire and demonstrate: There is another way!
Day-trip offerings:
- Zero-waste breakfast
- Day spa and massage services
- Hotel tours and community college courses (e.g. in the micro-forest)
- Conferences and events (venue)
- Planned: Courses and workshops on sustainability
Urlaubsfeeling deluxe – Hotel Klosterbräu
Location: Seefeld, Austria
Short Profile: Hotel Klosterbräu in Seefeld combines over 200 years of family history with modern ideas and warm hospitality. Surrounded by the Tyrolean Alps, guests can find their kind of relaxation, whether it is wellness, mountain hiking, or enjoying the hotel’s beer. The hotel is part of the Tyrolean Climate Alliance and is committed to sustainable development. The Klosterbräu also has a „vegetarian” farm that provides ingredients for the hotel’s restaurants.
Day-trip offerings:
- Regional breakfast buffet
- Day spa offerings
- Wine cellar available for special events
A Day in the Mountains – HUBERTUS Mountain Refugio Allgäu
Location: Balderschwang, Germany
Short Profile: The HUBERTUS Mountain Refugio invites you to relax and unwind. The hotel combines straightforward architecture, traditional Allgäu elements, and tasteful furnishings with a sustainable and holistic approach in the midst of Bavarian nature.
Day-trip offerings:
- Day Spa at the Mountain Spring Spa (includes indoor fitness center and breakfast or lunch)
- Breakfast buffet or lunch
- Stop by Traubel’s Garden for a coffee or cool drink
- Participation in the hotel’s activities program, such as guided hikes, yoga or cooking classes
- Summer night festival
- In winter: HUBERTUS KitchenClub, where dinner is served in the kitchen accompanied by background music
Wellness in the Rhön – STURM
Location: Mellrichstadt, Germany
Short Profile: STURM in Mellrichstadt is an oasis of relaxation and unspoiled nature at the foot of the Rhön Biosphere Reserve. STURM’s philosophy emphasizes the importance of sustainability and organic products. Both are actively practiced in the family-run hotel and communicated to guests, for example through the open kitchen concept in the restaurant.
Day-trip offerings:
- Day spa individually combinable with massages, breakfast buffet and/or dinner
Constantly Learning somthing New – Gut Sonnenhausen
Location: Glonn near Munich, Germany
Short Profile: Sustainability as a way of life is the philosophy of Gut Sonnenhausen. By carefully renovating and managing this former stud farm, eco-pioneer Georg Schweisfurth has made a dream come true. Surrounded by agricultural land managed according to the principles of permaculture, it is a refuge in nature, where culture and art merge with architecture and nature creating an inspiring place.
Day-trip offerings:
- Free Sunday tours to get a glimpse of the hotel and its properties, usually with host Georg Schweisfurth
- Various events throughout the year, e.g. yoga, lectures, and music
A Vacation among the Tree Tops – Hotel My Arbor
Location: St. Andrä, Italy
Short Profile: Hotel My Arbor near Brixen in South Tyrol is a unique tree hotel on stilts. Thanks to this extraordinary architecture, guests can enjoy a very special view of the Plose Valley. The hotel is an oasis of peace and emphasizes ”My” time, which invites guests to find time for themselves and the greatest possible freedom to follow their own rhythm.
Day-trip offerings:
- Breakfast or dinner day spa
- Lunch
- Massages
Fairytale for a Day – Hotel Das Rübezahl
Location: Schwangau, Germany
Short Profile: Located directly across from Neuschwanstein Castle, the Hotel Das Rübezahl offers a romantic hideaway, ideal for couples. The hotel uses innovative approaches to promote sustainability and is committed to the region.
Day-trip offerings:
- Two restaurants: A La Carte restaurant Louis II and Gourmet restaurant Gams & Gloria (Alpine Fusion)
- Visit of the mountain hut Rohrkopfhütte
- Hotel bar AlpenRausch
- Spa treatments at the boutique Spa
View of the Matterhorn – Bio Hotel Bella Vista
Location: Zermatt, Switzerland
Short Profile: A haven for relaxation in the Swiss Alps since 1962, the family-run Organic Hotel Bella Vista is just a five-minute walk above the center of Zermatt. Guests enjoy homemade delicacies with views of the Matterhorn and a weekly cheese evening. The spa area offers saunas, steam rooms, and, of course, views of the Matterhorn.
Day-trip offerings:
- Breakfast with a view of the Matterhorn
- Use of the wellness area
- Terrace with a telescope and view of the Matterhorn
Culinary Delights – CERVO Mountain Resort
Location: Zermatt, Switzerland
Short profile: The luxurious CERVO Mountain Resort offers breathtaking views of the Matterhorn and the car-free village of Zermatt. Design aficionados will appreciate CERVO’s unique interior style, which has won several design awards. One of the highlights is the Mountain Ashram Spa, which offers a variety of wellness traditions and views of the Matterhorn.
Day-trip offerings:
- Breakfast or brunch
- Day spa at the Mountain Ashram Spa (also in combination with brunch)
Pure Nature – Naturhotel Outside
Location: Matrei in Eat Tyrol, Austria
Short Profile: The Naturhotel Outside is nestled in the picturesque landscape of the Hohe Tauern National Park. So, it’s no wonder that this family-run hotel has a strong commitment to sustainability and environmental protection. Its restaurant offers unusual but always regional specialties and the spa uses local herbs, hay, and other regional ingredients.
Day-trip offerings:
- Guided hikes with the hotel’s own trained guides
- Nature watch for the Alpine Big 5
- Day spa at the Nature Spa (also with brunch and/or dinner))
- Breakfast or dinner at the restaurant
