15 Enviable Eco-Friendly Hotels in the Golden State

California has an array of sustainable hotels that make conscious efforts towards maintaining a healthy environment. From carbon-neutral eco-hotels to accommodations with reduced greenhouse gas emissions, having a sustainable lifestyle is easier than ever. There are enough eco-friendly resorts in California to make sustainable traveling a simple task, sans waste.

Next time you crave a California staycation, go greener by choosing your lodging destination wisely—the possibilities are endless. 

The Top Sustainable Hotels in Northern California

1. Bardessono

Location: 6526 Yount Street, Yountville

Next time you venture out on an eco-friendly road trip to Napa, book your overnight stay at Bardessono. Unpack, unplug, and unwind at this chic eco-friendly hotel without any worries. The luxury sustainable hotel uses organic cleaning supplies with natural heating and energy sources. Bardessono’s restaurant boasts locally sourced menus along with recycling and composting programs.

Featuring an outdoor rooftop pool and in-room spa treatments, Bardessono is an environmentally friendly hotel that does it all. 

2. H2Hotel

Location: 219 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg

The high-performance green buildings of the h2hotel take sustainable accommodation to a whole new level. The grass-covered roofs efficiently filter rainwater, and the restaurant serves locally sourced organic food. That along with its solar panel heated pool earned H2Hotel a LEED Gold Certification. While staying at this eco-friendly luxury hotel, take advantage of the hiking trails and explore Healdburg’s breathtaking scenery.

3. Argonaut Hotel

Location: 495 Jefferson Street, San Francisco

Feast your eyes on remarkable views at the award-winning Argonaut Hotel on Fisherman’s Wharf. The eco-friendly boutique hotel is a Certified Green Business—it invests in conscious efforts to make the hotel as sustainable as possible. LED light bulbs and motion-sensor control panels are installed at the hotel.

Eco-friendly cleaning solutions and ongoing recycling efforts make the Argonaut a proud green hotel. Enjoy a luxurious stay while vacationing at one of the best eco-friendly hotels on your getaway to San Francisco.

4. Hotel Triton

Location: 342 Grant Avenue, San Francisco

Hotel Triton in San Francisco is all about combining the comfort of a friend’s home with the style of boutique hospitality. Located opposite the Chinatown Gate, Triton’s top-notch location alone makes it one of the best eco-hotels in town. Boasting energy-efficient lighting and motion sensors, Hotel Triton has many sustainable features that make it a prime destination.

5. Orchard Garden Hotel

Location: 466 Bush Street, San Francisco

A year after it opened in 2006, the Orchard Garden Hotel became the first in San Francisco to earn a LEED certification. The best sustainable hotel blends boutique luxury with a state-of-the-art eco-friendly design. This gives a whole new meaning to sustainable hospitality.

Located alongside Chinatown, this eco-friendly hotel is in a prime locale and boasts top-notch amenities. With a wonderful rooftop garden and patio, the hotel is close to many S.F. landmarks. 

6. Treebones Resort

Location:  71895 Highway 1, Big Sur

More of a glamping spot than a hotel, Treebones Resort is the place to book for a long weekend getaway to Big Sur. The family-owned eco-friendly accommodation boasts luxurious yurts, unique human nests, and a 500-square-foot solar-powered tent.

The sustainable destination is as in tune with its surrounding nature as it can get. Meals are organic and garden-to-table. All leftovers are fed to the resident animals. Onsite transportation is zero-emission and everything else is either recycled or composted.

7. Ventana Big Sur

Location: 48123 Highway 1, Big Sur

This woodsy-chic resort sits on 160 acres of land surrounded by redwoods—half a mile away from Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. From property-wide recycling programs to low-flow faucets, Ventana Big Sur doesn’t take the word ‘sustainability’ lightly.

Not only does the environmentally friendly resort implement eco-friendly practices, but it also boasts luxurious amenities that take it one step further. If you’ve been on the lookout for an enviable girls’ weekend destination, Ventana Big Sur is as opulent as it gets. 

8. The Stanford Inn By the Sea

Location: 44850 Comptche Ukiah Road, P.O. Box 487, Mendocino

Take your getaway to Mendocino to another level by booking a room at the Stanford Inn By the Sea—one of the most sustainable hotels on the Central Coast. The Stanford family approached the inn as they would a family farm. Raven’s Restaurant, the inn’s eco-friendly eatery, serves plant-based meals.

The luxury sustainable resort also runs an environmental leadership field school. Participants receive tools for creative problem solving on how to live sustainably.

The Top Sustainable Hotels in Southern California

9. Hotel Indigo San Diego

Location: 509 Ninth Avenue, San Diego

The Gaslamp Quarter’s Hotel Indigo was the first LEED-certified hotel in the city. Boasting two green roofs planted with native species, the eco-friendly hotel helps reduce heating and air conditioning emissions. Hotel Indigo’s prime location makes it possible for guests to go car-free during their stay. Walking a few steps from the hotel exposes you to amazing food and entertainment options.

10. The Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles

Location: 900 West Olympic Boulevard, Downtown Los Angeles

Los Angeles is embracing green living with sustainable practices implemented in every region. From cultural attractions to restaurants and public transportation, hotels are no exception. The Ritz-Carlton in Downtown L.A. is a great example. The sustainable hotel makes extensive use of durable materials. Boasting eco-friendly hotel rooms, the Ritz Carlton features water-saving fixtures, recycling programs, and alternative transportation options. 

11. L’Auberge Del Mar

Location: 1540 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar

Sun, sand, and picturesque beaches—visiting the coastal village of Del Mar feels like stepping into a postcard. Overlooking the Pacific, L’Auberge Del Mar offers an eco-friendly escape. The luxury eco-friendly resort implements green practices into daily operations. Some of its sustainable operations include using energy-efficient light bulbs and biodegradable guest room key cards.

12. The Ambrose Hotel

Location: 1255 20th Street, Santa Monica

This eco-friendly boutique hotel is chic, sustainable, and just five minutes away from the beach. Book a room on your next getaway to Santa Monica and enjoy the many amenities of the award-winning green Ambrose Hotel. Among its sustainable practices are water-saving faucets, natural toiletries, and ecologically responsible cleaning products. Here, you can also rent hybrid cars for easy, sustainable exploration.

13. Shore Hotel

Location: 1515 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica

An eco-conscious favorite, the Shore Hotel is a LEED-certified accommodation providing a laid back beachy vibe. Boasting many sustainable amenities, the hotel features a one-of-a-kind lighting and temperature system. It adjusts automatically as you enter and leave the room. By staying at this eco-friendly hotel, you're already making conscious efforts in reducing your carbon footprint.

14. The Ranch at Laguna Beach

Location: 31106 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach

Sitting on 87 acres in the Aliso and Wood Canyons, The Ranch at Laguna Beach is committed to promoting sustainability. By partnering with The Ecology Center, the luxury sustainable hotel has created a half-acre on-site garden. The verdant area provides fruit, vegetables, and herbs for the resort’s restaurant. 

The hotel’s culinary team also works with Chefs to End Hunger, which redistributes leftover prepared meals to local food agencies. Staying at this eco-friendly hotel means minimizing your travel’s impact on the environment and positively helping those in need.

15. Two Bunch Palms

Location: 67425 Two Bunch Palms Trail, Desert Hot Springs

The oldest mineral hot springs resort in the country and one of the very first sustainable ones—Two Bunch Palms is as eco-friendly as it gets. Not only is this sustainable hotel completely carbon neutral, but it also grows its produce on-site and uses biodegradable cleaning products.

Two Bunch Palms generates electricity from 100 percent renewable sources and utilizes sustainable practices. If you’ve been yearning for a romantic getaway with your one and only, consider making Two Bunch Palms your destination of choice.