Thu, 10/20/2011 - 23:09 — Anonymous San Francisco is a fantastic city full
of excellent restaurants, historic sites, and a respect for the environment
that's lacking in many U.S. cities. Whether you're visiting for business
or pleasure, here's everything you need to know to find an eco-friendly
hotel in the City by the Bay.1. Look for hotels that are LEED certified.LEED
certification, designated by the US Green Building Council, is one of the
most reliable (and objective) standards of green hotels.2. Think about what
matters to you.Is it important that the hotel offers recycling in all rooms?
Has a restaurant that focuses on sustainable food and composts leftovers?
Uses energy efficient light bulbs? Prioritize your preferences and find a
hotel that matches them.3. Scour the hotel's website.A hotel's website
can be a good starting point in your search and will give you a sense of
steps the hotel has taken toward sustainability. Just remember to look at
objective sources of information, too.4. Get your facts straight.Know how
green hotels are certified in various directories — and which directories
you can trust. Read our post about finding eco-friendly hotels through green
accreditation directories.Photo credit: el Frito5. Check out customer
reviews.Use sites like TripAdvisor to see what other travelers have said
about the hotels you're considering. Are they as green as they say they
are? What have people really enjoyed (or not enjoyed) about the hotel?6.
Consider location.If your hotel far away from the city center and not
accessible by public transportation, it probably isn't the greenest option
— even if it's LEED certified and serves certified organic food in its
restaurant. Make sure you'll easily be able to get from your hotel to the
areas you'll spend your days in San Francisco.Sustainable activities,
restaurants, and accommodations abound in City by the Bay. It's easy to be
green in San Francisco. Enjoy your stay!—–This post is sponsored by the
InterContinental San Francisco Hotel, which is proudly LEED® EBOM Gold
Certified under the U.S Green Building Council (USGBC), and is the largest
LEED Gold Recipient of existing buildings in California, and the 3rd largest
in the U.S.
