Café du Parc
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Book your stay in the nation’s capital at one of many hotels prioritizing sustainability.
A long-time emblem of luxury in DC, the Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C.'s sustainability initiatives are just as robust as its afternoon tea menu. The Willard:
- Sources amenities and provisions locally. Both Café du Parc and the Round Robin Bar are certified through the Green Restaurant Association.
- Has obtained Level 4 certification from the IHG Green Engage program
- Sources its seafood from the locally based Life Below Water and partners with Goodr to compost food waste.
- Provides in-room recycling, reduces plastic use in amenities and measures water usage reduction.
- With the community in mind, the hotel also donates to the Children of Mine Youth Center and since 2019 has partnered with BroadFutures to offer internships and employment to young people with learning disabilities.
Canopy Washington, DC / The Wharf
This LEED Gold-certified building boasts an impressive list of sustainable features, including:
- Drink garnishes from an onsite garden
- Bulk-sized bath amenities to reduce plastic waste
- Hilton’s LightStay program, which keeps track of energy use with the aim of reducing the hotel’s carbon footprint
- Fundraising for Feed the Children
To round this list out, more than half of the Canopy workforce lives in DC.
Eaton DC
This sustainable spot prioritizes people, purpose and place. Eaton:
- Maintains a formally designated sustainability committee to keep the property on track from the inside
- Ensures that amenities and provisions are local and made with or served in environmentally sound, often recycled products
- Received a Bronze EarthCheck
- Produces some of its menu ingredients on-site
- Composts its food waste
- Monitors its energy usage closely, circulating a blackout schedule of rooms that don’t need power when appropriate
- Repurposes bed headboards when switching from queen to king-size
- Runs a recurring coat drive as a form of charitable-giving sustainability
Fairmont Washington, DC / Georgetown
One of the most luxurious hotels in the nation’s capital is also one of its most sustainable and charitable. The Fairmont Washington, DC:
- Works with Horton’s Kids and Virginia Linen to donate robes, sheets and towels to churches and organize food pantry events
- Has a sustainability committee, which meets monthly to ensure healthy regulations are followed
- Donates excess banquet food to the local police department
- Composts, recycles and grows some of their own menu items
- Works with Gaia to reduce energy usage and sources seafood sustainably
- Houses several bee apiaries, which provide not only grade-A honey (used by chefs at the hotel), but also a safe habitat that enables the pollinators to continue their work across the city
Cure Bar & Bistro at the Grand Hyatt
This green hotel:
- Partners with Clean the World to donate excess banquet food
- Received a third-party sustainability certification of 3 Keys from Green Key Global
- Sources local and sustainable meat, produce and seafood, makes vegan options readily available
- Composts their food waste
- Prioritizes recycling and energy reduction and encourages its guests to utilize DC’s public transportation options
Four Oaks at the Washington Hilton
This Hilton hotel goes above and beyond in its people-based sustainable practices, donating approximately $100,000 worth of excess banquet food every year.
According to the hotel, “…any PR initiative that’s driving revenue has a give-back factor.”
Washington Hilton also:
- Partners with Charlie’s Place DC, Capital Area Food Bank, Capital Pride and Humane Rescue Alliance
- Composts 68,000 pounds of food waste per year and sells the compost back through the ORCA program (the first property to initiate the program)
- Switched from plastic to glass containers for many of its bathroom amenities
- Has an internal Blue Energy program that recognizes associates for their passion and commitment to hotel guests and colleagues, which can include community outreach and giving opportunities like clothing drives
Hyatt House Washington, DC / The Wharf
Amenities at Hyatt House come from local vendors and the hotel’s hiring policy specifies that more than half of its associates reside in the District. Hyatt House:
- Hosts DC government-sponsored interns as well.
- Is LEED Gold-certified and offers recycling in every room, along with bulk-sized bath products to reduce plastic waste
- Has an outdoor space aimed at sustainable practices, promoting pollinators and native plants and growing drink garnishes in an on-site garden
- Sources meat and produce from within a 200-mile radius of the District and offers vegan options for guests
Kimpton George
This Capitol Hill hotspot:
- Gives back to the community through an annual charitable initiative with Miriam’s Kitchen
- Procures its meat, fish, chocolate and scotch locally and has partnered with Black-owned businesses
- Uses eco-friendly cleaning products as well as low-flow toilets and sinks to reduce water usage
- Annually donates or recycles electronics and gives old linens to a local shelter
Embassy Suites by Hilton Washington, DC / Convention Center
Sustainability matters to this Embassy Suites by Hilton. The hotel:
- Sources provisions and amenities that are local and made from post-consumer products
- Sources seafood sustainably for its banquet program, a focus so important not just for the environment, but for the health of the guests
- Utilizes bathroom light sensors to ensure electricity isn’t wasted
- Recycles metal, wood and linen
- Landscaped with pollinators and native plants in mind
- Hosts DC government-sponsored interns for job-shadowing and teaches them the importance of sustainable business practices
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
This Green Key Global 4 level certified sustainable property:
- Has a sustainability committee and runs a month-long charity partnership every year for both staff and guests with Art Enables, Bread for the City and DC Safe
- Works with local vendors like Thomas Sweet, who created a flavor just for the hotel
- Sources sustainable and local seafood, produce and meat for its banquet program
- Operates an in-house composting program
- Donates textiles to small businesses and sources solar energy from its roof
Kimpton Hotel Monaco
- Added new ramps to the back of the hotel for greater accessibility for guests and staff
- Organizes care packages and coat drives for Miriam’s Kitchen and hosts Kimpton Cares Giving Month every November
- Sources amenities (including coffee) and provisions (seafood, produce, meat and more) locally and sustainably
- Utilizes solar energy and measures its water usage, checking for reduction each year
- Annually hosts an intern from the Marion Barry Summer Youth Program whom it educates on its sustainable practices
The Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill
A vast array of sustainability initiatives are underway at Royal Sonesta Washington DC Capitol Hill. The hotel:
- Locally sources provisions and amenities
- Produces some of its menu items on-site
- Measures progress in both water and energy reduction thanks to its formally designated sustainability committee
- Offers refillable water vessels in guest rooms, plus easy to use thanks to the water refill stations on each guest floor
- Reduced plastic use in each room’s amenities
Westin Washington, DC Downtown
This downtown hotel:
- Is held accountable by an internal Take Care Committee
- Includes bikes available for guest use, a major perk in a city as bikeable as the District
- Sources seafood sustainably and makes both vegetarian and vegan options readily available for guests
- Utilizes a city-installed meter to measure water and energy usage and reduction
Whether you're on the hunt for sustainable inspiration, cutting edge hotels or family-friendly favorites, DC has you covered.
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