Sustainable luxury: How UAE hotels are elevating guest experiences with green initiatives

By Mariam Khawer / April 27, 2025

Luxury travel in the UAE is evolving, with sustainability becoming a crucial element for discerning guests. No longer a mere trend, environmental responsibility is now deeply integrated into the offerings of the country’s premier hotels, enhancing the overall experience.

Here are four hotels in the UAE that are at the forefront of sustainable practices, demonstrating how they seamlessly blend opulence with environmental consciousness.

1. Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah: Eco-Luxury Amidst Protected Mangroves

Tucked away on a private peninsula surrounded by protected mangroves, Anantara Mina Al Arab has earned triple sustainability recognition, including LEED Gold and Responsible RAK Silver certifications.

A comprehensive push to eliminate single-use plastics led to the installation of an on-site bottling plant producing reusable glass bottles for guest rooms, restaurants, and meeting spaces. Amenities have been replaced with eco-friendly alternatives, and all dining outlets are now entirely plastic-free. These changes, though subtle to the guest, add up to a significant environmental impact.

The resort has also adopted forward-thinking practices for waste reduction, including composting food scraps, recycling coffee grounds, and implementing a circular economy model that nourishes on-site gardens. In the kitchens, chefs work with responsibly sourced ingredients, including herbs and vegetables grown just steps away in the resort’s chef’s garden.

From solar energy and greywater recycling to community education and zero-plastic dining, Anantara Mina Al Arab proves that true luxury doesn’t come at the environment’s expense.

2. Kempinski Palm Jumeirah: Five-star sustainability on the crescent

Kempinski Palm Jumeirah began its sustainability journey by championing local agriculture and has since evolved into one of the UAE’s most forward-thinking green hotels. Recipient of the EarthCheck Gold Certification and part of the Global Hotel Alliance’s Green Collection, the hotel strikes a balance between environmental responsibility and refined luxury.

Sustainability touches every part of the guest experience. The hotel sources locally grown products from fair-trade suppliers and avoids ingredients linked to endangered species. Plastic use has been drastically reduced, with kraft paper containers replacing plastic takeout boxes, biodegradable straws made from avocado seeds, and sleek wooden key cards and door hangers throughout the property.

An innovative linen recycling initiative repurposes damaged linens into practical bags for guest amenities, reinforcing a culture of reuse. Further bolstering waste management, the hotel has installed a plastic segregation machine to improve recycling at source. Event spaces now operate with sustainability in mind, using glass water bottles and eco-conscious materials. Even the beach isn’t overlooked; regular clean-ups ensure the surrounding natural beauty is protected and preserved.

3. Conrad Dubai: Sustainability efforts that go beyond greenwashing

In 2010, Hilton launched its ESG program, TwP, committing to a 50% reduction in environmental impact and a doubling of social impact by 2030, encompassing over 7,800 hotels. Conrad Dubai initiated its ESG efforts approximately three years ago and now operates with over thirty initiatives.

Conrad Dubai implements recycling practices for cartons, cans, glass, plastic, paper, used cooking oil, and organic food waste, partnering with Beeah for daily collection and data reporting via LightStay. Their “Green Ramadan” initiatives in 2023 and 2024, in collaboration with Hilton, UNEP West Asia, and other partners, utilised Winnow’s AI to track food waste, sourced ingredients within a 50-mile radius via FreshonTable, promoted plant-based options and smaller portions, composted food scraps with WasteLab, and donated surplus food to the UAE Food Bank, resulting in a 61% food waste reduction and the donation of approximately 4,000 meals in one year. They also manage organic food waste internally and partner year-round with the UAE Food Bank, including distributing 1,800 meals during the ‘1 Billion Meals Endowment Campaign’.

Further waste management efforts include composting with WasteLab, aiming to connect local farms and hotels for crop repurchase, and the forensic measurement of food waste using Winnow’s AI. Local sourcing is prioritised with FreshonTable, aiming to double local produce procurement. Culinary teams employ zero-waste techniques and focus on plant-based innovation. Conrad Dubai collaborates with Klimato to calculate and monitor carbon footprint emissions. The Green Breakfast initiative, aims to reduce food waste across breakfast operations, which serve 1.5 million guests annually across 12 properties including Conrad Dubai.

Meatless Wednesdays are observed in the employee cafeteria.

Additional sustainability initiatives at Conrad Dubai include a hydroponic farm yielding 11 kg of produce daily, a lemonade drive-through for taxi drivers, a 91% reduction in plastic bottle usage, linen reduction encouragement, the use of chinaware for coffee breaks, digital menus, efforts towards zero-waste cocktails, the elimination of plastic straws, replacement of single-use amenities, a Nespresso capsule recycling program, substitution of plastic covers and bags with sustainable alternatives, a linen sustainability program reducing water and energy consumption, linen and uniform recycling (560 KG recycled), clothes donation drives with KISWA, guest rooms equipped with segregated dustbins, a project to plant 350 Ghaff trees, participation in Can Collection Day with EEG (mitigating 1.05 metric tons of CO₂ in one instance), the One Root, One Communi-Tree initiative with EEG (collecting 2,000 kg of paper and 1,400 kg of glass), the “For Our Emirates We Plant” program (qualifying for five trees at a reserve), sustainable spa practices with local suppliers and aluminum bottles, installation of energy-efficient heat pumps and water-saving fixtures, LED lighting conversion (40,000 bulbs replaced), an EV charging station, and air-to-water technology for on-site water sourcing.

4. Rixos Bab Al Bahr: Sustainability, a shared experience

At Rixos Bab Al Bahr, sustainability isn’t just a box to tick, it’s an ethos woven into the fabric of daily operations, says Miguel Melo, Acting General Manager. “It’s a top-down priority, championed by senior management and brought to life by every team member.”

This culture of conscious hospitality is evident across every touchpoint. From inspiring young minds through eco-focused activities at the Rixy Kids Club to engaging staff in waste reduction programs, sustainability is a shared mission, not just a management directive. The hotel has replaced traditional coffee capsules in guest rooms with biodegradable alternatives, introduced Eco-Burner fuel for buffets to reduce emissions and waste, and swapped out single-use paper table mats for reusable ones in its restaurants.

Together, these seemingly small shifts create a ripple effect that touches guests, staff, and the wider environment, all while maintaining the luxurious, family-friendly atmosphere Rixos is known for. It’s a model of inclusive sustainability that proves meaningful change can start with simple, thoughtful choices.

In the UAE, luxury is no longer just about extravagance; it’s about impact. These hotels are proving that the future of hospitality lies in experiences that delight the senses while respecting the planet.