Focuses & Philosophy of the BIO HOTELS
Hosts with the highest ecological demands
It has been more than a decade since the first organic hotel owners decided to offer organic holidays and eco-friendly holidays with comprehensible, forward-looking ideas and guidelines. Today BIO HOTELS is the largest association of eco-friendly hotels: with seven “core focuses”, the nearly 90 BIO HOTELS offer everything you want for an organic holiday, family holiday, wellness weekend, sustainable conference or green meeting and ecologically-oriented service for business travellers. Even weddings and events are held in the most beautiful BIO HOTELS locations: at the sea, in the mountains or in gorgeous natural settings.
Individual and sustainable: BIO HOTELS in seven European countries
The BIO HOTELS are as diverse as a colourful bouquet of flowers! Each hotel is unique – but they all have one thing in common: consistent adherence to the BIO HOTELS guidelines. Sustainable economy, buying locally and eco-friendly energy and waste cycles are obligatory for all organic hoteliers. BIO HOTELS was the first hotel group to undergo certification by eco hotels certified. Therefore the constant improvement of our carbon footprint is our declared common goal.
The best culinary indulgence à la carte: organic holidays & organic cuisine
A stay in one of the BIO HOTELS is good for both guests and the environment. It is all about sustainability and sparing use of resources in the BIO HOTELS: that is true of all areas, whether during harvesting in the “Kinder-Garden” in which youngsters learn where healthy organic food comes from, or in the exclusive use of natural cosmetics and organic cuisine.
You can expect the highest standards which you are used to from hotels in each category of the BIO HOTELS – and you will enjoy the extra ecological value as well as unlimited hospitality in all member establishments. Our organic, eco-friendly hotels look forward to hearing from you!
Our Guidelines & Minimum Standards
With our purchases we choose how the foods we use are produced. We decide which methods are used to cultivate plants, how animals are kept, if genetic engineering is used or not. Our standards are the lowest common denominator of our members.
- BIO HOTELS Association Laws, Status 2018
- become a member
Food & drink
Principally, the products used in a BIO HOTEL are from certified, organic agriculture. The processing is subject to complete organic audits from production to consumption. Local products, especially those of Bioland quality, are preferred. Foods are prepared naturally by hand and for this reason microwaves are not used. All BIO HOTELS offer at least one vegetarian menu. Singular exceptions are possible after approval by the board and these conventional exceptions are made clearly visible to guests.
Cosmetics
Shampoo, soap, creams, oils, etc. are certified natural products according to the following standards or comparable certification companies: BDIH, Ecocert, ABG, ICEA, NaTrue. The offering of so-called “decorative cosmetics” is still in the process of being converted. You can find more information in the individual eco-friendly hotels.
Sustainability
Here, the minimum requirements are the use of green electricity and the exclusive use of paper made from recycling or from sustainably managed forests. All establishments are ehc-certified and constantly improved in accordance with the benchmark system in their resource management.
Quality Assurance in the BIO HOTELS
Organic standards for food, cosmetics & energy consumption
Trust is good, but checking is better: quality assurance of BIO HOTELS by independent organic boards of control creates transparency for guests. The high organic standards in all member establishments are clear and verifiable through recognised organic seals. In this case, the award of organic certificates is not limited to the fields of organic products and natural foods: even the non-food sector is a focus at the BIO HOTELS.
Completely sustainable: organic standards in all areas
- 100% organic foods and organic products in the organic restaurants
- Energy standards through the eco hotels certified certification
- High food and non-food standards for greater sustainability and eco-friendliness
- Use of organic cosmetics and natural cleaning products
- Purchase of green electricity and paper from recycled or sustainably managed forests
Inspections
Organic agriculture is the most strictly audited production in the agricultural and food industry. As organic, eco-friendly BIO HOTELS, we utilise this and at this time we are the only association of hotels in Europe that sets rules for the minimum quality standards of food in the member hotels. In founding the group in 2001, we held the view that we in the hotel industry must also comply with the same criteria as organic farmers and organic processors. Together with the state-mandated organic inspection bodies in each country where our eco-friendly member hotels are located (Abcert, the state-approved control board in Germany, Austria Bio Garantie in Austria, Bio Inspecta: inspection and certification board), we created the inspections for the BIO HOTELS. Since then, the inspectors have paid close attention to the establishments to ensure chefs pay special attention when they receive and use organic products from farmers and traders. Only those who pass organic inspection can become a member of BIO HOTELS.