Kimpton Hotels Earthcare Program

In addition to the (so hilarious, right? Right?) hotel reviews I write here, I’m also a regular contributor to AOL GreenDaily. That means I’m always thinking about the eco-friendly angle, including when I check out hotels.

And let me tell you, in case you don’t spend as much time as I do reading hotel sites, it’s freaking hard to find information about most hotels’ green practices.

With the exception of certain chains like Kimpton, which are loud and proud about their green programs, most hotels bury their sustainability programs at the very bottom of their “about” page — if they even post it all! For the casual, “I just want to compare availability/price/one or two other features and make a reservation already” type of hotel shopper, green hotel info is pretty inaccessible.

At long last, in 2010 AAA will add an eco-designation, indicating that a property is managed sustainably and is eco-friendly. To get the designation, the hotels have to be AAA-approved plus have the stamp of approval from a certified state or national green lodging program. So you will be able to find your green hotel choices fast, and be sure that the green-cred was earned.

Photo: Kimpton Hotels