Sani Resort Is Named World’s Leading Green Resort Three Years Running

There are eco-friendly hotels and resorts and then there’s Greece’s Sani Resort.

For the third year straight, the upscale resort has been recognized by the World Travel Awards as the World’s Leading Luxury Green Resort.

The stunning property is located amid a 1,000-acre nature reserve on the shores of the Aegean and is surrounded by both pine forests and protected wetlands. But while its setting is jaw-dropping on its own, the Sani’s sustainability program is equally inspiring.

Deeply committed to preserving the environment and the rich mix of wildlife, as well as supporting the local community, Sani became the first carbon-neutral resort in Greece in 2020. What’s more, it has been relying upon 100 percent renewable energy since 2019.

The property has also adopted a complete sustainability program called Sani Green, through which it is continually working to approve the resort’s efficiency, renewable energy use, water conservation, and waste minimization, among other efforts.

Working in partnership with Forest Research Institute, Sani has also established the Sani Environmental Observatory Project, which is designed to help protect the pine forests around the resort. As part of the effort, each guest who visits Sani is invited to add one Euro to their final bill, which the resort doubles. The donations go toward supporting the forest. All of the resort’s Sani Green initiatives are in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

As for the guest amenities onsite, the resort includes five hotels and more than 35 bars and restaurants that serve everything from local cuisine to Michelin-starred meals. Sani has also integrated its eco-friendly ethos into its food programming, with more than 60 percent of its produce coming from within 100 miles of the resort—thus cutting down on the carbon footprint associated with food transportation. Sani also has its own herb and vegetable garden.

The World Travel Awards date back to 1993 and were established to acknowledge, reward, and celebrate excellence across the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries.