Eco-Friendly Stays in India: Best Sustainable Hotels and Homestays - Memorable India

Eco-Friendly Stays in India: Best Sustainable Hotels and Homestays

Eco-Friendly Stays in India: Best Sustainable Hotels and Homestays

Introduction:

The world of travel is changing. Not too long ago,  the only question most travellers asked was, Where is the best view? Which resort has the biggest pool? But today, more people are beginning to ask; What impact does my travel have on this place? Am I leaving it better or worse than I found it? Nowhere is this travel shift more visible than in India. It is a land where spirituality blends seamlessly with everyday life. It has always taught the idea of balance between humans and nature and between giving and taking. With its growing tourism industry, India is also at a crossroads of dealing with nature and travel. Travellers want comfort but not at the cost of the environment. So, sustainable stays in India whether they are humble village home stays or luxury resorts powered by solar energy are becoming the new choice for conscious travellers. Staying at such places is about reducing your impact on the ecosystem. This blog by Memorable India will take you across India to discover some of the top eco friendly hotels and homestays India. You will learn where they are and how they change the way you experience travel itself:

Best Eco Friendly Hotels and Homestays in India:

While eco friendly hotels often offer a blend of luxury and sustainability, homestays take you closer to the soul of India. They let you live with families and friends, share meals cooked in home kitchens and experience traditions that hotels can never replicate. Many of these homestays are run by locals who have consciously adopted sustainable practices using solar lamps, composting, rainwater harvesting and serving organic food. Let’s journey through some of the most heart-warming and eco-friendly homestays in India:

Dak Bungalow Homestay, Almora, Uttarakhand:

This 19th century heritage bungalow has been lovingly restored as an eco conscious home stay. Nestled in the Kumon Hills, it offers sweeping views of the Himalayas. It has rainwater harvesting, composting and solar energy that are seamlessly integrated into the functioning of the house. Meals are cooked with the organic produce from the homestay’s garden including the herbs and spices. This supports local food production and healthier meals even away from home. It focuses on the responsible tourism principles to minimise the impacts on natural and cultural surroundings and preserve the natural beauty and promote a slower and sustainable way of life. Guest can also try their hand at farming, nature walks, plucking fresh vegetables, and learning about traditional Kumaoni recipes. The hosts are the storytellers of the land, often narrating the tales of Old Almora and British Raj days, adding a historic flavour to your eco friendly travel India.

Starting Price: INR 3,000 onwards

How To Reach:

Nearest Airport: Pantnagar Airport (290 km away)

Nearest Railway Station: Kathgodam Railway Station (80 km away)

What Is Nearby:

  • Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Rudradhari Falls & Caves
  • Jageshwar Dham
  • Nanda Devi Temple
  • Zero Point
  • Panchuli Peak

Vanghat Lodge, Almora, Uttarakhand

Hidden in the forests near Jim Corbett National Park, Vanghat Lodge is for those who want to experience wilderness in its rawest form. This is one of the most remote green hotels India. To reach the lodge, you need to go for a 1.8 km cross-country hike and cross a river and walk through a forest trail. This instantly makes you feel like an explorer. This lodge is made with indigenous stone and mud making it a perfect example of sustainability. It houses 9 cottages, out of which 4 are made with mud and thatched roofs and 5 are stone-constructed cottages. Each of these cottages is named and dedicated to a different wildlife group and painted according to give unique identities. The lodge runs on solar power, avoids plastic completely, and employs local villagers as guides and staff. Food is simple, hearty, and made from locally grown ingredients. It focuses on inviting real nature lovers, wildlife enthusiasts, conservationists, and sustainable-life practitioners. You can enjoy walking safaris, birding, swimming, fishing and nature walks here, accompanied by local guides to lost in the beauty. Nights here are magical sitting under a blanket of stars, listening to the sounds of crickets and perhaps even a distant tiger roar, you realize how small yet connected you are in the larger scheme of nature.

Starting Price: INR 12,000 onwards

How To Reach:

Nearest Airport: Pantnagar Airport (120 km away)

Nearest Railway Station: Ramnagar Railway Station (38 km away)

What Is Nearby:

  • Jim Corbett National Park
  • Garjiya Devi Temple
  • Ramganga River
  • Corbett Falls

Spiti Ecosphere Homestays, Himachal Pradesh:

High up in the cold deserts of Spiti Valley, where monasteries cling to cliffs and the air feels thin yet pure lies Spiti Ecosphere Homestays.  It is one of the eco friendly hotels in India because of its community linked tourism and conservation practices. These are village homes that turned into guest houses, giving travellers a chance to live the life of locals. The homes are made of mud and stones, naturally insulated against the cold. Solar panels provide electricity and dry compost toilets ensure water conservation in these arid landscapes. The primary goal of establishing these homestays in villages like Langza, Komic, and Dhankar is to preserve cultural heritage and provide employment opportunities to locals. They focus on the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) of waste management to minimize negative impacts on the environment. Meals are simple; Zampa, a local bail bread but deeply nourishing, Siddu, Kambir, Aktori, Thukpa, etc. You do not just stay but become a family here. You will learn to make momos and sit with grandmothers weaving wool to interact with locals. The travellers get a better perspective of Spiti culture and lost in the beauty away from city life.

Starting Price: INR 27,499 onwards

How To Reach:

Nearest Airport: Shimla Airport (445 km away)

Nearest Railway Station: Kalka Railway Station (270 km away)

What Is Nearby:

  • Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Pin Valley
  • KibbeMonestery
  • Chandratal Lake
  • Dhankar Lake, Monastery and Fort

Lchang Nang Retreat, Nubra Valley, Ladakh

Known as the “House of Trees,” Lchang Nang Retreat offers eco-conscious cottages made of mud, stone, and poplar wood. The eco friendly resort in India is powered largely by solar energy to minimise its environmental impact. It is constructed with local materials lke stone, mud and follows sustainable practices in waste management. It also features onsite farms where they practice organic farming of seasonal produce and use them in the resort kitchen. Guests here experience Ladakhi hospitality eating skyu (a local pasta stew), butter tea, and learning about Buddhist traditions. The resort also focuses on traditional flood irrigation systems to water the grounds and tourists are encouraged to conserve energy and water. They also priotise to help local residents to foster a sense of supporting the local community. You can enjoy farming practices, nature walk, traditional music and exploring nearby villages. Nights are magical, with the Milky Way painting the sky. The host family often invites guests to local monasteries, offering a window into the spiritual life of Ladakh.

Starting Price: INR 21,000 onwards

How To Reach:

Nearest Airport: Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (120 km away)

Nearest Railway Station: Jammu Tawi Railway Station (370 km away)

What Is Nearby: 

  • Hunder Sand Dunes
  • Diskit Monastery
  • Panamik Hot Springs
  • Yarab Tso Lake
  • Samstanling Monastery

Bamboo Retreat Hotel, Sikkim

Perched on a hill overlooking terraced paddy fields and monasteries, Bamboo Retreat feels less like a hotel and more like a cozy mountain home. Built largely from bamboo and local materials, it blends into its surroundings beautifully. The moment you step inside, you notice the warmth of its earthy interiors and the scent of its gardens. Meals here are made from organic produce grown in the hotel’s own gardens following the policy of farm-to-table meals. This place offers you an experience of enjoying a plate of momos stuffed with fresh garden greens while looking out at the mist rolling over the Himalayas. The retreat also practices rainwater harvesting and manages waste responsibly. The rooms are designed with traditional colourful themes with an herbal bath experience and modern amenities. The staff often invites guests to join them for meditation sessions, nature walking tours, rabbit feeding, or cooking classes. This boutique hotel promotes responsible tourism in India with a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere filled with natural beauty. It does not feel like a transaction; it feels like being welcomed into a Sikkimese family.

Starting Price: INR 4,999 onwards

How To Reach:

Nearest Airport: Pakyong Airport (24.8 km away)

Nearest Railway Station: New Jalpaiguri Railway Station (112 km away)

What Is Nearby: 

  • Namgyal Institute of Tibetology
  • Banjhakri Falls
  • Chogyal Palden Thondunp Namgyal Memorial Park
  • Tsango Lake
  • Flower Show Center
  • Ganesh Tok Temple

Makaibari Tea Estate in Darjeeling, West Bengal:

Makaibari is more than just a tea estate; it is a living story of sustainable farming. As one of the oldest organic tea estates in the world, it offers homestays where travellers live with workers’ families. You wake up to mist rolling over the tea gardens, join workers for a plucking session, and learn about biodynamic farming. These homestays are committed to organic practices, waste segregation and composting, a no-plastic policy, and support for community-led initiatives that empower locals. The estate has also received Fairtrade certification and focuses on ethical,  environmental and social responsibility practices. Meals offered in the homestays are vegetarian, simple and cooked with love and in traditional Nepali kitchens using fresh and organic produce. Evenings are spent around the fire, sipping the freshly brewed tea while listening to folk songs sung by the host family.

Starting Price: INR 2,000 onwards

How To Reach:

Nearest Airport: Bagdogra Airport (44 km away)

Nearest Railway Station: New Jalpaiguri Railway Station (47 km away)

What Is Nearby:

  • Makaibari Tea Factory
  • Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
  • Mary’s Hill
  • Dowhill Park
  • Bhangzang Salamander Lake
  • Eagle’s Crag Viewpoint

Banasura Hill Resort, Wayanad, Kerala:

Imagine staying in a 35 acres resort where the walls breathe with you. At Banasura Hill Resort, built entirely with rammed earth, the mud walls naturally regulate temperature making air conditioners unnecessary. Located amidst tea and spice plantations, this eco resort is surrounded by lush forests, verdant terrain and streams. Set at an altitude of 3500 feet above sea level with Banasura Hill in the backdrop, this eco resort has earth rooms, twin villas and suites. Guests are encouraged to explore the natural beauty through treks, bamboo rafting and bird watching. The resort also supports tribal communities in Wayanad, providing them with livelihood opportunities. Sitting by the bonfire at night, listening to tribal folk songs performed by locals, you feel connected to nature and the culture of the land. Its commitment to sustainability is evident in its biogas plant for waste management,  rainwater harvesting, and supporting local practices. The serene environment for relaxation, Ayurvedic spa for rejuvenating and nature-rich atmosphere make this one of the best eco resorts in India to visit.

Starting Price: INR 5,999 onwards

How To Reach:

Nearest Airport: Kannur International Airport (76 km away)

Nearest Railway Station: Kozhikode (Calicut) Railway Station (100 km away)

What Is Nearby: 

  • Banasura Sagar Dam
  • Edakkal Caves
  • Soochipara Waterfalls
  • Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Lakkidi View Point
  • Karinthandan Temple

Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom, Kerala:

Coconut Lagoon is a heritage resort in Kumarakom, Kerala that offers you the experience of Kerala’s backwaters at their purest. Reached only by boat, it almost feels like entering another world. The resort is nestled amidst coconut groves and backwater canals and is filled with a tranquil setting. Traditional Kerala-style wooden cottages, a swimming pool, spa and various dining options, this resort is situated on the banks of Vembanad Lake. You wake up to the sound of water lapping against the shore and the sight of migratory birds flying low. The resort runs on eco-conscious principles. Here the waste is converted into biogas, water is recycled and no trees are cut for expansion. The highlight of the stay here is not just the luxury cottages but the interactions with local fishermen who share stories about the fragile blackwater ecosystem. This resort is part of the CGH Earth group of hotels, known for its responsible and culturally rich travel experience. It also features a yoga centre, a massage parlor, a shopping complex and lakeside restaurants “Paddy Hut Dining”. You can enjoy sunset boat rides, canoe cruises, bird watching, village walks, cultural dance performances, and cooking sessions here during your stay.

Starting Price: INR 16,500 onwards

How To Reach:

Nearest Airport: Cochin International Airport (73.2 km away)

Nearest Railway Station: Kottayam Railway Station (19.3 km away)

What Is Nearby: 

  • Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
  • Vembanad Lake
  • Kumarakom Backwaters
  • Kumarakom Beach
  • Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple
  • Aruvikkuzhi Waterfall
  • Bay Island Museum

Philipkutty’s Farm, Kumarakom, Kerala:

Imagine waking up to the sound of water lapping softly against wooden stilts and stepping out to see fishermen casting nets in the misty backwaters. That is what Philipkutty’s Farm offers. It is a family run home stay in Kumarakom. Guests stay in private waterfront villas, all built with reclaimed wood and traditional Kerala architecture. This farm emphasizes sustainability by practicing organic farming, reducing chemical inputs and engaging local communities by providing employment opportunities. The fully organic method of this farm reduces its use of chemical inputs to almost 80%. The family prepares meals with farm grown vegetables and freshly caught fish. There is no hotel formality here; you sit at their dining table and eat as if you are part of the family. The host shares the tales of the backwaters, farming tradition, and Kerala’s fading cultural practices making every evening feel like a storytelling session by the fire. Visitors can also participate in farm walks, birdwatching, swimming in the backwaters, and traditional Kerala cuisine cooking classes.

Starting Price: INR 28,000 onwards

How To Reach:

Nearest Airport: Cochin International Airport (72.5 km away)

Nearest Railway Station: Cherthala Railway Station (11 km away)

What Is Nearby:

  • Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
  • Bay Island Driftwood Museum
  • Pathiramanal Island
  • Vembanad Lake

Swaswara Wellness, Gokarna, Karnataka:

Swaswara Wellness is not just a resort; it is the place where people come to heal. Spread across 26 acres, this is a CGH Earth experience. Nestled by the serene Om beach in Gokarna, it runs on the principle of holistic living. Swaswara is an eco sensitve wellness sanctuary that synergizes with its communities and lush nature. This is the best place to cut yourself off from the noise of the world and lost in the symphonies of the wondrous terrain surrounded by natural beauty. The cottages are built using the Konkan coast architectural style with natural materials, laterite stones and thatched roofs. Rainwater harvesting, solar energy and organic farming are part of the everyday functioning of one of the renowned sustainable hotels in India. Guests are encouraged to practice yoga, meditation and art. The food is sattvic, made from seasonal produce, much of it grown onsite. The core of Swaswara is to offer diets that include plenty of protein, healthy fats, lots of fresh fruit & veggies, especially greens, whole grains, and fresh seafood. You will leave Swaswara rested and transformed. Guests often discover parts of themselves they had long forgotten.

Starting Price: INR 25,499 onwards

How To Reach:

Nearest Airport: Dabolim Airport (170 km away)

Nearest Railway Station: Gokarna Road Railway Station (16 km away)

What Is Nearby:

  • Om Beach
  • Gokarna Beach
  • Kudle Beach
  • Mahabaleshwar Temple
  • Maha Ganapathi Temple
  • Harrbali Viewpoint
  • Mirjan Fort

Shunya Eco Retreat, Goa:

Far from Goa’s crowded beaches lies Shunya. It is a homestay built on the philosophy of living in rhythm with nature. The eco huts are made from bamboo and mud, glass houses and verandahs, decks and balconies. It is a peaceful retreat that is known for its beautiful and well-maintained grounds, comfortable amenities and eco conscious design. The architecture of this stay is embodied in a minimalist way with a spiral staircase. They focus on recycling the water and solar energy powers much of the property which indicates their commitment to renewable energy. The host serves plant based meals made from seasonal produce grown on their farm. Guests are encouraged to join yoga, permaculture workshops, or simply spend time meditating by the coconut groves. Evenings here are about community, travellers, locals and hosts sit together, sharing meals and stories under starlit skies. The main focus of this retreat is to deliver nature centric environment to the tourists while preserving it for future generations and reducing their carbon footprints.

Starting Price: INR 3,500 onwards

How To Reach:

Nearest Airport: New Goa International Airport (18 km away)

Nearest Railway Station: Pernem Railway Station (13 km away)

What Is Nearby: 

  • Baga Beach
  • Palolem Beach
  • Cabo de Rama Fort
  • Basilica of Bom Jesus
  • Dudhsagar Waterfalls
  • Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary

Dune Eco Village and Spa, Pondicherry:

This 35 acre eco village is like stepping into a creative laboratory of sustainability. Each among the 62 bungalows, rooms and suites is designed uniquely, some with recycled glass, others with reclaimed wood. The Dune Eco Village and Spa was built as a space that aims to deliver the experience of organic living, pure atmosphere and well-being. It is abundant with a lush ecosystem that is home to many species of birds and wildlife that makes it an oasis of peace. The property has its own organic farms and recycles water and waste. Yoga, Ayurveda and wellness therapies form the soul of this retreat. Their restaurants serve healthy gourmet dishes that are prepared from organically farmed vegetables. It is not just about staying, it is about resetting your lifestyle in harmony with nature. This one of the reliable eco friendly homestays in India collaborates with local artisans, so when you buy handicrafts here you know your money is directly going into preserving traditional crafts. The resort also promotes the local art, culture and education by offering an Artist Residence Program to provide working spaces and studios for an international selection of multi-disciplinary artists.

Starting Price: INR 6,499 onwards

How To Reach:

Nearest Airport: Pondicherry Airport (12 km away)

Nearest Railway Station: Pondicherry Railway Station (16 km away)

What Is Nearby: 

  • Auroville & Auroville Beach
  • Promenade Beach
  • White Town
  • Pondicherry Museum
  • Manakula Vinayagar Temple
  • Chunnambar Boat House
  • Botanical Garden

Travel That Feeds The Soul!

Eco friendly stays in India are not just an alternative to conventional hotels; they are the future of meaningful travel. They remind us that luxury can mean waking up to bird’s song instead of blaring alarms, that community can mean sharing meals at a family table. Choosing eco friendly hotels in India is more than a personal choice, it’s a way of voting for the kind of world we want to live behind. A world where travel heals rather than harms, where communities thrive rather than get displaced and where every journey makes the earth a little greener. And leave the worry away that responsibility does not take away from the joy of travel; it deepens it. So the next time you plan a trip to India, ask yourself, “Do I want to just visit this place or do I want to connect with it?” If it is the latter, let Memorable India handle the rest. We make sure you get the best tour itinerary designed with the top eco friendly hotels and homestays India stay option that are waiting to welcome you as part of their family. Call us to enquire more, we are just a call away!