Accommodations at the luxurious, eco-friendly Bardessono include flat-screen TVs, fireplaces and outdoor spaces.

When making reservations, savvy travelers take lodgings’ eco status— such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ratings of Platinum, Gold, Silver or certified — into consideration. Here are three green hotels worth checking out — and checking into.

When visiting friends in Greensboro, NC, last year, we stayed at the Proximity Hotel, the first U.S. hotel to receive the highest LEED ranking of Platinum. After a swim in the pool and a trip to the downstairs gym, we rode in the energy-recycling Gen2 elevator to our room for a shower under a high-efficiency fixture with water heated by rooftop solar panels. The adjacent Print Works Bistro offers local, sustainable fare, such as North Carolina mountain trout and house-made spaetzle with summer vegetables.

Bardessono, a 62-room hotel and spa that opened in February in California’s Napa Valley, has been designed to be the “greenest luxury hotel in America.” Currently awaiting LEED certification, the five-acre facilities are equipped with a geothermal system and rooftop solar panels to ensure almost no off-site energy is used. Spacious accommodations include fireplaces, flat-screen TVs, outdoor spaces, soaking tubs and massage tables. Click here to receive 10 percent off Bardessono’s best available rates.

The first California hotel to be LEED-certified was San Francisco’s Orchard Garden Hotel. Ten percent of the building materials are recycled and 50 percent of the new wood is Forest Stewardship Council certified. Roots Restaurant features local produce, naturally raised meats and sustainable seafood.

Whether new hotels are constructed to conform to green guidelines or existing establishments adopt eco-friendly practices, this is a promising trend. We’re eagerly awaiting the slated fall 2010 opening of New York City’s Greenhouse 26, a hotel designed by architect Arpad Baksa to be LEED Gold-certified. Which eco-friendly amenities do you look for when booking a stay?

Photo credit: Sammy Todd Dyess

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