Greek Hotel Receives First GSTC Sustainability Certificate Worldwide

The Melenos Lindos Exclusive Suites, located on the Greek island of Rhodes, recently became the first hotel in the world to be awarded the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certificate.

The certification audit took place at the end of April, reviewing the hotel’s practices against a diverse set of criteria including environmental impact, working environment, and respect for local cultural heritage.

Melenos Lindos Exclusive Suites is a luxury boutique hotel located within the village of Lindos on Rhodes.

Owner Michalis Melenos dedicated 13 years to create a “small village” within Lindos. He hired a local architect to design the hotel and worked with artists to create the hotel’s traditional mosaics and artwork, inspired by 17th century Lindian mansions and created with local materials.

In addition to traditional craftsmanship, Melenos has implemented a number of on-site sustainability programs. The hotel has a linen re-use initiative to reduce water consumption, a recycled waste program, and has implemented low energy lighting throughout the site. It also has a private garden and orchard, where staff members grow fruits and vegetables that are used in the hotel restaurant.

The certificate awarded to Melenos Lindos Exclusive Suites was created by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, an international organization launched in 2007. In 2016, GSTC accredited the international certification body Control Union to certify businesses to its criteria.

“The certification is bringing international attention to Greece, a country known for its pristine vacation destinations and booming tourism industry,” Control Union said in an announcement.