The Barefoot Eco Hotel
Who we are:
The Barefoot Eco Hotel is a 4-star resort located in the far north of the Maldives, a 45-minute flight from Malé International Airport. The complex is designed to fit perfectly into the vegetation of Hanimadhoo Island: the structure is made entirely of wood. The island has long fine sandy beaches, a turquoise lagoon and a fishing village with 2,000 inhabitants in which to discover local customs and traditions that have remained intact over time.
Tell us about sustainability, what are you good at?
Our hotel adheres to the principles of eco-sustainability and environmental conservation using wood from responsibly managed forests, energy efficient lighting, air conditioning inverters to heat the water in the rooms, drinking water bottled on site in reusable glass bottles thus drastically reducing plastic. All the staff of the Barefoot Eco Hotel pay particular attention to environmental protection. We involve the local community in our activities, we participate in promoting Maldivian culture and in improving the socio-economic conditions of the country. We buy all the goods available on site, develop environmental education programs for the local school and organize beach cleaning days and awareness campaigns for our guests.
Why did you choose GSTC certification?
We have chosen the GSTC as a global organization that is impartial in setting and managing sustainable tourism standards. We particularly agree with GSTC’s vision of tourism that realizes its full potential as a vehicle for social, cultural and economic good, without any negative environmental and social impact.
Please leave Vireo some feedback
Overall, we consider ourselves satisfied with Vireo’s service and with the audits carried out with professionalism and competence. Impartial and helpful at all times, the auditors involved in the certification process of The Barefoot Eco Hotel were also very accommodating when faced with difficulties due to the remote location of our resort, the degree of development of the country in which we find ourselves and the novelties that this entailed from the point of view of the certification procedure.