Brian Berkman stays at Hotel Verde to check out Its green credentials and value as an airport hotel of choice.
Just 400 metres from Cape Town International Airport, in the unlikely setting of Airport Industria, sits Hotel Verde – a property that’s rewriting the rulebook on sustainable hospitality. As I approached the hotel, I was immediately struck by the lush greenery that transforms this industrial neighbourhood into an unexpected oasis. This is no mere greenwashing exercise: Hotel Verde holds the distinction of being Africa’s first 100% carbon-neutral hotel and the continent’s only LEED Platinum-certified accommodation.
A Pioneer in Sustainable Hospitality
Opened in August 2013, Hotel Verde was born from owner Mario Delicio’s conviction that luxury and sustainability need not be mutually exclusive. “For many years, my life motto has been that we have a responsibility as a company, as employers and as visitors on this planet to live as sustainably as possible,” Delicio explains.
What began as an ambitious vision has evolved into a 151-room property that recycles more than 90% of its waste and offsets 100% of guest carbon emissions – a compelling proposition for travellers increasingly conscious of their environmental footprint as they step off an aeroplane.
The hotel’s achievements are formidable. In May 2014, it became the sixth LEED Platinum hotel globally and the first in Africa – a certification awarded by the US Green Building Council that requires third-party verification of sustainable design and operation.
Running 70% more energy efficiently than comparable Cape Town hotels, Verde has collected an impressive array of accolades, including the World Travel Awards’ Africa’s Leading Green Hotel in both 2024 and 2025, and recognition as a TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice winner placing it in the top 10% of hotels worldwide.
Where Green Technology Meets Guest Comfort
What matters is how seamlessly its eco-credentials integrate with the guest experience. Double-glazed, spectrally-selective windows mean that despite the proximity to airport runways, I didn’t hear aeroplanes. The hotel’s two sets of curtains – a rarity that actually functions as intended – provided genuinely blackout conditions, essential for travellers crossing time zones.
Photovoltaic solar panels and wind turbines generate renewable energy. An intelligent building management system controls the super-efficient heating and air-conditioning, and regenerative lifts recover energy during descent.
Water management is equally impressive. A greywater recycling plant and rainwater harvesting system substantially reduce consumption, whilst the property’s eco-pool – filtered through a living ecosystem of aquatic plants rather than chemicals – looks gorgeous surrounded by indigenous, water-wise vegetation. Even with water pressure intentionally restricted to prevent waste, I found the shower pressure perfectly adequate, proof that eco-considerations need not compromise comfort.
An Unexpected Sanctuary
Whilst Hotel Verde’s primary appeal is its convenience for early flights and transit stays, the property offers sufficient charm to warrant a longer visit. The “living walls” – vertical gardens that separate the public areas from Nuovo Restaurant – have flourished since the hotel’s opening, creating a verdant interior landscape. Where seasonal changes thin the natural greenery, sculptural wire birds and creatures (some available for purchase in the deli) add artistic flair.
The recently opened Verde Vita spa, housed in a standalone building across from the hotel, offers treatments that belie the property’s four-star rating with competitive pricing. An anti-jet-lag massage focusing on back, neck and legs costs just R950 (approximately £40) for forty-five minutes, whilst the infrared cabin – think sauna with added health benefits – is R450, (around £20) for thirty minutes including shower access.
Exceptional Value Throughout
The breakfast buffet, at R235 (roughly £10) for non-residents, is genuinely excellent. The pork selection alone – featuring cold sliced roast, house-made bacon jam, rillettes and pâté – demonstrates serious culinary ambition. The omelette chef’s technique suggested French training, delivering perfectly executed eggs to order. Alongside crispy bacon, bratwurst, cheesy tomatoes and delicious creamed spinach, it’s a breakfast that sets you up properly for the day ahead.
The hotel is certified vegan with separate plant-based menus, is Halal-friendly and, with 48-hour’s advance notice, fully Halal. Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated with advance notice.
Nuovo Restaurant maintains this value proposition throughout the day, with prices that remain reasonable despite the captive audience. The hotel’s selection of craft beers on tap reflects owner Mario Delicio’s other business, Darling Brew, which provides turnkey solutions to craft beverage producers. Even the deli pricing is fair – a packet of Lay’s crisps that retails at R9.99 online costs just R12 here, refreshing restraint in an environment where gouging international travellers would be easy.
Practical Flexibility
The 151 rooms span three categories. Standard rooms (27m²) offer king or twin beds with open-plan bathrooms, though closed bathrooms are available on request. Studio rooms (30m²) provide additional space with separate bathrooms, perfect for families with the optional sofa bed. Executive suites (41m²) include a separate living room, kitchenette, and bathroom with both bath and shower – the sofa converts into a second bed, and interconnecting doors allow larger families to book adjacent suites.
Complimentary shuttles run every thirty minutes between 4am and midnight to the airport, whilst daily shuttles to the V&A Waterfront at R150 (or about £6) each way, departing 11am and 6pm make exploring Cape Town’s premier tourist attraction straightforward.
Hotel Verde isn’t perfect – the location, whilst superbly convenient for the airport, lacks neighbourhood charm and exploring immediately beyond its gates on foot is not recommended. This is, however, a minor quibble about a property that has genuinely pioneered sustainable luxury in Africa.
The real luxury though is that after a restorative night (or day’s) sleep, stellar breakfast and possibly a spa treatment you can begin your holiday, meet your future in-laws or cement the deal you’ve flown in to close at your best.
Tell Me More About Hotel Verde
Hotel Verde Cape Town Airport, 15 Michigan Street, Airport Industria, Cape Town, 7490, South Africa
T:+27 (21) 380 5500 E: reservations@hotelverde.com
Day-stay options (6am to 8pm) provide a civilised alternative to airport lounges, priced from R750 (approx. £35) for three hours, R980 (about £45) for six hours or R1,200 (around £55) for nine hours – ideal for freshening up between connections or catching sleep before an onward journey.
Room rates start from R1,500, (nearly £68) though to R2,375 (about £108) is more typical including breakfast – reasonable for what you receive.
