Holy Tomato, VeggieHotels, a site launched back in 2011, helps healthy vegetarians hook up with some 500-plus bed and breakfasts, hotels, spas and conference centers across 60 countries. Listing everything from five star Bali digs to bed and breakfast stays from Austin, Texas to Zanzibar (okay, maybe not that far), the VeggieHotels membership makes a lot of sense for those travelers so inclined. Getting the nod for covering the niche, VeggieHotels needs some more inventory.
Update from Thomas Klein at VeggieHotels in Berlin:
“We are always happy about suggestions for new accommodations, as we try to have a complete listing. Yet we talked to the owners of Metohi Kindelis and found out that this venue does not comply with the criteria for a VeggieHotel as we only list accommodations that are purely vegetarian. We were told that Metohi Kindelis is a self catering accommodation and any food options are welcome there and will be supplied by the owners. So from our viewpoint this is not a vegetarian place.”
According to this article on USA Today, co-founder Thomas Klein says he’s noted a growing number of upscale resorts going vegetarian. Not the most cutting edge website we ever saw, a little time and pressure should make this sort of niche travel site more popular. We know from our experiences in helping hotels publicize their green and healthy attributes, that as the guest goes, so goes the digital marketing trend.
A simple search feature on VeggieHotels does actually preview for the user quite a number of thrilling veggie accommodations. However, I must say finding one hotel in the South of Crete that fits the criteria, was a bit disappointing. This, given that Metohi Kindelis in near Chania (image below) is perhaps the most famous vegetarian farmhouse accommodation in Southern Europe, makes me want to start my own vegetarian site or app.
Courtesy Metohi Kindelis website
But then, we just returned from Crete with invigorating ideas of healthy cuisine. VeggieHotels is a fantastic idea, and an initiative we’ll follow closely.
