Our method
How we review
The same quiet questions for every hotel, about the air, the water and the bed. Each answer is sourced and dated, and the ones we haven’t answered yet stay on the page.
What we look at
A hotel room is a small, sealed world for a night or a week. You breathe its air for eight hours, sleep against its linen and drink its water. Most of that is invisible on a booking page. We try to make it visible.
So every hotel in the guide is read against the same 30 questions, using what it and third parties have published, grouped into 8 parts of a stay: fragrance, air, cleaning & care, sleep & materials, water & pools, food, light & quiet and building. The scope is broad on purpose. Fragrance matters most to many readers, but a scent-free room with a gas fire or a freshly sealed floor is not a restful one.
25 of the 30 carry weight in how we think about a hotel. The rest are shown for information: useful to some guests, but not health facts in themselves, and we say so beside each one.
We choose hotels first for being places you would want to stay. This is a short, edited list, not a directory, and being in it is not a certificate. What it promises is honesty: you see what we know, where it came from, and what we don’t know yet.
The four states
Each criterion, for each hotel, is in one of four states. On a hotel page it is drawn as a window in the building at night.
Confirmed
An independent third party says so: a certifying body, a public registry or a regulator. We have read its record ourselves, and we cite it with its date.
It is not a promise about your night. It is a dated record from someone with no stake in the booking.
Hotel-reported
The hotel says so in public: on its website, in a press release, or through its owner, operator or design team. We quote it and link to it.
We have not checked it. Every such line names who is speaking: “The hotel says…”, “The owners said in 2017…”.
Not met
A source we cite, usually the hotel’s own page, shows the criterion is not met, at least in the rooms or areas it names: an essential-oil diffuser, a gas fireplace, carpet.
It is not a verdict on the whole hotel. The finding says where, so you can ask for a room without it.
Not yet reviewed
Nothing we have found settles it yet. The question stays on the page, in its place, at full size. If the hotel has said something that falls short of our definition, we show it as context.
It is neither a yes nor a no. It is an honest gap, and gaps are worth seeing before you book.
Scope
Every finding also says where it applies.
- Across the property
- Applies to every guest room and shared space we know of.
- Only some rooms or areas
- Applies to named rooms or areas only. The finding says which, so you can ask for them.
The criteria
30 questions in 8 parts, in the order they appear on every hotel page. Choose one to see how each hotel answers it.
Fragrance
Added scent is the most common complaint from sensitive guests, and the hardest thing to see on a booking page.
Across the guide: 1 not met · 89 not yet reviewed
No air fresheners, plug-ins, room sprays or diffusers used in guest rooms.
Why it matters. In a US population survey, about a third of adults reported health problems, such as migraine and breathing difficulty, from fragranced products. Terpenes in many fragrances also react with indoor ozone to form fine particles and formaldehyde.
Sources: Steinemann, Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, Fragranced consumer products: exposures and effects from emissions (); Nazaroff & Weschler, Atmospheric Environment, Cleaning products and air fresheners: exposure to primary and secondary air pollutants ()
No signature scent diffused through the lobby, corridors or ventilation system.
Why it matters. In a US population survey, about a third of adults reported health problems from fragranced products. A scent pumped through shared air reaches every guest, and there is no way to opt out of it once you are inside the building.
Source: Steinemann, Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, Fragranced consumer products: exposures and effects from emissions ()
Bed linen and towels washed with unscented detergent and no fabric softener or dryer sheets.
Why it matters. Fragranced products, laundry products among them, caused health problems for about a third of adults in a US population survey. Laundry residue sits against skin and close to the airways all night.
Source: Steinemann, Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, Fragranced consumer products: exposures and effects from emissions ()
Fragrance-free toiletries in the room by default, or on request.
Why it matters. Fragrance ingredients are among the most frequent causes of allergic contact reactions to cosmetics. An unscented option lets sensitive guests use what is provided instead of packing their own.
Source: EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, Opinion on fragrance allergens in cosmetic products ()
Treatments, saunas and steam rooms available without essential oils or scent infusions.
Why it matters. Essential oils are fragrance: the EU’s scientific committee lists several natural extracts, as well as single fragrance chemicals, among established contact allergens. A shared sauna with a scent infusion is hard to avoid.
Source: EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, Opinion on fragrance allergens in cosmetic products ()
Air
What you breathe for eight hours a night: smoke history, fresh air, filtration and anything burning in the room.
Across the guide: 6 hotel-reported · 3 not met · 81 not yet reviewed
No smoking in any guest room, balcony or indoor space.
Why it matters. Tobacco smoke leaves a residue (thirdhand smoke) on surfaces and in dust. A study of California hotels found that non-smoking rooms in hotels that allow smoking elsewhere did not protect non-smoking guests from it.
Source: Matt et al., Tobacco Control, Thirdhand smoke and exposure in California hotels: non-smoking rooms fail to protect non-smoking hotel guests from tobacco smoke exposure ()
Guest rooms have windows or doors that open to outside air.
Why it matters. The US EPA lists opening windows, when outdoor air allows, as a way to dilute pollutants released indoors. An opening window lets guests air a room themselves when it smells of cleaning products or new furnishings.
Source: US EPA, Improving indoor air quality ()
Mechanical ventilation brings outdoor air in through filters rated MERV 13 or better.
Why it matters. Fine particles (PM2.5) are linked to respiratory and cardiovascular harm. A MERV 13 filter captures at least half of the smallest particles it is rated for and most larger ones, and a steady supply of fresh air dilutes pollutants released indoors.
Source: US EPA, What is a MERV rating? ()
A true-HEPA purifier in the room or on request, with no ozone-generating or ionizing function.
Why it matters. Portable HEPA units lower indoor particle levels, which matters most during wildfire smoke. Ionizers and ozone purifiers can add an irritant gas instead.
Sources: US EPA, Guide to air cleaners in the home (undated); US EPA, Ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners ()
No gas fireplaces, candles or incense in guest rooms.
Why it matters. In homes with gas appliances, the US EPA notes that indoor nitrogen dioxide often exceeds outdoor levels, and that it irritates the eyes, nose, throat and airways. Candles and incense burn in the same small, closed room.
Source: US EPA, Nitrogen dioxide’s impact on indoor air quality ()
Cleaning & care
How a room is cleaned, treated and prepared, and whether a request for a gentler clean is actually honored.
Across the guide: 1 not met · 71 not yet reviewed
Unscented, low-hazard cleaning products and no aerosols, with a product list the hotel will share.
Why it matters. In a ten-country study, weekly use of household cleaning sprays was linked to new asthma symptoms in adults. Residue and scent from cleaning also linger for the next guest.
Source: Zock et al., American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The use of household cleaning sprays and adult asthma: an international longitudinal study ()
No ozone shock treatments, disinfectant fogging or residual antimicrobial coatings in guest rooms.
Why it matters. The US EPA warns that ozone generators can raise indoor ozone to levels that harm the lungs, even when used as directed. Residual biocide coatings add a chemical exposure with little benefit to a healthy guest.
Source: US EPA, Ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners ()
Pests handled by monitoring, sealing and targeted treatment rather than routine spraying.
Why it matters. Integrated pest management uses monitoring, prevention and targeted controls, with broad spraying of pesticides as a last resort, which keeps chemical use indoors to what is needed.
Source: US EPA, Integrated pest management (IPM) principles ()
A written process for preparing a room on request: airing, unscented linen, a no-spray clean and confirmation to the guest.
Why it matters. About a third of US adults in one survey reported health problems from fragranced products. A good policy only helps if the room is actually prepared; a documented protocol is what turns a request into a reliable result.
Source: Steinemann, Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, Fragranced consumer products: exposures and effects from emissions ()
Sleep & materials
The textiles, mattress and floor you spend the night closest to, and how allergen-aware the room is.
Across the guide: 2 hotel-reported · 2 not met · 86 not yet reviewed
Sheets and towels certified to a residue-testing standard such as OEKO-TEX Standard 100, or certified organic.
Why it matters. Certifications such as OEKO-TEX Standard 100 test the finished fabric, down to the thread, against a list of restricted substances, which lowers skin exposure over a night’s sleep.
Source: OEKO-TEX, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 (undated)
The hotel says what its mattresses are made of and how flame-retardancy is achieved.
Why it matters. Flame retardants have been added to mattresses and seating foam, and the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences lists possible effects including endocrine and thyroid disruption. How much a mattress adds to anyone’s exposure is still debated; disclosure lets guests choose.
Source: US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Flame retardants (undated)
Hard, cleanable floors in guest rooms rather than wall-to-wall carpet.
Why it matters. Dust mites live in carpet, and US health guidance for allergic sleepers is to replace wall-to-wall carpet in bedrooms with bare floors, which can be cleaned completely between guests.
Source: US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Dust mites and cockroaches (undated)
Allergen-barrier mattress and pillow covers and feather-free, hot-washable bedding, in all or designated rooms.
Why it matters. For dust-mite allergy, US health guidance is to encase mattresses and pillows in allergen-proof covers and wash bedding weekly in hot water (130–140 °F, about 55–60 °C).
Source: US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Dust mites and cockroaches (undated)
Rooms or floors where animals are never allowed, cleaned to a separate routine.
Why it matters. Pet allergen can stay on carpets and furniture for months and travels on clothing. For allergic guests a room animals never enter matters more than any amenity.
Source: US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Pet allergens (undated)
Water & pools
Drinking water, shower water and pool air.
Across the guide: 9 hotel-reported · 63 not yet reviewed
Drinking water filtered at the tap or refill station, or treated and tested on site, with filters or tests on a schedule.
Why it matters. Public water systems in California are regulated and monitored by the State Water Board, though older building plumbing can still affect what reaches the tap. Filtration mainly improves taste and removes chlorine, and it replaces single-use bottles; private wells need regular testing.
Source: California State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water (undated)
A written Legionella management plan with temperature checks and periodic testing.
Why it matters. Legionella can grow in building water systems, and people catch Legionnaires’ disease by breathing in water mist that carries it. The US CDC says many buildings need a water management program to control it.
Sources: US CDC, About Legionnaires’ disease (); US CDC, Toolkit: developing a Legionella water management program ()
Shower filters
For information
Shower filters that reduce chlorine or chloramine, in rooms or on request.
Why it matters. Some guests with sensitive skin prefer less chlorine in shower water. The health evidence is limited, so we list this as a comfort feature.
Comfort feature, not scored.
Outdoor or low-chloramine pools
For information
Pools are outdoors, or indoor pools have dedicated ventilation and monitored combined chlorine.
Why it matters. Chloramines irritate the skin, eyes and airways, and they build up in the air of indoor pools without enough ventilation. Outdoor pools, and good ventilation for indoor ones, keep levels low.
Source: US CDC, Chloramines and pool operation ()
Context, not scored: almost every pool in this catalog is outdoors, so it says little about one hotel against another.
Food
Allergen care first; where the produce comes from second.
Across the guide: 6 hotel-reported · 30 not yet reviewed
Menus labeled for major allergens, with documented steps to prevent cross-contact.
Why it matters. Most food-allergy reactions are mild, but any can progress to anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening. US law recognizes nine major allergens; clear labeling and kitchen discipline are what keep a guest safe.
Source: US FDA, Food allergies: what you need to know ()
Garden or organic produce
For information
A meaningful share of the kitchen’s produce is grown on site or certified organic.
Why it matters. A large review found detectable pesticide residues about four times as often in conventional crops as in organic ones. Over a short stay the difference in exposure is small, so we show this as a note on the kitchen, not a scored health factor.
Source: Barański et al., British Journal of Nutrition, Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: a systematic literature review and meta-analyses ()
Kitchen note, not scored.
Light & quiet
Darkness and silence at night, and radio-quiet options for guests who want them.
Across the guide: 36 not yet reviewed
Blackout shades and sound insulation that let the room become properly dark and quiet.
Why it matters. Night-time noise fragments sleep; the WHO’s night noise guidelines set a target of 40 dB outside the bedroom. A dark, quiet room is the simplest sleep aid there is.
Source: WHO Regional Office for Europe, Night noise guidelines for Europe ()
Radio-quiet options
For information
Wi-Fi that can be switched off in the room, or a wired connection. Listed as an amenity only.
Why it matters. Some guests prefer lower radio exposure. The WHO says current evidence does not confirm any health effects from low-level electromagnetic fields, so we list these options as amenities, not as health benefits.
Source: World Health Organization, Radiation: electromagnetic fields ()
Not part of any health score. Shown as an amenity at the guest’s preference.
Building
The materials a hotel was built and renovated with, how it handles damp, and what third parties have certified.
Across the guide: 2 confirmed · 7 hotel-reported · 45 not yet reviewed
Low-VOC paints, adhesives, finishes and flooring specified in construction or renovation.
Why it matters. Paints, varnishes and adhesives release volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde among them, most heavily when new. Low-emitting products reduce that load.
Source: US EPA, Volatile organic compounds’ impact on indoor air quality ()
A written procedure to fix leaks within 48 hours and remove wet porous materials.
Why it matters. The WHO links damp buildings and mold to more respiratory symptoms, allergies and asthma, and the US EPA advises drying water-damaged materials within 24 to 48 hours to prevent growth.
Sources: World Health Organization, WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: dampness and mould (); US EPA, A brief guide to mold, moisture and your home ()
Building certification
For information
A third-party certification such as WELL, LEED or a green business program, recorded with its level, and its year where the certifier gives one.
Why it matters. WELL assesses air, water and light in occupied buildings. LEED and green business programs are mainly environmental, with some indoor-quality elements. A certificate records what was designed or checked at a point in time, not what a room is like today.
Context only. A certificate supports specific criteria only where its scope covers them.
Counts are rows across all 18 hotels in the guide. Each criterion’s page shows every hotel’s answer.
Sources and dates
Every finding has a source. On a hotel page, each finding links to a numbered source at the foot of the page: a registry entry, a certificate, the hotel’s own page. Health statements in the profile prose carry the same numbered footnotes. If we can’t point to it, we don’t say it.
Every finding has a date. Two, in fact. The source date is when the source was published or last updated, if it says; most hotel pages don’t, and then we print Undated rather than guess. The read date is when we last read it. A whole profile also carries the date it was last checked.
Claims stay claims, and say who made them. Anything that comes from the hotel, its owner, its architect or a certifier is printed with who said it: “The hotel says…”, “The owners said in 2017…”. Our own remarks are set apart as Our note. A claim that stops short of a criterion’s definition is shown as context under Not yet reviewed, never as a yes.
We leave some sources out. We don’t use booking-site listings, anonymous reviews, marketing copy that names no practice, or anything we can’t link to.
Measured values come with their conditions. When we publish a number, it comes with when, where and how it was taken, and the reference it is compared against. Never with an adjective.
Keeping it current
Hotels change. A new laundry contract or a lobby scent can undo a good record in a week, so a fact is only as good as its date. We look at every profile again at least once a year. Day-to-day practices, such as cleaning, laundry and fragrance, go first. Slow facts, like windows, filtration and smoking history, follow within two years.
We look sooner when a hotel renovates, changes hands or rewrites its policies, or when a reader tells us something has changed. While we check, the old finding stays visible with its date; if it no longer holds, it changes, and the change is dated.
If a fact goes past its re-check without a fresh source, we stop standing behind it: it returns to Not yet reviewed rather than resting on old evidence.
Spotted something out of date? Tell us. We correct the record and date the change.
No hotel pays to be here
We take no money from hotels. No listing fees, no paid placement, no sponsored profiles, no fees for being reviewed and no “partner” badges. A hotel cannot buy its way in, buy a better state, or buy its way out of a Not yet reviewed.
We have not yet stayed at these hotels to check them; every finding so far comes from published sources. When we do stay, we will pay the public rate, and a free night will never be the basis for anything we publish.
The guide is to be funded by affiliate links: on a hotel page, a partner booking link may earn us a small commission if you book through it, at no extra cost to you. None is live yet, and every one will be labeled. They never decide which hotels are included or what we say about them.