The ocean has always been part of our favourite travel memories; early morning swims, long walks along the shore, sunsets that stay with us long after we return home. But today, it’s also at the centre of a bigger question: how do we continue to explore these places, while helping to protect them for the future? More travellers are starting to think differently about the impact of their journeys, and where they stay can be an important place to begin.

Across destinations worldwide, a new generation of hotels is quietly reshaping what travel can look like: combining comfort and connection with a more thoughtful approach to the natural world. From rethinking menus to reducing waste, and supporting ocean conservation beyond their walls, small changes are starting to take shape, on a global scale.

Sustainable ocean travel isn’t about doing less, it’s about travelling with more awareness. It means choosing places that help protect marine ecosystems, supporting responsible food practices, reducing environmental impact, and creating moments that help us feel more connected to the ocean itself. Because when that connection grows, so does the desire to protect it.

From tropical coastlines to vibrant cities, here are ten stays that reflect a more mindful way of travelling where the experience goes hand in hand with care for the places that make it possible.

Surrounded by lush greenery and within easy reach of Bali’s coastline, Novotel Bali Ubud offers a chance to slow down and reconnect with the natural world. On an island known for its rich marine life, the hotel’s everyday choices, from sourcing ingredients locally to reducing waste, help protect delicate ecosystems beyond what guests see. Staying here means experiencing Bali’s beauty while supporting efforts that preserve it for the future.

With the Atlantic just steps from the lobby, Novotel Rio de Janeiro Leme blends the energy of the city with the calm of the coast. In these waters and across the wider region, Novotel supports conservation efforts protecting endangered leatherback, green, and olive ridley sea turtles – work that spans Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, and Suriname and combines research, community involvement, and youth advocacy to preserve species that have navigated these shores for millions of years. Rio's beaches are as vivid as ever. What surrounds them is worth protecting.

It may sit far from the coast, but Novotel Paris Vaugirard reflects how inland choices matter too. Across the Mediterranean, Novotel supports WWF France's long-term protection of Posidonia seagrass meadows, often called the “underwater forests” of the Mediterranean. These ecosystems are essential to marine life and climate balance, showing that ocean protection begins long before we reach the beach. Looking for a coastal stay in France? The Mediterranean is one of the world’s most loved travel destinations, and also one of its most sensitive ecosystems. Across the French Riviera, Novotel hotels are supporting efforts to reduce pressure on coastal habitats, showing how tourism and preservation can coexist. Whether exploring Nice’s coastline or nearby marine reserves, travellers can experience the region with greater awareness.

Kenya's Indian Ocean coastline is home to extraordinary marine life: coral reefs, whale sharks, sea turtles, and some of Africa's most biodiverse coastal ecosystems. Novotel Nairobi Westlands sits a few hours inland, but the distance doesn't change the relationship. Hotel teams have trained in sustainable seafood and ocean awareness, bringing the conversation about marine protection into spaces where guests might not expect to find it. The coast is close. The commitment is closer.

Along Brazil's north-eastern coast, Novotel Recife Marina sits beside one of the country's most spectacular shorelines. In these waters and across the wider Guiana Shield region, Novotel supports sea turtle conservation efforts combining research, eco-guide programmes, and community-based ecotourism to protect species that have become emblems of the region's marine identity. Guests can witness conservation efforts firsthand, creating a deeper connection to the ecosystems around them.

New Zealand is surrounded by some of the most biodiverse ocean territory on the planet, and some of the most significant whale migration routes in the southern hemisphere. In 2026, Novotel extended its commitment into Pacific waters to support WWF Australia's whale "blue corridor" research: mapping the migratory routes these animals depend on, and identifying the threats they face from shipping, noise pollution, and climate change. Novotel Christchurch Airport puts guests at the edge of that world – It’s a stay that brings travellers closer to the natural rhythms of the ocean.

Thailand sits at the centre of some of the world's most significant seafood supply chains and increasingly, at the centre of efforts to make them more transparent and accountable. Novotel works with suppliers across Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia to improve traceability and responsible sourcing practices for farmed tuna and shrimp one of the brand's most operationally significant sustainability commitments in the region. At Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam, what ends up on the plate has been thought about carefully.

Image: Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam, Thailand

Spain's southern coastline meets the western Mediterranean, one of the world's most ecologically sensitive marine environments. In these waters, Novotel supports whale and cetacean research, biodiversity monitoring, and marine conservation advocacy that connects science to action at a global level. Novotel Madrid City Las Ventas is a few hours from the coast, and part of a network actively working to protect what lies beyond it.

Shanghai sits on the edge of the East China Sea, one of the most ecologically complex and heavily trafficked marine zones in the world. Novotel Shanghai Qingpu is a city hotel, but the ocean is never far from the conversation. Hotel teams have completed ocean awareness training as part of Novotel's global programme, and the plant-forward menus and responsible sourcing standards that run across the brand are as present here as anywhere in the network. Sometimes the most meaningful ocean commitment is the one that happens quietly, every day, in a kitchen thousands of miles from the shore.

The Baltic Sea is experiencing a ghost gear problem where abandoned fishing equipment that continues to trap and harm marine life long after it's been lost. In 2026, Novotel began supporting new initiatives along the Polish coastline to map and identify that gear using sonar technology, with a long-term ambition to develop recycling solutions for what's recovered. Warsaw may be landlocked, but a stay at Novotel Warszawa Centrum is, in a small but real way, part of the effort to address it.

It might not always be visible, but many of the changes shaping ocean-friendly travel are happening behind the scenes. Across the hospitality industry, hotels are rethinking everyday details, from the materials they use to the food they serve, in ways that reduce pressure on the ocean. This includes:

1. Reducing single-use plastics
2. Introducing more plant-forward menus
3. Rethinking seafood sourcing
4. Helping guests and families better understand the role they can play

Today, many hotels have already made meaningful progress in these areas, showing how small adjustments, when applied across hundreds of locations, can begin to create real change. But the shift goes beyond operations alone. Around the world, these efforts are also helping support wider initiatives: protecting marine species like sea turtles, contributing to scientific research, and tackling challenges such as ocean pollution.

As these efforts continue to grow across different destinations, they offer travellers a clearer view of how hotels are helping protect the ocean and why these actions matter.

Choosing where you stay may seem like a small decision, but when those choices are shared by millions of travellers, they begin to add up. Travel is gradually becoming something more: not just about the places we visit, but about how we experience and connect with the world around us. As that connection deepens, it creates room for more thoughtful action.

Across Novotel’s partnership with WWF, this growing awareness is helping support real‑world projects, from protecting marine habitats and species to advancing scientific research through initiatives like the Blue Panda vessel. These efforts are captured in the second annual NovotelOceans Impact Report, which highlights how work across more than 600 hotels is contributing to ocean protection, including opportunities for ALL members to direct their points toward research, education and conservation. The future of travel doesn’t just depend on the places we explore; it depends on how we choose to protect them.

Want the full picture? Read our ocean commitment report: Novotel Ocean Impact Report - Year Two

Which UK coastal destinations have the best hotels by the ocean?

For hotels right by the sea in the UK, Cornwall (St Ives, Newquay and Falmouth) is a top pick for surf beaches and coastal paths, while Devon's South Hams offers classic seaside towns such as Salcombe and Dartmouth. On the south coast, Brighton and Bournemouth combine beachfront promenades with lively dining and easy rail access. For dramatic scenery, the Jurassic Coast around Weymouth and Swanage pairs cliff walks with sheltered bays, and North Wales (Llandudno and Anglesey) delivers wide beaches and sea views close to Snowdonia.

What makes a hotel truly oceanfront rather than just near the sea?

A true oceanfront hotel sits directly on the shoreline, with no roads, buildings or significant public land between the property and the beach. Look for clear indicators such as direct beach access (via a gate, path or boardwalk), rooms with uninterrupted sea views, and public areas that open onto the waterfront. Reliable listings also state “beachfront” or “on the seafront” and show a map pin on the coast, not a short drive inland. “Near the sea” can mean anything from a few streets away to several kilometres.

Are there Novotel hotels by the ocean?

Yes! Novotel has several hotels on or very close to the shoreline, offering easy access to beaches, promenades and sea views in destinations worldwide. Check the map location and look for details such as direct beach access or “seafront” positioning to confirm how close you'll be to the coast.

Does staying at a Novotel hotel contribute to ocean conservation?

Yes. Through its Ocean Positive Impact Plan and partnership with WWF, Novotel actively supports conservation programmes around the world, from protecting sea turtles and whale migration corridors to tackling ghost gear pollution and improving seafood traceability. Members of ALL Accor can also choose to donate their reward points directly to ocean conservation, supporting the Blue Panda's work in the Mediterranean.

Which Novotel hotels have the virtual reality ocean exhibition?

The immersive VR Ocean Exhibition is available across twelve Novotel hotels worldwide:

1. Novotel Bali Ubud
2. Novotel Rio de Janeiro Leme
3. Novotel Paris Vaugirard
4. Novotel Nairobi Westlands
5. Novotel Recife Marina
6. Novotel Christchurch Airport
7. Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam
8. Novotel Madrid City Las Ventas
9. Novotel Shanghai Qingpu
10. Novotel Warszawa Centrum
11. Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village
12. Novotel Xiamen Downtown