Want to Stay at a Green Hotel? Think Cheap

The greenest hotel chain in the US isn't exactly the swankiest: A new report from Brighter Planet finds that Vagabond Inn is the most energy- and carbon-efficient, the Los Angeles Times reports. Next up: Red Lion Hotels, another mid-range offering, followed by the budget Red Carpet Inns and then Travelodge. Dead last of the 75 chains analyzed? The more upscale JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts.

Brighter Planet considered hotel age, amenities (refrigerators in the room? a swimming pool?), room size, and other information including location, since certain parts of the country use more renewable energy. "Budget hotels are generally more efficient," the report concludes.