Viceroy Bali's GSTC Certification Puts Sustainability Under a New Ubud Spotlight

UBUD, Bali - September 27, 2026 - Viceroy Bali has become one of the first properties in Ubud to receive Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification, adding an independently assessed sustainability standard to the credentials of one of the area's long-established luxury resorts.

The certification was awarded in June 2026, rather than during the latest September tourism news cycle. It remains relevant to Ubud's hospitality market, however, as luxury properties increasingly face pressure to demonstrate what sustainability means in their day-to-day operations.

Viceroy Bali announced the certification on June 19, describing it as recognition of its long-term approach to environmental stewardship, cultural preservation and community engagement.

Certification goes beyond a sustainability claim

GSTC certification is built around four broad areas: sustainable management, socioeconomic benefits, cultural heritage preservation and environmental responsibility.

In Viceroy Bali's case, the assessment was carried out by Control Union, a GSTC-accredited certification body.

According to Viceroy Bali, the process included reviews of documentation, interviews, supplier assessments and on-site audits.

That distinction is important in a hotel market where sustainability is increasingly part of luxury-hospitality marketing.

A sustainability programme described by a hotel itself is different from one that has also undergone an external certification process.

Water is central to the property's approach

Viceroy Bali says its water and wastewater systems form a significant part of its environmental programme.

The resort uses water from an 80-metre mountain spring, which it says is filtered and suitable for drinking throughout the property.

Its wastewater is processed through an 18-step organic treatment system before being returned to the local river.

The hotel also reports the use of solar energy, an organic kitchen garden and a zero-single-use-plastic policy.

These measures are presented by Viceroy Bali as operational practices rather than temporary initiatives introduced specifically for certification. The property's sustainability materials say the hotel has been developing such systems since opening in 2005.

The local workforce is part of the equation

The certification also covers the social and economic side of tourism.

Viceroy Bali reports that 97 percent of its employees are local, while 37 percent of its team members come from the village of Petulu, where the property is located.

The hotel says its approach includes supporting surrounding communities and maintaining connections with Balinese cultural practices.

Those figures are based on information published by Viceroy Bali and form part of the hotel's sustainability reporting.

For Ubud, the emphasis is particularly relevant.

The area's appeal depends heavily on its relationship with surrounding villages, agricultural landscapes, religious traditions and natural environment. A sustainability programme that focuses only on energy or waste addresses only part of the tourism equation.

A sustainability credential in a competitive luxury market

Viceroy Bali operates a relatively small accommodation model compared with Bali's large integrated resorts.

The property currently has 40 pool villas, supported by more than 170 employees, according to its media materials.

That places the resort firmly within Ubud's boutique luxury segment, where privacy, service and the surrounding landscape are central to the guest proposition.

Its GSTC certification adds another differentiating element.

The certification does not establish that Viceroy Bali is environmentally impact-free, nor does it mean every sustainability issue associated with operating a luxury resort has been eliminated.

Instead, it provides an external framework for evaluating the property's management practices across environmental, social and cultural dimensions.

Part of a wider movement in Bali

Viceroy Bali is not the only Bali luxury hotel pursuing formal sustainability standards.

The Apurva Kempinski Bali was Indonesia's first hotel to receive GSTC certification, according to Island Lifestyle Periodical, and continues to use sustainability as part of its wider industry engagement.

The development points toward a broader change in Bali's luxury-hospitality market.

Hotels increasingly have to demonstrate not only the quality of their rooms, restaurants and service, but also how they manage water, waste, energy, local employment and cultural relationships.

That is particularly relevant in Ubud, where the landscape surrounding a hotel is part of what guests are paying to experience.

Certification is a beginning, not an endpoint

Viceroy Bali's own management describes the GSTC certification as a continuation rather than a final achievement.

That distinction is consistent with the purpose of a sustainability framework: practices have to be maintained and improved after certification rather than treated as a one-time marketing milestone.

For Ubud, the significance is broader than one hotel's certificate.

As more luxury properties compete for environmentally conscious travellers, formal standards such as GSTC provide a way to distinguish between general sustainability claims and programmes that have undergone an external assessment.

Viceroy Bali's certification therefore adds another benchmark to Ubud's luxury accommodation market.

The certificate was issued in June.

The more important story is what the resort does with it next.