15 of the best eco hotels in the world
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Sustainable travel is a compelling way of shifting perspectives, distributing wealth to those most vulnerable to the climate crisis, and a vital form of funding regenerative and restorative wildlife initiatives. Sustainability editor Juliet Kinsman recommends a few of her favourite sustainable-luxury stays as featured in her latest book, The Bucket List Eco Experiences: Traveling the World, Sustaining the Earth, published by Rizzoli. This beautiful directory of a thousand eco-friendly activities and adventures includes far-flung positive-impact places to visit – from nature-positive day trips close to home to flight-free European itineraries alongside paradise-island eco-lodges. An essential guidebook for planning greener getaways, it'll help you plan eco-minded escapes that help support communities and conservation every step of your journey.
South America
Pousada Trijunção, Cerrado, Brazil
Big up the biodiversity in the Cerrado
Stay in one of seven suites with all the luxury trimmings at Pousada Trijunção, on the 81,544-ac (33,000-ha) conservationist farm, Fazenda Trijunção. As well as allowing much of its land to run wild to act as a critical ecological corridor to the neighbouring Grande Sertão Veredas National Park, it works in partnership with the NGO Onçafari on a research project dedicated to the endangered maned wolf. Brazil is a land of immense biodiversity, beauty and devastating fragility – it has also seen catastrophic deforestation. Time here models environmental impact made possible by sustainable luxury travel and letting you experience hands-on citizen-science conservation: track jaguars and maned wolves, investigate blue hyacinth macaw nests and trek through the rainforest at sunrise.
Address: Pousada Trijunção, Estrada Formoso - MG/Cocôs - BA KM 25, Rodeador, CEP 47680-000, Brazil
North America
GoldenEye, Oracabessa, Jamaica
Live and let live at GoldenEye
Once the home of James Bond creator Ian Fleming, where he wrote all fourteen books of James Bond's adventures, it's well known now as the pride of Island Records founder Chris Blackwell. The villas, cottages, and beach huts honour its heritage and link with music, movies, and literature while looking to the future. There's an organic farm nearby, sustainable fishing practices, sea turtle protection, coral reef restoration, and the open-air lagoonside FieldSpa. During the pandemic, the GoldenEye Foundation helped nurture alternative livelihood opportunities for those whose employment had been directly affected. They set up an agriculture-based initiative to aid locals in creating farm businesses, helping with supplies and a nine-month training program. Chris's Oracabessa Foundation shows a solid commitment to improving the lives of the local community and restoring the coral reef and a new dive shop open to locals and hotel guests.
Address: GoldenEye, Oracabessa, 00000 Oracabessa, Jamaica
Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland, Canada
Discover the fishing heritage of a far eastern island
Fogo Island Inn is a design hotel situated on a tiny rocky island off the coast of Newfoundland which has set the benchmark for all-important transparency around its financials – as well as an approach to design, architecture and the arts that's all about locally sourced talents. The inn's founder, Zita Cobb, is a seventh-generation islander born into a long line of fishers lured by waters once full of cod. Unfortunately, drastic overfishing saw the industry evaporate in the 1990s, so the inn is her attempt to reinvigorate the economy of this remote community. Just as food labelling breaks down calories or carbs, utter transparency is provided on where all the revenue goes through the inn's Economic Nutrition Certification Mark. While staying here, you'll have the chance to learn about the fishing industry and this community's unique stories from onboard a docked crab-casting boat.
Address: Fogo Island Inn, 210 Main Road, Joe Batt's Arm, NL A0G 2X0, Canada
Jicaro Private Island, Lake Nicaragua, Nicaragua
Get energised naturally at an island eco-lodge
On a tiny island in Lake Nicaragua, a 15-minute private boat ride from Marina Cocidulce, is Jicaro Island Lodge. It's a solar-powered Cayuga Collection escape designed with the environment in mind at every turn. Only nine casitas were constructed using locally sourced materials, including timber salvaged from 2007's Hurricane Felix. Water is sourced from the lake, and Jicaro partners with a neighbouring pig farm that converts its animal waste into biogas for fuel. Sweet nothings more likely to seduce you, though, are those that speak of how you can stretch and spa in the middle of the lake. Envisaging Jicaro's floating deck with views of Mombacho Volcano feels healing. The massages offered at the Jicaro Wellness Center take it to another level. It's hard to beat a yoga session on the deck or a whirl in one of the two open-air treatment rooms overlooking this soul-uplifting watery paradise.
Address: Jicaro Private Island, NN-300 Jicaro Island, Lake Nicaragua, Jicaro, Nicaragua
Europe
Forestis Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy
Luxuriate in nature in the Dolomites
Accessed only by a twisty-turn mountain road and at 5,905 feet (1,800 m) above sea level, fresh mountain air and tranquil luxury are at the heart of 62-suite sanctuary Forestis Dolomites. A modern reinterpretation of the traditional Alpine retreat, enjoy a stylish stay in dense woodland beneath the striking jagged peaks and majestic rock formations of the Dolomites. Teresa Unterthiner and Stefan Hinteregger are the pair who created this escape, and they share a 360-degree eco-friendly perspective around conserving nature. The retreat is carbon-neutral in its construction and operations, and nature inspires all – from the menu to the understated interiors. Two seedlings were planted for every tree affected, creating this new wellness retreat from the hotel's transformation from an Austrian royal sanatorium to a Vatican-bequeathed retreat. Everything is as local as can be – from the chef himself to the ingredients he sources. Roland Lamprecht's 'forest cuisine' showcases foraged. The all-natural spa and bathroom products celebrate the native trees, and even the drinking water is sourced from the purifying Plose Mountain.
Address: Forestis Dolomites, Plancois 292 - Palmschoß 292, 39042 Bressanone, Italy
Hidden Hotel, Paris, France
Soothe your senses in the 17th Arrondissement
A good green city stay is hard to find. And it's hard to imagine such an eco-aware boutique hideaway exists in the French capital, but a short stroll from the Arc de Triomphe. Green Globe-certified Hidden Hotel showcases all the textures of handmade, traditional craftsmanship through organic, natural materials in a wholesome yet stylish way right in the hygge-ensuring communal hangout areas. It strikes the right note in natural textures and tones, and this demure, diminutive two-building hotel has lots of uplifting little touches that convey its care for the environment. (We love it when hotels say they're 100 per cent LED – these light-emitting diodes work in a way that the bulbs convert 95% of their energy into light with only 5 per cent wasted as heat, requiring less power than trad lamps, plus they last 25 per cent longer, so there's a less physical waste.) The spaces are mostly on the snug side, but there's all you need, from the bottles of filtered water to oh-so-organic Cocomat bedding.
Address: Hidden Hotel, 30 Rue de l'Arc de Triomphe 28, 75017 Paris, France
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Heckfield Place, Heckfield, England
Feel at home in a biodynamic refuge
Improving soil health is one of the top environmental priorities today – but not a focus many refined country retreats can lay claim to honouring so significantly. This cultured hideaway is inextricably linked with its do-gooding grounds. Home Farm's clever lunar-calendar-planting ways also made Heckfield Place the first luxury hotel in the UK to achieve biodynamic status. The Michelin Green-Starred restaurants Hearth and Marle, under the lead of culinary director Skye Gyngell, have been reason alone to check out the results of what's being achieved here – and now they've gone a step further in making this stylish stay super restorative thanks to the long-awaited world of wellness opening in 2023. Inspiring all of us to live life more slowly and heal through a deeper connection with nature and the elements, from forest bathing to cold water immersions and input from those purveyors of plant-potent skin nourishers, Wildsmith Skin. The Bothy by Wildsmith at Heckfield Place has six treatments set in the original walled garden with open-air hydrotherapies, healing thermal experiences, and Skye's nourishing plant-based spa menu to enjoy in the Sun Room.
Address: Heckfield Place, Heckfield, Hook RG27 0LD
De Waal RautenbachAfrica and the Middle East
&Beyond Mnemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Tend to the turtles
Barefoot private island luxury and breathtaking marine wildlife are the main selling points of Mnemba Island, which is comprised of only 12 'bandas' off the coast of Tanzania – but it's also an important breeding site for green and hawksbill turtles. Participate in sea turtle tagging and observation programs with Oceans Without Borders, a collaboration between &Beyond and the Africa Foundation. This partnership has been going strong for more than three decades. Or you can enjoy the magical sight of turtle hatchlings making their way from their sandy nests into the ocean. Better still, take advantage of the island's PADI dive school and hit those waters surrounded by an atoll of coral reefs in one of the world's most compelling dive sites.
Address: andBeyond Mnemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Géraldine BruneelHotel Roça Sundy, Santo António, São Tomé and Príncipe
Cosy up in an ex-cacao plantation
Thirty miles off the coast of Gabon in the Gulf of Guinea, Principe is the northern and smaller island of Africa's smallest country. HBD Príncipe (short for Here Be Dragons) has repositioned these coordinates as an upscale eco-destination thanks to extensive investment from South African techpreneur, Mark Shuttleworth. Stay in Roça Sundy, and you'll be at the very location where Einstein's General Theory of Relativity was proven. The restoration of this working plantation was undertaken entirely by locals using recycled materials. Tours for various experiences are possible at the Biosphere Reserve, with Sundy Praia the most upmarket option for accommodation. A five-star collection of tented villas right on the beach where service isn't perfect and polished as can be, but the positive social impact is measurable. Extra marks for the zero-km menu.
Address: Hotel Roça Sundy, Hotel Roça Sundy, Santo António, São Tomé and Príncipe
Tswalu Kalahari: Private Wildlife Reserve, South Africa
Support a reserve that trains trackers
A scuff in the sand here leaves missing from the lower branches of a tree there – an experienced tracker can read the earth like a book, interpreting signs from the wild to help safari guests and conservationists find even the rarest animals. Although these skills have been passed down orally among the Indigenous peoples of southern Africa for 10,000 years, they're quietly fading away. For younger generations with limited opportunities to pursue a traditional lifestyle, Tracker Academy (a division of the SA College for Tourism) is an excellent opportunity to reconnect with their culture and earn a qualification that will practically guarantee them a job in ecotourism. Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is home to one of the academy's three campuses in the Kalahari Desert. Its 386 sq mi (1,000 sq km) provides more than enough opportunities for field trips sure to inspire a lifetime of conservation. So when you search for signs of aardvarks among Tswalu's red sands, you're helping support the education of future trackers.
Address: Tswalu Kalahari, South Africa
Sussurro, Nhamabue, Mozambique
Play castaway by a peaceful secluded saltwater lagoon
Stay in a waterfront bungalow surrounded by pristine nature at the Indian Ocean retreat of off-grid Sussurro in Southern Mozambique. The six thatched accommodations were inspired by traditional Indigenous architecture. Every aspect of the interiors and design celebrates African talents through work with local designers, builders, artisans, and growers, weaving workshops with the local community and artisanal fishing experiences on local dhows. Thanks to Sussurro's creators, Adam Humphreys and Sarah Birkett, each room has personality with exciting reads and trinkets and 'ocean to table' dining.
Address: Sussurro, Mozambique
Six Senses Zighy Bay, Musandam Peninsula, Oman
Deepen your knowledge of sustainability at an environmental education centre
Straddling the dramatic Musandam Peninsula, Six Senses Zighy Bay already had a stellar reputation as a luxury eco-resort – it went one step further with the Earth Lab – an ecology and sustainability centre open to all its guests, the signature of Six Senses resorts. Visit to learn about its development projects both on- and off-site and to pick up handy skills to make your life more sustainable when you get home. Think composting, foraging, and low-impact food choices… but if that isn't what gets you excited about holidaying here, this village-inspired resort sits between rugged mountains and powder-soft sand beach is also renowned for its wellness delights – how do Arabic-style hammams, an ice cave, sunrise yoga and a jungle gym sound?
Address: Six Senses Zighy Bay, Musandam Peninsula Sultanate of Oman, 800 Dibba, Oman
Asia
Cempedak Island, Indonesia
Relax in a granite-perched spa
Here in the Riau Archipelago, named after a jackfruit-like tree pronounced 'chem-puh-dak', this bamboo adults-only island resort in the South China Sea treats its residents to their own open-air villa and private pool. It's only a short stumble along the path to the bar, restaurant or spa, and the only inhabitants you're likely to meet are sea otters or silver-leaf monkeys. Rock Spa houses three double treatment rooms on top of Cempedak's granite boulder formations at the bay's edge. The menu of facials, scrubs, manicures, and pedicures strikes the right note in a sustainability sense. Many hyper-locally sourced ingredients are homegrown – local villagers produce virgin coconut oil as part of a social enterprise. Fall into a deeper state of relaxation to the therapeutic sound of the sea. An exciting development on their sister island of Nikoi, too, is an exciting tribute to the local indigenous people and is proving to be a crucible for creativity. Ubah Rumah – which means 'Home of Change' – is a tribute to the culture of the nomadic seafaring Orang Laut community via a studio open to visiting artists, scientists and researchers to pause in residence. It's also intended to prompt more climate-solutions conversations and showcase how we can adapt to our changing world.
Address: Cempedak Private Island, Indonesia
Gangtey Lodge, Gangtey Valley, Bhutan
Hike in Bhutan's green valleys
Gangtey Lodge's namesake location is a wide, flat glacial carving of such extraordinary beauty that it is the favourite valley for many Bhutanese. Head to the twelve-suite retreat of Gangtey Lodge, and you'll find a seventeenth-century monastery on your doorstep and endless paths through the Black Mountains to follow. Peel yourself away from your picturesque retreat to spend time with the warm, welcoming families of local farmers and join them in making butter and cheese in the traditional way. Hand-making cheese with a farmer at Gangtey Lodge promises a taste of local life. Helping with the harvest and experiencing their way of life first-hand is humbling and heartening. If being a more sustainable traveller is to truly engage with locals while only having a light physical footprint, the last remaining Buddhist kingdom is as compelling as can be. Since the country has a minimum daily package rate, there is a more targeted approach to inbound tourism, and the lucky few visiting are welcomed into this compassionate, inclusive community, with few barriers between the Bhutanese and foreign guests. Wherever you book to stay, your hotel can arrange for you to participate in blessing and breakfast ceremonies, butter lamp rituals and the flying of prayer flags.
Address: Gangtey Lodge, Just below the Monastery, Gangtey (Phobjikha) Valley, Bhutan
Jaideep OberoiJetwing Vil Uyana, Sri Lanka
Stay in a sustainable wetland resort
Sited in an artificial wetland habitat, Jetwing Vil Uyana opened its doors in 2006, when ecotourism wasn't yet a thing. So kick back in this eco-resort where everything spells sustainability – from its open architecture across common areas (reducing the need for lighting and ventilation) to using natural materials, zero-emission transportation options, and wood and biomass stoves in the kitchens. Its man-made lakes are filled with rainwater, and all wastewater is treated on-site and used for irrigation. Reminding us that responsible hosts care as much for the community as conserving energy, Jetwing also identified a social challenge they could tackle through their hospitality – giving middle-aged women much-needed career opportunities. Their programme invited women to work in the kitchens and buffet areas, creating authentic home-cooking-style dishes – such as hoppers and buffalo curd. This heart-warming hospitality initiative has proven a great gender-sensitive solution to overcome the difficulties of attracting female talent, too.
Address: Jetwing Vil Uyana, Sigiriya, 21120, Sri Lanka
The Bucket List: Eco Experiences is published by Rizzoli and is bursting with addresses all over the world to inspire good times that do good, with contributions from travel writers such as Shivani Ashoka, Shafik Meghji, Imogen Lepere, Sarah Reid, who joined Juliet in sharing secrets to the most special eco escapes and positive-impact adventures. Camp in the dunes, sign up for social-enterprise surf schools, plan slow-travel train journeys, pop by Indigenous-run art galleries – there's a whole lot of good to do in this world: get ticking off that bucket list and make every trip count.