There are few experiences that beat staying in a great five-star hotel. Sure, a once in a lifetime luxury cruise to Antarctica or watching the sunrise over Ankor Wat in Cambodia are pretty tough to beat. But when a hotel goes above and beyond, it can be unforgettable. And when the hotel is doing something so impactful it’s actively making the world a better place, well, that’s pretty great too.
There’s no doubt that we still have a way to go when it comes to traveling sustainably, but the consumer interest in topic has grown post-pandemic. Of the 30,000 travelers in 32 countries recently surveyed, almost 80-percent said they intend to stay in a sustainable property at least once in the coming year, a figure that’s up 10 percent from 2021.
“Many of the sustainable travel trends that were already on the rise pre-pandemic will accelerate exponentially, as consumers who are more conscious than ever about their impact on the people and places they visit increasingly look for opportunities to contribute to positive change,” Vice President of Sustainability for Beyond Green Nina Boys told Robb Report. “Likewise, savvy companies and destinations will invest in real innovation to meet this demand, including through tools that allow travelers to more seamlessly support local communities and help protect the incredible richness of our planet’s diversity through their explorations.”
Which is all to say, we’re no longer talking about “green” in that in the “reusing your towels” and “eliminating single use plastics” kind of way (although, yes, that’s a good place to start). Instead, here are seven hotels that—through innovative design, impactful experiences and more—are working to make a world of difference every single day.
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Soneva Fushi Baa Atoll, Maldives
Image Credit: Soneva Fushi Baa Atoll Similar to its sustainable sister properties across the Maldives and in Thailand, Soneva Fushi Baa Atoll is not only set in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, but the private jungle island resort has also committed to remaining 100-percent carbon neutral.
In addition to the 63-beachfront villas and eight water retreats, the property has sprawling organic gardens that serve the resorts restaurants and bars, and recycles and repurposes 90-percent of the on-site waste through a robust waste management strategy. Even the surfboards here are made out of recycled materials, making it the first fully sustainable surf program in the world.
In mid-2022, the resort will welcome SCIE:NCE (Soneva Center for Island Ecosystems) with the goal of creating interactive guest experiences and learning opportunities in marine life, biology and astronomy. With one of the largest coral nurseries in the world, operated in partnership with the Soneva Foundation, this hotel brand is leading the charge in preserving a cleaner, greener planet.
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Lolebezi, Zambia
Image Credit: Lolebezi A member of the owner-run African Bush Camps, Lolebezi opens in Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park on June 1.
Home of the walking safari, Zambia already boasts some of the most luxurious eco-friendly lodges on earth, but the design here truly stands out, as each of the six sustainably built suites have been designed to “float” above the landscape while allowing water to pass underneath. The private plunge pools and thatched-roof sala that open up directly onto the Zambezi River are an added bonus, but the real piece de resistance is the “Circle of Light,” a suspended circular walkway raised more 23 feet into the tree canopy, with views over the Zambezi.
Awarded a Green Tourism Gold Certification for their work in conservation across Africa, African Bush Camp (ABC) makes sustainability and conservation the heart of all its properties, and Lolebezi will be no different. The camp is powered by a dedicated solar farm and has a design that includes concealed climate control systems to help boost energy efficiency and consciousness of the solar farm’s capacity.
Daily activities will range from twice-daily guided walking safaris, canoeing, guided catch and release fishing trips and bird-watching excursions. There’s also an open-air cinema set in a forest of Winterthorn Acacias, “river pods” for private picnics surrounded by nature and more to help connect you to the surroundings.
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Hualālai Resort, Hawai’i
Image Credit: Hualālai Resort Set along 865-acres along the Kona-Kohala coast of Hawai’i, Hualālai Resort is an oceanfront hotel and residential sanctuary that recently completed a $100 million renovation that included the launch of the Kumu Kai Marine Center, a 1.8-million-gallon swimmable aquarium. The property also has a Natural Resources department, in which six onsite marine biologists work to protect marine and ocean life while educating guests through interactive experiences, from touch tanks to digital education displays that showcase the eco-friendly measures employed to help protect and preserve some of the island’s native plant and marine species.
To help connect guests to the culture of the destination itself, the onsite Four Seasons resort offers exclusive Only at Hualālai experiences, which range from tours of coffee farms and sandalwood forests to a session with local blacksmith and a sustainable seafood meal; you can also spend a couple days with champion free diver, spear-fished and ocean conservationist Kimi Werner to learn how to free dive.
Back on land, there’s an on-site herb garden and oyster pond that supply the restaurants, as well as shrimp ponds overseen by the marine biologists. Pond reclamation, research and preservation of fish and wildlife and turtle tagging are just a few of the other activities guests can experience during their stay.
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Playa Viva, Mexico
Image Credit: Playa Viva Playa Viva’s motto—“where your vacation meets your values”—is the pinnacle of owner David Leventhal’s Regenerative Travel portfolio of independent and sustainability driven hotels. An “off-the-grid” eco-retreat outside of Zihuantanejo, Mexico, Playa not only uses 100-percent renewable energy from solar, but the property recently unveiled six gorgeous and sustainably built treehouses using a harvest of bamboo and palm fronds for the palapa roofs.
Every last detail here has been considered, from the energy-efficient architecture and organic farm to the biodiversity-friendly activities and impact work projects with the local communities. The resort is also home to a baby sea turtle sanctuary which guests can help with by participating in releasing turtles back into the ocean.
Partnering with sustainable ranching and agriculture groups as well as local community organizations, Playa Viva’s Regenerative Trust also takes a tw0-percent fee from each guest’s total bill and puts it toward protecting the environment and nearby town of Juluchuca.
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Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, Canada
Image Credit: Bryan Stockton Skirting the banks of its namesake inlet within a UNESCO-designated Sound Biosphere Reserve on Canada’s Vancouver Island, Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge recently underwent a major renovation that has seen an interior refurbishment of its 25 glamping tents to now offer a lighter, greener atmosphere.
A self-described off-the-grid eco-safari, Clayoquot has an Environmental Legacy Program to help with the sustainability and conservation of local marine life and rainforest ecosystems, and lodge guests pay a three-percent environmental surcharge to support these initiatives. There’s also an extensive kitchen garden and greenhouse on the property
Clayoquot has maintained a longstanding relationship with the local Ahousaht First Nations community, which allows guests to learn about the region’s traditional heritage and initiatives such as habitat protection and the development of a salmon spawning channel project.
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Calanoa Lodge, Colombia
Image Credit: Calanoa Lodge Tucked away on 125-acres of jungle in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, each of the seven-handcrafted cabins at Calanoa Lodge in Colombia were built using traditional techniques like woven palm roofs local materials, wood and natural fibers. Even the walls are designed to naturally improve air circulation, and the structures are built on stilts to elevate from the elements while allowing for better views and increasing air circulation. The electrical energy system, powered by solar panels, meets the basic needs of cooling, lighting, battery charging, while rainwater is also collected and purified.
An initiative created by husband and wife team Marlene and Diego Samper, the Calanoa Project offers a series of activities and workshops that support the lodge’s ethos to provide conservation of biological and cultural diversity within the Amazon through a setting that integrates art, design, architecture, scientific research, community education and sustainable and respectful tourism to all who visit.
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El Chaltén Lodge, Argentina
Image Credit: El Chaltén Lodge Set within a private 14,000-acre expanse of the Los Huemules Conservation Reserve in the Argentinian Patagonia, El Chaltén Lodge opened in December 2021 with an aim to be a devoted steward of preservation for native flora and fauna in the region.
Part of Explora’s collection of six exclusive “conservation through exploration” luxury lodges across South America, the modern, 20-key all-inclusive eco-retreat not only offers guests a perfect based for hiking the nearby mountains and glaciers, but it also uses up to 15-percent of the cost of each stay towards improving Los Glaciares National Park.
The lodge also has deep roots in conservation all across Patagonia and partners with Explorer Echo Society—so after a day enjoying this beautiful stretch of earth, you’ll rest well knowing your stay is helping to improve the overall quality of trails, visitor centers and local communities.
