With supreme efforts to protect and preserve the invaluable flora and fauna that nourish and give us life, the world’s top sustainable vacations include the most eco-conscious and elegant havens, sparking a newly realized opportunity to host world travelers in settings that evoke a Garden of Eden–like home away from home.
Bambu Indah Resort
Bali
Courtesy of Bambu Indah Resort.
Founded by the eminent jewelry designer John Hardy alongside his wife, Cynthia Hardy, the Bambu Indah Resort situated within the center of Bali is an elegant, eco-conscious hideaway. Pushing the boundaries of the human imagination, and with pure admiration for the area’s magnificent natural environment, the haven began with 11 antique Javanese bridal homes perched atop a jungle cliff over luxuriant padi fields.
Continually evolving with unyielding ecological mindfulness, the resort now extends to the nearby river with original structures enhanced by antique design and remarkable bamboo architecture. Diverse and restful abodes are surrounded by natural swimming pools and dancing cinnamon and palm trees. The Kuno House is positioned above a fragrant flower and vegetable garden, with an ideal outdoor Japanese copper and teak wood tub. Natural bath products and locally sourced in-room snacks and beverages create a cozy, homelike retreat for striking bird-watching and reveling in pastel sunsets.
Santa Bárbara Eco-Beach Resort
Portugal
Courtesy of Santa Bárbara by Singular Properties, photo by ©Luís Ferraz.
Holistically incorporated into the sparkling island of São Miguel, the inaugural eco-beach resort of the Azores attracts guests from around the world to celebrate the preservation of land and sea. Thirty suites and villas, and an additional 14 studios, make up the exuberant property of João and Catarina Reis. With minimal landscape impact, natural materials such as local wood, as well as bamboo and cork, make up the graphic architecture, while recycled decorative objects embellish every corner of the hotel. Guests may unwind in the saltwater pool or wander to the undisturbed beach.
Gardens thrive throughout the area, with new indigenous species enriching the natural space, and over a hundred species of native trees in beds within volcanic stone walls. Activities focused on sustainability abound, from farming projects to cleaning the beach, to bicycle rides. The ravishing farm-to-table restaurant directed by Chef Vítor Sobral offers dynamic Portuguese dishes, illuminating the vicinity of Azorean tradition. A not-to-be-missed Wellness Retreat, with trademark rituals like the Salt Detox, Vulcanic Indulgence, and Aqua Balance, will send your spirit soaring.
Deplar Farm
Iceland
Courtesy of Deplar Farm.
A member of the revered Eleven experiences, Deplar Farm, set graciously within the Fljót Valley of northern Iceland, radiantly upholds the vital principles of carbon offsetting, renewable energy, conservation, community outreach, historic preservation, and cultural respect. The regenerated 15th-century sheep farm gleams with floor-to-ceiling windows and a turf roof, introducing guests to their new home away from home.
Selected as one of the “Best Hotels in the World” as part of the 2023 Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List, the summer sanctuary is awash with open-air activities including mountain biking, sea kayaking, world class fly-fishing, horseback riding, and hiking. Iceland’s most pristine rivers reside in this haven, including the notable Fljótaá with outstanding Atlantic salmon and Arctic char. Thirteen en suite bedrooms boast private balconies and soaking tubs, and the property’s posh spa offers Isopod flotation tanks and a geothermal-heated indoor and outdoor pool with a swim-up bar, as well as “Viking” saunas for revelations under the stars. Daily deliveries of local culinary gems from farmers, fisherman, and brewers bring outstanding Icelandic fare with a contemporary twist.
Adrère Amellal Eco-Lodge
Egypt
Courtesy of Adrère Amellal Eco-Lodge.
Traveling back in time is no longer just a fantasy thanks to the Adrère Amellal Eco-Lodge of Cairo, Egypt. Located near the alluring village of Siwa and resting below the legendary White Mountain, the property’s 39 rooms interlace with the region’s organic and sculptural landscape. Surrounded by 60 million years’ worth of cumulative mineral geological formations, the glowing oasis welcomes visitors with incomparable accommodations. Spellbinding rock-salt walls, palm wood roofs, hand-cut stone floors, and bespoke furniture and fixtures celebrate the dynamism of the local craft community.
Echoing the days of yore, electricity is nonexistent; rather, beeswax candles, torches, and starlight grace the hotel with utopian light. Guests may choose to voyage through a wealth of indigenous trees, natural springs, and an organic vegetable garden, discovering the delectable cuisine that will be cooked in honey and grace their plates for sensational meals. Activities including lounging at the Salt Lake, revitalizing horseback rides, and being utterly pampered with pure mud and salt spa treatments await.
Les Domaines de Fontenille
France
Courtesy of Les Domaine de Fontenille, photo by ©Yann Deret.
Eco-responsibility and elegance go hand in hand at Les Domaines de Fontenille in Provence, where the luxury hotel’s self-generated and first-class wine, olive oil, and vegetables are offered within flawlessly renovated historic structures. Grounded yet angelic, the property unfolds like a beloved family estate, with 19 rooms and suites shimmering with classic interior design details and southern zest.
With Chef Guillaume Goupil, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, at the helm, authentic cuisine with regional flair summons guests to the Michelin-starred Le Champ restaurant. Nature and good health are realized as one in the same at The Susanne Kaufmann wellness realm, where the Luberon Natural Park is the perfect setting for life-changing aromatherapy experiences. Whether lingering on the trails throughout the vineyard, riding horses in the Luberon valleys, reveling in Hatha yoga sessions, or floating in the swimming pool, here lies the Garden of Eden.
