Truly sustainable hotels run far deeper than trendy marketing and face-value gimmicks. They revere the fragility of Mother Nature at every step of the process in their ideation, construction, and constant evolution. By functioning with virtually no harm to our environment, genuinely eco-conscious resorts spark a newly realized opportunity to host world travelers in settings that evoke a Garden of Eden–like home away from home, sparking curiosity, appreciation, and action to protect and preserve the invaluable flora and fauna that nourish and give us life.
Properties that are sincerely sustainable also have the capacity to be supremely luxurious, encouraging the best of mind, body, and soul through blissful accommodations, resplendent design details, and the utmost in hospitality. With limitless opportunities to meet with the greatest treasures of land, sky, and sea, in addition to uber-pampering wellness spheres and locally sourced gastronomical symphonies, these fairytale-like sanctuaries steep guests in ancient culture and a timeless reverence for the earth and each other. Here, we gather the sustainable hotels that shine the brightest.
Octola Private Wilderness
Finland
Courtesy of Octola Lodge, Finland.
Finland’s blissful Octola Private Wilderness is a five-star, year-round luxury retreat—the first of its kind in the Arctic and Nordic region. Following five years of meticulous construction, the trailblazing estate boasts a negative carbon footprint and is a leading travel destination at the crossroads of indulgence and sustainability. Under the ownership of Luxury Action, the otherworldly property weaves time-honored, local Lapp and Sami building techniques with lush contemporary design aesthetics, culminating in a Private Lodge of ten bedrooms and a Villa of two bedrooms.
Surrounded by the vast and immaculate Arctic forest, supreme hospitality and tailor-made activities—including sensational views of the Northern Lights—await. The utmost attention is paid to minimal environmental impact and carbon emissions, and locally sourced food is prepared at the hotel to guests’ delight. The Spa and Health clinic, with its three diverse pools ranging in temperature and atmosphere, sleek Finnish design, and singular wellness and treatment facilities, completes the revelatory encounter.
Six Senses Southern Dunes
The Red Sea
Courtesy of Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea.
As the inaugural LEED Platinum resort in Saudi Arabia, Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea, sets a new standard in constructive tourism. Wholly run by solar energy, the property is one of two premier inland locations, which unites coastal and marine initiatives to shape the pioneering Red Sea Development Project. Illuminating Bedouin heritage, and embraced by sweeping volcanic craters and archaeological treasures, the singular resort offers a symphony of site-specific experiences in gastronomy, wellness, and cultural adventures.
By reducing energy usage and making brilliant use of the nourishing, natural light, the hotel’s lyrical architecture is a shining respite for eco-conscious travelers. Dedicated to hospitality and Mother Nature in all regards, forward-thinking, smart filtration systems and copper-silver ionization treated pools, married with a plastic-free policy, make way for a dynamic thermal energy storage system. Thirty-six guest rooms and suites parade around a surreal Oasis, while 40 pool villas, three vivacious restaurants, a Cooking School, and a private Chef’s Table are just a few of the sumptuous highlights at this exceptional haven.
Paradero Todos Santos
Mexico
Photo by Yoshikoitani Photography, courtesy of Paradero Todos Santos.
The word paradero evokes the timeless concept of a “stop on the road,” and Paradero Todos Santos, Mexico is an enchanting resort, which pays homage to beloved ancestors who first landed in Baja. Uplifting the aesthetics and emotions of home and community, the property proposes transformative experiences for international guests, all the while placing community advancement, sustainability, and environmental conservation at its glorious heart.
Enveloped by the natural world, Paradero Todos Santos honors its local personnel, who imbue rich familial histories and anecdotes into the vivacious spirit of the resort. Realms of high design range from the dreamlike Half-Moon Pool to the jubilant Living Room (a day-to-night gathering space), to the iconic Sanctuary—a sculptural venue for life’s most meaningful milestones. Whether you and yours choose to freely sail the Sea of Cortez, revel in effervescent Mexican-, Japanese-, and French-inspired cuisines, or explore the area’s micro-ecosystems on a mesmeric hike, the experience promises to be unforgettable.
Eremito Hotel
Umbria
Courtesy of Eremito Hotel, Umbria.
The one and only Eremito Hotel, Umbria is a fairytale-like sanctuary that was created in strict accordance with the authentic specifications of ancient monasteries. Brimming with opportunities for peace and enlightenment, the immersive property ushers in a new era of self-discovery as a front-runner in Italian detox hotels. Created by the visionary Marcello Murzilli, organic, candle-lit luxury is in store for visitors, paired with soulful rooms enhanced by cloud-like bedding of hand-made hemp yarn and expressive stone desks, which afford meditative looks out onto the green valleys beyond.
Sustainability takes center stage at the poignant Eremito, with local stone making up the structure’s impressive architecture, an electric energy system, and a purely vegetarian restaurant featuring a self-produced organic menu from the hotel’s radiant garden. Delicious, simple meals are served in the stirring Refectory, where a cinematic stone fireplace warms the space during the winter season. Beside the serene Yoga Room, the exceptional Relax Area whisks guests away with a backdrop of Gregorian chants, a steam bath and whirlpool tub, and the signature hot and sweet Melemito beverage.
Cap Rocat
Mallorca
Photo by Stuart Pearce, © Cap Rocat.
Unveiled seasonally between April and October, Cap Rocat, Mallorca redefines luxury travel destinations. Ecologically carved from a historic 19th-century military fortress on the uber-private Bay of Palma de Mallorca, the visually arresting resort seamlessly and graciously fuses contemporary prowess into a natural wonderland. Managed by Marugal Distinctive Hotel Management’s Pablo Carrington, and designed by the illustrious Antonio Obrador, 28 rooms and suites supply awe-inspiring vistas, secluded patios, terraces, and pools, as well as majestic works of art.
The legendary Sea Club, nestled in a picturesque cove, welcomes visitors with sparkling sands, soft daybeds, and relaxed dining. A natural reserve hosts liberated swimming opportunities, as does an infinity pool known as The Fortress. Diving, snorkeling, and kayaking will entice adventuresome guests, while exclusive cooking lessons in the old fortress kitchen charm the chefs at heart. A bevy of restaurants and bars serve sensational Mediterranean cuisine from local ecological farms in romantic settings, and the limestone Cap Rocat Spa is a perfect sendoff to the day with a saltwater swimming pool whose conservatory-style glass ceiling is a magnet for ethereal sunshine and moonshine.
Woodnest
Norway
Photo by Samuel Taipale, Courtesy of Woodnest.
Choreographed in rhythm with the bountiful forest, the Woodnest treehouses of Odda, Norway, emerge as divine points of entry for global travelers seeking heavenly renewal. With dynamic architecture sculpted with reverence for the area’s luxuriant topography and atmosphere, the exquisitely suspended abodes soar above fertile grounds, affixed to individual pine tree trunks. Inspired by the childlike euphoria of tree climbing, Woodnest provides lodgings burrowed high into the branches and leaves, making way for a bird’s-eye view of the nearby sea inlet and surrounding mountains.
The voyage begins in the tranquil town of Odda, where a vibrant 20-minute walk leads to the fantastical forest and the Woodnest refuge. Timber bridges escort guests to their cozy rooms, which are enhanced by living areas, kitchens, bathrooms, and expansive circular windows. Norwegian tradition humbly honors timber as a tremendous building material, and untreated natural shingles swathe and protect the buildings, meant to beautifully weather in tune with the shades and textures of the wilderness.
