King Pacific Lodge, British Columbia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The world of eco retreats has gotten a whole lot more crowded — and confusing — in recent years. Amid the growing glut of country lodges touting their green credentials, we’ve selected 10 of our favorites. From the world’s highest lake (in Peru), to Australia’s Kangaroo Island to the upper clutches of the Swiss Alps, we’ve sifted through the greenwash and sought out the true standouts in sustainable luxe. What unites our picks is a pioneering spirit based on the vision that yes, it’s possible to trip the life fantastic and also check your carbon footprint at the door.

The Lodge at Sun Ranch
US & CANADA | US | MONTANA
America’s latest address for eco-luxe has opened on the fringes of Yellowstone, in southwest Montana. The Lodge at Sun Ranch is built mostly from recycled lumber, catering to just 16 guests with six rooms and two 100-year-old cabins. Set amid 26,000 acres of grasslands that are home to wolves, elk and mustang, the lodge offers a “green” riding program where you can help ranch hands to train wild mustangs as guest mounts. And yes, deep tissue massages are available afterwards.

Inkaterra Titilaka
LATIN AMERICA | PERU
Long before eco-tourism had a name, Peru’s first sustainable tourism project opened the first lodge and research center in the Peruvian Amazon. Now, three decades later, Inkaterra has six small outposts, including Inkaterra Titilaka. The 18-suite refuge is set by Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake and the birthplace of the Incas. Guestrooms all feature waterviews, infinity bathtubs and heated floors — not to mention portable oxygen tanks if 12,500 feet above sea level makes you a tad woozy.

Southern Ocean Lodge
PACIFIC | AUSTRALIA | KANGAROO ISLAND
Australia’s answer to the Galapagos is Kangaroo Island — home to more than 7,000 seals, the world’s smallest species of penguin, and, naturally, its own breed of kangaroo. You’ll also find Southern Ocean Lodge, the country’s first ultra-luxe eco retreat, perched over a secluded bluff on the crystalline coastline of Hanson Bay. Built from recycled materials, the 21-suites suites have open fireplaces and handmade timber bathtubs, while the spa and restaurant source from local ingredients.

Cavallo Point — the Lodge at the Golden Gate
US & CANADA | US | SAN FRANCISCO
Set in a former army post in Marin County, Cavallo Point is billed a “sustainable base camp where the city’s urban edge meets untamed coastal wildlands.” The lodge is founded upon a raft of rock-solid initiatives, including a new action-based institute aligned with the National Park Service. If the location of the lodge alone wasn’t spectacular enough, you’ve also got organic bedding and linens, plus a “healing arts spa” that sources from an onsite medicinal garden for its signature treatments.

Azura at Gabriel’s AFRICA & MIDEAST | MOZAMBIQUE
For pristine isolation in the Indian Ocean, check out Mozambique’s magical new eco lodge. Set in the Bazaruto Archipelago — also known as Africa’s own Galapagos — the secluded boutique retreat has 15 thatched-roof villas with private plunge pools. By day, swim with dolphins. At night, lie back on the sand while a local storyteller recites ancient legends charting the cosmos.

La Posada de Mike Rapu
LATIN AMERICA | CHILE | EASTER ISLAND
An isolated speck in the middle of the Pacific, 2,300 miles off the Chilean coast, Easter Island stands among the world’s most mythical destinations. Now it’s home to its first five-star eco lodge — or as Explora brazenly claims, “South America’s first green hotel.” Rising from the hillside, La Posada’s 30 eco-fabulous rooms were built on strict ecological guidelines using only local materials to mirror the volcanic landscape. Inside you’ll find glass-walled kitchens and bespoke Raulí Wood furniture, while outside you can hike hidden caves, stroll secret beaches and explore the 900-plus mystifying Moai statues.

Whitepod
EUROPE | SWITZERLAND
Whitepod’s green credentials are obvious before you even set foot there: with no roads leading to the remote alpine camp, guests must arrive by either walking or skiing (from the tiny village of Les Cerniers, high up in the Dents du Midi). Catering to a maximum of 24 guests, the electricity-free hideaway is comprised of nine igloo-shaped pods perched at 5,000 feet on moveable platforms. Which means only the lightest eco footprint — yet with über-modern insulation technology, wood-burning stoves, and unlimited vistas of the Alpine wilderness.

King Pacific Lodge US & CANADA | CANADA | BRITISH COLUMBIA
Accessible by only boat or seaplane and open from just May to October, King Pacific is a floating lodge set in the heart of the British Columbian wilderness, hitched to an uninhabited island. This is Great Rainbear Forest country, populated by whales and orcas, seals and sea lions, and plenty of black bears. A leading champion of sustainable luxe, the lodge claims to be the first resort in Canada to offset the carbon emissions of its guests by half. It’s also at work to source its energy from a river-hydro plant and solar panels.

Hix House CARIBBEAN | PUERTO RICO | VIEQUES
Mornings begin at Hix House with fresh baked bread as soft breezes wafting into your bedroom through an absent fourth wall. Designed according to the Japanese “Wabi-Sabi” design philosophy — “as things age they become more beautiful” — Hix House is a collection of 13 minimalist concrete lofts. Surprisingly satiny to the touch, the concrete has been allowed to age naturally. Vines drape the walls of your private outdoor shower. Geckos scamper across the palm-fringed pool patio. Nestled in a 13-acre natural refuge, the retreat uses waste-water to irrigate fruit orchards. Solar panels augment electricity, though guests won’t need much: There are no phones or televisions at Hix — just breathtaking star-filled nights from your huge, windowless loft.

El Silencio Lodge & Spa LATIN AMERICA | COSTA RICA
Tucked unobtrusively into a tropical cloud forest reserve, El Silencio’s 16 stilted cabins overlook 500 lush acres registered with Costa Rica’s government for carbon offsetting. In addition to composting organic waste (used to fertilize organic vegetable gardens), filtering natural spring water for drinking, and using LED lighting (sparingly), this eco-sanctum also participates in a rigorous reforestation program. The fruits of their efforts are evident in the stunning green vistas guests experience from their private viewing decks and whirlpool tubs. An eco-concierge will also arrange hikes along low-impact trails past hidden waterfalls, where you just might stumble upon the elusive, rainbow-plumed quetzal.