Sustainable travel is all too often endorsed as a luxury for those that can afford it, but that doesn’t have to be the case. From hilltop cabins to safari-style eco tents, here’s our pick of the best sustainably minded check-ins that don’t cost the earth...
- The Pavilions Anana Krabi, Thailand
Tucked in a corner of Krabi’s dramatic landscape on southern Thailand’s west coast – think towering limestone cliffs and tranquil forested valleys – The Pavilions Anana Krabi is an eco-sustainable resort with a wellness offering you don’t want to miss. With farm-to-table food, dips in the natural volcanic water pools and sustainable excursions including a trip to a truly ethical elephant sanctuary, you’ll reconnect with yourself and nature. All for a more than reasonable price.
From around £99 a night for the Thai Studio room, including breakfast - Aristi Mountain Resort, Aristi, Greece
If you love the road less travelled, Aristi Mountain Resort, which towers above the hilltop village of Aristi in north-western Greece, is surrounded by the magnificent wilderness of the Northern Pindos National Park. A series of lodges connected by cobbled pathways and verdant gardens, the modern design is pared-back enough not to distract from the spectacular mountain views, and with heat pumps, LED lighting, and the use of locally sourced materials, it takes care to tread lightly.
From around £130 a night for a double room, including breakfast - Karijini Eco Retreat, Karijini National Park, Western Australia, Australia
Fancy something a bit different? More glamping than a traditional hotel, the safari-style eco tents and cabins at Karijini Eco Retreat in Australia’s Western outback have all the mod-cons you need, including showers, cosy beds and solar-powered electricity so you can gaze at the stars in comfort. Set among a utopia of red cliffs, yawning gorges and immense waterfalls, there’s so much to explore. And as it’s run by one of Australia’s largest Aboriginal companies, it also helps increase development among Aboriginal communities.
From around £126 a night for a four-person eco tent - Bote Farms, Finiq, Albania
Set to open this summer, you could be one of the first to stay in any of the six new eco-cabins nestled into the hillside at this boutique agrotourism in southern Albania. A stunning feat of modern design – with no two cabins the same and a glass wall in each facing the epic views of the archaeological park of Finiq – the biological farm is at the heart of this resort and produces nearly all the fruit and vegetables they serve. Not only that, there are rescue animals to spend time with, Albanian cooking classes to indulge in and a natural pool (filtered by photosynthesis of shallow ponds built within the poolscape) to laze by. It’s all about switching off while being kinder to the land.
From around £310 for a cabin for four people for two nights - Hotel Belmar, Monteverde, Costa Rica
OK, this one is a bit more costly, but Hotel Belmar is another resort that should be on all eco travellers’ radars – and is worth the extra spend. A gateway to the wonder that is Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest, this 37-year-old Swiss-chalet-style family-run hotel has been environmentally and socially conscious from the start. Now with a dedicated sustainability department to implement its programmes, from reforestation to a biodigester that cleans wastewater, you can enjoy its breathtaking views, sun deck by the beautiful spring water pond and gourmet cuisine with an even clearer conscience.
From around £210 a night for a double room
Samantha de Haas is Creative Production Director at Service95
