Stunning Luxury Resorts That Take Care of the Planet

We said we wanted amazing vacations that didn’t harm the environment. These sustainable resorts delivered.

20 Best Sustainable Resorts Around the World, Ranked

If your dreams of staying at a pampering resort have ever been spoiled by a pang of eco-guilt, we have some good news for you: You can have your organic, locally sourced cake and eat it, too.

While not all resorts have sustainability in mind, curbing environmental impact definitely seems to be on the mind of more and more vacation resorts. And it makes sense — being green is actually good for business! Eco-conscious travelers can now enjoy all the perks of a relaxing vacation in secluded beaches and tropical jungles without worrying about causing irreparable harm to the surrounding ecosystems.

Want to start planning your next environmentally friendly vacation? We’ve rounded up the 20 best sustainable resorts in the world and ranked them from good to the absolute best in ecotourism.

20. The Lodge at Edgewood Tahoe

Location: Stateline, Nevada

Average cost: $$$

Number of guest rooms: 154 rooms and suites

Noteworthy amenities: Electric vehicle charging stations, canoes, heated lakeside pool, s'more-making in a fire pit

The Nitty-Greeny Details: The Lodge at Edgewood Tahoe

A Tahoe vacation is a bucket list must-do for outdoorsy types. Hiking and biking trails abound, and in the warmer months, you can swim in or canoe along the impossibly clear lake. But you can’t truly enjoy the great outdoors unless you’re taking care to preserve it, which The Lodge at Edgewood Tahoe completely understands.

The resort uses water from Lake Tahoe for its cooling system and cold-water needs. This combined with sourcing local materials and extensive bike lanes to discourage the unnecessary use of cars helps it reduce its carbon footprint. At this resort, you’ll get quiet and rustic wrapped up in chicness and sustainability.

19. Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort

Location: Savusavu, Fiji

Average cost: $$$$

Number of guest rooms: 25 bures

Noteworthy amenities: All-inclusive packages, children’s activity club, Cousteau dive center

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort

This resort is the love project of one of the most famous environmentalists in the world, Jean-Michel Cousteau. (Yes, the son of Jacques Costeau.) It was the first property in Fiji to begin recycling, was built for minimal interference with the island’s natural environment and participates in reef-restoration initiatives.

You can spend most of the day exploring the underwater wonders of Savusavu or enjoying beachside walks with the refreshing ocean breeze. But we’d encourage you to also add some unique activities to your vacation, like helping a marine biologist plant mangroves around the island.

18. Whitepod Eco-Luxury Hotel

Location: Valais, Switzerland

Average cost: $$$

Number of guest rooms: 18 pods, nine suites/chalets

Noteworthy amenities: Yoga room, sauna, ski and bike rental, picnic area

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Whitepod Eco-Luxury Hotel

The Whitepod Eco-Luxury Hotel does sustainability by going back to basics. To begin with, the simple pod design helps efficiently maintain desired temperatures year-round, as air can circulate more easily. The design also requires fewer materials than traditional four-wall buildings. Pods are heated with pellet stoves and most of the wood, and water used comes from the surrounding forest and springs.

Use of vehicles is limited, and staff is employed locally so that they can simply walk to work on most days. Food and wine are seasonal and locally sourced. Even the pod colors change seasonally to blend in with the surroundings, causing as little visual pollution as possible — and people say sustainability can’t be easy!

17. Copal Tree Lodge

Location: Punta Gorda, Belize

Average cost: $$$

Number of guest rooms: 16 suites, one villa

Noteworthy amenities: Infinity pool, free airport transfer, bar, spa

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Copal Tree Lodge

It’s not every day that a resort gets to call itself “an organic farm, distillery and jungle lodge,” but that’s precisely what Copal Tree Lodge is. And, yes, you read that right — the lodge is also a distillery that produces its own rum, which you are highly encouraged to try.

But if you want to get into the green deets, the lodge really stands out because of its carefully planned systems to recover and reuse byproducts. The distillery, for example, is powered by biomass energy, and in turn, excess water becomes fertilizer for the lodge’s organic native crop farm. The lodge also banned single-use plastic and makes much of its furniture from trees that have fallen within its own property.

16. Petit St. Vincent

Luxury eco resort in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Location: Petit St. Vincent, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Average cost: $$$$

Number of guest rooms: 22 cottages

Noteworthy amenities: Babysitting, doctor on call (trust us, you want a doctor on call when you’re on a tiny island!)

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Petit St. Vincent

Eco luxury resort in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Built on a tiny private island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Petit St. Vincent is committed to providing guests with a lavish Caribbean vacation without the large footprint.

The hotel uses reverse osmosis to get water directly from the surrounding sea rather than having to import it by plane or boat. It also strives to make as much of its own food as possible, with a large organic produce garden and 400 chickens that do their part by eating up food scraps and providing fresh organic eggs for guests. Petit St. Vincent even engages in projects to restore coral reefs and to breed native species like tortoises and iguanas.

15. Alila Fort Bishangarh

Location: Rajasthan, India

Average cost: $$$

Number of guest rooms: 59 rooms and suites

Noteworthy amenities: Spa, yoga classes, local food cooking class, horseback riding

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Alila Fort Bishangarh

Did you know that the construction industry is responsible for about 40 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions? Yeah, it turns out that clearing vegetation to raise multiple stories of concrete is terrible for the health of the planet.

The Alila Fort Bishangarh got on this list by repurposing an ancient fort and reducing the environmental impact of construction while guaranteeing absolutely amazing views and Instagram-worthy photo ops. It also recycles waste in-house, uses solar systems to heat water and reuses wastewater for irrigation. Local produce is used as much as possible, giving guests the chance to try delicious dishes with a low carbon footprint.

14. Bardessono

Location: Napa Valley, California

Average cost: $$$$

Number of guest rooms: 62 rooms

Noteworthy amenities: Non-allergenic and non-toxic linens, farm-to-table restaurant

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Bardessono

Organic meals at luxury resort in Napa Valley

Napa wouldn’t be Napa if it didn’t attract people seeking unique resort experiences that are also good for the planet. At Bardessono, you can do a digital detox while biking through vineyards, relaxing at the spa or (our personal favorite) working at the guest garden. Organic gardening sounds incredibly relaxing, and you can feel accomplished knowing that future guests will enjoy the literal fruits of your labor.

As can be expected, all toiletries are handmade and organic, and dispensers are used to avoid unnecessary waste. The resort has a recycling and composting system along with solar panels, low-water systems and water wells that limit its use of resources.

13. Borneo Rainforest Lodge

Location: Danum Valley Conservation Area, Malaysia

Average cost: $$$$

Number of guest rooms: 30 chalets

Noteworthy amenities: In-home spa, rooms with plunge pool, the chance to see wild orangutans

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Borneo Rainforest Lodge

Set so deep within the rainforest that you’ll need to drive multiple hours within the jungle to reach it, Borneo Rainforest Lodge provides the very exciting chance to see endemic species like our noble cousins the orangutans, Bornean rhinos and the incredibly cute Bornean pygmy elephants.

Given that its whole premise is to allow for a true experience of nature, the lodge is serious about minimizing its impact on the rainforest. Built with passive design principles, it has en-suite solar water heaters, provides biodegradable bags and lunch boxes for wildlife excursions, uses natural insect repellent and composts food waste.

Plus, activists argue that putting your money into ecotourism will convince local governments to preserve the highly at-risk rainforest. Yes, you can literally help save the rainforest by staying at this lodge.

12. Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas

Location: Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Average Cost: $$$

Number of guest rooms: 20 deluxe rooms, 12 two-bedroom villas, three three-bedroom villas

Noteworthy amenities: Villas with private pool, private beach, free bike rental, cooking classes

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas

An eco-resort may not be revolutionary in Costa Rica — considered a world pioneer of sustainability — but Cala Luna still manages to stand out with its green efforts. Its most impressive feature is the 1,400 solar panels that cover a large part of its energy needs.

Besides this, it provides guests with eco-friendly toiletries and uses only natural ingredients in its spa. It also sources much of its produce from its organic garden and otherwise buys mostly local. The resort’s location within a nature preserve guarantees the chance to truly connect with nature.

11. Wilderness Safari Serra Cafema

Location: Kaokoland, Namibia

Average cost: $$$$

Number of guest rooms: Eight chalets

Noteworthy amenities: Pool, lazy river, in-house bar (handy in the wilderness)

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Wilderness Safari Serra Cafema

Many safari hotels try to reduce their footprint, but not as many also pay attention to being socially sustainable and respecting indigenous communities. The Wilderness Safari Serra Cafema has established a partnership with the Himba tribe, which leases part of its land to the resort. The camp’s chalets are made with natural materials in a style that celebrates the culture and traditions of the Himba people.

In the environmental department, the safari camp is 100 percent solar powered and purifies water from the surroundings with reverse osmosis. It is also a partner to the Lion Recovery Fund, which seeks to protect the area’s felines.

10. Heckfield Place

Location: Hampshire, England

Average cost: $$$

Number of guest rooms: 38 rooms, six suites, one cottage

Noteworthy amenities: Farm-to-fork restaurant, gardens, stepping back in time

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Heckfield Place

Historic English mansion eco resort organic garden

Staying at Heckfield Place is like traveling back to the 1760s ... if aliens had gone to Georgian England and taught farmers futuristic sustainable practices.

The gorgeous, historic estate manages its waste with composting bins and a biomass boiler. It provides heating with its own biomass energy center and has a biodynamic farm, which it defines as a “holistic form of sustainable, organic farming.” You’ll be able to enjoy true farm-to-fork, as the manor has its own gardens and orchards as well as pigs, sheep and chickens. It collects rainwater and has its own boreholes. Heckfield Place describes itself as “an antidote for the modern world,” but it also sets an example for a hopefully greener future.

9. El Nido Resorts Miniloc Island

Location: Miniloc Island, Palawan, Philippines

Average cost: $$$

Number of guest rooms: 27 rooms, 24 cottages

Noteworthy amenities: Free airport transfers, non-motorized water sports, spa

The Nitty-Greeny Details: El Nido Resorts Miniloc Island

Instagram has brought El Nido’s crystal waters and limestone formations much attention, not always to the advantage of the environment. But you don’t have to skip this paradise to be greener, especially if you stay at El Nido Resorts Miniloc Island.

The resort has gone out of its way to reduce its impact, starting with a sewage system plant that prevents greywater from being discharged into the sea — an issue other Filipino islands like Boracay have faced. It also has its own in-house recycling and composting facility, uses rainwater and low-flow showerheads and toilets, and has been actively eliminating single-use plastic from its property since 2008. You won’t be able to engage in any motorized water sports, which shows how much the resort values minimizing impact over making money.

8. Rondon Ridge

Location: Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea

Average cost: $$$$

Number of guest rooms: 24 rooms

Noteworthy amenities: Restaurant, airport transportation, bar

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Rondon Ridge

Luxury eco hotel Papua New Guinea organic bird feeders

Known as one of the premier resorts in Papua New Guinea, Rondon Ridge works hard to establish a positive connection with its surroundings in the magnificent Wahgi Valley. The resort uses a hydroelectric power system to operate, sourcing water from the neighboring mountains in a zero-emissions process. Not content on only helping itself, it also gives any surplus energy to the local community, which in turn provides much of the resort's produce.

Any motorized nature tour you take will be in an electric vehicle, and you’ll also receive a complimentary reusable water bottle, which you’ll be able to refill at various stations around the resort. Finally, you can enjoy immersive cultural experiences with the island’s Melpa people, who have held onto their traditions since they were first contacted less than 100 years ago.

7. Hotel Xcaret

Location: Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Average cost: $$$

Number of guest rooms: 900 rooms and suites

Noteworthy amenities: Free access to Xcaret Group’s seven parks and all of their cultural tours, food and drink included

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Hotel Xcaret

Let’s begin by saying that Xcaret is so ahead of the sustainability game that a 2015 BBC article credited it for inventing ecotourism. This OG status has meant that everything Xcaret Group does has environmental and social sustainability in mind — which is not surprising, given that the founders are Mexican and have deep ties to the area and its people.

Before even breaking ground for the resort, Xcaret Group spent 10 years doing environmental impact assessment studies to make sure sustainability would be possible. The group recovers 70 percent of the waste generated in its hotel and parks, plants 100,000 native plants each year, and helped breed and rewild scarlet macaws, which had all but disappeared from the area.

6. Pikaia Lodge

Luxury eco resort in the Galapagos Islands

Location: Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador

Average cost: $$$$

Number of guest rooms: 14 rooms

Noteworthy amenities: Infinity pool, hot tub, bike rentals, excursions around the islands

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Pikaia Lodge

Pikaia Lodge was built with sustainability in mind, so from the get-go, it replaced as much concrete as possible with steel, local lava stones and responsibly sourced wood from the Ecuadorian mainland. The same principles apply to the furniture and décor.

The resort was designed with sun efficiency in mind to minimize the need for heating and cooling and to optimize natural light in the rooms and common areas. It also has solar panels that produce energy and heat up water and collects rainwater that is purified and repurposed. Oh, and it’s also carbon neutral! All of this places it high on our list.

5. Soneva Fushi

Location: Kunfunadhoo, Maldives

Average cost: $$$$

Number of guest rooms: 63 villas, eight water retreats

Noteworthy amenities: Glassmaking classes, sustainable fishing excursions, tech-free zone, observatory, open-air theater, complimentary non-motorized water sports, villas with water slides into the ocean

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Soneva Fushi

Even if it wasn’t one of the pioneers of sustainability in the Maldives, we would dream about staying at Soneva Fushi, but its green track record certainly makes it shine amongst the hundreds of resorts that are constantly popping up in this island nation.

The resort has an Eco Centro recycling plant that allows it to recycle 90 percent of its waste. It also composts food waste into fertilizer for its vegetable garden, thus creating a circular loop, and it uses 100 percent recycled and sustainable gear for its surfing program. Soneva Fushi even partnered with the government to open recycling facilities on other islands.

4. Kapawi Eco Lodge

Location: Achuar Village, Ecuador

Average cost: $$$$

Number of guest rooms: 20 cabins

Noteworthy amenities: Free breakfast, bar, airport transfer

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Kapawi Eco Lodge

Some resorts on this list do a great job at collaborating with indigenous communities, but the Kapawi Eco Lodge is completely owned and operated by the Achuar people of the Ecuadorian Amazon. That means that all your money goes directly to helping the community preserve their land and culture, which they have protected for generations.

All the buildings at the lodge have been handcrafted by members of the tribe, designed in traditional Achuar style and furnished with local woodworking materials.

3. Camp Glenorchy Eco Retreat

Location: Glenorchy, New Zealand

Average cost: $$

Number of guest rooms: 40 rooms

Noteworthy amenities: Yoga classes, bike rentals, pet friendly

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Camp Glenorchy Eco Retreat

If you’re a fan of Netflix’s guilty pleasure film, "Falling Inn Love," you’ll feel right at home at Camp Glenorchy. This eco-resort has perfected the art of juxtaposing the rustic with the modern and will forever be able to brag about being New Zealand’s first net-zero-energy hotel. Its crystal-clear lake reflects snow-peaked mountains, which is only one of the reasons TIME Magazine included it in its 2019 “World’s Greatest Places'' list.

To achieve its net-zero status, the resort relies on solar power as well as onsite energy and water management systems. Much of the resort was built using recycled materials, and each unit has a composting toilet. (Don’t worry, they never smell!)

2. Zuri Zanzibar

Location: Zanzibar, Tanzania

Average cost: $$$

Number of guest rooms: 56 villas and bungalows

Noteworthy amenities: Yoga pavilion, blackout curtains, onsite entertainment, infinity pool

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Zuri Zanzibar

Luxury eco retreat in Zanzibar, Tanzania

Zuri Zanzibar was the first hotel in the world to receive EarthCheck’s Sustainable Design Gold Certification and claims to have been “built around nature rather than through it.” Its villas were built on stilts to protect native flora and use energy-efficient air-conditioning that cools the bed area rather than the entire room. This gives you a perfect excuse to stay in bed for longer — for the environment, of course!

Besides its environmental efforts, Zuri Zanzibar gets extra points for hitting other sustainability points, namely education and economic development in the area through tourism-industry training as well as sourcing its amenities from local artisan initiatives. If you want to help even more, you can bring with you useful donations like working laptops, eyeglasses and blood-sugar monitoring devices to be distributed to community programs.

1. Capella Ubud

Location: Bali, Indonesia

Average cost: $$$$

Number of guest rooms: 22 one-bedroom tents, one two-bedroom tent

Noteworthy amenities: Private saltwater pools, Keliki wood-carving classes, Balinese Sanskrit classes

The Nitty-Greeny Details: Capella Ubud

Since it began calling backpackers, digital nomads and wellness enthusiasts en masse, Bali has seen an explosion of resorts trying to get their share of tourism dollars. But don’t lump Capella Ubud in with them, not because they don’t want to make a profit, but because they have not compromised the well-being of the environment or the community to do so.

The hotel did not cut a single tree in construction. That fact alone places it as No. 1 on this list of the best sustainable resorts. Capella Ubud also uses seasonal and sustainably sourced ingredients at its Mads Lange dining room, has banned single-use plastic and works with the local community to reduce waste around the island.