Eco Retreats

Travel shouldn't have to cost the earth. These days, more and more people are looking to reduce their carbon footprint and environmental impact when they explore, ensuring the wonders of this planet remain for future generations to enjoy.

But sustainability and luxury don't have to be mutually exclusive. There are plenty of stays that ooze quality and class while also keeping an eye on those green credentials. They exist all over the globe, from luxury eco lodges in the lion-stalked plains of the East African Rift to nature retreats in the palm-fringed islands of the South Pacific.

South Africa has emerged as a real hotspot for luxury safari eco holidays. Head there to find spacious suites with plunge pools overlooking the backcountry of Kruger National Park, where you can watch herds of bush elephants wander the caffra forests below as you do your morning yoga sessions. Other game lodges channel the vernacular style with thatched roofs and adobe construction, only to hide roaring log fires and grand suites with four-poster beds within.

For beach lovers, there are holiday villas and eco resorts that meld seamlessly with the cloud-white sands of the Maldives or Seychelles. Some even occupy their very own private islands and have been built to sit in symbiosis with the coast jungles and coral reefs that frame them in front and behind.

Over in Europe, luxury eco retreats take the shape of charming Italian agriturismos and Balearic farmhouses. They're old – sometimes ancient – spaces that have been created with minimal impact on the surrounding environment, on plots that once housed ruined barns or age-old stables. Behind the rusticity, you'll discover gorgeous swimming pools set between the olive groves of Tuscany or private sun terraces with views of the sierras on the Costa Brava.

From countryside villas with farm-to-table catering to safari lodges with a focus on conservation to Caribbean islands set within unique wilderness reserves, we've selected our top properties for an eco-friendly escape. These luxury eco retreats all boast locations immersed in nature, channel local architectural traditions to maintain the culture and history of a place, or have a deep focus on the natural world around them.