Ten remarkable ecolodges that will change how you see sustainable travel

From mist-shrouded rainforest hideaways to off-grid island retreats, true ecolodges are some of the most memorable types of places to stay in the world. Built with care for the environment and the communities around them, they offer a different kind of luxury, one rooted in sustainability and a deep sense of place. Whether you're waking to birdsong in the cloud forest or swimming in a jungle-fringed natural pool, here are ten of the best ecolodges in the world.

Feynan Ecolodge, Jordan

Feynan Ecolodge is a striking square building in a former copper mining valley and the heart of Jordan’s largest nature reserve, Dana. Built with a nod to the region’s ‘caravanserai’, old inns along the trading route of the silk route, rooms are focused around a large courtyard and communal living and dining area. Rooms are cool and spacious, with solar-heated showers and nights lit by locally-made candles. Each of the 26 rooms are unique, with smooth stone walls and floors and splashes of copper, red and burnt orange in furnishings. Hot water bottles are provided for cold nights, and mineral water is kept in clay jars. The lodge is entirely run on solar and water comes from a local spring. Food waste is composted and most (minimal) waste is recycled. Most employees come from the local area, and the lodge buys food and handicrafts from the community living in the region. Bread for visitors is cooked in a local woman’s family tent. Dana Nature Reserve is a spectacular place to go hiking, and the country-long Jordan Trail passes through Feynan for adventurous souls. Bursts of bubblegum pink oleander and spiky acacia bushes dot across the rocky wadi landscape, as do traditional Bedouin tents. Guests at Feynan can borrow bikes, follow a shepherd for the day or scramble up to the rooftop at night for a lesson in astronomy.

Kagga Kamma, South Africa

Jaw-dropping is a hackneyed phrase, but it really can be used to describe another one of the best ecolodges in the world, Kagga Kamma. The resort lies three hours from Cape Town and is an ideal romantic retreat. King-sized beds perch (safely) on rock ledges in the Cederberg mountains, complete with outdoor baths, because why would you put that panoramic view of the African bush behind glass? If open air heights are not your thing, there are cave suites and thatched huts to settle down in instead, but these are not dingy, primitive affairs. Expect fluffy pillows and roll top baths. Kagga Kamma is solar-powered and low impact. It promotes local businesses and employs people from the region. Days can be spent in the grandiose pool, flanked by red rock, or hiking through the dramatic fynbos landscape in search of ancient rock art. At night, Kagga Kamma really shines. Light pollution is non-existent here, so expect a star-strewn spectacle, from the comfort of your bed.

Daintree Ecolodge, Australia

This tropical rainforest retreat, 90 minutes north of Cairns, blends into its surroundings with ease. Fifteen boutique rooms decorated in muted colours of sage, ochre and grey sit high in the canopy like treehouses. The communal dining area is open plan, bringing the outside in. Days can be active; trekking through the jungle before perfecting your downward dog, or spent horizontally in the sublime spa inspired by the Kuku Yalinji peoples, with the sounds of birdsong and a waterfall to further soothe the senses. Daintree takes sustainability seriously, using the Sustainable Development Goals as pillar targets. Waste and water is recycled and single use plastic is limited. They are carbon neutral and invest in conservation and community work including protecting the Great Barrier Reef.

Shinta Mani Wild, Cambodia

This tented camp set up in the Cardamom mountains of Cambodia is anything but rustic. Fifteen bespoke tents, whimsical and flamboyant in design feature open air rolltop baths, heavy teak furniture and a private butler. Guests can choose from a waterfall or wild tent, all built on stilts. The resort is spread over 865 acres of rainforest dotted with rainforest, bought as a way to protect the region from deforestation and poaching. Many of the staff employed used to be poachers or loggers. Shanti Mani Wild also funds an anti poaching station, and hopes to run a student programme for future wildlife protectors. Shanti Mani Wild is choc-a-block full of low impact adventures from camera trapping to ziplining, foraging to joining an anti poaching patrol. Adventure, but in A grade style. Even arrival to the camp can be via zipline. This is luxury responsible tourism at its best sealing its spot as one of the best ecolodges in the world.

Tierra Patagonia, Chile

Tierra Patagonia is a grand, curved wooden building perched on stilts which manages to seamlessly blend into the landscape. And with good reason. This place is all about the mountainscape - Torres del Paine National Park. All rooms face out looking over the shores of Lake Sarmiento and the lofty peaks beyond. Even the Uma Spa has floor to ceiling windows. Yet the interiors have not been neglected. Tierra Patagonia is light and airy, with a cosy lounge strewn with lambswool throws and books to escape into, an outdoor jacuzzi and indoor pool. This sustainably built resort works hard to minimise impact. Food is locally caught or foraged for. A reforestation programme is supported and guests are encouraged to learn about the local way of life and nature that surrounds them. For a true end-of-the-world feeling and hiking heaven, head here.

Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador

Mashpi Lodge is a glass-wrapped hideaway perched high in Ecuador’s cloud forest, where mist coils through emerald-green trees and howler monkeys call at dawn, making it one of the best ecolodges in the world. Just three hours from Quito but a world away, it’s a place to unplug and sink into nature. The minimalist design lets the steamy jungle take centre stage. Floor-to-ceiling windows blur the line between inside and out, immersing guests in the sights and sounds of the forest without ever leaving the comfort of their room. Days begin with birdwatching expeditions (over 400 species live here) or rides on the 'Sky Bike', a two-person cycle strung through the canopy. There are night walks, waterfalls to swim in, and the immersive hum of the forest all around. Sustainability runs through everything: the lodge supports rewilding projects, avoids plastic, and works with local communities on conservation and food supply. Mashpi is both a luxurious escape and a living laboratory, a dreamy, mist-draped base for eco-curious adventurers who want their wild with a touch of wow.

Bambu Indah, Indonesia

This gorgeous jungle retreat is set between rice paddy fields in rural Ubud, Bali. The sustainable design of each lodge is based on Javanese bridal houses. Each open air home is unique, with bamboo furnishings and deep copper baths overlooking the woodland canopy. Guests come here to soak up the stunning rural Indonesian views and check out of busy life for a while. There is yoga on offer, and a natural pool to splash about in. The owners of Bambu Indah are pioneers in green living. The resort contains no plastics, food comes from the organic garden or from local suppliers and food waste is recycled.

Heckfield Place, UK

Heckfield Place is a Georgian stately home surrounded by 400 acres of idyllic Hampshire countryside. But what sets it apart from other English manor houses is its commitment to the environment and its refined and elegant style. Rooms are contemporary but soothing, with log fires for winter nights and cocktails in the minibar. The Michelin awarded restaurant is directed by celebrity chef Skye Gyngell and food comes from the hotel’s own organic farm and biodynamic kitchen garden. As well as the expansive grounds to explore, there is a walled garden and lake to enjoy plus a cute bothy spa, gym and movement studio complete with yoga and pilates classes. Heckfield has a unique appreciation of the seasons and soil. All materials used within the hotel are natural and plastic free. Biomass energy is used and rainwater is harvested. But, possibly the most noteworthy is the effort put into preserving and regenerating the ancient woodland and rewilding the landscape so they can still be enjoyed in the generations to come.

Six Senses Ibiza, Spain

On a clifftop on the bohemian north coast of Xarraca Bay sits the Six Senses Ibiza resort with its 360 degree chilled sunset views. The Six Senses brand is well-known for green credentials and this offering is no different. The hotel is BREEAM certified, a sustainability measure in the building industry. It has also partnered with the Ibiza Preservation Fund to protect the island’s unique qualities. There is an eclectic mix of accommodation options; beachfront caves, townhouses or pool suites. All are designed in muted neutral colours. Vegetarians and vegans are in for a treat at the resort with chef Eyal Shani at the helm, as are wellness fanatics, with a top notch Six Senses spa plus contemporary classes such as yoga, breathwork and biohacking. The spa’s botanicals are grown in the garden.

Post Ranch Inn, USA

The award-winning Post Ranch Inn is an adults-only retreat on the iconic Big Sur stretch of coastline in California. Overlooking the vast stretch of the Pacific Ocean, it is one of the best places to stay in the USA, and possibly the world. There are only 39 rooms here, but 100 acres of protected heathland and mighty redwood forests too plus three infinity pools, so plenty of space to retreat and recharge from the crowds. Wine lovers are in for a treat, as Post Ranch Inn has a 13,000 bottle wine cellar. Each lodge is homely and rustic with a private deck and filled with amenities like binoculars for wildlife watching and a complimentary mini bar. For colder days and nights, there is an open fire to light. The lodges are made of reclaimed redwoods and are powered by solar energy. Electric cars are also available to ferry tired legs around. Other sustainable ticks of approval include locally harvested water, no single use plastic, organic cleaning materials used and sustainable and local food available in the restaurant.