Green Getaway: Escape to the World’s 4 Best Eco-Lodges

We can all agree that being green is cool, but we like to think that ethos should extend beyond just recycling your beer bottles and “leaving no trace” when you’re in the outdoors. Eco-lodges — hotels that specifically designed to create the least amount of impact on the environment — are the perfect example of Earth-friendly travel.

For your next getaway, consider these four eco-lodges, which are among the most beautiful, unique, and sustainable accommodations in the world.

Feynan Ecolodge (Jordan)

Jordan is one of the most rugged and naturally breathtaking countries on the planet. No hotel is more emblematic of this than Feynan Ecolodge, which has proven to be a model for eco-lodges around the world. The lodge is 100-percent off-grid, relying entirely on solar power, natural ventilation, and water from a nearby natural spring to support its 26 rooms. After dark, the winding hallways and beautifully appointed guest rooms are lit only by candlelight, creating an atmosphere that’s moody and intimate. It’s also situated amid the country’s largest, best protected, and most stunning environmental preserve, the Dana Biosphere Reserve. Here, guests will find some of the best hiking and wildlife watching in all of Jordan. It’s home to more than 800 plant species and nearly 450 animal species — some critically endangered and found nowhere else on Earth. The near-zero light pollution also makes the reserve one of the best spots in the world for stargazing and night photography.

Adrere Amellal Oasis (Siwa, Egypt)

We’ve previously covered Adrere Amellal Oasis before, and we’d be remiss not to include it among the world’s greatest eco-lodges. Like Feynan, this stunning Egyptian ecolodge is lit entirely by candlelight, torches, and the crystal clear skies overhead. Expect not a trace of technology — there is no Wi-Fi, no electricity, and no phones. It’s pure, disconnected bliss. The 40 rooms are adorned in the simple, traditional Siwan style: salt rock walls, locally handcrafted furniture, and palm thatched roofs. Offsite adventures include touring Cleopatra’s Well, trekking the 800-year-old Shali Fortress, and dune-hopping by Jeep through the area’s endless desert expanse.

Jicaro Island Ecolodge (Granada, Nicaragua)

Jicaro Island Ecolodge proves that eco-friendly hotels need not lack luxury. Located on a private island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, this stunning eco-lodge is about as remote as one can get in Central America. With just nine private casitas, it’s intimate, peaceful, and honeymoon-worthy. The hotel relies almost entirely on the surrounding environment for water (from the lake of course) and food (there’s an onsite pig farm, chicken coops, and a garden). The hotel’s structure and custom-built furnishings were all made using locally sourced, reclaimed timber. Ask at the front desk about their dedicated sustainability tour for an overview of the lodge’s eco-friendly efforts.

The Bay of Fires Lodge (Tasmania, Australia)

No list of eco-lodges is complete without a mention of Australia. The Bay of Fires Lodge Walk presents not just lodging, but an all-encompassing nature experience. True to Tasmania’s rugged spirit, guests of the lodge begin their “stay” with a four-day, 22-mile trek through some of the island’s most stunning coves and beaches. Near the end of the journey lies Bay of Fires Lodge, a solar-powered luxury haven with no access to television or the Internet. The off-grid lodge sits more than 130 feet above the sea and is the only man-made structure amid 22 miles of pristine coastline. The best part? It’s only accessible on foot.