Cascioni Eco Retreat

Where to go next for an eco-luxury escape

A trio of eco hotels for your planet-friendly holiday planning

To make the search for sustainable luxury hotels easier for forward-thinking travellers, we’ve added three environmentally conscious, community minded stays to our Considerate Collection – from jungle-inspired Balinese villas to a renewably powered farming estate in Puglia.

Desa Hay, Bali – Indonesia

Beautifully blending into the verdant forests of southern Bali, there is a hushed, dream-like quality to Desa Hay – an exclusive collection of villas dotted among tropical gardens which have been carefully cultivated by a local landscape architect to promote Indonesian greenery. An impressive 40% of the resort’s land has purposefully been left as green space to let nature take its course, which means you’ll feel completely immersed and in tune with the wilderness here.

Thoughtful touches like bamboo combs and biodegradable slippers made from coconut husks can be found in the six Jabu villas which have been sensitively constructed using natural materials, while rose petals and scented oils await in your outdoor stone bathtub. The solar powered resort features Indonesian-inspired architectural details at every turn, from the North Sumatran-style villa roofs to the traditional Javanese ‘Joglo’ restaurant, which serves delicious dishes made with locally sourced produce.

Cascioni Eco Retreat, Sardinia – Italy

Huddled in the embrace of a private natural park with the sparkling Sardinian coastline in the distance and jagged mountain peaks behind, Cascioni Eco Retreat is a vision of slow luxury. Once a family farming estate, the intimate property has been reinvented as an understated back-to-nature escape, where the healing power of the landscape meets delicious homegrown food and gentle relaxation.

Guests are invited to adopt an olive tree in Cascioni’s grove, join the olive harvest which contributes towards the Ecolabel certified retreat’s olive oil-based, chemical-free beauty line, and learn about Sardinian plants at turn-down service when a sprig from the garden is placed on the bedside table each evening, firmly rooting each experience in the earth. Nature lovers can take part in ‘garden to pot’ cooking classes making use of the on-site aromatic herb garden, stroll around the specially created wildlife walking trail, and discover the Saloni wetlands on complimentary kayaks – simply download the Cascioni app for an array of locally run activities which will help you take a ‘tread lightly’ approach to your holiday.

Naturalis Bio Resort & Spa, Puglia – Italy

Once an ancient farming hamlet, Naturalis Bio Resort & Spa has been transformed into a bucolic retreat nuzzled into the countryside of southern Italy. True to its roots, the estate’s fields are still tended organically, bathing the masseria in uplifting scents of the Mediterranean scrub, including lavender, lemon, rosemary and thyme.

Naturalis Bio Resort

Natural beauty abounds here, and the Naturalis experience is all about encouraging guests to slow down and savour the moment – whether you’re taking a holistic walk among the crops of Tenuta Naturalis, discovering the healing powers of plants on a guided tour of the resort’s aloe vera greenhouses and plantation, or hopping on an e-bicycle to explore nearby Martano, which has become known as the ‘City of Aloe’ thanks to the donation of over 3,000 aloe plants from the Naturalis estate and its B-Corp mother company, N&B Natural Is Better. For an insight into the Puglian artistry which you’ll find on your bedroom walls, local artisans are on hand to share their craft – from basket-making workshops with a master weaver using homegrown rush and reeds, to painting tiles with a local mosaicist in Salento colours and patterns.

Naturalis Bio Resort

Previous

The best of Ireland & Northern Ireland: an Emerald Isle itinerary

Next

The ultimate dog-friendly boutique hotel guide

Latest stories

Living in paradise: what it’s like to call Mallorca home

Having successfully made the transition from holidaying to homestead — and truly living her best life in the process — here, British photographer Carlie Tasker talks about how she put down roots on the Balearic island of Mallorca, in addition to how moving abroad has influenced her thoughts on jet-setting,

The ultimate Verona city guide

Known the world over as the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, this storybook city goes beyond its literary fame with well-preserved Roman monuments and lively piazzas. Conveniently located between two of Italy’s urban hot spots — Milan and Venice — Verona can comfortably be explored on a day trip

Reforesting the world with Max Renaudin, Founder & CEO of Tree-Nation

On a mission to plant a trillion trees by 2050, Tree-Nation is making reforestation accessible to everyone through transparent, easy-to-track technology. As one of the most effective solutions to the climate crisis, we’re planting trees with Tree-Nation to restore forests, protect biodiversity, create employment opportunities, and support local communities around

All’s well on the waters of Menaggio, Lake Como

Its glittering, villa-strung shores are backed by emerald-green mountains, setting a scenic and incredibly stylish stage for slow days spent on Lake Como’s waters — preferably from a private pontoon and vintage Riva boat. Over a spring weekend, Lex Duff checks in to Grand Hotel Victoria Concept & Spa for