Little St. Simons Island

Summer-camp vibes meet serious climate science at Georgia’s Little St. Simons Island, about two hours south of Savannah by car. Home to the century-old Hunting Lodge and five cozy cottages, the 11,000-acre island is surrounded by carefully managed tidal estuaries where naturalists guide kayak outings, bird-watching rambles, and beach walks along seven miles of undeveloped shoreline. Stays on the island help support the Center for Coastal Conservation, the group that oversees ongoing preservation of the ecosystem. Often, in collaboration with the lodge, it hosts researchers and volunteers who come for activities such as fitting tracking bands on songbirds and monitoring the loggerhead sea turtles that nest in the area. “We help with conservation by getting people out here and reminding them why it’s so important to take care of the planet,” general manager Jamie Pazur says. “We also show them a good time.” ​—Elaine Glusac

Leading Hotels of the World

Founded in 1928, Leading Hotels of the World has grown to a consortium of more than 400 luxury properties, all still independently owned, in more than 80 countries. One of its most recent innovations is putting its greenest hotels front and center, with the launch of the Sustainable Leaders collection. These 109 pace-setters have gone above and beyond in reducing water use, improving energy efficiency, thoughtfully integrating local cultural heritage into programming, and investing in fair hiring practices. Just as importantly, the most forward-thinking hoteliers are a source of positive peer pressure, incentivizing the rest of the organization to match these achievements, says Lauren Alba, a vice president at Leading Hotels. “It’s already doubled in size since 2023.” ​—Hannah Selinger

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Orchids dangle from the ceiling of the welcome center at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. Opened in 2024, it’s one element of a redesign that’s turning the Selby into one of the most cutting-edge institutions of its kind. The $57 million first phase has already helped transform this waterfront attraction into a test-bed for sustainable architecture. Just 10 months after the debut of its new visitors’ center, solar-powered restaurant, and research facilities, the Selby faced Hurricane Milton, the powerful storm that lashed southwestern Florida in October. Though the gardens did suffer some damage, a new underground stormwater filtration system intended to clean and return rainwater to Sarasota Bay performed exactly as designed. “We have the ability to educate the public about sustainability and really demonstrate it to a broad audience,” says Jennifer O. Rominiecki, the Selby’s president and CEO.​​​ —E.G.

Leela Palaces, Hotels, & Resorts

A favorite brand of T+L readers, the Mumbai-based Leela Palaces, Hotels, & Resorts is known for its over-the-top accommodations and superlative service including, famously, the shower of rose petals that greets guests as they arrive at the Leela Palace Udaipur. But it’s what becomes of those flowers—as well as arrangements in the lobbies and rooms—that demonstrates the hotel group’s commitment to waste reduction. Since 2023, Leela has collaborated with the Indian company Phool to upcycle blooms used in its hotels into richly scented incense sticks that are occasionally gifted to guests. The effort has so far transformed more than 10 tons of flowers from would-be rubbish into fragrant souvenirs. ​—Paul Brady

Cabiner

In partnership with the Dutch forestry service, Cabiner builds sleek structures in less visited stretches of nature preserve across the northern Netherlands. These off-the-grid hideaways are built sustainably from materials such as cardboard and wood, yet feature hotel-caliber beds, kitchens, bathrooms, and plant-based meal kits supplied by local markets. So far, Cabiner has two dozen hike-in cabins, which are available for out-and-back overnights or as part of a hut-to-hut circuit, with accommodations spaced from two to 12 miles apart. “The true luxury,” says cofounder Sander Ejlenberg, “is having the forest to yourself.”​ —E.G.

HBD Principe

Don’t let São Tomé and Príncipe’s compact size fool you. These Gulf of Guinea islands, which make up Africa’s second-smallest country, contain one of the world’s largest concentrations of endemism—and ecotourism plays a critical role in preserving it, particularly on less-populated Príncipe.

Nature ruled these volcanic strips of land until the Portuguese Empire arrived in the 1400s and trafficked slaves from West and Central Africa to grow sugar and cacao. The country gained independence in 1975, but decades of unemployment followed.

In 2010, South African entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth proposed a sustainable economic boost: responsible travel and agriculture company HBD Principe. It’s now Príncipe’s largest private employer, with four boutique resorts. Sundy Praia, situated where the ancient rain forest meets the gold-sand coast, is the most luxurious. Inland Roça Sundy pairs past and present; guests overnight in former plantation homes while residents equitably maintain an organic and Bird-Friendly certified cacao operation. Other stays include palm-fringed Bom Bom, which reopened in fall 2024 following years of renovations, and São Tomé-based Omali.

HBD Príncipe’s nonprofit, Príncipe Foundation, safeguards biodiversity, including nesting sea turtles and migrating cetaceans, and its new Natural Dividend organization will compensate residents for protecting natural resources. —Stephanie Vermillion