Most Eco-Luxury Destinations | Hands Up Holidays

Eco-luxury travel

Luxury without
compromise

For families who want the finest accommodation and the smallest footprint. These destinations lead the world in eco-luxury — where sustainability isn't an afterthought, it's built into the architecture, the food, and the ethos of every property.

🌱 Solar & off-grid 🏕️ Tented camps 🍽️ Farm-to-table 🌊 Zero single-use plastic 🤝 Community-owned

Our standard

What "eco-luxury"
actually means to us

The term is overused. We apply strict criteria before recommending any property — sustainability must be genuinely embedded in how a place operates, not used as a marketing label. Every property below has been personally vetted by Christopher and his team.

Crucially, sustainable never means second-best. These are some of the finest places to stay anywhere in the world.

Five things we look for in every
eco-luxury property

☀️

Clean energy

Solar, wind, or hydro — never diesel generators

🪨

Local materials

Built to blend in, using recycled or locally sourced materials

♻️

Zero waste

Full composting, recycling, no single-use plastics

👥

Community first

Local employment, fair wages, community investment

🦁

Conservation

Active protection of surrounding ecosystems and wildlife

Our top three eco-luxury destinations

The finest combination of
luxury, sustainability, and impact

1

Costa Rica

The world leader in eco-luxury travel

No destination on earth does eco-luxury better. Costa Rica has made sustainability a national identity — and its lodges and tented camps are the finest expression of that commitment. Home to 5% of the world's biodiversity, with extraordinary wildlife and conservation projects.

Nayara Tented Camp — National Geographic World's Best
Pacuare Lodge — accessible only by whitewater raft
Lapa Rios — protecting 1,000 acres of rainforest
El Silencio Lodge — 500-acre private cloud forest reserve
2

Rwanda

Conservation luxury at its most profound

Rwanda's mountain lodges are built from local materials, staffed by local communities, and generate revenue that directly funds gorilla conservation. Staying here isn't just low-impact — it's actively restorative. And the wildlife encounter is unlike anything else on earth.

Lodges built using traditional Rwandan materials and techniques
Revenue directly funds Volcanoes National Park gorilla protection
Community-owned businesses supply every lodge
3

New Zealand

The world's most spectacular eco-luxury wilderness

New Zealand's eco-luxury lodges are among the finest in the world — and they sit within some of the planet's most dramatic and unspoiled landscapes. From Fiordland to the Bay of Islands, from glaciers to geothermal valleys, the country's commitment to conservation runs deep. Your family can help protect endangered native birds and reptiles in the North Island, or build penguin nests to protect them from predators in the South Island — extraordinary projects in extraordinary settings.

Fiordland Lodge — on the shores of Lake Te Anau, gateway to Milford Sound
Hapuku Lodge — luxury treehouses in Kaikoura with whale watching on the doorstep
Awaroa Lodge — accessible only by foot or small plane in Abel Tasman National Park
"Luxury travel is best when it is also sustainable. The finest properties we've ever stayed in didn't just minimize their impact — they actively improved the world around them."
Christopher Hill — Founder, Hands Up Holidays

Ready to travel in
style and conscience?

Christopher will match your family with the eco-luxury properties that best fit your interests, budget, and the experience you're looking for.

luxury family adventure that counts Turkey