Stay Green

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort
Location On the Bedwell River, 20 kilometres from Tofino, B.C. in Clayoquot Sound, a temperate rainforest region declared a UNESCO biosphere in 1999.
Property Twenty luxury sleeping, dining and lounging tents surround a games pavillion and a log cabin dining hall on 400 acres of land. Furnishings like a silver vanity set, china washbasin and cozy down duvet make you forget you’re sleeping under canvas. Each guest has a private cedar-lined shower and composting toilet (in separate outbuildings a short walk from your tent). Some rustic log furnishings are built on site. Guests arriving by float plane or boat are met by a horse-drawn cart.
Eat Dinner means five-course menus of "modern natural cuisine" by chef Tim May. "People are amazed we can do this in the middle of nowhere," says May, who has spent 10 years sourcing local and organic Vancouver Island products, from chicken to chard. Because this wild habitat is shared with black bears, food waste is handled with extreme care and composting is potentially unsafe.
Do Fishing, horseback riding, archery, kayaking, clay pigeon shooting, bear- and whale-watching expeditions are among the activities offered. If you’re marrying Scarlett Johansson, rumour has it this is the right spot.
Best place The secluded hot tub next to tent 19, with the wood-fired sauna just a short dash away. For men, it’s in the spa’s antique barber’s chair, getting a traditional straight-razor shave before returning to civilization.
Shades of green Though the resort relies on traditional fuels (from oil for lamps to propane for cooking and heating), its vehicles use biodiesel, it operates two wood-fired boilers and it has ambitious plans for harnessing hydro power. Most wood used in the buildings was milled on-site; the spa used reclaimed wood from an Island school. Earth-friendly EcoMax laundry soaps and Deserving Thyme organic amenities complement the spa’s Yonka organics and local Seaflora line. In an area formerly decimated by mining and forestry, and still peopled by First Nations, this resort strives to be a steward not just of the environment (restoring salmon habitat) but also of the culture (employing local guides).-C.R.
Open May 15 to September 30. All-inclusive three, four and seven-night stays from $4,750 per person. 888-333-5405, wildretreat.com

Kw'o:kw'e:hala Eco Vacation Retreat
Location Along the Coquihalla River near Hope, B.C. (about 2 hours east of Vancouver).
Property The entry "gate" of dangling driftwood, crystals and chimes sums up the philosophy here. Recycled elements, from salvaged timbers to antique mirrors, grace three snug, wooden guest cabins. Ours had a handmade quilt, a tree-branch curtain rod and a hand-cranked flashlight that came in handy for night trips to the WC (you have a private bathroom, in an outbuilding). Flower and vegetable gardens cover the property, often tended by visiting WWOOFers (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) from all over the world.
Eat Though much of what you eat is from nearby, it’s not slavishly 100-mile fare; we had avocado, bananas and mango. Dinner might be freshly caught sockeye salmon topped with pesto and aioli; breakfast, a puffy baked pancake with Summerland Sweets organic syrups. And you can have a pre-breakfast latte delivered right to your room.
Do The nearby Othello train tunnels, a stunning feat of engineering, make an easy hike or bike ride. The owners can point you to more remote terrain or lead guided hikes. A traditional wood-fired Finnish sauna and outdoor hot tub are a relaxing and cleansing way to relax. Massage therapists are available by advance arrangement.
Best place The Nest, a tent structure right by the riverbank, has a living-tree headboard on a fluffy bed where you can read, rest or even spend the night. We also love the outdoor shower overlooking the river.
Shades of green A septic system and hot-water heater, plus Arbonne and other organic-brand amenities, are concessions to creature comfort. Drinking water comes from a well and one shower and a few lights are solar powered. But the intent here is truly small-footprint sustainable: only three families have ever lived on this property and current owner Sue VandeVelde-Savola says: "Sustainable, eco, all the sexy words we use today-my grandmother was doing it 50 years ago."-C.R.
Open April to October. Rooms from $165. 877-ECO-RETREAT, eco-retreat.com

Azulik Eco Tulum Resort and Spa
Location On the beach of Tulum, 2 hours south of Cancun, Mexico.
Property Cabanas along the Caribbean waterfront dot 65 metres of pristine beach. Fifteen huts joined by a wooden walkway border the tropical jungle. Cabanas (and their furnishings) are made of local hardwoods and built on stilts. A carved tree-trunk bathtub complements a private soaker tub on the deck. Mosquito nets over the beds are both romantic and functional. No electricity or telephones; it’s an adult-only (and clothing-optional) resort.
Eat There is no restaurant on-site, although the sister hotel next door, Cabanas Copal, has a full-service restaurant and the MayaSpa. Put a flag outside your cabana and a staff member will come by to take your room service order. (They pass by at least once an hour.)
Do From the town of Tulum (a five minute taxi ride away), a company called Alltournative offers zip-line tours through the jungle and swimming in ancient cenotes (sink holes). The Mayan ruins of Tulum and Cobá are nearby and so are opportunities to snorkel, kayak and dive.
Best spot The beach. The white sand and aquamarine water create a private paradise free of peddlers and crowds.
Shades of green A generator runs during the day, powering ceiling fans and an area where you can charge your devices and get wireless access; candlelight and outdoor torches suffice after dark. Recycling boxes for glass, compost, plastics, paper and batteries are located throughout the property. Culturally authentic Mayan traditions infuse MayaSpa, which offers treatments based on traditional healing methods, like the sweat lodge, Mayan healing massage and clay body painting. Every October, the hotel hosts a six-day Forum of Healers.-L.H.
Open year-round. Rooms from $399 (U.S.). 888-898-9922, azulik.com

Treetops Wilderness Resort
Location On a hilltop on New Zealand’s central North Island, in the volcanic, hot springs-rich area of Rotorua.
Property Eight-hundred-year-old Lord of the Rings-worthy (much of the trilogy was filmed near here) foliage spreads over 2,500 acres of land, including seven streams and 70 kilometres of trails. A central lodge holds four suites and hosts communal dining. We like the private villas, each with a small kitchen, grand fireplace and your own slice of rainforest tranquility. The main lodge has a wood-panelled library and an antique snooker table.
Eat New Zealand’s stunning wines complement local, seasonal produce and protein; the lamb and salmon are outstanding. Dine at a private table, with other guests or alone in your villa.
Do A stocked trout stream runs right under the lodge and remote fishing expeditions, volano-watching and sightseeing by helicopter can be arranged. Horseback riding, mountain biking, geocaching and hiking are right at hand; at night, take a self-guided flashlight tour of the glow-worm cave.
Best spot In front of the fireplace with fellow guests before dinner, enjoying wine, hors d’oeuvres and big fish tales.
Shades of green Owner John Sax spent a decade restoring this land to its natural rhythms, from stocking trout ponds to replanting the valley floor. Treetops calls itself a game preserve and quietly (and sustainably) offers hunting, from wild pig to stag and elk. In recognition of the importance of the region to the local indigenous people, portraits of Maori chieftans stare from the walls and local artisand carved the massive wooden doors and beams depicting Maori legends.-C.R.
Open from January 1 to August 31. Rooms from $840, including dinner. 1-647-333-2066, treetops.co.nz wl