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From a volcanic lava beach in Iceland to a reforested edge of Uganda’s Bwindi Forest, the most compelling new hotel openings and updates of 2026 share one thing: sustainability and wellness built into the bones of the property for the responsible traveler.
Finding a hotel with a genuine sustainability story used to require a fair amount of due diligence — sifting through vague “eco-friendly” language, self-reported surveys, and Earth Month marketing that disappears promptly on April 23. But things are changing, dear discerning travelers. Third-party certification programs are gaining traction, a new class of properties is opening with environmental commitments baked into the architecture itself, and destination marketing organizations are starting to put financial weight behind the credentialing process. There is substantive work happening, and it couldn’t come at a better time.
When we think about Earth Month, we often think about restriction, about making less of an impact. And, that’s true. Consumer behaviors are a leading driver of climate change — whether it’s eating too much meat, wearing too much fast fashion, or using too much plastic. But we’re firm believers here at Ethos that it’s harder to want to protect the world if we haven’t seen much of it. We are curious creatures, after all. And spending time traveling, getting outside of our comfort zones, learning about different cultures, different environments can help us to place more value in protecting them. Does this mean you’ll come back from every trip a treehugging environmentalist? Perhaps. But more likely, you’ll simply come back a more renewed version of yourself. That can often lead to more intentional behaviors, like reducing meat consumption, buying less fast fashion, and being more mindful about our plastic use, among other actions.
Plus, when properties like these listed below make the ultimate luxury escape also a sustainable stay, it’s hard to say no! We do live in increasingly stressful times. Self-care is planetary care and vice versa.
New and updated properties for the responsible traveler
The better news for 2026 is that several genuinely considered properties are opening this year, each with a different model for what responsible hospitality can look like.
Black Sand Hotel, Ölfus, Iceland
Black Sand Hotel in Ölfus, Iceland, opened in January as the country’s first beachfront boutique property, and its sustainability case starts with the site itself: 79 rooms built to follow the precise contour of a volcanic lava beach at the point where the Ölfusá River meets the Atlantic, using lava stone, reclaimed timber, and locally sourced materials throughout. The approach was deliberate from the start. “We’ve designed a peaceful contrast to the wild elements of Iceland, allowing guests to slow down, enjoy the beauty of the hotel and its harmony with the incredible landscape,” Óskar Vignisson, the hotel’s general manager, told Maxim. The spa — featuring geothermal hot tubs, a cold plunge, and a sauna — opens later this year, and the ÓMUR restaurant runs a menu sourced entirely from Icelandic land and sea.
Erebero Hills, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda
Erebero Hills, the new eight-suite lodge by Asilia Africa, will open on 45 acres of reforested land on the northern edge of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, one of the last remaining habitats of mountain gorillas. Asilia has planted 25,000 indigenous trees as part of a restoration project, and the construction itself used bamboo sourced from local sustainable plantations. The community angle here is as meaningful as the environmental one — the lodge is working through a local implementation partner on beekeeping programs run by reformed poachers and female enterprise projects for Bakiga communities. “The new forest will act as a buffer zone, extending the habitat for species like mountain gorillas, allowing wildlife populations to expand. For people, it offers the opportunity to rebuild a connection with nature. The Batwa, who once lived in the forest, will have the chance to reclaim aspects of their heritage, regaining access to the plants they once used for food and medicine,” reads the Asilia Africa website.
Imperial Hotel, Kyoto, Japan
In Kyoto, the Imperial Hotel opened its first new property in three decades this spring inside the historic Yasaka Kaikan — a 1936 cultural building in the Gion district that faced seismic vulnerabilities and potential demolition. The renovation preserved 16,387 original exterior tiles using a traditional Japanese technique called ikedori, or “live capture,” in which materials are removed without damage for direct reuse. The same construction company that built the original Yasaka Kaikan 90 years ago, Obayashi Corporation, led the restoration. It’s a model of adaptive reuse that sidesteps the carbon cost of new construction entirely.
1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii
1 Hotel Hanalei Bay on Kauai’s North Shore has launched Nature’s Wellness Sanctuary, a structured wellness concept built around four pillars — performance and strength, recovery and restoration, science-backed health optimization, and nature as a training ground. The 10,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor Anatomy Fitness facility, led by former NFL player Marc Megna, offers InBody analysis and VO₂ max assessment. The first Hawaiian outpost of Bamford Wellness Spa — founded by Carole Bamford, a pioneer in organic and sustainable living — anchors the recovery offering with biophilic treatment rooms, flotation therapy, hyperbaric oxygen, and cryotherapy.
“1 Hotels was built on the idea that the natural world is wonderful and holds the secret to health and well-being for the body and the mind,” Barry Sternlicht, Founder of 1 Hotels and Chairman of Starwood Hotels, said in a statement. “With Nature’s Wellness Sanctuary, we took that philosophy and applied it more wholeheartedly, creating an experience where everything works together. It’s a more thoughtful, more connected approach to well-being, rooted in nature and designed to support strength, recovery, and lasting health.”
Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel, Livingstone, Zambia
The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara has completed a comprehensive refresh of all 93 rooms, including four new Junior Suites — its first major renovation in 25 years. The redesign preserved the property’s safari-Victorian character while introducing a contemporary Zambian aesthetic: earthy tones drawn from the surrounding Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, updated textiles, explorer accents, and private balconies re-fitted to maximize sightlines over the Zambezi. The Anantara Spa’s four riverside gazebos anchor the wellness offering, with the Nalikwanda Lozi Journey — a treatment sequence inspired by the traditional Kuomboka ceremony, moving from hot stone massage through hydrating facial to a concluding pedicure — available to both resort guests and day visitors.
Beyond the gardens, where giraffes roam freely, the Royal Livingstone Express, a restored steam locomotive, carries guests over the Victoria Falls Bridge for a five-course dinner en route. Sustainability is at the heart of Anantara’s properties, “we are committed to preserving the world’s most beautiful destinations,” the group says on its website. “We aim to preserve and nurture our host communities and environments, and operate in a way that is beneficial to the people who live there, and sustainable for generations of residents and travellers still to come.”
Opening later this year
Be among the first guests at these eco properties opening later in 2026.
Miraval The Red Sea, Shura Island, Saudi Arabia
Opened last month, Miraval’s first property outside the U.S., was designed by Foster + Partners, set within a protected mangrove forest on the Red Sea coast. This adults-only, all-inclusive resort features 180 rooms and villas. The 3,000-square-metre Life in Balance Spa has 39 treatment rooms — the largest spa facility on Shura Island. Sustainability practices include farm-to-table sourcing, biodiversity preservation, compostable packaging, and energy-efficient design aligned with UN SDGs. Booking available from April 30.
The Malkai, Multiple Locations, Oman
Opening in autumn 2026, spanning coastal farmland near Muscat, the Al Hajar mountains, and the Sharqiyah Sands desert, this luxury all-inclusive destination features three locations with fifteen Pavilion Suites per location, designed to sit lightly on their terrain. The climate-controlled properties are crafted from natural materials — Omani marble and palm resin — and include sweeping views of Oman’s diverse terrain.
The Malkai guides visitors through their stays with a personalised itinerary tailored to individual guests’ interests, passions, and pace of travel. Spa treatments use local rose water, incense, and frankincense, administered privately in guest pavilions. Farm-to-fork dining from on-site herb and fruit gardens.
Vestige Can Jordi, Formentera, Spain
Opening this summer, 25 suites on a restored rural estate on one of the Balearics’ most ecologically protected islands. Whitewashed walls, stone floors, handcrafted furnishings, and poolside dining centered on local produce make this a must-stay destination. Deliberately intimate and low-footprint — the 25-suite cap is by design, not circumstance. Vestige makes its commitment clear: “A legacy of respect, nature, culture, and identity; natural and social ecosystems that we regenerate while respecting their essence and memory, and with which we combine warm hospitality with the highest standards of excellence.”
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