As travel has evolved over the decades, so has our definition of luxury. Gone are the days of coveting fancy hotels with ten pillow options but zero personality. Today, luxury is all about access: to a remote Arctic coastline where locals host you like family, to a private island where coral scientists are your snorkeling buddies, to a valley in Bhutan where the monks chant at dawn.
As someone who plans sustainable travel for a living, I’ve learned over the years that true luxury are the travel experiences that feel rare, real, and transformative. Here are four of my favorites.
Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland
You arrive to find an isolated, beautifully rugged oasis that few have even heard of. Your local guide is a retired fisherman who takes you berry-picking and shares tales from his storied life, like when the collapse of the Atlantic cod fishery changed everything for him. Dinner was caught and foraged that day, and you indulge around a table with other travelers who feel like friends. At night, you might find yourself at a kitchen party with the staff playing accordion music and sharing homemade bread. With its focus on regenerative travel, Fogo Island Inn offers an experience that’s raw and intimate rather than staged and curated—and that’s what makes it magic.
Eleven Deplar Farm, Iceland
Eleven Deplar Farm
Experience the aurora borealis at Eleven Deplar Farm.
By day, you can ski untouched slopes or hike in pure silence. By night, you can soak in geothermal pools and watch the northern lights with a glass of whisky in hand. Eleven Deplar Farm is wild, warm, and wonderfully low-key. Built on a restored sheep farm, the property runs on geothermal energy and feels like a secret hideaway. High-end yet humble, the place isn’t just built to impress—it’s built to last.
The Brando, French Polynesia
The Brando
Guests biking at The Brando, French Polynesia.
The Brando isn’t just a private island, it’s also a hub for coral research, clean energy, and smart design. You can start your day snorkeling with a marine biologist who can teach you about ocean life, from baby sharks to sea cucumbers. Then, you bike to dinner and end your day with a sunset massage on the beach before returning to your seawater-powered villa. The resort is off-the-charts beautiful, but what really stands out is the mission: here, conservation isn’t just a brochure buzzword, it’s built into the property’s DNA.
Six Senses Gangtey, Bhutan
Six Senses Bhutan
Spectacular views from the dining room at Six Senses Bhutan.
It’s just before dawn and you’re standing on a balcony wrapped in a wool shawl, sipping butter tea and watching black-necked cranes glide into the valley. Down below, a few monks begin chanting in a centuries-old temple. You’ll hike today—past yak herders and through pine forests—but first, you’re here, present, and grateful. At Six Senses Gangtey, the food is locally sourced, the staff are from nearby villages, and your visit supports Bhutan’s model of high-value, low-impact travel.
Here’s what I always tell clients: Stay longer, go slower, and don’t try to do it all. Five nights in a single place beats a whirlwind any day, travel in the shoulder seasons if you can, and work with someone who actually knows the destination. When done right, sustainable luxury travel isn’t about giving anything up. You’ll get so much more out of the experience while leaving something good behind, too.
Kristin Winkaffe is a member of Travel + Leisure’s A-List and specializes in sustainable trips. You can create a tailor-made itinerary with Winkaffe by contacting her at kristin@winkaffeglobal.com.
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