Tsara Komba, Madagascar

Madagascar, the world’s oldest island, may still be on the Amber List but Tsara Komba Luxury Beach and Forest Lodge is such a shining light of how to do hotels sustainably, and in a community-minded way, they deserve an early shout-out before we can actually go there. The ethos behind this luxury eco lodge on Nosy Komba (a little volcanic island off the north west of Madagascar), is sharing luxury: they believe you shouldn’t build a five-star hotel in a one star location: you should level up the area first, and they really put that into practice.⁠⁠

They provide free healthcare for staff, have built 25 new homes, an infant school, and have funded access to clean water for the local village, and started a nursery for the conservation of indigenous baobabs and pachypodiums (a type of succulent).⁠⁠

Many luxury hotels privatise beaches but, here, they share with the locals, so children can walk along the beach in front of the hotel to school, as they always did, but guests are screened by the trees and shrubs to ensure privacy. They run on solar power, use biodegradable detergents, have no phones or TVs, and ensure strict recycling compliance. Water comes from the spring, not pumped but driven by force of gravity, fish served in the restaurant has to be line-caught, they grow most of their own food, and employ almost 100% local staff. ⁠⁠