[Hotels by Design] The First Boutique Hotel Set Within Protected Forest — Cannua

Several years ago, three young entrepreneurs identified a gap in the market and decided they wanted to create a boutique eco-lodge centred on sustainable development and permaculture design in the protected forests of Antioquia in Colombia’s Central Andes.

Five years in the making, the result is Cannua, a consciously-designed resort built as sustainably as possible yet adhering to local architectural styles. It is scheduled to open imminently.

Permaculture architecture and bioclimatic design are at the heart of Cannua, which also seeks to adhere to green building practices.

Sustainably-sourced bamboo has been incorporated as well as compressed earth blocks made from 80-tonnes of soil that were produced by the work site but which most developers would have paid to have removed.Once open, the aim of the lodge is for 70% of its water to be supplied by grey water and rainwater thanks to its own onsite water treatment system.

Two acres of the 27-acre property are dedicated to an organic garden and permaculture food forest, not only to feed lodge guests, but to encourage growth of local floral and fauna and to serve as an example of regenerative agriculture for local farmers.

Rooms vary, some offering a small private garden, others with a terrace.The private cabanas all have their own veranda and some come with an outdoor hot tub, too.

The organic restaurant will feature authentic Colombian flavours in dishes crafted from local ingredients.

Cannua is the perfect starting point for a hike along pre-Hispanic heritage trails, for bird watching and coffee tastings, all the while knowing that your tourism is sustainable and the resort is dedicate to having a positive impact on the local community, not only setting an example but offering employment as well as education opportunities alongside its dedication to conserving the local environment.

Address: Marinilla, Antioquia, Colombia

Photos via Cannua

See More: [Hotels by Design] Enjoy the Glamorous Shores at Hotel Amapa, Mexico