Invest in our planet, design your experience with Rive Azur

With an increased awareness of our planet and its protection, modern travellers are opting for an ecological and sustainable way to enjoy their holidays, without having to sacrifice comfort and pleasure.

Today, eco-luxury travel has become more and more in demand by our customers.

At Rive Azur, exclusive eco-friendly accommodation is something that is close to our hearts, as travelling should be an experience of a lifetime, while taking care of our planet.

We encourage you to invest in an Eco hotel on your next trip.

Rive Azur is committed to a sustainable travel strategy, working with partners who share our vision of sustainable luxury travel. Sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Sustainability must be considered holistically, combining all dimensions such as social, economic and environmental sustainability.

There are many reasons why eco-travel is a good idea. Eco-luxury properties take sustainability seriously, with the following practices:

• They are architecturally designed with an emphasis on sustainability.
• They are built using recycled and locally sourced materials and are integrated into the landscape without damaging the flora and fauna.
• They produce their own electricity (solar or wind).
• They use LED lighting.
• They recycle and sustainably use waste, such as used cooking oil to fuel vehicles or heat from ovens to heat rooms.
• They reuse 'grey water' from showers to water the garden.
• They consult with the local community, have community ownership, employ and train people from the local community, including for management.
• They are carbon neutral, and some are even carbon positive, which means that your stay has a net positive effect on the environment.
  

Sweden

IceHotel in Sweden has been certified as an eco-friendly hotel by Nordic Swan Ecolabel, Scandinavia's most comprehensive eco-labelling programme. The fact that many of the rooms melt and are rebuilt in ice and snow every year has been a unique challenge for the certification team and the IceHotel.

Sweden has a lot to offer as a sustainable tourist destination: accessible nature and a lifestyle close to nature, innovative culinary experiences with respect for people and the environment, local cultural experiences with design and architecture created for people.

Costa Rica

Kasiiya - With such a small footprint and delicate design and construction, Kasiiya could be dismantled in 48 hours and you would never know it was there. Kasiiya hires and trains people from nearby villages to work at the hotel. It sources products and materials from local farmers, traders and craftsmen. Kasiiya invests 20% of its profits in social and environmental programmes.

El Silencio - More than 95% of the staff at El Silencio are local and give back through employment opportunities, local purchasing and the growing relationship with its closest neighbour, the community of Los Bajos del Toro. El Silencio holds the highest rating of six leaves in Costa Rica's sustainable tourism certification.

Lapa Rios - Lapa Rios protects 1,000 acres of rainforest, uses solar energy for heating, has water turbines, uses organic cleaning and bath products and has a plastic-free policy.

Pacuare Lodge - No trees were cut down to build the bungalows and main lodge. The buildings use wood from a small farmer-run reforestation project. The thatched roofs were made by local Cabecar Indians using palm leaves from the forest reserve

Peru

Peru is more than just a land of beautiful nature and indigenous cultures. It's also the most spirited place for your next high-end eco-vacation. On the edge of Peru's southeast, on the edge of the Tambopata National Reserve, the renowned Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica combines wild Amazonia with rustic luxury. Surrounded by the world's greatest biodiversity, this sustainable ecolodge offers a safe jungle experience for adventurous families and couples.

Located on 12 hectares of lush rainforest next to the Urubamba River, this eco-resort (a member of the National Geographic's Unique Lodges of the World list).

A sanctuary of terraced hills, stone paths and waterfalls that is home to 214 species of birds and, with 372 catalogued varieties, the largest collection of native orchids in the world. Visitors are encouraged to hike the grounds, visit the resort's eco centre or relax in a naturally heated spring water pool while listening to the birdsong.

Thailand

Thailand also has some excellent luxury eco resorts. Soneva Kiri - Soneva has a foundation that funds a variety of impressive projects, including eco-friendly stoves in Myanmar, forest restoration, clean water in villages, hunger relief and ocean management.

Six Senses - Six Senses uses renewable building materials, and deploys passive cooling, electric transportation and biodegradable cleaning products.

Aleenta Phuket - Aleenta has eliminated single-use plastics and teaches sustainable farming techniques in schools.

Zeavola - It has its own water bottling plant, has replaced plastic packaging and has the most impressive wastewater management system in Thailand.

Here are some other eco-luxury options from around the world:

Kenya

Basecamp Masai Mara has adopted innovative techniques to mitigate drought, recycles grey water, recycled over 2,000 kg of plastic, uses solar energy and has launched other income generating initiatives for the local community.

South Africa

The Homestead uses solar power, was built with local stone and ethically sourced timber, uses rainwater and you can meet the wildlife in electric vehicles.

Australia

One & Only Wolgan Valley has adopted energy saving principles such as LED lighting, sensors and timers, and solar panels for heating and outdoor lighting. The resort sources its food from local artisans and organic producers, and rainwater provides 70% of its drinking water.

Ethically sourced ingredients

Earth Day 2022 was celebrated with sustainable culinary initiatives in the Middle East, Europe, India, the Indian Ocean and North America. To mark the occasion, new culinary dishes were introduced in eco-friendly hotels around the world.

They emphasise the importance of sustainable eating through ethically sourced ingredients that are featured on menus throughout the year. As well as raising environmental awareness, the campaign pays tribute to the chefs and hotel teams who source the best possible ingredients with the utmost respect for nature.

Here are some examples of this gastronomic initiative :

The other guidelines are as follows :

In Mauritius, a number of restaurants offer local favourites, such as the catch of the day freshly caught by the best Mauritian fishermen, Roma orange tomato carpaccio and locally grown rocket, all served at the Republic Beach Club Restaurant; the sustainably farmed King Fish served at Kushi, the hotel's specialist Japanese restaurant run by a master sushi chef; and the Kuchumbar salad with all the local spices at Saffron, the hotel's popular Indian restaurant.

In one of the gastronomic capitals of the world, Paris draws inspiration from all over France for the best ingredients. La Bauhinia's chefs source locally grown Provençal asparagus for the true taste of the south, as well as Black Angus steak marinated in the open air.

The hotel's afternoon tea features organic pastries made with locally produced flour and free-range eggs.

With a third of the world's food production requiring pollination, bees are essential to the environment and the sustainability of food. Toronto's Shangri La created the B-Wall in partnership with Birks, Canada's leading jeweller, and Alvéole, a Montreal-based organisation that promotes and assists in the installation and maintenance of beehives and honey extraction.

With about 50,000 bees, the hive produces about 20 kilos of honey per year. The harvested honey is used in the hotel's culinary creations, including the seasonal B-Wall Afternoon Tea and custom cocktails.