Haute Wilderness

For centuries, architecture has found inspiration in the landscapes around it. Today, that relationship is more intimate than ever, with the wild shaping some of hospitality’s most daring designs. At these design-forward wilderness retreats, bold architecture meets untamed surroundings to create a more elemental expression of luxury, where nature informs not only the view, but the experience itself.

Rooted in Place

Arranged around a natural cenote at the heart of the Mayakoba ecological reserve, Alila Mayakoba draws on Yucatán materials and Mayan heritage for a distinctly contemporary take on tropical design. Mérida limestone, travertine, native hardwoods and reclaimed materials ground the architecture in its surroundings, while layered greenery and artisanal details echo the jungle beyond. Expansive windows and private terraces blur the boundary between indoors and out, opening rooms onto lagoons, gardens and pools. From the cenote-inspired arrival to the smallest material detail, the natural world is woven seamlessly into the experience.

Mediterranean Minimalism

Stretching along Tuscany’s Maremma coast, The Sense Experience Resort lets its spectacular setting set the tone. Set directly on the beach and tucked among 12 acres of ancient umbrella pines, its contemporary architecture is pared back and tactile, layering warm woods, earthy tones and expressive Italian textiles. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the forest and sea like living artwork, drawing the landscape deep into the interiors, while lush gardens and sun-drenched terraces extend the experience into the open air. The result is part design hotel, part nature escape: an immersive, sensorial expression of the Tuscan coast.

Alpine Zen

Forestis may be perched among the peaks of the Italian Dolomites, but it leaves the traditional alpine aesthetic at the door. Three timber-clad towers rise like tree trunks from the mountainside, their clean vertical lines mirroring the surrounding forest. A century-old former sanatorium anchors the property, with south-facing suites and broad glass facades making a spectacle of the rugged peaks and ever-changing natural light. Inside, untreated wood, raw stone and glass create a calming palette shaped around four elemental forces: water, air, sun and climate. With little to compete for attention, the architecture recedes, leaving the wilderness to command the view.

Coastal Cool

In Big Sur, where towering redwoods give way to rugged coastline and the Pacific stretches endlessly below, Alila Ventana Big Sur is woven into 160 acres of California wilderness, its deep connection to the landscape earning Best Immersive Experience in the 2026 Kiwi Awards. Retaining its unmistakable 1970s Northern California spirit with a modern refresh, its low-slung wooden buildings blend into meadows and wooded hillsides, connected by winding paths. Inside, fireplaces, leather chairs, stone and warm woods bring understated luxury to the rustic setting. Sparkling pools, a Japanese bathhouse and Spa Alila add plenty of indulgence, but it’s the landscape that steals the show, with sweeping views of the Pacific unfolding from a thousand feet above the coast.

Rainforest Purism

Where Dominica’s rainforest meets the Caribbean, Secret Bay appears to emerge naturally from the landscape. Tucked into the cliffs of the island’s wild northwest coast, its sculptural villas nestle into the hillside, surrounded by tropical forest and designed for deep seclusion. Conceived by Venezuelan architect Fruto Vivas, the 27 freestanding villas pair Guyanese hardwoods and dramatic glass walls with expansive terraces and a quiet Caribbean restraint. Private plunge pools mirror the horizon, while open-air living brings the rainforest into every stay. Even the spa embraces its surroundings, taking the form of a three-walled treehouse perched high above Tibay Beach.

Elemental Modernism

Fogo Island Inn makes a striking mark on Newfoundland’s rugged coast, its geometric form rising on stilts above the rocky shoreline. Designed by Newfoundland-born architect Todd Saunders, the structure offers a contemporary interpretation of the island’s outport traditions, with its elevated form both minimizing its footprint and recalling the fishing stages that dot the coast. Inside, an eight-year collaboration between local makers and international designers brings together modern forms, traditional materials, handcrafted furniture and locally made textiles. The architecture is bold and unmistakably contemporary, yet every detail remains rooted in the culture, craft and character of Fogo Island.

Immersive Maximalism

Deep in Cambodia’s Cardamom National Park, where jungle tumbles into rushing rivers and gibbons call from the canopy, Shinta Mani Wild is a fantastical camp suspended between dream and reality. Visionary designer Bill Bensley’s 15 luxury tents are scattered along the Thmor Rung River, meticulously positioned over seven years to minimize their impact on the terrain. Vintage campaign furniture, antiques, colorful textiles and playful details channel the romance of a 1940s safari, while open-air terraces and river-facing bathtubs bring the jungle right in. No two tents feel quite alike, with interiors ranging from botanical and explorer-inspired motifs to a spirited nod to Jackie Kennedy’s 1960s visit to Cambodia. The effect is theatrical and wonderfully eccentric, yet remarkably gentle on the land.

Refined Safari

Named for the Lebombo Euphorbia tree, Singita Lebombo Lodge clings to the cliffs above the N’wanetsi River gorge in Kruger National Park. Its glass-walled, light-filled loft suites take their cue from eagles’ nests, with expansive windows and open-plan spaces framing the rugged wilderness in every direction. A recent nature-led redesign deepens the lodge’s sense of place through warmer earth tones, natural materials and sculptural details, while the new Conservation Lounge & Gallery of Treasures brings Southern African art and found objects into the mix. It’s a sophisticated take on safari design, where the landscape, local culture and conservation ethos are equally integral to the experience.

Contemporary Castaway

At the far edge of a forested peninsula on Brazil’s Emerald Coast, Awasi Santa Catarina rises from the tropical woodland in a striking study of contrast. Its 25 villas pair bold Brutalist forms with warm freijó wood, expansive glazing and private terraces overlooking the sea. A 16,000-square-foot Wellness Center carries the architecture into the jungle, with a freijó-wood spa, greenery-wrapped gym and infinity pool suspended above the ocean. Beyond the peninsula, hidden coves and stretches of wild caiçara coastline add to the feeling of seclusion, making the surrounding wilderness as integral to the experience as the architecture itself.

Expedition Chic

Completely immersed in the lush rainforest of Arenal National Park, Nayara Tented Camp brings the romance of an African safari to the Costa Rican jungle. Its 38 elevated tents channel the spirit of traditional safari camps while taking their cues from the volcanic landscape around them. Open-air design draws the surrounding terrain into each tent, with sweeping views of the Arenal Volcano and the undulating hillsides beyond. Earthy tones, natural textures and generous outdoor spaces deepen the connection to the rainforest, while private plunge pools fed by mineral-rich hot springs add a distinctly Costa Rican touch of indulgence.

Theatrical Fantasy

Tucked into a jungle ravine in Bali’s cultural heart, Capella Ubud offers a whimsical reimagining of the 19th-century European adventure camp. Dreamed up by Bill Bensley, its 23 Dutch-colonial-inspired tents follow the natural contours of the land without felling a single tree, allowing the forest to remain firmly in control of the landscape. Each tent takes on a distinct character drawn from Bali’s colonial-era past, with vintage curios, playful patterns and Balinese craftsmanship adding to the sense of storytelling. Suspension bridges and winding stone pathways thread through the greenery, while the tents appear to hover above the ravine. Dramatic and deeply immersive, the design pairs the romance of exploration with a distinctly Balinese sense of place.