Well Travelled | Biodynamic Breaks

If you’re looking to take steps towards more sustainable travel, WELL CURATED have located three hotels that are not only impressive by way of luxury but also inspiring in their pioneering biodynamic practices.

This may be new terminology in the wellness world but biodynamic actually means taking farming back to basics using traditional methods, such as lunar cycles & crop rotation, to add richness to the soil. If we think of food as medicine, instead of buying into vitamin supplement, we should focus on what’s on our forks. By building healthy microbiota in the soil biodynamic farms are growing healthy plants. Eating food that’s grown in this manner is a great way to improve your wellbeing, after all, good gut health is essential for everything from hormonal balance to brain function.

Crucially this form of farming does not contribute to climate change, it may even be a remedy for it. So not only is this wellbeing for your body but also wellbeing for the earth and its ecosystems.

Residing alongside 5km of pristine Mexican coastline is the 30,000 acre Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve; within this oasis sits Cuixmala, recognised as being at the forefront of luxury-Eco travel. Created by Sir James Goldsmith, knighted for his services to ecology, the once private estate is now open as a destination for discerning travellers. Here the boundaries separating guests from nature are dissolved. The landscape ranges from lush jungles to sweeping Savannah and integrated with respect into these environments are not only the majestic main house of Casa Cuixmala but a collection of villas and casitas. Guests of Cuixmala are encouraged to immerse in their surroundings by embarking on one of many recreational past times, from riding horseback through the coconut plantations, skimming across the lagoons in a silent electric boat or visiting the vast Biodynamic farm which provides 90% of everything served on the estate. Cuixmala is extending its practice of mindfulness with the recently opened wellness and yoga facility. The 1200sq foot studio, with panoramic views, is constructed of bamboo from the property and has been built with minimal obstruction to the environment. With its unrivalled seclusion and commitment to conservation it is no surprise Cuixmala is known as the soul’s resting place.

BOOK IT: Doubles from £525 |  cuixmala.com

Tucked into 10 hectares of secluded farmland, this centuries-old stone farmhouse is marked by classical Iberian architecture and traces of Moorish influences. The public spaces, five bedrooms, and freestanding guesthouse feature arched walls and dark-wood beamed ceilings and doors, accented by hammered iron doorknobs and fixtures. La Granja embraces the Mediterranean diet not just as a culinary mode but as a lifestyle, transforming the farm’s biodynamic bounty into slow food for the communal table. Under the guidance of La Granja’s master farmer Andy Szymanowicz, signed and labeled garden plots encourage open access and self-guided tours and guests can learn about biodynamic agriculture through a series of workshops, classes and community-based projects. Biodynamics play a major role in Andy’s work. He harvests around moon cycles and uses a probiotic spray on the plants or soil-drenches them, a process of lacto-fermentation that activates the plants to fight against disease and fungus by giving them a healthy microbiology. La Granja also curates a program of communal farming and slow-food workshops to raise awareness, inspire change, and promote mindfulness.

BOOK IT: Doubles from £290 |  lagranjaibiza.com

A Georgian family home, lovingly restored from its classic origins and rewoven into 400 acres of secluded Hampshire landscape, Heckfield Place is committed to building a self-sustaining relationship between the house and the land; which is why Home Farm is at the heart of the estate. Each day, guided by the biodynamic calendar, it provides fresh vegetables, fruits, honey and flowers for the restaurants and rooms. Surrounded by nature and connected to the land the passionate culinary team, lead by Skye Gyngell, follow a simple approach that fresh produce and the simplest preparation allows the true beauty of an ingredient to be revealed; that what is good for the soil is good for us all. Heckfied is also home to The Little Bothy Spa, where the emphasis is on wellness and a deep connection with the natural surroundings. Inspired by the arboretum at Heckfield Place, their sole product Wildsmith Skin, uses the finest nutrient rich botanicals and latest in plant derived bio-actives in their massages and facials. Guests also have access to three studios for personal training, yoga and pilates and a movement studio from the lifestyle specialists at Bodyism, making it the perfect place to workout and unwind.

BOOK IT: Doubles from £350 |  heckfieldplace.com