Bio Habitat Brings a Birdhouse Hotel to Colombia

"Perched above vast forests and fields in a western region of Colombia often called the Coffee Axis, this eco-first luxury stay feels like a collection of modern birdhouses—Selvaries, Aviaries, and Nest rooms—that immerse you in the canopy while protecting the ecosystem beneath. Over 150 bird species provide the soundtrack as the Aviaries’ glass sides, held up on stilts, deliver a 360-degree view of the forest, while other rooms add balconies, outdoor hot tubs, private pools, and hammocks suspended from the terrace. On a mountaintop plateau, the restaurant, pool, bonfire area, lounge, and suites open to vistas over coffee and plantain crops toward the Andes; roofs covered in foliage blend into the earth, and dim lighting nudges you to slip outside after sundown to stargaze barefoot from the grass. Born from childhood friends Julian Escobar and Jorge Gonzales’s decade of passive, regenerative design, the hotel champions conscious tourism with guided walks through its own grounds to learn about restoration efforts and excursions to the UNESCO-recognized Cocora Valley. Sustainability is the foundation: cool-light glass, high ceilings, and thin rock reduce the need for air conditioning; forest rooms are elevated so the ecosystem continues undisturbed underneath; solar panels currently supply forty percent of energy with a goal of one hundred; water residue is treated in natural ponds for irrigation; and compost supports tree-planting to regrow surrounding forest. Despite all the rigor, comforts abound—yoga and meditation classes, little places to sit and wonder along forest paths, and, as chef Maria Clara puts it, “you can see the sun, the rain, every natural force in its purest form here… the design lets you be here.”" - Mitchell Friedman