Located in the heart of the Colombian Andes, 40 minutes from Medellín airport,
Cannúa is the country’s first high-end, sustainable and responsible eco-lodge. The
hotel was designed based on permaculture principles and is filled with organic gardens and sophisticated restaurants.
Immersed in Colombia's biodiversity, the property has 18
rooms , including six
cabins and two junior suites, as well as a spa, bar and restaurant.
Cannúa is also the first hotel in the world built with compacted earth bricks : a team of engineers was called in to develop a modern technique – based on ancient processes in the region – and build the hotel in a
sustainable way. The bricks were molded and baked in the sun on site, saving the need for trucks and other heavy machinery.
The hotel’s earth-brick construction is energy efficient, absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night, which virtually eliminates the need for heating and cooling. Other sustainable attributes include the
hotel’s exclusive use of rainwater in its operations and
growing food using compost from kitchen waste. The restaurant focuses on rescuing lost flavors of Colombia: chefs harvest vegetables from the hotel's organic gardens and use non-traditional edible plants – considered by many to be weeds – which bring surprising flavors.
Cannúa is also actively reforesting its area using chemical-free permaculture, with the aim of helping to regenerate natural ecosystems and becoming carbon negative. The region where it is located – Antioquia – is an area of great bird biodiversity, with many endemic species of birds, trees and amphibians that can only be found there.
Three-quarters of the Cannúa estate is designated as protected forest, and 100 species of birds call the property home. Pre-Hispanic trails have been preserved in the surrounding area: built by indigenous people hundreds of years ago as a trade route and later used by important Spanish aristocrats and soldiers, guests can take guided hikes to learn about this history and visit the nearby town.
