Exploring the culinary oasis of farm-to-table hotels

Maintaining a sustainable, healthy lifestyle while travelling can feel like a challenge, but it needn’t be. While many hotels already offer wellness programmes and follow energy- and water-saving practices, some go even further by growing their own produce on-site. Reducing imports from distant suppliers not only cuts carbon emissions but also ensures that the ingredients in the dishes you eat are fresh, nutrient-dense, high quality and grown responsibly.

On your next trip, check out these hotels championing farm-to-table dining. 

Hong Kong: The Park Lane Hong Kong

Above the bustling streets of Causeway Bay, The Park Lane boasts its own rooftop “secret garden” where fruits, herbs and spices are grown free of harmful chemicals or bug repellent. The use of hydroponics, a technique for plant cultivation which relies on water-based nutrient solutions rather than soil, also makes the garden more resource-efficient. Head to the hotel bar and restaurant Skye on the 27th floor to taste these freshly harvested greens as well as ingredients from local farms. 

Phuket: Trisara

At this secluded tropical resort, the journey of each dish starts at dawn: a chef pores over freshly picked greens at a nearby market before buying just-caught tuna and prawns from local fishermen. After returning to Pru Jampa, Trisara’s on-site farm, the chef collects bok choy and dill seeds before foraging for mushrooms and herbs. After thoughtful preparation – often drawing inspiration from traditional recipes – dinner is served. Besides growing vegetables and herbs, the farm also takes care of chickens and bees.

Koh Samui: Conrad Koh Samui

Developed on-site at the start of the pandemic, Iris Farm provides the Conrad Koh Samui’s bars and restaurants with an assortment of organic vegetables and herbs such as asparagus, corn and Thai green eggplants, producing 1,300kg of food per month. That’s not all; the organic farm also composts food waste and offers guests learning experiences and agricultural tours. After exploring the grounds, drop by one of the hotel’s dining venues to see how chefs incorporate freshly harvested ingredients into your meal.

Lipa: The Farm at San Benito

Ninety minutes from Manila, wellness resort The Farm sits among lush greenery at the foot of the Malarayat mountain range – an ideal location for on-site produce cultivation. With a rotation of seasonal produce, the resort’s herb and veggie garden is designed to support its wellness programmes, which include detox and nutrition-targeting treatments. If you struggle to eat enough greens, a retreat at The Farm will have you hitting your five-a-day by mid-morning. Make sure to also visit the resort’s vegan restaurant for more fresh fare straight from the garden.

Baden-Baden: Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa

Set in the luxurious spa town of Baden-Baden (just over an hour from Frankfurt by train), Brenners Park is on the doorstep of the Black Forest. Besides sourcing fresh ingredients such as eggs, meat, trout and bread directly from local and regional producers, the hotel looks after a small on-site orchard of apple, pear and plum trees, the fruits of which are used in desserts, juices and jams. The property also manages four beehives on its grounds, keeping it well-supplied with honey for guests to enjoy at breakfast or as a souvenir to take home.

Clanwilliam: Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Wellness Retreat

A three-hour drive northward from Cape Town brings you to this wilderness reserve in the foothills of the rugged Cederberg mountains. Having incorporated natural elements into its design, Bushmans Kloof does the same with its menu. Extensive on-site gardens provide organic, locally sourced produce: guests can enjoy fresh fruit at brunch on a breezy pavilion, cosy dinners cooked over an open fire, and bush picnics among native wildflowers. The retreat’s other sustainable initiatives include providing guests with filtered rather than bottled water and composting vegetable waste.

Malibu: The Ranch Malibu

A rustic yet luxurious getaway in California’s Santa Monica mountains, The Ranch is all about clean, harmonious living. As part of its wellness programme, guests are taken on daily hikes and served nutritious plant-based meals. Chefs at The Ranch incorporate ingredients from the hotel’s organic vegetable gardens into seasonal menus, creating comforting yet healthy dishes like spinach and zucchini lasagne with nut-based ricotta, gluten-free pizza and portobello steak. The Ranch is also home to goats and chickens, kept to improve soil fertility, and a colony of bees for plant pollination and fresh honey.

Bali: The Legian Seminyak, Bali

Bali’s The Legian Seminyak resort boasts its own Wellness Garden, where fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices are grown for use in the hotel’s kitchen, bars, and traditional spa remedies. Cultivated using regenerative methods, the hotel’s organic garden forms part of The Legian’s “food is medicine” approach to dining and wellness. Guests can walk through the leafy sanctuary to watch nature at work, and then enjoy a soothing tea or fresh juice made with ingredients grown on-site, like lime, ginger and turmeric.