As part of our Green Traveller's Guide to Estonia, here's our pick of places to stay across the country, from guesthouses and nature farms to country clubs and urban hotels. Many rural guesthouses and hotels have a close connection with nature and actively encourage guests to explore the great outdoors, on foot, by bike or canoe. Several have been certified by Green Key - for more information about this scheme and other eco tourism labels, see Green Traveller’s Guide to Eco Labels and Certification Schemes.
Google map: shows the location and details of all the places to stay, local food and drink, nearby visitor attractions and activities in our Green Traveller's Guide to Estonia:
Green = Places to stay Blue = Local food & drink Yellow = Attractions Purple = Activities
Hekso Treehouse
A gorgeous treehouse tucked away in the woods of Matsalu National Park. Stay here to observe nature in relative comfort – there’s a modern kitchenette, bathroom and sauna so you can live the high life in the lofty boughs of the forest while appreciating the sights and sounds of nature: lie back, count the stars and listen to the owls. hekso.ee
Vihula Manor Country Club & Spa
Certified by Green Key, this picturesque boutique wellness retreat, in Lahemaa National Park, has eight treatment rooms, a gym, traditional wood-burning sauna and wonderful views of the manor park and river. Be pampered with eco-friendly products, relax with a 60-minute massage or treat yourself to treatments for face, body, hands and feet. vihulamanor.com
Riverbed Inn
A unique Estonian designed Ööd mirrored house (which reflects a serene woodland) on a riverbank in the village of Kanaküla, between Pärnu and Viljandi. Underfloor and air-source heating keeps you snug inside while you marvel at the outdoor views through the large windows on three sides. A bridge connects the house with a fabulous Estonian-made handcrafted wood-fired Iglucraft sauna. If you can stir from the idyll, go canoeing in the nearby Soomaa natural reserve, visit an historic farmhouse with antique exhibits and the Allikukivi wine manor, or explore the forest on foot. riverbedinn.com
Kuusiku nature farm
Near Lake Viitna Pikkjärv at the edge of Lahemaa National Park, Kuusiku is a welcoming cosy guesthouse where the emphasis is on getting back-to-nature. Choose between two rooms in the main building or two apartments. Herbs are plucked from the farm, plus there’s homemade leavened bread, as well as seasonal and organic food sourced locally from the surrounding forests. Groups of up to 40 are welcome (advance notice required). kuusikunaturefarm.ee
Adami Country Guesthouse
A cosy, unfussy yet stylish guesthouse in the Lahemaa National Park with room for up to 10. Far from city lights, you can be treated to some magnificent starry nights, plus there’s an abundance of local flora and fauna, and excellent food. If you can escape the idyll, there are forest walks and cycle trails and just a short walk away is a long, arching sandy beach. https://www.facebook.com/adamiguesthouse
Spend the night on a bog island
A trip with a difference: deep in the heart of Tartu county in Eastern Estonia, go on a guided hike to one of the beautiful bog islands of the Emajõe-Suursoo Nature Reserve – a wetland area packed with biodiversity. Here you’ll camp out in tree tents, preparing dinner using seasonal products plucked sustainably from the forest. naturetoursestonia.com
Hektor Container Hotel, Talinn
New life has been breathed into several 20-foot long, 14 square metre repurposed shipping containers at this fabulous hotel in the heart of the Telliskivi Creative City in the former industrial area of Talinn – now home to galleries, creative businesses and lots of restaurants and shop. The hotel is embedded in its local community and has installed a raft of green measures, from eco-labelled pure cotton beading and comprehensive recyling to dispenser fashioned from recycled cartons and reusable glass packaging in the hotel’s café. hektorstay.com
Maidla Nature Resort
An exclusive nature resort for adults (each villa is designed for two) that’s won a string of architecture and design awards. Marvel at the natural, secluded forest and scenic wetland from the rooftop terraces of these stylish villas on the site of the Maidla Manor that dates back to the 15th Century. The food is just as big a draw as the villas; the menu for the standard (as well as the special five-course dinner in the Old Servant’s house) is designed by head chef Daanius Aas using the best of Estonia’s seasonal ingredients. maidlaresort.com
Päikese Holiday Home
In the Vilsandi National Park on the remote West-Saarema Island (Estonia’s largest island), light floods in to this lovely three-generation holiday house that combines modern sensibilities within the structure of a traditional cosy log house. Its adjacent to the owner’s organic farm (sheep, organic potato and vegetables), and echoes the rustic charm of the island’s many farm houses, old mills, and stone fences. Certified by Green Key, the emphasis here is on enjoying the natural beauty (the building is a patchwork of wood and glass) and guests are encouraged to explore the diversity of plants (over 30 species of orchids) and birdlife. paikese.ee
Nordicstay Noarootsi holiday houses
Deep in the middle of a pine forest in the Läänemaa region (7 miles from Haapsalu), these two stylish forest cottages have a classic Scandinavian look – triangular roofs with bright and spacious interiors with that sleep up to 5. There’s a wood-fired sauna, hot tubs can be used year-round, plus there’s a kitchen, facilities for a barbecue and a lovely pond in front of the terrace. nordicstay.ee
Hotel Pesa
A 33-room hotel in Polva in Southern Estonia, with double rooms, mini suites and family rooms. Certified by Green Key, there’s a strong commitment to the environment, including a restaurant that’s focused on local, seasonal food, including vegan, lactose-free and reduced-gluten content dishes. A stay here includes access to the Polva Health Centre with a pool, saunas and gym, and to the bowling alley of the Edu Centre, just 200m from the hotel. kagureis.ee
Silbernagel Apartement
A smart but cosy lofted apartment with a small courtyard in the historic heart of Kuressaare’s Old Town on the island of Saaremaa (the entire western archipelago is part of the UNESCO “Man and the Biosphere” network). Great for a couple of family of four. It’s just a short walk to the town hall, the famous Saaremaa castle (which dates back to the 14th Century) and the Saaremaa Windmill. Green Key certified. silbernagel.ee
For nearby places to eat, and local places of interest and low impact activities, see our Green Traveller's Guide to Estonia
