Two blissful days were all I had at Cannúa, a remote eco lodge perched in the foothills of the Andes, a half-hour drive from Marinilla and ninety-minute drive from Medellín. Dotted in a small section of the valley, nestled within a 9 lush hectares of protected forest, Cannúa’s wooden cabins are understated, blending beautifully into their leafy surroundings. With its rolling panoramas of the San Nicolás Valley beneath, attempting to visually consume the lodge’s vistas is an activity in itself, since every room and every corner of Cannúa opens up onto a dazzling landscape. There are only 18 rooms and cabanas available, and I had the rather bizarre privilege of being the only hotel guest during my entire stay. An occasional feature of weekday stays, I am told. To do this place justice I’ve divided my thoughts into sections:
Eco credentials
Cannúa is one of the most revolutionary eco lodges in Colombia and indeed broader Latin America in terms of its sustainability efforts. The lodge was meticulously designed to improve its surrounding ecosystem; three friends living in Medellín came together to create the Cannúa vision after feeling inspired by their country’s biodiversity. Cannúa aims to be a closed ecosystem through practicing permaculture: a daily free tour of the lodge’s gardens involves a hugely valuable education by the head designer and groundskeeper that adds context to guests’ surroundings. Water is filtered and recycled to be used in the gardens, and the lodge operates a no-waste policy. To experience the success of Cannúa’s reforestation project, you need only look around or listen out to find endangered birds, frogs and insects that have made their way back to this land and now let their presence known by partaking in a constant euphony of stark calls, ribbets and general cries.
In terms of design, the lodge’s unique construction uses compressed earth blocks produced on-site from over 80 tons of its own soil, combined with sustainably and locally harvested guadua bamboo. The cabins are designed to replicate naturally occurring phenomena; the hexagonal roofs of the cabins, for example, emanate the structure of a spider web, one of the strongest natural formations. Each structure in the resort was plotted using the methodology of Ernst Hartmann, who delineated an energetic grid system on the earth’s surface in the 1950s. On this account, it is believed that Cannúa’s cabins and buildings each maintain their own energetic integrity and thus enhance the well being of those who inhabit them. What’s more, the resort’s furniture and artwork is either created using materials uncovered during Cannúa’s inception, or by local people from the surrounding villages. The permaculture tour opens your eyes to the vast variety of plant, herb and edible flower species grown on the land, all of which are eaten in the restaurant. The gentle walk through the gardens involves nibbling on plant stalks that taste like liquorice, or vibrant purple flower petals that taste exactly like portobello mushrooms. Plants are grown strategically around the land to best complement each other, either by attracting insects and predators in a ‘take one for the team’ manner so that neighbouring plants can thrive, or by adding the correct and necessary nutrients into the earth to better nourish the entire ecosystem. Ancient native species like the chachafruto tree were left untouched during construction, and the buildings are even built to wrap around them.
Food
For such a remote corner of Colombia, this boutique lodge with only 18 rooms to its name boasts a level of gastronomy that far surpasses that of Medellín. Chef Marconi Righi, an ex-Michelin chef who left his restaurants in Brazil for Colombia, excels in his mountain-bound kitchen. Combining organic, homegrown, expertly attended ingredients whose quality infuses love, care, energy and wellbeing into each dish, with the creative genius of Chef Righi’s mind, gives way to something truly special. Delicate, light and precise dishes, as impeccably plated and beautiful as they are intense in flavour, are a pure joy to eat. Included in the price is a whopping three-course daily breakfast, starting with a bowl of seasonal fruit that precedes a selection of homemade, warm, fresh and utterly delicious bread rolls, from wholemeal purple maize bread to buttery brioche with a melting centre of dark chocolate. The bread bowl comes with a slab of little squares and blobs, from smoked butter and local cheeses to homemade jams.
Finally, guests can choose between homemade yogurt and granola, or any type of eggs accompanied by a homemade mustard seed, chia and flaxseed arepa. My advice would be to go for the eggs, always. Optionally, you can add hogao, a delectable soffrito of slightly caramelised onions, peppers and tomatoes that are folded into the eggs of your choice.
If breakfast isn’t impressive enough, the rest of the menu is stunning. Even the simplest sounding dishes, like corn and homemade coconut milk soup, are made to perfection. Amuse bouches including deep fried kale leaves topped with homemade curried coconut salt are enough to make you stop in your tracks to properly absorb the artfully balanced flavours and textures.
The signature pumpkin and sweet potato foam, shaken in a canister and sprayed into a bowl at the table, is served with pumpkin peel fondant, white chocolate and ginger salted Chantilly, seeds and roasted pumpkin skin. Each dish is presented by the extremely friendly staff with an educational approach, to sincerely explain each ingredient and the intent behind each dish. The foam dish, for example, is designed to make the guest play with flavour. The flavour profile changes depending on what put on your spoon to accompany each mouthful of foamy soup: add the white chocolate and spicy ginger mousse to the spoon, and the soup-foam takes on a spicy flavour profile. Each accompaniment enhances one flavour layer of the foam, and it truly blew my mind. There is always a conversation to be had around the food, and the staff practically sit down at the table with you to help you understand it, so that guests can truly appreciate each bite and the love and energy that has gone into it.
Activities
“Cannúa” comes from two Chibcha words which mean “to be present”. This, for me, perfectly encapsulates the atmosphere at Cannúa. Guests are invited to relax, to take up space, to be silent and contemplative, and to enjoy subtle luxury enriched by top-quality service. Everything is calm and quiet, the predominant sounds coming from the constant song of nature sounds in the lodge’s grounds and surroundings. To pass the days, there is a whole menu of activities on offer. I’d recommend the pre-Hispanic indigenous trail, a day hike that lasts 6 hours and takes you through rainforest, to waterfalls, through extremely quiet rural villages and over hills with panoramic, lush vistas. I was accompanied by not one but two local guides, who were extremely friendly and knowledgeable.
I also had a lovely massage, which takes place in the little spa room within Cannúa. If I wasn’t alone I’d definitely opt for the rum tasting, which are very well rated, as are the chocolate and coffee tasting sessions. On my ones, however, I was very content with my selection of activities and spent the remaining time relaxing on my balcony staring at the views, reading, eating and not doing much else. Bliss.