Fazenda Rio Negro, Brazil
The Fazenda Rio Negro (+55-(0)67-3326-0002) hotel is in the heart of the Pantanal, the largest wetland on the planet and a truly unique destination. The fazenda includes a ranch that is a converted farmhouse set on 7,700 hectares (19,000 acres) of protected land, purchased by Conservation International in 1999; more acquisition is on the horizon. For people who like creature comforts with their ecotourism — perfectly understandable — every room in the lodge includes a private bathroom and air conditioning. Bird watching includes hyacinth macaws and herons, and the wildlife includes giant river otters, giant anteaters, tapirs and even the occasional jaguar. You'll also get the chance to interact with field biologists who use the farm, reachable only by plane, as a base camp for their journeys deeper into the Pantanal.