Capella Lodge is located on the beautiful Lord Howe Island in Australia.
This breathtaking island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that is home to pristine beaches, rich pastures, and lush rainforests. It’s a sanctuary for sea birds, marine life, and rare plants, and is home to hundreds of endemic species.
Only 400 visitors are allowed on the island at any time, so Capella Lodge offers guests a unique and peaceful experience.
It’s a luxury retreat that offers the ultimate island getaway, with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and the world’s southernmost coral reef.
Their story
Capella Lodge was created in 2003 by James and Hayley as part of a trio of luxury lodges. The lodge managers, Libby Grant and Mark McKillop love to get to know each guest, and share stories over a sunset drink. Whilst staying here, people have the opportunity to join Libby on her island ‘tiki tour’ or chat with Mark to get the best tips on snorkeling around the island. Read more about them here.
Sustainability actions
Lowest impact construction and operation
- When it comes to low impact construction and operation, the property at Capella Lodge was designed carefully.
- The architectural design of the property was planned to maximise the benefits of Lord Howe’s Island’s natural weather systems.
- Capella Lodge was built to encourage flow-through ventilation, and the use of glazing to store heat and capture sunlight.
- With shuttered doors, ceiling fans, thick palms and verandas designed to channel cool breezes to the suites, air conditioning isn’t required.
Highest level of energy efficiency
- Capella Lodge has a solar power system that minimizes its draw on the island’s energy supply. They also feed this energy back into the island grid during periods of low energy use. Capella has a total of 40 solar panels that are all positioned across the roof of the lodge.
- They also use green energy ethanol to fuel EcoSmart fires, which heat both in-suite fireplaces and public areas. All lights at Capella have also been fitted with energy-saving LED globes.
- Electric buggies are also used to transfer guests around the island.
- When it comes to water management, Capella Lodge features accredited bathroom fittings to minimize water usage.
- The lodge also captures around 75% of its water needs in rainwater tanks. Their total storage is 290,000 liters, supplied by regular rainfall, and then harvested.
- Guests are also encouraged to change their towels and linen every third day, which potentially saves 250,000 liters a year per lodge.
Pioneer in waste management
- There is extensive recycling at Capella Lodge with compostable materials, cardboard and paper, glass, plastic, aluminium and rubbish all being separated.
- Capella has an environmentally sensitive onsite sewage treatment plant that manages wastewater.
- Wastewater is captured and treated to prevent negative impacts on the island’s groundwater, and marine environment.
- Waste is managed through the Lord Howe Island Board’s waste management facility.
- There is no landfill capability on the island, so all waste that can’t be composted or used is shipped to the mainland by barge.
- Capella Lodge also uses refillable water bottles for guests, and there are no plastic drinking straws available at the bar or restaurant. Guest amenities like shampoo and conditioner are all in refillable containers and are refiled as part of the daily housekeeping service.
Fully organic and chemical-free operation
- When it comes to cleaning the lodges, only biodegradable chemicals are used.
- Fresh and regional produce are sourced when it comes to cuisine at Capella Lodge. They use freshly caught fish and ingredients from their own kitchen garden. Any ingredients that aren’t grown or caught on Lord Howe Island are sourced from the state of New South Wales (NSW).
Actively protects nature and community
- Some of the properties at Capella Lodge include their own in-house guides, whilst others work closely with local operators. These experiences help to build awareness of the natural environment and help give guests an understanding of the local culture and community.
- They work closely with the Lord Howe Island Board to implement environmental management policies. This includes keeping the number of visitors down to 400 at any one time, to protect the island from overcrowding.
- Revegetation is also ongoing in the two acres of land surrounding Capella Lodge. Endemic species are planted here to help prevent erosion and protect the environment. The compost on-site is also used for environmental projects and island regeneration.
Most popular activities near Capella Lodge
- Hike up Mt Gower
- Feed the fish at Ned’s beach
- Kayak to Rabbit Island
- Go paddleboarding
- Snorkel with sea turtles
- Cycle around the island