Sustainable stays
If you’re looking for ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your next getaway, booking an eco-friendly hotel is a great place to start.
From venues that have achieved carbon neutral status to stays where innovative green thinking is visible in every detail; here’s our pick of the UK’s best AA-rated eco-friendly hotels.
5-star hotels
Lympstone Manor Hotel, Exmouth, Devon
Michael Caines-owned Lympstone Manor Hotel is a hive of biodiversity. The recent improvements have been meticulously planned with sustainability at the forefront: from a partnership with Coastal Recycling, to on-site beehives and ensuring nothing goes to waste on the estate.
The Grove of Narberth, Narberth, Pembrokeshire
This Pembrokeshire hotel is firmly committed to its green credentials. Perhaps most impressive is the approach to water usage – on-site boreholes supply the entire premises with beautiful spring water, and extensive investment has been made in a water treatment plant and reed beds to ensure all waste water is properly treated.
Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa, Malmesbury, Wiltshire
Having pledged to achieve Net Zero emissions for their energy use by 2028, and for their supply chain by 2035, Whatley Manor’s commitment to sustainability is at the heart of operations, with the ultimate aim of creating a hotel that delivers a luxury guest experience whilst reducing its impact on the planet.
4-star hotels
Forest Side, Grasmere, Cumbria
Forest Side strive for a more sustainable and organic food chain, working with local suppliers as much as possible to truly make the most of the Lake District’s natural larder. The hotel’s dedicated team have spent years developing knowledge and skill sets, enabling them to forage much of their produce throughout the seasons.
Jesmond Dene House, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear
Newcastle’s only independently owned boutique hotel has its very own Green Team, who both champion Jesmond Dene House’s environmental policy and train new team members to do the same. The policy includes a commitment to closely monitor suppliers, minimise waste, and monitor and reduce energy and water usage.
Rufflets Hotel, St Andrews, Fife
Rufflets Hotel first achieved carbon neutral status in 2007. But the commitment to sustainability stopped there – a state-of-the-art boiler system was installed in 2021, which will reduce gas consumption by over 40%. Additionally, all waste food is composted, with the hotel taking steps for the soil to be certified as ‘organic’ in the near future.
The Green House, Bournemouth, Dorset
On the surface The Green House is a beautifully restored Victorian villa, but dig beneath the surface and you’ll discover a hotel that eat, sleeps and breathes sustainability. Over 100 changes have been made in recent years – from generating much of their electricity on-site, to upcycling furniture and training all staff on sustainability.
The Lovat Loch Ness, Fort Augustus, Highland
The Lovat Loch Ness has an admirable green policy. Their emissions have been drastically reduced with the installation of a biomass woodchip boiler, and the hotel is also in a transitional process to become palm oil-free. Their carbon consciousness is also reflected in their support for Trees for Life – 15p is donated for every room booked.
The Scarlet Hotel, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall
Built specifically as an eco hotel, this striking modern property on the Cornish clifftops creates a balanced relationship with its coastal ecosystem. From recyclable building materials to new eco technologies and energy that’s sourced from 100% renewable sources, innovative green thinking is visible in every detail.
3-star hotels
The PIG, Brockenhurst, Hampshire
The original PIG has an ardent commitment to home grown and local produce – what can’t be grown in their Kitchen Garden is sourced from within a 25-mile radius. All meat is cured on site, and the hotel also has its own beehives to further reduce food miles.
