Eco-Friendly Escapes | Sustainable Retreats In The Countryside

The United Kingdom’s countryside is known for its beautiful landscapes and charming villages. You’ll find extravagant gardens and historic estates among rolling hills and natural beauty. Whether you’re looking to relax, enjoy nature or take a hike, it’s the perfect getaway. But it’s important to choose a hotel that values this special environment. Here are some eco-friendly luxury stays in the British and Scottish countryside.

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WHAT MAKES A HOTEL SUSTAINABLE?

Tourism has its perks, but it also has its consequences. The industry consumes high levels of energy and water. It is also responsible for creating waste and biodiversity loss. Sustainable hotels are trying to change this by shrinking their environmental impact. This includes reducing and saving their water and energy consumption, using local produce and lowering their carbon footprint. Hotels can use renewable energy, buy food from local farmers and adopt many other eco-friendly practices. In the countryside, with its vast landscapes, there’s plenty of room for these green initiatives.

Here are some luxury hotels in the countryside striving to be eco-friendly.

HECKFIELD PLACE

Heckfield Place is found in the Hampshire countryside just one hour from London. This hotel is renowned for its commitment to the surrounding countryside. Food at Heckfield Place is sourced locally, often from their organic home farm. This reduces food miles and supports sustainable agriculture. They aim for zero waste by using compost and natural fertilisers and they save rainwater to use on their estate.

The hotel’s dedication to sustainability is also found inside the building. Heckfield Place decorates its rooms using natural materials sourced from nearby areas.

When visiting, guests can learn more about their regenerative practices through guided walks that explore the estate’s gardens and woodlands.

Heckfield Place House — ©Heckfield Place

Heckfield Place Farm Tour — ©Heckfield Place

Heckfield Place Stairs — ©Heckfield Place

SAORSA

Nestled in the Scottish Highlands, Saorsa is the UK’s first 100% plant-based hotel. Embracing cruelty-free luxury, it offers guests vegan cuisine that transforms humble fruits and vegetables into gourmet dishes, steering clear of processed fake meats. The hotel champions the idea that veganism is the future of hospitality, providing communal vegan spaces and hosting events. Sustainability is at Saorsa’s core, with electric charging stations for vehicles and renewable energy powering the hotel.

A stay at Saorsa means enjoying a luxurious escape while protecting animals and embracing a sustainable lifestyle in Scotland’s iconic countryside.

NUMBER ONE BRUTON

Number One Bruton consists of an elegant Georgian townhouse, a row of cottages and a medieval forge. Each of these buildings has been converted to create this 12-bedroom hotel centred around a private courtyard with sustainability at its centre. Having only 12 rooms means Number One Bruton has been able to put sustainable practices at the forefront of their hotel. Guests will sleep on comfortable biodegradable mattresses and eat Osip, a farm-to-table restaurant partnered with the hotel.

The town of Bruton is known for its bohemian and eco-friendly attitude so visitors can expect sustainability even whilst they are out of the hotel and exploring the local environment.

HOMEWOOD BATH

Located just outside the historic town of Bath, Homewood is a hotel, kitchen and spa that approaches sustainability in a multifaceted way. The hotel embraces multiple eco-friendly practices to promote sustainability and reduce their carbon footprint. These range from not accepting single-use plastics from suppliers to changing their lights to energy-efficient LED lighting to reduce energy consumption.

Homewood Bath recycles and composts their waste, sources sustainable local food and drinks, and has their kitchen garden. The garden supplies organic produce and supports biodiversity with a bug hotel and honey bees.