A triumph of eco-chic

Named as the nation's best small hotel, The Greenhouse Hotel in Dorset takes its environmental responsibilities seriously


It has just picked up the trophy for Best Small Hotel of the Year and
deserves an entry in this month’s Leaders. The Greenhouse Hotel, an eco-
chic boutique hotel in Bournemouth, claims to be the “greenest hotel in the
UK”that “lives and breathes sustainability”.

It is a bold statement, but one that doesn’t tend to dissolve when you
scratch the surface.

The usual things are taken care of: energy efficient lighting and the
guests are asked to reuse their towels. But, as the owners recognise,
“these things alone won’t change the world”. And so, over the past four
years, the hotel has initiated a number of things to prove it is taking the
agenda seriously.

The building itself uses the sun to heat the water and a lot of the
electricity used is generated by an on-site CHP unit.

Each of the 32 rooms is fitted with locally-made 100% wool carpets. The
solid wood furniture has been made in the UK, using trees felled by storms
or tree surgeons. Where there’s wallpaper, it is Forest Stewardship
Council-certified and made in the UK using vegetable inks. Where there
isn’t, you’ll find Farrow & Ball eco paint.

The company car runs on the cooking oil that has been used in the
kitchen. If you eat at the brasserie, you’ll find local, fresh, organic
food sourced from producers with high animal welfare standards.

In the bar there’s locally-brewed beer and spirits – and the wine list
has been carefully chosen taking into account the carbon footprint of every
bottle.

thegreenhousehotel.co.uk

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