8 Eco-Conscious Hotels For A Greener Getaway
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Our top pics for your next sustainable staycation
When it comes to rewilding efforts, switching to renewable energy sources, restoring historic properties and implementing eco-conscious policies, British hotels are some of the world’s very best – and most creative. That’s why we launched the Country & Town House x Polestar Sustainable Hotel of the Year Awards two years ago: to prove that sustainability may be vital and loaded with labour, but it can also be playful, beautiful and exciting. The eight hotels collected below prove it; choose one of these destinations for your next sustainable staycation.
These reviews were taken from Great British & Irish Hotels 2025.
8 Sustainable Staycations For 2025
The Wild Rabbit, Kingham
This beautiful 17th-century inn built from golden Cotswold stone is an idyllic place to dine, drink and sleep. Slow luxury is at the heart of The Wild Rabbit – which comes from the Daylesford Stays stable – with sustainability and nature woven through every detail of its pub and cottages. The bar is welcoming with open log fires and comfy armchairs, and is generously stocked with wines from independent vineyards, craft beers and local ales. With a menu of signature seasonal cocktails, settle in by the log fire or take your drink on to the sunny terrace on warmer days to while away an afternoon.
The Wild Rabbit’s elevated dining room reflects an intimate connection to the produce on its doorstep, serving thoughtfully crafted and imaginative dishes. Constantly evolving and changing with the seasons, the menu is designed to make use of fresh ingredients at their peak, with as much emphasis on local provenance as possible. The high-ceilinged dining room is light-filled and bright and has been featured in The Michelin Guide. The kitchen is open so that diners can experience the theatre of the chefs at work, creating an atmosphere that feels dynamic and lively.
Thirteen pub rooms have been designed to feel warm and welcoming, with hand-picked antiques, books on the shelves and playful linocuts by Hugo Guinness. They offer all the considered touches you would expect from a stay: fine linen sheets, botanical products in the bathroom and other thoughtful additions to ensure a comfortable, memorable experience. There are also 34 traditional Cotswold stone cottages, each one within a two-mile radius of Daylesford Farm, including 13 in Kingham – a short walk from The Wild Rabbit. During your stay, explore Daylesford Farm with walking trails ranging from 40 minutes to two hours. Discover Daylesford’s farmshop and retreat in the Bamford Wellness Spa, which offers pampering spa days, massages and facials, plus yoga and pilates classes. Double rooms from £152.
The PIG – At Bridge Place, Canterbury
Every PIG hotel in this magnificent litter has its very own personality. Bridge Place on the leafy outskirts of Canterbury has a rock’n’roll vibe that’s immediately evident. The 29-bedroom, Grade II*-listed Queen Anne manor house is set in the Nailbourne valley, part of the Kent Downs. It sports a handsome red-brick façade and ornate Jacobean interior, while also containing a colourful recent past. The likes of Eric Clapton and Pink Floyd have gigged and partied here, and now it’s your turn to have a ball, amid a wealth of period features, secret stairways, panelled rooms and endless nooks and crannies, all brought to life by THE PIG’s now-retired founder Robin Hutson and his renowned designer wife Judy, with her eye for effortless, laidback chic. As with every other PIG, the kitchen garden and restaurant are the beating heart of this revitalised property. If you’ve pigged out on the others, this delightful locale (just 56 minutes by train from central London) should be next on your list: you’ll be seduced, charmed and ready to party, all at the same time. Double rooms from £225.
Scarlet Hotel, Newquay
Overlooking the sweeping, romantic Mawgan Porth beach, this scintillating eco-hotel blurs the boundaries between inside and out, with glass walls, flat roofs covered in sea thrift and infinity pools that seem to reach to the sea. At its heart is the womb-like Ayurveda-inspired spa, with tented pods suspended in the dark for deep relaxation. There’s an indoor pool and a reed-fringed, rock-strewn outdoor one and a cedar barrel sauna overlooking the ocean. Plus four clifftop hot tubs, complemented by two cold drench buckets for hot and cold therapy. Bedrooms are soothing, with deep coastal colours, funky touches, excellent lighting, gorgeous beds and sea and sunset views. Head chef Jack Clayton has a passion for fusing flavours, foraging and sustainability. The result is exceptional seasonal dishes, using everything from fresh samphire from the beaches of North Cornwall to herbs plucked from the coastal path below the gardens. There’s also an impressive collection of sustainable, slow- aged wines. An adults-only sanctuary which is also dog friendly, Scarlet Hotel is a thoroughly restorative retreat, with a feeling of soothing, sybaritic luxury. The ultimate escape. Double rooms from £235.
The Bell At Charlbury, Charlbury
With its cosy nooks, log fires and orchard garden, this 17th-century pub in the market town of Charlbury (an uber popular destination for the ever-increasing number of Cotswolds-loving folk) is another Daylesford Stays triumph – and part of the collection which includes The Wild Rabbit. As always with Daylesford – the vision of Lady Bamford who opened the first farmshop in 2002 – the food is exceptional; hearty pub classics sit alongside ingredient-led dishes, with seasonal produce from Daylesford’s Market Garden and sustainably sourced meat and fish. Generous Sunday roasts are cooked slowly over fire in The Barn – an open-plan feasting space that’s also perfect for year-round parties and family gatherings. In the summer, the huge garden is the place to enjoy wood-fired sourdough pizzas from the Garden Bar. Inside, the bar forms the heart of the pub, with a hand-picked selection of modern craft beers from independent British breweries, alongside traditional cask ales and wine from independent vineyards. Large inglenook fires take the chill out of the cooler evenings.
The 12 beautiful bedrooms sitting above the pub and The Barn feel like a home away from home. Each room is characterful and welcoming, featuring bespoke pieces by British artisans and craftspeople. From twin rooms tucked away in the eaves and spacious rooms located in the oldest part of the pub, all have been sympathetically restored to retain many of their original features. Filled with natural light, each room combines exceptionally comfortable beds featuring sumptuous bed linen and cloud- like pillows, all in the signature Daylesford palette combining contrasting textures and fabrics.
Throughout the year, The Bell hosts a series of craft, art and floristry workshops in The Barn, as well as Easter egg hunts and summer parties in the Garden. The many epicurean delights of Daylesford Farm and farmshop, plus Bamford Wellness Spa, are only a short drive away and the beauty of the Cotswolds is right on The Bell’s doorstep. Double rooms from £152.
The Collective At Woolsery, Devon
Set in the pretty village of Woolsery in the wilds of North Devon, The Collective is the genius creation of tech entrepreneurs Michael and Xochi Birch. In 2018, the couple transformed the local pub The Farmers Arms into a fantastic restaurant, steeped in humour and style. Since then, they have breathed new life into the local chippy, village shop and post office and a 150-acre farm. There are a handful of beautiful cottages, suites and rooms, housed in village buildings, to bunk down in, from the retro- feminine Shop Suite 1 with its fabulous pastel palette to a historic former smithy-turned- contemporary cottage for two. Families will love Hillside Cottage, with its four roomy bedrooms and generous social spaces. Foodies are sorted, too, thanks to The Farmers Arms which knocks out unapologetically British classics (don’t miss their stonking Sunday roast), using produce straight from the farm. Locally brewed ales and beers alongside seasonal cocktails and soft drinks (crafted from own-made syrups and cordials) line the cosy bar. The picturesque towns of Bideford, Barnstaple and Bude are also nearby. Rooms from £275.
The Fish Hotel, Broadway
Tucked away on Farncombe Estate in the Cotswolds, alongside Dormy House and Foxhill Manor, The Fish is a boutique property with some extraordinary features. Alongside country-chic rooms and suites in The Stables, The Outhouse and The Coach House, there are three show-stopping luxury treehouses accessed via a rope bridge (perfect for a family escape). Fifteen converted shepherd huts are also nestled within the grounds, with cosy double beds and freestanding baths – some have their own private hot tubs. A stroll down the hill leads to Hook, the restaurant helmed by Farncombe’s culinary director Martin Burge. With a focus on sustainable and seasonal cuisine, he’s introduced a delectable maritime-inspired menu. Eat on the large, paved terrace, or in the dining room, with an open kitchen for watching the skilled chefs at work. Large groups will love Feasting on The Deck, an outdoor space where you can enjoy a three-course BBQ extravaganza. It’s a fabulous spot for families and dogs, with an array of activities available on the Adventure Field, children’s woodland play area, agility course specifically for canines and – are you ready? – an outdoor ‘dog tub’. Double rooms from £225.
The Nare, Veryan
Opened in 1989 by Bettye Gray, five-star The Nare is Cornwall’s highest-rated country house hotel – and is renowned for its genuine comfort and stunning sea views over Carne Beach on Cornwall’s idyllic south coast. Proprietor Toby Ashworth upholds his grandmother’s vision of warm, traditional hospitality and many returning guests are drawn in by the enveloping kindness, door-to-door chauffeur service and the fine food served in the hotel’s two sea-view restaurants. In the splendid, more formal dining room, waitresses dart about in white pinnies and the hors d’oeuvre, flambé and dessert trolleys are on hand. Children are embraced, dogs have their own menus, and there’s an indulgent spa with two pools. From coastal walks to visiting one of the many beautiful gardens, there is plenty to explore nearby. Plus the hotel has a tennis court, an artist in residence who offers painting lessons to guests, and a classic wooden motor launch, Alice Rose, for guests to spend the day exploring the beautiful Fal and Helford Rivers. A place of great British comfort, perfect for extended families. Double rooms from £406.
The PIG – Near Bath, Pensford
This may be just one of several rural-themed PIG hotels, but its launch back in 2014 broke new ground for the Home Grown Hotels group: a proper, grown-up hotel that has all the country house attributes (space, proportions, dreamy views), but none of the drawbacks (staid, formal, eye-wateringly expensive). It’s fun and glamorous without ever losing sight of comfort. Once again Judy Hutson created the look: Belgian tiles, quirky wallpaper, velvet curtains, oil paintings and chandeliers, plus a wonderfully louche private dining room based on the Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet: ragamuffins feasting in a castle. As at all THE PIGs (except for the city-centred THE PIG-in-the-wall), the kitchen garden is the heartbeat of the hotel, with the gardeners and chefs working hand in hand to create plates brimming with seasonal flavours. What they can’t grow on-site is sourced from the best local farmers, fishermen and foragers, the foundation of their signature 25 Mile Menu. And keep an eye out for dishes flavoured with honey from their very own hives – you can even pick up a jar to take home with you. Double rooms from £330.
