Polestar x C&TH Great British & Irish Hotels: Sustainable Hotel Of The Year Awards 2026
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1 month ago
Everything you need to know
Now in their fourth year, the Polestar x C&TH Great British & Irish Sustainable Hotel of the Year awards are back! We want to sing about and celebrate your continuing journey to deliver first-class hospitality alongside caring for your people and the environment. Make no mistake, this is what guests now expect – and by entering these awards, you can help show them how committed you are.
How To Enter The Sustainable Hotel Of The Year Awards
This year, to align with our exciting relaunch of the hotel guide, our awards have been expanded. We will of course crown one hotel Sustainable Hotel of the Year out of all the entries, but to reflect our new categories we will be awarding by theme.
So, looking back over last year, ahead into 2026 and beyond, what have you and your establishment done to turn up the dial on becoming more sustainable, regenerative and impactful – as well as creating a wonderful place to stay?
NEW CATEGORIES
- Best Sustainable City or Town Stay:
This is for a hotel or accommodation, large or small that is located in either a UK or Irish city or town.
- Best Sustainable Country House Stay:
This is for a hotel with over 30 rooms located in the UK or Irish countryside.
- Best Sustainable Small Country Retreat:
This is for a hotel or accommodation with under 30 rooms located in the UK or Irish countryside.
- Best Sustainable Pub or Inn:
This is for an pub, inn or tavern located anywhere in the UK or Ireland.
- Best Sustainable Wild & Remote Stay:
This is for a hotel or accommodation (including such as treehouse, cabin, glamping) that is in a location surrounded by countryside where guests really feel they can get back to nature.
- Best Sustainable Coastal Stay:
This is for a hotel or accommodation that is by or on the coast in UK or Ireland would define itself as such.
- Best Sustainable Private Rental or Exclusive Use:
This is for accommodation that can be rented or hired exclusively and does not operate as a hotel.
- Best Sustainable Wedding Venue:
This is for accommodation that offers weddings (not necessarily exclusively) in the UK and Ireland.
ELIGIBILITY
Please check that you are eligible for the C&TH x Polestar Hotel Sustainability Awards before applying:
- Your hotel/establishment is based in the UK or Ireland
- Sustainability/regeneration forms a demonstrably important part of your establishment’s business plan and guest experience – and information is available on your website for visibility & transparency
- You have both an environmental and a social programme in place that is measured and reported on
- Your hotel is considered luxury, high end, boutique and unique.
TIMINGS
FINAL DATE FOR SUBMISSION: 13 MARCH
JUDGING TO TAKE PLACE: 27 MARCH
PUBLICATION DATE: 1 MAY
PRIZE:
- The winners will be featured in the 2026 edition of Great British & Irish Hotels House with a six-page feature on all the winning establishments
- The winning establishments will receive a physical award to show off in your reception area
- A logo for use in marketing
- Social/digital support on C&TH around the awards
- A winner’s dinner in London.
The Judges:
Our team of judges is looking for the hotel/establishment that is going above and beyond in protecting and enhancing its environment, while looking after its staff and local community.
Juliet Kinsman
A journalist, broadcaster and sustainability expert, Juliet was Condé Nast Traveller’s first sustainability editor and is the founding editor of Mr & Mrs Smith. She now runs Bouteco, a non-profit consultancy promoting responsible tourism, and frequently appears on BBC and Sky News.
Francisca Kellett
Self-proclaimed eco-nut and hotel junkie, and one of the UK’s leading travel writers and editors, Fran is a regular face on panels about conservation and philanthropic travel. Fran is Country & Town House’s travel editor-at-large and writes a column on philanthropy for Times Luxx.
Annabel Heseltine
Journalist, broadcaster, editor with a global perspective on wildlife and environmental issues, Annabel holds a masters in conservation and is host of the Resurgence podcast, Hope Springs. She is a fellow of the RGS, reviews wellbeing retreats for The Global Retreat Company, a trustee for Women’s Fund for Nature and sits on the advisory board of the Scientific Explorers Society.
Sarah Langford
A former criminal barrister turned bestselling author, Sarah spent seven years managing a Suffolk farm through its transition to organic regenerative methods. She is the author of two books, In Your Defence and Rooted, and writes and speaks widely on sustainable food, fashion and farming.
Marian Boswall
Marian is a leading landscape architect known for her regenerative, ecologically sensitive designs. Her work spans floodplain restoration to heritage gardens, combining deep respect for land, people and place with sustainability and storytelling at the heart of every project.
Petra Petterson
Petra is Inclusion Lead at Polestar, specialising in ethical supply chains, circularity and human rights. With over a decade of experience at brands including MQ and KappAhl, she holds a Master’s in Advanced Textile Engineering and drives Polestar’s equality and environmental agenda.
Lucy Cleland
As editorial director of Country & Town House, Lucy has spearheaded the brand’s sustainability strategy, including its 2023 B Corp certification. She leads on responsible editorial policy and is a regular speaker and panellist on regeneration, sustainability, and purpose-driven publishing.
Fiona Duncan
Hotel critic for the Daily Telegraph since 1999, Fiona has over three decades of experience in hospitality writing. She founded the Charming Small Hotel Guides series and currently edits Country & Town House’s Great British & Irish Hotels, with a sharp eye for character and comfort.
Things to consider when doing your application:
- Where have you innovated?
- How are you leading the industry?
- How are you communicating this to your clientele and local community?
- How have you measured your impact?
- How have small differences made a big impact?
- What are your guests telling you?
The entry questions will be a framework for our judges to see what you are doing, how you are measuring it and what impact you are having; not being able to answer any question fully should not be a barrier to entry. We understand that small businesses may not have expensive carbon measuring systems in place, for example, but are nonetheless integrating sustainability into their DNA.
None of the above is any use, though, unless you’re also offering a wonderful experience. From food to service, and design to culture, a good hotel needs to hit lots of beats to attract guests back again and again.
We really look forward to receiving your entries.
GOOD LUCK!
