We are members of The Green Hospitality Programme which is the only Irish developed environmental certification standard for the hospitality sector. The GreenHospitality.ie Awards are recognized both nationally and internationally as standards that allow members achieve good environmental performance and allow visitors to choose “Greener” hospitality businesses knowing that defined criteria are being implemented and monitored.
- Signed up to Green Hospitality's Plastic Smart scheme and have started to remove single use plastics from the hotel.
- We are members of the Clean The World Program which recycles and reuses all the shampoos, conditioners and soaps from our bedrooms.
- In March 2022, we achieved our Eco-Label Award as a member of The Green Hospitality Programme.
- In April 2023 we achieved our Silver Award from Green Hospitality.
- In May 2024 we joined a small group of Irish hotels who have achieved their Gold Award from Green Hospitality for their sustainable practices.
- All light bulbs in the business have been changed to energy efficient LEDs.
- In 2021, 83% of all our energy consumption was sourced from renewable resources.
- Our electricity is certified 100% renewable.
- Heating and hot water is generated from an onsite biomass wood pellet burner.
- Constructed onsite composting bays in December 2021 for all our garden and grounds waste. This compost is used on our vegetable and flower beds throughout the estate.
- Spent coffee and Tea is added to the garden compost.
- Our breakfast buffet is now completely single use plastic free.
- All staff are trained in correct waste separation, and this has become part of the hotel's induction programme.
- All bedrooms have dual compartment bins for Recycling and General Waste.
- We offer staff the opportunity to bring in old electrical goods which we will store and then get recycled with WEEE Ireland.
- We also offer to get polystyrene recycled for staff with Waste Matters Ltd. We store is for staff and then organise a collection with the company.
- Cooking oil is purchased in bulk which help us reduce the amount of single use plastics on site.
- Regular staff litter collections are organised on the surrounding public roads.
- To mark World Ocean Day in 2023 a beach cleanup was undertaken at a local beach.
- Bikes are available on site for our guests to use to explore the estate and surrounds.
- In 2022 we installed 4 (7.4 kw) EV charging points increasing our total to 6 charging points which means we have the most in the Connemara region.
- In December of 2023 our 830m2 solar array, came online. This will provide approximately 25% of the Hotels annual electricity usage.
- 3,400m2 of invasive Rhododendron Ponticum was removed in February of 2024.
- Excess unused furniture is donated to Galway's Simon Community.
- Old Bikes donated to the charity 'An Mheitheal Rothar'.
- Our Owenmore Restaurant windows have been upgraded to more energy efficient ones.
- In the summer of 2023, we expanded our area of onsite vegetable production by approximately 100m2.
- Erected a polytunnel in the winter of 2022 to lengthen our growing season and expand the variety of crops we can grow.
- For the year of 2023 we produced 1400kg of our own produce from the walled garden and polytunnel, all of which was used in the kitchen.
- In the Spring of 2024, we installed 7 Bat Boxes on the Estate.
- Old bed bases and mattresses were recycled through Bounce Back Recycling.
- We have switched our estate vehicles fuel to HVO Biofuel.