Environmental Policy

Our Commitment to Sustainability

At the Ilsington Country House Hotel & Spa, we’re passionate about preserving the beauty of Dartmoor and reducing our impact on the environment. Sustainability is at the heart of what we do, from sourcing local produce to investing in renewable energy. We appreciate that small changes that make a big difference.

Our heating and hot water are powered by a biomass boiler, running on locally sourced wood chips. The trees used are prepared, kiln-dried, and delivered from within a ten-mile radius, keeping our carbon footprint to a minimum.

We’re also lucky to have our own natural water supply, drawn from an underground reservoir fed by Haytor’s rainfall. This water is filtered, treated with UV, and softened for everyday use. You may notice a slight saline taste due to the softening process, so we provide bottled water in your room for drinking.

Sitting proudly on the Spa roof, our 98 solar panels generate around 20% of the hotel’s electricity, helping us save an estimated 8.75 tonnes of carbon each year. Alongside this, we use LED lighting and energy-efficient appliances to further reduce our energy use. For guests with electric vehicles, we have two car charging points available in the hotel car park.

We also take recycling seriously. Everything that can be recycled is processed locally, and for plastics that can’t be, we find ways to reuse them rather than sending them to landfill. Even our food waste is put to good use—it’s converted through anaerobic digestion into biogases for power, heating, and fuel, as well as compost for local farms.

In the Spa, we’ve swapped out single-use items wherever possible. Our switch to reusable flip-flops has saved an incredible 750 pairs of disposable slippers per month from ending up in landfill. We also use paper cups instead of plastic to further cut waste.

There’s always more to be done, but over the past ten years, we’ve dramatically reduced our carbon footprint and we’re committed to going even further in the years ahead.