Our Sustainable Practices
Sustainability at Estelle Manor
As custodians of our rural retreat, we see it as a priority to conserve nature and support healthy ecosystems for future generations, always striving to make Estelle Manor a more environmentally responsible place through strategic initiatives.
Green Key Certification
We’re absolutely delighted to have attained Green Key certification, a leading global standard for environmental excellence and sustainable operations within the hospitality industry. To maintain this prestigious accreditation, we’re subject to rigorous independent audits and must demonstrate ongoing continuous improvement across our 85-acre estate, which we seek to work towards on a daily basis in line with our wider sustainability initiatives and targets.
Conserving Nature
Collectively, our estate and gardening teams bring a wealth of knowledge, promoting a holistic, regenerative approach to help us maintain optimal plant and soil health. We share this passion with guests and members through foraging experiences and guided walks, as well as bushcraft camps and plenty of outdoor activities for the little ones.
Red-Kites, Muntjac and Fallow Deer all call our 85-acre estate home, alongside one of the largest populations of the Great Crested Newts in the UK; we take the utmost care to preserve their natural habitats, following a tailor-made management plan to ensure we help this protected species continue to thrive, whilst supporting further wildlife including bats and birds of prey.
Local & Seasonal
Taking a ‘no-dig’ and organic approach, our Walled Garden is home to seasonal herbs, fruits and vegetables to be harvested for use across our dishes at The Glasshouse. Worms and other organisms crucial to supporting healthy soil are left undisturbed, with coffee grounds and charcoal ashes from the hotel repurposed as natural compost. From broad beans and beetroot to parsnips and rhubarb… every ingredient travels just metres from the soil to the hands of our exceptional chefs.
Our florists create our beautiful, dried flower arrangements to sit across the hotel for up to 12 months, creating a more ethical and sustainable use of the prettiest of blooms. When we do use fresh florals for events, these are taken away to be transformed into our dry arrangements and we also have our own cutting garden on the estate, where we grow seasonal flowers for bouquets to be gifted to our guests. Any surplus flowers are sourced from a local farm just 15 miles away.
Responsible Sourcing
We are committed to working collaboratively with suppliers who carry our values to create a positive impact in the local community and beyond. We choose our farmers, growers, fishermen and game stalkers very carefully to ensure they maintain our high standards of quality as well as in animal welfare, environmental and working conditions.
All of the bottled water on our estate is supplied by Blenheim Water, situated just a 10 minute drive away, whilst the family-owned Mayfield Eggs hand-collect their eggs every day, feeding their free-range chickens a cereal-based diet free from antibiotics and hormones. All our beef, lamb and chicken is responsibly sourced from within the UK and all our fish and shellfish is responsibly sourced from suppliers certified to standards which promote responsible behaviour above and below the waters.
Supporting a Circular Economy
We are dedicated to using products and materials with the lowest environmental impact, prioritising and sourcing re-usable, refillable, recyclable or compostable items. Waste is separated into the various recyclates by our committed teams, and we operate with a minimal paper trail throughout the property. All garden waste is processed externally into compost to be returned for use across the grounds, whilst all cardboard packaging is recycled, baled in to blocks on site to be returned for re-use. We also consider it our role to educate and encourage our younger guests and visitors, incorporating themes around protecting our planet into activities at The Nook, such as crafting ‘Waste-coats’ from surplus fabrics, collecting dead twigs to build insect houses and exploring the natural wildlife throughout our adventure programming.
Renewables
All electricity at Estelle Manor now comes from 100% renewable energy sources. We have 24 electric vehicle charger points and our buggies and most estate vehicles are fully electric, allowing our guests to enjoy a more sustainable means of transport to and from Estelle Manor as well as within.
