The top 5 eco-friendly five star hotels of London for a sustainable family stay.
From small boutique hotels to larger ones, sustainability has become more than just a travel trend. From the design, the restaurants and the products available in the bathrooms, we take a look at which are the most sustainable and environmentally friendly five star hotels you can book to stay with your family while visiting London.
1 Hotel Mayfair
Combining nature with luxury, the newly opened 1 Hotel in Mayfair offers a fresh sustainable place to stay - every thoughtful detail designed with our planet in mind. The incredible living moss chandelier greets you as you enter the lobby with nature as art to welcome you to the hotel.
The build of the hotel utilised more than 80% of the original structure, using as much reclaimed resources as possible offsetting any unnecessary carbon waste. Within the hotel itself, many walls are vertical indoor gardens with the plants naturally cleaning the oxygen inside the spaces and providing much needed energy saving insulation. These plants are watered using an irrigation system which utilises rain water collected on the roof.
The lighting systems use 50% less energy than neighbouring hotels while the waste handling is a process which is as ecological as possible. The filtered water is made available through cups and containers eliminating any need for single use plastic. All products in the hotel bathrooms are eco-friendly and the laundry is taken care of using a careful system which uses minimal water. Food is locally sourced and organic where possible bought from responsible small suppliers.
1 Hotel Mayfair is the top choice for eco-conscious parents looking for a sustainable stay in London with their family.
The Lanesbourough, Hyde Park
On the doorstep of Hyde Park, The building of this neoclassical mansion hotel used to be a hospital which was refurbished in 2015 creating spacious rooms in a lavish regency style residence.
From the lighting to the electric cars, The Lanesborough is committed to environmental responsibility with a full green strategy. They are a donor to the organisation ‘The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance.’ whose green initiatives include sourcing food from local and organic suppliers and to always purchase intelligently, minimising waste in the process. The hotel uses energy efficient boilers, LED lighting to reduce water and they recycle all water and waste where possible.
The toiletries in the room are recycled instead of discarded and guests can also choose a ‘green stay’ option which provides totally ecological friendly amenities and the opportunity to have a tree planted in Hyde park in their name.
There is a garden room at the hotel and a magnificent spa to unwind and relax after a long day. If you are looking for an eco-friendly family stay in London without compromising on glamour and luxury, The Lanesborough is an excellent choice.
Ham Yard Hotel
In the middle of Soho but just around the corner from Mayfair this delightful hotel with a village feel at the entrance is a wonderful choice for families. This Firmdale hotel with the quirky Kit Kemp design is a fantastically modern ecologically conscious hotel. The impressive interiors are designed with eco-friendly furnishings made from reclaimed wood and sustainable materials.
The hotel was awarded the BREEAM excellent rating which is a methodology to asses the sustainability and environmental performance of buildings. Ham Yard has an excellent energy performance rating which exceeds the standards of its time by more than 40%. With their energy efficient build, Ham Yard Hotel reduces their carbon footprint and helps reduce unnecessary carbon emissions.
With a rooftop containing a vegetable garden and beehives - The Ham Yard Hotel certainly sets a standard for sustainability in luxury hospitality. If you are looking for a fun yet eco-friendly stay for your family in London, Ham Yard Hotel is a top choice with many amenities to ensure your little ones are comfortable.
Hotel Café Royal
Hotel Café Royal is a grand hotel that combines the historic charm of its original 1865 building with beautiful contemporary design. The impressive entrance greets you in a lobby full of natural light and muted tones. Located at the corner of Regent Street and Piccadilly Circus, this hotel offers an unparalleled location for exploring the very best of London, from Theatreland and Soho to the Royal Academy and Hyde Park for an afternoon stroll.
The hotel was designed using triple glass for extra insulation, water conservation measures, use of non disposable tableware, linen and towel reuse options in every room, digital newspapers and other processes and products each designed to minimise environmental impact.
Hotel Café Royal is the only hotel in the UK to have earned the Green Globe eco certification based on a number of stringent criteria. The hotel also partners with ‘CHOOSE’ which means each booking is automatically ‘carbon offset’ through the projects set up by CHOOSE at no extra cost to the guest.
For families with children of all ages, Hotel Café Royal is an excellent sustainable option with plenty of modern comforts to relax and enjoy the city.
Zetter
With two hotels - one in Clarkenwell and one in Marlyebone the Zetter chain refer to themselves as eco-conscious hoteliers. They are built using energy saving technology and eco-friendly materials wherever possible. At the Clarkenwell hotel they have a 1500 ft bore hole beneath the building to pump water making the process completely self-sustaining.
The unique bedrooms are all furnished with upcycled furniture, purchased at auction or on the internet, including original antiques. The rooms are super cosy full of art and playful designs. The hotel offers guests bicycle hire to explore the city without a car.
The Zetter is a great starting point to explore central London, as many attractions are within walking distance or a short tube ride away. St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tate Modern, the Barbican Centre, and the British Museum are some of the nearby places to visit which makes the hotel an excellent choice for families to keep the children entertained.