Sustainability at Le Manoir

At our historic manor in the peaceful English countryside, we’re living proof that luxury doesn’t have to be unsustainable. Raymond Blanc, our Chef Patron, passionately believes that it is up to each of us, be it a guest, chef or hotelier, to make responsible environmental choices. Our potager kitchen garden is the pure distillation of farm-to-table cuisine, with our ethical values resulting in a restaurant that is world apart in its ability to be both fulfilling and flavourful. Beyond the kitchen, we’ve adopted a low-impact mindset throughout the hotel. Within our grounds, uncover horticulture that is rooted in championing varieties and seasonality. From our eco-friendly suites to our closed-loop waste systems, dive into the world of sustainability at Le Manoir.

REST EASY

Across our opulent rooms and suites, all amenities are 100% recyclable and our housekeeping team only use eco-friendly cleaning products. Discarded soaps and candles are re-used by a local charity — worked into craft sessions benefitting the young and the elderly within the local community. Sensor lighting in our bathrooms also helps save electricity, and only low energy light bulbs are used throughout the property. All daily newspapers are recycled or sent to a local animal sanctuary, Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital, where they are used for animal bedding.

DINE DIVINE

In our restaurant, which has been honoured with a Green Michelin Star in recognition of our sustainable practices, we serve Belu Water which donates 100% of its profits to the charity WaterAid. What’s more, we recycle 100% of our glass bottles and corks. We recycle our coffee grounds for use in our mushroom valley compost, while all espresso and coffee we use is Rainforest Alliance certified.

On the wine list, 59% of our offering is organic and biodynamic. Sustainable and ethical food policies are maintained for all other produce supplied from local farmers and supplies; we do not accept any form of single-use plastic packaging, and all delivery crates are returned for re-use. Scallops served in our restaurant are hand-dived, while crab, lobster and langoustine are creel or pot caught only.

GREEN-FINGERED INNOVATION

A glance at our vast gardens will show you just how committed we are to growing our own produce. When it comes to fruit and vegetables, one only needs to stroll through our grounds to see where produce in your evening meal has come from. We produce over 250 different organic varieties of fruit and vegetables, with a 2,500-strong heritage orchard producing fruit for the hotel. Perhaps you’ll sample a delightful carrot, grown in our 100% organic Soil Association-certified vegetable garden. A garnish may come from our herb garden, which specialises in seasonal micro-herbs. Or wander over to the earthy mushroom valley, which grows many varieties of the edible fungus including maitake and parasol.

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

We’re proud to have a zero landfill policy at Le Manoir. Our state-of-the-art Rocket Composter and Dryer means we can compost all food scraps on-site, with a closed-loop compost system now in place which we use in our own gardens and orchards. Behind the scenes, our Le Manoir family holds monthly meetings to maintain our sustainable, ethical and environmental values.