Whatley Manor, UK
Whatley Manor is a pioneering gem heralding the title of the UK's first net-negative hotel.
By Lulu Townsend
They pledge to achieve 95% reduction to net negative carbon emissions for Scope 1 & 2 for their energy use by 2028 and to achieve 90% emissions reduction for Scope 3 for their supply chain compared with 2019, by 2035.
Exuding an aura of understated luxury, this adult-only country house hotel and spa, housed within an 18th-century Grade II-listed building in Wiltshire, promises an indulgent escape for discerning travellers who are looking for a pampering and romantic break in the British countryside. With just 23 elegant rooms and suites, you’re treated to an intimate ambience where every need is anticipated with utmost care from the delicious homemade brownies in the rooms to the complimentary bicycles inviting you to explore. The spacious bathrooms are plastic free and Molton Brown products are bottled in ceramic jars removing 26,000 plastic bottles from the hotel - the first hotel to work with Molton Brown in this way. Culinary excellence takes centre stage at Whatley Manor with two distinguished restaurants: the gastronomic Michelin Star Dining Room and the inviting Grey’s which is open every day of the week.
However, it’s the award-winning Aquarias spa that many find is the main draw where the experience starts the moment you walk in. Work out in the small, yet perfectly formed gym and for moments of blissful relaxation head to the spa with the indoor/outdoor hydrotherapy pool where you can be pummelled and massaged under warm water and enjoy neck massage jets and air bench inside or outside with views onto the garden. The luxurious thermal suite includes a relaxation room (tepidarium) with heated beds, salt scrub showers and various heated options, including Calidarium, Steam Grotto, Laconium and Infrared Sauna. There’s a tempting menu of rejuvenating treatments from Sothys enjoyed on treatment beds that are wide and heated encouraging deep relaxation. New from Sothys for 2024 is the Illuminating Facial , which targets and treats all types of dark spots. At the heart of this treatment lies organic White nettle extract (patent pending), inspired by the Jardins Sothys™ and derived from Sothys Advanced research. This 6-step treatment provides a triple solution: dark spots, hydration, and an even complexion.
Whatley Manor partners with NOW and EarthCheck to verify and audit its sustainability measures, whilst funding climate action by investing in a Cookstove Projects in Kenya and purchasing high-quality carbon credits certified by Gold Standard. The hotel is committed to achieving Climate Positive each year, marking a significant step on its journey to net negative.
https://www.thehotelguru.com/hotel/whatley-manor-malmesbury
