What a Sustainable Hotel in Bournemouth Actually Looks Like

In July 2026, Hotel Collingwood received its second consecutive Silver REST accreditation from Quality in Tourism, alongside its Safe, Clean & Legal accreditation. REST stands for Responsible, Ethical, and Sustainable Tourism. Unlike a self-declared environmental pledge, the accreditation independently assesses how a hotel operates across three important areas: its impact on the community, the way it treats people and the steps it takes to reduce its environmental footprint.

For us, retaining Silver accreditation is a meaningful milestone, but it is not the finish line. It recognises the progress our team has made while helping us identify where we can improve next. Here is what responsible and sustainable hospitality looks like in practice at Hotel Collingwood.

Responsible: Supporting our place in Bournemouth 

Being a responsible hotel means understanding that our impact extends beyond our own building. The choices we make can support local jobs, strengthen the visitor economy and help Bournemouth remain a welcoming place to live, work and visit. 

Where possible, we work with local and regional suppliers, including Harvest Fine Foods, County Foods, Chinastack BH1 Gin, Shanty Spirits and Itchy Nuts. When choosing suppliers, we consider factors such as product origin, freshness, quality, packaging and delivery. This helps us make informed purchasing decisions and support the local economy. 

These supplier relationships support the food and drink served across our different dining spaces. The Gold Room welcomes hotel guests and local diners for breakfast, dinner and Sunday lunch, while the Bubble Lounge serves comforting food and drinks throughout the day. Guests can also enjoy morning coffee or afternoon tea in the Bluebird Lounge, or dine alfresco beneath 

The ancient olive tree in our Secret Garden. Across our seasonal menus, we aim to showcase high-quality, locally sourced produce while offering something for different tastes and occasion.

We also use our website, social channels and guest communications to promote Bournemouth. This includes sharing local attractions, independent businesses, walking routes and activities that encourage visitors to experience more of the destination during their stay.

Our involvement includes working with organisations such as the Bournemouth Hotel Association, Bournemouth in Bloom, Coastal BID and the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum. We also maintain relationships with local education providers, including Bournemouth & Poole College and local schools, offering students practical work experience and an introduction to careers in hospitality. 

This local approach allows us to contribute to a stronger, more sustainable visitor economy rather than operating separately from the community around us.

We also support local and national charities, including YMCA, Macmillan, NHS charities and Room to Reward. Through a selected dish on our menu, 50p from every sale is donated to Room to Reward, which uses unsold hotel rooms to provide short breaks for dedicated charity volunteers. 

Ethical: Looking after our team 

Environmental initiatives receive much of the attention when sustainability is discussed, but responsible hospitality is also about people.

We aim to create an inclusive workplace where team members are treated fairly, supported in their development and given opportunities to progress. We pay at least the National Living Wage, with most team members earning above it or receiving higher rates based on their experience, responsibilities and length of service.

Flexible working hours are offered where possible to support wellbeing, work-life balance and staff retention. Regular check-ins, online learning opportunities and recognition initiatives also help us maintain a supportive working culture.

We actively support inclusive employment and currently employ adults through our work with SEND4. We have also started working with SWRAC to provide work experience for neurodiverse students, helping them develop confidence, social skills and practical workplace experience.

Alongside these partnerships, we provide placements for students from local colleges, universities and schools. Appropriate risk assessments are completed for younger workers to ensure they can gain experience in a safe and supportive environment. 

For corporate bookers and event organisers, this ethical pillar demonstrates that our approach extends beyond environmental claims. It reflects how we operate as an employer, partner and a Bournemouth business.

Sustainable: reducing our environmental impact 

Becoming a more sustainable hotel requires practical and ongoing changes across energy, water, waste, food and transport. There is no single initiative that completes the job.

We use solar panels and green energy suppliers while continuing to explore how our existing system can operate more efficiently. Recent improvements include upgraded pressurised water tanks designed to improve hot-water delivery 

The new water tanks are also expected to reduce gas usage by helping the system operate more efficiently. We have refurbished our third-floor bedrooms and introduced an efficient air-conditioning unit to heat and cool selected rooms.

Water conservation is another important priority. Walk-in showers have been installed in 40 of our 59 bedrooms as part of our efforts to reduce water consumption. Guests can also choose not to have their towels and bedding changed every day, helping to reduce unnecessary water and energy use.

Our House Water initiative uses in-house filtered water served in refillable bottles. Proceeds from the initiatives support the Coacoara Foundation and its work to help clean the oceans. 

Food choices and waste are considered across the hotel too. We offer vegan and vegetarian options across breakfast, bar dining, dinner and afternoon tea. We also use reusable napkins, recycled products and composting where possible while working with WMF to support our wider waste-management efforts. 

We want to make a more environmentally friendly journey easier too. Senior management have access to company electric cars, while team members are encouraged to share and receive free Beryl bike minutes each month. 

Guests can ask our reception team for information about local walking routes, cycling and public transport when exploring Bournemouth. Encouraging visitors to discover the destination without relying solely on their cars can help reduce the environmental impact of their stay while supporting local attractions and businesses.

These actions matter individually, but their greater value comes from making them part of our everyday operations. 

A sustainable choice for meetings and events

Sustainability is playing a growing role in how businesses select accommodation, meeting spaces and event venues. Procurement processes and corporate tenders increasingly ask hotels to provide clear evidence of their environmental and social practices. 

Our independently assessed REST accreditation gives corporate bookers a clearer picture of how we approach these responsibilities. It is supported by specific actions across employment, community involvement, energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management and transport.

Whether you are arranging a business stay, conference, private event or celebration, choosing an environmentally responsible venue in Bournemouth can support your organisation's procurement goals without compromising on comfort, service and location.

Hotel Collingwood offers a convenient Bournemouth location for corporate stays, meetings and events, supported by a responsible approach that considers the needs of our guests, team and local community.

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What comes next?

Silver accreditation is always a huge accomplishment for us. Our next steps include measuring water use through the Hotel Water Measurement initiative and improving how we track and reduce carbon emissions using the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative. 

We also plan to measure and reduce food waste, introduce secure bicycle storage and provide further sustainability training across our team.

Our ambition is simple: to help make Bournemouth's seafront one of the most environmentally and economically sustainable in the country and to prove to other hotels that going green is within reach.