Hotel Cateys 2023: Sustainable Hotel of the Year – South Lodge

Sponsored by Cano Water

Sustainability runs through the heart of South Lodge hotel, its green focus permeating every department. General manager Dan Wait and his team of 200 colleagues look after the 88-bedroom hotel set amidst 93 acres in West Sussex’s South Downs.

South Lodge has considered endless opportunities to create a greener business and waste has been minimised, with tips that could be adopted across the industry. For instance, in its meetings and events spaces, delegates are only provided with notepads and pencils on request; a ‘wasted burger’ has been created using the pulp leftover from juices; and toilet roll tubes are repurposed to nurture seedlings in the gardens.

Larger-scale initiatives include the introduction of a Rocket Composter, which saw 2.3 tonnes of food saved from wastage between April and June, with compost returned to the estate’s soil, while kitchen ranges are now induction and use renewable electricity. The latest technology has been adopted to measure the hotel’s carbon output in an attempt to minimise its impact on the planet and South Lodge is on target to meet its annual carbon reduction of 4%.

The hotel’s journey has seen it liaise closely with suppliers to communicate green efforts and ask them to share ESG policies as it seeks partners who are likeminded when it comes to sustainability. In the kitchen, chefs use home-grown ingredients from its walled garden or produce from local Sussex suppliers – no avocados on this menu – while a 100% biodegradable food wrap containing no microplastics has replaced clingfilm. No palm oil is used in the kitchen, and Klimato has been implemented to provide carbon labeling on menus and help educate guests. The hotel also partners with Olio to share surplus food with the local community, taking the restaurant ever closer to its zero-waste dining ambitions.

Over the past year, 1,267 trees and 317 shrubs have been planted and, by working with Land App, the hotel is using its 93-acre estate to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. For instance it has planted a six hectare vineyard, in partnership with Ridgeview, which will help increase carbon sequestration, and extracts from the vine leaves are even being used to develop its own skincare range in collaboration with Pelegrims.

As part of the Land App project, the hotel has taken the time to better understand its grounds and wildlife inhabitants and promote the beauty and benefits of the Sussex countryside through developing of nature immersion activities, such as forest bathing, open-water swimming and ice bathing for guests.

Driving change that benefits both planet and business is what made this nomination stand out, proving that a focus on waste and biodiversity, along with close attention to staff wellbeing and charitable work, can see a hotel evolve and make a difference to both the guest and the planet.

What the judges said

“They are ‘walking the talk’ with B-Corp certification and embracing the nature around them, including their team’s mental health. South Lodge is evolving in a modern way and engaging relevant tools to improve.” Kevin Brooke

The shortlist

• Hilton London Metropole
• London Heathrow Marriott
• South Lodge