The greenest hotel in Britain?

The Green House hotel in Bournemouth lays claim to being the greenest hotel in Britain. Every hotel these days gives a nod to some element of eco-friendly behaviour, even if it's only to ask you not to keep throwing the towels away after use, but setting yourself up as the greenest hotel in the country is a big bold move.

Can they back it up?

The owners are committed to achieving ISO14001 (Environmental Management Standard) and BREEAM (Environmental Assessment Method for Buildings Around the World) accreditations - aiming for a BREEAM ‘excellent' rating which no other UK building holds. The fact they are setting their sights so high says a lot about what they are attempting to achieve.

But how can a hotel make itself green?

Being green is not just about providing energy through solar panels and generating your own electricity - though the hotel does both. (Surplus energy is exported to the National Grid, any extra needed is imported from green electricity provider Ecotricity.) The building's intelligent low-energy lighting system means lights only come on when required. Rainwater is harvested from the roof for irrigation. Wooden floors are FSC certified: wooden furniture, carpets, wallpapers and paint are all UK made and natural.

But it's not just the building. It's also the ethos. Like the fact the company car runs on recycled vegetable oil, staff are encouraged to cycle to work and offered loans for bicycles. And everything within the hotel is as green as it could possibly be - from the furnishings and fittings to the menu.

So what's it like?

It's a beautiful Grade II Victorian villa, with a £5m contemporary makeover. Shielded behind mature trees with a garden designed to attract wildlife (plans for beekeeping are afoot), it's 10 minutes' walk from central Bournemouth on a road running parallel to the seafront. Doing our bit for the environment we took the train there (plus I don't have a car). Technically it would be possible to walk from station to hotel in about 20 minutes but having weekend bags and a strong desire for our dinner, we swallowed our green principles and took a taxi.

To be honest, I'd been slightly wary of what I might find in a green hotel; I could see it was a stylish boutique hotel from the website, but what about things like baths? And hairdryers? And a kettle to make tea in our room?

So I was delighted to see an original Victorian freestanding bath under the beautiful arched window in the bedroom; the cool stone-tiled bathroom also had a walk-in wet area (the low-flow water system is designed to conserve water). There's an eco Babyliss hairdryer. And an eco kettle for tea - milk is stored in a fridge housed in a wooden cabinet on the landing. The low-energy lights make the bathroom a bit darker than normal but there's a large mirror in the bedroom which is well lit with both natural and artificial light. Natural beauty products by Green & Liberty sit in large wall dispensers, so there's no need for all the packaging you get with individual products. It's all beautifully designed and finished, very stylish, very contemporary.

Tasting menu

And so to dinner where the dining room's green wallpaper is suitably restful after a long journey. The chairs and tables began life in other establishments and have been re-constituted for their new ‘green' life. But it's not just the tables and chairs we're admiring tonight - there's a nine-course tasting menu on offer. All food is sourced within a 30-mile radius; being on the coast there's plenty of fish, also locally reared meat and seasonal vegetables - vegetarians have their own tasting menu.

And fish is the highlight - scallop with cauliflower, liquorice and glazed winglet (‘what?' I ask - turns out to be inside-out chicken wing); poached crayfish tails with avocado mousse and salty bacon; sea bass with saffron, chicken cannelloni and lobster butter. Working out his daily menu must be like a constant round of ‘Ready Steady Cook' for chef Gordon Jones - fishermen don't plan their catch in advance after all, so his dinner plans start from scratch every day.

Afterwards we went to the bar to drink Irish coffee from specially sourced shatterproof glasses (yes, we tried!) that last 15 times longer than normal glasses, preventing wastage. The bar stocks local beers and ales from the surrounding counties, there's also an English sparkling wine. We thought we'd caught them out with the Japanese Asahi lager on tap, but turns out it's actually brewed in Kent.

With just 32 rooms the building is small enough to be intimate, and the Green House feels like a bit of a breath of fresh air for Bournemouth. It's very inspiring to see people having a belief in something and doing it well. And so I feel inspired while I'm there. I turn off lights constantly. I cling to my towels religiously. And when I see homemade yoghurt on the breakfast buffet (everything is presented in re-useable jars and dishes), I think I could have a go at making that.

What to do in the area

This year Bournemouth celebrates its bicentenary year as a holiday resort, with 200 events and celebrations taking place over the course of the year, visit the website for full details.

There's plenty for nature lovers in the surrounding areas: outdoor attractions include the 1000-acre Moors Valley Country Park; the RSPB Arne Nature Reserve, a rare lowland heath with extensive wildlife; and Compton Acres, with 10 distinct gardens from around the world. Nearby animal attractions include Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre, home to the largest set of chimpanzees outside Africa; New Forest Reptile Centre, and, perfect for young families, Farmer Palmer's Farm Park.

Or you could just do as we did and hang out on the beach, just a few minutes' walk from the hotel. Avoid the throng close to the pier by turning left on the seafront (take the quaint pulley lift or walk down the steep winding path - both are fun) and head towards Boscombe. Take time to wander through the chines, the steep-sided river valleys where rivers once flowed through coastal cliffs to the sea.

Hotel information and booking

Prices from £115 per room per night B&B. For more information and to book contact the hotel on 01202 498900 or visit the website at www.thegreenhousehotel.com

Special offer for AAY readers

Stay for two nights and get a third night free, plus complimentary Champagne aperitif and canapés when you dine in The Green Room during your stay.  (Please quote 'Allaboutyou.com'). Price from £230, based on two sharing a double or twin room on bed and breakfast basis. Offer is made subject to availability, and is valid until Oct 31 2010. Prices vary by season.

Getting there

Bernadette travelled with South West Trains from London to Bournemouth; for information on train times and to book tickets phone 0845 600 0650 or visit the website at www.southwesttrains.co.uk