Business Wales invited us to be part of a digital showcase of sustainable tourism businesses. The showcase provides ideas and information for tourism businesses on how they can become more sustainable and reduce their environmental impact.
From the initial idea of the Roost, we knew we wanted to reduce the potential carbon footprint and environmental impact of the Roost. We therefore put in place several measures to ensure that our self-catering cabin site is a sustainable choice.
So, if you’re looking for somewhere to stay that’s sustainable as well as comfortable, then the Roost is just that. And guests rate us 4.9/5.
What to expect?
As guests, you probably won’t notice the Roost’s sustainable elements, but there’s plenty going on behind the scenes.
Saving water
Its easy to forget that water is a finite resource so from the outset, we decided we wanted to use rainwater in the running of the Roost. We harvest rainwater in hidden tanks this is pumped and flushes the loos and powers the bike wash. A rainwater backup system means that if the tanks run low, the system switches over to mains, so it never runs out. The only thing guests might notice is the water in the loos can be a funny colour.
The showers and taps in the shower rooms are all push button which saves water and the plentiful hot water runs off an insulated hot water tank. The loos have low-level flushes so they don’t use as much water either.
We also try to make sure all the cleaning products we use are eco-friendly and phosphate free. Phosphate pollution is harmful to our rivers and the wildlife that lives in and around them.
Powering the Roost
We recently installed solar panels and battery storage. So, while you’re out adventuring, the Roost will be storing energy to power the site ready for you to rest and recharge your batteries. We have 100% renewable mains electricity as a backup.
To further save electricity, all the LED lights and extractor fans, aside from in the cabins, are on motion sensors. The kitchen and shower room lights, fans etc come on and go off automatically.
The outdoor festoon lights that light up the Roost at night are on a push-button timer switch so you can turn them on as you wish and they’ll go off after a couple of hours.
Timer switches in our drying room switch the heater/dehumidifier off after a time. There are also super sustainable washing lines with pegs between all the cabins.
And, we’ve now installed a twin EV charger so if you’ve got an electric vehicle, you can charge it overnight without having to worry about finding somewhere to charge it.
Reduce, reuse and recycle
The products we provide for you (hand wash, washing up liquid etc) and the cleaning products we use are all eco-friendly and refillable, so less plastic, fewer chemicals, and fewer deliveries.
We provide separate waste and recycling bins in the kitchens to make it easy for you to split your waste, and we recycle as much as we can too.
We wash and reuse all hand towels, kitchen scrubbies, etc.
What else?
Our cabins are well insulated and the heaters are Wi-Fi controlled, so when you arrive, the cabin will be warm and cosy. We can also turn off the heaters remotely after checkout.
The Roost is tucked away among the trees. To add to the Roost’s natural environment, we planted native hedging, 800+ whips of different varieties, including hazel, dog rose, and hawthorn and these are now well established. We’ve also planted lots of different trees including fruit trees/bushes, so we have a mini orchard with different varieties of apples, pears, plums etc. Guests can help themselves.
Bees, bugs, and wildlife like the fact that we don’t mow/strim too often. And, there are lots of bird feeders and nesting boxes dotted about. Keep an eye out for woodpeckers, nuthatches, siskins, very friendly robins and lots more.
And, if you want to travel by public transport, the village, Troedyrhiw, has a train station that’s just a five-minute walk away. It connects to the Welsh capital, Cardiff, in 50 minutes and from there, the rest of the UK and beyond…
And, to back this up, the Roost is Green Key certified which means we’ve met the environmental requirements of the Green Key scheme:
“The Green Key certificate is the leading standard for excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism industry. A Green Key assures guests that, by choosing to stay with a Green Key establishment, they are helping make a difference for the environment.”
And we’ve signed Business Wales’ Green Growth Pledge which means we’ve made a commitment to reduce our carbon footprint and impact on the environment.
With all that taken care of all you need to do is relax and enjoy your (sustainable) stay.