At Retreat East, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. From our menus to the products used in our spa, we care so you can enjoy your stay with complete peace of mind that the luxury retreat you are staying in is sustainable and cares for the environment. We are also excited to announce that we have just won the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Gold Award 2023 at the East of England Tourism Awards.
Is the produce used at Retreat East locally sourced?
Yes, our Head Chef Adam is passionate about working with local suppliers and using local produce. We also cultivate organic fruit and vegetables from our Farm Garden in our restaurant. Our team of gardeners work hard to produce delicious vegetables, herbs and other fresh produce that can be used by our talented team of chefs to create tasty dishes for our guests to enjoy. Where possible, we encourage “farm to fork” so work with some of Suffolk’s best local producers to achieve this. From our meat to our wine, you’ll find lots of locally sourced produce in our restaurant.
Our head chef also has a “zero waste” policy for the restaurant so every part of produce is utilised from the roots to the tips, for example our banana skin dessert utilises every part of a banana. Find out more about Adam and the food at Retreat East in our restaurant blog.
As part of our continued commitment to the local community the kitchen team works with local colleagues to encourage young people to start a career in hospitality. If you’d like to find out more about our community projects, please contact the team.
Are the products used in the spa sustainable?
We are proud to use Elemental Herbology products in our spa. It is a British Brand that believes in ethical and sustainable skincare. The Elemental Herbology team is committed to reducing waste, responsible sourcing and protecting the world we live in. Their ethos goes hand in hand with ours. If you would like to learn more about the products used in our spa, read our interview with Spa Manager Danielle.
How do you protect the wildlife at Retreat East?
We run an extensive rewilding project that includes planting 500 new trees, wildlife conservation from land preservation to wild meadows. We also have 5 beehives, a hedgehog house and bird feeders. We thrive on reconnecting our guests with nature, this includes our youngest guests who can immerse themselves in nature on our nature trail. The children’s nature trail includes visits to the pond, hedgehog house, kitchen garden and more.
Do you conserve energy and water?
We are mindful of our energy and water consumption at our retreat in Suffolk and ask that whilst guests are on site they are also conscious of usage.
Our heating systems are set to ensure no heat is wasted and we ask that our wood burners are used responsibly. The Great Barn has been fitted with Solar Panels to harness the energy from the sun and reduce our reliance on traditional energy methods.
We are also conscious of water consumption. The water used on-site comes from our own borehole which taps into our onsite well. In 2019, we also installed an on-site sewage plant that allows us to treat our own sewerage sustainably before converting it back to clean water. Our water sources are tested every three months to ensure legal standards are adhered to.
Are the materials used on site sustainable?
All the materials sourced for the entire site are sustainably sourced. The wood used in the barn stoves has also been sourced responsibly with around 30% of the wood used harvested from fallen trees on site. The wood used in our wood-burners in our accommodation is also responsibly sourced. Where possible we have used the original brick and other building materials from the old farm to reduce waste and our carbon footprint.
If you’d like to find out more about our sustainability commitments, visit our sustainability page.