Lower Coombe Royal is a committed member of the Green Tourism Business Scheme and has been accredited with a Gold award after the first six months of opening. Our Coach House, which runs on green energy sources, has featured on the Sky Travel Channel 261, 'How to Holiday Greener' in 2007 and the gardens have featured in Devon Life and Country Living. Organically, locally sourced and home grown produce and supplies are provided for each holiday cottage and apartment. This includes the welcome hamper, linen, towels and toiletries that will greet you on your arrival and our home grown fruit and vegetables when in season, through to the cleaning products that we use.

We are keen supporters of Responsible Tourism. That is, in our approach to business we consider the environmental, socio-cultural and economic impacts we have on the planet. We aim to work in a way that supports local businesses and the community and create local employment. Using resources such as water and energy wisely, minimising waste, conserving our ecosystem and biodiversity, we reduce our impact on climate change.

Although not always aesthetically pleasing, the water butts and compost bins located around the grounds are very practical and productive. We are now, after one year, producing from the compost bins beautiful compost for our organic gardens. Our future plans are to have an old well restored. As there is a stream and a set of ponds in our grounds, we are researching low flow turbines. And, if the budget allows, additional solar panels will help to boost the production of green energy!

''What you are doing already is most impressive and exemplary'' Freelance Journalist from West Sussex