At Saorsa 1875 in Pitlochry, Scotland, animals are off limits, but not in the way you might think.
While pets are more than welcome, this boutique hotel steers clear of animal products entirely, from its furniture to its staff uniforms. After all, it is the very first fully vegan hotel in the UK.
Veganism is taking root all over the world, and the movement shows no sign of slowing down.
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According to research firm GlobalData, veganism in the US surged by a staggering 600% between 2014 and 2017, and vegans now make up 6% of the population.
In the UK, The Vegan Society, a registered charity and the oldest vegan organisation in the world, reports that the figure quadrupled between 2014 and 2018, with 42% making the switch in the last year alone.
And brands are catching on: from plant-based burgers to cruelty-free clothing, restaurants and retailers are increasingly catering to vegan shoppers, especially those whose ethics reach beyond the plate.
Now hotels are joining in too, and some are rethinking their operations from the ground up.
"At Saorsa 1875, everything from arrival to departure is vegan," says founder Sandra Maclaren-Stewart, who opened the hotel this June.
Set in a 19th-century Victorian mansion, it offers 11 rooms with organic cotton bedding, along with pillows and duvets free of animal products such as silk and down. The vegan ethos extends to the toiletries and cleaning products too, and the staff uniforms are ethically sourced. Even the electricity comes from Ecotricity, a British green energy company with vegan certification.
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The cost of doing business
Contrary to popular belief, vegan furnishings do not necessarily come with a higher price tag.
"I think the idea that vegan products are more expensive is a huge misconception," says Maclaren-Stewart. "Obviously, we wanted to make sure that the things we use are ethically produced, which rarely means buying the cheapest products on the market. But materials like organic cotton and linen are almost always cheaper than animal-based materials such as leather or silk."
Naturally, the menu at the Saorsa 1875 restaurant is 100% plant-based too.
"There were certain challenges in making sure everything we used was as ethical and environmentally friendly as possible. So we source all of our food either from our own kitchen garden or from local community farms and smallholdings," says Maclaren-Stewart.
Rather than serving a token vegan salad, head chef Luca Sordi creates inventive dishes such as watermelon sashimi with lime mayonnaise and tapioca crackers, along with hay-infused panna cotta and chamomile meringue.
At the Faodail bar, cocktails such as the whisky-based Auld Pal and the gin-based Highland Tears are made with seasonal and wild-foraged ingredients like mint and verbena.
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A judgement-free zone
"I think there are still some stereotypes around veganism. It's not the austere, hemp-clad lifestyle that many people still imagine," says Maclaren-Stewart. "We want to create a cool, comfortable place where vegans can stay without feeling like they are compromising on their ethics. Obviously, we appeal to vegans and vegetarians, but we also want to create a judgement-free space [for] anyone curious about ethical living."
Major hotel chains are stepping up their vegan offerings too.
This January, Hilton London Bankside unveiled a fully vegan suite in partnership with design studio Bompas & Parr and The Vegan Society. "Our guests were telling us that, since we already offer a great vegan menu at our OXBO restaurant, why not take it further?" shares general manager James B. Clarke. "In response, we decided to create a complete travel experience for those living a plant-based lifestyle."
A vegan makeover
The 495-square-foot suite's vegan features include a headboard, chairs and cushions made from Piñatex (a natural leather alternative made from cellulose fibres of pineapple leaves), organic cotton carpeting and bamboo flooring, plus toiletries in eco-friendly packaging.
The room service menu got a vegan makeover too, with dishes that include a cauliflower steak and a five-bean dal.
"The hardest part of designing the suite was making sure guests could get the full vegan experience throughout their stay, from the moment they step into the lobby to the moment they check out," says Clarke. To achieve this, the hotel even built a dedicated check-in desk from plant-based materials, along with key cards made from Piñatex.
Like Saorsa 1875, the Hilton London Bankside vegan suite has sparked interest from vegans and non-vegans alike. "The feedback we've received has been really positive, and we've even had enquiries from well-known athletes, among others," says Clarke. "While the suite is primarily designed for eco-conscious travellers, we hope everyone can enjoy it, not just those who follow a vegan lifestyle."
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Not quite mainstream yet
But despite the buzz, Hilton London Bankside and Saorsa 1875 are among a still-small number of hotels moving towards veganism, though that looks set to change soon.
"People are becoming more aware of the impact their choices have, not only on the planet but also on animals, and I think we'll see veganism continue to grow exponentially," says Maclaren-Stewart, who already has plans to expand Saorsa 1875 to a second location.
"There has been a huge amount of innovation in both food and fashion, but I think the hospitality industry has been slow to adapt," she continues. "We can't wait for more companies to embrace a plant-based ethos, and we welcome the challenge."
Saorsa 1875, 2 East Moulin Rd, Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland PH16 5DW; +44 (0)1796 475217
Hilton London Bankside, 2-8 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 0UG; +44 (0) 20 36675601
