From bees to bins: how a London hotel aims to become truly net-zero

A stay at Chiswick’s room2 casts light on its claim to be an entirely sustainable hotel, from its rooftop wildlife to the revolutionary bins. Plus, four sustainable hotels across Europe

We’ve all seen that sign in hotels where we are encouraged to reuse our towels for the sake of the planet. Often it’s just lip service. But what if that idea is taken a level upwards – to make your whole hotel sustainable?

That’s the premise at room2 in Chiswick, west London, said to be the world’s first net zero “hometel”. It’s forecast to be 89% more energy efficient than a typical UK hotel and has a host of sustainable measures, from solar panels to recycled furniture, zero food waste and a wildflower roof.