The world’s best vegan hotels

It’s a plant-based world and we’re just living in it
1/6

When Jack McLaren-Stewart decided to open the UK’s first vegan hotel earlier this year, he described it as a ‘no brainer’.

“We've seen an incredible rise in veganism, vegetarianism and flexitarianism over the last few years as more and more people become more conscious of the impact their choices have on the planet and our fellow animals,” Jack tells the Standard.

“Despite that, I think there are still a few lingering stereotypes around what it's like to be vegan. We wanted to show people that it's not about abstinence or missing out on the finer things in life - veganism is an incredibly vibrant, exciting, compassionate way of life and our goal was to create a space where people could come and experience that, whether they're vegan or not.”

Thus, Saorsa 1875 was born. Located in the Victorian village of Pitlochry in Scotland, a stone’s throw from Loch Ness, the hotel is plant-based to its core – there are no animal products anywhere on site.

Down duvets are replaced by (just as lush) eco-friendly microfiber and there is no trace of leather, wool or silk in the hotel. As well as the food, drinks at this family-run hotel (Jack's parents are co-founders) are vegan and all of the uniforms are carbon neutral and ethically made in Portugal. The hotel’s energy supplier is even certified with the Vegan Society.

Jack McLaren-Stewart and his parents are the new owners Saorsa 1875. Jack (L) is pictured here with his mother Sandra (R ) 
Saorsa 1875

“The response has been absolutely phenomenal - we've had people from all over the world coming to visit us and an outpouring of support on social media. What's been really interesting is the huge number of non-vegans that we get - some are here to find out more about veganism but a lot of people just want to kick back and enjoy some great cocktails and amazing food,” Jack says.

“I think some people are surprised that, as vegans, we can go toe-to-toe with some of the coolest hotels they've stayed in. At the end of the day, we're offering an experience unlike anything else in the UK and that's got loads of people excited.”

Will just 11 rooms, rates at this boutique hotel start from £150 per night – but it’s the food here that’s worth heading north for. The ever-evolving menu uses local, ethical and organic ingredients.

Everything is vegan at Saorsa 1875, including the food
Saorsa 1875

“We’re on a mission to prove that delicious food doesn’t have to come at the expense of animals or the planet. One of the things I'm most passionate about is the format of dinner - we run nightly supper clubs and invite all diners to share their meal and their stories at our communal dining area,” Jack explains.

“My favourite dish at the minute has to be our Spinach and Wild Mushroom Buckwheat Crêpe with artichoke purée, pan fried (locally foraged) chanterelles, tenderstem broccoli and whisky sauce. Our menu changes every single day, depending on what's in season.”

5 other hotels leading the vegan charge

Bean Me Up in Goa, India

Bean Me Up

A nomadic travellers haven, Bean Me Up is a B&B-come-yoga-retreat-come-award-winning restaurant. The menu here is extensive, just the drinks menu alone is dotted with smoothies, slow-pressed juices, kombucha, matcha green tea and probiotic boosters. Food-wise, the menu offers up a make-your-own salad option alongside a vegan cheese platter, tempeh steak sandwich and homemade ice cream.

Rooms from £11 per night, beanmeup.in

La Vimea in South Tyrol, Italy

La Vimea

This chalet-style lodge is surrounded by the sun-kissed mountains of South Tyrol in the Val Venosta valley. Italy’s first vegan hotel, La Vimea serves up plant-based meals made from regionally-sourced and organic ingredients. Even the fixtures and furnishings here are vegan, with biodegradable mattresses and Fairtrade organic cotton sheets. Bathrooms are stocked with vegan amenities and laundry is done using vegan and eco-friendly substances. Guests who arrive at the hotel by public transport will also receive a price reduction on their stay.

Rooms from £103 per night, lavimea.com

Green Peace Inn in Weligama, Sri Lanka

Green Peace Inn

A guest house with a difference, the Green Peace Inn sits pretty on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, two hours south of capital Colombo. Offering six-night retreats, guests at the inn practice daily yoga sessions on the rooftop and feast at the in-house ayurvedic café – which is vegan, organic and gluten and sugar-free.

Rooms from £395 for six nights, meals, yoga, breathwork and meditation classes included, greenpeaceinn.com

Apoyo Lodge in El Zopilote, Nicaragua

Apoyo Lodge

Located on the shores of Apoyo Lagoon Natural Reserve in Nicaragua, Apoyo Lodge is a boutique hotel specialising in health and wellness retreats. The first 100 per cent vegan hotel in Nicaragua, guests can expect to feast on ‘mindful plant-based healing cuisine’. Meals here are a combination of raw and cooked dishes, free of refined sugars and oils and using ingredients sourced locally.

Rooms from £77 per night, apoyolodge.com

The Farm at San Benito in Lipa City, Philippines

The Farm at San Benito/Facebook

A 90-minute drive from Manila, and set within a lush 48-hectare jungle, The Farm at San Benito offers a complete holistic escape. Guests are encouraged to take part in one of the resort’s wellness programs – and dine on the completely vegan menu while doing so.

Rooms from £165 per night, thefarmatsanbenito.com

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in