This June, the UK’s first 100% vegan hotel will open in Highland Perthshire.
A 100% vegan hotel is opening at the former Birchwood Hotel in Highland Perthshire in Scotland where guests can enjoy a getaway completely free from animal cruelty.
According to news outlet The Courier, Saorsa 1875 will be entirely free from animal products. This includes everything from the furniture to the food, and from the electricity to the uniforms worn by the staff.
Guests can rest assured that all of the house-keeping products use are eco-friendly and cruelty-free whilst the hotel’s power system, Ecotricity, is Vegan Society certified. You’re even welcome to bring along your dog to enjoy your stay with you.
Co-founders Sandra and Jack McLaren Stewart, both passionate vegans, decided to take over the former Birchwood Hotel in Pitlochry and soon began the process of creating a completely vegan experience, aiming to cater to vegans from all across the country.
Speaking to The Courier, Jack said that the idea for Saorsa 1875 was “born out of a frustration at the options available to vegans in this part of the world. We’re Scottish ourselves and like all Scots, we’re intensely passionate about our country and all the amazing things it has to offer. Unfortunately, outside of the main cities there aren’t a whole host of options for vegans, which can make travelling through the area very difficult and sometimes quite distressing.”
Image credit: Mhairi Edwards/DCT Media for The Courier
Therefore, he continued, “we wanted to create a space where anyone, vegan or otherwise, can come and experience the beauty of the Highlands without feeling like they’re compromising on their ethics.”
Jack wants the hotel to promote local produce to a new market, and to convince guests that veganism is an exciting and varied lifestyle rather than simply a compassionate dietary choice. “Our other motivation for opening the hotel was to dispel the myth that veganism is somehow restrictive or based around abstinence,” he told The Courier.
Head Chef Luca Sordi will run the hotel’s restaurant and serve up dishes inspired by the Scottish wilderness. The ingredients will be grown in Saorsa 1875’s own vegetable patch or sourced from local suppliers. All wines, spirits and cocktails at the bar will be vegan, too.
As part of the full hotel experience, cooking classes, health and wellness retreats and outdoor activities will be offered.
Vegan Society spokesperson Dominika Piasecka, said: “Knowing that no animal had to suffer for the hotel equipment or cosmetics gives vegans peace of mind, and supporting ethical businesses makes their holiday that much more enjoyable. The increase in vegan-friendly accommodation goes in line with the huge growth of this lifestyle in Britain, where the number of vegans has quadrupled in the last four years.”
