Energy consumption

At Saddle Mountain Hostel we’ve installed energy efficient appliances, LED bulbs and thermostat-controlled radiators. We switch off lights when not in use, reduce heating in unoccupied rooms, wash at low temperatures and maintain our boiler.

Water consumption

All the WCs in the hostel are dual flush and there are water flow regulators on showers. We encourage our guests to only boil the water they need, switch off taps when brushing teeth and take shorter showers.

Recycling

At the hostel you’ll find recycling bins in our kitchen and all our bedrooms. We currently recycle paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, tins, electrical equipment, light bulbs and batteries. Bulk buying cleaning supplies helps us to reduce packaging.

Reducing

We ask our guests to reduce food waste by sharing food rather than throwing it away and by composting appropriate items. You won’t see disposable cups or coffee pods in our Espresso Hub. We do not print unless essential.

Reusing

Our objective is to find alternative uses for “unwanted” stuff, where possible, rather than sending items to landfill. We repurpose for use in the hostel if we can or donate furniture and items left behind to others for reuse.

Purchasing

We use local retailers for purchasing hostel supplies and buy eco-friendly products for cleaning and elsewhere. There’s Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar for guest use. Local tradespeople are employed for repairs and improvements to the hostel.

Flora and fauna

Our garden is wildlife friendly with areas left “wild” and a wetland area. We compost, reduce grass mowing so wildflowers can thrive, grow insect friendly plants, and have bird boxes and feeders. We support Trees for Life and sponsor our own grove.

Education

By showcasing local, car free activities and days out on our website and in the hostel our guests can choose “greener” options. We highlight the positive actions they can take while staying with us to help us be more sustainable.

Equality

We are committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion and eliminating unlawful discrimination. Anyone who stays with us or does business with us will be treated with equality, fairness and respect.

Accessibility

Our hostel may not be accessible for everyone so we have written an accessibility guide. We hope it provides our guests with enough information to make an informed decision about whether our hostel is suitable for them.

Local community

Saddle Mountain Hostel sponsors local fundraising campaigns. We actively promote our area, asking guests to support nearby businesses for shopping, eating out and activities. There’s a monthly litter pick on our section of the Great Glen Way.

Hostelling

We are passionate about hostelling. Greg and Helen work on behalf of the sector to raise awareness of the issues facing hostelling and within the sector to build a sustainable hostelling community.

Travel

There’s public transport information so guests can plan to travel sustainably. The hostel has a drying room and laundry plus bike storage. We offer discounted coffee from our Espresso Hub to guests arriving on foot, by bike or on public transport.