Features

Small Ways – and Unusual Stays! – That Make a Positive Impact on Our World

27 August 2026

If you’ve been feeling fretful and helpless in the face of this summer’s havoc-wreaking weather, we hear you. Change, it seems, is a worrying fixture of the future… from global climate shifts to wider environmental concerns.

Yet “change” can also have a positive meaning, especially when it comes to our own ways of being in the world. For example, we can recycle more, use the car less, and make eco-conscious holiday choices.

For a little inspiration, we’ve listed a few sustainable holiday ideas below, along with some unique retreats that embody each one. Many offer incentives for doing the ‘right’ thing, such as a discount for leaving the car at home, or donating part of the proceeds from your stay to a good cause.

These ideas are small – but effective – ways for us all to make a difference, while enjoying ourselves on holiday at the same time. Better still, every positive contribution really does count, by adding to a greater sense of good that so many of us genuinely appreciate. All is not lost: far from it!

We hope you enjoy reading through our list and browsing the wonderfully unusual retreats to be discovered here. Oh, and if you have any other ideas of your own, please share them and tag us (@hostunusual) on your socials.

Author: Nina Jervis-Green
Main image: Edible plants and flowers at Elmley Nature Reserve, Kent

Car-free travel

Leaving the car behind means finding other ways to get around – like walking, cycling, or taking public transport – all of which open up new and original opportunities to discover your surroundings.

Langwathby Station Cottage

Langwathby, Cumbria, England

An enthralling retreat styled in homage to the iconic Flying Scotsman, rich in first-class comfort and peacefully secluded on a scenic railway line in Cumbria.

Bedrooms: 4

Sleeps: 9

From

£110 / night

Brucefield Estate Schenbothies

Forestmill, Clackmannanshire, Scotland

Sumptuous woodland hideaways, privately nestled on a magical Clackmannanshire estate that's teeming with rich heritage and diverse, protected wildlife.

Bedrooms: 1 per bothy

Sleeps: 2 per bothy

From

157 3 nights

Railholiday

St Germans, Cornwall, England

View the best of Cornwall's unspoilt countryside from the window of your very own eco-friendly, lovingly restored railway carriage at Railholiday.

Bedrooms: Varies

Sleeps: 2-6

From

£120 / night

The Harpy Houseboat

Tower Bridge, London, England

Welcome aboard London's oldest houseboat, The Harpy, with unrivalled majestic views of Tower Bridge.

Bedrooms: 4

Sleeps: 10

From

£800 /night

Boutique Barges

London, England

Leave your cares far away on dry land in a relaxing and stylish river retreat, perfectly moored in the vibrant heart of Central London.

Bedrooms: 1

Sleeps: 4-5

From

£560 / 2 nts

Eco-friendly stays

Sustainable building techniques, solar power, EV car charging… green credentials not only help the planet, but you’re likely to feel even more relaxed, safe in the knowledge that your carbon footprint is refreshingly light!

Zero Zero Treehouse

Mile End, Gloucestershire, England

A net-zero, master-architect-designed tree-sanctuary in the Forest of Dean, with invigorating treetop views from the bedroom, gardens in the sky, and a private wellness suite below.

Bedrooms: 2

Sleeps: 5

From

450 / night

Warksburn Old Church

Wark, Northumberland, England

A globally-unique and ultra-luxurious Net Zero conversion of a 19th century church, in beautiful rural Northumberland close to Hadrian’s Wall and Kielder Water.

Bedrooms: 3

Sleeps: 6

From

£250/night

Kolarbyn Eco Lodge

Skinnskatteberg, Västmanland, Sweden

Welcome to "Sweden's most primitive hotel" - Kolarbyn Eco Lodge, a peaceful gathering of charcoal huts surrounded by lush spruce forest.

Bedrooms:

Sleeps: 2-6 per hut

From

£67 ppn

Big Sky Lodges

Muir of Ord, Ross-shire, Scotland

Traditional Scandinavian style set against the spectacularly scenic Scottish Highlands, for a stylish break that's naturally infused with pure woodland luxury.

Bedrooms: 3 (lodge) 1 (caravan)

Sleeps: 6 (lodge) 2 (caravan)

From

£585 (3nts)

Supporting charities and/or social enterprises

Is there anything better than a holiday that also gives a little bit back? With some or all of the proceeds from your stay donated to a good cause, you get a well-deserved holiday, and someone else gets a much-needed boost.

(Note: we at Host Unusual donate both to The Family Holiday Charity and Ecologi to offset some of our own impact on the planet).

Champing Old Langho

Langho, Lancashire, England

Relax and unwind in an enthralling village church built in the reign of Queen Mary I, surrounded by pristine Ribble Valley countryside and with an award-winning gastropub just next door.

Bedrooms:

Sleeps: 4

From

£55 /adult/night

King Offa and Queen Cynethryth's Cabins

Upper Redbrook, Monmouthshire, Wales

Architect-designed retreats for two, nestled among idyllic farmland close to Monmouth in the Wye Valley, with easy access to Offa’s Dyke Path and all profits supporting the UK charity Jamie’s Farm.

Bedrooms: 1 per cabin

Sleeps: 2

From

£146 /nt (1 cabin)

Free Range Glamping

Chiddingstone, Kent, England

Get back to nature in cosy comfort, on an organic Kentish farm glamping site with eclectic accommodation, an al fresco shower, and plenty of wide open space to get lost in.

Bedrooms: Varies

Sleeps: 2 or 4

From

£60 / night

Secret Meadows

Hasketon, Suffolk, England

Unwind amongst wondrous wildlife and amazing accommodation luxuriously inspired by the Great Outdoors, with unspoilt Suffolk countryside as far as your eye can see.

Bedrooms: Varies

Sleeps: 8

From

£332 / 2 nts

Buying local produce

Shopping locally on holiday means you get to try new things, as well as directly contributing to the community you’re staying in. Seasonal produce is even better, as it will have travelled less, while tasting particularly fresh! Look for farmers’ markets, local bakeries, and food co-ops: some retreats even grow their own produce.

Rufflets Woodland Suites

St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland

Luxury, dog-friendly shepherd’s huts for couples and families, peacefully tucked away in the picture-perfect grounds of a historic St. Andrews hotel.

Bedrooms: 1

Sleeps: 4

From

£290 / night

Bethnal & Bec

Cottered, Hertfordshire, England

Sustainable, adults-only Hertfordshire hideaways with al fresco baths, where city style and indulgent sensory treats meet pure countryside tranquillity.

Bedrooms: 1 per unit

Sleeps: 2 per unit

From

£180 / night

Cabin X GPF

Catsfield, East Sussex, England

Make your escape to a blissfully soothing farm retreat, gently secluded in an ancient East Sussex village where the pace is slow, and the woodland scenery is magical.

Bedrooms: 1

Sleeps: 2

From

£150 / night

Ekopod

Launceston, Cornwall, England

Luxury glamping pods set under the starry skies of Bodmin Moor, with a wild spa on site and the scenic backdrop of Cornwall's ‘Peaceful Valley' to keep you company.

Bedrooms: Varies

Sleeps: 2/4/8 per unit

From

£110 / night

Spend time in green spaces and protected nature

Visiting local nature reserves, National Parks and heritage sites is a marvellous way to incorporate sustainability into your stay, as well as setting the scene for fun and immersive days out.

Oasyhotel

San Marcello Piteglio, Tuscany, Italy

An award-winning sustainable sanctuary, deeply immersed in protected Tuscan nature with luxury lodges, home-grown cuisine, and al fresco activities designed to re-acquaint you with the natural world.

Bedrooms: 1 or 2 per lodge

Sleeps: 4

From

£344 / night

The Bolthole

Pagham Beach, West Sussex, England

A super-cool, first-class retreat that's rich in home comforts, expertly crafted around a Victorian railway carriage that's right on the beach at Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve.