It comes as the hotel reduced its food waste by nearly 50 per cent in 2025 versus the previous year, which has been driven by considered purchasing, enhanced waste segregation and the introduction of composting on site; with other residual food waste anaerobically digested.

The team has also been praised by Green Tourism for starting their own kitchen garden in their  Stratford grounds, with fresh produce grown and used inhouse for guests to enjoy when dining, and for garnishes with their seasonal cocktails.

The Arden Hotel was also applauded for having a sustainable impact on the wider community by playing its part in supporting the work of important charitable causes – including donating £400 to The Stratford Food Bank; hosting a fundraising event with the Shakespeare Soroptimists to support a local women’s refuge; and sponsoring a local under-15s girls football team.  

Sai Nathan, general manager at The Arden Hotel, said: “The team has really risen to the challenge of adopting environmentally friendly practices, and is a great achievement for a hotel that is busy all year round thanks to the beautiful location that it sits in.

“Guests love the fact they can consume produce grown in grounds associated with William Shakespeare – and just across the road from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre – and is just one of many ways that we have continued to improve our sustainability practices over the last three years.”

Jayne O’Malley is the Group Operations Director at Eden Hotel Collection, which operates The Arden Hotel, and she has worked closely with the hotel and Green Tourism’s assessors to develop its green credentials.

Jayne said: “Implementing sustainability into a hotel that is as busy as The Arden can be challenging, but their dramatic reduction in food waste is especially impressive, and only comes from proactive thinking and consistent teamwork.

“They have really bought into a sustainable mindset and a keenness to learn about biodiversity, which has driven the reduction in food waste and the formation of their kitchen garden that continues to go from strength to strength.”