Wiltshire's Whatley Manor invites guests to go green during their stay

Whatley Manor is a five-star country house hotel located in the Cotswolds that prides itself on its beautiful gardens and sustainable horticulture as well as its locally sourced Michelin-star cuisine. The hotel is inviting guests to switch off and absorb the green haven during their visit.

Located near Malmesbury in Wiltshire, the hotel is situated in 12 acres of beautifully kept grounds, organised into 12 individually designed garden rooms, including an abundant kitchen garden which provides for the Michelin-starred restaurant, The Dining Room.

Based on the original 1920s plans of the grounds, the gardens were designed by renowned British architect, Septimus Warwick, who favoured the Arts and Crafts style. Today, the hotel's custodians have a passion for ecological horticulture and make a special effort to restore the gardens as closely as possible to their origins. Highlights include an elegant and tranquil walled Rose Garden, which envelops guests in a scent as vibrant as the colourful flowers, and the tropical-inspired Hot Garden with shades of hot red and burnt orange. The Stable Courtyard's neatly mown lawn proudly displays three bronze donkeys, sculptured by renowned European sculptor Edouard-Marcel Sandoz, the hotel owner's great-grandfather.

Whatley Manor's outstanding reputation for sustainability is truly reflected in its gardens, such as the no-dig kitchen garden, which reduces how much the soil is broken in between crops to avoid soil erosion and reduce emissions and weeds, resulting in a higher yield of quality crops, fewer pests and subsequent elimination of artificial pesticides. The importance of the gardens is felt throughout each guest's stay at Whatley Manor, from the unmissable 12-course tasting menu in The Dining Room to the Sothys Seasonal Garden Spa Experience at Aquarias Spa, a 1-hour 45-minute treatment consisting of a full-body massage and facial incorporating home-grown ingredients.

Guests hoping to explore even more greenery can visit Westonbirt, The National Arboretum which is only a half-hour drive away from Whatley Manor and features one of the world's most beautiful and significant plant collections.

Rates start from £379 per night including breakfast and use of the spa. To book, visit www.whatleymanor.com