Italy: The 14th century palazzo hotel Rastrello, on the border of Umbria and Tuscany, has achieved B Corp certification.
A member of Design Hotels, Rastrello is independently owned and family-run.
Originally an abandoned historic house, owner Christiane Wassmann restored the building and relaunched the site as Rastrello in 2020.
The hotel offers nine rooms and a farm-to-table restaurant Cucina & Giardino led by regional chef Nicola Fanfano.
Operationally, solar panels have been installed in the gardens and farmhouse, and the complete heating system is run on wood from renovating abandoned olive groves.
Sustainably collected water such as a blackwater cleaning system, captured rainwater and a well are used within the gardens and groves. All water (both in the hotel and restaurant) is also filtered and bottled in-house.
The majority of produce used in the restaurant and bar is sourced from the organic kitchen garden, including the production of extra virgin olive oil which is certified DOP for the Lake Tasiemeno area.
Almost 100 per cent plastic free, the hotel also works with its suppliers to reduce packaging and in some cases, use no packaging at all. In room, all bathroom products are refillable and made in Italy.
Additional on-property initiatives include a rotating exhibition, with 100 per cent of proceeds going directly to the showcased artists.
