Our approach to regenerative tourism. Giving back to the local environment and community in Slapton.

While holiday homes sometimes face criticism, those that are managed responsibly and sustainably allow them to create a beneficial ripple effect, positively impacting local environments, communities, and economies through their interconnected contributions – The Positive Cycle.

Our aim is to contribute to something bigger than ourselves as we feel a sense of ethical responsibility towards the environment and the community in which we operate. Contributing to the Positive Cycle aligns with our values and creates a sense of purpose beyond simply generating an income.

We hope by demonstrating responsible practices, we can inspire other businesses and individuals in the area to adopt similar approaches, contributing to a broader positive impact. Ignoring the potential negative press and focusing on responsible management allows us to be part of the solution, rather than contributing to the problems sometimes associated with holiday homes.

The Positive Cycle

Healthy Environment -> Attractive Destination -> Thriving Tourism -> Stronger Economy -> Invested Community -> Further Environmental Protection & Improved Infrastructure ->

Even More Attractive Destination

For a Healthy Environment, to minimise water usage, we never water the garden and do not provide a hot tub. We also avoid all pesticides. 

All our waste is handled by a specialist local firm that ensures comprehensive recycling. We prioritise local firms for all property maintenance, minimising environmental impact and supporting the local economy. Individual radiator thermostats prevent heating unoccupied rooms, and all our bulbs are energy-efficient LEDs. 

As ambassadors for the Attractive Destination that is South Devon, we actively promote local attractions and businesses through our online guide and social media, providing guests with comprehensive information on nearby places to eat, drink, shop, and explore.

Our year-round operation, including the off-season, ensures a consistent flow of visitors who contribute to the local economy when other accommodations might not. By offering high-quality, dog-welcoming accommodation, we strive to create a positive guest experience that fosters repeat bookings and recommendations.

Ultimately, our efforts, alongside those of other local businesses, our collaboration with the community, and supportive, sustainable policies, all contribute to maintaining the beauty and appeal of South Devon as a premier destination.

To help foster a Stronger Economy, we consistently prioritise using local tradespeople for all maintenance, cleaning, and supply needs. Our online guide actively encourages guests to support the local economy by spending their money at nearby businesses, with the vast majority of our recommendations, including for food shopping, highlighting small local firms.

We exclusively employ local firms that are committed to paying their staff a fair living wage. We ensure all local taxes and fees are paid accurately and promptly, contributing directly to the local revenue that supports the Invested Community.

As committed members of the Invested Community, even as remote owners, we actively engage with local initiatives to gain a deep understanding of the community's needs and explore meaningful ways to contribute, ensuring our presence has a positive impact beyond the holiday let itself.

We also place a strong emphasis on fostering respectful relationships by explicitly asking all guests to treat our neighbours with consideration, recognising that the village is not just a holiday destination but the home of others, encouraging mindful behaviour and a sense of community respect.

Understanding the potential for disruption with larger groups and short stays, particularly in a close-knit village, we consciously choose to only offer full-week bookings throughout the year. This deliberate decision minimises transient noise and activity, contributing positively to the peaceful and community spirit year-round, ensuring we are a considerate and integrated part of the local fabric.

To champion Further Environmental Protection & Improved Infrastructure, we actively encourage our guests to embrace sustainable practices throughout their stay, and weave these principles into all aspects of their visit.

We also promote exploration of the local area in an eco-conscious way by providing detailed information on local walks in our online guide and have even created engaging photographic scavenger hunts for the village and surrounding areas, encouraging guests to discover the beauty on foot.

Actively champion our two village pubs and the community shop, alongside other locally accessible by foot places to eat and drink, promoting foot traffic within the village and supporting these vital community hubs.

We prioritise sourcing locally and sustainably produced goods and services whenever feasible, significantly reducing transportation emissions and bolstering the local green economy; we also share our knowledge of other independent local businesses with similar ethical practices with our guests, encouraging them to make conscious choices.

We emphasise the benefits of shopping locally, particularly for food, as it drastically cuts down on unnecessary food miles – a major contributor to the UK's CO2 output – while also offering fresher, higher-quality produce and a more authentic taste of the local area for our guests' enhanced holiday experience.

Our commitment to responsible practices directly contributes to making it an Even More Attractive Destination as a consistently clean local environment, coupled with well-maintained natural areas and continuously enhanced local amenities, are all benefits we actively support through our responsible practices, significantly elevating South Devon's reputation as a highly desirable and sustainable tourist destination. This growing appeal attracts an increasing number of discerning visitors who specifically value these qualities, creating a powerful, self-sustaining Positive Cycle that further strengthens the allure of South Devon.

We’d love to welcome you to Rill House, a dog-friendly holiday cottage in South Devon! If you have any questions, just get in touch. For pricing details, click here and select “Show More” at the bottom. To check availability, click here. We only take direct bookings, so contact us today to book your unforgettable dog-friendly holiday!