Quinta do cobral

The ONLY tourism destination in Portugal to have received a GOLD Accreditation Award from the world-leading sustainable tourism organisation Green Tourism. We received this prestigious accolade for our sustainable and green practices giving our visitors the very best of ecological luxury for the whole family.

We are proud to announce that we have achieved our Green Tourism GOLD Award. After a huge amount of work, dedication and commitment we are absolutely thrilled!

Scroll down to read about our “Green Story” and how we became champions of responsible tourism here in Central Portugal. We are dedicated to Green Tourism and economic, environmental, and social sustainability. When you stay with us at Quinta do Cobral, you’re supporting a better future for people, places, and planet.

How it all started…

So we came to Portugal on a motorbike touring holiday in 2001 and completely fell in love with the beautiful area of Central Portugal. To cut a long story short - we ended up buying a ruined Quinta (small farm) and spent over 12 years sensitively renovating it to bring the buildings and land back to life. You can see more photos and find out more about our journey by visiting our ‘About Us’ page. The house had no electricity, no water, no floors, no windows or doors, a very leaky roof and, in the case of the guest house, no walls either! When we enquired about getting electricity down our 900m, rough drive we were told it would cost us €10,000 which we just didn’t have. The sustainable journey had begun, we invested the money in a solar system instead and have subsequently upgraded our system at least twice more and now have a wonderful supply of free electricity and hot water. The rest of our eco systems have come slowly but surely, sometimes due to no choice, but we have never once regretted having a genuine ‘Off Grid’ house and farm. and now it is paying dividends.

how does the accreditation work?

Green Tourism uses a set of 3 main goals when making the accreditation assessments. Each goal has its own assessment categories, the percentages shown are what we achieved in our assessment.

PEOPLE

Green Tourism champion investment and improvement in local communities.  When businesses devote some time and energy to contribute to local people it becomes part of investing in a truly sustainable and ethical mindset.  By encouraging local organisations and individuals to play their part in a businesses green journey, they will feel respected and valued; as well as ensuring a happy and eco-aware workforce.

Assessment categories in this goal are: Communication 73%, Measuring, Awareness 86%, Community 100%, Health & Wellbeing 100%, Equality, Diversity & Inclusivity 70%,

PLACES

Living and operating sustainably is a process that involves promoting and caring for the natural environment, helping conserve the local area and its economy and supporting local suppliers of ethically produced, seasonally grown food and drink.  Green Tourism encourage their members to actively introduce guests and consumers to genuine experiences, both the great outdoors and those involving the arts, craft and culture.

Assessment categories in this goal are: Experiences 100%, Destinations 80%, Travel 87%, Food & Drink 88%, Biodiversity 76%,

PLANET

Green Tourism are committed to a low carbon future and finding new ways to reduce the travel industry’s footprint.  They aim to inform and inspire their participating businesses about the circular economy, ecological and cultural diversity and ensuring efficient use of the planets resources.  They work with selected partners and affiliates to strengthen their offer as one of the worlds leading eco-friendly accreditation organisations.

Assessment categories in this goal are: Energy 80%, Water 100% Waste 88%, Carbon 88%, Chemicals 93%

We were rigorously assessed on all the above categories and given a percentage score for each one as shown, these categories are also aligned with the relevant UN Sustainability Development Goals

VIEW our full Gold assessment report from Green Tourism here or scroll down for a few examples of how we achieved our award.

Here are some of the areas in which we performed particularly well, we received 100% in each of the following categories:

PEOPLE GOAL

COMMUNITY - SCORE 100%

Social responsibility and community support are important parts of being a sustainable business. Not only does this support the welfare of our local community and help us to present a positive image, but it can also help to attract more business and partnerships from our community and provide locally based employees. Community engagement can go far beyond the local and includes supporting the global community. COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of caring for community and supporting local businesses. These actions are ones that our visitors expect us to be doing and will be happy to support.

LOCAL HEROES / SOCIAL PROJECTS

Supporting the community is good for business and for developing relationships with our neighbours. Providing support and giving back to the community is done in many ways from raising funds, donating raffle prizes or time, to providing free meeting space, having outreach programmes, or creating special offers for local people.

We do this by:

We support our local Bombeiro Firefighters here, they are all volunteers and do an amazing job.  Fire hazards here are very, very real, we have many wild fires in our region and owe our lives to these people in many instances especially after the devastating wild fires of 2017 when 96% of our region burned.  We have worked with them and Safe Communities Portugal (an organisation giving out information on their website to help communities fight crime and stay safe) to produce a visitors Fire Prevention Guide which is available in the guest house in many different languages.  We also provide additional support to our Firefighters by taking packs of water and energy bars to the station for distribution during the worst fires and throughout the fire season.

We also work with our local animal rescue centres.  All our pets (3 dogs and 4 cats) are rescued and we are very proud of this fact.  We donate food regularly and I provide my natural soap for use in raffles and prize draws to help them raise more funds.  We also use our social media networks to promote the work they do and to send out useful information such as when the latest subsidised sterilisation campaign is happening.

We work alongside Wildlife in Portugal supporting them and spreading their information and facebook page.  They provide an invaluable service to people living in this country who are not familiar with the local Fauna and need help in providing habitats, identification etc.

We also support the Wild Flowers, Plants and Animals Portugal group for the same reason, great information and help and advice

COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS

Helping to look after the local environment is a good way of engaging with the community providing a clean and attractive destination for local people, our visitors and us. A rich local environment with natural features is important for good mental health as well as biodiversity.

We do this by:

We have worked with volunteers from a local Wildlife charity CERVAS.  They take in injured birds, give them the medial care they need and release them back into the wild when they can.  We regularly donate plants to their plant stall which raises money, we also support bird release days.  We would really love to host a bird release day on our Quinta and are working to get this organised.

NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL CHARITIES / PROJECTS

There are a wide range of national / international charities and campaigns we can support. Environmental charities might be helping with waste reduction, beach clean-ups, reducing plastic waste and tree planting. Social charities might be helping with animal welfare, assisting people affected by war, famine, water quality, wildfires for example.

We do this by:

We have signed up to the #wechoosetoreuse campaign by Zero Waste Europe.

This criteria is aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals    1,10,14,15,17

HEALTH & WELLBEING - 100%

The health and wellbeing of our Visitors and ourselves is of upmost importance and even more so since the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing a safe and clean environment with appropriate protocols is essential and can make a significant impact on our visitors choices.

CUSTOMERS & STAFF HEALTH / PROTECTION

Having good health and safety practices is paramount to running a successful and legally compliant business. In the current climate this is even more important and there are minimum standards for COVID-19 that we must put in place and many additional measures that we have considered that might be relevant to our business. Providing information on measures taken is vital for the reassurance of our visitors. Applying for one of the nationally available COVID-19 related standards can help provide guidance on measures to put in place.

we do this by:

We have been using the Logify check list and have implemented their suggestions and guidelines for Covid-19 standards.  Our policies are available for guests in the cottage.  We are also signed up to the Logify "Clean and Safe" initiative and use their Covid-19 cleaning protocols.

TEAM WELLBEING & MENTAL HEALTH

It is important to ensure we have created a working environment that supports wellbeing and mental health.

we do this by:

We are a team of two!  With sometimes the odd extra dog or cat.  I attend regular Yoga classes and relaxation meditation and massage sessions at our wonderful local Yoga retreat centre.  I have worked alongside Cara Creek Eco Lodge since they very first opened.  I attend yoga classes, support them by providing my eco friendly cleaning product, soaps, shampoos and conditioners.  Many of my guests are encouraged to attend the classes with me as well.  As I am on my own It is difficult to produce a well being and mental health strategy for employers but I do promote relaxation and wellbeing through my own courses and my partnership with Cara Creek Eco Lodge and their yoga and mindfulness sessions and courses too.

VISITORS WELLBEING

Many visitors now are looking for holidays and breaks that can help them with their wellbeing and it can cover many features such as physical, mental, social, emotional, spiritual, and environmental aspects.

We do this by:

We provide a huge amount of information in the cottage for our guests to enjoy their stay and visit some amazing places.  Our cottage is peaceful and serene and we encourage guests to stay here and enjoy the quiet and relax.  We have a number of lovely seating areas, a pool, a river and over 2 hectare of land with fantastic views of the local countryside and the Serra da Estrella (the biggest and most famous mountain range in Portugal).  We live on site and so are always available to help, guide and communicate with guests at all times.  We are particularly focussed on family stays, its so nice to see a family relax and enjoy time together in a place that is a natural wonder for kids to explore as well as being safe and clean.  We provide games and books for both children and adults and encourage communication and having fun together.  We do not have a TV which causes some guests anxiety when they arrive but, without fail, our guests have said on leaving that they have not noticed the lack of TV and neither have their kids!

PLACES GOAL

EXPERIENCES - 100%

It has been established by leading global tourism organisations that getting the visitor experience right is vital, defining that experience in our brand will help reach our target market. Competition is fierce and so we must be able to offer our visitors a unique, motivating, relevant and authentic experience to stand out from the crowd. With consumers becoming more environmentally aware being able to create, promote and support sustainable, local and low environmental impact experiences has helped to elevate our business above the rest.

LOCAL EXPERIENCES / HEROES

There is a growing trend for visitors wanting to have a more local and authentic experience when they visit a destination, meet local people, and discover places and activities that are not on the usual tourist route. We provide interesting and relevant itineraries, routes, and guides for our visitors to give them information on how to discover more about the destination and the local way of life.

We do this by:

We have an activities guide in the guest house which is regularly updated, we provide information on local events, places to eat, festivals, museums and cultural events.  This information is also on our website along with a section on local recipes and recipes using our produce.

LOW CARBON ACTIVITIES

Encouraging visitors to participate in low or zero carbon activities reduces their carbon footprint and helps with improving air quality and the general environment within our farm by reducing carbon emissions and noise pollution and as a result benefit biodiversity. As a minimum we promote low carbon activities and experiences in our destination.

we do this by:

We provide many maps and guide books to help promote walking and cycling.  We have a very popular cycle route that passes the cottage this is signposted and kept in good condition by our local Town Hall along with a number of other trails in the area.  We have a wonderful Ecopista da Dao which is a 49km cycle route taking in some gorgeous scenery and the magnificent Dao River.  We have full information and maps available as well as information on where our visitors can hire bikes to cycle this route.  Local providers offer horse riding, canoeing and paddle board experiences, all this information is contained in the information pack in the cottage as well as our website and updated regularly.

SPECIALIST EDUCATIONAL / CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

Providing and promoting specialist education and cultural experiences helps us support the local community and gives our visitors a more local and authentic experience.

We do this by:

We provide courses in our studio on Natural soap making, liquid soap making, Natural body products and heath products.  We also teach stained glass courses, textiles (hand dying, batik and felt making), pewter and metal work as well as children's craft workshops, see the our courses page for more information

We provide kids hand drawn GO WILD AT OUR QUINTA nature exploring packs and bug collecting equipment to help children enjoy our beautiful outdoor area and learn more about wildlife.  We also provide river dipping kits for kids to find out more about our river life.

This criteria is aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals   3,8,9,11 & 12

PLANET GOAL

WATER - 100%

Like energy, water needs to be managed effectively to help reduce business costs and the environmental impact associated with water use. Green Tourism recommend that every business has a water management plan to allow us to measure and monitor our usage. By implementing measures to conserve our water use we are also be contributing significantly to environmental protection by reducing water wastage and eliminating the impact of transport and chemical interventions.

MONITORING WATER

Monitoring water consumption allows us to identify any anomalies, problems or leaks as well as track the impact of any changes or policies we put in place. As we are not on a water meter, monitoring is not that easy, but being aware of water usage and making regular checks of pipework, storage tanks and appliances can help identify problems and leaks and avoid additional cost of repairs.

We do this by:

Our water is supplied from 2 bore holes that go 65m down through granite.  The water is clean and cool, we use it to provide all water for both houses.  It is difficult to monitor exact consumption but we know what each borehole will provide over a given time.  Borehole 1 (the one that we use for the domestic water for both houses) provides 2000L per hour, Borehole 2 provides 1600L per hour this is used for irrigation and topping up the pool when the river is dry which happens every now and again.  It is possible to switch between both boreholes if necessary.  We communicate widely with our guests about conserving water both through written communications on our guest house notice board but also on line and through various campaigns we support. We set targets via our Action Plan.  It is probably safe to say that water consumption is one of our biggest worries for the future here in Portugal and we do everything we can to help in our area.  Educating people about bottled water and the consequences of the use of bottled water is at the forefront of a lot of our thinking.  Our water is lovely, cool and fresh, we encourage our guests not to buy expensive and unnecessary bottled water, asking them to fill glass bottles provided in the guest house from the tap, this can then be chilled and stored in the guest house fridge, we also provide 500ml stainless steel bottles for visitors to use when out and about.

WATER CONSERVATION

There are many ways we can conserve water in our business some examples we have considered are water efficient appliances, dual flush or waterless toilets & low flow taps and showers. Training can help with using water efficiently e.g., not leaving taps running unnecessarily and minimising the number of times toilets are flushed when cleaning them. Providing visitors with water conservation information also helps save water e.g., encouraging them to not leave taps running unnecessarily when cleaning teeth, or washing.

we do this by:

We do everything we can to conserve water, we have a Fire Prevention Information leaflet which helps our visitors to see how important water preservation is here.  We also have dual flush mechanisms on all our toilets as well as water saving taps and shower heads. Visitors are provided with a washing up bowl in the sink and encouraged to use this rather than continuously run water.

WATER QUALITY

We are not on mains water or mains sewage.  We are very aware we are responsible for ensuring that nothing environmentally damaging is flushed down the toilet, sinks or drains e.g., fats, plastic items, or toxic chemicals. This issue is particularly important as we are on a septic tank and they can stop the system working properly.

We do this by:

Our Environmental Policy covers how we communicate with visitors, using a signage system in the bathroom and kitchen.  We also have a new section in our Waste Management Plan dealing with Fats and Grease and other hazardous waste.

WATER RECOVERY/REUSE

Recovering or reusing water helps reduce our overall water consumption. Rainwater collection and harvesting are utilised to further reduce our businesses water use.

We do this by:

In our Action plan we are planning to set up a rainwater collection system from our large wood store roof which will enable water to be used for irrigation of the vegetable garden, vineyard and fruit trees during the drier months.  We also provide a bucket in the kitchen during dry months so that all washing up water is put into the bucket which is then used to water the gardens surrounding the guest house.

This criteria is aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals    6,9 & 12

PLANET GOAL

CHEMICALS

There are many different types of hazardous chemicals used by businesses –from washing up liquid to sanitisers and descalers, to the chemicals used in maintaining equipment, buildings, grounds, and vehicles. Many of these products pose a health or environmental risk when being used and if not handled properly can cause contamination. There are many natural alternatives which not only do as good a job as their hazardous counterparts but are also safe for the environment and our health, reducing the risk faced by our business.

CLEANING PRODUCTS / SYSTEMS

In current COVID-19 situation the guidance on cleaning products is to use products that are approved to EN14476 standard. Many cleaning products contain harsh chemicals such chlorine and phosphates that can be harmful to the environment. There are some products available that meet COVID-19 guidelines and are also not damaging to the environment which we use.

We do this by:

We have signed up to Logify Clean & Safe camping and have a cleaning policy which is displayed in the guest house.  We use the Clean & Safe stickers and use all natural cleaning products that are safe and do not damage the environment.

LAUNDRY

The guidance on washing products and regimes is not always the most environmentally friendly. Many washing products contain harsh chemicals  such chlorine, sulphates and phosphates that can be harmful to the environment. There are some washing products and systems available that meet COVID-19 guidelines and are also not damaging to the environment which we use.

How we do this:

We use high quality laundry products and wash at the highest temperatures recommended by the clothing/bedding/towel tables.  No guest needs to share towels, everyone is given a large bath towel, a hand towel and a face flannel.  All our laundry is air dried until it is totally dry.  Our goal is to ensure maximum safety for our guests, we do use alcohol gel in order to clean areas that are touched regularly such as door handles, window handles, kitchen cupboards, all food preparation surfaces, stair bannister's etc.  We have a cleaning check list which is available for our visitors to see.

HAND SOAP AND TOILETRIES

Paraben is produced from oil and so we use soaps and toiletries that are paraben free. Products that are more environmentally friendly are those that are organic, do not contain SLS (sodium lauryl sulphate) and if they contain palm oil it is sustainably sourced.

We do this by:

As an experienced soap maker and teacher I make all the soaps and most of the cleaning products used in the guest house.  Please see the Environmental Policy for more information.

PESTICIDES / INSECTICIDES / HERBICIDES

Preventative action is the first port of call for our business, we commit to practices that limit the instances of pests including regular surveys to identify any intrusion early. Ethical and non-lethal pest control methods are used and where not possible we would look to use environmentally friendly products or licenced professionals.

We do this by:

We do not use any herbicides, pesticides or other non organic products in our garden.  Weeds are either hand pulled or removed by use of our strimmer.  We use only eco friendly products to take care of pests, a mild soap solution using my natural liquid soap and water is often all that is needed, we also encourage beneficial insects as much as we can by providing habitats and not using chemicals.

Our beautiful pool is a natural salt water pool meaning we have cut down on pool chemical use and cleaning products.

This criteria is aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals - 6,12,14 & 15

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals mentioned in the above categories are shown below, for more information about these goals and their global impact please click the link above.

Find out more about our Environment, what we do to help the planet and our plans and policies by visiting our Environmental Info page. You can always contact us to find out more, following our social links below will also provide you with more information and a better insight into our farm and guest house.