We also avoid single-use plastic wherever possible. You will therefore find refillable shampoo and shower gel dispensers in the guest rooms instead of lots of small disposable products. In this way, we reduce packaging waste and conserve resources at the same time. We also focus on sustainability when it comes to cleaning: our staff use automatic water dispensers that provide an optimum mix of water and detergent. This not only ensures a constant dosage, but also saves plastic waste thanks to refillable systems.

As part of the Green Dot recycling program, we actively contribute to keeping recyclable materials in circulation. Our homemade products such as jams and sausages are also packaged in reusable jars and integrated into this program.

This is how we combine enjoyment, convenience and environmental awareness.

Our homemade jams, schnapps and liqueurs are made from our own fruit. In this way, we not only preserve the natural taste of the region, but also avoid long transportation routes and unnecessary packaging. In this way, enjoyment and environmental awareness are combined in a completely natural way.

We also consistently rely on regional supply chains for our other foods: We source fish, meat, flour, muesli, wine and other drinks, as well as much more, from partners in the Rhön region who share our values. Quality, sustainability and fair cooperation are particularly important to us.

For us, sustainability not only means ecological responsibility, but also social responsibility. The majority of our team comes from the region and benefits from short working distances. We provide our own apartments for employees who come to us from further afield. In this way, we create fair conditions and a working environment that respects people and nature in equal measure.

For us, regionality is not a trend, but an attitude that we live by every day and pass on with every one of our products.

The natural material not only creates a warm, pleasant room climate, but also ensures a healthy living environment. Wood breathes, regulates humidity and thus contributes to a pleasant atmosphere. This makes the rooms ideal for concentrated work, inspiring meetings and relaxing hours.

We deliberately use local wood from sustainable forestry, processed by regional craftsmen. This keeps transportation routes short, conserves resources and strengthens regional value creation.

With every step you take on our solid wood floors, you experience a piece of sustainability in action.

Pure new sheep's wool is a natural insulating material that absorbs noise, improves room acoustics and creates a quiet, relaxed atmosphere, making it ideal for our seminar rooms, guest rooms and guest rooms. At the same time, the wool regulates temperature and humidity, which keeps the room climate naturally pleasant.

Our furniture and curtains made from virgin sheep's wool come from sustainable production and regional sources. They are durable, recyclable and help to reduce the ecological footprint of our home. With every step, every sound and every glance at these natural materials, our guests feel the combination of comfort, aesthetics and environmental awareness.

At Hotel Sonnentau, we combine sustainability, functionality and well-being in a natural way, straight from the Rhön.

Our showers are equipped with water-saving shower heads that significantly reduce consumption while still offering a pleasant showering experience. We also focus on environmental friendliness in our swimming pool: thanks to a special treatment technology, the water can be cleaned, treated and reused in the cycle. This not only saves valuable drinking water, but also energy and cleaning agents.

Another important contribution to conserving resources is our on-demand towel service. Our guests decide for themselves when their towels are changed. In this way, we avoid unnecessary laundry and significantly reduce water and energy consumption without compromising on comfort.

With these measures, we are demonstrating Sustainability starts with the small, everyday decisions and each of them helps to protect our environment in the long term.

Precious lime plaster regulates the moisture in the walls in a natural way, protects the masonry and at the same time ensures a pleasant indoor climate. Thanks to its durable, robust structure, it helps to keep heat in the house and save heating energy. It therefore supports our environmentally friendly energy efficiency in a simple but effective way.

What's more, lime is a natural, ecological material that requires no chemical additives and is fully recyclable. This is how we combine insulation, sustainability and a timelessly beautiful appearance in Sonnentau.

We have been heating our house with a modern wood chip heating system since 2004. The wood used comes exclusively from the Rhön and is obtained from bark beetle wood and thinning measures. In this way, we make sensible use of existing resources and at the same time promote the maintenance of the regional forests.

One special project is our own energy forest, in which fast-growing poplars are cultivated. Once harvested, these provide new wood chips for our heating system - a regional, closed energy cycle that combines nature and technology in a sustainable way.

In this way, we make an active contribution to climate protection every day with foresight, responsibility and real energy from the Rhön.

Fladungen/Rhön The Rhön has been officially awarded the title of "Sustainable Destination" and thus bears the award recognized in German tourism by the certification company TourCert. The certificate was awarded at the international travel and tourism trade fair ITB Berlin, where Yvonne Heider, Managing Director of TMH (Tourismus Management Hessen UG), together with Helena Jetses, Sustainability Officer of TMH, presented the award on March 5, 2024.

>> Read more: https: //www.rhoen.info/w/auszeichnung-nachhaltiges-reiseziel

We are also proud to be part of sustainable travel in the Rhön. We can say with conviction: "We are part of it!" - and not just since yesterday. Here at the Sonnentau, we have been building on sustainable energy generation, regional product purchases, reuse, homemade products, a lot of in-house work in all areas and more for years. We will continue to do our best to protect nature and the environment.

On 03.04.2024 we were honored as an official partner. Ms. Nadine Flügel of Rhön GmbH awarded us the certificate "Sustainable Destination Rhön". As a partner business, we support the sustainable development of the destination and are committed to the destination's sustainability process and strive to constantly improve in this area.