Setting Up Your Holiday Cottage to be Vegan Friendly

Whether you’re vegan yourself and want to extend that ethos to your holiday let business, or whether you’re looking for a USP to set you apart in a busy market, offering vegan friendly accommodation is a very smart move.

To gain some professional insight on the topic, we have called on the expertise of holiday let interior designer Helen Winter of Coral Interiors.

What is veganism?

While we think immediately of veganism as being based around diet and food choices, avoiding, meat, dairy, eggs, the broader definition from the vegan society helps us here more.

The Vegan Society defines veganism as “a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude— as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals”.

So rather than just what we eat, this relates to materials derived from animals and would include leather/suede, sheepskin, feathers/down, fur, wool, silk and more subtly glue and paint which may have animal derivatives.

But, don’t forget that all important “as far as is possible and practicable”. If your property doesn’t need full redecoration, don’t worry if the existing paint is not likely to be very planet or animal friendly. But when you are ready to redecorate, have a look at vegan paint brands, which are also often way more sustainable and ethical in general.

How to make your home vegan friendly

To be able to offer vegan friendly accommodation, you will need to ensure you include no leather, wool, silk, down and animal fur or skin. This is actually super-easy to do.

As an interior designer, offering vegan interior design, I never struggle to find man-made fabrics for upholstery and curtains. And there is inevitably a cross-over between veganism and sustainability, so do try and avoid petroleum based products, which aren’t biodegradable, OR look for sofas for example made from recycled plastic. This is another huge trend that’s very positive to see online and in furniture and fabric stores.

So here are the key areas to consider when furnishing your holiday cottage:

Bedding

Gone are the days when down/feather were the go-to option for luxury hotels. Far too many people are allergic or simply don’t like feather poking through their pillow or cushion. We use Soak and Sleep ‘Soft as down’ pillows and duvets, which have an incredible loft and are super-luxurious. But you don’t have to worry about mites and being able to wash them as you would down or feather.

Sofas and cushions

Feathers are unfortunately still highly used in cushions, and it is slightly harder to source good filling. If you’re ordering cushions or buying in a shop you can reject the feather and either see if they have a microfibre alternative or buy that separately. Sofas will state whether they include feather and you can generally opt for microfibre, instead.

Who wants to do all that dropping your seat cushions on the floor to plump them? You don’t want your holiday let sofas to look saggy and worn out, so feather was never a good option, anyway.

Now leather and leather-look sofas are a common option in holiday lets as owners think they are more resistant and hardwearing, but honestly I’ve always hated leather and it’s cold in winter and warm in summer feel, especially against bare legs. Fabrics offer colour, texture and pattern and are far more versatile. If you’re concerned about spillage and stains, you can go for ‘family friendly’ fabrics (check the policy to see that it applies to holiday lets) or look at companies like Swift which offer a sofa in a box. If one section of your sofa gets damaged irreparably you don’t need to replace the whole thing, just a section! Amazing!

Wool was commonly found in cushions and throws, and to be honest, way before I was vegan I found wool itchy and uncomfortable against my skin. Some people are allergic to the lanolin in the fibres, so it’s a good option to avoid this. Synthetic throws or cotton are just as good and far easier to clean, another bonus for your holiday let.

Animal skins and hide

Obviously no dead cows spread out across the floor for your vegan-friendly holiday let. But you can create a luxurious and tactile feel with faux sheepskin or faux fur in rugs and throws. Again another benefit is washability.

Top Tip - If you’re wondering where to get vegan friendly interior decorations for the holiday let, help is at hand.

You can start by using Facebook groups or Pinterest posts to get an idea of what is vegan friendly and what isn’t, as well as finding great businesses that provide vegan alternatives for your home.

If you’re still struggling to find companies that provide vegan solutions, why not try Coral Interiors who provide a variety of vegan friendly products on their website.

Keeping the kitchen vegan

So how about the kitchen in your vegan-friendly holiday let? I would suggest house rules to ask that no meat or dairy is used or prepared in the kitchen, but it can’t be policed and you need to show some common sense here.

Extra care may be required in cleaning pots, pans and the hob and grill at changeover, so new arrivals don’t have suspicions that bacon has been cooked on a pan they want to use for pancakes.

Again, refer to the vegan society definition about practicality…you can’t guarantee no meat or dairy has touched the kitchen, but you put it in the rules and ask guests to be considerate. It’s unlikely every booking will be a couple or group of just vegans, but you are doing your best to accommodate them and welcome them to your property.

If you offer a welcome hamper, then oat milk is probably the most popular milk for tea, coffee and cereal these days. Add some vegan biscuits or truffles and a vegan wine (most are these days, but look for the logo) and your guests will feel loved and welcomed on arrival.

Attracting your vegan audience

Facebook to reach out to local vegan and vegetarian groups, and get their feedback and input and also advertise your property.

Offer a discount tie-in with a local vegan shop or restaurant and build links with local businesses so they can in turn advertise you holiday let on their counter or noticeboard.

Perhaps approach a vegan influencer to stay at a discounted rate in return for a review on their social media.

So congratulations on tapping into a huge market, and making the world a better place for vegans and the animals we all love, make sure you use this in your marketing and don’t be shy about it!