Responsible Tourism

Here at The Heron’s Rest Boutique Accommodation in Galway City, we offer our twin town houses for self-catering holiday vacation rentals. Situated right on the banks of the river Corrib, we are lucky to be surrounded by some of the west of Irelands natural beauty. We appreciate and are in awe of the power and beauty of the sea on our doorstep, the wonderful creatures it draws to it and the ever-changing light over the hills of Clare across the bay. With that in mind, we endeavour to run our luxury 5* holiday rentals in as sustainable manner as possible, doing our utmost to play our part in protecting the planet for future generations.

We have switched to a more environmentally friendly electric service provider and use sustainable energy throughout both townhouses. In 2020, all the electricity supplied by our service provider Airtricity , was from renewable energy sources. They are also the largest generator of wind power in Ireland, with Irelands largest  Wind Park, situated outside of Galway City. The wind park has many trails running through it with spectacular views of Galway Bay, making a wonderful day out for a pleasant walking experience, a scenic drive from our centrally located holiday homes.

All cleaning products are eco-friendly, and we use locally made in Connemara  Lilly’s Eco Clean  high quality household cleaning products which are human, animal and environmentally friendly. All toiletry products provided are made from natural ingredients containing no chemicals, handmade and sourced locally. Recycling and compost bins are provided in each property for guests and we encourage guests to be mindful of recycling.

Our gourmet breakfast hampers are full of organic foods that are sourced from local suppliers and includes fresh juice, freshly baked breads, butter, jam, homemade muesli with yoghurt and fruit, farm fresh eggs, farmhouse cheeses with smoked salmon and ham.

For every booking made directly through our website, we plant a Native Irish Tree, through Catch My Carbon , in your name. On check-in you receive your certificate showing the tree name, unique identification and location. Forests help reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Catch My Carbon work with landowners who want to reforest part of their land to create new habitats for wildlife, improving biodiversity and the local environment. We are proud to be a part of this work and continue to make efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and play our role in responsible tourism.

“Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man” Steward Udall