2 minutes with – Alison Mansfield, General Manager – The Clayton Hotel
After an award-winning refurbishment, The Clayton Hotel has made great strides towards bringing its Living Green ethos to life. We took two minutes to chat with Clayton Hotel’s General Manager, Alison Mansfield, to find out more – plus Alison’s favourite spots to eat and explore, just a stone’s throw from the hotel!
As General Manager, in what way does sustainability fit into your role?
A big part of my role is ensuring Clayton Hotels’ ‘Living Green’ ethos is at the heart of everything we do. Every Clayton Hotel is committed to continuously improving its processes and practices to reduce environmental impact, and here in Bristol, I’m lucky to have a passionate, dedicated team who share our vision and truly understand the importance of aligning our hotel with the city’s net-zero ambition.
What is your proudest achievement so far in terms of sustainability?
Sustainability is at the heart of Clayton Hotels’ strategy, with 80% of our hotels holding Gold Green Tourism Certifications. Here in Bristol, we were proud to achieve gold in 2022 with an 85% score, and thanks to our dedicated team, we’ve secured Gold every year since we opened.
Another achievement we’re especially proud of is winning the Green Initiative Award from the Bristol Hoteliers Association in 2022. Having only just opened our doors that same year, it was an honour to be recognised for the sustainability measures we put in place during our renovation.
What is the biggest challenge you face in achieving your sustainability goals?
We’ve made great progress toward our climate goals – especially during the hotel’s renovation, when we installed solar panels and air source heat pumps, significantly cutting our energy use.
The ongoing challenge is balancing a great guest experience with our environmental commitments. For instance, we set indoor temperatures, including guest rooms, for optimal energy efficiency, but guests can adjust them as needed. We recognise that comfort is personal, and what works for one guest won’t necessarily work for another.
To help bring our guests along the journey with us, we are continuing to train our teams on the why behind our efforts, so they can confidently communicate any changes we make.
Where is your favourite spot for a weekday lunch in Bristol, and why?
It’s great to have so many independently run and local restaurants and bars within walking distance of our hotel. My personal favourite is The Olive Works at St Nick’s Market. I love that they have such good quality fresh produce, and they cater for vegans and offer gluten-free options. Their summer salads are great!
What do you love about Bristol and why?
I love the culture and history. Bristol is such a transformative and inspirational city. Where else can you discover the history of engineering, go on a street art trail, and learn about the war in the Old City while balloons fly overhead?
Where do you go for your local nature fix?
On the weekends, I love to go for walks in North Somerset, it is a 15-minute bus ride away and there is a cycle track from the Harbourside through Long Ashton and up into the beautiful Ashton Court. If I am on duty on a Monday, we like to take what we call a “Mile on a Monday” walk around Castle Park. Although it’s right in the city centre, you can feel you’re away from the hustle and bustle.
To find out more about The Clayton Hotel and their Living Green mission, visit:
Hotel in Bristol City Centre | Clayton Hotel Bristol City
Through our Climate Action Programme collaboration with the City Centre and Redcliffe & Temple Business Improvement Districts, we’re keen to showcase climate progress and create more opportunities for businesses to learn from one another.
If you have an initiative or project we can shout about, please do get in touch with bex@bristolclimatenature.org.
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