Author: J.Patterson
From compost to coffee, here’s how we care for our castle—with green energy, good food, and a slower way of living.
Author: J.Patterson
From compost to coffee, here’s how we care for our castle—with green energy, good food, and a slower way of living.
When people arrive and pull up to the estate—along the tree-lined, cobblestone entry lane and onto the white gravel drive—they often tell us it feels like home, but somehow better. The breeze moves through the trees, the light shifts gently on the façade, and there’s a sense of calm that settles in.
There’s space to breathe. To think. To gather. To rest.
And, behind the scenes, it’s also a place powered by something deeper: passion.
Passion for history—for what came before. For people. For nature.
We’re not perfect, but we try to make good choices—ones that are better for us, better for our guests, and better for the long-term future of this beautiful estate.
Looking for an eco-friendly castle stay in Poland? Sustainability at the castle isn’t a new idea—it’s more like a return to how these kinds of places were always meant to be run. Why waste what can be used? Why rush when you can take your time? We like to think of it as a home where sustainability meets slow living, set within a beautifully restored countryside retreat.
As of March 2025, the castle runs entirely on green energy. We work with Respect Energy, a Polish company sourcing 100% of its electricity from renewables: 59% from wind, 37% from solar, and the remainder from water and biogas.
Central heating? That’s also eco-friendly. The entire estate—including your showers and radiators—is powered by compressed wood pellets made from reclaimed wood shavings and sawdust, supplied by sustainable furniture producers like Barlinek. Clean-burning and renewable, they keep us warm through Polish winters without fossil fuels.
Growing up with European mums and having lived in Germany for a few years some moons ago, we’ve been influenced by people, places, and practices where sustainability is built into daily life naturally. From simple yet effective cleaning techniques, to supporting local, using and embracing natural materials and fibers so we can breathe and be healthy—and recycle or repurpose them at the end of their current use cycle. We brought that thinking here as much as we could.
We also try to steer away from single-use plastics—so you’ll find filtered water in glass carafes in the rooms. And, as we aim to provide an organic countryside retreat for you to enjoy as your own home, feel free to live the good life, in your bathrobe, sunglasses on, and perhaps a bottle of local brut natur wine chilling.
Here, the rhythm of life slows—as if by design. There’s no rush. One of the greatest luxuries in life is having nothing you have to do, and only what you want to do. We find power in the small details—like the time to enjoy delicious food sourced from people who care as much as we do. When we do the cooking, meals are long and shared. Mornings are quiet. Evenings are full of life.
Whether you’re sipping herbal tea made from mint grown in the castle kitchen garden or reading by the fire, the experience is an invitation to live more in the moment—mindful of the space and nature that surrounds you, whether or not you planned for an intentional, slow escape.
And it’s not just the garden, the castle, or the herbs that make it feel this way. Even the coffee is special: organic beans hand-selected and roasted by a buddy of ours—a marketer turned coffee nerd deeply rooted in the Wrocław ex-pat and eco-food scene. He even built his own roaster just to get the perfect roast for each cup. Love that guy, love his coffee. He’s one of many local artisans we work with, and his care reflects the time and attention that goes into every part of your stay here.
We don’t ask much of our guests—just to be as mindful as you can be. You’ll find guidance on waste separation and compost bins in the kitchens. It’s all easy and intuitive. Part of the natural flow of life here.
Even in the communal bathrooms, we use hand towels rather than paper, and our kitchens are stocked with tea towels rather than just rolls of disposable paper. It’s not only more sustainable—it just feels better.
And for those who choose to self-cater rather than have us take care of the dining—something we offer in our signature style of hyper-seasonal, local, farm-to-table cooking—don’t worry. We’re here to encourage you to explore the local flavors and enjoy a real, grounded food experience.
You can still enjoy many of the same high-quality, slow foods we use when we cook. We even offer a Stock the Pantry service, so your fridge is filled before you arrive—with local cheeses, preserves, eggs, and more, all sourced from our favorite small producers and selected according to your preferences.
We grow organically in raised beds—no pesticides, no artificial fertilizers. Just compost, good soil, and some patience. Companion planting helps, and so does close observation (though we’re still figuring it out). Every season teaches us something new. When there’s an abundance, we preserve what we can—tomato sauces, pickled vegetables, and homemade jams. No refined sugar or artificial pectins here; just local honey and naturally high-pectin fruits like apples to set the preserves.
We let native wildflowers grow freely through April, encouraging bees and butterflies as much as possible. We’ve added lavender and other pollinator-friendly herbs too. Birdhouses are being added throughout the estate to support local wildlife, and slowly but surely, balance is returning to the landscape.
As of 2025, we also have a few new residents: green-legged chickens. They grew up together, raised by Tom—a local farmer near Zielona Góra. As chicks, they grazed only on the most nutritious local fare, and that’s how we intend to raise them here too: free-range across the estate, nibbling on wild herbs, grasses, and safe kitchen scraps like legumes. They’re low-impact, natural, and happy. If all goes well, they’ll begin laying premium green eggs by late summer.
The spaces throughout the castle are shaped by solid, natural materials—chosen both for their practicality (like helping the building breathe) and for how they make us—and you—feel. From the walls and the floors to the furniture and the fabrics, everything is intentionally selected. There’s a groundedness to real wood and stone underfoot, a satisfying heft to the ceramic plates, and a kind of calm that comes from breathable, natural fibers.
We cook with cast iron pots and pans—no Teflon here—and your kitchen is stocked with sturdy wooden cutting boards and glass jars. The tables are wood, the towels cotton, and yes, the pillows are feather-filled—because they just hit differently than polyester (though we also have all-natural rubber options for our hypoallergenic friends).
We’re also honest: not everything is handmade and old-world. Some things—like our technorattan outdoor furniture—are synthetic, but chosen with care. They’re durable, low-maintenance, and meant to be enjoyed in all seasons, year after year. It’s about balance. And practicality.
It’s not just about what you see—it’s what you feel: the softness of the cotton sheets, the warmth of the wood underfoot, the scent of lavender or fresh bread in the air. The weight of something real in your hands. the softness of the cotton sheets, the warmth of the wood underfoot, the scent of lavender or fresh bread in the air.
Everything we do here is with sustainability in mind. For a place like this to endure through the centuries, it’s not a trend—it’s a way of life.
