If the idea of flight-free travel conjures images of crammed coaches or dull detours, think again. A new partnership between two B Corp-certified pioneers—Inhabit Hotels and slow travel specialist Byway—is flipping the script on eco-conscious tourism.
From the leafy streets of Paddington to the misty Highlands of Scotland and the cobbled canals of the Netherlands, these tailor-made itineraries prove that ditching the plane doesn’t mean skimping on experience.
Launched this spring, the collaboration offers three new flight-free travel routes beginning and ending at Inhabit Hotels’ tranquil locations in Southwick Street and Queen’s Gardens, just a stone’s throw from Paddington Station.
It’s here that the journey begins—not with a TSA queue or overpriced baggage fees, but with a hot cup of something herbal and a breath of calm Scandinavian air.
“Our guests seek more than just beautiful rooms,” says Samantha van Exter, Head of Hotels at Montcalm Collection.
“They travel with intention. Our partnership with Byway enables them to carry that intention throughout their entire journey, with the reassurance that Inhabit Hotels await their return.”
Railways, Routines, and Rugged Coastlines
The curated itineraries unfold like a slow-motion postcard reel. The Cornwall route winds through the artistic nooks of St Ives, the vintage charm of Padstow, and the coastal calm of Bodmin. The pace is unhurried, the air salt-laced, and the vibe distinctly un-airport.
Eastward, travellers hop aboard the Eurostar and surface in the Netherlands, where the itinerary snakes through canal-threaded cities like Haarlem, Delft, and Utrecht. Elegant, cultured, and connected—without the carbon guilt.
Then there’s Scotland. Here, the route from Edinburgh to Fort William via the legendary Kyle Line offers some of the UK’s most jaw-dropping rail scenery. You won’t find tray tables or turbulence here—just lochs, peaks, and the occasional deer playing peekaboo from the heather.
These journeys, powered by Byway’s smart routing tech and grounded in generations of local insight, are more than just transport—they’re therapy. Trains, ferries, and buses string together landscapes and moments, building a story that no direct flight ever could.
The Conscious Hotel for the Conscious Traveller
Inhabit Hotels doesn’t just look sustainable—it lives it. One of the first UK hotels to achieve B Corp status and proudly holding the Green Key certification, Inhabit blends wellbeing, design, and purpose with quiet confidence.
Inside, it’s all natural textures—linen, rope, timber—and soothing Scandinavian minimalism. Guests are gently nudged to unplug (lockboxes for phones are in every room), nourish themselves (thanks to plant-forward menus crafted by Yeotown), and reconnect with nature (spa treatments are inspired by forest walks, not sterile white walls).
Fancy a stroll? Borrow a bike or join a nature walk through Hyde Park. Or pick up a book from the curated library and rediscover the long-lost art of doing absolutely nothing.
A Different Way to Depart—and Return
As aviation comes under growing environmental scrutiny, flight-free travel is no longer a fringe concept—it’s a necessity for the forward-thinking traveller. Train travel, emitting over 90% less carbon than flying, delivers not only sustainability but also a rare sense of immersion.
And that’s the point. These itineraries aren’t about getting there quicker. They’re about seeing more, wasting less, and experiencing travel as it once was—an act of wonder, not just transit.
So if your soul craves the rhythm of the rails and your conscience has had enough of the clouds, consider stepping out of Paddington with a purpose.
With Inhabit and Byway as your guides, the journey is as restorative as the destination—and not a boarding pass in sight.
