Major Hotel Chains Going Green(er)

After all these years of cheap energy and waste, big brand hotels are now jumping even higher to get on the green band wagon making it possible for anyone to afford saving our planet. No more linen changes daily, forget about leaving your room with the thermostat set at freezing while you are at Wally World all day. Go ahead, leave all the lights on when you go out, those energy efficient bulbs use a lot less electricity. Take that 30 minute shower, etc.

As a former hotelier I feel qualified to offer my opinion. My advice to hotels to go even more green? Simple, stop building them! Don't we have enough brands and types? Do we need more "boutique" hotels, "loft" hotels, "limited service" hotels, "extended stay" hotels, "resort" hotels, "full-service" hotels, "transient" hotels, "conference" hotels, "casino" hotels, ad nauseum. Everyone claims to be an expert in their "niche" market, but just how many niches does it take to change a traveler? Answer: When hotels start paying you to stay there!

But seriously, here in a nutshell here is what the big boys are doing to capture a bigger slice of "green" travelers:

Motel 6 – retrofitting guest rooms with occupancy sensors that readjust when a guest leaves the room.

InterContinental & Holiday Inns – Wants to cut energy consumption by a whopping 25%.

Marriott – always setting the pace for the other big chains, has replaced over 450,000 incandescent bulbs with the compact, more energy efficient, fluorescent ones. In a major effort to conserve water they have installed low flow showerheads and toilets, and have invested in pre-washed towels.

Starwood – Starwood's new brand Element is to be LEED certified, that means each room will be fully loaded with Energy Star appliances, LED lighting, and state-of-the-art ventilation systems. Grounds will be designed and tended with water-efficient landscaping.

Hilton – (My alma mater in the hotel business) plans to reduce water use at all of its brands, such as Hilton, DoubleTree, and Embassy Suites, by installing water-saving toilets, showerheads, and faucets.

Hyatt – saving millions of gallons of water annually and reducing their overall water consumption by re-fitting rooms with "low-flow" showerheads. .

Special thanks to Brad Tuttle, Budget Travel & MSNBC where I found Brad's article, Have a Green Stay.

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