Thursday, March 1, 2018

Green Living: Opt-out of Housekeeping at Hotels


By Kristie Murru

In an effort to become more sustainable, hotels are choosing to be rid of housekeeping.  In exchange for extending rebates, hotel points, etc, while at check-in or another time during their stay, guests must choose to opt-out of housekeeping.  Reporter Abby Ellin for the New York Times was asked by the clerk at the hotel Flamingo in Las Vegas if she would like to “forgo housekeeping” in exchange for a “$10 a day food voucher.”  The reasoning the clerk gave for offering guests a chance to opt-out was that some guests prefer to be left alone on their trips.  Reasons hotel guests sometimes refuse housekeeping include hangovers and being annoyed when bothered.

Experts suggest that this move is smart for the hotels, as many young travelers complain that there is no point to have sheets and towels changed every day.  Changing sheets and towels everyday is a waste of water, energy and not to mention the amount of cleaning chemicals that are rinsed down the drain.  Realistically, the average individual at home does not change their sheets or towels everyday, so it should be the same for hotels.  It should at least be an option, much like the little slips of paper you often find in hotel rooms that encourage you to pass on changing your towel.  If people are aware that such things are an option, it may be surprising to see how many actually choose to participate. 

A google search of “hotels that offer points instead of housekeeping” prompted me to Marriott.com.  Upon further research, I found that guests that stay at any of the participating hotels owned by the Marriott are eligible to forgo housekeeping up to three consecutive nights of their stay.  Each night will then provide 250 points per night for the Marriott’s reward system.  For individuals that travel often and frequent the same hotels wherever they go, participating in this reward system can be extremely beneficial.         

Another opportunity offered to guests that skip housekeeping is that hotels like the Shade Hotel Manhattan Beach and the Shade Hotel Redondo Beach in California partnered with a nonprofit called “Plant with Purpose.”  This nonprofit will plant a tree for every guest that chooses to forgo housekeeping.  According to an article by NBC, the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at Seaworld had almost 1,000 guests choose to opt-out.  In exchange, they were given $5 food vouchers for on-property vendors or 500 Hilton Honors points.  With that many guests participating, the hotel saved 13,000 gallons of water and $12,000.

The ethics of whether people will lose their housekeeping jobs does not seem to currently be a factor.  If we are to assume that people are choosing to opt-out of housekeeping everyday, that in turn requires less of a labor force.  Only time will tell if the environmental benefits will ultimately outweigh this downside.

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