Luxury hotels are palaces of opulence and indulgence but this doesn’t mean they can't be green. Although keeping that green hue when guests expect extravagant linen and lavish amenities can be tricky. As a pampered luxury traveller what can YOU do to be fashionably green (or chartreuse, or emerald, Darling)?
1. Hang up those 100 per cent cotton, thick, fluffy towels
In my experience over-zealous housekeeping in five star hotels (and after all that’s what we’re paying a premium for) tends to mean that even if you do hang up your towels someone will whisk them away and replace them with fluffy fresh ones anyway. Nevertheless 50 per cent of the time you might save a wash cycle or two.
2. Adjust the thermostat
By lowering the temperature by 2 degrees in cold climes or raising it 2 degrees in hot climes you can save a surprising amount of energy and your body won’t notice the difference. If you can, turn it off and OPEN A WINDOW. This may not possible or wise if you are 30 floors up but one of my benchmarks of a truly luxurious boutique hotel is actually being able to open a window. Thank you Le Meurice hotel for the view over the rooftops of Paris when I opened my stained-glass bathroom windows.
3. Take shorter showers
I love the indulgence of a super shower and luxury hotels are known for having showerheads that are bigger and better than normal – I still remember the restorative power of the Niagara – like flow at The Dorchester, London after a 21 hour flight to the UK. Nevertheless it is a shock to learn that the average five star hotel showerhead spills out 9.4 litres a minute, that is over 140 litres for a 15-minute shower. So enjoy the flow but cut the timing.
4. Leave the pen behind
It is beautiful and streamlined and has the hotel’s name on it but do the Earth a favour and save it from yet another biro landfill. If you must have a monogrammed memento of your stay go to the hotel boutique or take the barely – used toiletries (Bulgari, L’Occitane -you know you’re tempted) they’ve been opened anyway. Which brings me to….
5. Look for hotels with Bulk Amenities
A trend among Asian up market resorts groups such as Banyan Tree and Six Senses, and at Australian properties like Southern Ocean Lodge on kangaroo Island, is to provide stylish refillable ceramic or metal containers in bathrooms. Look for a resort that does this – less packaging and less waste. Which brings me to…
6. Move the Soap
Seriously, when was the last time you used a complete bar of hotel soap... or two or three. Yet luxury hotels scatter beautifully wrapped, scented soap cakes around bathrooms like confetti – I counted five on offer in one luxury bathroom recently. Unwrap one and give it your undivided attention.
7. Ask the Green Question
Asking about the hotels green polices when you book or check in lets them know you care. The more customers show they are aware, the more hotels will respond.
8. Turn Things Off
It is surprising how many people who wouldn’t dream of leaving their own houses with the lights glaring and TV blaring will let a hotel door glide shut behind them with everything still on. So lights, TV, thermostat – turn them off before you leave.
9. Get Yourself a Map
Hotel jogging trail maps can help fitness but a common or garden city map means you can walk from A to B for a business meeting rather than jump into a cab, so at least the taxi won’t be burning a hole in the ozone layer on your account. For leisure travellers by far the best way to get to know a city is by wandering around it on foot.
10. Mention the R Word
I’ve yet to find a hotel that has a recycling bin for paper in its business centre or under the desk in the room and despite all that five star wireless Internet we still generate a lot of paper. Of course this needn’t mean the hotel doesn’t divide rubbish at a later stage. Ask your hotel whether they do re-cycle and have a bin you can use.