Eco-Friendly Hotel Ideas: 6 Ways Your Hotel Can Become More Sustainable

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Going green doesn’t need to cost more. Speak to a digital transformation expert to see how it can work for your hotel.

What is an eco-friendly hotel?

An eco-friendly hotel works to reduce its environmental impact by employing sustainable best practices in maintenance, services, and supply chains. Measures may include reducing energy and water consumption, aiming for zero waste generation, and using environmentally friendly products. Hotels may also streamline operations using hotel automation software or other systems to make them more efficient. 

How to make a hotel eco-friendly: myths and misconceptions

✘ Being sustainable costs more – While some environmentally friendly practices, like buying organic food, can cost more, many practices focus on reducing resource consumption and waste generation, which saves money. An initial investment may be required to overhaul or replace infrastructure (like installing an energy-efficient HVAC system) but this should pay for itself over time.

Depending on where you are, you may also be able to get grants to make sustainable improvements. In any case, it’s important to take the long view: Sustainability shouldn’t just be a trend but rather an integral part of your business model. Think of any expenditure as an investment in future-proofing. 

✘ Being sustainable comes at the expense of an excellent guest experience – Not at all. Reducing energy use doesn’t mean banning guests from using air conditioning, it’s about leveraging smart appliances and monitoring systems to personalize and optimize energy use to keep guests comfortable and your costs low. Many of the ideas below are suitable for all types of businesses, from large luxury hotels to one-room short-term rentals. 

Eco-friendly hotel ideas that will actually reduce costs

We’ve gone for high- and low-tech cost-saving solutions to the “big” issues that are foremost in consumers’ minds, Namely, reducing plastic and food waste, cutting water and energy consumption, switching to sustainable mobility, and supporting local communities. 

You can implement some of these eco-friendly hotel ideas right now for little or no outlay, while others are a major long-term investment.

1. Reduce plastic waste, starting with keycards 

“Disposable” plastic is rarely out of the news these days, or far from travelers’ minds. Over 50% of Booking.com respondents stated they want to reduce their plastic consumption when they travel again. 

Hotels can help by:

✓ Don’t provide straws or disposable cups and cutlery unless absolutely necessary. When they are required, for example, for disabled people or kids, switch to reusable or biodegradable options like bamboo straws. After the initial purchase, you’ll save on supply and waste disposal. Measures like these will also make you more attractive to businesses looking for sustainable event venues. 

Other ideas include: 

✓ Get rid of single-use plastic water bottles. Give guests a reusable branded bottle and provide water dispensers around the premises instead.

✓ Place pitchers of filtered tap water (assuming it’s safe to drink) on restaurant tables.  

✓Where possible, buy produce in recycled, biodegradable, or sustainable packaging.

✓ If you can’t reduce or reuse, recycle. Place clearly marked recycling bins around the hotel so guests can separate waste.

Related post: Contactless Check-in Solutions for Hotels: Guide + Tools Review

2. Automate energy control

Energy use is a big hotel expense and a major source of CO2 emissions. In Europe, non-residential buildings like hotels account for 25% of all buildings’ energy consumption and are far more energy-intensive than homes. And US hotels spend an estimated $2,196 per room annually on energy, around 6% of operating costs. So every light left on, every empty room cooling down is money wasted. 

Hoteliers can reduce energy use by: 

Did you know? Operto’s technology integrates with smart devices and sensors to enable remote or automated energy control of thermostats, boilers, split A/C units, and lighting so you can monitor room capacity and never need to worry about guests leaving the A/C on when they go out. You can also cool down or warm up the room before they arrive for an improved guest experience.

✓ Save food miles and pesticides by basing your menu around locally sourced, seasonal, organic produce. Food will be healthier and fresher and guests will love it. If you have space, you could even start your own kitchen garden.

✓ An oldie but a goodie: ask guests to reuse linen and towels (and make sure they have enough towel racks). Operto’s Guest Portal allows them to communicate requests to housekeeping while the Housekeeping Portal allows owners to automate and monitor housekeeping operations for greater efficiency and savings.

✓ Use group shuttles to avoid low-occupancy trips and switch fixed-route-and-schedule services to flexible on-demand, for example, to local attractions or for employees between sites. With on-demand, passengers request a ride via app and algorithms match them with others going in the same direction. Optimizing occupancy and ensuring vehicles only circulate when needed cuts fuel and operational costs.

✓ Supporting local farmers, producers, and makers. Use local crafts, toiletries, furnishings, etc. on-site and have items available to buy at reception or in the gift shop. You’ll likely pay more than generic Ikea-style, but go for quality and durability and you should save in the long run. Encourage guests to buy from local artisans instead of generic souvenirs from chain shops. 

✓ Recommend authentic local bars and eateries so guests can avoid chains. Publicize these through Operto’s Guest Portal, which also gives guests the option to place retail or food delivery orders.

✓ Organize visits to local workshops or studios and on-site demonstrations and classes and offer local walking, bike, or hiking excursions and trips to natural or cultural heritage sites and help guests get off the beaten track. Travelers value authenticity and want to avoid the crowds in the wake of Covid-19 so visiting lesser-known sites ticks both boxes and spreads the wealth around a bit.