Do you care if your hotel is green or not?!

[spadlet]

Originally Posted by forfismum

From what I hear of hotels in Spain most folks would be happy with a hotel where construction had finished.But how come its important the hotels be green? I thought the idea was to cut out wasteful travel and reduce footprints etc ?So how can you be a true and honest greenie if you go holidaying all over the place?

But if a person hardly eats for few months etc and cycles to another country, will they be allowed to visit relatives/loved ones?

[forfismum]

Originally Posted by spadlet

But if a person hardly eats for few months etc and cycles to another country, will they be allowed to visit relatives/loved ones?

Why,they could even go vist Myrtti in Finland if the cycle but its the point about using all that fuel to fly to Florida or sommat and then complian because the hotel soes not use recycled lavvie paper.

[prashamk]

In india, green hotels means lots of business. most of them are for upward classes and hence quite expensive too.

[ecoholic92]

Originally Posted by LittleMissSunshine

Hi Everybody

My questions to you are as follows:

-Does it matter to you if your hotel is environmentally friendly or not?

-And if yes, would you be willing to pay higher room rates for this?
(as you probably know, green products are not the cheapest in the world)

-What would you expect from a 'green hotel'?

Thanks for your time!!!

Yes. It does matter to an extent. I would pay a higher room rate unless it is obvious that it is inflated beyond necessity.

Some of the things i might expect would be;

- Energy generated from a renewable resource ie: solar, wind etc.
- low pressure shower heads
- phosphate-free laundry services
- energy efficient
- recycling and composting bins readily available
- some sort of controlled lighting ie: room key deactivates light upon exiting

[Karl]

Originally Posted by Mollyh

See my answer to my previous question, plus following LEED specifications in constructing the hotel.

Just in case anyone else wanted to know what the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) system is about:

USGBC: LEED Rating Systems

[macgardener]

Thanks for the LEED link.

Regarding the whole issue of travel not being environmentally friendly, I don't really like to criticise people for taking holidays. Is going a long way by plane worse than holidaying closer to home but towing your boat behind a large petrol-guzzling vehicle and spending your days speeding around a lake, or staying home and . . . oh, I don't know, but I hope you see what I mean? I think we all do things for relaxation and enjoyment that have some sort of environmental impact. Having said that, I just saw something that really did sadden me. There was a question on a travel forum about where to find good pubs during the day and at night and which pubs will have tv's showing the football. Somebody is flying to another country to sit in the pub and watch the footy, just like he could do at home?

[prashamk]

Very rightly said. Why do we need to go for holidays that too at the currently observed freqency? Can't we relax at our home?

I have arranged for all the things I like at my home itself. I have a snooker table, small swimming pool (actally more sort of a jacuzzi tub), a great rocking chair, good library and a 42 Inch Plasma Tv with great DVD collection. I am a businessman and whenever I feel like taking a vacation, I spend couple of days away from my phone and its great.

[forfismum]

Originally Posted by spadlet

But if a person hardly eats for few months etc and cycles to another country, will they be allowed to visit relatives/loved ones?

But would they go nuts on the burgers when they get there ? I,mean it could be a con-trick to do the skinny thing for a few weeks then have to be air-ambulanced home after an overdose of supersizedwith cheeses? What if hunger drove them to cannabalism and they ate the loved ones newborn?

[spadlet]

Originally Posted by macgardener

Somebody is flying to another country to sit in the pub and watch the footy, just like he could do at home?

You should meet some of the blokes I went to school with. They paid £100 odd for a Galstonbury ticket just to partake in 24hr dringking of over priced alcohol and have competitions over who could go the longest without needing the toilet and who could pass out wake up and keep drinking hte most in a day. The odd one or two did check out the odd gig/show, but most of it could have been done at home MUCH cheaper.

[Besoeker]

Originally Posted by LittleMissSunshine

Hi Everybody

As I wrote in one of the other threads, I'm currently in the middle of writing a big assignment on 'Green Hotels'.

Therefore I have a few questions that I'd love if you would take your time to answer.. every answer will be much appreciated!

My questions to you are as follows:

-Does it matter to you if your hotel is environmentally friendly or not?

-And if yes, would you be willing to pay higher room rates for this?
(as you probably know, green products are not the cheapest in the world)

-What would you expect from a 'green hotel'?

Thanks for your time!!!

Hotels run as a business. They will be green to the extent that it reduces costs but not so green that it jeopardises custom.

Typically, they will put up a notice in the bathroom to encourage you to reduce laundry of towels claiming reduced environmental impact. What they fail to mention is that it will reduce their laundry costs. I'm not against the initiative, but the lack of total honesty doesn't sit well with me. And really, who do they think they are kidding?

To answer your specific questions...

Yes, I'd prefer that a hotel was environmentally friendly.

No, I wouldn't expect to pay for higher room rates. The green measures they implement are to reduce their costs. That shouldn't increase mine.

I would expect service as usual.

Good luck with your assignment!