I'm not the most environmental fellow, but I'm certainly not anti-environment. I freely admit that. What bothers me is when hotels feel the need to make me feel like I caused an oil spill. I simply hate those annoying little signs instructing me to support their environmental efforts by reusing my towels. Do they really expect me to think their true intentions are as altruistic as those little signs would lead me to believe?
I would take those little cards a little more seriously if they were a little more honest: "Not only would you be helping the environment but you'll also be helping us reduce or contain our costs in a highly competitive industry with increasingly shrinking margins." In fact, I might even pay attention. Or better yet, more hotel chains could go the way of Starwood Properties. At least the fine people there had the decency to introduce the concept of gainsharing into their environmental efforts by throwing a few extra reward points your way for electing to forego room cleanings during your stay. Seems fair enough and is certainly a cost effective way to reward guests for doing the "right" thing.
On the other hand, I mean, it's been well over a year since I've had a cleaning crew picking up after me each and every day; why would I need that same level of service just because I'm staying away from home? For me, there's an inherent expectation built into the "deal" I make with a hotel: I pay you for a room, you give me clean towels every day.
The more expensive the hotel, the fewer of those little cards I want to see.
I would take those little cards a little more seriously if they were a little more honest: "Not only would you be helping the environment but you'll also be helping us reduce or contain our costs in a highly competitive industry with increasingly shrinking margins." In fact, I might even pay attention. Or better yet, more hotel chains could go the way of Starwood Properties. At least the fine people there had the decency to introduce the concept of gainsharing into their environmental efforts by throwing a few extra reward points your way for electing to forego room cleanings during your stay. Seems fair enough and is certainly a cost effective way to reward guests for doing the "right" thing.
On the other hand, I mean, it's been well over a year since I've had a cleaning crew picking up after me each and every day; why would I need that same level of service just because I'm staying away from home? For me, there's an inherent expectation built into the "deal" I make with a hotel: I pay you for a room, you give me clean towels every day.
The more expensive the hotel, the fewer of those little cards I want to see.
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