25 ways to turn your guests green
Your hotel might have a comprehensive green strategy but it can still be compromised if your guests don't play their part. Here are 25 ways to encourage buy-in from them as recommended by members of the Considerate Hoteliers Association.
It makes perfect business sense to implement and pursue environmental policies, but even the most comprehensive strategy can be compromised if your customers don't play their part. Today business can realise financial rewards by being green but you need buy-in from your guests so that all your hard work isn't wasted.
These days televisions are turned off when not in use, lights are energy-saving and food is local and seasonal, but you can make sure guests play their part too. We asked members of the Considerate Hoteliers Association for their tips on how to encourage environmental buy-in from your customers.
1. Philip Newman-Hall
Director/general manager
Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons
In future, guests will be able to opt out of having their bill presented to them in a wasteful envelope or folder, and instead donate 10p to the Plant a Tree charity. Last year, we used 8,500 folders for this purpose and it would be great if we could drastically reduce this number while making a positive environmental contribution to the local community.
2. Christopher Cowdray
Chief executive
Dorchester Collection
When planning Coworth Park we seized upon the opportunity to introduce some of the latest zero carbon technologies, many of which are a first for hotels of this nature in the UK. Guests will be able to enjoy the ultimate luxury that Coworth Park has to offer, while at the same time be confident that they are helping to look after the planet.
3. Alvaro Rey
General manager
InterContinental London Park Lane To ensure customer buy-in we make our processes as simple as possible. For example, InterContinental London Park Lane has purchased multiple memberships of Transport for London's bicycle hire scheme. To make it even easier for guests to choose this carbon neutral, health-enhancing mode of transport we've offered use of our allocation of bikes on a completely complimentary and hassle-free basis.
4. Andrew Beale
Managing director
Beales Hotels If you're serving local food and drink provide detailed information about it to your customers. We do this by way of a booklet which stands on every table and is free to take away. Each page has details of a particular supplier, the number of food miles they travel, photos and logos, and their website address. It gives guests a much greater understanding of what we are trying to achieve with our suppliers and assists them in their choices. We printed 5,000 of these last year and are already going to a second edition as it is such a useful little brochure for guests to take away.
www.bealeshotels.co.uk/downloads/Beales_Group_Food&Drink_Booklet.pdf
5. Melanie Dixon-Phillip
PA to the directors
Budock Vean Hotel , Cornwall (Considerate Hotel of the Year 2010)
6. Liz McGivern
Director of HR and training
Red Carnation Hotels When rooming guests, we ensure that they are told in a sensitive way about the hotel's green policy - hence not leaving the air conditioning on and not having the TV on, on arrival, either. This gives a hint to the guest that they may wish to do the same. We also leave a note in each room, from the managing director, explaining what our green policy is. In it, we update the guest on money saved from the consumption of electricity, a considerable amount of which we are able to donate to charity.
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- The team at Coworth Park has introduced zero carbon technologies including a biomass boiler for fuel |
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Crowne Plaza London saved £60k in a year by reviewing the process for the change of bed linen and towels |