More Hotels Now Offering Optional Housekeeping

I first wrote about Starwood's optional housekeeping program called "Make a Green Choice" a little more than a year ago. (See article.) It first started at the Sheraton Seattle and the Sheraton Kauai Resort and then was rolled out to all Sheraton and Westin properties. Guests who participate in "Make a Green Choice" can opt out of not only towel and linen replacement but also all housekeeping for a day. Guests can participate for one night or up to three nights during their stay. To participate, guests must hang a "Make a Green Choice" card outside their door before 2 a.m.

For each night guests participate, they are given a $5 gift card to use at any of the hotel's restaurants or 500 Starpoints as part of Starwood's loyalty program. I lauded the program as a great idea in my column about it. I still believe it is a great idea.

Denver-based Sage Hospitality just announced its own variation of "Make a Green Choice." It is calling it "Green Choice." Sage's portfolio includes some Starwood properties, including two Sheratons, so it is no surprise that Sage was already familiar with and using "Make a Green Choice." Sage, however, is extending "Green Choice" to 18 of its hotels, including non-Starwood properties. At The Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel, for example, guests are encouraged to opt in with a $5.00 food and beverage credit or 500 Marriott points. Management reports an average of 100 guestrooms participating weekly, reducing the hotel's water use by four to five gallons per room and overall linen load by 200 pounds per week.

From an environmental and business standpoint, "Make a Green Choice" and "Green Choice" certainly make a lot of sense. From a corporate social responsibility standpoint, however, things start getting a little fuzzy. If a hotel gets to the point where it is laying off housekeepers because of the success of a green initiative, is that necessarily a good thing? I recently read an article that mentioned housekeeper resistance to "Make a Green Choice." Apparently, in addition to worrying about losing their jobs and reduced hours, housekeepers are not too happy about having to clean a room that has gone uncleaned for several days. It is a lot more work.

What are your thoughts on "Make a Green Choice" or "Green Choice"?