Green Housekeeping - Opting out of Maid Service in a Hotel

[DonRocks]

When I travel alone, I generally opt out of daily housekeeping, using it at most every other day. This fairly recent trend, "Green Housekeeping" and its myriad of other names, is billed as 'helping to save the environment,' and I suppose it contributes to some small degree.

But the reason I use it has nothing to do with the environment; it's to give the cleaning staff - probably overworked and underpaid - a break. The important thing with this strategy is to tip on housekeeping days (including check-out day) as if you had gotten housekeeping each day; otherwise, you're just kidding yourself that you're helping.

I've never really discussed this with anyone before. I suppose if I was traveling with someone, I'd use housekeeping more liberally, but since I travel alone, I can live with reusing my towel, and pulling up my own linens. That's my rationale - am I giving these people a mini-paid vacation? Or am I accomplishing nothing whatsoever?

I am aware that my tips go disproportionately into one person's pocket, with nothing going into another's, and that does bother me some, but I figure if everyone did this, in the long run it would all even out. Plus, the hotel wouldn't be featuring it if it didn't benefit them, so they want you to do it (I'm not assuming the "hotel's best interest" equals the "cleaning staff's best interest" - I'm not *that* naive - my guess is that when enough people begin taking the hotels up on this policy, they can reduce the number of housekeeping staff, thus saving on labor costs).

In a related article, "Be Wary when the Travel Industry Says a Policy is 'for Your Own Good'" by Christopher Elliott on washingtonpost.com

[will_5198]

(I'm not assuming the "hotel's best interest" equals the "cleaning staff's best interest" - I'm not *that* naive - my guess is that when enough people begin taking the hotels up on this policy, they can reduce the number of housekeeping staff, thus saving on labor costs).

^ This. I'd also guess the next generation of long-time business travelers will care less and less about any sort of daily housekeeping services before check-out.

[DonRocks]

^ This. I'd also guess the next generation of long-time business travelers will care less and less about any sort of daily housekeeping services before check-out.

Well, if you think *you're* cynical, I view these "Green Housekeeping" programs as a potential first step towards making Housekeeping an extra fee - just like the checked-bag charge on airlines. That's one of the reasons I brought it up as a discussion - maybe I'm *hurting* the housekeeping staff by not using their services and tipping them well.

(And now you know why people refuse to budge on either gun rights or abortion - they have the same, exact, distrusting, "give 'em an inch, they'll take a mile" mentality that I have about this.)

[The Hersch]

Well, if you think *you're* cynical, I view these "Green Housekeeping" programs as a potential first step towards making Housekeeping an extra fee - just like the checked-bag charge on airlines.

I've been waiting for pay-toilets on airplanes, but maybe we'll get to pay-toilets in hotel rooms as well.

I don't stay in hotels in the U.S. very often, so I have no idea if they do this, but in some European hotels in recent years you have to insert your "smart card" doorkey into a slot inside the room to turn on the lights, which I think is perfectly fine. At one hotel I stayed in a few years ago, I forget in which European city, the desk clerk who checked me in volunteered an extra key-card that I could leave in the turn-on-the-lights slot inside the room--in other words, encouraged me to leave the lights on when I went out. Not quite with the program.

[porcupine]

When I travel alone, I generally opt out of daily housekeeping, using it at most every other day. This fairly recent trend, "Green Housekeeping" and its myriad of other names, is billed as 'helping to save the environment,' and I suppose it contributes to some small degree.

Make no mistake, the only reason hotels do this is to help their bottom lines.  "Helping to save the environment" is just how they're enlisting your cooperation.  The only reason any business in America (with a few exceptions) does anything like that is to help their bottom line.  It's the American Way. Not that I'm cynical or anything.

The first time I encountered something like this was in Santa Fe, in the early or mid 1990s.  The hotel had little cards asking people to re-use their towels in order to save water - I think there was a fairly significant water shortage there at the time, and this seemed a reasonable thing to do.  I started seeing variations on it in many other places, but strangely, even if I'd hung my towel over the shower curtain rod, more often then not I'd get fresh towels, anyway, and my used one was gone.

[darkstar965]

When I travel alone, I generally opt out of daily housekeeping, using it at most every other day. This fairly recent trend, "Green Housekeeping" and its myriad of other names, is billed as 'helping to save the environment,' and I suppose it contributes to some small degree.

But the reason I use it has nothing to do with the environment; it's to give the cleaning staff - probably overworked and underpaid - a break.

Don, This is a wonderful and admirable sentiment but probably misplaced unless in an independent boutique hotel with an owner you know well. The more likely and sad reality ties to supply and demand. Namely, the more people (like you) who demand less housekeeping, the fewer housekeepers needed. Hence, less hiring and more layoffs. This also increases the burden on a smaller cadre of housekeepers handling a constant number of rooms, the opposite of a "mini vacation" though counterintuitively so.

Your hunch:

"I'm not *that* naive - my guess is that when enough people begin taking the hotels up on this policy, they can reduce the number of housekeeping staff, thus saving on labor costs)."

...is a current, and not some future, reality.

"Hotel Housekeepers Say 'Green' Program Eliminates Jobs"

You can be sure the large, publicly-traded, hotel companies like Starwood, Intercontinental, Carlson, Choice and Marriott all collect and analyze such usage data closely while ultimately prioritizing shareholders. These policies are more about cost control and marketing than environmental consciousness. You might reconsider this, enjoy the clean room and stick with your tipping instincts.

Make no mistake, the only reason hotels do this is to help their bottom lines. "Helping to save the environment" is just how they're enlisting your cooperation. The only reason any business in America (with a few exceptions) does anything like that is to help their bottom line. It's the American Way. Not that I'm cynical or anything.

...

Not cynicism so much as realism. That said, there are differences among companies same as with individuals with some more compassionate and long-term-view oriented than others. But that doesn't apply as much here with a strategic policy that has been embraced by the entire industry .

[DonRocks]

Make no mistake, the only reason hotels do this is to help their bottom lines.  "Helping to save the environment" is just how they're enlisting your cooperation.

Don, This is a wonderful and admirable sentiment but probably misplaced unless in an independent boutique hotel with an owner you know well.

...

"Hotel Housekeepers Say 'Green' Program Eliminates Jobs"

Well ... you two will be *pleased* to know, that I'm not as dumb as I look.

I just spent the two previous nights in a boutique hotel, and I turned down a $5 Starbucks gift card on night #1 by *not* participating in the program.

However, the next morning, I called housekeeping directly, and told them I wouldn't be needing any service.

"Nothing at all?"

"Nothing at all."

And I left a $5 tip on checkout day. So, in theory, the hotel never even knew, but the housekeepers got a break. I hadn't thought about the "rooms get dirtier" issue, but I leave a very small footprint in hotels.

All this said, I'm glad I started this topic because I think the word needs to get out about this fraud.

[darkstar965]

Well ... you two will be *pleased* to know, that I'm not as dumb as I look.

I just spent the two previous nights in a boutique hotel, and I turned down a $5 Starbucks gift card on night #1 by *not* participating in the program.

However, the next morning, I called housekeeping directly, and told them I wouldn't be needing any service.

"Nothing at all?"

"Nothing at all."

And I left a $5 tip on checkout day. So, in theory, the hotel never even knew, but the housekeepers got a break. I hadn't thought about the "rooms get dirtier" issue, but I leave a very small footprint in hotels.

All this said, I'm glad I started this topic because I think the word needs to get out about this fraud.

First, I missed the post where someone wrote you looked dumb? Anyone with the knowledge of opera, wine, baseball, food and literature (among a zillion other things) that you have doesn't go in the dumb chapter in my book. Maybe "distracted?" :D

Second, and in spite of the first point, cool you called room service but two things here you may not have considered. First, who answered the phone? Do you know it wasn't a department manager who advises the hotel GM on staffing decisions as needed? And, did you somehow verify that your unserviced room wasn't logged in some way reflecting actual demand for housekeeping services and the associated business decisions?

Finally, I think a bit of a stretch to call this a "fraud." Corporations are profit-maximizing, limited only by laws and regulations. That "green housekeeping" services help us save water and energy to some microscopically small degree doesn't mean they're not also good for business. This is one of a zillion cases (see ingredient lists, hidden fees, etc, etc.) where I think the burden more on consumers to be informed so they can make better decisions in keeping with their own priorities and values. If topics like this help a few do that, that's a good thing.

...So, in theory, the hotel never even knew, but the housekeepers got a break. ...

On a lighter note, your tenacious, but likely futile, efforts to help hotel housekeepers remind me of "The Maestro" episode of Seinfeld when George obsesses about a security guard having to stand all day. That didn't end as intended either. :-)

[lovehockey]

My family's approach:  Yes, dump the used towels on the floor so they get replaced, but keep things orderly (particularly on the sink, where we usually put things back in the toiletry bags we brought) and leave a tip.  The housekeeping service will still be needed, but it won't take long.

[DonRocks]

"Could Your Messy Hotel Room Save the Planet?" by Harriet Baskas on nbcnews.com

[Al Dente]

Tangentially related:

Ever wonder about that little coffee maker in your room? Do you use it? Does housekeeping clean it or just give it a rinse? Would a housekeeper clean it with the toilet brush?What might a deviant guest put in the reservoir?

You're welcome,

Al

[DonRocks]

"Hotels Are Rewarding Travelers for Opting Out of Housekeeping. But Where Does That Leave Workers? by Hannah Sampson on washingtonpost.com