Practical, hotel-tested sustainability advice we agree with 👇 As Amy Wald mentioned, this is exactly where tools like Greenview Portal can help turn good intent into action.
If I were an independent luxury hotel with at least $5K to invest in sustainability, here’s exactly what I’d do to stay competitive, reduce operational costs, enhance culture and create a unique offering for the modern traveler. 1. Survey your guests about what sustainability means to them. What do they notice, value, or expect? Very few hotels do this, and the insights are a goldmine. 2. Identify one champion from each department—people who are already passionate or curious about sustainability. Ask them what they think would benefit the team, the guest experience, the community, and the hotel’s bottom line. 3. Start tracking your utilities—electricity, water, and waste. Use a free tool like ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager or a paid platform like Greenview (tons of value in their software beyond a portal to store data). Look back at the last 12 months and find usage spikes. 4. Sub-meter key areas (like kitchens, laundry, or HVAC zones) to find leaks, faulty equipment, or inefficiencies. Sometimes your ROI is literally dripping down a broken pipe. 5. Take inventory of all your single-use plastic purchasing and phase it out. Modern travelers don’t want it—and won’t miss it. Removing single-use plastics completely will help you stand out in a sea of hotels clinging to the status quo- and you may be surprised at what savings comes from it. 6. Reevaluate your minibar. Curate it with local, low-plastic, authentic products that tell a story—and reflect your sense of place. 7. Map out local environmental or community needs—water scarcity, deforestation, landfill pressure, etc.—and align with a credible conservation or community partner. 8. Add a sustainability section to your website. But skip vague statements. Only share what's real, in motion, and meaningful. 9. Train your front desk team to highlight one or two specific sustainability initiatives at check-in. This small shift builds trust and turns guests into advocates. 10. Decide what you want to be known for. Bake that into your sustainability vision, and write an action plan or pledge that your whole team signs. Ownership creates momentum. ⭐ BONUS: Make sure your website is AI-friendly. That means answering real questions prospective guests might ask (“Is this hotel eco-friendly?” “Does this hotel support local communities?”). The more values-aligned content you provide, the more visible you'll be in AI-generated searches. 💚 I help brands tell sustainability stories that people actually care about—and that grow your business in the process. 📣 If you’re a sustainable brand or hotelier and want to be part of The New Luxury—our new mini docu-series—get in touch. I’d love to hear your story. You can check out the first episode in the comments below. ⬇️ #SustainabilityChecklist #HotelEfficiency #GreenluxeApproved #TheNewLuxury #TheModernTraveler #GuestExpectations #HotelMinibar