Even worse is green construction of new properties like the JW Marriott at LA LIVE. The AC in their rooms is weak resulting in warm rooms, the workout room is downright hot, and the low flow shower heads leave soap in my belly button.

Right on w/ both paragraphs. ^

The proof is in the pudding. Marriott wants folk to think they're green, then do some obvious green things other than asking their guests to go w/o to save them some $$. FWIW - I'd say the same of any other chain.

And count me as one of those who actually do follow the towel policy & then come back to find they've all been replaced anyway. And that's across the chain, not just a singular property.

Cheers.

Oh puhleeze - 99.999999999% of the Marriott guests don't know the name of the Prez or management, much less follow their blogs. Give me a break.

Cheers.

For the record I'm not trying to imply anything other than exactly what I stated....MI does believe most business decisions are best made in the field but does strongly encourage the hotels to follow the example being set by Bethesda...many of the hotels do have strong green programs but I'm absolutely certain there are more than a handful that don't.....as has already been mentioned in this very thread there are those that feel strongly about being green and those that believe it isn't worth the time or effort

www.blogs.marriott.com

I still think that you�re overstating the number of properties doing anything.

For the overwhelming majority when I was with MI I was in select service properties for almost my whole time and most of the friends I have that still work with MI are in select service and by in large none of them are at locations that do any kind of recycling.

They do not have the time, manpower, or incentive to purchase hundreds of bins and then actually spend the time and money to have the housekeepers/housemen separate and keep separated the blue bin from the green bin from the garbage.

Until the SOP from Bethesda comes recycling especially at select service locations, which as you know make up the bulk of the MI hotel portfolio, pretty much doesn't exist.

Or even if you see the bins, there is a decent chance that once housekeeping gets a hold of it they are just putting everything in the dumpster/compactor anyway.

I got half of it - Bill is Bill Marriott, but I still don't know who Arnie is. But if he has a blog, he must be important.

http://news.marriott.com/arne-m-sorenson.html

Or at least he must think he's important

99.99+ percent of elite members have no idea who the exectives are nor do they care.

My point exactly. Well actually my point was that 99% of hotel guests aren't going to know who the execs are. And they certainly aren't going to say golly gee, I wonder if he has a blog. I should go read it.

Cheers.

Sounds like Bill M's way more fun to be around!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smug_Alert!

lol - I tend to agree, Bill's way is much more fun

I have always found the "save the earth by reusing the towels" message to be irritating in so many ways. If they would just say help us keep our costs and your prices down, I think they would have at least as good of compliance without the pious sanctimony.

I agree, cmcc, though there would probably be some reading of "keep our costs and your prices down" as "keep our costs and our profits up."

I believe the cost being controlled is labor, not utilities. Less time to service the room if not changing sheets, and far less labor hours in the laundry room running washer and dryer loads, and folding sheets and towels. If utilities are the issue, why does virtually every hotel, even those in the deserts, not give me the option to reduce the water flow rate in the shower? I know some people hate low flow shower heads, but I find most hotel shower flow rates quite excessive. At least give me volume control instead of only temperature control. The combination of the "help us conserve" signs and grossly wasteful showers is especially irksome.

This thread caught my eye due to frustration during our last stay at the lack of recycling at a Denver property. When we asked at the front desk, one employee said he could take our glass and plastic bottles to his apartment's recycle pickup. Nice of him to offer, but Marriott needs to take care of this.

We are opposite. I don't consider myself very green but I'll do the easy stuff. I don't need fresh towels, I don't need fresh linens. I liked the idea someone posted a while back where you could refuse maid service for points....that would be perfect for me!

I don't recycle at home or on the road.

I do drink filtered tap (I use to be a big bottle guy....like multiple cases/week but that has changed).