After a 5.5 hour turbulent plane ride and waiting 25 minutes for a taxi (I got an eco-cab!) in the 101 degree F heat, I finally stumble into my hotel room. I open the door and a heat wave hits me. I don’t know the last time I was inside and it felt this hot.
The thermostat in my hotel room is off. When I turn it on the it tells me it’s 86 degrees F in the room. It takes a full hour for the room to get to a manageable temperature.
I climb into bed a little later and go to turn on the bedside lamp. It doesn’t turn on. I check for a light bulb — that’s not the problem. I reach around the back and the cord isn’t plugged in. I have to blindly grope behind the bed to find the outlet.
“What’s the deal with this hotel?” I ask myself. “Don’t they know I expect things to work?”
Then it occurs to me — the hotel is making an effort to save electricity.
photo credit: pingnews.com
Still, each time I discover another unplugged appliance, my first feeling is one of annoyance. Then, after a moment, I’m thankful for their efforts to be a little greener.
In the morning I wake up, put some water in the coffee pot to heat up water for my tea and turn on the pot. A few minutes later I still don’t hear the drip, drip, drip. It’s not plugged in.
After my shower I pull the hotel dryer off the side of the wall expecting it to turn on immediately, but it, too, is unplugged.
I suppose this is the Catch-22 hotels face. If they don’t make an effort to be more environmentally friendly, consumers say they aren’t green enough. But when they make an effort to be a little greener, customers are annoyed by the minor inconveniences they face.
I’m guessing most people are disgruntled with, rather than grateful for, the hotel’s energy-saving efforts. So today, I’m going to fill out my comment card and thank this hotel for have the thermostat off and the appliances unplugged. Hopefully my gratitude will help offset any complaints they get.
Have you ever walked into a hotel to find all of the appliances unplugged? If so, what was your reaction?
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- Shades of Green Travel: Accommodations
- Pacific Palisades Hotel in Vancouver (a Kimpton Hotel): Review
- 11 Tips and Tricks for Greening your Hotel Stay: 25 Days to Green Travel, Day 16
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I want to hear more about your eco-cab, too!
I have not yet hit a hotel with appliances unplugged. (I’ve recently hit a bad run of hotel rooms with broken air conditioners if that counts!)
When I worked in Japan, my apartment didn’t have central air conditioning–it isn’t common there. I remember the day I came home and it was -11 INSIDE my place. Yum!
It is nice to come home to a comfortable room…but not such a big learning curve to get used to adjusting.
I hope the hotel had some comfortable common areas for you to hang out while your room cooled off!
I’ve run into more broken air conditioners than ones that were shut down but there was that one time in Key Largo. It was hot and muggy as it is most of the time down there. I really didn’t mind though, things cooled off pretty quick and I took a cold shower while the room cooled down.
@Shaula- will do a post on the eco cab.
@Shaula and Graham- it’s amazing how common broken air conditioners are. I too have had a few, luckily the hotel staff have been quick to accommodate.
I totally had the same reaction as you when I read that the lamp wasn’t plugged in – but it totally makes sense. Saving electricity! A novel idea
Wanted to suggest another eco resort that you should check out – La Cocotera Resort in La Barra de Santiago, El Salvador. It’s a beach eco resort that has a program that guests can participate to release baby turtles into the ocean!
Haha .. I travel a lot to many hotels and I must say this is a trend that’s happening. It’s great to see the industry heading green and they are even buying their supplies green too.
Great article. Good stuff.
I’ve noticed a lot of hotels that use thermostats that give false temperature readings. I’ve started carrying a thermometer and have noted that the temp readings can be as far off as 6 degrees. It’s an attempt into luuling customers into thinking the room is cooler than the actual temperature.
air conditioners are really needed specially if you have people with respiratory problems’*”
Hi! I stayed at Laguna Lodge Eco-Resort & Nature Reserve
( http://www.thelagunalodge.com ) a while ago while travelling Central America. They are doing pretty much everything eco that a hotel can do. Solar elec, solar hot water, no chemicals in the pool or spa( they use copper, silver and ultra violet), everything was plugged in as they make their own electricity. They have taken the eco one step furthur than most by serving an incredible meat free gourmet menu. I think they are really setting a good example of how a hotel should be run, while not pushing anything on the guest (They have a room book full of info, but no silly signs around to tell you what not to do). By the way it was also romantic, chic, delicious food, luxurious and worth the experience in every way!