Last month, I pondered the inefficiency of a standard hotel room. Well, here’s an example of a supra-standard boutique hotel company that happens to be several shades greener, from their sustainable buildings, down to their organic shampoos and natural cleaning products. And they haven’t just jumped on the green bandwagon, they’ve been doing this since 1985.
Kimpton Hotels, based in San Francisco with over 40 three- and four-star boutique hotels around the US, has made a life-long committment to environmental responsibility. They’ve proven that operating with sustainable values won’t stop them from delivering a premium guest experience. In fact, polled hotel guests say they are loyal to Kimpton because they appreciate the sustainable ethic. A good portion of their clientele are business travelers whose companies have also adopted CSR strategies, and are committed to consuming products and services with the least impact.
You won’t hear about their green initiative on a flashy ad campaign, because Kimpton doesn’t advertise. What they save in the marketing department, they spend on programs for employees and enhancing guest experience, through programs like their EarthCare program.
Through this initiative, Kimpton provides in-room recycling, donates beverage bottled to local charities, prints with soy-based inks on recycled paper, offers organic snacks, gives guests the opportunity to re-use towels and linens, and serves only organic, shade grown and free trade coffees. These are things that any hotel could (and should) do at little or no additional cost, and Kimpton doesn’t stop there.
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