Have you ever looked askance at a hotel’s eco-friendly policies, the sceptic in you wondering if reusing bath towels and foregoing decent illumination isn’t more about saving money than saving the planet?
Then you should admire the Hans Brinker Budget Hotel in Amsterdam, which says its lack of services and features makes it “the most accidentally eco-friendly hotel on the planet”.
The green-wash begins in the lobby “where, to lessen our impact on the environment, staff do as little as possible for guests”. An “eco-elevator ensures the only energy spent going to the room is the guest’s”. Yes, it’s a stairs.
Telephones, TV and mini bars are “just a few expenses our hotel is prepared to avoid to save our planet”.
Here eco-lighting means a naked bulb while every room comes with a “carbon neutral, eco-friendly, climate control system that’s also easy to use”. Yes, it’s a window.
The showers dribble (saving water) while the loo rolls, to judge by the ads, are typically nothing more than empty cores. But before you think about a fruitless trip down to reception to complain, remember the hotel prides itself on topping the industry standard for ignoring complaints.
As for the towel issue, it’s hard-core green. “Leave the towel on the rack, we won’t wash it. Throw the towel on the floor, we still won’t wash it.”
It does at least have a bone fide eco-courtyard in which to consider your options. It is solar heated – "when the sun is out". Whatever about the environment, for those weary of marketing it's a breath of fresh air.
hansbrinker.com
