Hotels offer perks in exchange for less housekeeping

February 08, 2010 | Hospitality Industry

First, hotels asked guests to opt out of daily towel replacement for environmental reasons. Then it was bed linens. Now it's the entire room, writes The Wall Street Journal.

Hotels are offering room discounts or other rewards to guests who agree to make do with less housekeeping. As part of their “Make A Green Choice” program, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. offers hotel credit or points in its reward program. At the majority of their Westin and Sheraton brand hotels, guests can earn a $5 credit at any of the hotel’s restaurants, or 500 Starpoints, for every night they opt out of housekeeping—for up to three consecutive nights.

At the Marmara Manhattan, a luxury hotel and residence on New York’s Upper East Side, guests who forgo housekeeping for three days receive a $20 discount for each night they stayed without the service.

About 8.5% of guests who stay at a participating Starwood hotel take advantage of the offer, says Stacy Trevino, a spokeswoman for Starwood.

Get the full story at The Wall Street Journal (free content)

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