HOTELMARKETING.COM

More hotels try fewer sheet changes

July 28, 2005 |

Nearly all Hyatt hotels went from changing each guest's sheets daily to every four days last year. Marriott's more upscale, full-service hotels began switching to every three days — a policy that should be in effect at more than 90% of them by year's end.

Fresh bed sheets every day aren’t automatic in hotel rooms anymore.

In the next two months, Marriott’s Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, Fairfield Inn & Suites and SpringHill Suites brands will begin testing customers’ reaction to changing the sheets every other night instead of daily. “It’s a growing industry trend,” says Marriott’s Steve Samson.

Nearly all Hyatt hotels went from changing each guest’s sheets daily to every four days last year. And early this year, Marriott’s more upscale, full-service hotels began switching to every three days — a policy that should be in effect at more than 90% of them by year’s end. The change, Samson says, is part of the company’s Just Like Home program, which outfits each bed with new bedding and replaces bedspreads with duvet covers.

Many hotels tell guests that less frequent changing of sheets is for environmental reasons. Lisa Finaldi, campaign director for Greenpeace USA, says washing linens less often can be beneficial, because more water is saved and fewer harmful compounds are released into the environment. And, she adds, many hotels bleach linens with chlorine compounds that can damage the environment.

Get the full story at USA TODAY

Visit our sponsors: