The Fairmont Washington, DC

This hotel was name one of Forbes Traveler's 10 best green hotels in America for 2007 to 2008.

There is a green procurement program, including the reduction of pre-packaging, ensuring that purchase like amenities, supplies, equipment, fixtures and furniture are environmentally sensitive. They encourage green conference planning as well. It's too bad the hotel doesn't more obviously promote its green actions.

This hotel donates soaps and amenities, re-usable items (furniture, linens, and such), and food from buffet lines to shelters, food banks, and soup kitchens. Employees raise money for endangered species preservation. The hotel hosts a "green contest" where each hotel's Green Committee competes for environmental superiority, often exceeding 100 environmental initiatives/year.

To reduce their carbon footprint, this hotel buys wind power, accounting for 10% of its energy intake.

Guests who park a hybrid car at the hotel get a free dessert or park free.

We chose the Fairmont in DC, rather than other options, because of Fairmont's reputation for being sustainable, and because of the award Forbes Traveler's gave it in 2008. It's a beautiful hotel, has great staff, wonderful gardens, and delicious food, but is lacking the "green heart" we had expected to find.

The staff I talked too seemed excited about the green actions the hotel takes. They even raved about the Green Suite the hotel installed; glass block tiles, hardwood floors, energy efficient and lighting options were some of the things they talked about that the suite has. But we got the feeling that the suite was the greenest aspect of the hotel, outside the kitchen's efforts.

The daily newspaper was delivered in plastic bags; we would have liked to not have gotten the paper at all. Our towels hung back on the towel bar were left, as we hoped; but the face cloth and bath mat were taken daily, even though they too were hung up. Oh, and a fresh towel was delivered daily too. There were three printed hotel guides that could have been saved because they were also available on the TV.

We loved the recycling bin in the guestroom. The durable, unlined wastebaskets were a plus too. One day I hope to see all hotels with recycling bins and not lining their wastebaskets.

I hope management and the "green team" can adopt more green actions like the recycling bin and make this beautiful hotel as green as the Fairmont reputation.

November 2008

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