Marriott today announced a new campaign to reduce water use throughout their more than 9,000 hotels. This comes on the heels of successfully eliminating single use toiletries in favor of wall-mounted bulk products.
With today’s announcement dubbed “If It’s Yellow Let It Mellow, If It’s Brown Flush It Down” the global hotel giant will encourage guests to flush in-room toilets less frequently.
Reducing hotel ownership cost has been a core focus since the acquisition of Starwood hotels. Marriott committed that the combined loyalty program, eventually named Bonvoy, would come at a lower cost to owners. Now the various REITs and Trusts that own the real estate carrying Marriott’s more than 30 brand flags will spend less not just on loyalty and shampoo but on water, too.
The new campaign will have three steps.
- Education. Consumers will receive a card in their bathrooms asking them to conserve water and flush the toilet “only when they go number two.”
- Bonus points. Loyalty program members will be offered 100 points in exchange for agreeing to turn off the water to their rooms. They will have to request water activation as-needed, detailing their planned bathroom use via the chain’s award-winning mobile app.
- Redesigned common spaces. New build properties will eliminate in-room toilets altogether in favor of common use bathrooms on each floor which can be electronically monitored with flushing centrally controlled.
Bathroom at the St. Regis Bangkok
Vice President of Sustainability and Cost Controls Curtis Hoteling says in the April 1st announcement, “two years of customer surveys and extensive interviews have taught us that guests care deeply about the environment and expect Marriott to lead the way in sustainability. Our loyal members are happy to make small sacrifices for big savings. With a new offer of 100 Bonvoy points per stay, we’re truly keeping to our promise of ‘Rewards, Reimagined’.”
Well played.
You had me going there for a long time! I believed it until I read point #3. Congratulations, good one!
You’re so quirky and unique
Almost sh*t the first time I read. At least I’d get to flush.
They can take a step further by collecting rainwater to flush toilets and urinals, too…
Common bathrooms, no way time to find another chain
Disgusting. Marriott hotels are turning into hostels. People get up all hours of the night. A majority of people sleep in the nude. How does that work??????
The sad part is that I would have believed it if steps 2 and 3 hadn’t been in the post. 🙂
I do this already.
If it’s brown it’s round… I am sure this is just another reason that I would rather stay at another property like a Hilton property than a Marriott property!
Common area toilets is the fastest way to lose customers. I wouldn’t stay for free at any hotel without a toilet in room. Mr Hoteling would be wise in sending out another survey quickly to a much larger audience that represents the multitude of people that makes up the customer base of 9,000 plus hotels simply asking them if they prefer a hostel setting rather than a private bathroom with a private toilet. Perhaps soon Mr hoteling will do away with toilet paper to add to this insanity. I wonder if he has taken into consideration the health issues & concerns of leaving standing germ infested urine for hours and the smell of the urine permeating throughout the hotel’s corridors. With that happening there will be a need for additional deodorization supplies & costs and of course an impact on the environment when adding in room deodorization chemicals in whatever packaging forms that will definitely be needed. Mr hoteling would be better off doing a service to the environment by composting all of the food waste that the hotel chain disposes of & keep toilets where they belong in a hotel room.
Talk about enshitification!