How to Vet a Hotel’s Sustainability Claims: 5 Questions That Get Real Answers

TL;DR: Green claims are everywhere. These five questions will help you sort promises from proof in minutes, before you book.

Travel is full of beautiful words: mindful, eco, sustainable, conscious. We love them. But the best hotels don’t just say the words, they measure them, publish them, and invite accountability. Here is how to spot the difference quickly, confidently, and kindly.

The Five Questions

1) “Could you share your latest impact report or third-party audit?”

Look for something recent and specific: an impact or sustainability report, a B Corp assessment summary, a certification with scope and dates, or an independent audit. You don’t need to read 80 pages. Scan for goals, metrics, and year-over-year change. If nothing is public, ask for a 1-page summary. If the hotel cannot share anything at all, that is a signal.

What good looks like: Numbers with baselines and timeframes (for example “waste diverted: 58%, up from 44% in 2023”). Clear ownership (“Sustainability Lead: …”).

Hotel example: Eden Rock, St. Barths consistently publishes detailed sustainability updates and participates in external audits, showing guests exactly how its commitments translate into measurable progress.

2) “How do you support local livelihoods?”

Impact is felt most through people. Ask about percentage of local hires, training hours, apprenticeships, and how much the hotel spends with local suppliers and makers. Bonus points for fair pay commitments and partnerships with community organizations.

What good looks like: Procurement goals (“40% spend with local suppliers”), transparent wage policies, named community partners, guest experiences that pay local creators fairly.

Hotel example: The Betsy in Miami invests deeply in local artists, cultural programming, and neighborhood partnerships, proving that hospitality can be a platform for community voices and fair opportunity.

3) “What’s your approach to food waste, water, and materials?”

This is where operations become outcomes. Ask how surplus food is tracked, donated, repurposed, or composted. Ask how water is reduced and reused, and how materials are repaired and reused before being replaced. Refill amenities? Linen life extension? On-site gardens or regional sourcing?

What good looks like: A tracking system (weekly or monthly), diversion targets, donation partners, refill systems, and circular design choices (repair before replace).

Hotel example: Alila Seminyak in Bali takes a systems-based approach, partnering with local waste initiatives and integrating water-saving and refill programs into daily operations without compromising guest comfort.

4) “Which biodiversity or cultural projects do you support, and how are communities involved?”

Conservation without community is fragile. Cultural storytelling without consent is extractive. Ask about free, prior, and informed consent for cultural programming. For nature projects, ask which habitats or species are involved and who monitors outcomes.

What good looks like: Named projects and places, community governance or co-management, and simple updates (“two seasonal surveys, 300 native trees established, trail erosion reduced”).

Hotel example: Sossusvlei Desert Lodge in Namibia works alongside conservation groups and local communities to restore fragile desert ecosystems while protecting wildlife corridors and honoring indigenous knowledge of the land.

5) “Who is accountable for your targets?”

Great intent needs structure. Ask who leads sustainability, how progress is reported, and what happens when targets are missed. Is there board oversight? Is any part of leadership compensation tied to impact?

What good looks like: Clear roles, timelines, public updates, and the humility to adjust when the data says to.

Hotel example: The Omnia in Switzerland integrates sustainability into executive decision-making and openly communicates progress, showing that impact is not a side project but part of core leadership responsibility.

“Ask in 60 Seconds” (Copy/Paste Email)

Hi [Hotel Team], 

I’m considering a stay and love your values. Could you please share either your latest sustainability/impact report or a short summary with recent metrics (e.g., waste diversion, local procurement %, water per guest-night)? I’d also love to know one local partner you support and who leads your impact work internally. 

Thank you—looking forward to learning more, 

[Your Name]

Your 24-Hour Guest Impact Checklist

Before you book: Ask the five questions. Choose a hotel that shares specifics. 

At check-in: Request the refill option, local-maker map, and community experiences. 

At meals: Try the “imperfect” produce dish, finish plates, ask about donation or composting. 

Housekeeping: Opt for linen reuse and refill amenities, request repairs over replacements where possible. 

Shopping: Buy directly from local makers featured by the hotel. 

After your stay: Leave a review that praises specific practices and names local partners. Your words help good work spread.

Why this matters

Impact is not abstract. It is a paycheck that stays in the neighborhood. It is a river that runs clearer next season. It is a story told by the people who lived it. When we ask better questions, we find better answers, and the places we love are stronger for it.

Ready to travel with purpose? Start with the five questions. Choose the hotel that answers. Then go, and enjoy the kind of stay that makes leaving a place feel like leaving a gift.