It’s no surprise that, in an world increasingly aware of the environment, people want their holiday accommodation to be as respectful of the world as they are, if not more so.


The findings, confirmed by a poll from energy supplier E.ON, show that of 2,000 people surveyed, a hotel showing good ecological credentials would be more attractive to someone looking to book a holiday. Features which were particularly appealing were renewable energy sources like solar panels, or low energy lighting, with almost 20% of respondents saying that they would actively look for these when choosing their accommodation.


How can you make your hotel or B&B more appealing to this new eco-friendly consumer? There are plenty of ways to increase your credentials. Save water with low-flow shower heads, which cut down on the amount of water needed by mixing the water flow with air, or look at installing water savers in toilet cisterns, decreasing the amount of water needed to flush the toilet.


Power saving is big news. Make a start with low energy LED lightbulbs, and install sensors for communal areas so that lights only come on when needed. When you replace your white goods, look for low energy models. Get staff on board, too – turn down the air conditioning, turn off unnecessary lights, and keep heating to a minimum.


A comfy bed is the deciding factor for many guests. If you’re restocking your mattresses, try to find a company which can take the old ones away for recycling. Alternatively you can also use a bed topper to bring new life to a mattress and save from having to purchase a new one. Duvets can be eco-friendly too. Our Tencel duvet is crafted from a unique blend of eco-friendly soft tencel and polyester fibres to keep you warm and cosy to ensure a good night’s sleep.


Want to take your eco credentials a step further? Look at what your building can do to help. Adding insulation or investing in a reflective roof covering will help keep your premises cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Regulating the temperature this way will also cut down on your energy bills, as you’ll need less electrically powered heating and cooling.


With one-third of guests in the E.ON survey saying that they’d like to see a rating system for each establishment’s eco status, why not get them involved? Recycling is a really easy way to do this. Recycling bins, which encourage the guests to separate their paper, aluminium and glass waste can be put into rooms and communal areas. If you’ve got open fireplaces, recycled paper can be compressed into bricks, which can be burned in place of logs.


Finally, look before you buy. Impress guests and staff by going cruelty-free and eco-friendly with your choice of in-room toiletries, and commercial cleaning products. Organic, Fairtrade and cruelty-free products are becoming more widely available, so why not stock up?


However you choose to become more sustainable, your customers and the environment will thank you for it.