When you travel, do you make sure the accommodations you book maintain an eco-friendly property? With hotels this question is fairly easy to answer, but you have to dig a little deeper when booking via rental marketplaces like Airbnb, VRBO, Vacasa, etc. The hotel industry has an unsurprisingly substantial impact on the environment so choosing an independently run vacation rental can already be a sustainable act, but recently I started wondering how else I can ensure that my travels align with my own eco-friendly practices.
The perk of these vacation rental sites is that you can often connect with your host before you book. I think this is a great time to ask questions and ensure you’re totally comfortable staying in the host’s space, particularly during Coronavirus. Here are 3 questions you can ask that say a lot about your host and their property.
What do we do with trash? Do you recycle?
Don’t assume your Airbnb has recycling, compost, or other trash services, even if you know that the town you’re staying in generally does. I’ve stayed in too many Airbnbs only to realize there was no recycling available. My friends and I joke about the times we’ve “packed out” bags full of recycling after group getaways… But it’s not always possible, and it’s obviously never ideal to road-trip home with a trunk full of trash!
This is a simple question you can ask, and then decide how to proceed. Is staying at a particular property worth it if you can’t properly dispose of your post-vacay waste? Further, if they don’t have eco-friendly practices in place, it’s not too presumptuous to conclude that they probably don’t consider “green” hospitality practices in other areas (like when cleaning, restocking, etc.)
What is your cleaning process for each new guest?
I admit that before COVID-19 I didn’t put too much thought into how an Airbnb was cleaned. I did in the sense that I wanted to make sure any cleaning fees actually went to maintaining a safe and hygienic space, but it didn’t really matter to me how it was done (did the owner do it themselves? did a team of professional cleaners come after each guest?).
Now that ANY travel is risky, it’s so important to make sure your Airbnb is getting a thorough clean. In my experience, cleaning fees have been higher during COVID, which is another reason to actually confirm that you are getting what you paid for. I’ve personally only booked a couple of properties in 2020–small staycations within a couple hours drive from Seattle to get a change of scenery and relieve some cabin fever!–but my last stay made me want to dig a little deeper.
In Airbnb’s COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, they encourage all hosts to use their enhanced cleaning protocol, which includes sanitization techniques, recommended supplies, and a five-step process outlined in their cleaning handbook. Hosts who commit to doing so receive a listing highlight that lets guests know they’ve incorporated the advanced cleaning standards. It’s definitely a big plus to see what they’ve done to support hosts and encourage better cleaning standards, but in the end, it is the guest who will get to see and decide whether it’s been implemented properly.
(Side note, if you’re staying in any ‘bnb during this time, take responsibility for the risk! Everyone needs to do their part, especially if we want to continue supporting each other when traveling. This post isn’t to rag on hosts at all, but to help guests interpret a listing and understand what to expect before they arrive.)
What cleaning supplies and toiletries do you use?
If there are certain chemicals you avoid when cleaning your own home, for health or sustainability reasons, you may feel uncomfortable staying somewhere that has just sprayed those chemicals throughout your home-away-from-home! You also might be concerned with which products actually do the job of disinfecting a space, and how safe they really are. There will certainly be some compromising.
As far as toiletries… I was super impressed to find that one of the last places I stayed had Who Gives A Crap TP rather than conventional! I’m sure there are so many hosts who have to weigh the benefits of offering sustainable amenities against the added cost. Sure, TP probably isn’t a make-or-break-it consideration for you, but it could influence your booking decisions if you’ve got options to pick from.
Of course, read all listings thoroughly to see which questions have already been answered for you! What questions do you ask before booking an Airbnb? Do you take sustainability into account?
your two cents