Going green for who?

Wizard Approved

So I checked into a casino hotel. They made me an offer to "go green"

Since I checked in for four nights if I did not waste resources by having my room cleaned for the duration of my stay, I could get a $20 food credit for any restaurant

Sounded good to me

I wondered how did some soap suds and electricity vacuuming amount to $20 worth of saving to the hotel but oh well.

I stepped out on the third day when the cleaning lady was next door. She asked if she could clean my room.

I said no as I was taking part in the "going green" program

She clearly had no idea what I was talking about

She asked if I didn't need my room cleaned could she just dial in from my room phone. It would take just a moment.

I asked why?

She said she gets paid by the room

And suddenly I understood where the $20 for my restaurant credit was coming from

The execs must have been laughing real hard around the boardroom. "We go green, alright, green dollar bills right out the pockets of our employees"

So you let the housekeeping lady call from your room and thereby get paid for cleaning your room. I know you were just trying to help her out, but to management it would look like you ask for housekeeping services anyway. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if they tacked $20 onto your bill when you check out.

A $20 credit at one of their restaurants probably cost them $5,.or less.

Quote: Greasyjohn

So you let the housekeeping lady call from your room and thereby get paid for cleaning your room. I know you were just trying to help her out, but to management it would look like you ask for housekeeping services anyway. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if they tacked $20 onto your bill when you check out.

No, I refused her the call.

Which is the next part of my wishy-washy feeling on the subject

I felt bad for not letting her earn a few dollars and that management was taking the money for my food credit from their workers

Otoh, technically, she was attempting to get paid for work not done. I.e. she was gaming the system.

I don't know my head hurts from this quandary

I'm glad you've brought this up. I always just assumed they wanted to save a small amount on water and wanted a green reputation. Gonna have to think harder about doing this in the future.

Quote: Minty

I'm glad you've brought this up. I always just assumed they wanted to save a small amount on water and wanted a green reputation. Gonna have to think harder about doing this in the future.

I never thought that for one second. It was clear to me that it was a way to have fewer housekeepers. If one of the big floors with 100 rooms used to need 4 housekeepers, now they only need 2 or 3. And the food credit of $20 costs the casino far less.

You all know what's next, don't you? I'll clue you in.....


Room cost.... $100 per night
$43 resort fee per day
$8 room tidy up fee per day (can decline...)

For years I have declined room service. I can live with two towels for a two night, or longer, stay in Vegas. I keep things pretty tidy in the room anyway; pull up the blankets so the bed looks presentable.

I’m really not picky. It’s just me, I don’t need anything. There’s enough towels. It just seems like everywhere everyone is just itching to get in your room. Tropicana AC, they’re banging on your door at 7:30, then again at 11:30, then at 2 a supervisor is knocking to see how your service was. Maybe that was somewhere else. I normally just leave the do not disturb on my door. I just stayed a few days at Beau Rivage. After the first night I actually had a voicemail on my phone saying we’re sorry you chose not to have your room serviced today. Please let us know if you need anything. Also we reserve the right to enter your room at any time. I know after the Vegas shooting they were all saying we’re coming in your room every day or so whether you want it or not. That seems to have subsided. So I let them come in the next day.

Casinos leave a carbon footprint like any other business. Except the casino itself serves no purpose to the general public. Society is not any better off because of casinos. Whereas we are better because of cars and planes and electricity.

Quote: Sandybestdog

Except the casino itself serves no purpose to the general public. Society is not any better off because of casinos. Whereas we are better because of cars and planes and electricity.

I think you are being unfair to casinos. I am better off because of casinos. It is in my rotation of entertainment options. It lets me go to Vegas for great vacations at steeply discounted prices. I think casinos serve the public like movie theaters do. Or golf courses. Or nightclubs.
Guessing casino industry in USA employs 500,000 people? Not to mention the dozen or so AP's on this very forum who make their living at them.

If your argument is that the problems that gambling causes overrides my points, I'll give that to you.

Is it worth the marginally smaller impact to go green if it costs someone hours who may need them? That's a tough one. The idea of an additional fee wouldn't surprise me though. Still waiting to see if there will ever be a breaking point and boycotting of all the fees people get slapped with, but I'm guessing they're timed in such a way that we can stomach them.