How do you become a sustainable hotelier? The answers are as varied as the paths themselves. Some enter the industry as career changers and focus on sustainability from the start. Others take over the family business and transform it step by step. In this article, five of our Green PearlsⓇ partners share their stories.

Whether you are considering this path or just curious, let these hoteliers inspire you with their experiences, challenges and successes.

Challenges and opportunities for the sustainable hotelier

Sustainable hosts are characterized by their ability to combine environmental, social and economic responsibility while remaining authentic.

At Green PearlsⓇ we have a series of interviews/portraits on “Pioneers of Sustainability” in which we have already spoken to several hoteliers. The following have been featured:

• José Koechlin von Stein – Owner of Inkaterra Hotels in Peru
• Tarn and Note from Keemala Resort in Phuket, Thailand
• Peter and Waltraud Unterlechner of Biohotel Grafenast in Tyrol, Austria
• Barbara and Tomislav from Green Spirit Hotels in Paris, France
• Fabienne Anthamatten of the Hotel Bella Vista Zermatt in Switzerlandz
• Lukas Obendorfer from Birkenhof***** Spa & Genussresort in the Upper Palatinate in Germany
• Daniel Ganzer from Naturhotel Outside in East Tyrol, Austria
• Andreas Färber of Klosterhof – Alpine Hideaway & Spa in Bayerisch Gmain, Germany
• Stephan Bode of SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA in Bad Herrenalb, Germany
• Marc Traubel from the HUBERTUS Mountain Refugio Allgäu in Germany
• Marion Muller of the Lifestylehotel SAND in Timmendorfer Strand on the Baltic Sea in Germany

Each faced different challenges, such as political hurdles, infrastructure changes, new investments and costs. In all cases, economic viability and the needs of guests must be considered. The accommodations themselves are often a source of inspiration and appreciation for guests and colleagues alike.

5 people, 5 stories, 5 ways to become a sustainable hotelier

As we have seen time and again, there is no ONE path to sustainability. Everyone has different circumstances, needs, priorities, and opportunities. Our partners are no exception. So it’s best to let them speak and tell their stories themselves.

Marion Muller – from mass tourism to sustainability

Marion Muller, the hostess of Lifestylehotel SAND, has a background in tourism. She studied tourism, and mass tourism really started to boom during her time. Even then, she was moved by the fact that nature, which everyone wants to see, cannot remain in this state if everyone flies there and tramples on it, she tells us in the interview.

Nevertheless, when she and her husband Lambertus started out as hosts, they had not yet thought about going the sustainable route. In 1995, they bought a hotel in the popular Baltic resort of Timmendorfer Strand, right on the beach. At first, it was simply a matter of economic survival.

Renewable energy and competitive differentiation

The hotel’s original 25 rooms were not profitable. So the first step was to add twelve rooms. The couple opted for two cogeneration units and a solar power system, taking their first big step toward sustainability.

Once the hotel was on a solid financial footing, they were ready for the next big change and the hotel became today’s Lifestyle Hotel SAND. SAND stands for both “sand aspires natural design” and “sand aspires natural doing”. The lifestyle hotel uses natural materials throughout the hotel and selects the products with great care. For example, there are bamboo bicycles for rent from my Boo (a social project in Ghana), COCO-MAT mattresses and refillable toiletries from Björk & Berries. The adults-only hotel has found a way to break away from the star categories, and its bold move now sets it apart from the (not too few) competition. The Mullers have been pleased to find that they have a large regular customer base and that many younger people like their concept.

Stephan Bode – from organic to sustainability

Stephan Bode also has an interesting story to tell. A self-made man, he gradually worked his way up to become a hotel owner. As “Little Stephan” he was always self-taught. He left school at the age of 14 and trained as a restaurant specialist. He then spent several years on cruise ships.

He worked his way up. From 2002 to 2010, he managed a large conference hotel in Thuringia and transformed it into a 100% organic hotel. The organic concept inspired him to go further and incorporate all areas of sustainability into the hotel industry. When he took over the management of the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA (formerly “Ruland’s Thermenhotel”) in 2013, his intention from the start was to position it as a “beacon and pioneer” in terms of sustainability.

His motivation is to preserve the habitat. As a host, you should remember that you are also a guest – a guest of Mother Earth.

From manager to owner

For 19 years, Stephan Bode was the managing director of the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA and expanded the health and wellness hotel to include the areas of selfness (meditation, mindfulness, fasting cures) and campus (conferences and meetings). In 2017, he was finally able to buy the hotel himself.

Stephan Bode initiated many sustainable measures right from the start. From the biodiversity garden to recycling and circular living. He has won numerous awards and prizes and has many ideas for the future (e.g. how to generate electricity and heat from biomass from guests’ excrement).

Dr. Andreas Färber – Sustainability from the start

Dr. Andreas Färber, a medical doctor, became a host as a career changer. When asked how a doctor came to buy a hotel, he replied that he had traveled to many countries and always enjoyed interacting with people. In addition, his wife comes from the hotel industry.

They searched for a long time before discovering the Klosterhof in Bayerisch Gmain. They knew from the start that their hotel would be sustainable. For example, they chose solid apple wood for the interior. The Klosterhof – Alpine Hideaway & Spa is one of the first hotels in Germany to be certified with the EU Ecolabel.

But sustainability also requires the hotel to be economically viable. So some things have to be adjusted. For example, the wellness hotel currently has only a small outdoor pool. This makes ecological sense, but guests would like a larger pool.

The Färbers hope to fulfill that wish soon. In order to make this as sustainable as possible, the Färber’s want to make use of technical possibilities.

Lukas Obendorfer – the technical innovator

Operating several pools and supplying energy to the saunas has led Lukas Obendorfer of Birkenhof***** Spa & Genussresort to sustainability. His father, Hubert Obendorfer, founded the resort. The senior chef, known as a radio chef and book author, founded the 2-star restaurant Eisvogel, which is now run by his son Sebastian Obendorfer. Like his father before him, Sebastian has two Michelin stars.

While his brother runs the restaurant, Lukas Obendorfer is in charge of the administration of the 5-star hotel, and he decided to make it as sustainable as possible. Of course, there were already some energy-saving measures in place, he says in an interview, but the real change came with the commissioning of the hotel’s own combined heat and power plant.

The hotel is GreenSign certified and continues to develop. From electric car charging stations to wooden coffee capsules, the hotel now has many sustainable initiatives, and Lukas Obendorfer is proud to show that luxury and sustainability can go hand in hand.

Daniel Ganzer – the traditionalist

Hotelier Daniel Ganzer of Naturhotel Outside did not have to build sustainability into his business from the ground up. His parents, Agnes and Sepp, built the hotel and were already very close to nature. The Naturhotel is located in the middle of the Hohe Tauern National Park, where many hikers come to enjoy the East Tyrolean Alps throughout the year. The preservation of this nature is therefore of great importance to the host family.

“We were shown a lot by example, and a lot was just obvious. I’m not an environmental activist, but for me sustainability is just logical and everything else doesn’t make sense”. – Daniel Ganzer in an interview with Green PearlsⓇ.

Daniel Ganzer is passionate about strengthening the region and relies on regional suppliers (not only for food, but also for building materials, etc.). The hotel does not offer packed lunches or similar for hikers, so people stop at the surrounding huts.

As a major new project, Daniel has upgraded the spa area with the latest technology.

Collaborative learning sessions for hoteliers

As you can see, there are many ways to get involved, and it’s never too late to start. The first step is a willingness to do more for sustainability. Of course, saving energy is especially rewarding because it can save you a lot of money right away.

Other things, like switching to organic food, can be costly at first. It also requires a change in attitude to avoid wasting food. Marion Muller says they set up a “front cooking station” where you can have organic eggs freshly prepared for breakfast – one at a time. This is much more sustainable than always having a certain amount of egg dishes on hand, and effectively prevents food waste.

Our partners also demonstrate that the transition to sustainability is an ongoing process that never really ends. Sustainability is factored into every new decision – new products, suppliers, renovations or offerings – to get better, bit by bit. Just as you might do in your personal life.

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