Make your hotel a sustainable hotel.

As seen on:

Sustainability is a large and complex topic, and most hoteliers simply don’t know where to start.

We created The Sustainable Hotel Handbook – Collection to make sustainability clear, easy and practical, so you can start NOW on implementing it into your operations in a step-by-step way.

MAp is a certified B Corporation, meaning we meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance - and so we realised we’ve got a lot of guidance to share! We put it all down on paper in the form of insights, recommendations, tools, resources, case studies and MORE, breaking it down into easy-to-understand guidance and action steps.

4

Practical handbooks

18

Helpful exercises

300+

Concrete action steps

Is The Sustainable Hotel Handbook - Collection right for me?

We say: Yes!

Whether you have an existing hotel that you want to make more sustainable, wish to open a new sustainable hotel, or simply want to learn more about hotel sustainability, this collection of handbooks has got deep insights and practical guidance to help.

But don’t just take our word for it, listen to what our clients have to say.

The Sustainable Hotel Handbooks have been successfully used by:

Hoteliers + hotel brands

MAp Boutique Consultancy - The Sustainable Hotel

THOMAS KERSCHBAUMER, HEAD OF BUSINESS UNIT HOTEL & GASTRO, SENFTER HOLDING (SOUTH TYROL/ITALY)

Coaches + consultants

MAp Boutique Consultancy The Sustainable Hotel Mich Bondesio

MICH BONDESIO, AUTHOR, COACH & BUSINESS CONSULTANT, CREATING CADENCE (UNITED KINGDOM)

Students

LUISE WEINERT, BACHELOR'S STUDENT AT FHGR CHUR (CHUR/SWITZERLAND)

What’s included in the handbook collection?

Comprised of four comprehensive handbooks on the topics of Purpose, People, Planet, Profit, this important collection helps you to qualify your hotel as a sustainable one, in line with leading hotel certification programmes.

MAp Boutique Consultancy - The Sustainable Hotel Shop - The Sustainable Hotel Handbook Collection

In-depth guidance on the three pillars of sustainability: Social, Environmental, Economic
18 exercises to turn theory into action
16 scorecards to measure your progress in achieving sustainable hotel status
Hundreds of easy action steps to implement NOW, with a plan on how to do so
Tips on how to monitor & evaluate your sustainability progress
MAp Advice based on MAp’s years of working with boutique hoteliers
Interviews with some of the world’s most impressive sustainable hoteliers
Technologies and tools to help you implement sustainability into your operations
Best practice examples from the world’s top sustainable hotels + brands
Insights into hotel sustainability certification programmes, what requirements they have and how to qualify
External resources that offer additional guidance and support

What People say about The Sustainable Hotel:

“

The Planet handbook (by the way, my personal favorite) provides easily-understandable yet practical steps to save energy and water in general. The handbook helped me shape communication with our guests to motivate them to minimise their personal ecological footprint. The "Waste Action Plan" in the handbook helped me adapt our culinary offerings to minimise overall waste (food, packaging, plastics).

In terms of sustainability, the hotel industry faced a significant challenge, particularly in the areas of energy and water consumption. Hotels often consume large amounts of energy for lighting, heating, cooling, and operating facilities like swimming pools and spas. This leads to substantial greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change.

One personally significant ethical concern that also affected our hotel group was waste management. It was painful to observe how much waste a hotel generates, from packaging to food. No matter how well-designed it is, a buffet will always result in a certain amount of food waste.

The Planet handbook (by the way, my personal favorite) provides easily-understandable yet practical steps to save energy and water in general. The handbook encouraged me to seek technological support in South Tyrol, so I reached out to myGekko, a company from Bruneck that optimizes energy consumption using AI and other technologies.

The handbook also helped me shape communication with our guests to motivate them to minimise their personal ecological footprint. Saving a towel when washing or understanding that the sauna starts two hours later can have a significant impact when thousands of guests visit every month.

The "Waste Action Plan" in the handbook helped me adapt our culinary offerings to minimise overall waste (food, packaging, plastics). We eliminated the bi-weekly evening buffets in the hotels, and the breakfast buffet now only includes products that can be cleverly reused. All hot dishes are now prepared à la minute. Although we are not completely "zero waste" yet, as some adjustments are still needed in South Tyrol, we are definitely on the right path.

In conclusion, I must honestly say that we do not yet have the means to measure our ecological footprint or exact savings accurately. However, when it comes to electricity and water, simply looking at the bills shows an average savings of about 12% compared to the previous year. The almost daily trips to the recycling center have now been reduced to just two times per week. Overall, some noticeable changes have already occurred with open eyes. But most importantly, since the introduction of The Sustainable Hotel Handbook, I am proud of the willingness of our staff and guests to drive sustainability forward and to realise that each individual can make a difference.

THOMAS KERSCHBAUMER, HEAD OF BUSINESS UNIT HOTEL & GASTRO, SENFTER HOLDING (SOUTH TYROL/ITALY)

“

The Sustainable Hotel Handbook - Collection is an exceptional and timely resource to help hotels align their business goals with a triple bottom line that supports people, purpose, and most importantly, the planet.

Each beautifully-designed guide in the collection is jam-packed with helpful educational info, visual references, and relevant prompts to help you develop a more sustainable business model step-by-step.

With the environmental challenges we face, this responsible approach to doing business is now non-negotiable, and I’m encouraged to see such a valuable and innovative resource and service being offered to the hotel industry by MAp Boutique Consultancy. Investing in these guides and implementing the recommended systems and practices will not only differentiate your hotel business, but enable it to thrive, too.

MICH BONDESIO, AUTHOR, COACH & BUSINESS CONSULTANT, CREATING CADENCE (UNITED KINGDOM)

“

What I particularly appreciated was the way the content was presented. The diversity of formats, including checklists, interviews, and success stories, made the content very accessible and engaging. The visual design of the handbook, featuring images and quotes, also contributed to my enjoyment of reading it. Overall, I can wholeheartedly recommend The Sustainable Hotel Handbook: People.

Unfortunately, the available literature on sustainability in the hotel industry was quite limited, but I was happy to find that The Sustainable Hotel Handbook: People proved to be a highly-valuable resource.

The handbook lists the various hotel stakeholder groups separately and provides deep insights into each one. Additionally, it elucidates the needs of these stakeholders and how hotels can fulfill them in a sustainable manner. Furthermore, I was able to learn more about the subject through Tatjana's success story and interview, gaining intriguing insights.

What I particularly appreciated was the way the content was presented. The diversity of formats, including checklists, interviews, and success stories, made the content very accessible and engaging. The visual design of the handbook, featuring images and quotes, also contributed to my enjoyment of reading it. Overall, I can wholeheartedly recommend The Sustainable Hotel Handbook: People. It not only provides a comprehensive approach to the topic of social sustainability in the hotel industry but also serves as a helpful resource for students like me who are exploring this subject.

LUISE WEINERT, BACHELOR'S STUDENT AT FHGR CHUR (CHUR/SWITZERLAND)

“

Defining our own purpose, our own identity, is a challenge, but it makes our story tangible, credible, simplifies many things, and helps us use financial and personal resources wisely and purposefully. The Purpose handbook helps us tackle this challenge step-by-step, and starting with our own motivation is powerful.

I consider the ability to shape our environment and tell a story as a special gift. Especially in the hospitality industry, we must harness it. Defining our own purpose, our own identity, is a challenge, but it makes our story tangible, credible, simplifies many things, and helps us use financial and personal resources wisely and purposefully.

The Purpose handbook helps us tackle this challenge step-by-step, and starting with our own motivation is powerful. Purpose, a guiding principle that directs our decisions and actions throughout the entire customer journey.

LILIAN ROTEN, FOUNDER OF DESIGN JOURNEY AND HOTEL DE LONDRES IN BRIG (SWITZERLAND)

“

The Sustainable Hotel Handbooks are very user-friendly and therefore perfect for entrepreneurs looking to facilitate their entry into sustainable tourism development. I view it as a well-structured, comprehensive, and visually-appealing guide.

Particularly valuable are the numerous practical tips, concrete action steps, and expert interviews. This adds an additional layer of depth to the information and facilitates direct applicability.

HEIDRUN STOISER, LEAD GREEN EXPERIENCES AT PIZ (MONTAFON / AUSTRIA)

“

"Sustainability" was not tangible for me - it was always distant, and I didn't know how to efficiently implement sustainability into my hotel. The Sustainable Hotel opened up a new world for me, and with each handbook, I understood more about what I can successfully implement step-by-step and what truly makes a difference. Because it's of no use to talk about Mount Everest if you can't manage to climb the first hill.

"Sustainability" was not tangible for me - it was always distant, and I didn't know how to efficiently implement sustainability into my hotel. Just by reading the introduction to the handbook collection, which provides a clear definition (What is sustainability? What is a sustainable hotel? What does it mean for me?) and a clear breakdown of sustainability areas, sustainability became tangible.

I am a technician, a practitioner, and this clear division has helped me immensely. It opened up a new world for me, and with each handbook, I understood more about what I can successfully implement step-by-step and what truly makes a difference. Because it's of no use to talk about Mount Everest if you can't manage to climb the first hill.

RENATO BOTTE, OWNER OF LOCANDA MISTRAL (PIEDMONT/ITALY)

“

The Sustainable Hotel platform stands as an indispensable ally in our professional toolkit at Sainha, thanks to its rich library of insightful and actionable guides, and handbooks.

Whether it is about minimizing carbon footprint or waste, embracing circular economy principles, or optimizing supply chains for sustainability, The Sustainable Hotel unravels the intricate complexities in a refreshingly simple manner.

JEREMY TRAN, FOUNDER OF SAINHA

What makes this collection so valuable!

Limited time, budget and resources? Then find out why this collection is the perfect solution for you.

Learn about holistic hotel sustainability

Most hotels focus on being green, but in order to qualify yours as a truly sustainable hotel, you have to address all areas of sustainability: environmental, social and economic. We’ll dive deep into each area so you can begin executing.

Create a sustainable hotel NOW

With the help of action steps, we’ll help you to implement holistic hotel sustainability into each and every area of your hotel now. It’s that easy!

Equip your team with tools + resources

Whether you’ve got a full team or you’re doing it yourself, get the tools and resources you need to execute on your sustainability strategy.

Learn from industry experts + best practices

We highlight learnings, tips and recommendations from top industry leaders who are shining stars in the areas of sustainability, and spotlight hotels that are doing it right too.

Qualify as a sustainable hotel

We’ve aligned the action steps in each handbook with the leading hotel sustainability certificates out there, and by executing them, you get closer and closer to qualification.

Reach your sustainability goals

Determine what your hotel’s Purpose is, and based on that, define your sustainability goals and strategy. From there, we’ll help you achieve them through expert guidance and practical steps.

YES! I WANT TO BUY THE HANDBOOK.

Meet the Experts

We’ve interviewed some of the brightest minds that are shaping the future of hospitality, and they contribute their personal learnings and insights just for you.

6

1/

Martin Stockburger

Martin is the founder and CEO of Koncept Hotels and shares with us his insights on how to manage and operate hotels in a sustainable way.

2/

Natascha Rupp

Natascha is the founder and managing director of Rupp PR, a global communications consultancy specialising in sustainable travel and tourism. She's our expert for sustainable PR, marketing and communications.

3/

Karsten Schmidt- Hoensdorf

Karsten is the owner of the Zurich design studio IDA14 and our expert for sustainable design.

4/

Tatjana Benkert

Tatjana founded the social enterprise, The Purpose Hostel in Antigua, Guatemala, and she tells us how putting Purpose and People over Profit brings success.

5/

Renato Botte

Renato is the owner of the Locanda Mistral in Piedmont, Italy. As a mountain guide of more than 20 years, he shares his passion for the Planet and how it shaped his approach to hospitality.

6/

Nadia Fischer

Nadia is the CEO of Witty Works, whose AI-based writing assistant makes the world more inclusive. She teaches us about inclusive language for hotels.

FACTS: Sustainable hotels are more profitable and successful.

Sustainability is not only good for People and Planet, it’s good for business too.

Sustainability helps you earn you more bookings from increasingly more sustainably-minded travellers.
Sustainability helps you generate customer loyalty and benefit from word-of-mouth marketing.
Sustainability helps you save costs and realise efficiencies.
Sustainability helps you better navigate turbulent times and risks.
Sustainability puts you ahead of regulations that call for increased reporting.
Sustainability separates you from the competition.
Sustainability helps you attract investment.
Sustainability inspires and benefits your stakeholders, like guests, employees, partners and local community members.
Sustainability earns you media coverage, recognition and awards for your endeavours.
Sustainability creates a positive impact on the world.

Choose your preferred option

For the cost of the average hotel room night, you can set your hotel on the right course to create even more sustainable impact and achieve even more business success.

As a B Corp-certified company, we encourage you to buy the digital handbook, which comes in a PDF file with various versions for easy handling and sharing with your team. As a special bonus, you will also receive the Introduction PDF free of cost!

DIGITAL HANDBOOK

After payment, you can access your digital product (PDF file) immediately in your private and secured Community member area for easy, life-long access and download.

Also available in German. Click here.

CHF 495.00

PRINTED HANDBOOK

If you choose this option, we will organise the printing with our trusted and sustainable printing partners.

Learn more

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is The Sustainable Hotel Handbook – Collection perfect for boutique hoteliers?

The Sustainable Hotel Handbook – Collection was crafted specifically with boutique hoteliers in mind. As seasoned hotel consultants, we know better than anyone that boutique hotels have limited time, budget and resources compared to bigger hotels and chain hotels.

Therefore, The Sustainable Hotel Handbook – Collection really focuses on everything boutique hoteliers need to make sustainability happen, with practical steps that are both realistic and budget-conscious, without being too time-intensive.

Is The Sustainable Hotel Handbook – Collection suited for hoteliers running an existing hotel?

Yes! The Sustainable Hotel Handbook – Collection is perfect for hoteliers who already have a hotel and are looking to make it more sustainable. We present loads of sustainable activities you can implement into your existing operations to increase your hotel’s impact step-by-step.

I am planning a new hotel, is The Sustainable Hotel Handbook – Collection for me?

All recommendations and action steps presented in The Sustainable Hotel Handbook – Collection apply to new hotels too, not just existing ones. We even guide you in how to build sustainability into the hotel development process from the start – beginning with site selection to planning, construction and interior design.

Is The Sustainable Hotel Handbook – Collection worth the investment?

We say: absolutely! There is no resource out there jam-packed with as much value for boutique hoteliers looking to create sustainable hotels. Plus, with all the sustainability recommendations outlined in The Sustainable Hotel Handbook – Collection, you will attract more guests and realise important cost savings and efficiencies. So it will pay off – literally!

How can I purchase The Sustainable Hotel Collection?

If you are interested in purchasing a digital version for CHF 495, simply click the "Add to Cart" button and follow the easy steps to guide you through the purchasing process.

If you wish to receive a physical printed copy, please contact us directly to inquire about pricing. We partner with Heller Druck, a sustainable print shop in Switzerland that prints using environmentally-friendly processes and carbon offsets all purchases.

YES! I WANT TO BUY THE HANDBOOK.

Discover who’s behind The Sustainable Hotel.

Meet the B Corp-certified MAp team of hospitality experts, hotel consultants and sustainability insiders.

Nice to meet you!

MAp is a B Corp-certified boutique hotel consultancy that empowers independent and boutique hoteliers, hospitality brands and investors in creating unique, innovative and sustainable hotels built for the future. Based in Zurich and woman-owned, the MAp team provides hotel concept development, hotel branding, hotel marketing and hotel sustainability services to award-winning clients worldwide. Through its focus on people and purpose, its innovative approach and bespoke solutions, MAp makes hotels, businesses and brands matter.

Get to know us

The Hotel Sustainability Shop

Discover practical hotel sustainability tools and resources that make a real impact.

Create a thriving hotel business and learn more about holistic hotel sustainability with our practical handbooks, tools and resources. Let’s get started on the road to a more hospitable and purposeful Planet – together!

Make your hotel a sustainable hotel.

Create a sustainable hotel that makes a positive impact for all, and delivers more profit and success for you.

Sustainability is a large and complex topic, and most hoteliers simply don’t know where to start.

We created The Sustainable Hotel Handbook – Collection to make sustainability clear, easy and practical, so you can start NOW on implementing it into your operations in a step-by-step way.

Is The Sustainable Hotel Handbook - Collection right for me?

We say: Yes!

What’s included in the handbook collection?

Comprised of four comprehensive handbooks on the topics of Purpose, People, Planet, Profit, this important collection helps you to qualify your hotel as a sustainable one, in line with leading hotel certification programmes.

THOMAS KERSCHBAUMER, HEAD OF BUSINESS UNIT HOTEL & GASTRO, SENFTER HOLDING (SOUTH TYROL/ITALY)

MICH BONDESIO, AUTHOR, COACH & BUSINESS CONSULTANT, CREATING CADENCE (UNITED KINGDOM)

LUISE WEINERT, BACHELOR'S STUDENT AT FHGR CHUR (CHUR/SWITZERLAND)

LILIAN ROTEN, FOUNDER OF DESIGN JOURNEY AND HOTEL DE LONDRES IN BRIG (SWITZERLAND)

HEIDRUN STOISER, LEAD GREEN EXPERIENCES AT PIZ (MONTAFON / AUSTRIA)

RENATO BOTTE, OWNER OF LOCANDA MISTRAL (PIEDMONT/ITALY)

JEREMY TRAN, FOUNDER OF SAINHA

What makes this collection so valuable!

Limited time, budget and resources? Then find out why this collection is the perfect solution for you.

Meet the Experts

Martin Stockburger

Natascha Rupp

Karsten Schmidt- Hoensdorf

Tatjana Benkert

Renato Botte

Nadia Fischer

FACTS: Sustainable hotels are more profitable and successful.

Sustainability is not only good for People and Planet, it’s good for business too.

Choose your preferred option

For the cost of the average hotel room night, you can set your hotel on the right course to create even more sustainable impact and achieve even more business success.

DIGITAL HANDBOOK

PRINTED HANDBOOK

What happens after your order

Frequently Asked Questions

Discover who’s behind The Sustainable Hotel.

Meet the B Corp-certified MAp team of hospitality experts, hotel consultants and sustainability insiders.

The Hotel Sustainability Shop

Discover practical hotel sustainability tools and resources that make a real impact.

Guide, Handbook

Service

Service

ke time for prosecco

ke it happen

ke it meaningful

ke good coffee

ke it matter

ke funny jokes

ke it kind

ke it simple

ke it count