The Most Dangerous Phrase in the Hotel Industry Today: “We’ve Always Done It This Way.”

I have spent nearly 30 years in the international hotel industry, and those who know me know that I am a classical hotelier. I appreciate traditional hospitality, professional service, attention to detail and the personal relationship between hotel staff and guests. I believe these qualities remain essential to our industry and should be protected. Throughout my international career as a hotelier, sustainability consultant, Lead Auditor and architect of hotel sustainability certification frameworks, I have encountered one particular phrase countless times. Whether managing hotel operations, conducting audits or advising hotels on improving performance and compliance, I have seen how these five simple words can become an obstacle to progress.

“We’ve always done it this way.”

The problem is not tradition. The problem begins when tradition is used to justify inefficient practices, unnecessary expenditure or resistance to improvement. We should preserve the character of hospitality while adapting the way hotels operate to today’s commercial and regulatory environment.

Traditional Hospitality Does Not Require Outdated Management

There is a clear difference between maintaining the identity of a hotel and maintaining operational procedures simply because they have existed for years. A hotel can preserve its classical atmosphere, service standards and personal approach while modernising energy management, purchasing, maintenance, housekeeping and resource efficiency. Guests expect comfort, quality and professional service. They do not need to know whether the hotel has optimised its ventilation schedules, reduced unnecessary water consumption or improved waste management. These improvements should take place behind the scenes, without compromising the guest experience.

In fact, efficient operations can strengthen traditional hospitality. Lower operating costs, better maintenance and improved departmental procedures allow management to allocate resources more effectively, including towards staff development and guest services.

Keep the traditions that create value. Change the procedures that create unnecessary costs.

This is not about replacing traditional hospitality with technology. It is about operating a traditional hotel with modern management principles.

What Worked Twenty Years Ago May No Longer Work Today

Many hotel procedures were developed under circumstances that no longer exist. Energy prices, labour costs, technology, guest expectations and regulatory requirements have changed considerably. Owners and investors also expect greater transparency concerning operating expenditure, investment decisions and business risks. A procedure that was effective fifteen or twenty years ago may still be appropriate. However, that should be demonstrated through operational performance rather than assumed because it has always been followed.

Consider a hotel operating its heating, ventilation and cooling systems according to schedules established years ago. Guest comfort is maintained, complaints are limited and the engineering department follows its established routines. Nevertheless, an examination of occupancy patterns, equipment operating hours and energy consumption may identify unnecessary expenditure.

The same situation can occur in housekeeping, laundry, kitchens, purchasing and maintenance. Equipment may be operating longer than necessary, products may be consumed inefficiently or established procedures may require more staff time than justified.

A procedure can function correctly and still be inefficient.

This is why operational reviews are necessary. Not to replace every established practice, but to determine whether existing methods remain appropriate, cost-effective and compliant.

The Financial Consequences of Maintaining Old Practices

One of the main challenges in hotel management is that operational inefficiencies are not always visible in financial reporting. They are frequently distributed across departments and accepted as normal operating costs. An additional hour of equipment operation, excessive water consumption, unnecessary laundry, food waste or inefficient purchasing may appear insignificant individually. Repeated daily, these practices can have a considerable impact on annual expenditure and operating margins. During hotel audits and consultancy assignments, I have encountered procedures that were defended with confidence despite the absence of reliable performance data. In some cases, management could explain how a procedure was performed but could not demonstrate why it remained the most efficient option.

Sometimes I genuinely wonder whether I have a particular professional obsession: I keep believing that if I present someone with concrete evidence, reliable figures, measurable savings and clear operational benefits, they will naturally recognise the opportunity and change the way they work.

But guess what? They don’t!

And I must admit, after all these years as a hotelier, consultant and Lead Auditor, I still find that incredibly frustrating. You can demonstrate exactly where money is being wasted, explain how a relatively simple adjustment could improve performance and even calculate the potential annual savings. Yet the answer remains the same: “We’ve always done it this way.”

It has taught me something important. Evidence alone does not necessarily change behaviour. People become comfortable with established routines, and changing them requires more than financial calculations or technical recommendations. It requires leadership, willingness and, above all, the recognition that doing something differently does not mean that the previous approach was wrong. Sometimes I think convincing people to change an established procedure is more difficult than identifying the inefficiency itself. Experience is valuable, particularly in hospitality. Experienced employees understand their guests, their departments and the practical requirements of daily operations. However, experience should also support continuous improvement.

The objective is not to change everything. It is to identify where established practices are costing the hotel money without providing additional operational or guest value.

A financially responsible hotel should periodically review its procedures, consumption patterns and departmental performance. The resulting improvements may be simple, but their cumulative financial effect can be significant.

Compliance Requires More Than Established Procedures

Operational efficiency is not the only reason to review traditional practices. Hotels operate within an increasingly demanding European regulatory environment covering energy performance, waste management, chemical handling, occupational safety, consumer protection and environmental communication. Established procedures do not automatically demonstrate legal compliance. Requirements change, and hotels must ensure that their operating practices remain aligned with applicable legislation.

The European Union’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive, commonly referred to as EmpCo, provides a relevant example. Since 27 September 2026, the Directive’s implementing provisions have been applicable across EU Member States, strengthening consumer protection concerning environmental claims and sustainability labels. A hotel cannot assume that environmental statements published several years ago remain acceptable simply because they have never been challenged. Claims must be assessed against the applicable requirements and supported by appropriate evidence.

Similarly, holding a sustainability certificate does not automatically substantiate every environmental statement made by a hotel. The certification scope, assessment methodology and claims being communicated must be considered. As a Lead Auditor, I regularly distinguish between a procedure being implemented and a procedure being effective. These are not necessarily the same. A hotel may demonstrate that employees consistently follow an established procedure while the procedure itself fails to deliver the intended performance or comply with updated requirements.

A long-established procedure is not automatically an effective or compliant procedure.

Hotels do not need unnecessary bureaucracy. They need clear responsibilities, appropriate operational controls, reliable records and periodic verification of performance and compliance.

Innovation Without Losing the Human Touch

Innovation in hospitality is frequently associated with technology, automation and substantial investment. However, operational innovation does not necessarily require new equipment or complicated systems. It can involve improving communication between departments, adjusting operating schedules, reviewing purchasing specifications, introducing better maintenance practices or simplifying existing procedures.

In many cases, the most effective improvement is achieved by using existing resources more efficiently.

Technology can certainly support this process. Building management systems, energy monitoring, digital maintenance records and operational performance indicators can provide management with better information. Nevertheless, technology should be selected according to operational requirements and financial justification, not simply because it is available. The human element remains fundamental to hospitality. A guest should experience professional service, personal attention and comfort. Improvements behind the scenes should support employees in delivering that experience rather than creating additional complexity.

Modernise the operation without compromising the hospitality.

This balance is particularly relevant for established European hotels, where history, architecture, tradition and individual character are often central to the guest experience and commercial positioning.

Sustainability Must Strengthen the Business Model

A hotel is a commercial organisation. It must generate sufficient revenue, control expenditure, meet its legal obligations and deliver acceptable financial performance for owners and investors.

Sustainability should contribute to these objectives. Reducing unnecessary energy consumption improves operating margins. Better water management reduces expenditure and resource-related risks. Effective purchasing and waste management can lower costs, while preventive maintenance can extend equipment life and avoid premature replacement. These improvements have environmental benefits, but their commercial value should not be underestimated.

Before recommending investments, management should understand the property’s existing operational and financial performance. Energy, water, waste, maintenance and purchasing costs should be evaluated against appropriate baselines and operating conditions.

Existing procedures and equipment should then be optimised wherever practical. Investments should follow when justified by expected savings, payback periods, operational requirements and risk assessments. Once improvements have been implemented, performance must be monitored and verified. Without reliable measurement, management cannot determine whether the expected financial and environmental benefits have been achieved.

Sustainability becomes a competitive advantage when it improves efficiency, reduces business risks and delivers measurable results.

This approach also strengthens the hotel’s position when discussing capital expenditure, operational budgets and long-term planning with owners and investors.

Leadership and Professional Competence

Changing established practices requires management commitment. The General Manager has an important role in setting priorities, supporting departmental improvements and ensuring that operational decisions are based on reliable information. However, as discussed in my previous Green Partner article, General Managers should not be expected to become specialists in every technical discipline. Energy management, environmental legislation, certification requirements and sustainability performance assessments require appropriate professional competence. External advisers can provide valuable support, provided they understand the practical and financial realities of hotel operations.

There is also considerable knowledge within the hotel itself. Chief Engineers, Executive Housekeepers, Executive Chefs, Financial Controllers and other department heads understand how procedures function in practice. Their experience should be used when evaluating changes. The objective is to combine operational knowledge with specialist expertise. Recommendations must be practical, financially justified and compatible with guest comfort and service standards. An established procedure should be open to review without implying criticism of the employees who developed or followed it. Many practices were entirely appropriate when introduced. The responsibility of management is to determine whether they remain appropriate today.

Respect experience, but support decisions with current evidence.

Preserve the Tradition. Improve the Business.

I remain a classical hotelier. I value the standards, discipline, personal service and traditions that have shaped our profession. These qualities are part of what distinguishes hospitality from other service industries. However, preserving tradition does not require preserving inefficient operational practices.

The European hotel industry faces increasing operating costs, labour challenges, changing consumer expectations and evolving regulatory requirements. Hotels that continue relying exclusively on established methodologies risk losing opportunities to improve efficiency, protect profitability and strengthen competitiveness.

Successful hotel management requires the ability to distinguish between what should be preserved and what should be improved. Traditional service, personal attention and professional hospitality should remain central to the guest experience. Operational procedures, resource management, purchasing, maintenance and compliance controls should evolve when better methods are available and justified.

To my fellow Hoteliers: protect the traditions that make your hotel special, but do not defend an inefficient practice simply because it has always existed.

Challenge established procedures, evaluate alternatives, involve competent specialists and make decisions based on operational performance, financial consequences and compliance requirements.

Keep the charm. Keep the personal touch. Keep the hospitality. Modernise what happens behind the scenes.

Because in today’s hotel industry, standing still is moving backwards.