When’s the last time you looked around your hotel room for the standard hotel room basics like a phone book or The Bible? Have you noticed if they're still there or have you been reliant on your phone? Most likely, you've been using your phone for everything that it's been easy to miss "the missing items." Hotels, resorts, and conference centers are making moves to “tidy-up” the rooms and make the space cleaner by removing items that aren’t used by guests on a regular basis.

What’s gone missing?

• Phone books – 917 is the number of phone books removed from The National Conference Center’s guest rooms. Of course there are spare phone books at the front desk for guests who request a copy. The Conference Center's Director of Housekeeping says, “We have not received 1 request for phone books since… thanks to today’s technology.” The remainder phone books were recycled. This is one project general managers and housekeeping directors are working on to free some space for guests.

• Plastic shower caps and shoe mitts – Due to the lack of usage, these two haven’t made the cut for the European-style guest rooms at The National Conference Center. Removing plastic shower caps and shoe mitts from the guest rooms was a move to be green and save space. Rarely is there a request for these items but when there is, front desk is happy to deliver.
• Bibles – The Book has been given a first-row seat at some conference centers. A few venue managers recently begun a process to donate Bibles to local shelters and ensure the front desk has several copies on reserve. These copies are the electronic version – on a Kindle. I’ll take one to go, please!
• Typical A/C units - All of the guest rooms at The National Conference Center have motion sensors to activate the A/C units. Walk into the room and the unit will know you’ve entered; soon it will kick on to the temperature of your liking. This addition is one way for a venue to make a huge reduction in their environmental footprint.

These are some of the new green changes and updates to hotel guest rooms, but hotel and conference center housekeeping managers are always looking at more options to minimize any paper or plastic items in the rooms. Other recent changes in hotel rooms has been to give guests the technology they’re accustomed to in their own home; read Investment in Hotel Technology Pays Off to find out other ways to enhance the guest's in-room experience.

Have room changes like these made a positive impression on you? What’s a more recent guest room change you’ve noticed?