When sustainability doesn’t feel right

POV: Sustainability in premium travel starts with what your guest really feels.

There’s a villa somewhere with solar panels on the roof, carbon credits accounted for, and a shiny green label in the welcome folder.

And then there’s that one retreat – maybe in the woods, maybe by the sea – where someone met your eye, remembered your name, and somehow made space for you to arrive as you are.

Which one felt more sustainable? Exactly.

Where good intentions fall short

It's not uncommon: The carbon footprint is tracked. The materials are local. The suppliers are vetted. But the guest experience? Rushed. Scripted. Flat.

And deep down, everyone feels it, but no one says it.

You can’t fix a broken experience with a sustainability label.

You can recycle the towels, count the emissions, plant the trees – but if the guest walks away feeling unseen, it’s not working.

Emotional sustainability is the missing piece

Let’s say it clearly: Sustainability isn’t just metrics – it’s emotional.

It’s the feeling your guest carries out the door. It’s the mood in your team. It’s the space between people, systems, and moments – the part no label can capture.

Did your guest feel cared for? Did your staff feel they had space to care?

If not, it’s not working. Not really.

What to watch out for (that doesn’t show up on any report)

→ Start here:

🔹 A check-in that’s so efficient it forgets the person

🔹 A guest journey built for volume, not rhythm

🔹 A staff culture running on burnout, not purpose

🔹 Language that instructs, but doesn’t invite

🔹 Policies that feel like walls instead of support

These aren’t on your emissions report. But they’re what people feel. And what they feel is what they’ll remember.

Sustainable guest experience, how?

Tweak your inner dialogue. Don’t ask: “What’s sustainable?” Ask: “What feels right? What feels like it matters?”

Then walk through your own experience slowly, honestly, as a guest. Let your body tell you where it flows. And where it doesn’t.

This is the level we work on. And when you're ready – we're here for it.

Yep, let's talk!

Editor’s Note

While this article focuses on the emotional dimension of sustainability, we want to be clear: Sustainability is not a feeling or a story. It’s a framework, and it must be backed by action, data, and accountability. However, guest experience is not separate from that framework.

Sustainable guest experience is part of the social sustainability pillar, which includes human wellbeing, equity, and respectful service design. When guests leave feeling disconnected, rushed, or unseen, it’s often a symptom of deeper structural issues – such as staff burnout, lack of clarity, or misaligned values.

We believe that emotions are indicators. They show us where the system flows and where it doesn’t.

True sustainability requires both measurable impact and felt integrity.