Sustainable boutique hotel
Sustainability is often reduced in hotels to a card about towels. That can be part of it, but it is not a strategy. For us, sustainability belongs to the way the house works: in the energy we use, the food we buy, the products we choose and the suppliers we trust.
At The Guesthouse Vienna, this has been part of our thinking since we opened in 2013. We do not claim to be perfect. We do try to make the better choice wherever we can – consistently, practically and without making a performance of it.
Energy – 100% renewable
The hotel is heated entirely by district heating and uses 100% hydropower from Wien Energie. Our ventilation system also recovers heat, using waste warmth in winter and supporting cooling in summer. It sounds technical; in practice, it saves a significant amount of energy while guests simply experience a comfortable room.
Kitchen – regional, seasonal, organic
In the Brasserie, we work with ingredients that have travelled as little as possible. Seasonality and provenance matter to us, and much of what we use comes from organic farms or certified organic producers.
Used cooking oil from the kitchen is collected by Münzer Bioindustrie and processed into biodiesel. Last year, by handing over more than 2,000 kg of waste oil, we saved around 6,360 kg of CO₂. You will not notice it at the table, but it counts.
We are especially fond of our own Guesthouse honey, produced with an Austrian beekeeper and used at breakfast and in the kitchen.
Packaging and products
Most products used in the kitchen and throughout the hotel arrive in reusable packaging. For a house with a Brasserie and Bakery, that makes a real difference.
The toiletries in our rooms and public areas come from March, an Austrian manufacturer using natural ingredients. Certified organic, vegan, cruelty-free and made in Austria. We chose March because the quality is excellent and the values are right.
Bed linen, towels and laundry
We change bed linen and towels every two days. Daily changes are, of course, available on request. This saves water, energy and detergent without reducing comfort.
Our laundry partner is environmentally certified and works to high ecological standards.
What sustainability means in a boutique hotel
With 39 rooms, we do not have a sustainability department. What we do have are short decision paths and the freedom to choose carefully: every supplier, every product, every investment.
If a supplier is not transparent, we look for another. If a better product comes along, we try it. If a more sustainable option costs more, we often choose it anyway, because the long-term decision matters more.
We will not pretend that a city hotel serving international guests is climate-neutral by nature. But we can honestly say that we choose the more sustainable option wherever one is available, and that we have done so from the beginning.
If you have questions or suggestions, we would genuinely be glad to hear from you at office@theguesthouse.at.
