The moment we label a hotel as 'sustainable,' we turn a process into a destination; It becomes a title to be won, a badge to be displayed, a marketing tagline to be sold.

And once that badge is earned, whether through a certification, a label, or even just clever branding many hotels stop trying. They tick the boxes, secure the recognition, and then quietly slip back into business-as-usual. Why keep pushing forward when the world already believes you’ve arrived?

This isn’t just a flaw in language it’s a failure in mindset.

True sustainability is never a fixed state. It isn’t something a hotel can be. It’s something a hotel must practice every day, in every decision, and especially when no one is watching.

It requires constant questioning, uncomfortable reflection, and a willingness to evolve. Most importantly, it demands humility: the understanding that no operation, however green or ethical, will ever be perfect.

By calling a hotel “sustainable,” we flatten that complexity. We make it seem like sustainability is something you achieve once and then keep forever. In doing so, we breed complacency and reward surface-level effort. The very certifications and labels meant to inspire improvement can end up giving cover to stagnation and sometimes even greenwashing.

So let’s stop handing out finish lines in a race that has none.

Let’s start describing what hotels are actually doing: sourcing locally, conserving energy, minimising waste, paying fair wages, including communities, and welcoming guest accountability. Let’s talk about hotels following sustainable practices, not sustainable hotels.

Let’s shift from static labels to dynamic efforts.

Because sustainability isn’t a badge. It’s a mindset. A messy, ongoing, imperfect journey.

And any hotel that truly understands this knows it never really ends.

Rohith P - Follow
Climate entrepreneur.