Eco hotel review: The Usual
There aren’t many hotels that are built with sustainability in mind right from the start. So when I do come across such a place, I will try and plan a stay there. This was the case with The Usual, which currently has locations in Rotterdam and Bruxelles. A third eco hotel will open in Firenze in 2027. In this blog, I will tell you all about the big and small sustainability measures, as well as how I experienced my stay.
Building and design
When The Usual started renovating their buildings in Rotterdam and Bruxelles, they conducted in-depth climate and ecology studies. This helped them ensure that the hotels are properly insulated and energy efficient. It also enabled the creation of green roofs with bat houses, bird nesting and insect hotels. Such nature-inclusive construction earned The Usual a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification. In a world with profuse greenwashing, BREEAM is a rigorous third-party sustainability certification. The fact that The Usual renovated existing buildings also means they have convenient city centre locations close to train stations.
In terms of the interior design, The Usual uses lots of innovative materials produced in Europe. Toilets made of compressed woodchips, recycled ocean plastic floors, circular carpets from recycled nylon, clay-based tiles – sustainability is everywhere you look! I also like how stylish these materials are. There are interesting textures, calming colours and minimalist decorations across the rooms.
The rooms
In Bruxelles, I stayed in one of ‘Cosy’ rooms, which are the smallest private rooms. Because of a clever layout, the room never felt cramped. It has a good view and lots of sustainable details. For example, the mattresses can be taken apart, so each layer can be recycled. The coolest item are the lampshades: these are constructed from upcycled badminton shuttles. Similarly, tabletops in the downstairs U-bar are made of yoghurt pots, whilst other furniture is secondhand.
In terms of room types, Rotterdam also has pods. You can choose between double, twin or 4-person pods, which are space-efficient sleeping capsules with a shared bathroom. If you’re staying for longer, the Rotterdam hotel offers 3 apartments or ‘Studios’ with their own kitchens. Better than booking an Airbnb!
Transparency
If you want to know more about sustainability measures at The Usual, there is a wealth of information on their website. Both locations run on 100% renewable energy, all lighting is LED and you won’t find any single-use plastics in either hotel. Of course, The Usual is Green Key certified, too! In 2024, The Usual published a comprehensive annual report which details the calculations of their sustainbility achievements in addition to outlining future goals, such as optimising recycling streams. Hopefully, we can view the next annual report soon.
Community collaborations
Aside from environmental sustainability, The Usual also aims to be a socially responsible eco hotel. As an example, part of the profits are donated to a charity that provides clean drinking water in Nepal. More locally, nearby restaurants supply breakfast and lunch to the hotels. If there are leftovers at the end of the day, the Too Good To Go app helps minimise waste by selling the food to locals at a discount. What’s more, the hotels host community events, and staff get time to do volunteering activities.
Deals
A great deal available in Rotterdam is free bike rental for a day when you stay at The Usual for at least 2 nights. There is also a student deal where staying 4 weeknights or 7 consecutive nights earns you a discount on a double pod. Other than that, just make sure to book directly via The Usual’s own website to get the best rates. For each direct booking, The Usual makes a donation to charity to remove a kilo of waste from polluted rivers.
Conclusion
In short, I would say The Usual is a pretty great eco hotel: it has comfortable and space-efficient rooms, conventient locations, sustainable design and reasonable prices. As much as I like small-scale, locally owned B&Bs, I also look forward to seeing The Usual expand. It has great potential as an alternative to less ethical hotel chains. My only wish would be more vegan options at breakfast!
* This post is not sponsored or endorsed by The Usual in any way.
