Title: “Your key to sleeping with a clear conscience.” You keep the conscience, I get the bill.
130 euros per night. I walk into the room: an oversized bathtub, the perfect symbol of everything the keycard slogan pretends to fight. The air conditioning is running, even though it’s 21 degrees outside. Then I look at the keycard. It says: “Your key to sleeping with a clear conscience.” That’s when everything becomes clear.
It’s a simple setup: they provide everything that consumes — water, energy, comfort — and then shift the moral burden onto you. Want a fresh towel? You’re part of the problem. Decline housekeeping? Perfect. Here’s your ethical excuse. On the door, next to the usual “Do not disturb” sign, there’s another one: “Save the planet, no need to clean my room today.” Translation: skip the service, help us cut labor costs. Environmental messaging used to justify budget optimization.
The bathtub drains water. The AC runs by default (yes, it shuts off if you open the window, fine). But somehow, you’re the one made to feel guilty if you ask for an extra towel.
This is Scandic’s version of sustainability: don’t touch anything structural, just cut what can be pushed onto the guest. The hotel presents itself as eco-conscious, but in practice, it’s asking you to “do your part” so they can widen their margins. No towels. No cleaning. No consumption.
You’re not a guest. You’re a low-impact operational unit, ideally managed with minimal staff.
And here comes the moral punch