The hospitality industry is under pressure: Europe’s hotels generate hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste each year—from discarded soap bars to millions of plastic amenity bottles. In the UK alone, hotels produce roughly 289,700 tonnes of waste annually. Meanwhile, Clean the World’s Global Hospitality Recycling Program—now adopted by over 8,600 hotels worldwide—has prevented 13 million kg of waste from reaching landfills and redistributed more than 115 million soap bars to communities in need. Today’s hotel leaders must embrace circular solutions, and many across Europe are doing just that by partnering with Clean the World.
Spain & Portugal: Pioneering Responsible Hospitality
Southern Europe’s tourism boom is fueling demand for sustainability. Spain welcomed about 94 million international visitors in 2024, and Portugal is similarly popular. Leading hotels are stepping up. In Barcelona, Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona (433 rooms) has partnered with Clean the World’s full recycling program. To date, it has collected 265 kg of soap and 4,630 kg of bottled amenities (4,895 kg total), redistributed 3,113 bars of soap to communities in need and saved 7,363 liters of water through avoided soap production. In Lisbon, the 5* boutique Bairro Alto Hotel (87 rooms) joined the “Plastic Only” program with Clean the World; in just over a year it collected 217 kg of plastic amenity waste.
- Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona (433 rooms): 265 kg of soap and 4,630 kg of bottled amenities collected (4,895 kg total), 3,113 bars of soap redistributed, and 7,363 L of water saved.
- Bairro Alto Hotel, Lisbon (87 rooms): 217 kg of plastic amenities collected; the hotel notes that sustainability is a long-term commitment embedded in its DNA.
These Iberian partners show that hotels of any size can turn waste into resources, proving that luxury and responsibility go hand-in-hand.
Germany & Netherlands: Central Europe’s Sustainability Champions
In Central Europe, hotels are demonstrating measurable impact.
In Munich, Hilton Munich City (483 rooms) has collected 6,731 kg of plastic bottle amenities since 2021.
The storied Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich (305 rooms) has collected 677 kg of soap and 4,271 kg of plastic bottles (4,948 kg total); its general manager notes that partnering with Clean the World helps the hotel lead “not only in service, but in responsibility”.
In Amsterdam, Conservatorium Hotel (129 rooms) collected 5,640 kg of waste between 2018-2024 (2,307 kg soap and 3,333 kg plastic bottled amenities), and redistributing 41,210 soap bars to communities in need.
Whilst the DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam Centraal Station (557 rooms) collected 2,585 kg of plastic amenities as of February 2024.
- Hilton Munich City (483 rooms): 6,731 kg of plastic amenities collected.
- Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich (305 rooms): 677 kg of soap and 4,271 kg of plastic amenities collected (4,948 kg total).
- Conservatorium Hotel, Amsterdam (129 rooms): 5,640 kg of waste collected (2,307 kg soap and 3,333 kg plastic), 3,197 kg of plastic collected 41,210 soap bars redistributed.
- DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam Centraal Station (557 rooms): 2,585 kg of plastic amenities collected (as of February 2024).
These figures underscore the scale achievable when hotels integrate circular practices. Many Amsterdam properties—such as those in the Green Hotels Club—are leveraging Clean the World’s program to meet city-wide sustainability goals.
Italy & Eastern Europe: Setting New Standards
Across southern and eastern Europe, notable properties are also adopting circular waste practices with Clean the World.
In the Dolomites, Lefay Resort Dolomiti (Italy, 88 rooms) joined Clean the World’s soap-recycling program in 2021 and has since collected 216 kg of soap, redistributed 4,353 bars to communities in need, and saved 6,001 L of water compared with new production.
Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest Airport (218 rooms) in Romania joined the program in March 2023 and by October had collected 739 kg of plastic bottle amenities. General Manager Daniela Anastasescu explained their philosophy: “It is not only about meeting the needs of today but ensuring the future of our environment for generations to come”. Beyond amenity recycling, the hotel has implemented energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems and sources sustainable, organic, fair-trade products from local suppliers.
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Conference Centre Warsaw (359 rooms) is another shining example. This luxury property from Poland has collected 481 kg of soap and 1,162 kg of plastic bottled amenities, resulting in a carbon-footprint reduction of 657 kg CO2e and 13,373 L of water saved compared to a new bar of soap having to be produced.
Other notable case studies:
- Lefay Resort Dolomiti, Italy (88 rooms): 216 kg of soap collected, 4,353 bars redistributed, 6,001 L of water saved.
- Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest Airport, Romania (218 rooms): 739 kg of plastic amenities collected in 8 months (Mar–Oct 2023).
Italy & Eastern Europe: Setting New Standards
Across southern and eastern Europe, notable properties are also adopting circular waste practices with Clean the World.
In the Dolomites, Lefay Resort Dolomiti (Italy, 88 rooms) joined Clean the World’s soap-recycling program in 2021 and has since collected 216 kg of soap, redistributed 4,353 bars to communities in need, and saved 6,001 L of water compared with new production.
Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest Airport (218 rooms) in Romania joined the program in March 2023 and by October had collected 739 kg of plastic bottle amenities. General Manager Daniela Anastasescu explained their philosophy: “It is not only about meeting the needs of today but ensuring the future of our environment for generations to come”. Beyond amenity recycling, the hotel has implemented energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems and sources sustainable, organic, fair-trade products from local suppliers.
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Conference Centre Warsaw (359 rooms) is another shining example. This luxury property from Poland has collected 481 kg of soap and 1,162 kg of plastic bottled amenities, resulting in a carbon-footprint reduction of 657 kg CO2e and 13,373 L of water saved compared to a new bar of soap having to be produced.
Other notable case studies:
- Lefay Resort Dolomiti, Italy (88 rooms): 216 kg of soap collected, 4,353 bars redistributed, 6,001 L of water saved.
- Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest Airport, Romania (218 rooms): 739 kg of plastic amenities collected in 8 months (Mar–Oct 2023).
UK & Ireland: From Boutique Inns to Net-Zero Flagships
British and Irish hotels are also embracing Clean the World’s program. THE PIG Hotels group partnered with Clean the World in 2023 to recycle guest soap, preventing it from ending up as waste and giving it a second life in hygiene projects locally. In Manchester, Radisson Hotel Manchester City Centre (252 rooms) became the UK’s first Verified Net Zero hotel in 2024, integrating Clean the World to manage plastic amenities as part of its verified plan.
- THE PIG Hotels (UK): By repurposing discarded soap, the group diverts significant waste from landfills and supports local hygiene projects.
- Radisson Hotel Manchester City Centre (252 rooms): The UK’s first Verified Net Zero hotel, with Clean the World managing its plastic-amenity recycling.
- PPHE Hotel Group: 17 PPHE properties joined the Clean the World program in February 2025, another example of how the Group continues to pioneer innovation and sustainability within the hospitality industry, it follows the introduction of non-refillable amenity formats across Park Plaza hotels in Europe, which is expected to save up to 37 tonnes of plastic waste each year.
Driving Hospitality’s Circular Economy Forward
Clean the World’s program proves that circular waste management is not just possible, it’s profitable. Across Europe, partner hotels are achieving measurable results: tons of plastic and soap diverted, liters of water saved, and soap bars reallocated to vulnerable communities. As Graziela Vieira da Rocha of Lisbon’s Bairro Alto Hotel notes, “luxury and responsibility go hand in hand”.
Join the Movement
Clean the World’s Global Hospitality Recycling Program is ready to help any hotel—large or small—embed circularity into its operations. Whether you manage a seaside resort, airport hotel, or urban center, you can turn discarded soap and plastic into positive impact. Contact Clean the World today to learn how to track your waste reductions and join the ranks of European hotels leading the charge.
