Hotel surcharges for the greater good

As if I needed to be further convinced that a stay at Hotel Hāna-Maui, on the eastern coast of Maui, Hawaii, would be good for the soul, I’ve just learned that it’s partnered with the Good Night Foundation. This means paying more, not less, for a stay there, but for worthwhile causes.

See, the Good Night Foundation, featured recently in Outside as the “Best New Travel Philanthropy Website,” raises funds for charitable projects internationally through $4 nightly optional surcharges added to guests’ bills at participating hotels. Fund recipients for international causes include Arlington Academy of Hope and the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative, but 25% of funds go to local charities picked by the respective hotel staff.

Besides the Hotel Hāna-Maui (which, by the way, has a very tempting “Spring Fling” package special available till May 15, 2008), the following are partnered with the foundation: Post Ranch Inn, in Big Sur, California; Sea Ranch Lodge, Sea Ranch, California; and Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort, Savusavu Bay, Fiji Islands.

I’m not one to give charitably upon cashier’s request at the grocery store checkout, or by solicitors’ requests in the parking lot for that matter. I prefer instead to make my charitable-donation decisions from home. But something about the Good Night Foundation’s unique scheme appeals to me. I like that the small surcharge serves as a reminder to us travelers, whether we choose to donate or not, that social responsibility is one thing that’s healthy to bring on vacation with us.

What do you think about surcharges for good causes?

— Susan Derby, Special to the Los Angeles Times

[Photo: HotelHanaMaui.com]

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 5:19 pm by Susan Derby and is filed under Hawaii, Luxury Travel, Maui, Northern California. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.