Hotels Must Balance Comfort and Climate Goals As Guests Demand AC

Euro summer is under threat. Tourists have taken to social media to mock European short-term rentals and hotels that don’t have air conditioning — an amenity many visiting from the U.S. don’t think twice about. As global temperatures rise and oppressive heat hits the continent, hotels must balance the race to cool guests and lock in occupancy with their own energy efficiency and sustainability goals. AC penetration across Europe sits at around 20% versus around 90% in the U.S. and Japan, per Allianz, making the world’s fastest-warming continent a prime target market for HVAC developers. Europe’s sluggish uptake, save for Mediterranean climates, has pushed travelers north in search of cooling climates and left others in sweltering heat, arguing that Europe should finally adopt AC. European Union energy use has ticked higher since 2024, and the International Energy Agency attributes it in part to a “sharp rise in AC use in