Archive for Green Hotel Programs

Millennium Hotels and Resorts are committed green hotels working towards preserving the environment

August 22, 2010 · Filed under Green Hotel Programs, Green Hotels, Green Resorts, green travel, eco friendly resorts · Tagged , , ,

Millennium Hotels and Resorts is committed to preserving the environment with eco-friendly initiatives not only across all their 15 U.S. hotels but also as well at the corporate level. This is a great initiative at Millennium sees as s a first step of the company’s long-term focus on being “green.”

Their plan consists of the following initiatives:

• Raising awareness of sustainable development issues across all of the Millennium U.S. properties.
• Promoting environmental purchasing and supply process and procedures across their properties.
• Monitor progress of implementation measures arising from hotel assessments.
• The establishment of a “Green Committee” at every property, headed by an Executive Committee member.

• The selection of eco-friendly suppliers from the Avendra procurement program

Some of the initiatives that are under way are:

ü New, low-energy lighting is now being used within hotels

ü All equipment now being purchased by the properties is EnergyStar® compliant

ü New programmable thermostats in guestrooms eliminate unnecessary energy usage

ü Introduced recycling programs for glass and bottles wherever possible

ü Instituted a program to recycle paper at all corporate and hotel offices and reception desks

Millennium Hotels have also changed their cleaning processes with the end result being the elimination of the use of aerosols in the properties and introduction of eco-friendly cleaning chemicals. They have also now eliminated the use of non-biodegradable Styrofoam cups at all hotels ( a great green initiative).

Guest Participation
Guests can also contribute and do their part by opting to have their linens changed on the second night of their stay, in order to reduce the amount of water used in the cleaning process. They can also participate in the terry re-use program, in which they can hang their towels back on the rack and reuse or simply place the towels on the floor or in the bathtub to be replaced by clean, fresh ones. To assist in saving water each room has been equipped with showerheads, toilets and faucets that conserve water.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts sees this as an evolution and are dedicated to life-long environmental responsibility with their mantra to embrace the addition of new eco-friendly policies as they develop.

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Park Inn Muscat, Oman recieves first Middle East Green Globe Certification

August 9, 2010 · Filed under Green Hotel Programs, Green Hotels, enviromental hotels, eco friendly resorts, Green Globe · Tagged , , ,

The Park Inn Muscat  is a Rezidor Hotel Group establishment, and the first Rezidor hotel to receive the Green Globe standard certification. It is located on Al Khuwain on Sultan Qaboos Street, and has 175 furnished rooms and seven suites, designed for business travelers.

Green Globe was established in 1993 and is a member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Also partly owned by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), its sustainability standard is internationally recognized.

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Green hotels gaining popularity in Thailand

August 9, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized, Green Hotel Programs, Green Hotels, Green Resorts, enviromental hotels, eco friendly resorts · Tagged , , , ,

More Thailand properties move towards green environmentally friendly as guests demand a more greener footprint. The leading foundation in Thailand is the Green Leaf Foundation. The foundation has three categories of green-hotel certification — Green Leaf, Health Promotion and Smoke Free.

An example of a resort that has made a great green contribution is the Dusit Resort Pattaya, which has received a Five Green Leaf Certificate (the highest level) from the foundation, has saved about 100,000 baht a month in electricity and water costs since making a serious effort to go green.

Unfortunately a lot of hoteliers believe being environmentally friendly means having to spend huge sums of money to become green, this is not necessarily the case. In fact by asking guests to change their habits and attitudes. Hotels need to encourage guests to keep their towels and sheets for a few days instead of changing them on a daily basis. This save water, reduces power bills as well as the use of detergents.

A saving can also be achieved by hotels by just switching from chlorine to salt in their swimming pools. The result of this simple activity could reduce that cost by about 60%. There are now 250 Green Leaf  Hotels, up from 130 last year, with the number expected to grow further over the next several months. The foundation also sees a positive trend in the lower Health Promotion and Smoke Free categories. Leading Bangkok hotels Grand Hyatt Erawan and the beautiful Banyan Tree carry the Green Leaf.

Stephen Duggan

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Marriott Offers New Voluntourism Package

August 8, 2010 · Filed under Green Hotel Programs, Hotel General Manager, eco friendly resorts, geotourism · Tagged , ,

Five years since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans remains a city that needs rebuilding with added challenges from the recent oil spill in the Gulf. Looking to lend a hand while in New Orleans?

Marriott has announced a new voluntourism program called “Spirit To Serve New Orleans“ that makes helping out easy for both business and leisure travelers. Beginning August 3rd, guests who book the voluntourism package can partner with New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity or Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans, through the end of the year, to help rebuild homes hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina and provide food to families impacted by the Gulf oil spill.

The “Spirit To Serve New Orleans” voluntourism package is available at the nine hotels in downtown New Orleans, La. and includes:

1. A dedicated concierge to coordinate volunteer efforts;
2. Deluxe accommodations;
3. Box lunch for two (2);
3. Transportation to and from the volunteer site; and
4. two commemorative t-shirts.

The participating hotels include New Orleans Marriott; JW Marriott New Orleans; New Orleans Marriott at the Convention Center; Renaissance New Orleans Pere Marquette Hotel; Renaissance New Orleans Arts; Courtyard New Orleans Downtown near the French Quarter; Courtyard New Orleans Convention Center; SpringHill Suites New Orleans Convention Center; and Residence Inn New Orleans Convention Center. Rates start at $99.

To book the Spirit to Serve New Orleans package, visit www.spirittoserveneworleans.com or call 1-888-236-2427. Enter V5S in the box entitled “corporate/promotional code” for online bookings.

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TRAVELERS TURN OFF GREEN HABITS WHEN ON HOLIDAYS

July 1, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized, Green Hotel Programs, green hotel options, environmental facts

The Travel Foundation has launched the first Make Holidays Greener week to remind people to be environmentally friendly when they are on holiday.

Did you know that almost 90% of people say that they regularly recycle bottles, cans and paper in their day-to-day life, but less than half keep up the good work when they go away?

There are some really simple things that we can all do when we’re on holiday, and if we do these things it can make a real difference to the environment and to local people in our destination.

Unfortunately, generally people forget their green habits when they arrive at their destination.

A survey conducted by The Travel Foundation states that their survey revealed that one in five holidaymakers admitted they switch off completely when on a beach break and don’t consider the environment.

A real problem is that holiday accommodation does not provide enough green facilities or advice. You come to a new hotel that you have never been to; so how do they communicate to you their green policies and practices and how you can participate, it just doesn’t happen.

Travel Foundation has launched the green week from 26 June to 3 July to encourage travelers to do three things on their summer break that will make a difference.

Here are a list of green tips and activities you can do while your on your holiday:

· have short showers instead of baths to save water;

· use alternatives to plastic bags to reduce the amount of harmful waste that goes into landfill,

· turn off the lights when you leave the room

· keep the air conditioning at a reasonable level

What other suggestions and recommendations do you have? Please feel free to add to this important discussion.

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InterContinental and National Geographic renew pledge to geotourism with extended responsible travel initiatives

October 16, 2009 · Filed under Uncategorized, Green Hotel Programs, Hotel General Manager, Green Hotels, Green Travel Hints, green travel, geotourism · Tagged ,

Over 60,000 InterContinental employees worldwide will participate in responsible business workshops to enhance their understanding of how they can personally be involved in global geotourism initiatives across the globe that enrich the understanding of environmental and cultural responsibility among both InterContinental associates and guests worldwide.

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RockResorts creates new eco-friendly “Green Rooms” for guests

July 31, 2009 · Filed under Green Hotel Programs, Executive House Keepers, Green Hotels, green travel, green hotel options, geotourism · Tagged , , , , , ,

Vail Resorts brand “RockResorts” has just unveiled its new “Green Rooms” initiative to bring progressive environmental standards to every single guest room in order to not only enhance the existing environmental efforts of each resort but also help engage and encourage guests to take part in the resource conservation process.

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19 Novotel hotels & resorts gGreen Globe Sustainable Tourism Certificationain

June 22, 2009 · Filed under Green Hotel Programs, Green Hotels, eco friendly resorts, green hotel options

19 Novotel hotels and resorts throughout the Asia Pacific region have achieved Green Globe Sustainable Tourism Certification. An additional twelve Novotels in the region have attained the “benchmarked” status and are well underway towards certification. The Green Globe Sustainable Tourism Certification process heightens environmental consciousness at hotels, as the process interacts with all departments and employees at every level. As a result properties improve thier practices and reduced wastage and consumption of water and energy.

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Eco-friendly Initiatives at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown

June 18, 2009 · Filed under Green Hotel Programs, green hotel options · Tagged , ,

The environmentally conscious, Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel has planted a 120-square foot seasonal garden on the fourth-floor deck of the 31-floor hotel growing chilies, okra, mint, peppers and a variety of herbs which will be incorporated into dishes served in the hotel; and is working with Philips Electronics to determine possible CFL or LED technology for custom lighting fixtures that currently only work with traditional incandescent bulbs.

Other eco-friendly initiatives from the Sheraton Phoenix include:

  • A comprehensive banquet recycling program;
  • The installation of a So Clear water filtration system to purify water and reduce waste;
  • The creation of an internal “Green Team” that regularly meets to proactively identify ways in which the hotel can be more sustainable as well as being responsible for identifying, implementing and training fellow associates on new sustainable practices, which included the roll-out of digital menus which are now available in all catering settings;
  • Has made a commitment to utilize the most energy efficient lighting possible by utilizing CFL or LED lighting wherever possible which yields a tremendous reduction on energy consumption (utilizing CFL light bulbs in all of the 1,000 guestrooms, the hotel uses just 24% of the electricity of a hotel that does not utilize CFL bulbs – a savings that would power approximately 31 U.S. households per year as well as reducing the quantity of light bulbs sent to the landfill by 800%);
  • Use a local grower for many of the additional produce items which also collects the compostable items for use as compost on the farm continuing a sustainable cycle.
  • Has developed a comprehensive recycling program that extends throughout the entire hotel. Guests can recycle in their rooms, associates can recycle in their offices and meeting planners can customize plans and amenities to reduce waste: and
  • The hotel also works closely with other community partners such as Waste Not to donate unused items rather than send them directly to a landfill.

www.sheratonphoenixdowntown.com

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Crowne Plaza Alice Springs installs the largest mounted solar panel system in Southern Hemisphere

June 17, 2009 · Filed under Green Hotel Programs, Green Hotels, enviromental hotels, eco friendly resorts, green hotel options, green house gasses · Tagged , ,

Crowne Plaza Alice Springs has reduced its carbon footprint with the installation of the largest commercial building mounted solar panel system in the Southern Hemisphere. The $3 million project was a joint initiative between Crowne Plaza Alice Springs and the Australian government’s Alice Solar City Project and comprises over 1326 individual photovoltaic solar modules.

The rooftop combined solar arrays will generate nearly 1500kW of power per day and over 530,000kW per year – which equates to supplying enough power to supply more than 60 family homes and will supply a saving of up to 80% of the hotel’s power needs and reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint by 420 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year as well as assisting to reduce the total energy load on the Alice Springs town electricity grid by approximately 0.5% or about 250kW of the 50,000kW generated in summer.

Crowne Plaza Alice Springs has also implemented energy efficiency projects that have resulted in a 5.5% reduction in gas usage; a 25% reduction in electricity; a 17% reduction in water usage and a 30% reduction in CO² emissions. Some of these initiatives this property has undertaken to reduce its carbon footprint have been:

  1. The installation of ‘Energy Eye’ which allows the hotel to minimise the energy consumption of it’s air-conditioning by detecting whether or not a guestroom is occupied and can also detect when a guest room is occupied even when the guest is sleeping;
  2. The replacement of over 3110 light bulbs with energy efficient options;
  3. The instillation of Jemflo showerheads into all guest rooms saving 11,580KL of water each year (which is the equivalent of 30 Olympic sized swimming pools)

Together, these projects along with the solar PV project have significantly reduced Crowne Plaza Alice Springs’ hotel energy consumption and carbon footprint.

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/1/en/hotel/aspbd

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