Hotel Updates for August 2008

The Key to Going Green

At the recent Democratic National Convention, eco-friendly key cards made their debut at several hotels in the Denver area. More than 70,000 biodegradable key cards, produced by Sustainable Cards and manufactured by CPI Card Group, were donated by the two companies in an effort to reduce waste and the carbon footprint of traditional plastic key cards.

The cards are made from sustainably harvested wood and are emblazoned with the Denver 2008 Host Committee logo. While wooden key cards have been used throughout Europe for the past 10 years, they are something fairly new to the U.S. market. According to Sustainable Cards, making the switch from plastic to wooden key cards can reduce plastic waste by 1,300 tons annually in the U.S. alone.

"We’ve reached a point where consumers no longer want to frequent hotels and resorts that aren’t embracing green business practices," said Greg Hartmann, president and CEO of Sustainable Cards. "Our mission is to reduce non-biodegradable card waste to zero during the convention and throughout the year by encouraging the use of our eco-friendly wood cards in every hotel in America."

www.sustainablecards.com 

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced that it will open its first of two new properties in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, next year. The new Fairmont Abu Dhabi Creek will sit upon an urban beachfront and will offer state-of-the-art business facilities, a total of 369 rooms and suites, restaurants and leisure activities. The second Fairmont property, being built at the Marina City Development, will open in 2011.

www.fairmont.com 

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide together with the Abu Dabhi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) will launch a new Element extended-stay hotel in Abu Dhabi’s Capital Centre development in 2001. The new, eco-friendly hotel will be the first Element to be established in Starwood’s Europe, Africa and Middle East division.

Roeland Vos, Starwood president, Europe, Africa & Middle East division, said, "Abu Dhabi is a great city for Element’s first entry to the Middle East, and the hotel will deliver great style, comfort, design and functionality to travelers. This development is nothing less than another exceptional project with ADNEC. The location of the hotel, combined with our existing relationship, creates the perfect setting for the debut of Element Abu Dhabi."

The new hotel will offer 36 studios, 144 one-bedroom guestrooms and 90 two-bedroom units, a restaurant, swimming pool and a fitness center. All Element hotels utilize natural lighting and incorporate a Biophilic design.

www.starwood.com 

The Sofitel Bakoua Martinique is offering new four-day, three-night Gourmet Gastronomy packages this fall with a 12 percent travel agent commission. Packages may include oceanfront room accommodations for two, a daily buffet breakfast, a obster dinner with drinks, two gourmet dinners and buffet lunch with live entertainment. Packages are priced at $1,098 per person and are valid through Oct. 30. For reservations and more information, agents are encouraged to contact rooms division manager Marion Riffelmacher at [email protected].

www.sofitel.com 

Oregon Coast boutique hotel Surftides revealed the first phase of its million-dollar remodel last month, with updated guestrooms, a new lobby and a terraced outdoor lounge with fire pits. The 141-room beachfront hotel was originally built in 1936 and is located about two hours southwest of Portland, Ore. in Lincoln City.

Los Angeles-based and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified designer, Curated, and Santa Monica, Calif.-based Romeo Thorsen Design have taken steps to green the 72-year-old property during the remodel process. Rooms feature custom furniture from locally forested, sustainable wood, cork wall coverings, compact fluorescent bulbs and recycled carpeting.

The new hotel decor is meant to reflect a residential, mid-century beach cottage and new guestrooms feature modern amenities such as complimentary Wi-Fi, iPod docking stations, 32-inch flat-screen televisions, private balconies, in-room kitchenettes, fireplace suites and heart-shaped Jacuzzi tubs.

www.surftideslincolncity.com