Proximity scores first LEED Platinum designation.
The Proximity Hotel, which opened in late 2007 in Greensboro, N.C., is the first hotel to obtain LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The hotel was built to use 40 percent less energy and 30 percent less water than comparable hotels. Other environmental efforts include recycling 87 percent of the construction debris, sourcing more than 40 percent of the building materials locally, using solar panels to heat water, providing natural light to 97 percent of the occupied space, and installing the first regenerative drive elevators in North America (generating electricity on the descent), as well as more than 60 other sustainable practices. Proximity features 147 guest rooms, 7,000 square feet of event space, a fitness center, an outdoor swimming pool, and a “guest living room” on each floor.
Warwick, R.I.
The News: The property received Green Hospitality Certification in April from the R.I. Department of Environmental Management. It is the state's first hotel to run on 100 percent renewable energy.
Specs: The 163-room hotel offers more than 4,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The hotel also offers a PURE floor with allergy-friendly rooms.
Extra: The hotel offsets its entire electricity usage with a mix of local and regional solar, wind, biomass, and hydroelectric power sources.
Destin, Fla.
The News: The property has earned the Florida Green Lodging Program Designation for its implementation of green practices.
Specs: The 600-suite resort offers 32,000 square feet of meeting space, four championship golf courses, 15 tennis courts, six on-site dining options, three pools, a spa, a fitness center, and a business center.
The News: The hotel received a California Integrated Waste Management Board Waste Reduction Award — its seventh from the organization.
Specs: The 1,625-room hotel offers 125,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space. Green efforts in place at the property include a program providing for food to be donated to the San Diego Food Bank, the availability of green menus, a voluntary linen-reuse program, recycling in every part of the hotel, and compact fluorescent light bulbs in guest rooms.
Extra: The hotel is located close to the San Diego Convention Center.
Charlotte, N.C.
The News: Once completed, the new hotel will be the first LEED-built hotel for both Ritz-Carlton and the city of Charlotte.
Specs: The 18-story, 147-room hotel will feature a 13,000-square-foot spa, a fitness center, and more than 12,000 square feet of meeting space for up to 480 guests.
Time Frame: The hotel is scheduled to open this October.
Beverly Hills, Calif.
The News: The hotel earned a LEED Gold certification for “New Construction” in April.
Specs: The 201-room hotel offers a 20,000-square-foot spa, multiple dining options, retail shops, a rooftop pool, and a 5,000-square-foot ballroom.
Time Frame: Opened November 2008
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
The News: The property is the first in the United States to receive a triple certification: Silver LEED certification, IACC (International Association of Conference Centers) approval, and PURE allergy-friendly rooms and Executive Meeting Center.
Specs: The hotel has 279 guest rooms and more than 15,000 square feet of meeting space, which can accommodate up to 500 guests.
Time Frame: The hotel's new Executive Meeting Center opened in March.
Boston
The News: The hotel received a Green Business Award from the city of Boston for its environmental practices in April. It was also awarded its second Energy Star rating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for using 35 percent less energy than average buildings.
The Specs: The hotel's green efforts include recycling by hotel staff, composting food, energy efficient lights, motion detector light switches in meeting rooms, 2.5 gallon per minute maximum discharge on all showerheads, and 2.0 gallon per minute maximum discharge on all guest room faucet aerators. The hotel has 500 guest rooms and 24,000 square feet of function space.
Sonny, a yellow Labrador retriever, now works at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada, as director of pet relations. Travelers looking for a companion while taking a walk can bring along Sonny for extra security and the comfort of home.
Kurt Diekhoff has been promoted to director of group sales for Montage Deer Valley in Park City, Utah, slated to open in winter 2010. Previously, Diekhoff was national sales manager at Montage Laguna Beach.
Mark Adams was named director of sales for the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. Most recently, Adams was vice president of sales at the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau. Before that, he was director of national accounts for Marriott International's global sales organization.
Denise Heintz has been named director of sales and marketing for the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino, opening in November 2009 outside Phoenix. Heintz was most recently director of sales and marketing for the Legacy Golf Resort in Phoenix.