NATIONAL REPORT—Legionella can make people ill and has been linked to dozens of deaths. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Legionella bacteria, normally found in fresh water such as lakes and streams, can infiltrate water systems and colonize in showerheads, sinks, water heaters, cooling towers and even fountains if they are not treated properly. Twelve guests recently contracted Legionnaires’ disease, a form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, at a Sheraton hotel in Atlanta. One of the guests subsequently died, and another 61 “probable cases” were identified by the Georgia Department of Health. After three days...

ATLANTA—Pure Wellness, a pioneer and leader in hotel guestroom wellness solutions, announces the expansion of their portfolio with the installation of 15 Pure Rooms at three properties in Atlanta, one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation. Now, wellness-minded travelers visiting the Fairfield Inn and Suites Atlanta Kennesaw, or Marriott International’s Springhill Suites Atlanta Kennesaw and Springhill Suites Atlanta Buford/Mall of Georgia can experience Pure Rooms. “Both the Fairfield and Marriott International brands are known and designed to deliver an inviting and effortless experience for guests,” said Haley Payne, Chief Wellness Experience Officer for Pure Wellness. “The wellness trend is...

ENCINITAS, CALIF.—The Inn at Moonlight Beach announced that it has been awarded WELL Certification at the Platinum level by the International WELL Building Institute’s (IWBI) collaboration with Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). Going a step further than LEED certification, the prestigious distinction was awarded through IWBI’s WELL Building Standard (WELL), which is the premier building standard to focus on enhancing people’s health and wellness through the buildings where we live, work and play. The Inn, an intimate 4,000 square foot boutique hotel on a third of an acre lot, is nestled in a residential neighborhood in historical downtown Encinitas, a short...

SEATTLE—Hyatt Regency Seattle, a 45-story premier meeting and event hotel located in the heart of downtown Seattle, has officially received a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, becoming the first and only LEED Gold–certified hotel in the Seattle area. It earned LEED as part of the New Construction rating system. “Hyatt Regency Seattle is thrilled to receive this well-deserved recognition, as we are committed to enriching the communities we call home and protecting the planet for future generations,” said General Manager Tom Wolf. “As the largest meeting and event hotel in...

Did you know that you breathe over 11,000 liters of air a day? If you’re reading this, you will probably spend around 2,000 hours per year breathing the air in the office for which you are about to sign that lease.  This year alone, you will bring into your lungs over 900,000 liters of whatever is in the air of that cool new office space. Would you drink 900,000 liters of water if I said, “I actually have no idea what’s in it or how long it has been sitting in this room…but it’s fairly clear and doesn’t really...

LOS ANGELES, CA.—The Élan Hotel—a recently renovated boutique property located in the heart of West Hollywood—has partnered with AllerWell Travel—a division of the Wellness Hospitality Association International—to implement eight allergy-friendly guestrooms within the hotel. The only AllerWell Certified hotel, the Élan is the first property in the nation to offer AllerWell accommodations. AllerWell rooms eliminate more than 95 percent of the room allergens that trigger most allergy symptoms, and as more travelers look toward allergy-friendly accommodations, AllerWell and the Élan Hotel aim to make allergy-friendly rooms as common as smoke-free rooms. The three central components installed in all AllerWell rooms include: Hypoallergenic Bedding—Hypoallergenic...

ATLANTA—Full-service digital public relations and marketing firm, Trevelino/Keller, has been engaged by Pure Wellness to help secure the company’s position as a leader in hotel guestroom wellness solutions. Trevelino/Keller is spearheading digital marketing, creative, and public relations that align with Pure Wellness’ focus of enabling hotel partners to better serve the growing wellness-minded business and lifestyle traveler market. The stress and wear of frequent travel are tied to detrimental health outcomes—from long-term conditions such as obesity and cardiovascular disease to more immediate physical, behavioral and mental health issues. Pure Wellness, via its Pure Room service offering, offers a guestroom experience that promotes...

Unfortunately, I have written about carbon monoxide deaths in hotels far too often—most recently last November. The past few weeks I have read about two more incidents at hotels. First, in late June, two men were found dead by a third guest staying in the room at the Best Western Hotel in Asheville, N.C. Police suspect the cause of the deaths to be carbon monoxide poisoning. According to an unsealed warrant, Asheville fire chief Shane Mackey suspects a utility room behind the room was the source of the carbon monoxide. The utility room contained two water heaters and two...

ALMAZORA, SPAIN—Neolith by TheSize has formed a new partnership with PURETi, a leading manufacturer of water based photocatalytic preventative maintenance solutions, to offer architects and designers a sustainable architectural surface treatment for exterior facades. The eco-friendly PURETi surface treatment will be available for the first time for use on Neolith’s 6mm slabs, transforming the Sintered stone façades into self-cleaning air purifiers—consequently reversing pollution, dramatically improving air quality, and enabling the Neolith slabs to stay cleaner for even longer. This technology has the ability to reduce air pollution by destroying nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that contact the treated...

DELRAY BEACH, FL.—GSky Plant Systems, Inc., a global industry leader in the design and production of interior and exterior green walls, announces that its interior Versa Wall living green wall for San Francisco’s McGuire Building is the Grand Award Winner, Green Walls, for I-Plants/Urban Horticulture Magazine’s International Design Contest. GSky’s award-winning Versa Wall design for the McGuire Building in San Francisco marks the first living green wall of its kind to include three free-hanging columns. Completely suspended with no physical connection to the ground, the columns enliven a two-floor atrium space with a variety of colorful tropical plants. The three...