In the last seven years, luxury hospitality has shifted dramatically. It’s the fastest-growing sector of the industry, with ultra-luxury hotels reaching 148 percent of pre-pandemic performance levels through April 2026, according to JLL. Successful brands are acutely focused on delivering the unique, memorable experience that high-value guests expect. Luxury travelers have changed, too. Staying in a luxury guestroom used to be a rare splurge, a brief foray into a different world. Now, high-net-worth individuals are likely to have multiple homes, all with top-of-the-line technology, including sophisticated lighting and shading controls. Guestrooms are modeled after these residential spaces, delivering the same...

Search on “Solar Array” on the Green Lodging News website and you will find more than 200 articles. Many more solar-powered properties are listed in the Solar Powered section of Green Lodging News’ Renewable Energy All Stars. The latest addition to that section: the Coyote Valley Wyndham Garden in Redwood Valley, Calif. This past week, the Coyote Valley property, located on the Coyote Valley Reservation, announced it had completed a 2.23-megwatt (MW) solar carport system. It ranks among the largest solar installations in our industry. The newly installed system is expected to generate approximately 3,472 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually—around 45...

REDWOOD VALLEY, CALIF.—Coyote Valley Casino & Hotel, located on the Coyote Valley Reservation in Redwood Valley, Calif., announces the completion of a 2.23-megawatt (MW) solar carport system designed to significantly cut energy costs and provide long-term protection against future price volatility. The newly installed system, which features 1,500 JA modules and 10 Chint Power inverters, is expected to generate approximately 3,472 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually—around 45 percent of the site’s energy use—delivering more than $450,000 in estimated first-year savings for the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, the owner of the complex. The project includes a 1,411-kW solar carport installation...

SACRAMENTO, CALIF.—Airzone Control, provider of intelligent and innovative HVAC control solutions, and INTEREL, a leading provider of Energy Management Systems for the global hospitality industry, announced a technology partnership integrating the Airzone Aidoo Zigbee gateway with the INTEREL EOS2 smart thermostat. The integrated solution enables hotels and hospitality properties to achieve wireless smart control of inverter HVAC systems such as VRV, VRF, heat pumps, and mini splits, without compromising inverter functionality, efficiency, or control precision. Modern hotels face competing demands that are difficult to reconcile with conventional HVAC technology. Guests expect intuitive, responsive climate control. Ownership and management teams need to drive...

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS—LG Electronics USA’s Commercial Laundry division made its debut at the 2026 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC), the industry’s largest annual technology event, June 15 to 18 in San Antonio—showcasing the company’s purpose-built laundry and garment care solutions for hospitality properties of all sizes. Hospitality operators are faced with meeting rising guest expectations for convenience and garment care. America’s most reliable line of home appliances and No. 1 appliance brand, LG is addressing these demands with a commercial laundry portfolio that spans high-capacity commercial washing and drying—combining convenience for guests and reliability for hotel operators—as well as the...

As highlighted in my May 22 column and in the article just posted this past week, the Austin Convention Center is one of the most fascinating current green building projects in the United States. I interviewed Riley Triggs about the project. Triggs is Lead Project Manager, City of Austin Capital Delivery Services. The mission of Austin Capital Deliver Services: “Optimize delivery of quality capital projects through partnerships to create an equitable and sustainable community.” You will find a lot of information in my article about the new Center that will open in 2029 but here are some highlights that really...

AUSTIN, TEXAS—The Austin Convention Center Department (ACCD) is celebrating a milestone in the redevelopment and expansion project, known as UnconventionalATX, having officially entered the first phase of construction. The new $1.6 billion Austin Convention Center will significantly increase the rentable square footage of the existing facility, growing from 365,000 square feet to 620,000 square feet of rentable space. The redeveloped Convention Center will be one of the most sustainable public projects in Austin’s history. The projected $1.6 billion investment is fully funded by Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) revenues, Convention Center revenues, and the state’s Project Financing Zone—not property taxes. The project has...

TORONTO—Swift Charge, a leading Canadian EV charging network, announced a major national EV charging expansion with InnVest Hotels, Canada’s largest hotel owner and operator. The rollout will bring Swift Charge EV charging solutions to more than 70 hotel locations and over 300 chargers across Canada. As of today, approximately 50 locations are already live, with additional installations underway across Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. The expansion reflects InnVest’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the hotel guest experience while supporting the increasing adoption of electric vehicles across Canada, including in both urban centers and regional travel destinations. “We are excited to continue our roll-out...

MONTEREY, CALIF.—Portola Hotel & Spa announced that it has earned LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, one of the most widely recognized designations in sustainable building and operations worldwide. The certification affirms what Portola has long believed: that genuine hospitality and environmental responsibility go hand in hand. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, evaluates buildings across a rigorous set of criteria including energy efficiency, water conservation, materials selection, indoor environmental quality, and sustainable site development. Earning Gold certification places Portola Hotel & Spa among a distinguished class of properties that have demonstrated measurable, verifiable commitment to...

BANGKOK, THAILAND—Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, has been recognized among the country’s leading brands for sustainability perceptions in the latest Brand Finance Sustainability Perceptions Index 2026. The recognition reinforces Centara’s growing reputation as a hospitality leader that integrates environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into both its operations and guest experience. The report highlights organizations that are perceived to manage sustainability effectively, reflecting not only corporate commitments but also how these efforts are understood and valued by consumers. For Centara, this recognition signals a meaningful alignment between long-term ESG strategy and evolving guest expectations. This year, Centara nets strong...