NEW ORLEANS—PerkUp Financial Health, a New Orleans based workplace financial health platform providing financial education and other online tools to help employees make healthy financial decisions, and Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners, a national nonprofit and leader in worker financial health, joined forces to provide nearly 1,200 hospitality workers hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with cash grants and free financial coaching. Through PerkUp COVID Assistance Fund for Employees (PerkUp CAFE), hospitality workers at Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Hyatt Regency New Orleans, Windsor Court Hotel, BRG Hospitality, and Liberty’s Kitchen who have been laid off, furloughed, or experienced a reduction in...

MIAMI—The Copper Door B&B is an intimate 22-room bed and breakfast located in the historic Black community of Overtown in Miami. The charming bed and breakfast is the passion project of hospitality industry veterans Jamila Ross and Akino West who aim to resurrect southern hospitality while honoring the neighborhood’s powerful cultural past. The culinary-trained couple transformed the boarded up Demetree Hotel, operated by Jimmy Demetree, a controversial Robin Hood figure in Miami during the 1940s, into a unique, immersive and inclusive lodging experience for modern travelers featuring chef-driven amenities and local goods. By ushering in a new generation of civic-minded entrepreneurs,...

DUBAI, U.A.E.—Element Hotels, part of Marriott International, announced the opening of Element Al Jaddaf in one of Dubai’s emerging districts. Element Al Jaddaf presents an eco-friendly concept for guests seeking to maintain a balanced lifestyle while travelling. Inspired by nature and with a bright aesthetic, Element Al Jaddaf features streamlined furnishings in light natural tones with touches of greenery. The hotel’s relaxed and enriching atmosphere together with its ergonomic design, quiet nooks, sun filled spaces, and pet-friendly amenities evoke a feeling of comfort and home. “Element is a recognized industry leader in the longer-stay eco space and is designed to empower guests...

BOULDER, COLO.—KAN Tulum, a vacation development, and SkyRun Vacation Rentals Riviera Maya, a premium full-service property management company, have come together to provide a sustainable luxury vacation experience in Tulum, Mexico. KAN Tulum, composed of 42 treehouse-style units based on an organic design, utilizes renewable energy sources to create a luxury experience while living at one with nature in the Mayan jungle. KAN Tulum’s sustainable design includes: The latest generation of solar to power air conditioning. A water-processing system that cleans wastewater onsite. Outer walls encased in bamboo that host climbing plants to keep internal temperatures low, and mosquitos at...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Available for virtually all building types, including hotels, LEED provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership. LEED is for all building types and all building phases including new construction, interior fit outs, operations and maintenance and core and shell. LEED Zero is for projects with net zero goals in carbon and/or resources. Projects pursuing LEED certification...

NATIONAL REPORT—For safe, non-toxic cleaning you cannot get much better than water—but it first must be converted to aqueous ozone. The cleaning and disinfection properties of ozone have been known for a long time, but it has often been inconvenient to access. At least two companies have recently introduced sleek rechargeable, reusable spray bottles, however, that make using aqueous ozone portable and easy. The first company is Donastar Enterprises, LLC. Its EnozoPRO, after an AC charge, detaches from its base and kills 99.9 percent of most harmful bacteria and viruses on hard surfaces in 30 seconds.* “Ozone is capable of...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton has been named the global industry leader in sustainability for the second consecutive year on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI), the most prestigious ranking for corporate responsibility and sustainability performance. As an industry leader in hotels, resorts and cruise lines, the company earned top scores across the assessment’s three key areas including governance & economic, environmental and social performance. This marks the fourth consecutive year Hilton has been recognized for sustainability leadership through inclusion on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and North America Index. “In a year where the hospitality industry has been severely impacted by...

ATLANTA—Since the coronavirus was declared a global pandemic early in 2020, we’ve relied on doctors, nurses, grocery store clerks, nonprofit workers and other essential workers more than ever. They have kept our communities healthy, fed, sheltered and safe while having to take additional precautions to look after their own wellbeing. As a company committed to True Hospitality, IHG Hotels & Resorts has spent the last few months recognizing and celebrating these people to say “Thank You” for their work. Catherine Dolton, Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “We issued a call for nominations of workers who went...

NATIONAL REPORT—Over the past few decades, environmental and social factors, such as modernized living, have been driving the growth of wellness. While hotels are finding different ways to engage in this trend by incorporating wellness-related elements into the guest’s journey, destination spas are taking wellness to the next level with their unique offerings. This article takes a deep dive into wellness-hospitality development and discusses its distinguishing characteristics and key success factors. This article provides an overview of the underlying factors that are driving the growth in the spa-and-wellness hospitality sector. HVS has been tracking demand and growth patterns within this...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) suggests that sustainable building practices, including those involving energy and water conservation as well as waste reduction, are increasingly being incorporated throughout the hotel sector to add value and provide a competitive edge to properties. Sustainability in Hotels: Opportunities and Trends Shaping the Future of Hospitality assesses the state of sustainability in the hotel sector by identifying best practices, highlighting industry trends in sustainability, and offering solutions to sustainability-related obstacles. The report, published by ULI’s Greenprint Center for Building Performance, contains case studies and is informed by insights from 25...