MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA—1 Hotels, the mission-driven luxury lifestyle brand founded by hospitality visionary Barry Sternlicht, announces the official opening of 1 Hotel Melbourne. This nature-inspired property marks the brand’s long-anticipated debut in Australia, redefining the future of luxury hospitality in the heart of one of the world’s most forward-thinking cities. Developed in partnership with Melbourne-based Riverlee, the hotel is set along 220 meters of uninterrupted Yarra River frontage in the revitalized North Wharf precinct. The building is a celebration of Melbourne’s storied past and a blueprint for a more sustainable future, brought to life through biophilic design principles and a commitment to living in harmony with nature. The...

NATIONAL REPORT—Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) from allergens, mold, mildew, viruses, bacteria, cigarette smoke, marijuana smoke, vaping, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and more can easily result in a negative experience for your guests, harsh reviews of your property, and unexpected time, labor and dollars spent addressing the source(s) of the problem. Being proactive about IAQ can prevent a lot of headaches—literally—and even result in a higher room rate if you utilize one of the programs available from the companies in lodging that specialize in helping with TRevPAR (Total Revenue Per Available Room). Each company is unique in its approach....

MONTEREY, CALIF.—Portola Hotel & Spa, the first LEED-Certified hotel in Central California, has launched its new Reduced Waste Conference Program, advancing its long-standing commitment to sustainable hospitality. Developed in collaboration with Blue Strike Environmental, a mission-driven sustainability consulting firm, the program offers event organizers a seamless way to reduce the environmental footprint of their gatherings while maintaining an elevated guest experience. Portola Hotel & Spa’s Reduced Waste Conference Program sets a new standard for responsible meetings, encouraging collaboration between the hotel, planners, and attendees to reduce landfill waste, lower carbon emissions, and increase the use of reusable and recyclable resources. From behind-the-scenes...

NATIONAL REPORT—The Morning Sentinel is reporting that a bill advancing in the Maine Legislature—LD 1928—would prohibit most hotels, short-term rentals and other guest accommodations from using single-use plastic amenity bottles (with less than a 6‑ounce capacity) for shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion. Locations with 12 or fewer units would be exempt. The bill does not restrict the use of plastic refillable containers for personal health or beauty products. It also does not restrict the use of single-use personal health or beauty product containers, bottles, wrappers or packaging that are not made with plastic. Lodging establishments would have years to...

NATIONAL REPORT—The phrase alone—human trafficking—is enough to stir outrage, discomfort, or disbelief. What many employers may not realize, however, is that you do not have to be a “trafficker” to be held liable for trafficking. Companies across industries, from hospitality to agriculture to technology, are facing civil lawsuits and criminal investigations related to sex trafficking activities. If you think this can’t happen to your business, think again. Here is what you need to know to protect your organization, and four steps you can take to minimize danger in your workplace. What is Human Trafficking? Public understanding of human trafficking is often...

NATIONAL REPORT—Given the immense climatic challenges we currently face and the growing consumer demand for more sustainable products and services, businesses in every sector are starting to take their environmental impact seriously. In hospitality, the situation is no different. Energy consumption in the industry is high, with cooling, lighting, heating, and ventilation responsible for up to 60 percent of a hotel’s CO2 emissions. Energy-intensive extras such as heated swimming pools, excessive water and plastic use, and food waste also contribute to the industry’s environmental impacts. Given these unavoidable energy requirements and resource needs, hotels must be smart about increasing energy efficiency and reducing their...

BETHESDA, MD.—Marriott International, Inc. announced the launch of Connect Responsibly with Marriott Bonvoy Events (Connect Responsibly), a program designed to help meeting planners embed sustainability into their events at participating hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. Connect Responsibly plans to offer meetings and events customers access to detailed Meeting Impact Reports to measure the environmental impact of their events and select options to purchase carbon credits. The program is anticipated to go live at managed and franchised properties from participating brands globally by the end of October. “There is nothing like connecting in person, and doing so responsibly makes it that much...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—AHLA Foundation announced their third annual No Room for Trafficking Summit will take place July 30, 2024, the same day as the United Nation’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. At last year’s No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) Summit, the inaugural grantees of the NRFT Survivor Fund were announced, including: Safe House Project, Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST), Restore NYC, Inc., University of Maryland Support, Advocacy, Freedom, and Empowerment (SAFE) Center for Human Trafficking Survivors. AHLA Foundation also shared quantitative and qualitative data demonstrating the impact the four Survivor Grantees have made to-date with the $500,000 disseminated across their respective organizations: Collectively, the...

SAN ANTONIO—The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is filled with hidden gems including the elevated artwork that fills this luxurious resort. Hallways and common spaces feature unique, sophisticated work by locally, nationally, and internationally acclaimed artists, giving guests the opportunity to roam the resort to tour and discover the magnificent art pieces curated for guests to enjoy as a new indoor activity. The “Art Walk” takes resort guests throughout the upper and lower-level lobbies where they can view and read about 13 different pieces of art on a self-guided tour. Guides can be picked up at the...

NATIONAL REPORT—In late February, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and Procure Impact, a first-of-its-kind B2B marketplace for products that support overlooked communities, announced the launch of the Dignity of Work Pledge, an initiative to create 100,000 hours of paid employment for overlooked populations. At the time of the announcement, eight hotel companies had signed the Pledge. According to Jen Collins, President of Procure Impact, three companies have since signed on, five have verbally committed, and Procure Impact is in conversation with 15 more. There are now more than 150,000 hotel rooms represented. Hotel companies that purchase from companies in...