There are not many books that come out of the hospitality industry having to do with sustainability, so I have to give a plug to “One Green Deed Spawns Another: Tales of Inspiration on the Quest for Sustainability,” a brand new book by David Mahood. David is an independent consultant and principal of Olive Designs, LLC and a partner in Olive Hospitality Consulting. David has been a prominent advocate of sustainability in our industry for many years and I have been fortunate to get to know him. In his book, David interviews many of his heroes who have inspired him...

DENTON, TEXAS—Embassy Suites by Hilton, a global brand of upscale, all-suite hotels from Hilton, announced the opening of a newly-built hotel in the city of Denton, Texas. The hotel venture marks a significant commitment to sustainability, as it is designed as a LEED Gold certified property, pending approval by the US Green Building Council. Due to its convenient location, large convention center and value-driven amenities, Embassy Suites by Hilton Denton Convention Center accommodates a variety of guests, from business professionals to families. In the heart of Texas’ up-and-coming Rayzor Ranch District, the hotel’s central location provides guests easy access to downtown...

Designing for the ultimate guest experience begins from the ground up. From the moment guests enter a hotel lobby, they should feel quality in every step, and the warmth and elegance of real hardwood floors make a huge impact on the crucial first impression. When designing for a spectacular hospitality experience, the most important decision—even more so than aesthetics—lies in choosing sustainable building materials that will look equally beautiful in year five as they did on day one. The flooring specified must be able to withstand thousands of guests in heels, countless wheeled carry-ons and damaging luggage carts, while...

JASPER, IND.—Indiana Furniture debuted a new collection of lounge seating and tables at NeoCon East this November. The Bailey Collection, a collaboration with designer Chris Carter, offers a distinct angle on Mid-Century modern with sculptural seats and sleek, chrome-finished steel frames. Bailey’s unique angled settees and sofas support new design footprints—alongside a selection of lounge chairs, tables and a stylish ottoman. “When Chris approached us with this design, we knew it was what we were looking for,” said Indiana Furniture VP of Sales and Marketing Mike Blessinger. “The shape of the angled settees, the soft square tables and low...

CALHOUN, GA.—Mohawk Group’s Lichen modular carpet, which merges leading concepts in biophilic design and sustainability, took home a coveted Best of Year Award from Interior Design magazine. Approximately 250,000 online votes determined the winners in the 12th annual Best of Year (BoY) Awards, which honor the world’s outstanding projects and products in 113 design categories. Over 1,000 design professionals and enthusiasts representing the United States, Mexico, Poland, Brazil, China, Israel and around the world gathered for the ceremony, which was held at the IAC Building designed by Frank Gehry. The Lichen Collection won in the flooring: carpet/modular category and was an honoree in...

I recently came across a group of hotels that are a perfect fit for Green Lodging News: Conscious Hotels. In case you are not familiar with the properties, there are three located in Amsterdam and one more in The Netherlands slated to open in 2018. Details can be found on the company’s website but here is how the hotels are described: “Conscious Hotels strive to be as green, sustainable and eco-friendly as possible. But they’re more hip than hippy. And by hip we don’t mean our staff are too cool to answer the phone. You might not even notice...

HONG KONG—Eaton Workshop is a new global brand merging hospitality with progressive social change. Launching in early 2018, it will bring to the international market a hybrid model of a hotel and co-working members club, with an extensive content and programming agenda underscoring its core advocacy values at the intersection of arts and social impact. As the first brand of its kind to serve as a gathering place for an inclusive tribe of changemakers and creatives, Eaton Workshop consists of distinct parts—Hotel, House, Media, and Wellness—that together form an ecosystem based on a pro-social, proactive ethos. A digital content platform...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Glass Recycled Surfaces as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Glass Recycled Surfaces turns post-consumer glass bottles, industrial glass and recycled porcelain fixtures into counter tops. By mixing crushed glass with an epoxy resin, the company has created thousands of custom designs for residential, hotel and multifamily clients. With the Beach Collection, one can bring coastal elegance into a project by adding locally sourced sea shells and oyster shells to countertops. Glass Recycled Surfaces also produces Glass Mulch. It retains moisture and reduces evaporation rather than...

One of my industry friends was recently in South Africa. I will be posting an article about his experience at the solar-powered Kambaku Safari Lodge very soon. While on his trip he also got to visit the highly unusual Turbine Boutique Hotel and Spa. The property is a fascinating example of adaptive reuse. What is now a five-star hotel and spa was once an old power station. All the old machinery which was used in the power station has been restored and forms an integral part of the hotel’s aesthetics. The original wood boiler, four electricity generators and much...

MIAMI—New ownership led by Gencom, a leading Miami-based international luxury hospitality and residential real estate investment and development firm, announced that Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the world’s leading luxury hospitality company, will assume management of a new collection of environmentally designed private villas and estate homes set to commence construction in February 2018. Construction completion is targeted for mid-Q4 2019. The exclusive enclave of 20 wholly owned properties will be known as Four Seasons Private Residences Prieta Bay at Peninsula Papagayo, situated on 17 acres of prime oceanfront real estate adjacent to the famed Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica. A...