OLYMPIC VALLEY, CALIF.—Resort at Squaw Creek, a luxury Lake Tahoe resort based in California’s Olympic Valley, announces its commitment to change its name to remove the word “squaw” through an official rebranding. The resort will unveil its new name by April 2022. “Removing the word ‘squaw’ from our name is an ongoing priority for our resort, and we feel that this change is of the utmost importance to showcase the core values of our resort and our commitment to inclusion and diversity. With the rebrand next year, we look forward to joining our local Olympic Valley partners in starting a...

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FLA.—Element by Westin has debuted in Jacksonville Beach with the opening of the 80-room Element Jacksonville Beach. It is operated by Shivam Property Management. The new longer-stay hotel in Jacksonville Beach will feature Element’s new room concept, Studio Commons. Blending the convenience of a hotel with the flexibility and comfort of a home, the rooms are designed for groups looking to spend time together in a more private setting, while still enjoying all the benefits of a hotel room. Anchored by four private guestrooms, travelers can cook, collaborate, and relax together in shared kitchen and living room areas,...

KAWASAKI CITY, JAPAN—In any conversation about green hotels, one of the hotels that deserves a lot of time is the Kawasaki King Skyfront Tokyu REI Hotel in Kawasaki City, Japan. The 186-room property is run by 100 percent renewable energy. Thirty percent of the energy is derived from hydrogen. Seventy percent of the energy is derived from food waste generated renewable energy. Since transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy the hotel has saved more than $15,000 per year. To generate hydrogen, used plastics (household plastic trash plus hotel amenities) are sent to Showa Denko K.K.’s hydrogen production facility where they...

CANON CITY, COLO.—Fremont Economic Development Corporation, a 501c6 private not-for-profit focused on economic development in Fremont County and central Colorado, announced the opening of The Industrial Hotel, a 4-unit hotel in Florence, Colo.,, built from upcycled shipping containers. Located in an industrial section of south Florence, the project’s business partners, Barna Kasa, owner of KDevelopers, and Wyatt Reed, owner of Fire Age Designs, reclaimed a dilapidated lot on the bank of Coal Creek for a building site. To be billed as Fremont County’s most sustainable Airbnb, The Industrial showcases building design and furnishing principles based primarily on salvaged, recycled, and...

BANGKOK—The best things come to those who wait, and wait. Located in the lunar-like Arava Valley in the south of the Negev Desert, Six Senses Shaharut will celebrate its highly anticipated arrival this August. With all the final touches in place, the resort is already proving popular with national guests and is looking forward to welcoming international travelers as soon as border restrictions allow. With its secluded setting, Six Senses Shaharut has the obvious advantage of complete privacy. It aims to bring guests in balance with nature and its elements so they can kick back and enjoy traditional desert hospitality and rich...

BOSTON—CPG Hospitality and Enjoy Group, owners of Costa Rica Marriott Hacienda Belén, announced the hotel is installing a microgrid controlled, optimized, and managed by Heila Technologies, representing the first of the Marriott chain in Latin America to deploy the technology. The microgrid will allow the hotel to avoid 20.8 tons of CO2 per year, reduce electricity consumption, have energy coverage, and increase resilience against electrical outages. A microgrid is an integrated, low-voltage energy generation and distribution system made of solar panels, storage batteries, energy inverters, and control software that manages the generation, storage, and distribution of the energy produced. Microgrids can be controlled...

SILVERTHORNE, COLO.—The Pad team isn’t just talking about their commitment to sustainability for their new boutique hotel/hostel that opens this summer (July 30) in Silverthorne, Colo., they’re taking action and joining more than 4,000 global sustainability leaders in pledging to adopt a new business model and culture that prioritizes purpose alongside profit. The Pad, a 36-room boutique hotel with hostel-style rooms, was recently certified as a pending B Corp with plans of achieving the full certification when they become eligible after being open for 12 months. The Pad is on track to becoming the first Certified B Corp. in Summit County,...

HILO HAWAII—Soul Community Planet announced the opening of its new SCP Hilo Hotel. The 138-room property brings SCP’s unique brand of holistic hospitality to the Hawaiian Islands. The hotel now is accepting room reservations with the special introductory Aloha SCP offer with rates starting at $245 per night for a limited time only. “We are excited to bring Soul Community Planet to one of the most beautiful islands in the world. The new SCP Hilo Hotel is a wonderful destination in its own right and is an ideal base for adventure-seekers and explorers looking to experience all the Island of Hawaii has to...

GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN—In 2017, Scandic and Vasakronan signed an agreement to operate a hotel at the Platinan property in central Gothenburg. Scandic Göteborg Central will open during the second quarter of 2022 just a couple hundred meters from Gothenburg’s central station in the middle of the rapidly-growing Älvstaden area, the largest urban development project in the Nordic region. With its 451 rooms, the hotel will play the largest role in one of Gothenburg’s most spectacular real estate projects. The property will be environmentally certified according to the international LEED system and aims to attain the highest rating, Platinum. This is an important...

FARI ISLANDS, MALDIVES—The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C announced its debut in the Maldives, with the opening of The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands. Located on the Fari Islands, an archipelago on the north-eastern tip of North Malé Atoll, the area is famous for its untouched white-sand beaches and brilliant azure waters teeming with marine life. Featuring stunning minimalist architecture, the resort invites guests to embrace the beru, or circle of island life, and welcomes them into a world of exceptional luxury and memorable experiences. “We have long wanted to expand The Ritz-Carlton brand into this iconic luxury destination and are thrilled to evolve...