ATLANTA—The Atlanta Marriott Marquis, known for its stunning 50-story atrium, is using its ambitious resource-saving initiatives as a launching point to attract groups interested in holding green meetings. The 1,663-room hotel began its green push in April with a press release highlighting the hotel’s environmental accomplishments. Green meetings make a lot of sense, according to Chris Anderson, director of sales and marketing at the hotel. The Atlanta property is doing the little things that are part of green meetings—using recycled paper, and mugs instead of paper cups, for example. However, a more significant component of the hotel’s program is the...

BUENA VISTA, COLO.—You can huff and you can puff but you will never be able to blow down the walls of the Las Manos Bed and Breakfast in Buena Vista, Colo. The walls are made of straw. Well, mostly. They are actually constructed from bales of straw and covered with concrete stucco. They are solid, fire proof, and have an energy efficient insulation value of R-50. The unique exterior wall structure is just one of the fascinating elements of the B&B set within view of Colorado’s majestic 14,000-foot peaks. The 2,600-square-foot home, which includes two large suites ranging from 600...

GREENSBORO, N.C.—The greenest hotel in North America? If not, it is certainly among the top few. Dennis Quaintance, CEO and CDO (Chief Design Officer) of Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels, developer of the 147-room Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, N.C., has his sights set on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. The property, still under construction, will use 40 percent less energy and 35 percent less water than a comparable hotel. It is expected to open in August or September. What makes the eight-story Proximity Hotel so different than a typical luxury property? The roof is a good place...

SANTA MONICA, CALIF.—A Partner Member of the Green Hotel Assn. and a Santa Monica Sustainable Works Business Greening Program participant, The Ambrose hotel here is doing what it can to “Leave Only Footprints Behind.” It is that phrase that the 77-room property uses in its stylish logo. In every area of the hotel’s operations, a commitment to sustainability is clear. That commitment stems from the owner, The Ambrose Group L.L.C., as well as the “all concierge” team of employees at the property. The Ambrose first got involved in greening the hotel’s operations by participating in Santa Monica’s Sustainable Works Business Greening...

PORTLAND, ORE.—The Doubletree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center Portland-Lloyd Center is doing its part to help make Portland one of the greenest meeting destinations in the United States. Host to the Green Meeting Industry Council’s recent Greening the Hospitality Industry Conference, the 476-room hotel is a national leader because of its commitment to sustainable hotel operations. From the lobby area, where recycling containers can be found, to the back of the house, where food scraps are collected for composting, the Doubletree’s commitment to waste reduction is evident. Purchasing policies ensure that waste and recycled content is considered before anything is...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—With the Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group’s EarthCare program as its guide, the 82-room Hotel Madera is quietly making a positive impact with its subtle approach to green hotel operations. “Our story here is ‘Conscious Living,’” says Marco Scherer, general manager of the Washington, D.C. boutique hotel. “Throughout their entire stay, we try to remind our guests to live in a conscious manner. We let them decide to what degree they want to participate.” Opened as a Kimpton hotel five years ago, the Hotel Madera has been a green hotel for just a couple of years. The property is owned...

MADISON, WISC.—Upon entering the Arbor House—an Environmental Inn, you may want to watch where you step. The door mat is made from recycled truck tires. That is just one of the many ways the eight-room inn lives up to its name. Many of the items found in this historic Madison property were added or kept with the environment in mind. “Arbor House’s mission is to provide the art of hospitality within a model for urban ecology,” the inn’s website says. “Our goal is the wise use of resources and providing guests with an unparalleled combination of natural design, features, fabrics,...

KELOWNA, B.C.—Anyone skeptical about using the power of the sun to heat and cool a hotel should give Greg Salloum a call. He is c.e.o. of Salco Management Ltd., the owner of the 154-room Best Western-Kelowna in British Columbia. For more than six years now, the hotel has been heated and cooled with the help of a solar and geothermal system. In 2000 and 2001, 102 hot water solar panels were installed on the hotel’s roof. At that time, two five-ton heat pumps also were installed in the hotel’s basement. The system cost $258,000, of which $53,000 was paid by...

BOSTON—The 426-room Seaport Hotel, 100 percent nonsmoking since it opened in 1998, is marching toward Energy Star certification with a basket full of resource-saving programs. The initiatives include everything from guestroom energy management systems to public transportation incentives for employees. All of the Seaport Hotel’s environmental efforts are considered part of Seaport Saves. Matt Moore, director of rooms at the property, said the Seaport got a wake-up call in 2005 when the Northeast Sustainable Energy Assn., an organization that planned to meet at the hotel, expressed disappointment in the Seaport’s green offerings. “They suggested we do something...

CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE—The Inn By The Sea, here in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, is not a bad place to stay, especially if you happen to be a bird or a bug—the good kind, that is. The luxury property, which includes 43 suites and cottages, is two-thirds surrounded by a state park and is adjacent to a bird sanctuary. Management at the Inn By The Sea takes its responsibility to maintain its surroundings seriously. Over the years, the need for chemicals has been reduced by replacing exotic plants with indigenous species that not only create a pleasing landscape for guests, but also...