LAYTON, UTAH—Home2 Suites by Hilton recently celebrated the official grand opening of the brand’s second U.S. hotel in Layton, Utah, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and an announcement of a charitable community partnership. The first Home2 Suites opened in February 2011 in Fayetteville, N.C. To commemorate the event, Home2 Suites executives joined Mayor Steve Curtis, representatives from developer and property manager Western States Lodging and Management, owner Summit Lodging and members of the local business community for an afternoon of on-site activities.
The Home2 Suites brand is committed to environmentally conscious practices. In addition to recycling throughout the hotel, appointments include low-flow showers and faucets, biodegradable food trays, compact fluorescent light bulbs, dual flush toilets, recycled flooring, Energy Star appliances, carpet and surfaces made from recycled product and other sustainable product selections. Home2 Suites is also rolling out Hilton’s proprietary LightStay system, which measures energy and water use and waste and carbon output at Hilton Worldwide properties around the globe
Also during the opening, Western States Lodging and Management announced that Utah Foster Care Foundation has been selected as the Home2 Suites Your2 Hands local nonprofit partner. The Layton Home2 Suites will support the nonprofit organization on an ongoing basis through a variety of volunteer, sponsorship and fundraising initiatives. Home2 Suites executives unveiled custom-made Your2 Hands artwork illustrating the commitment for permanent display within the hotel and presented the Utah Foster Care Foundation with a partner pledge at the event to signify the company’s dedication to the nonprofit.
“This is a time for us to celebrate more than just the hard work that went into getting the second Home2 Suites up and running,” said David Webster, partner of Western States Lodging and Management. “We’re excited to be making this commitment to the Utah Foster Care Foundation and the many families and children they support every day.”
Part of Your2 Hands Program
The partnership with Utah Foster Care Foundation is part of the brand’s Your2 Hands community relations program, which connects Home2 Suites hotels with hometown charities to help support local communities and put into action the brand’s commitment to giving back. The Utah Foster Care Foundation works to provide a stable and caring environment for foster children by finding, educating and nurturing foster families across the state. The foundation provides information resources and training programs to parents to help ensure displaced children have access to quality out-of-home care until they can be reunited with their families or placed in a permanent adoptive home.
“Home2 Suites is setting a brand standard for supporting communities with our Your2 Hands program, which highlights what people can do with their two hands to make a difference where they call home,” said Dawn Koenig, vice president of Brand Performance Support for Homewood Suites and Home2 Suites by Hilton. “We believe it’s our responsibility to collaborate with the people, businesses and community groups where we put down roots to build lasting relationships with the community. The Utah Foster Care Foundation is a great organization, making a very real difference in the lives of our children, and we’re honored to play a part in supporting their cause.”
The Layton Home2 Suites is a 107-room, four-story extended-stay hotel with a modern, comfortable design for budget-conscious business and leisure travelers. The hotel broke ground July 8, 2010 and welcomed its first guests just eight months later in March 2011. The property features outdoor patios and an exercise trail, easy access to technology and bright, inviting community spaces, and includes the trademark amenities standard in all Home2 Suites hotels, such as the Oasis, the in-room working wall and the “Inspired Table” breakfast.
Though the Home2 Suites by Hilton concept was announced only two years ago, the brand already has two properties open with another 63 hotels planned and 40 in the development stage. Five properties are currently under construction and are slated to open in 2011 or early 2012, including San Antonio, Texas; Baltimore and Lexington Park, Md.; West Valley City, Utah, and North Charleston, S.C. Future properties are slated for many of the nation’s major markets, including Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Denver. Home2 Suites is projected to open its 100th property in 2014 and is approved for expansion into Canada and Mexico.
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