SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M.—In honor of National Pollinators Week, Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa, a luxury resort located on the Santa Ana Pueblo, is encouraging guests to visit and experience the property’s honey in culinary dishes, specialty drinks and spa treatments. “We began keeping beehives at Tamaya with the simple goal of helping honeybees, which as most people know are under immense stress and populations are declining dramatically,” said Claudia Wattenberg, General Manager at Hyatt Regency Tamaya. “It’s a wonderful bonus that the bees provide us with a small amount of honey we can offer to our guests in...

LOS ANGELES—1 Hotels has opened its fourth property and West Coast flagship, 1 West Hollywood. Formerly The Jeremy, the property has undergone a total transformation, taking its cues from the raw natural beauty of the Southern California landscape. The property will continue to be operated by SH Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of Starwood Capital Group, a global private investment firm. When it comes to sustainable hospitality, 1 Hotels walks the walk. With an Energy Star score of 95, “1 WeHo” will be one of the most energy-efficient hotels in L.A. Among its property-wide conservation practices is the inclusion of...

MARIPOSA, CALIF.—AutoCamp announced that AutoCamp Yosemite officially opened its full facilities, including its clubhouse and pool, last month. AutoCamp Yosemite, located a three-hour drive from San Francisco and adjacent to the town of Mariposa, Calif., is the third and largest of the outdoor hospitality properties under the AutoCamp brand. The property features 102 customized Airstream suites, luxury tents, and cabins, as well as a two-story clubhouse, communal fire pits, heated pool, and natural pond. “AutoCamp’s mission is to connect people with the outdoors and each other, and AutoCamp Yosemite represents a landmark moment for our team, the local community, and...

One of the most important words to look for when considering energy-efficient equipment for your hotel is “variable.” I come across it often. In some cases, the technology has been available for years; in other cases, not. The main idea with “variable” is to not be running on 100 percent all the time. This past week in my feature on the very green Revisn aparthotel in Raleigh, N.C. you will see mention of a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) heating and air-conditioning system. By operating at varying speeds, heat recovery VRF units work only at the needed rate allowing for...

MACON, GA.—Biron Teas is a local artisan craft tea company located in Macon, Ga. This year they built the only pyramid tea production facility in the Southeast at the Macon State Farmer’s Market. The equipment was sourced from Fuso International and shipped from Japan. They moved from the small commercial kitchen built in their renovated historic home, into a commercial space at the Macon State Farmer’s Market in order to accommodate their new Tea Factory. By purchasing two Fuso Tea production machines: a tea bagging machine and a tea overwrap machine, they can serve a variety of markets, from...

DENHAM, ENGLAND—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced a partnership with technology company Winnow to help its hotels automatically track, measure and reduce food waste for more sustainable and efficient restaurant and bar operations. IHG is the first global hotel company to use the award-winning Winnow Vision AI enabled technology, which will help its hotels achieve a 30 percent reduction in food waste. Using an intelligent camera, smart scales and AI-based smart meter technology, Winnow Vision analyzes ingredients during food preparation, as well as plates returned to the kitchen, to assess which food items are most wasted and in what quantities....

BOULDER, COLO.—Eco-Products announced that it is increasing its use of post-consumer recycled plastic and has become an “APR Recycling Demand Champion.” The designation is part of a campaign—launched by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) in 2017—to expand market demand for recycled resins and improve recycling in North America. Without companies committing to use post-consumer content in products and packaging, the recycling industry can face challenges in making the economics work. Demand Champions are “forward-thinking, proactive organizations (that) are playing a prominent role in expanding the market for mixed residential plastics,” according to the APR website. “This is all part of our...

NORMAN, OKLA.—Best Western Plus Norman has formed a new, ongoing partnership with the University of Oklahoma Food Pantry to provide a regular supply of personal hygiene products. More than 4,000 products—including shampoo, razors, body wash, mouthwash, deodorant and other toiletries—were presented to OU Food Pantry Graduate Director Matt Marks recently. “We are extremely honored to kick off this partnership with the OU Food Pantry,” said Steve Martens, CEO of Hospitality Management LLC, which operates four Best Western-branded properties in Oklahoma and Kansas. “This is the second time one of our hotels has partnered with a local food bank, and we’ve...

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.—Boxed Water Is Better will kick off its No-Plastic Pledge campaign on World Ocean Day, June 8. As part of the campaign, the company is asking people to give up plastic bottles for 30 days or more. Participants can follow @BoxedWater to support and share the message. One can also follow #BetterPlanet to join the plastic pledge community. According to Boxed Water Is Better, 8.8 million metric tons of plastic enter our oceans each year. A total of 150 million metric tons already float in our oceans. The average American uses 167 plastic bottles annually. Pledge kits are available...

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, WYO.—Signal Mountain Lodge—the only lodging on the shores of Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park—launched a composting partnership with Haderlie Farms of Thayne, Wyoming, in 2018. Over the course of the 2018 summer season, the lodge’s Peaks Restaurant, Trapper Grill, Leek’s Pizzeria, General Store, front desk and staff dining room diverted 42 tons of food waste from the landfill. Erik Kimball, Food and Beverage Director, Signal Mountain Lodge, provided Haderlie Farms with the list of vegetables and herbs he plans to feature on his menu for the 2019 season, which begins May 10. On the...