A big tip of the hat this week to Marriott for the opening of its 100th Element Hotel. Truth be told, Element Hotels was first launched by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide back in 2006. The Element brand was part of the merger of Starwood with Marriott in 2016. The Element Salt Lake City Downtown (hotel No. 100) is part of a dual-branded property. The other part of the development is Le Méridien Salt Lake City Downtown. Like Starwood, over the years, Marriott has consistently incorporated green features into its Element properties.
In the press release announcing the 100th Element, Marriott said, “Sustainability is integrated in an unobtrusive way with low flow water features to reduce water consumption, electric vehicle charging stations, complimentary bike rentals, and more.
Added Marriott, “Element Salt Lake City Downtown offers 126 sustainable and bright rooms and suites with city view floor-to-ceiling windows, fully equipped kitchens, spacious spa-like bathrooms with eco-conscious amenities, and the signature Heavenly beds. Accommodations feature ergonomic design elements with modern touches and relaxing earth-toned colors. Guests are treated to a complimentary daily Rise breakfast and a Relax evening reception. As part of the brand’s collaboration with Lettuce Grow, a nationally recognized leader of hydroponic gardening, travelers will have direct access to free, farm-fresh produce and herbs. Guests can collect their own green selections from an on-property Lettuce Grow Farmstand for use in their Rise breakfast or to bring back to their own in-room kitchens.”
It was in November that Element Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 hotel brands, unveiled its innovative collaboration with Lettuce Grow.
In line with Element’s wellness focus, the Element Salt Lake City Downtown has a rooftop fitness center, which offers a pristine outdoor pool, cardio machines, and strength equipment.
Award-Winning Architectural Team
The property was designed by the award-winning architectural team, HKS, a firm of architects, designers, advisors, and makers driven by curiosity and devoted to creating places that combine beauty with performance. Interiors were designed by Studio HBA, the fastest growing arm of Hirsch Bedner Associates, who are known for delivering unique and contextually responsive design. The architect of record is Beecher Walker, one of the West’s top commercial architecture firms, with a team of architects and designers united by a passion for good design—a sustainable, technologically-forward fusion of aesthetic, emotion, function, and responsibility.
According to Marriott, swimming pools at Element properties are salt-water based—an eco-friendly alternative to the average chlorine pool. The bikes at the new Salt Lake City property are designed by Priority Bicycles. Unique to Priority bikes are their low-maintenance belt-drives. There is no need for oiling a bicycle chain because the belt-drives are made from carbon.
Showers at Element properties have dispensers for soap, shampoo, and conditioner, reducing the volume of single-use plastic going to landfill significantly.
Element Hotels can be found not only in North America but also Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Australia and Pacific. More than 80 percent of Element Hotels are in North America. Not all Element Hotels are new builds. For example, the Element Detroit was incorporated into a renovated 92-year-old neo-Gothic building in the heart of Detroit’s entertainment district. The hotel features decor and artwork from repurposed and recycled materials, low VOC paint, and every light bulb in the building is LED. All guestrooms provide travelers with a filtered water system within each room.
Kudos to Marriott for carrying on a great idea hatched by Starwood.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers, and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Get in the Green Suppliers Spotlight!
Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, publishes Green Suppliers Spotlight, an e-blast to 19,626 subscribers that features the lodging industry’s leading green products and services. The e-blast features multiple vendors—unlike the current Green Supplier Spotlight that allows one supplier to “own” the Green Lodging News subscriber list for one e-blast. (Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample.)
Green Suppliers Spotlight is published weekly on Thursdays to general managers, owners, management companies, directors of sustainability, directors of engineering, facilities managers and many others who are either in purchasing positions or who influence purchasing decisions. Suppliers of green products and services throughout North America and beyond are invited to participate in the e-blast. (Minimum two suppliers per e-blast.) Green Suppliers Spotlight was created to give vendors an opportunity to reach a high number of industry purchasers at a very low cost—as low as $200 per e-mail. (Click here for rate sheet.)
Those advertising in Green Suppliers Spotlight can include up to 100 words, one image, contact information and multiple links to their website in their ad. At the end of each week, a report will be sent to each supplier with information on delivered e-mails, opens and click-throughs.
Planning Advertising for 2023?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2023. Many excellent spots are available on our website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier and Green Suppliers Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2023 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com. A media kit can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
The circulation of our weekly e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlight currently stands at 19,626. Thank you to our new subscribers for signing up. Be sure to encourage your colleagues to do the same. There are “subscribe” links on the Green Lodging News home page. You may also e-mail greenlodgingnews@gmail.com to be added to our list.
Green Lodging News & Social Media
Green Lodging News now has 1,734 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has more than 1,300 Facebook followers.
As always, I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
