SAN JUAN, P.R.—El Conquistador Resort, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in Puerto Rico, announced it was selected 2015 Large Green Hotel of the Year by the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Assn. The award is given to those who are and have been committed to environmental conservation and in compliance with environmental policies. El Conquistador Resort has launched numerous green initiatives to become an ecologically conscious resort and leader in Puerto Rico concerning sustainability projects. Highlights of its green initiatives include being selected for the prestigious Blue Flag award for its private 100-acre Palomino Island, an exclusive eco-label that indicates...

CHICAGO—The Olympia Companies and SMART Hotels LLC announced that Hyatt Place Chicago-South/University Medical Center in Chicago’s iconic Hyde Park neighborhood has been awarded LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in the New Construction category. The hotel is the first Hyatt Place in the world to be LEED Gold certified. The property was designed by Legat Architects, one of the leading green design firms in the Midwest, and built by William A. Randolph Construction Co. The Olympia Companies, an innovative privately-owned real estate company specializing in hotel investment, development and management, partnered with SMART Hotels LLC...

NEW YORK—Five exhibitors received Editors’ Choice Awards during the opening day of the 100th annual IHMRS, now HX: The Hotel Experience Sunday, November 9, 2015, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The Awards recognize best new products within the categories of food & beverage, kitchen design, guest services, rooms division and technology. From the five winners, the Kenneth F. Hine “Best of Show” Award also was selected.The 2015 Editors’ Choice Award winners are: Kenneth F. Hine “Best of Show”: Cardinal International: Reveal Up Soft Fresh Tumbler.Food & Beverage: Cardinal International (Pine Brook, N.J.). “Introducing the Chef &...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Restaurant Association (NRA) annually explores the top menu trends for the coming year. For this year’s What’s Hot culinary forecast, the NRA surveyed nearly 1,600 professional chefs—members of the American Culinary Federation (ACF)—to find which foods, beverages and culinary themes will be hot on restaurant menus in 2016.Top 20 food trends for 2016 include: 1. Locally sourced meats and seafood; 2. Chef-driven fast-casual concepts; 3. Locally grown produce; 4. Hyper-local sourcing; 5. Natural ingredients/minimally processed food; 6. Environmental sustainability; 7. Healthful kids’ meals; 8. New cuts of meat; 9. Sustainable seafood; 10. House-made/artisan ice cream; 11....

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced its annual Green Power Leadership Awards, recognizing 22 Green Power Partners and three renewable energy suppliers across the country—including Apple, Microsoft, TD Bank, Intel, Kohl’s, the National Hockey League and Northwestern University—for achievements in advancing the nation’s renewable energy market and reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.“These organizations are leading the way in cutting U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, acting on climate change, and protecting public health by using billions of kilowatt-hours of green power annually,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “The Green Power Leadership Award winners demonstrate...

NAPLES, FLORIDA—The air outside may be a balmy 95 degrees but the temperature inside The Grow House (a.k.a. CropBox) at the Ritz-Carlton, Naples is an ideal 65 to 72 degrees—perfect for growing lettuce and other micro-greens. Since July, Executive Chef George Fistrovich has been growing the equivalent of an acre of vegetables in a repurposed shipping container that sits in the parking lot of the hotel. Measuring 40 feet by 8 feet in size, the container is equipped with everything one needs to grow crops—lights, planting racks, HVAC system, all of the necessary hydroponic components, and a system of...

SANTA MONICA, CALIF.—Shore Hotel was honored at the 1st annual Best of the Best Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) awards ceremony last month, winning the Los Angeles Best Green Hotel award for 2015. This award coincides with the hotel’s fourth anniversary and recent technology enhancement, reinforcing its commitment to the environment, guests, employees, and community.“Despite being open for four years now, the Shore Hotel continues to garner awards and recognition commending our sustainability efforts,” says COO Steve Farzam. “We will not stop here and will continue to further our mission to create a better future by being...

CANTON, MASS.—America has always been considered one of the most generous nations, but now there’s even more evidence in a new study called “Good Travels: The Philanthropic Profile of the American Traveler,” released by Tourism Cares. The new data shows that more than half of the Americans surveyed have given of their money, time or goods while on a recent vacation. Not only was some kind of giving surprisingly prevalent, the care and support for the communities where the travelers visited was especially important for millennials, families and affluent households.Tourism Cares, the charitable arm of the tourism industry, recently...

IRVINE, CALIF.—The Meritage Collection announces a partnership with Clean the World to help fight the spread of preventable diseases. The lifestyle hotel brand now sends discarded soap and bottled amenities to Clean the World recycling centers where they are sanitized and then distributed globally to children and families in need.  Clean the World’s simple mission is to recycle soap from the hospitality industry and save lives through the distribution of these donated amenities. The social enterprise currently partners with more than 4,000 hotels and resorts to place life-saving hygiene products in the hands of those who need them most. Steve...

NATIONAL REPORT—Experts agree that, at any one time, about 15 to 20 percent of toilets are leaking. They leak for many different reasons—faulty fill valves, bad fill valve seals, corrosion and faulty flappers are some examples. Leaks often go undetected by guests, housekeepers and maintenance personnel. One leaky toilet can lose about 75,000 gallons of water annually. This adds significantly to water and sewage costs. In some instances leaks can result in flooding—an even more expensive scenario for a hotel owner.At least two companies have developed solutions to either stop toilet leaks or detect them so that costs can...