NATIONAL REPORT—Earlier this year, Blue Ridge Hotel Textiles announced CiCLO® biodegradable polyester as its core down alternative fiber. Blue Ridge Hotel Textiles joins companies such as McDonald’s and Hanesbrands in utilizing the patented CiCLO® technology, which is owned, manufactured and distributed by Intrinsic Advanced Materials. Target is also selling numerous items—bathmats and sheet sets for example—that utilize fibers treated with CiCLO®. According to Andrea Ferris, CEO of Intrinsic Advanced Materials, hospitality will quickly follow retail in the adoption of CiCLO®. When added to synthetic fibers including polyester and nylon, CiCLO® technology allows microbes to treat synthetic fibers like natural fibers. When...

LA SAGESSE, GRENADA—Six Senses La Sagesse, the brand’s debut resort in the Caribbean, has opened. With a pride of place beachfront setting, verdant rolling hills and spacious accommodation, the resort’s location offers effortless access to Grenada’s shimmering reefs and mystical rainforests. The island’s incredible natural beauty and soul-connecting cultural experiences provide the perfect backdrop for a journey of discovery, rejuvenation, and celebration. Thomas Fehlbier, General Manager, says: “Grenada is divided into six parishes, and La Sagesse, which is in the South-Eastern parish of St. David, has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. It is filled with vibrant energy, and we...

LAS VEGAS—Climate change is now at the forefront of people’s minds, while travel is continually cited as a major (and significantly, a discretionary) contributor to total carbon emissions. As such, every hotel brand needs a clear plan and must also be increasingly transparent about what’s been done to date to win hearts and minds. But every plan relies upon leadership, and with customer sentiment slowly shifting more and more towards ESG values (especially amongst the younger generations), this presents a clear case for carving out a sustainability role for every hotel. Of all the places to learn about how to...

NATIONAL REPORT—In recent years, the topic of well-being has become increasingly ubiquitous. A report by McKinsey (2024) finds, surprisingly, that millennials and Gen Z are spending more on health and wellness than older consumers. According to the Global Wellness Institute (2023), the wellness economy reached $5.6 trillion in 2023 and is forecast to soar to $8.5 trillion by 2027. Experiences and the pursuit of well-being go hand in hand. The hospitality industry is particularly well positioned as a creator of tourist experiences that contribute to people’s well-being and happiness, to capture this demand. Why do people travel? To take a...

MIAMI—SH Hotels & Resorts, the sustainable hotel brand management company founded by hospitality visionary Barry Sternlicht, announced plans to take over Seattle’s Pan Pacific Hotel, which will be transformed into 1 Hotel Seattle in 2025. Set in the trendsetting South Lake Union neighborhood, the hotel is known for its ideal location—near downtown, the Climate Pledge Arena, and Amazon’s headquarters. Throughout the transformation process, the property will continue to welcome guests, offering uninterrupted hospitality amid the evolution into a highly anticipated, nature-inspired sanctuary. When it becomes 1 Hotel Seattle, the reinvented property will fuse sustainable luxury with the restorative power of...

BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR, MEXICO—Solmar Hotels & Resorts is implementing various sustainable actions every day of the year in favor of the care of the natural environment, environmental protection, and the preservation of the oceans. During Earth Hour, a global event promoted by the World Fund for Nature (WWF) that consists of a voluntary blackout, they made a symbolic gesture to emphasize the importance of reducing the problem of climate change. They partially turned off the lights of the buildings in Grand Solmar Land’s End and Solmar Resort for one hour. During this time, flares and candles were lit in the shape of...

UMMAHAT ISLAND, SAUDI ARABIA—Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the Middle East, was unveiled on Ummahat Island in the tranquil waters of The Red Sea. The private island retreat is nestled within the captivating Blue Hole cluster of islands, where pristine coral reefs thrive beneath the surface and the celestial canopy above paints an endless tapestry of stars. Nujuma—inspired by the meaning of “stars” in Arabic—invites travelers to embark on an unchartered journey to one of the world’s most secluded and protected archipelagos. Here, amidst the azure expanse, guests are beckoned to explore and immerse themselves in the region’s culture and traditions. “As...

NATIONAL REPORT—The economic disruption of COVID-19 may have largely come and gone, but not every sector has been able to quickly bounce back. This is particularly true for the SMBs (small to medium-sized businesses) in the hospitality sector like restaurants and hotels, which operate on tight margins—even in the best of times—and continue to face mounting costs, especially from labor, food, and energy. At the same time, these businesses are increasingly on the receiving end of consumer and stakeholder pressure to balance sustainability with profitability. The changing hospitality landscape has led many businesses to undergo sweeping efficiency projects, from adopting...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International announced that it has donated five million meals into the community since 2016, marking the achievement of a 2025 social impact and sustainability goal well ahead of schedule. In 2023 alone, the company donated more than 1.2 million meals to feed food insecure people in local communities. The five million meals were donated through the MGM Resorts Feeding Forward program. Many were the result of grants to organizations that focus on hunger relief and funded meals donated to local nonprofit organizations. Other donations involved rescuing unserved food from multiple points along the company’s food and beverage...

CHEVY CHASE, MD.—PM Hotel Group, a Top-15 hotel management company based in the Washington D.C. metro area, announces the publication of its sixth annual sustainability report, showcasing the impactful strides made in its environmental and social responsibility programs throughout 2023. “At PM Hotel Group, a successful sustainability program is one that has broad engagement and is embedded in every aspect of our operations,” said Joseph Bojanowski, President, PM Hotel Group. “For the sixth consecutive year, we are proud to share the results of our annual sustainability initiatives and report on the continued growth of our sustainability programs.” PM Hotel Group is...