ASHLAND, OHIO—A 160-acre parcel located just southwest of Ashland, Ohio could soon be the home of the United States’ greenest retreat center. Developer Wendy Kertesz says she hopes to break ground this summer on Windy Retreat Center, a 25,000-square-foot, 16-guestroom facility that will include two indoor conference rooms, one outdoor conference space, three classrooms, great room, dining room, commercial kitchen, fitness center and conservatory. The goal is to open the center by late 2012. Constructed in part using straw bales, Windy Retreat Center will pursue at least Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification and Passive House...

FAIRFAX, VA.—Concord Eastridge Inc. announced that The Mason Inn Conference Center and Hotel has been awarded LEED Gold established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). “As Mason works to achieve ambitious sustainability goals, a LEED Gold certified conference center and hotel makes a strong statement about how serious we are in these efforts,” said Christine LaPaille, vice president for University Relations at the property. “We believe there is significant appeal among businesses and organizations with similar sustainability commitments to bring their meetings and conferences to a green building like...

SOUTHAMPTON, BERMUDA—In a symbolic passing of the “baton,” Bermuda’s Junior Tourism Minister Marc Bean recently received the Caribbean Tourism Organization Sustainable Tourism Mahogany Scroll from the Permanent Secretary in the Barbados Ministry of Tourism, Andrew Cox, confirming Bermuda as host of the 12th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC-12). The event will be hosted by the Government of Bermuda and will be held from April 3 to 6, 2011, at the Fairmont Southampton. Costas Christ, the National Geographic Traveler Editor at Large who helped officially define the term “ecotourism,” will be the keynote speaker. His presentation, "Global Sustainable...

LOS ANGELES—A new program was initiated this month in the Gateway to L.A. business district that is helping hotels reduce waste, meet green certification standards, and provide assistance to an area homeless shelter: InnGage Hotel Amenity Donation Program. The Gateway to L.A. business district contains more than 7,100 hotel rooms, with an average length of stay of approximately 1.2 nights. Every day, hotel guests depart having used only a small portion of the toiletries provided for their stay. These bottles of shampoos and lotions often go to waste, while there are people in the community in need of these very...

NATIONAL REPORT—In one respect, comparing guestroom energy management systems today is apples to apples with each system basically doing the same thing—using a sensor or sensors (or a key card) to turn off the HVAC system entirely or to allow the thermostat setting to drift to an energy-saving level. As similar as most systems are, however, each vendor offers something unique—whether it be the technology by which systems communicate within the hotel, the robustness of the reporting features, the ability to integrate with local or Web-based systems, or the extent to which lighting and other electrical items can be...

WEST VALLEY CITY, UTAH—Home2 Suites by Hilton, a mid-tier, extended-stay hotel brand targeting budget-conscious business and leisure travelers, announced it will break ground on its sixth U.S. property in West Valley City, Utah. This will be the debut of Hilton Worldwide into the West Valley City market. Scheduled for completion in November  2011, the 79-suite, four-story hotel will be owned by HWV, LLC and managed by Inn Management, Inc. Homes2 Suites executives joined with community leaders, including West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder, at the late January groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the second Utah location for Home2 Suites. “Home2 Suites is...

ESTES PARK, COLO.—On February 1, 2011, Rocky Mountain Park Inn debuted a new name, an enhanced commitment to environmentally sound operating practices and a new partnership with the Rocky Mountain Nature Association that gives back to Rocky Mountain National Park in substantive ways. Formerly the Holiday Inn—Rocky Mountain Park, the Estes Park property is a Forever Resort, a family of companies based in Scottsdale, Ariz., with a portfolio encompassing 70 destinations in national parks, recreation areas, national forests and other destinations in North America, Europe and South Africa. Estes Park is home to Forever Resorts’ Rocky Mountain Park Inn and...

MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK, COSTA RICA—The push for sustainable tourism was given a boost late last month with the establishment of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism that unites all stakeholders in the industry in influencing policies, developing projects and providing a global communication platform.  The Partnership was established at the first annual General Meeting in Costa Rica, hosted by the Costa Rican Ministry of Tourism and supported by the French and Norwegian governments, together with the UN Environment Program (UNEP) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). During the meeting, France was elected President of the Partnership Steering Committee and...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Restaurant Association issued the following statement, in response to the release of the government’s new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: “We support the Dietary Guidelines’ recommendations around a total dietary meal pattern which focuses on increasing consumption of whole grains, fruits and vegetables,” said Joan McGlockton, vice president for Industry Affairs and Food Policy at the National Restaurant Association. “There has been a growing trend of restaurants offering more whole grains and produce, and we look forward to continuing to work with restaurant operators and chefs to provide even more healthful menu options for adults and...

DALLAS—NYLO Hotels LLC announced plans for a third hotel in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, this one in South Side Dallas, a thriving community just south of downtown. This project marks two “firsts” for the lifestyle hotel brand; it will be NYLO’s first conversion property, and it will be the first NYLO hotel to pursue LEED Silver Certification. The NYLO Dallas South Side will break ground in the first quarter of 2011 and open in the first quarter of 2012. The hotel will be operated by NYLO Hotels and developed by Matthews Southwest. NYLO Dallas South Side will be located three...