LA TANTE, ST. DAVID’S, GRENADA—The recently opened Paradise Bay Resort & Spa in Grenada, Eastern Caribbean will buy carbon certificates to compensate the CO2 emissions from guest’s flights, as well as the transport on the islands. Guests do not need to sign in for this or pay extra; it is an automatic, externally audited program valid for all guests. Resort prices have not been increased because of this. “We expect the extra costs for this Carbon Free Vacation approach will be compensated by higher guest loyalty,” says James Post, owner. Paradise Bay Resort & Spa is the first resort in the...

DUBAI, U.A.E.—Shaza Hotels, the regional lifestyle hotel brand, has announced that all of its upcoming hotel developments will be certified to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards—the internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of eco-friendly buildings. The certification—the first of its kind across an entire hotel brand in the Dubai region—demonstrates the hotelier’s commitment to environmentally sustainable projects that embody a green lifestyle and embrace the values and traditions of its discerning clientele. The progressive move will ensure that Shaza’s first seven properties—Dubai, Doha, Muscat, Cairo, Bahrain, Jeddah and Marrakech—are designed to follow the internationally-recognized...

ATLANTA—Barry Hotel Partners, a division of Barry Real Estate Companies, and Starwood Capital Group will develop a 1 Hotel & Residences as part of The Streets of Buckhead, the massive mixed-use development spearheaded by Atlanta-based Ben Carter Properties. The 1 Hotel, an eco-friendly luxury global hotel brand by Starwood Capital, will open its doors to the public in 2010, offering guests and residences an unmatched combination of environmentally sustainable architecture, luxurious comfort and impeccable service. “Atlanta has grown up a lot in the last several years and it’s ready for the level of luxury shopping, dining, lodging and living that...

SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA—Revolution LLC, the company created by AOL co-founder Steve Case, has launched Revolution Places, an original approach to sustainable destination resort communities. In support of the launch, Costa Rican President Óscar Arias Sánchez and Revolution Chairman Steve Case jointly announced at a press conference in Costa Rica the first development, Cacique, Costa Rica, a first-of-its-kind 650-acre luxury resort community scheduled to open in 2010. Revolution Places will bring together premiere hospitality partners and innovative lifestyle brands to develop a new authentic vacation experience that retains the local environment and culture. With a full complement of sustainability principles...

LONDON—What do a hip boutique hotel in west London, a luxurious Scottish train and a Welsh B&B—whose owner lives in a trailer called Tracey Puddingstone parked in the back garden—have in common? They are all featured in a new independent guide to eco-friendly places to stay in the U.K. which has just been launched by the website www.ecofriendlytourist.com. It provides details of thousands of rooms in hotels, hostels, guest houses, self-catering and bed and breakfast accommodation—plus some other unusual places—throughout the U.K. and across all price ranges. The new guide is the brainchild of former TV producer Eric Rowan and...

NATIONAL REPORT—Guestroom energy management systems that use keycards to activate or deactivate electrical power in the guestroom are very common in Europe and Asia. In the United States, however, acceptance of these types of systems has been slow and they are almost never found in hotels. However, with increasing concern about climate change, saving energy and cost cutting, this is beginning to change. Properties representing brands such as Kalahari Resorts, Orchard Garden, Embassy Suites, Westin, Holiday Inn and others are finding that keycard-based systems are not so bad after all. “Over the last year, there has been so much play about...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—The Editors’ Choice Awards competition at the 92nd annual International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show (IH/M&RS) is going green, as an eco-friendly counterpart is added to each of the five categories presented annually—décor, essentials, luxury, restaurant and technology. A total of 10 Editors’ Choice Awards will be presented at the 2007 IH/M&RS, recognizing the most innovative new products—and environmentally-sound products—for the hospitality industry. In addition, the Kenneth F. Hine “Best of Show” Award will spotlight the overall best new product introduced at the market, taking place November 10-13, 2007, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. “The...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—EPA has updated its Top Green Power Purchasers list highlighting organizations committed to purchasing green power. The National Top 25 list of Green Power Partners accounts for more than 6 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year of green power purchasing, more than 60 percent of the total kWh in the Green Power Partnership; reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 700,000 vehicles. “America is shifting to a ‘green culture,’ with more and more businesses understanding that environmental responsibility is everyone’s responsibility,” says Marcus Peacock, EPA’s Deputy Administrator. “EPA commends the leading Green Power Partners for making...

ATLANTA—IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms, announced plans for a 100-room new-build Hotel Indigo in Athens, Ga. Construction is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2007, with an expected opening date of spring 2009. The four-story new-build property will be owned by Rialto Property Partners, LLC, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group, and will be managed by IHG’s Americas operations division, The Hotel Management Group. Rialto will pursue LEED certification for the new hotel. “We are excited to be expanding the Hotel Indigo brand to Athens,”...

NATIONAL REPORT—Almost a year ago, Green Lodging News updated its readers on the progress states have made in creating and supporting green lodging efforts. At that time, it identified seven states with active green lodging programs. Today, at least eight states have one form of program or another. Each program is unique in its own way. These initiatives have become increasingly important over the past year; Florida’s governor, for example, will require his state’s employees to stay at Green Lodging Program hotels beginning January 1, 2008. Here is a state-by-state summary of green lodging programs: California—This state’s Green Lodging Program is...