LONDON—1 Hotels, the nature-inspired luxury lifestyle hotel brand founded by hospitality visionary Barry Sternlicht, announces that its U.K. flagship and first European destination, located in the heart of London’s historic Mayfair, is now accepting reservations with an anticipated opening date of July 13, 2023. The nine-story sustainable sanctuary overlooks the stately trees and verdant lawns of Green Park, just steps away from the world-class galleries, sophisticated boutiques, first-class restaurants and renowned emporia of Bond Street, Berkeley Square and Piccadilly. 1 Hotel Mayfair consciously creates an unexpected fusion of sustainability and luxury in the fashionable heart of London’s most exclusive hospitality district. The...

NATIONAL REPORT—They are in your vending machines. They are sold elsewhere on your property—possibly at the front desk or a retail store. Plastic beverage bottles. What is their true impact on the environment? On human health? Defend our Health and the Beyond Petrochemicals campaign recently released a new report, Hidden Hazards: The Chemical Footprint of a Plastic Bottle, unmasking the hazards posed by the plastic bottle. This report reveals the health, environmental, and climate threats caused throughout the lifecycle of common plastic known as polyethylene terephthalate or PET—from the hazardous air emissions released in the petrochemical manufacturing process to the cancer-causing toxic chemicals leaked...

CHICAGO—NeoCon announced the winners of the 33rd annual Best of NeoCon Awards. The program recognizes products from industry-leading companies that demonstrate unparalleled innovation and ​design-forward thinking. Selected by a distinguished jury of architects, designers, specifiers, enterprise clients, facility managers, and top business media, each of the entries was evaluated on-site in the days leading up to the show. A total of 114 awards were bestowed upon products in more than 50 categories for Gold, Silver, Sustainability, Innovation, Business Impact, and the coveted Best of Competition honors. This year, the Flote Lounge Collection from Hightower (Showroom 1110) received the distinction...

ITHACA, N.Y.—For the ninth consecutive year, the annual Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking research reveals a general decrease in energy and water usage among the participating hotels. The decrease is largely associated with the pandemic which shook the world and granted no exception to the hospitality industry. For this reason, low occupancy rates and hotel closures are major contributors to the decreased energy and water consumption reported, as compared to the 2019 calendar year data set. A total of 25,576 hotels from 31 international hotel groups took part by providing data on their water and energy use for the calendar year of...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As over 80 percent of hotels experience staffing shortages, hoteliers are offering potential hires a host of incentives to fill vacancies, according to a new survey of hoteliers conducted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). Seventy-five percent of respondents are increasing wages, 64 percent are offering greater flexibility with hours, and 36 percent are expanding benefits—but 87 percent say they are still unable to fill open positions. Eighty-two percent of survey respondents indicate they are experiencing a staffing shortage, 26 percent severely so—meaning the shortage is impacting the hotel’s ability to operate. The most critical staffing need is...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The George Washington University (GW) and world-renowned chef, author, and humanitarian José Andrés, HON ‘14, announced a historic partnership to launch a premier Global Food Institute at GW, a transformative collaboration that will be a world leader in food system solution delivery. GW is uniquely positioned to drive global progress in the food space, thanks to its location in the heart of the nation’s capital, depth of academic expertise across countless disciplines, track record of leading critical conversations in the public and private sectors and partnerships with global influencers from the White House to the World Bank. “In the George Washington University’s third...

BERLIN—Hotels with wellness offerings had strong TRevPAR growth in 2022 as markets benefited from a recovery in demand, hospitality advisor RLA Global said in its Wellness Real Estate Report 2023, released during this year’s International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin. Hotels with major wellness offerings outperformed those properties with minor wellness offerings in revenue and occupancy, but they recorded lower GOP-to-revenue ratios. Revenues at wellness hotels rose sharply in 2022 as demand rebounded despite economic and geopolitical difficulties, data from the Wellness Real Estate Report 2023 show. Average TRevPAR rose by over 53 percent on the year in 2022...

CROSSVILLE, TENN.—Just days ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that carbon dioxide (CO2) levels at the Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory peaked at 424 parts per million in May, continuing a steady climb further into territory not seen for millions of years. (In 1960, levels were below 320 parts per million.) Such high levels of CO2 impact our planet negatively in many ways. Recognizing this impact, stakeholders throughout the lodging industry are taking steps to reduce their own contributions to CO2 levels. One such company is Crossville, Inc., a leading provider of porcelain stone, glass, and natural stone...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International announced that the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)—the leading organization for third party guidance and independent validation of climate targets—has approved its climate targets as science-based and in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Approved scope 1 and 2 emissions targets were validated as being in line with the 1.5 °C pathway, currently the organization’s most ambitious designation. “Climate change is real and action in line with climate science is critical to curbing emissions growth and preventing the worst effects of a warming planet,” said Michael Gulich, Vice President of Sustainability and ESG Reporting at MGM...

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA—Sandals Resorts International (SRI), parent company of the Caribbean’s leading luxury all-inclusive resort brands Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, is bridging the gap between healthy oceans and its Caribbean communities through a series of ongoing environmental initiatives. In honor of World Oceans Day, for every booking made on June 8, a donation of $100 will be made on guests’ behalf to the Sandals Foundation, the not-for-profit organization established in 2009 to make positive change throughout the Caribbean. “In the Caribbean, a ‘home’ is not merely a house or a room. Home is in the sands, in the breeze, and...