Marriott introduces first LEED green hotel prototype

by Melanie Nayer on

South Carolina is now home to the first Marriott LEED green hotel prototype. The Courtyard Charleston/Summerville will be the hotel’s flagship green property, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The new Courtyard hotel will open in early 2010 and will introduce the first phase of The Parks of Berkley, a community consisting of 5,000 acres and one of the largest planned developments in the Southeastern United States.

Marriott has set its sights on 300 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) hotels by 2015, and all the hotels to come will follow the South Carolina prototype. Last fall, the hotel group announced plans to develop a green hotel prototype for its Courtyard brand that will save roughly $100,000, six months in design time, and up to 25 percent energy and water savings for its owners.

Currently, Marriott has nearly 50 hotels across all brands that are LEED-certified or registered by the USGBC, including:

  • The Inn & Conference Center by Marriott at the University of Maryland, the first LEED-certified hotel in North America
  • The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte in North Carolina, LEED Gold-certified
  • Courtyard Chevy Chase in Maryland, LEED Gold-certified
  • Courtyard Portland City Center in Oregon, LEED Gold-certified
  • Fairfield Inn & Suites Baltimore Downtown/Inner Harbor, LEED Gold-certified
  • Atlanta Marriott Gateway, applying for LEED certification upon opening
  • SpringHill Suites Atlanta Airport Gateway, LEED-registered, applying for certification
  • JW San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, LEED-registered, applying for certification
  • JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles LA Live, LEED-registered, applying for certification
  • The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles at LA Live, LEED-registered, applying for certification
  • The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe, in Nevada applying for certification
  • TownePlace Suites Baltimore BWI Airport, applying for LEED-Existing Building certification

Courtyard by Marriott helps guests count calories

by Melanie Nayer on

Courtyard by Marriott is getting into the spirit of dieting. The hotel chain is revamping their menus and offering additional information next to items, including calories and fat count.

The “calorie count menus” will be available later this month at The Bistro – the hotel’s food and beverage outlet. The Bistro, which is located in more than 150 hotels in North America and plans to double by the end of the year, focuses on a grab-and-go dining concept that offers guests a variety of options for breakfast and dinner.

Courtyard by Marriott says the move put the hotel brand “on the forefront of the U.S. healthcare reform bill, which will require all chain restaurants in the U.S. to post calorie counts on their menus.”

As part of the menu additions, The Bistro will also offer healthy options like low-carb, low-fat muffins and salads. For those wanting a little more fat content, there will still be BBQ ribs and beers available.

The new menus at The Bistro are just another way Marriott International is helping guests live a healthier lives. In 2007, Marriott announced it was eliminating trans fats in fried foods and deep frying oils, and in 2006 Marriott went “smoke-free” at all hotels. Guests at Marriott Hotels & Resorts and JW Marriott Hotels can take part in the Fit For You program, and at Renaissance hotels, the Eat.Drink.Balance program offers options for low fat, low cholesterol and carb conscious foods.

We applaud this initiative by Marriott and look forward to seeing more hotels help guests live healthier lifestyles. In the meantime, we’ll look away while you grab a double-fudge brownie before bed.

Sanibel Marriott wants your pocket change for extra night

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Pretty pissed about the proposed 2-cent increase in stamp prices? If you’re among the Luddites still using dead-tree communication, I imagine it’s pretty annoying. To get some relief from this postal madness, head on down to the Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa in Fort Myers, Florida.

Through the end of the month, for a three-night stay between August 22, 2010 and the end of September, you can book your third merely by putting your 2 cents in. Yep, a pair of pennies extends your stay. Since room rates start at a mere $159, the entire experience won’t drain your bank account. Remember to use discount code PK3 when booking online.

Atlanta’s Glenn Hotel joins Marriott’s Autograph collection

by Melanie Nayer on

Marriott’s latest addition to its boutique brand is something of a Southern Belle. The Glenn hotel is now part of the Autograph Collection, a group of independent hotels representing upscale and luxury properties with distinctive personalities.

Glenn is known for its southern hospitality and friendly ways. The hotel’s motto, “stay with a friend,” comes from the hotel’s promise that staying with Glenn is as comfortable as being a house-guest at the home of a good friend.

Originally opened as office space in 1923, the building became a hotel in 2006. Guests walk into a cozy living room (instead of a formal lobby) and are greeted by a hotel host with a welcome drink (we’re assuming it’s some kind of julep) and hosts remain on-call until guests check out. Guests can dine at the hotel’s restaurant or hang out on the rooftop bar, which offers great views of downtown Atlanta.

According to a release from the hotel, Glenn hotel began accepting reservations as a Marriott property on May 17 and joined the Autograph Collection on June 10. Guests staying at Glenn will be a part of the Marriott Rewards program, making them eligible to earn and redeem points at over 3,000 Marriott hotels worldwide.

Thinking about staying at the hotel? If you’re name is “Glenn” or “Glenda” and book a stay through June 17, you’ll get a free cocktail and be entered to win a night in the penthouse. All other guests can book rooms starting at $159 per night. .

Courtyard by Marriott opens 2 new properties in Europe

by Scott Carmichael on

The Courtyard by Marriott chain of hotels is in the middle of a major revamp – but at the same time, the chain is working hard to expand across Europe.

The chain already has 40 properties and over 7,000 rooms in Europe, and today, they announced the two newest additions to their lineup – Budapest and St. Petersburg.

The 235-room Courtyard Budapest City Center is located on Blaha Luiza Square in the Pest section of Budapest. The hotel is located in close proximity to both the airport and public transportation lines.

The new 273-room Courtyard St. Petersburg Center West/Pushkin Hotel is located in central St. Petersburg within a 10-minute walk of the Marinsky Theater and St. Nicholas Cathedral and the State Hermitage. It is Marriott’s second Courtyard-branded hotel in St. Petersburg.

Both properties feature everything that makes a Courtyard such a great pick – high speed Internet, the Grab & Go snack market, flat screen TV’s and a well designed work area.

The two new properties are open and ready for guests – to learn more about them, and the 848 other locations in the chain, check out the Courtyard by Marriott site.