Destination Hotels & Resorts Selects Green Key Certification

HORSHAM, PA, November 12, 2010 (Press-News.org) Destination Hotels & Resorts, the innovative hotel and resort management company consistently recognized as one of the leaders in the industry, announced it had selected the Green Key Eco-Rating Program (Green Key) as the "green" certification of choice for its 30-plus properties. The announcement followed an extensive due diligence process whereby the Destination Hotels & Resorts sustainability task force reviewed several programs before selecting Green Key.

Prior to making its selection, Destination Hotels & Resorts piloted the program at the Embassy Suites at the Chevy Chase Pavilion in Washington, D.C. The Embassy Suites, which had previously implemented a number of green operating practices as part of the Destination Hotels & Resorts' Destination Earth program, completed the 150-question online self-assessment and earned a 4-Key Rating. Jeff Brainard, the general manager of the Embassy Suites, will be speaking about his Green Key experiences this Sunday, Nov. 14 during the "Unlocking Green Key" panel at the 2010 International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) in New York City.

"The pilot helped confirm that Green Key complements our ongoing sustainability initiatives," explained Mark Hickey, senior vice president of operations for Destination. "Green Key validates the various operational elements of Destination Earth, recognizes our individual properties for their efforts to date and provides each one with a roadmap for future improvements moving forward."

In addition to taking the online self assessment and receiving a key rating and plaque, member properties are issued a comprehensive performance report that includes recommendations, best practices and potential areas for improvement and savings. For marketing purposes, members are listed on the http://www.greenkeyglobal.com website and also are recognized through Green Key's network of marketing partners, including AAA, Travelocity and Expedia. The Green Key process also includes random, on-site verification audits to validate property ratings.

"We are excited to welcome Destination to Green Key, as it signifies another step in our growth in the United States," said Tony Pollard, Managing Director of Green Key Global. "The mix of resort and urban center properties in the Destination portfolio is an affirmation of the flexibility of the Green Key program and its applicability across product and service sector."

In addition to the 4-Key Rating already achieved by the Embassy Suites, the Inverness Hotel and Conference Center (Englewood, Colo.) has also earned 4 Keys. The Tempe Mission Palms Hotel & Conference Center (Tempe, Ariz.), L'Auberge del Mar (San Diego, Calif.) and Stowe Mountain Lodge (Stowe, Vt.) are all in the process of completing the self-assessment. Destination anticipates that all of its hotel and resort properties will be Green Key certified by mid-2011, joining Sofitel Luxury Hotels, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt Hotels, MGM Resorts International and Motel 6 in fully-committing their U.S. portfolio to Green Key.

For more information on Green Key or to register your property now, visit http://www.greenkeyglobal.com, call +1.888.752.7061 or email info@greenkeyglobal.com.

About Destination Hotels & Resorts:
Destination Hotels & Resorts is the fourth largest independent hospitality management company in the United States with more than 30 luxury and upscale hotels, resorts and conference centers. The company has developed a variety of initiatives to better serve its communities, stakeholders and customers including Destination Earth, an environmental sustainability program, and the Destination Delivers guest loyalty program, which provides the best available offers to members. Destination operates properties in key metropolitan areas and resort markets including Washington, D.C., Denver, San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Aspen, Palm Springs, Houston and Lake Tahoe. Destination is a subsidiary of Los Angeles-based investment, development and management firm Lowe Enterprises. For more information on the properties in the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection, please visit http://www.destinationhotels.com or to join Destination Delivers, visit http://www.destinationdelivers.com.

About Green Key Global:
The Green Key Eco-Rating Program is the first of its kind to rank, certify and inspect hotels and resorts in North America based on their commitment to sustainable "green" operations. The program was originally developed for the Hotel Association of Canada by a leading environmental engineering firm. Designed specifically for hotel operations, the Green Key Eco-Rating Program is a comprehensive environmental audit that will allow each participating property to benefit on several fronts - cost savings, increased bookings from environmentally conscious consumers and meeting planners and responsible corporate citizenry. In the United States Green Key is a joint partnership between the Hotel Association of Canada and LRA Worldwide, Inc.; for more information, visit http://www.GreenKeyGlobal.com.