PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE CIRCULATION
November 18, 1999
The Benjamin Hotel Earns The Only ECOTEL®
Certification in New York City
*Fourth Hotel Worldwide to Obtain All 5 ECOTEL®
Globe Awards
John Moser, general manager of The Benjamin, part of the
Manhattan East Suite Hotels collection, has announced that the hotel was
just awarded ECOTEL® Certification, after one year's worth of preparation
and inspections.
"We are proud to have achieved this great recognition," says
Moser. "The accomplishment is even more meaningful knowing that more
than 500 hotels have applied for the ECOTEL® Certification over the last
five years, and only 40 have achieved the title. Of the 40, we are only
the fourth hotel to receive all five ECOTEL® Certification Globe Awards.
And we are the only Five-Globe Award winner in North America."
"The ECOTEL® Certification is awarded to hotels and resorts
demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental responsibility,"
explains Christopher J. Balfe, president of HVS Eco Services, a division
of HVS International, the leading global hotel consulting and appraisal
firm. Certification evaluations are based on stringent criteria developed
in 1994 by HVS International and by hospitality and environmental experts
including the Rocky Mountain Institute, The Ecotourism Society, and
Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration.
"Applicants must agree to detailed inspections," continues
Balfe, "some of which are conducted without advance notice.
Inspectors rate the operation's level of environmental responsibility in
five 'Globe' categories, using a three-tiered numerical equation. Each
department of the hotel must meet the inspection requirements. Based on
the final score, hotels are awarded zero to five ECOTEL® Globe Awards,
and are a part of 'the collection' for two years, as long as standards are
maintained in all daily operations."
Each hotel must continue to improve its environmental awareness as
inspection criteria are revised every two years to ensure that the
certification keeps pace with environmentalism in business.
In February 1998, Manhattan East Suite Hotels began its renovation of
the former Hotel Beverly on 50th Street and Lexington Avenue, with a
commitment to create "an environmentally sound hotel" with the
principle that included "preservation and protection of the
environment." From the early stages of renovation, ECOTEL® criteria
was an important influence on the design specifications and equipment and
product purchasing decisions of the $30 million project. To meet the
criteria, decisions were made on details including: plumbing fixtures and
showerheads, computerized controls for HVAC systems, and even a
custom-designed waste chute and compactor system (equipped to handle
high-tech recycling machinery).
Environmental education of all staff at the hotel was included in the
pre-opening training efforts. "The time and attention we dedicated to
the education phase of this project, and the strong level of motivation
and interest in the environment from our staff are probably the most
noteworthy aspects of our commitment to the ECOTEL® Certification,"
adds Moser.
"The Benjamin now operates what might be the best recycling
program of any hotel in New York City," claims Balfe. "Their
recycling efforts encompass not only the hotel's 209 suites and
back-of-house space, but also extend to the upscale Woodstock Spa, and
Larry Forgione's restaurant An American Place. And the hotel's waste
disposal and recycling bills are still 30% below the original
budget."
The Benjamin is New York's newest four-star property and the first
Executive Suite Hotel. Located at the corner of 50th Street and Lexington
Avenue, The Benjamin offers an intimate, boutique-style setting in one of
the hottest locations in the city. Manhattan East Suite Hotels, a
family-run business for more than 30 years, offers travelers spacious and
comfortable accommodations throughout Manhattan. With ten properties, over
2,000 rooms and 1,100 employees, Manhattan East is New York's largest
suite hotel group. The Benjamin reflects the company's tradition of unique
value combined with consistent and personal service.
HVS International was created in 1980 to satisfy the growing demand for
reliable and well-documented hotel market studies and feasibility reports.
With ten offices worldwide, HVS offers a vast range of services including
valuations, strategic analyses, development support, executive search, eco
services and waste management, gaming and restaurant consulting, asset
management, operational and management strategy development, and timeshare
consulting.
To learn more about HVS Eco Services or the ECOTEL® Certification
Program, contact Ms. Harinakshi Nair,
HVS International,
C-67, Anand Niketan, New Delhi - 110021
Mobile - 9820203036,
Email: hnair@hvsinternational.com
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