BEST WESTERN PLUS Shakopee Inn Earns EPA's ENERGY STAR

SHAKOPEE, Minn., March 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The BEST WESTERN PLUS Shakopee Inn has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's prestigious ENERGY STAR, the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. The 65-room BEST WESTERN PLUS Shakopee Inn is the first hotel in Minnesota to achieve this milestone, which signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency.

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"We are excited to receive this honor. It reflects our commitment to our guests and to our planet – we owe it to both to make our hotel as energy-efficient as possible," said Haren Shroff, owner and general manager of the BEST WESTERN PLUS Shakopee Inn, and a former manufacturing engineer for Control Data Corporation.

To earn the ENERGY STAR, the BEST WESTERN PLUS Shakopee Inn implemented a number of eco-friendly features, some of them include:

• LED and compact fluorescent lights in hallways and guestrooms;
• Occupancy sensors in guestrooms, vending machines and in the lobby arcade to reduce energy use when no one is nearby;
• A device on the dryer that reclaims excess heat and puts it to other uses; and
• Evergreen landscaping that is watered by a drip irrigation system.

Shroff and his team are continually looking for innovative ways to conserve energy. "I view the hotel as my laboratory, and set a goal of improving it each day," he said.

The BEST WESTERN PLUS Shakopee Inn is located at 511 South Marschall Road, just a half mile from Canterbury Horse Racepark and two miles from ValleyFair Amusement Park. Rates include a complimentary hot breakfast and free wireless Internet access. Guestrooms feature LED flatscreen televisions, MP3 players, microwaves and refrigerators. To book a room, visit www.bestwestern.com/PlusShakopeeInn.

ABOUT BEST WESTERN INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Best Western International, Inc. is THE WORLD'S BIGGEST HOTEL FAMILY(SM), providing marketing, reservations and operational support to over 4,000* BEST WESTERN®, BEST WESTERN PLUS® and BEST WESTERN PREMIER® hotels in 90* countries and territories worldwide. Each Best Western-branded hotel is independently owned and operated. Now celebrating 65 years of hospitality, Best Western has grown into an iconic brand that hosts 400,000* worldwide guests each night. Equally committed to the business and leisure traveler, Best Western has embarked on a mission to lead the hotel industry in customer care. World Vision is the charity of choice for Best Western in building the world's biggest family, with our hotels and staff sponsoring children in need around the globe. Our partnerships with AAA/CAA, Michael Waltrip Racing™ and Harley-Davidson® help guests make the most of every trip. For the fastest way to a free night globally, join Best Western Rewards®. For more information or to make a reservation, please visit www.bestwestern.com.

*Numbers are approximate and can fluctuate.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products, new homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved nearly $17 billion on their energy bills while reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 30 million vehicles. For more information visit www.energystar.gov/buildings.

SOURCE Best Western International, Inc.