DALLAS, April 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- With Earth Day approaching, many Americans will take the opportunity to appreciate nature and the great outdoors. America's national and state parks offer outdoor spectacles like no other, but several major cities around the world that have embraced urban flora and fauna are nearly as impressive.
The travel experts at Hotels.com® have identified some of the top "green hotels" in cities that author Tim Beatley calls Biophilic Cities – urban areas that are abundant with nature. Travelers who want to see these top choices at their finest can explore cities ranging from Milwaukee, Wis. to Oslo, Norway while staying in hotels that are making great strides in offering a more environmentally friendly experience.
"Hotels are working together with their respective cities to engage the community and hotel guests in eco-friendly efforts," said Taylor L. Cole, APR, travel expert for Hotels.com. "We've noticed that hotels are getting creative with the implementation of organic food and spa products, the use of recycled materials, and activities like bike-share programs which makes it easy and fun to go green."
Hotels.com has highlighted five of Beatley's Biophilic Cities, along with each destination's average paid price according to the Hotels.com® Hotel Price Index™ and some top hotel recommendations.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin – (2013 HPI: $122/night)
This Midwestern city has a vision of green for the next 10 years. Published in 2013, "Refresh Milwaukee," is a road map to a more sustainable community that includes a Green Team, restoration projects and massive ecological initiatives focused on its three rivers and Lake Michigan. The Brewhouse Inn & Suites is one hotel embodying Milwaukee's mission. Now a beautiful LEED Platinum certified building, complete with a wall made of recycled bottles and an expansive collection of artifacts, the hotel was once the former Pabst Blue Ribbon beer brewery. Through extensive eco-friendly development, this extended-stay hotel is also an extension of the city's growing sustainable community.
Oslo, Norway – (2013 HPI: $188/night)
"The Blue and the Green and the City in Between" is the motto of this Nordic city, where 94 percent of its residents live near a park or a green space. Two thirds of Oslo is in protected forest, encouraging residents to embrace the environment around them. Scandic Byporten is one of Oslo's modern eco-friendly hotels with a focus on sustainable practices for its guests. Eco-friendly foodies rejoice – the breakfast menu includes organic products to support agriculture and reduce the use of pesticides. Likewise, the hotel's passion for sustainable action continues by deriving electricity from wind and hydro power, decreasing pollution and helping to fight climate change.
San Francisco, California – (2013 HPI: $198/night)
San Francisco is an eco-innovator with the goal to become waste free by 2030. "Renew, Reuse, Relax" is the motto used by the eco-friendly Good Hotel in San Francisco located in the heart of the stylish SoMa district. The hotel is constructed of almost all recyclable materials and is making going green trendy by maintaining its motto through fun activities for guests such as a digital photo booth in the lobby, in-room chalkboards and complimentary bicycles.
Phoenix, Arizona – (2013 HPI: $103/night)
Despite being a large metropolitan area, Phoenix, Ariz. is home to an abundance of nature. Preservation efforts in and around the city allow residents and visitors to enjoy the regions' beautiful deserts, mountains and parks. The Arizona Grand Resort is an official LEED certified hotel equipped with a Green Task Force that implements sustainable practices, along with a completely organic spa and beautiful golf course that was awarded "Best Places to Play" by Golf Digest. The panoramic views of the breathtaking Sonoran Desert and surrounding mountain vistas allow visitors to step right into the beauty of Phoenix.
Singapore – (HPI 2013: $212/night)
Singapore has risen to the challenge of creating a natural space within a highly dense metropolitan area. With community gardens and rooftop greenery, Singapore has achieved the 47 percent green area mark. While Singapore is known as a "city in a garden," the PARKROYAL on Pickering Hotel is known as the "hotel in a garden." The hotel uses state-of-the-art methods to go green, including the installation of lush sky gardens, light, rain and motion sensors and other techniques to reduce the wasting of natural resources. The light, airy and refreshing architecture makes guests feel they are in a relaxing natural paradise and far from a busy city.
Travelers can now save more green by making hotel bookings through the Hotels.com mobile app for 12% off while also eliminating paper waste by using the app to track confirmations and their Welcome Rewards® loyalty account. Happy Earth Day!
*The price listed beside each city represents the average hotel price paid by American travelers per night in 2013 (excluding taxes and fees), according to the latest Hotel Price Index.
Press contacts:
Mary Apesos – Finn Partners for Hotels.com
Phone: (212) 593-6310
Email: [email protected]
@FinnTravel
Taylor L. Cole, APR
Hotels.com North America
Phone: (469) 335-8442
Email: [email protected]
@TravelwithTLC
About the HPI
The HPI is based on bookings made on Hotels.com sites and prices shown are those actually paid by customers per room per night, excluding taxes and fees, rather than advertised rates. More than 150,000 properties around the world make up the sample set of hotels from which prices are taken. To access the full report, including detailed maps, colorful photos and a city-by-city breakdown, please visit: www.hotel-price-index.com/2014/spring/.
About Hotels.com (www.hotels.com)
Hotels.com is a leading online accommodation booking website with more than 260,000 properties around the world, ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals.
© 2014 Hotels.com, LP. Hotels.com, Hotel Price Index, HPI, The Obvious Choice, Captain Obvious, Welcome Rewards and the Hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotels.com, LP in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. CST # 2083949-50
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SOURCE Hotels.com
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