Key Takeaways

• "As a part of the Hyatt Corporation, Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort maintains a commitment towards water conservation and climate change, waste and circularity, responsible sourcing, thriving destinations, awareness and collaboration, transparent measuring and reporting, and management that seeks continuous improvement."
• "The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte has an LEED Gold certification, and it has implemented an eco-conscious ethos into the design of the building, along with its dining and spa offerings."
• "h2hotel's green roof actively filters rainwater in order to limit its impact on Foss Creek and the surrounding area's storm drain system, and it decreases the volume of heat given off by the building to avoid disrupting the local micro climate."

Introduction

1Hotels Competitors

1. Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort

Website

• A link to the hotel's website is available here.

Location

• Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort is located at 3550 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea, Hawaii, United States, 96753.

What Makes It Sustainable

• As a part of the Hyatt Corporation, Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort maintains a commitment towards water conservation and climate change, waste and circularity, responsible sourcing, thriving destinations, awareness and collaboration, transparent measuring and reporting, and management that seeks continuous improvement.
• The resort was the first LEED-certified resort in the state of Hawaii. Its design limits harmful emissions and waste, while diminishing water and energy consumption. Additionally, its sustainable design is a central part of its overall strategy.
• There are numerous sustainable elements that are noticeable, including its variable speed chillers, low flow plumbing fixtures, solar hot water system, and motion sensor lighting controls. In its rooms, the resort utilizes guestroom glassware constructed from recycled wine bottles, as well as automatic temperature control.

What Makes It Luxury

• Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort has a total of about 321 rooms, which includes 21 luxury villas and 35 suites that come with their own private lanai. The resort's villas are all more than 1,000 square feet in size, with the largest being the Four Bedroom King Ocean Front Villa at 4,070 square feet.
• Guests can dine on cuisine that is farm-fresh and seasonal from award-winning restaurants, such as Ka'ana Kitchen. At Lehua Lounge, guests can enjoy cocktails while observing the sunset at one of its infinity waterfall pools.
• The nightly price range for a standard room at Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort is around $635-$966, according to Trip Advisor.

Aesthetic

• The aesthetic is contemporary and modern, with and island/tropical paradise experience. The rooms, villas, and suites are sleek with modern wood furnishings, and they all provide a decent view of the Pacific Ocean and picturesque island views.
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Positive/Negative Client Reviews

• One positive review stated, "My family could not have been more impressed and pleased with our 7 nights at the Andaz. The beautiful hotel was only exceeded by the exceptionally "service focused" team! Thanks for everything and we can't wait to come back!"
• A negative review claimed, "The rooms are small, bathrooms are very poorly designed they look all fancy but functionality wise sucks. The Easter from the shower flows out all the way to the bedroom. It’s so messy. Also, the spa on site has a policy of 100% charges for cancellation, which we were never communicated by the spa staff while booking the spa. We could t make it to our appointment because of our last min plans (we are on a Vacation and plans change). While checking out we were changed 500$ fee for no services used. This is the most ridiculously overpriced hotel I ve seen and for no more than what other places in Maui is to offer. Overall it left a very bad taste in our mouth. Never ever going back."

2. Hotel Terra Jackson Hole

Website

• A link to the hotel's official website can be found here.

Location

• Hotel Terra Jackson Hole is situated at 3335 West Village Drive, Teton Village, WY 83025.

What Makes It Sustainable

• Hotel Terra Jackson Hole is LEED Certified and has been constructed using recycled building and roofing materials. The resort offers beds and bedding that are 100% organic, aluminum water bottles, fluorescent light bulbs, etc.

What Makes It Luxury

• The resort offers world-class dining experiences (e.g., Bar Enoteca, Il Villagio Osteria, etc.), spa and fitness centers, a rooftop infinity pool and hot tub, a tranquility lounge, a ski valet service, etc.
• Its rooms and suites feature stylish finishes, jetted tubs, rain showers, in-floor radiant heating, a private balcony, inlaid gas fireplaces, spacious living areas (for suites), and a modern kitchen (for suites).
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• The nightly room rate range for a standard room at Terra Jackson Hole Hotel is between $303-$639, according to Trip Advisor.

Aesthetic

• The resort provides an aesthetic that is reminiscent of a "modern boutique ski hotel." It provides a luxurious mountain vacation experience, enabling guests to enjoy snowboarding and skiing or relax in its infinity pool surrounded by a view of snow and mountains.

Positive/Negative Client Reviews

• One reviewer stated, "My family and I recently stayed at the Hotel Terra for 3 nights. This is our second trip to the area and our second stay at this wonderful hotel. Staff is very friendly. Room is clean. We were very impressed by management updating our room. All aspects were superb. You guessed it: next trip to Jackson/Teton, we WILL stay here again."
• A negative review on Trip Advisor stated, "WORST HOTEL do not stay here. It was almost $900 a night and the rooms are so so tiny. Views were not great. At that price no daily water. Spa was sub par. Went to the restaurant for breakfast and it really wasn’t good. Save yourself money and stay somewhere else. We were expecting a Luxury experience at that rate - what a scam."

3. Proximity Hotel

Website

• A link to the hotel's official website can be found here.

Location

• The Proximity Hotel is located at 704 Green Valley Road, Greensboro, NC 27408.

What Makes It Sustainable

• The Proximity Hotel was America's first hotel to be awarded an LEED Platinum certification. Also, the design and construction of the building abided by the guidelines listed by the Green Building Rating System from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), which is considered to be the benchmark for the operation, design, and construction of high performance establishments.
• The hotel implements over 70 different sustainability practices, including using 40% less energy than conventional hotels by applying the latest construction technology and efficient materials. The hotel has over 100 solar panels across its 4,000 square foot rooftop for heating water and decreases its water usage by about 33% via high-efficiency Kohler plumbing fixtures.
• Moreover, the hotel's fitness center provides guests with complimentary bicycles so that they can travel and observe the surrounding areas, such as trails and greenways.

What Makes It Luxury

• The hotel features a variety of custom-designed furnishings, original art, a 24/7 fitness studio, an artist-in-residence, spacious bathrooms that offer wrap-around views, floor-to-ceiling windows, elegant suites, etc. It provides European dining through Print Works Bistro, as well as creekside dining.
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• Trip Advisor lists the nightly price range for a standard room at the Proximity Hotel as between $265-$390.

Aesthetic

• The aesthetic is modern and innovative, with guest rooms that are designed to resemble lofts. Throughout the hotel, guests can identify commissioned art that provide a high-design look and experience. The theme for the hotel is sustainability and luxury, with modern loft-like rooms.
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Positive/Negative Client Reviews

• A positive review on Trip Advisor remarked, "First class facilities. great staff and wonderful bar/restaurant. My wife and I met family for holiday celebration. Great bar for meeting friends. We had brunch the next day. Super popular and very busy. Highly recommend reservations. First time staying here. Highly recommend. We will certainly come back next time in Greensboro."
• A negative review posted on Trip Advisor proclaimed, "This hotel is great by appearance but actual creature comforts are sorely lacking. The bed was the WORST! There are no available outlets near the bed without unplugging lamps. There are zero outlets in the bathroom. The bathroom tub had hairs in it. Horribly disappointing for a supposedly high end property. What a waste of money. We mentioned these issues at check out and the response was sorry to hear that? Seriously, the Hampton Inn is much better."

4. The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte

Website

• A link to the website for the hotel, which is a part of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, is available here.

Location

• The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte is located at 201 East Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202.

What Makes It Sustainable

• The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte has an LEED Gold certification, and it has implemented an eco-conscious ethos into the design of the building, along with its dining and spa offerings. The building has a green rooftop that has beehives and grows seasonal vegetables, while the employee uniforms have been crafted using fabric and materials extracted from regenerated plastic bottles. Guests can also take advantage of the bike valet to explore the surrounding areas of the hotel.

What Makes It Luxury

• The hotel offers suites ranging from 886 square feet to 2,900 square feet in size, with spacious living rooms, parlors, formal dining rooms, flat-screen HD smart televisions, mini and Honor bars, etc. Guests can enjoy skyline views, in-mirror televisions, floor-to-ceiling windows, and marble bathrooms. Also, guests can engage in culinary experiences via K Lounge and Bar Cocoa, while enjoying pink Himalayan salt therapy at The Ritz-Carlton Spa.
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• Trip Advisor notes that the nightly price range for a standard room at the hotel is between $506-$921.

Aesthetic

• The aesthetic for the hotel is modern, with a focus on showcasing and honoring the history of the local area. The standard rooms have a contemporary design, courtesy of North Carolina native Alexander Julian, that display elements of Charlotte's present and past.

Positive/Negative Client Reviews

• One positive review posted on Trip Advisor stated, "We did a staycation for the Rolling Stones concert. As soon as we pulled up to the hotel we had great service! David and Mike remembered us from our previous stay in 2018!! Annie at the front desk was very helpful! Highly recommend trying Eddie Vs up the street. Great sea food. We will surely be back"

• A negative review stated, "Upon check-in we were advised that our room faced the Epic Center and there would be some noise. That is an understatement. The music was SO loud and went on until 2 am. When I checked with the staff they said the music would stop by 11 pm. The hotel and staff are what you would expect from the Ritz but they should have been upfront about the noise level and duration. Upon my complaint we were not offered a different room and if I would have known the music would last until 2am we would have left. Therefore, I would NOT recommend staying there on the weekends in the summer as the noise is unbearable.:

5. Bardessono Hotel and Spa

Website

• A link to the hotel and spa's official website can be found here.

Location

• The Bardessono Hotel and Spa is located at 6526 Yount St., Yountville, CA 94599.

What Makes It Sustainable

• The Bardessono Hotel and Spa has been awarded with a LEED Platinum certification. It utilizes advanced environmental technologies to help minimize the impact of its design and construction and avoids the use of offsite energy. The hotel has 940 solar panels in its rooftops to supply its electrical demand, an underground geothermal system to cool and heat the spa, domestic hot water supply, and rooms, and occupancy sensors that automatically reduce energy consumption when rooms are empty.
• Also, the woods used in the hotel come from salvaged trees, while the cleaning crew uses organic cleaning supplies and linens.
• Its on-sit restaurants, including the Lucy Restaurant and Bar, offer a field-to-fork, garden inspired menu, while the spa treatments are centered on the elements and needs of the current season. Furthermore, the products are mostly purchased from sustainable or local organic producers.

What Makes It Luxury

• Bardessono's suites, which includes spa suites, feature a fireplace, champagne spas/bath tubs, 100% Egyptian cotton Fili D'oro Linens, a motion-controlled exterior shuttering system, custom-crafted furnishings, commissioned art photography, 55" Sony LCD HD TVs, and open living spaces, among other luxurious accommodations. The three villas provide a private haven and elite experiences, with king bedrooms, a courtyard, stately living rooms, a spacious dining room, etc.
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• Guests can also request in-room spa services. Trip Advisor lists its nightly price range for a standard room as being between $712-$1,617.

Aesthetic

• The aesthetic for the Bardessono is luxury, elegance, and convenience, featuring earthy elements and natural tones. Bardessono focuses on providing its guests with a suitable experience of wine country.
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Positive/Negative Client Reviews

• A positive review posted on Trip Advisor remarked, "We had a wonderful time at this beautiful property. The service is what really blew us away. Our needs were anticipated and every member of the Bardessono team was fantastic. The on-site restaurant was one of our trip favorites. Expected to eat there out of convenience and found the food better than our higher end choices around the valley. The spa was also amazing as was the rooftop pool. The concierge, Matt, was so wonderful and really took care of us! We had a perfect stay."
• One negative review said, "Very small sauna, one chair in the waiting "lounge", the flip-flops were sticky and not clean, the toiletries were mostly out and there were dirty dishes on the small food table. If you are going to market yourself as a luxury spa, and charge said prices, you need to at least have a clean facility."

6. h2hotel

Website

• A link to the hotel's official website can be found here.

Location

• h2hotel is located at 219 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, CA 95448.

What Makes It Sustainable

• h2hotel is NC 2.2 Gold-certified, meaning that the hotel has been designed to create less waste and utilize less natural resources, energy (28% less than standard hotels), and water. The building has solar panels on its rooftop that heats the guest rooms' hot water and the swimming pool to diminish electricity consumption, and 85% of the hotel's construction debris was recycled. Meanwhile, much of the materials that were utilized to build the hotel have a remarkable percentage of recycled product.
• h2hotel's green roof actively filters rainwater in order to limit its impact on Foss Creek and the surrounding area's storm drain system, and it decreases the volume of heat given off by the building to avoid disrupting the local micro climate. In the guestrooms, which all have a recycling program, smart sensors shut off air conditioners, fans, and lights when empty, and the low-flow faucets/fixtures and dual-flush toilets decrease the water usage by around 20%. Interior materials used for the hotel were specifically chosen due to their low VOC, or volatile organic compound, content, and its system refreshes the air at a rate that is 150% higher than the hotel standard.
• Additional sustainability efforts include green guestrooms (e.g., chemical-free rugs, organic sheets, bamboo flooring, glass water carafes, recyclable paper hangers, etc.), an erosion-control plan, a high-efficiency irrigation system, EV charging stations, EcoSpace elevators that use 60% less electricity, and smart transportation.

What Makes It Luxury

• Each room has 100% Egyptian cotton robes and linens, private patios and balconies, among others. The hotel has a solar-heated, creekside pool and comfortable lounge seating, valet parking, and complimentary Ashtanga yoga classes. The spoonbar is a contemporary American restaurant that provides guests with creatively prepared meals and artisanal seasonal wines and cocktails.
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• According to Trip Advisor, the nightly price range for a standard room at h2hotel is between $293-$557.

Aesthetic

• h2hotel has an organic, simplistic aesthetic, highlighting the natural beauty of the surrounding areas (e.g, Foss Creek, Fitch Mountain). The hotel also promotes itself as a boutique establishment centered on theme of sustainability, with eco-friendly suites, rooms, and studios.
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Positive/Negative Client Reviews

• A positive review on Trip Advisor stated, "I fell in love with h2h when my husband first brought me here 5 yrs ago, and we’ve been coming back ever since! It’s a great city escape for couples - has a pool, lovely bfast, bikes for rent, valet, lots of fun streets to explore, great restaurants and wineries nearby. I’m always looking forward to our next visit."
• A negative review of the hotel said, "I was surprised by the cleanliness of the room - the tub had residue, tile walls also had soap and other people’s hair stuck to it. The faucet to the bathtub was very loose and kept making loud bursts of sound upon filling the tub. Pool was way too cold for swimming. Spa hotel hot tub was also cold. Most unnerving part of the stay was when I was taking a call outside of the hotel in the evening and a loud, rumbling car started up in the valet space (manned by someone who had been working/sitting at the evening desk). Upon pulling away he flipped me off. I honestly regret not booking the Best Western nearby for a $250/nt savings."

7. The Ambrose Hotel

Website

• A link to the official website of the hotel is available here.

Location

• The Ambrose Hotel is currently located at 1255 20th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404.

What Makes It Sustainable

• In 2007, the Ambrose Hotel became the nation's first LEED-EB certified hotel for its green, sustainable practices. The hotel uses an innovative cleaning program, guestroom recycling program (75% of waste is composted or recycled), a sustainable purchasing program, and low-flow faucets and shower heads. It also provides access to Tesla and EV charging stations, along with a house car service that uses the Tesla Model 3.
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• The Ambrose Hotel follows its "EarthView Program HHM", which instills a meticulous sustainable maintenance and operations program. Each team member is devoted to recycled material content, waste management, resource conservation, pollution control, and energy consumption. The hotel uses Energy Star Certified systems and electronics, and it tracks, monitors, and manages all of its energy use.
• Throughout the hotel, LED lighting and thermostats from Verdent, a leading energy management company, are employed. The thermostat fluctuates the room temperature whenever it is unoccupied. The hotel's sprinkler system is modified for each season, while planting for the garden areas involves drought-tolerant native species.

What Makes It Luxury

• Many of the rooms and studios at the Ambrose Hotel have vaulted ceilings, patios or terraces, spacious bathrooms featuring luxurious shower heads, La Bottega cotton slippers and robes, L'Occitane bath products, luxury linens, etc.
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• The Ambrose Hotel offers a fitness center with Peloton bikes, Beach Cruiser Bike rentals, high-speed Wi-Fi, Santa Monica Sips tastings, etc.
• TripAdvisor estimates that the nightly price range for a standard room at The Ambrose Hotel is between $285-$448.

Aesthetic

• The primary aesthetic of the hotel is the Californian craftsman-stlye home, providing a cozy residential feel for guests. The hotel presents a boutique style, with subtle designs and a fresh color palette. The rooms are modern and brightened using natural light.
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Positive/Negative Client Reviews

• On Trip Advisor, a reviewer stated, "Amazing hotel!! Whoever designed it put so much thought and effort into it! It’s absolutely beautiful! The friendliest staff, free wine tasting nightly, right across the street from the best breakfast spot Tartine and free bike rentals. An absolute must if your going to stay in Santa Monica and don’t want to deal with the crowds!"
• One negative review claimed, "I have stayed at many places in LA over the years and this is by far the worst. They didn’t tell us the checkout time and came to the door at 5 pm and kicked us out for day use. They then proceeded to tell us they didn’t have any rooms available and we had nowhere to stay. They let us in to the room 2 hours late. DO NOT RECOMMEND!!!"

Research Strategy:

Key Takeaways

• Guests at luxury green/sustainable hotels are most likely to be wealthy millennials and Gen X.
• Compared to its competitors, 1Hotel is doing well with regard to offering a good pool/spa area and good food selections and service.
• Compared to its competitors, 1Hotel is doing poorly in the communications department, is gaining a bad reputation due to a lack of COVID-19 precautions, and is too crowded, especially due to too many non-guests being allowed to use various hotel spaces.

Introduction

Consumer Base Insight: Luxury & Sustainable/Green Hotels

• Demographics: Based on analysis of the demographics of internet users searching for green-related keywords, green consumers are more likely to be female and are more likely to fall in the 35-54 age range (millennials and Gen X). Luxury consumers are more likely to be high-earning millennials and are equally as likely to be male as they are female. Luxury hotel guests are most likely to be wealthy millennials or Gen X.

• Segmentation: According to insights published by SAGE, "a green consumer is someone who is aware of his or her obligation to protect the environment by selectively purchasing green products or services. A green consumer tries to maintain a healthy and safe lifestyle without endangering the sustainability of the planet and the future of mankind." Green consumers are segmented based on their level of concern towards the environment and how serious they are in their actions to deal with such concerns. Based on an analysis of different types of green consumer segments, the types of green consumers who are logically the most likely to stay in a luxury eco-friendly hotel are those whose behaviors are geared toward being green and who are the most likely to keep this in the forefront of their mind when shopping for products and services and are willing to pay a premium for them (i.e. 'behavioral greens'), but at the same time, they are relaxed enough on these principals that they won't refuse to stay in a hotel if its not 100% green across all operations (i.e. 'laissez-faire greens').
• Behaviors, Preferences & Perspectives: Eco-conscious consumers desire access to a range of unique accommodations and amenities when staying in hotels, including options to manage their waste (e.g. in-room recycling options), eco-friendly lighting and temperature options and controls, carbon footprint minimizing amenities, and the ability to request no disposable toiletries in cases where they are bringing their own. Additionally, they are looking for ways to more easily identify sustainable and eco-friendly amenities and options and limit their use of single-use plastics while staying at the hotel. Eco-conscious consumers want to be able to engage with sustainable travel options, as long as it doesn't pose an inconvenience to them (48.30%).

Consumer Review Feedback: Luxury Sustainable/Green Hotels

• The following U.S. hotels are among those at the intersection of luxury and sustainability: Proximity Hotel and Hotel Terra Jackson Hole. The reviews of these hotels have been examined to identify key themes (positive and negative) regarding guests' opinions of these hotels, along with those of 1Hotel. These two hotels have been selected for comparison with 1Hotel based on their location (within different parts of the U.S.). In the section, a comparison summary of these findings has been provided. For the purposes of this research, the 1Hotel location in Miami was used for the analysis. Over 100 guest sentiments were analyzed and recorded for each hotel. The full analysis breakdown can be found here and a summary of the findings has been presented below.
• Proximity Hotel: For this hotel, the top positive sentiments are good customer service, beautiful decor, cleanliness, good food selections/service, and the warmth and inviting nature of the hotel. The top negative sentiments are poor customer service, overpriced, too dark, slow housekeeping, and uncomfy beds/seating.
• Hotel Terra Jackson Hole: For this hotel, the top positive sentiments are good customer service, good area/community, good attractions, and good food selections/service. The top negative sentiments are overpriced, poor customer service, bad parking/not enough parking, rooms are too small, and poor food options/service.

• 1Hotel: For this hotel, the top positive sentiments are good customer service, good food selection, good pool/spa areas, good attractions, and beautiful grounds. The top negative sentiments are a lack of COVID precautions, poor customer service, poor communication, and too many non-guests in the hotel clogging up the space and amenities.

Consumer Review Feedback Comparison & Analysis: 1Hotel Vs. Competitors

• Proximity Hotel Vs. 1Hotel: Compared to Proximity Hotel, 1Hotel has vastly superior customer service, attractions, and pool/spa areas, however, Proximity beats them with regard to decor/beauty, cleanliness, and being warm and inviting. On the negative side, 1Hotels is doing worse than Proximity when it comes to being too crowded/having too many non-guests in the hotel, having a lack of COVID-19 precautions, and having poor communications.
• Hotel Terra Jackson Hole Vs. 1Hotel: Compared to Hotel Terra Jackson Hole, 1 Hotel has better food selections/service, a better pool/spa area, and is more beautifully decorated, however, Hotel Terra Jackson Hole is located in a better area. 1Hotel seems to be doing worse in the customer service department and where communications and COVID precautions are involved.
• Proximity Hotel Vs. Hotel Terra Jackson Hole Vs. 1Hotel: Compared across the whole set, 1Hotel is ranking supreme when it comes to their food selections and service and having a good pool spa/area, but they are also getting the most customer service complaints overall, the most complaints about communication, and there are very many complaints about the lack of COVID-19 precautions.

Research Strategy