1 Hotel cover.indd - Nicola Cottam

A significant new development is the move by Barry Sternlicht’s Starwood Capital Group to launch Starwood ‘1’,
a new eco-friendly luxury hotel brand that will open in Seattle by late 2008. Following Seattle, 1 will open in the
ski resort of Mammoth Mountain, California; in Scottsdale, Arizona; and in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The first
four properties will all be new-builds, and the group aims to have 15 hotels signed or under construction within
24 months.
The first international property will be in Paris and will be a renovation of an as-yet unnamed historic
property.
Sternlicht is cagey about revealing too much at this stage, but it is safe to say that the ‘1’ concept will have more
impressive environmental credentials than potted plants in the lobby and cards in bathrooms requesting guests
to re-use towels.
Specifically, Starwood ‘1’ hotels will aim to succeed in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency,
materials selection and indoor environmental quality. The Natural Resources Defense Council has agreed to be
an environmental advisor and each property will donate 1% of revenue to local environmental organizations.
Starwood has also said that new builds will be constructed to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) standards.
Seasoned observers of Sternlicht think he may have moved a step ahead of the competition yet again. “Barry
Sternlicht is one of the innovators of the industry,” says Nick van Marken. “He has a reputation of getting in first,
and getting things done.”
According to van Marken, Sternlicht also has a proven track record in being a shrewd judge of the way lifestyles
and attitudes affect consumer choices. “He showed this with the ‘W’ hotels, launched about 10 years ago,” says van
Marken. “The industry hadn’t been attentive to what its customers take for granted. He realised it was necessary
to do more to create a special experience. ‘W’ hotels appealed successfully to the fashion and media crowd. They
became a place people wanted to be seen in.” he says.
But there is more to good green credentials than attracting a certain crowd. In the wake of the Stern Review governments
could introduce stringent new measures such as energy performance certification. This, which coupled
with the rocketing cost of energy – wholesale electricity prices have risen by more than 250% in the UK over the
last four years – makes greener hotels a good business proposition. There are other hard-headed reasons to pursue
an environmentally conscious strategy, according to van Marken. “We’ve already seen a backlash from some
governments against the industry, such as in Botswana for example,” he says. More travel and tourist destinations
are likely to take heed of the environmental impact of hotel groups in future, he thinks.
Writer: Derek Parkinson
Hot Concepts: 1 Hotel and Residences
March 2007 Hotel Report Guide to UK Hotels 2007 l © William Reed Publishing 14