SEATTLE, Wash., May 25, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle survey of top corporate clients, globally responsible practices make a significant difference when choosing a hotel for business travel or professional meetings. Developing innovative sustainability initiatives is a priority for David Sullivan, general manager for the 160-room property, located in Seattle's South Lake Union district. In an effort to neutralize environmental impact, the hotel recently launched three initiatives or "zero impact practices" as part of its PanEarth Program. Now through August 31, 2011, the Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle will pay an offsetting fee for guests attending meetings. Offsets include electricity use for guest rooms and meeting space, as well as catering events and local travel, all valuable to meeting planners looking to minimize their event's environmental impact.
"Our PanEarth Program isn't just about cost saving measures like towel and linen reuse to call ourselves green," said Sullivan. "We have a global responsibility to invest in comprehensive sustainability practices on a much larger scale that support our corporate values around exceptional, innovative service."
Molly Phillips, manager of corporate responsibility for the hotel, says the PanEarth Program is designed to be a natural extension of everyday guest services.
"One of the goals of our PanEarth Program is to make it easier for our guests to be good stewards of the environment while enjoying the comforts of our hotel, whether it is for business travel or for leisure," said Phillips, who has a degree in Sustainable Business.
According to Phillips, there are three new ways guests have the opportunity to soften their impact on the environment during their stay at the Pan Pacific Seattle hotel.
1. Environmentally Balanced Hotel Stays
By working with Seattle-based OneEnergy Renewables, Pan Pacific has developed simple and innovative ways to support clean energy and help guests manage their carbon environmental footprint while traveling. For as little as fifty cents per night, guests have the option to offset the impact of their hotel stay. That small contribution supports about 25 kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean wind energy going onto the U.S. electricity grid. If guests opt to give $1, thereby doubling their impact, Pan Pacific matches their contribution. The wind energy for this program is supported in the form of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), which are sourced from facilities in both Washington State and North Dakota.
2. Sustainable Travel
In addition to offsetting a hotel stay, guests also have the option to neutralize the impact of their air and car travel. Pan Pacific's sustainable travel program allows eco-conscious guests to purchase carbon offsets to mitigate emissions resulting from flights to and from Seattle. All offsets are verified by the Climate Action Reserve, the leading U.S. carbon offsets organization.
3. Community Support
When guests participate in any of the Zero Impact Practices, Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle will donate 10 percent of the offset funds collected to the Food Lifeline Program. Food Lifeline is a local non-profit working to end hunger in Western Washington. The organization donates food they receive from local, state and national contributors. More than 31 million pounds of food were distributed locally in 2010.
About Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle
Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle features 160 superbly appointed guest rooms with 19 suites with views of the city, Lake Union and the Space Needle. With complimentary wireless and Ultra-High Speed Internet, HDTV, Satellite radio and accommodating work spaces, Pan Pacific offers a full suite of technology tools for business and leisure travelers. A proud member of the Seattle Climate Partnership, Pan Pacific's PanEarth sustainability program minimizes the hotel's environmental impact and enhances guest and associate health. For more information, please visit the PanEarth Program webpage.
A recipient of a 2010 AAA Four Diamond Award and Trip Advisor's Travel Choice award for 'Top 25 Luxury Hotels' in the United States, Pan Pacific Seattle is part of the exclusive 2200 Westlake Plaza, featuring Vida Spa, Chef John Howie's Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar, Whole Foods Market®, Starbucks Coffee and many more retail outlets. The hotel is within walking distance of Seattle's Central Business District, Amazon's new headquarters, Nordstrom's flagship retail store, Pike Place Market, upscale boutiques at Pacific Place Shopping Center and is conveniently connected to Westlake Center and scenic South Lake Union by the Seattle streetcar.
About Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts
Headquartered in Singapore, Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts is a leading hotel management company in the Pacific Rim and is part of Hotel Plaza Group, the listed hotel subsidiary of UOL Group, one of Asia's largest hotel and property companies. Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts has been recognized by Condé Nast Traveler magazine as one of the 25 hotel companies demonstrating social responsibility and has won esteemed accolades such as World Travel Awards, AAA Four Diamond Award, Condé Nast Gold List and Readers Choice Awards. It has a portfolio of 18 hotels, resorts and serviced suites throughout Asia and North America, with offices in Hong Kong, London, San Francisco, Singapore and Tokyo. Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts is a founding member of the Global Hotel Alliance. For more information, visit panpacific.com
About Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) is the world´s largest alliance of independent hotel brands. GHA currently includes brands such as Anantara, Doyle Collection, First, Kempinski, Leela, Marco Polo, Mirvac, Omni, Pan Pacific, PARKROYAL and Tivoli, encompassing over 300 upscale and luxury hotels with over 60,000 rooms in 47 different countries. To book or for further information visit www.gha.com
For more information or to make reservations, visit panpacific.com/en/Seattle/Overview.html or call 877-324-4856.
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