The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte

The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte, the first environmentally-built hotel for greater Charlotte, was presented with LEED Gold Certification at a major press event in Charlotte this morning. The rare achievement, awarded in the New Construction category, was announced to hotel General Manager David Rothwell by Rick Fedrizzi, CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council. It represents the first LEED designation attained by a Ritz-Carlton hotel or resort.

The 146-room Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte opened in October 2009 with a roster of environmental services and features that have ultimately qualified it for LEED Gold certification. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a multi-category green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Certification is awarded to select properties based on their site sustainability, water efficiency, energy use and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in design for a new building, or innovation in operations for an existing building. The hotel will seek LEED Gold Existing Building certification in 2011, with such dual certification anticipated to set a new benchmark for the luxury hotel industry.

Today's press conference also introduced the hotel's new mascot, Mother Nature, a hotel employee who will lead the hotel's eco-friendly children's programs. Wearing a custom-designed green gown created by eco-couture wedding designer Adele Wechsler, who was on hand for the fashionable debut, Mother Nature will enliven the property's environmentally-minded features and services for young guests and the local community. From bringing educational toys and games via a green wagon to children staying at the hotel, to providing them with story-telling, tuck-in service and the proverbial spoonful of organic sugar, Mother Nature will be a highly visible figure at the LEED-certified property. Mother Nature's job description also includes conducting environmental education experiences, local public appearances, hotel eco-tours, area recycling events and local charitable programs.

A further highlight of the day's agenda was a public tour of the green, vegetated roof of the 18-story Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte. The energy-conserving roof is home to 18,000 sedum plants, a chef's herb garden cultivated for hotel culinary purposes, and the hotel's two new fully-contained bee hives, which will assist in pollination and provide all-natural honey for the hotel. Seventy pounds of chemical-free raw honey are expected to be generated by each hive this year, depending upon foraging schedules, weather and nectar flow.

Also this week, and in honor of Earth Day, The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte is hosting several dozen local elementary school children and their chaperones for an organic lunch and environmental tour of the hotel and its green roof. Further property activities this week include a city cleanup initiative by hotel employees, planting of green roofs adjacent to the hotel's own roof, operation of a community electronics recycling drive, and a regional farmers' market open to the public and presented alongside the hotel tomorrow, Earth Day.

About The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte

An eco-focused rarity among luxury hotels, The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte offers 146 guest accommodations delivering highly-advanced technological and environmental features and an array of highly-innovative frequent-travel conveniences. The 18-story hotel features a 13,000-square-foot bi-level penthouse Wellness Center, fitness center and bromine-treated swimming pool, and 12,000+ square-feet of state-of-the-art meeting space. Dining highlights include the Lobby Lounge's regional and organic culinary choices and signature martinis, cocktails, wines, coffees and flavored ice teas, while a street-side BLT Steak offers prime cuts of beef, fresh seafood, a wide variety of tempting side dishes, and classic American dessert favorites. Located seven miles from Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the hotel enjoys a walkable setting moments from Uptown Charlotte's favorite sights, sounds, businesses and attractions.

CHARLOTTE, NC. May 28, 2009 - The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte is scheduled to open this October in the heart of dynamic Uptown, bringing The Ritz-Carlton brand to the fast-growing Carolinas market and becoming the first LEED-built hotel for The Ritz-Carlton and for the city of Charlotte.

The contemporary 146-room hotel is set in a sleek 18-story building designed to attain LEED Gold environmental certification from the Green Building Council, which certifies new buildings based on sustainability, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design. The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte has been built to provide a supremely comfortable yet environmentally-mindful travel experience, seamlessly integrating green and sustainable practices with the rigorous standards of The Ritz-Carlton brand. The new Ritz-Carlton will be an eco-focused rarity among top-tier city hotels.

Guest rooms at The Ritz-Carlton begin at 506 square feet and offer uniquely upgraded air quality, thanks to a state-of-the-art air transfer system that efficiently circulates large amounts of outside air into rooms and suites. Further energizing its green commitment, the hotel will utilize a sophisticated Natura Water Purification System, diverting 73,000 plastic bottles from landfills, saving more than 104 barrels of oil, eliminating nearly 49 tons of CO2 emissions and saving almost 605,000,000 BTUs of electricity each year.

A highly-reflective roof vegetated with living plants and aggressive water conservation and recycling programs will support the new Ritz-Carlton property's commitment to its surroundings, while select staff will wear stylish, custom-designed uniforms made of fabric derived from regenerated plastic bottle materials. Among the hotel's sustainable practices, complimentary hybrid-vehicle transportation will be provided to guests wishing to visit destinations within the I-277 loop on weekday mornings, while 150 guest bicycle storage spaces will encourage non-motorized enjoyment of the vibrant city of Charlotte. The hotel's bike valet team will store and service guests' two-wheelers and provide complimentary local bike usage, and guests driving hybrid cars will receive complimentary parking on-site.

The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte will feature a 13,000-square-foot, bi-level penthouse Wellness Center-a special rarity among urban properties. The Wellness Center's philosophy is embodied in its selection of natural eco-based treatments, 100% organic and vegan products and a menu of services designed to lend precious balance to life on the road. The Center offers four treatment rooms, two vitality lounges, a movement studio, fully-equipped fitness center, whirlpool and indoor saline-treated swimming pool.

Dining enthusiasts will experience a variety of in-hotel organic and sustainable options, including the Lobby Lounge's regional culinary choices and its array of signature martinis, cocktails, wines, coffees and flavored ice teas. A street-side BLT Steak will further highlight the dining experience, offering prime cuts of beef, fresh seafood, a wide variety of tempting side dishes, and classic American dessert favorites. BLT, or Bistro Laurent Tourondel, is the personal stamp of acclaimed chef and restaurateur Laurent Tourondel, named 2007 Restaurateur of the Year by Bon Appétit magazine.

More than 12,000 square-feet of contemporary meeting space can accommodate up to 480 dinner guests at the hotel, with green meetings to be a standard. Offering nine function rooms, the property's meeting, wedding and event space utilizes visually stunning yet environmentally-mindful interior design, as well as low-emitting organic components and materials seldom found in such quarters.

From recycled aluminum meeting room tables, recycled leather furniture and sustainable mahogany and sapele wood, to regionally-indigenous Tennessee Blue Eyes granite and curated local and regional art, the hotel interior will offer a striking look at the beauty of next-generation hotel eco-design. These components will be highlighted to interested guests by the hotel's Environmental Steward, a key member of the concierge team and director of the property's own Environmental Education Center.

The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte enjoys a strategic Uptown setting that puts restaurants, shopping, businesses, sports, entertainment and cultural attractions within an easy five-minute walk of the property. The city's acclaimed EpiCentre, Founders Hall, Charlotte Convention Center and NASCAR Hall of Fame (scheduled to open next year) lie within moments of the hotel's front door, and the property is just seven miles from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), offering non-stop access to and from 134 destinations. The airport is served by eight major U.S. airlines, seven regional U.S. carriers and multiple international airlines. Additionally, the city of Charlotte itself is served both by Amtrak and by a convenient local light rail and trolley system.

Pre-opening information about The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte is available at (704) 547-2244. Guest reservations will be accepted beginning this summer on http://www.ritzcarlton.com/, at (800) 241-3333, or through a travel professional.