MONTEREY, Calif.
Portola Hotel & Spa, which currently holds the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED certification for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance, has completed the highly esteemed recertification process.
This recertification represents a continuation of the eco-friendly initiatives set out in 2009 when the initial certification began. As the first LEED® hotel in Central California, Portola Hotel & Spa takes much pride in providing both eco-friendly and superior services and amenities to their guests.
Portola Hotel & Spa participated in the USGBC’s Recertification Beta Pilot Program, which has a specific team focused on the hospitality industry. This makes Portola the very first Beta participant coming from the EBOM 2008 rating system and hotel to undergo the recertification process.
“We are honored to have been chosen as the first participant in the LEED recertification process,” said Janine Chicourrat, General Manager of the Portola Hotel & Spa. “The process allowed us to continue to pursue our goal of remaining a leader of environmentally friendly hospitality.”
Portola Hotel has invested in a new set of initiatives to guarantee its already existing superior “green” hospitality and live up to the eco-friendly standards of the LEED® certification. Some efforts include:
- Almost 20 percent of the hotel’s employees commute using alternative forms of transportation including biking, walking, and public transit.
- Native and adaptive plants that are drought-tolerant and provide habitat are placed throughout the property.
- In order to eliminate the hotel’s contribution to ozone depletion, all refrigerants containing CFCs have been phased out.
- Portola Hotel has purchased Renewable Energy Credits equivalent to 100 percent of yearly energy, which supports renewable energy generation offsite.
- Portola Hotel has a green cleaning policy and program and purchases over 60 percent sustainable cleaning products and materials leading to better air quality for staff and guests.
Portola Hotel is diverting approximately 78 percent of waste from landfills and conducts an annual waste audit to identify areas that can be further approved.
To ensure a healthy and productive environment for the Portola Hotel staff and guests, an annual survey on occupant comfort and general cleanliness is conducted. Portola Hotel's completion of the LEED recertification process shows the longevity and depth of their commitment to sustainability.
Portola Hotel & Spa is AAA Four-Diamond rated and Monterey's first and only US Green Building Council LEED®-EB certified hotel. The full-service hotel offers guests a rich, historical ambiance and dedicated staff to ensure an unparalleled guest experience with every stay. The hotel features 379 nautically inspired guest rooms and suites, ranging from 400 to 1,000 square feet.
Portola Hotel & Spa is home to Jacks Restaurant & Lounge and Peter B's Brewpub, the Monterey Peninsula's original craft brewery. In addition, overnight guests have access to the hotel's spa and fitness facilities, complete with steam room, sauna, outdoor pool and Jacuzzi. The 6,000-square-foot Spa on the Plaza offers 10 treatment rooms and an extensive spa menu of signature treatments.
The Hotel & Spa is able to accommodate groups of all sizes for all Monterey meetings. Adjacent to the Monterey Conference Center, its unique, coastal-inspired conference venues offer over 50,000 square feet of flexible indoor space and nearly 60,000 square feet of outdoor event space for Monterey meetings, conferences, sales pitches, concerts and other functions.
