Hotel Durant Introduces Green Meetings

HOTEL DURANT INTRODUCES GREEN MEETINGS AND AN ECO REWARD PROGRAM

Berkeley (November 17, 2009) - Berkeley is getting greener by the day as the City of Berkeley moves toward its goal of becoming the greenest city in the U.S.  Equally committed to that cause is Hotel Durant, Berkeley's only green-certified, full-service boutique hotel, which has introduced a green meetings program and a "Plant a Tree at UC Berkeley" eco reward program.

Under the "Plant a Tree" initiative, clients booking 50 room nights within a calendar year or $5,000 in meetings and events business at the Joie de Vivre property will have a tree planted on the University of California Berkeley campus in their name; they will be listed on the "Grow with Us" map on Hotel Durant's website; and they will receive an invitation to an annual reception.

"We're continually looking at ways we can reduce our carbon footprint, and the green meetings program is a natural extension of the green operating procedures we have in place," said Hotel Durant General Manager James Lim, whose dedication to green initiatives has resulted in the property receiving the 2008 Berkeley Champion of Sustainability Award and the California Green Lodging Program Leadership Level Award.

The green meeting program at 143-room Hotel Durant incorporates eco-friendly practices throughout every aspect of meetings and events. The five key components are:

• Meeting rooms equipped with recycling/composting bins.
• Catering menus offering local, organic, humane, and sustainable foods. Leftovers will be donated to local food banks and shelters when possible.
• The use of a white board is encouraged, rather than a flip chart. Paper pads on the table will be from recycled paper, using vegetable or soy-based inks.
• Lights and air conditioning are turned off when function space is not in use.
• Live plants or creative and reusable table center pieces will be encourages rather than floral or throw-away items.

The Hotel Durant accommodates up to 90 guests for meetings or banquets. Venues range from the intimate Regents Board Room off the lobby to the larger California Room upstairs. All rooms have high-speed internet access. Hotel Durant is one of five Joie de Vivre properties offering green meetings programs.

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About Hotel Durant

Hotel Durant, a Joie de Vivre property, completed a $9 million renovation in October 2008. A Berkeley landmark since 1928, the traditional Spanish-Mediterranean hotel's redesign is cheeky, rebellious and collegiate, reflecting its location one block from the nation's top-ranked public university, the University of California Berkeley, and its strong ties to the community. The 143-room hotel also features the popular gastropub Henry's. Hotel Durant is Berkeley's only green-certified, full-service boutique hotel.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Lori Lincoln, Director of Public Relations, Joie de Vivre
Tel. 415.773.1067/ Email: llincoln@jdvhospitality.com