Over the past two years, Portola Hotel & Spa in Monterey, California has reinvested over $8 million in renovations, staff training, and more. Through this bold move, Monterey’s most innovative hotel has been able to finally achieve Silver Level LEED® EB Certification (making it only one of three hotels in all of California), receive the prestigious AAA Four Diamond rating in April 2011, and is reaping the benefits.

AAA Four Diamond Rating

Opened in 1978, the Portola Hotel & Spa was part of a redevelopment project for the city of Monterey as a public-private partnership. Today it is still owned by the original developers. Achieving the AAA Four Diamond rating for a 33 year old property was a tall order. The hotel underwent an $8 million renovation at a time when the economy was on the decline. The team at Portola Hotel & Spa made significant strides to take guest expectations to new heights, included a remodel of all 379 guestrooms, Cottonwood Plaza, and the hotel’s 50,000 sq. ft. event facility. Additionally, management launched various guest programs including the Portola Pirates, the first hotel loyalty program for children.
On average, only 4% of the 31,000 hotels AAA inspects annually receive this type of recognition. For guests, the AAA Four Diamond rating simply affirms what guests visiting the hotel already experience – unmatched service, accommodations, and amenities. For Portola Hotel & Spa, the AAA accolade comes on the heels of obtaining Silver LEED® EB Certification, making Portola Hotel Monterey’s first and only LEED® EB certified hotel.

Silver LEED ® EB Certification

By achieving Silver LEED® EB Certification Portola Hotel & Spa has become one of only three hotels in all of California and one of only six hotels in the U.S. to earn this level of accreditation in the Existing Building (EB) category.
As a part of its journey to attain Silver LEED Certification, Portola Hotel & Spa completed a variety of enhancements that build upon the guest experience, including a renovation of its guestrooms.  The newly remodeled 379 guestrooms, including 10 suites, feature Green from Natüra bath amenities, which are completely biodegradable, including all packaging; Green Label Plus carpet in all guestrooms, certified by the Carpet & Rug Institute for low volatile organic compounds (VOC); low or no VOC paints; environmentally-friendly custom designed mattresses from Monterey Mattress Company; Energy Star 42” flat screen televisions and refrigerators; low-flow water fixtures; and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood products. 

City.Mobi

Also in United States today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Sacramento.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Sacramento.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.