Changes Being Made at the Mandarin Oriental Atlanta

This past March, Mandarin Oriental Hotels announced that they were taking over the management of the Mansion on Peachtree, located in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood. Now rebranded as The Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta, changes are being made around the 127-room hotel, beginning with the spa.

Formerly named 29 Spa, The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta has changed its treatment offerings, which include an Oriental essence massage and a red clay scalp massage. Some of the treatments will even have some local flair, like the Peaches and Cream treatment with cream and peach oil.

The hotel also plans to infuse an Asian touch by offering the Mandarin Oriental foot ritual, where guests will be presented with slippers and receive a foot bath with custom oils. Guests can also sip on tea and use an oshibori towel, a traditional Japanese wet towel.

The spa menu will also be updated with various Asian-style foods.

“Enjoy the perfect mix of Southern hospitality and oriental charm by making your reservation at this new Mandarin Oriental property in Atlanta!” –The Informed Traveler

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Clean the World Donates Soap to Mentor Leader’s Trip

Clean the World donated 600 bars of soap to a Mentor Leader’s mission team at Tabernacle Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Austintown, Ohio, where our own Katie Hively attends.

Take a look at the Mentor Leaders packing the soap to take on their trip!

The mission of the trip was on hygiene, and after an 18-hour bus ride, the team delivered the soap to Gbenchal, a small village in Togo, West Africa.

Many thanks to McConnell Marketing for making the connection, Clean the World for the soap and Brown Horse Garments for covering the shipping costs.

Marriott Vacation Club Partners with Clean the World

This week Marriott Vacation Club, a global leader in vacation ownership and brand of Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: VAC), announced their partnership with Clean the World Foundation, Inc.

Clean the World’s mission is to put soap in the hands of people who need it most—improving hygiene and sanitation conditions, reducing impact of disease and promoting better hygiene and living conditions worldwide. In doing so, the group recycles partially used bars of soap and bottled amenities from resorts in the United States and distributes new soap to communities around the globe.

“This is a great program that helps so many and we’re excited to be involved. To be able to repurpose an item that previously had been discarded to make such a difference to those in need is very rewarding,” said Lee Cunningham, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer –North America and the Caribbean, Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation.

According to Clean the World’s press release, “31 of 43 Marriott Vacation Club resorts in the U.S. have currently contributed over 9,800 lbs. of soap and 6,100 lbs. of bottled amenities…As a result, more than 52,500 clean bars of soap and hygiene kits have been distributed to 55 countries, diverting 8 tons of waste from landfills across the country.”

Clean the World CEO and co-founder, Shawn Seipler, said of their first timeshare partner, “Marriott Vacation Club is a prime example of the true commitment we witness among our partners with regards to sustainability and social responsibility. The Owners and guests…can feel good knowing that their partially used amenities, which previously would have been discarded into landfills, are now being recycled and given to children and families in desperate need of hygiene products…”

In just three years, Clean the World has recycled and distributed over 10 million bars of soap to families worldwide, while diverting over 1.4 million pounds of landfill waste.

InterContinental Chicago’s Interactive Video Wall Makes Top Hotel Amenity List

Gone are the days of the typical hotel amenities: fully equipped gyms, free WiFi, coffee service and daily newspapers. These days, hotels are adding unique services to impress their savvy guests. Forbes Travel Guide put together a list of some of these latest extraordinary amenities, and we’re excited to see that the interactive video wall at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile has made the list!

This 20-foot wide and five-foot tall LED video wall broadcasts a live 24-hour stream of the action along one of the city’s most populated streets—Michigan Avenue. Positioned behind the front desk in the lobby, hotel visitors and guests are greeted with an up-close view of the hustle and bustle happening directly outside the InterContinental Chicago’s front doors.

The HD camera, mounted outside to the hotel’s exterior, transmits the live feed to the screen. With just a click of a remote control, the hotel frequently repositions the camera and catches different views of the iconic Chicago location.

Although the monitor is twice as bright as the average home theater display, the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile’s press release says that “it uses half the amount of power due to the use of energy-efficient LED bulbs, staying consistent with the property’s green initiatives.”

Talk about amenities with a “wow” factor!

Want to learn about other hot new hotel amenities? Check out Forbes Travel Guide today!

Coconut Waikiki Becomes Part of the JDV “Ohana”*

Joie de Vivre (JDV) Hotels has made its mark in California; and after traveling a little further west, the company has added the Coconut Waikiki Hotel in Honolulu to their growing collection of boutique hotels!

This property is the first of two Hawaii properties joining the boutique hotelier’s collection and marks the management company’s ongoing expansion outside of California.

With its refreshing blend of high-tech and mod design, the colorful, Art Deco Coconut Waikiki offers a contemporary twist on classic Waikiki style. The hotel has an intimate pool area with a wrap-around deck, a business center and a 24-hour fitness center, while each guest room features free Wi-Fi, a private lanai and breathless views of the Koolau Mountains or Waikiki.

Located just three blocks from the famous Waikiki Beach, the 81-room Coconut Waikiki is just steps away from an array of shops, restaurants and nightlife.

As we mentioned in one of our previous blog entries, JDV is also currently managing the Seaside Hotel Waikiki. Once renovations are completed, the hotel will be renamed and join the Joie de Vivre collection at the end of the year.

For more information, check out Joie de Vivre’s official press release.

Aloha!

*Ohana is the Hawaiian word for Family