Hotel with the Heart of Green
With its recent grand opening in December, the Hyatt Regency Seattle is one of the latest additions to the continuously evolving Seattle skyline. At 1260 guest rooms, it is also one of the largest. In fact, it currently rates as the largest hotel in the Pacific Northwest. Yet, despite the size, the hotel's developer, R.C. Hedreen Company, took concerted efforts to minimizing its carbon footprint with refillable shampoo and conditioner bottles, water conserving washing machines and use monitoring lighting and escalators, to name a few.
Natural light from large windows and reflective surfaces reduces the need for lighting while natural wood tables bring warmth to the space.
Shauna Decker, VP of Design and Development at R.C. Hedreen Company recently spoke about these efforts at Seattle's Bisnow. The event, which focused on hospitality trends and forecasts, was widely attended by those concerned with LEED and sustainability efforts in the city's rapidly growing industry. While on the panel, Decker was persistent in her passion for efficiently minded design, stating that two first conventions booked at the hotel paid for the investment to include the eco-conscious measures and, in fact, was the reason the groups chose to conduct their business with the hotel.
Semi-private meeting spaces abound in the Regency Club - Maple tables with integrated data
Needless to say, we weren't the only ones impressed by this information. We spoke with several attendees from utilities companies, developers and design firms who all agreed the focus on sustainability in hospitality is not only better for the environment but also attracts visiting companies and individuals. Sustainable design is on trend. It is something travelers look for when booking a hotel.
We used reclaimed Fir timbers from the Greyhound Bus Depot for the benches and responsibly sourced, local Maple for the reception desks.
Another attraction visitors want to see is a sense of the city they are staying in before they even walk outdoors. Several hotels have satisfied this need with local offerings in their restaurants and cafes and the use of local manufacturers and materials in the design. The Hyatt Regency effectively does this by blending Seattle's natural cool color palette with the city's appreciation for art and artisans throughout the space.
We worked with Betty Blount of Zena Design Group to create the pieces for the hotel. The design effectively blends the naturally occurring tones of the city with the use of local furniture, materials and accessories.
Glassybaby votives sit atop nearly every table in the lobby and cafe. Local art hangs on and in the reception walls and several furniture pieces from us can be found in the open meeting areas, lounge and private suites. The Hotel does a great job of connecting its guests to the city with an authentic experience.
Over the past few years, Seattle has seen several hotels erected, expanded and renovated to keep up with the demand for more rooms. It is an exciting time to be among this development and we cannot wait to see what the coming years will bring for our city. One thing is for sure though, we hope the trend towards sustainable design continues to grow along with number of rooms.