WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced the opening of its first Element hotel in New Jersey and the seventh Element hotel globally, Element Ewing-Hopewell in Ewing, N.J., just 10 minutes outside Princeton. The hotel is owned through a joint venture between American Properties Realty, Inc. and Hersha Hospitality Management, L.P., which is also the manager of the hotel.
Element, Starwood’s green trailblazer, made history when it launched as the only major hotel brand to mandate that its properties pursue the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for high-performance buildings. With 127 guestrooms and more than 2,000 square feet of meeting space, Element Ewing delivers a eco-chic experience with inspiring public spaces, modern amenities and smart design. As an example of the hotel’s commitment to sustainable operations, Element Ewing will offer a curbside charging station for electric vehicles for local residents and guests alike.
The hotel is strategically located between Princeton and Trenton, and Ewing and the surrounding area is home to corporations including Merrill Lynch, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, Medeikon, Solar Energy Corp., Redpoint Bio, Thermo-Temp Corp., and Educational Testing Services, along with the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton at Ewing.
“In a region where business thrives on fresh ideas and bold thinking, we’re pleased to introduce Element’s inspiring, invigorating guest experience,” said Brian McGuinness, senior vice president of Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. “Whether they’re staying for three nights or three weeks, guests will appreciate the energizing atmosphere they’ll find at Element Ewing.” The hotel’s opening will also bring more than 35 new—and green—jobs to Mercer County, McGuinness added.
Focus on Energy, Water Efficiency
“We are very excited to launch the first Element Hotel in New Jersey and to offer a newly built and smartly designed longer-stay alternative for business and leisure travelers in the Ewing-Hopewell market,” said Naveen P. Kakarla, executive vice president of Hersha Hospitality Management. “We designed this hotel along with our partners at American Properties Realty with renewed focus on improving energy and environmental performance metrics, including energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction and improved indoor environmental quality. Our development objectives align closely with our ongoing operational initiative on the environment and sustainable hotel operations across approximately 70 hotels under management,” Kakarla added.
Element Hotels’ unique design philosophy is evident the moment a guest arrives at Element Ewing-Hopewell. After passing through the hotel’s signature portal, guests are greeted with an energizing environment of clean design and a large open space flooded with natural light from a multi-storied window wall. The vitality of the interior lobby is matched by the energy of the hotel’s outdoor fire pit, barbecue and water feature.
In guestrooms, multi-purpose, modular furniture, swiveling flat-screen televisions, large desks with open shelving and custom-designed closets allow guests to customize their space. Guestrooms feature the signature Westin Heavenly Bed. All rooms offer a fully equipped kitchen that features modern, Energy Star-rated appliances and all the utensils necessary to prepare a gourmet meal.
Eco-friendly materials are used whenever possible and natural light is maximized throughout all Element hotels. To reduce waste, guestroom bathrooms are equipped with amenity dispensers, kitchens are supplied with silverware and glassware instead of plastic utensils and paper cups, and filtered drinking water is available rather than plastic water bottles. Recycling bins are available in guestrooms and public areas. Element hotels conserve water and energy with low-flow faucets and fixtures, compact fluorescent light bulbs, and energy-efficient appliances. Even the ubiquitous “Do Not Disturb” sign has been replaced with an environmentally-friendly magnet.
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