LOS ANGELES Starwood Hotels & Resorts said this week that it would expand the nightly $2.50 energy surcharge to seven more markets on the West Coast where power and natural gas prices have also spiked. The surcharge will take effect immediately at Westin, Sheraton and other Starwood brand hotels in Houston, Dallas, Denver, Chicago, South Florida, Kansas City and Steamboat Springs, CO.
Starwood began charging the additional $2.50 per room per night on March 5 in many of its California, Oregon and Washington hotels. Energy prices at hotels owned and managed by Starwood have risen 30% on average in 2001 compared with the same time a year ago. In some markets like California, the increases are much higher.
The company plans to install generators at three of its California hotels in Palm Springs, Long Beach, and Costa Mesa. Starwood also plans to spend at least $45 million over the next three years on energy conservation programs at its hotels. As part of the program, Starwood is also giving away a Porsche Boxter sports car next month to the hotel that does the most to reduce its energy costs. (3/21/01)