What's 'eco' about an eco-luxury hotel

Seattle visitors will be the first to test a new brand of LEED-certified luxury hotels.

Starwood Capital Group Global LLC, a privately held global investment management firm, announced Oct. 18 Seattle would be the home of its first “1” hotel. The $2 million hotel, located at Second and Pine Streets, is expected to open in the summer of 2008.

The firm plans to build all its “1” hotels to meet LEED standards. The level of LEED certification it hopes to achieve will vary from building to building, says Starwood spokesperson Tom Johnson.

Starwood is working with developer Avalon Holdings Co. and Seana Architects on the 350,000- square-foot Seattle “1” hotel. The 23- story inn is expected to include 88 luxury suites, 151 apartments, a health club and a restaurant. Architects are also incorporating an existing historic parking garage into the building’s plans, Johnson says.

The Greenwich-based company is consulting with the Natural Resources Defense Council to set “a new standard for environmental excellence in the hotel industry.”

Plans for other “1” hotels are underway in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Scottsdale, Ariz.; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; and Paris, France.