http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2009-11-23T15:35:37Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Hilton%20Garden%20Inns http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/1/25/215353/590 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/6193/Fairmont_StAndrews.jpg" class="top"> <p>Finally collecting the world's sustainable hotel properties and top eco destinations into one list, <b>Travelocity</b> has launched the <b><a href="http://leisure.travelocity.com/Promotions/0,,TRAVELOCITY%7C5019%7Cmkt_main,00.html">Green Directory</a></b> with the aim of connecting travelers to "options that will help to diminish the footprint their trips leave on the planet." <p>All we can say is that it's about time a popular booking engine drew attention to these properties working to improve and innovate. Showcasing approximately <b>250 environmentally responsible</b> hotels on the international list, Travelocity points out some obvious choices like the LEED platinum <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Proximity+Hotel/ian/260298">Proximity Hotel</a> and <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/element%20hotels">Element Hotels</a> while surprising us by including affordable chains like <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Hilton%20Garden%20Inns">Hilton Garden Inn</a> and <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Kimpton%20Hotels">Kimpton Hotels</a>. The list includes properties doing more than just planting JetSetCD 2009-01-26T09:25:55-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/1/12/111751/962 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/6929/2341647149_4fc05f0db1.jpg" class="top"> <p>Okay, so we're not sure whether this is some sort of comprehensive official training program or just something that supplements training programs to add a little bit of fun and dorky excitement, but <b><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Hilton%20Garden%20Inns">Hilton Garden Inn</a></b> has designed a PSP game for employees called "Ultimate Team Play" (officially, the name of the game is supposed to be in all caps &#151; if that gives any indication of how intense and serious this game is meant to be). <p><a href="http://kotaku.com/5126982/hilton-makes-a-psp-game-for-employees-employees-play-it">Via Kotaku</a>, the official description: <blockquote><p>ULTIMATE TEAM PLAY puts the player in control of key Hilton Garden Inn hotel roles including front desk, housekeeping, maintenance and food service. As players roam the virtual hotel they interact with guests Jenna 2009-01-12T11:56:59-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/9/16/82429/1523 <![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3873/Perm_Railway_Station_Russia.jpg" class="imgborder"><p> <p>Russia's sixth biggest city, <b>Perm</b>, may not be too famous yet, but it is at least notable for being the first Russian city to get a <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Hilton%20Garden%20Inns"><b>Hilton Garden Inn</b></a>. Perm is 700 miles east of Moscow and is an important city industrially with lots of rail and shipping links; it's also on the famous Trans-Siberian railway route.<p>Incredibly, they say that the city of Perm and its one million people have been served by only 500 hotel rooms in the whole city until the <b>Hilton Garden Inn Perm</b> opened, so it certainly sounds like it was needed. The Hilton brand--not just their Garden Inns, but standard Hilton and Doubletree hotels too--is focusing on Russia as a growth amandak 2008-09-16T09:58:10-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/9/4/15583/63043 <![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/hgi_costarica.jpg" class="imgborder"> <p>We love <b><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Hilton%20Garden%20Inns">Hilton Garden Inns</a></b>. The experiences we've had with most of the new HGI's over the last couple of years -- the big, fluffy beds, the flatscreens and the overall chic look of the newer properties -- always makes us feel clean and comfortable no matter where we are. <p>Now, some people may frown upon flying outside of your home country and staying at an American big-box chain hotel the same way they may frown upon an American forgoing the local cuisine to stop into McDonald's while abroad, but we'd totally consider staying in an HGI wherever we went because they're clean and consistent and affordable and just <i>nice</i>. <p>Needless to say, we were Jenna 2008-09-04T15:58:59-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/7/30/15106/2958 <![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/cjgardeninn_portrait.jpg" class="imgborder"> <p>Faithful <b><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Top%20Chef">Top Chef</a></b> viewers (or dedicated <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/6/29/121128/818/hotels/_Top_Chef_s_Padma_Lakshmi_Also_Allowed_into_Gramercy_Park">Padma Lakshmi</a> oglers) may remember <b>CJ</b> (Chris Jacobson) as the absurdly tall, absurdly handsome Season 3 chef who -- spoiler! -- was doing really well in the competition until a particularly disastrous "broccolini" dish sent him packing. Of course, his departure was sealed with a kiss by guest judge Anthony Bourdain, who went through the trouble of gently letting CJ know that his dish "wasn't fit to serve in prison." <p>But still, we know in our heart of hearts that our big tall kitchen-man is an all-star chef when broccoli isn't involved -- and CJ, who was also a pro volleyball player, definitely knows healthy food. <p>Apparently, the Jenna 2008-07-30T15:15:45-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/