THE FAIRMONT ROYAL YORK IN TORONTO POWERS DOWN & TURNS ON AWARENESS FOR EARTH HOUR

One of the Toronto skyline's most prominent neon signs will go dark for sixty minutes on March 29. The occasion will mark the unification of The Fairmont Royal York with an expected 30 million people worldwide as they take a public stand on climate change. The hour of action entitled EARTH HOUR, is a global event created by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

The Fairmont Royal York is the first Toronto hotel to have registered their participation. It will be joined by other hotels, businesses and various other city landmarks. Hotel guests will have the opportunity to be carbon responsible as they check in by candlelight during EARTH HOUR, beginning at 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, 2008.

Once The Fairmont Royal York turns off its signature rooftop sign, the building’s exterior lights, sconces, display, awning and canopy lights will dim and blend into the anticipated darkness of EARTH HOUR. Inside, the lobby lights will dim and grand candelabras will be on display. Hotel guests are also encouraged to join in by turning the lights out in their rooms by way of a book mark accompanying their key cards and at the evening "turn down."

During EARTH HOUR, The Fairmont Royal York's Library Bar welcomes lounging guests to candlelight service and a special Earth Hour drink menu. On the menu are three limited-edition cocktails created just for this cause: The ‘Green Movement', a delicacy in a martini glass; the ‘Turn Your Lights Down Low', a gorgeous grey martini; and the seductive ‘Global Warming'. "If you're intimidated about energy conservation, lounging by candlelight is a romantic way to become more aware of climate change and the WWF's EARTH HOUR movement," says Library Bar Manager, Frank Pedicelli.

The Fairmont Royal York also invites guests to the hotel's health club where they may swim lengths of the 15 meter pool or unwind in the whirlpool by candlelight. The entire pool area will be illuminated by 100 floating candles. The candlelight swim is offered exclusively to hotel guests from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 29, 2008.

Instituting the highest possible standards of environmental stewardship is at the heart of the measurable goals The Fairmont Royal York sets for itself. As such, while most Toronto homes draw approximately 24,000 kwh per year, The Fairmont Royal York measures a draw of nearly 2.5 mwh a day to power all of its 34,000 lights. The hotel is continually working to find new ways to reduce their energy consumption. In 2007 the hotel changed its east entrance canopy lights to 3 watt bulbs. The bulbs will now last 4000 hours and save 32,236 kwh a year. The hotel has switched over 7000 incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs, saving 712,500 kwh annually. Over 75% of the 1,365 rooms have compact fluorescent bulbs. All of the hotel's meeting rooms have dimmers and many have motion sensors. Lighting accounts for only 5% of the hotel's energy draw. Increasing the energy efficiency of hotel lights is just one portion of the hotel's environmental efforts. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has an ongoing commitment to energy conservation, waste management, water conservation and responsible purchasing.

Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, The Fairmont Royal York is within walking distance to the business and theatre districts, and the city’s best shopping and dining. Nearby attractions include the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Hockey Hall of Fame, Chinatown, St. Lawrence Market, Harbourfront and the Air Canada Centre. Union Station, the subway and three kilometres of shops and services are connected to the hotel by the city’s extensive underground system. For more information, please visit Fairmont.com/royalyork or sign up for EARTH HOUR at earthhour.org

A leader in the global hospitality industry, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is an extraordinary collection of luxury hotels which includes iconic landmarks like The Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Monte Carlo and New York’s The Plaza. Fairmont hotels are one-of-a-kind properties where sophisticated travellers can discover culturally rich experiences that are authentic to the destination. Situated in some of the most exclusive and pristine areas in the world, Fairmont is committed to responsible tourism and is an industry leader in sustainable hotel management with its award-winning Green Partnership program. Fairmont’s portfolio includes 55 distinctive hotels, with plans to develop over 20 new properties in the coming years in destinations as diverse as Beijing, Abu Dhabi and South Africa.Fairmont is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a leading global hotel company with over 85 hotels worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel brands. The company also owns Fairmont and Raffles branded Residences, Estates and luxury private residence club properties.

For more information or reservations, please call 1-800-441-1414 or visit www.fairmont.com

March 18, 2008   Posted in: Hotels General News