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The Edgewater reopened with celebratory “Rock the Dock” Memorial Day Weekend event

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Iconic Seattle Hotel welcomes guests back with perks, programming, and curated itineraries to explore the Emerald City.

The Edgewater, the iconic Noble House Hotel and the only over-water destination in Seattle with unobstructive views of the Puget Sound, is excited to announce that it welcomed travelers back this past weekend. The iconic hotel hosted “Rock the Dock” on Friday, May 28, the first ever musical event performed exclusively for the hotel’s guests on a floating barge on Elliott Bay, featuring beloved local band, Great American Trainwreck, as the headliner. The special event not only paid homage to the hotel’s rich history of having hosted famous musicians including The Beatles and Led Zeppelin for over the past 5 decades, it was also geared toward bringing locals and visitors back to Seattle’s waterfront neighborhood.

“We can’t express how excited we were to finally welcome guests back to The Edgewater. After a difficult year, we were ready to kick off the travel season with new offers and our ‘Rock the Dock’ event that celebrated our unique location and history of hosting numerous famous musicians over the years,” said Scott Colee, Chief Marketing Officer for Noble House Hotels & Resorts.

The Edgewater curated hotel packages and programming surrounding the “Rock the Dock” event including “Room with a View” which offered premium waterfront accommodations for an exclusive viewing of the floating barge concert from the comfort and privacy of a stunning waterfront room. Additional amenities included the new “Can Do Attitude” featuring an assortment of premium canned beverages on ice with a charcuterie selection, concert binoculars to take home, and a locally-curated “Best Things to Do in Seattle” itinerary for exploring the best attractions in the city. As waterfront rooms were limited, the “Zoom With A View” still gave guests access to the performance with city and waterfront accommodations. Guests were also able to enjoy a live stream Zoom link to the “Rock the Dock” performance, first priority at 67 Restaurant & Bar to view the concert from the restaurant, as well as “Best Things to Do in Seattle” itinerary. For locals and those not staying at the hotel, guests were able to book in advance and enjoy dinner and cocktails with a front-row concert seat at the award-winning waterfront restaurant. On the evening of Friday, May 28, reservations were required, and a $25 cover fee was added in addition to a $20 food & beverage minimum. Space was extremely limited for this exciting event.

Private meeting space at the hotel was also available following city guidelines for gatherings over Memorial Day Weekend at the hotel to enjoy the concert with a pod. Many treated friends and clients to a unique concert experience at The Edgewater in one of the hotel’s five waterfront rooms, each with prime viewing and extensive food and beverage service options.

The “Rock the Dock” event featured local sponsors including Pike Brewing, Friends of Waterfront Seattle, and Argosy Cruises.

Additional celebration themed packages available at the hotel to welcome guests back included the “Suite & Sparkling” to toast Seattle with bubbles from Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington State’s oldest and most-acclaimed winery paired with an assortment of local signature chocolates from Seattle Chocolate Company’s “Seattle Collection.” In an ongoing partnership with Pike Brewing, the hotel created an exclusive new IPA dubbed “Over the Edge” which was available on draft and in cans. This exciting brew was available as part of the reopening and will be available beyond. The Pike Brewing Company is an independent craft brewery, founded by Charles and Rose Ann Finkel in 1989, featuring locally-sourced and made food and beverages right next to the Pike Place Market.

For more information on The Edgewater and additional package offerings please visit www.edgewaterhotel.com.

About The Edgewater

As the only over-water hotel in Seattle, The Edgewater, a Noble House Hotel, exudes authentic Pacific Northwest décor with unobstructed views overlooking the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains while providing guests with a high-end dining experience at 67 Restaurant & Lounge and a rich history of having hosted famous musicians including The Beatles and Led Zeppelin for over the past five decades. Awarded “Best Hotels in the Pacific Northwest” by Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards in 2019, The Edgewater boasts 223 guestrooms and luxury suites, including the new Pearl Jam Suite and recently revamped Beatles Suite where the iconic “fishing out the window” photo was captured of the band fishing out the window into Elliott Bay. The award-winning restaurant, 67 Restaurant & Lounge at The Edgewater, combines breathtaking, unobstructed views of Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains, with Northwest-inspired cuisine in an elegant setting with custom décor. For more information and reservations, please call 206.728.7000 or visit www.edgewaterhotel.com.

About Noble House Hotels & Resorts

Built upon a philosophy that emphasizes location, distinction, and soul, Noble House Hotels & Resorts dedicates itself to creating and managing exceptional properties that celebrate their local communities. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington and continuously growing, the Noble House portfolio features a luxury and upper upscale portfolio of 18 distinct and visually captivating hotel properties, over 50 restaurants, bars, and lounges, the Napa Valley Wine Train, and a collection of spas, marinas, and private residences throughout the U.S. and Canada. A range of beachfront resorts spanning California and Florida, luxury retreats in Jackson Hole, WY, British Columbia, and Colorado, and award-winning urban hotels in Seattle and San Francisco punctuate the diverse collection. Centered within destinations worthy of every bucket list and layered with unique amenities that inspire adventure, the curated collection of one-of-a-kind hotels, resorts and adventures, are known for creating unforgettable travel experiences.  For more information, visitwww.NobleHouseHotels.com or call Noble House Hotels & Resorts at 877.NOBLE.TRIP. 

Media contacts: Sonia Sparks, James O’Hagan or Kate Bewak at Glodow Nead Communications, 415.394.6500 or [email protected].

Delta Air Lines offsets most carbon emissions for over 300K customers on Earth Day

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In celebration of Earth Day today, Delta is offsetting the emissions of all domestic leisure and business travel into and out of New York, Boston, Seattle, Los Angeles, Raleigh-Durham and Atlanta for over 300,000 customers across the country.

Plantable seed paper cutouts shaped like airplanes will be distributed on these selected flights to let customers know the environmental impact of their flight has been offset and inspire them to offset additional travel on delta.com/co2. Once planted, this special paper airplane will sprout non-invasive wildflowers.

“Delta led the U.S. aviation industry by launching the first carbon offset program in 2007, making it easy for customers to reduce the environmental impact of their travel,” said John Laughter, Senior Vice President – Corporate Safety, Security and Compliance. “Delta is also the only major airline to voluntarily cap carbon emissions at 2012 levels by purchasing carbon offsets.”

Since 2013, Delta has voluntarily purchased over 12 million carbon offsets, which is equivalent to the emissions from 1.7 million cars or electricity use for one year in nearly 2 million homes. This is more than any other U.S. airline. Today alone, Delta will buy almost 50,000 carbon offsets. To put this in perspective, 50,000 offsets will equal the emissions from more than 10,000 cars driven for one year.

Delta’s carbon offsets to benefit Conservation Coast project in Guatemala

Every offset Delta purchases today will benefit the Conservation Coast offset project, which provides environmental protection from deforestation and sustainable livelihood opportunities for communities in Guatemala. These offsets will help conserve over 400 bird species and 54,000 hectares of threatened rainforests situated along the Caribbean coastline of Guatemala.

The Conservation Coast project also supports sustainable livelihoods within local communities by teaching things like economically viable and environmentally sustainable agricultural practices that work with the environment rather than against it. To date, over 700 jobs are being supported by the project, 30 percent of which are held by women.

“At Delta, we believe connecting the world begins with caring for it,” said Laughter. “The offset projects we support are holistic, going beyond addressing the environmental impact of travel to provide resources, empowerment and financial opportunities to underserved communities like those involved in the Conservation Coast project.”
Offsetting is affordable. A roundtrip ticket from Atlanta to New York emits 0.28 metric tons of CO2, which can be offset for less than $5.

These offsetting efforts and more are why Delta was honored the Vision For America Award by Keep America Beautiful in 2017, recognized with Captain Planet Foundation’s Superhero Corporate Award in 2018, named to the FTSE4Good Index for four consecutive years, included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for eight consecutive years, given an honorable mention in Fast Company’s 2019 World Changing Ideas Awards and named one of America’s 100 most sustainable companies according to an in-depth Barron’s study.

Travel News | eTurboNews

New team member at The Pod Hotels

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The Pod Hotels is striving to address the rapidly-increasing demand for affordable lifestyle hotels targeted at progressive-minded and budget-conscious travelers who are creative and ambitious and who maintain high expectations when it comes to authentic experiences, smart design and intuitive technology.

As part of this progress, BD Hotels today announced the appointment of Rani Gharbie as the Head of Acquisitions & Development for The Pod Hotels, BD Hotel’s highly profitable micro-hotel concept to replicate this successful business model in even more key markets including Miami, San Francisco, Chicago, Austin, Boston, Nashville, Seattle, Montreal, Toronto, and Mexico City, amongst others.

Gharbie formerly oversaw development and acquisitions for North America at Virgin Hotels where he actively contributed to grow the brand’s footprint in key markets.

As Head of Acquisitions & Development working closely with BD Hotels owners Richard Born and Ira Drukier, Gharbie will be responsible for identifying potential investment opportunities and bringing together strategic partners and investors to fund future projects in numerous markets. He will leverage BD Hotels’ expertise in hotel development, investment and operations to expand The Pod Hotels brand across the country and eventually globally.

“Rani joins us at a pivotal time as we scale The Pod Hotels portfolio exponentially in North America” said Richard Born, Owner of BD Hotels. “He will undoubtedly be a tremendous asset as he brings over 20 years of experience in hotel acquisitions, development and operation.”

“I’m looking forward to expanding the profitable model Richard and Ira created to key markets nationwide,” said Gharbie. “I see great growth potential for the brand as there is an increased desire from today’s travelers to stay at smart, innovative brands like The Pod Hotels.”

Prior to joining Virgin Hotels, Gharbie was the Managing Director and Founder at Cedar Funds, a New York City based development and investment firm with a focus on progressive hotel and real estate assets, as well as regional Director of Development with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). In addition, Gharbie is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia’s Masters in Real Estate Development program, where he teaches the spring course Private Equity Development, Hotel Focus. He holds a Masters Degree from the program, an MBA from the HEC Business School in Montreal, a Bachelor degree in Hotel Management from the Glion Hotel School in Switzerland, and a Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University in New York.

The Pod Hotels currently has five properties in the portfolio, three of which opened over the past two years (the brand’s flagship Pod Times Square opened in January 2018; Pod DC and Pod Brooklyn opened in 2017), with the brand recently announcing two more hotels in the direct pipeline (Pod Philly opening in fall 2019 and Pod LA slated for 2020). With its functional guestrooms, vibrant communal space and flexible design, The Pod Hotels presents superior investment returns when compared to legacy hotel brands of similar positioning.

Travel News | eTurboNews

FAA provides aviation careers to people with disabilities

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced a pilot program to help prepare people with disabilities for careers in air traffic operations.

A key focus for the FAA’s Office of Civil Rights is to identify specific opportunities for people with targeted disabilities, empower them and facilitate their entry into a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

The FAA will enroll up to 20 people in the Aviation Development Program. They will train for up to one year at 10 Air Route Traffic Control Centers throughout the U.S. The following facilities will participate in the pilot: Minneapolis, Minn., Cleveland, Ohio, Boston, Mass., Denver, Colo., Fort Worth, Texas, Jacksonville, Fla., Seattle, Wash., Memphis, Tenn., Kansas City, Kan., and Salt Lake City, Utah.

The candidates in this program will receive the same rigorous consideration in terms of aptitude, medical and security qualifications as those individuals considered for a standard public opening for air traffic controller jobs. The training will prepare them for an opportunity to be appointed to a temporary air traffic control specialist position at the FAA Academy.

Candidates for the Aviation Development Program must meet the following criteria:

• United States citizenship
• The qualification for Schedule A Direct Hiring Authority (PDF)
• Meet Office of Personnel Management ATC qualification standards
• Pass Air Traffic Skills Assessment (AT-SA) Aptitude test
• No more than 30 years of age
• Pass a medical/security review
• Be proficient in English
• Education and/or work experience:
– three years of progressively responsible work experience or,
– a bachelor’s degree or
– a combination of post-secondary education and work experience that totals three years.

Travel News | eTurboNews

BD Hotels plans rapid expansion, hires Head Of Acquisitions & Development

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BD Hotels today announces the appointment of Rani Gharbie as the Head of Acquisitions & Development for The Pod Hotels, BD Hotel’s highly profitable micro-hotel concept. The Pod Hotels currently has five properties in the portfolio, three of which opened over the past two years (the brand’s flagship Pod Times Square opened in January 2018; Pod DC and Pod Brooklyn opened in 2017), with the brand recently announcing two more hotels in the direct pipeline (Pod Philly opening in fall 2019 and Pod LA slated for 2020). Now, The Pod Hotels hires Gharbie to replicate this successful business model in even more key markets including Miami, San Francisco, Chicago, Austin, Boston, Nashville, Seattle, Montreal, Toronto, and Mexico City, amongst others. Gharbie formerly oversaw development and acquisitions for North America at Virgin Hotels where he actively contributed to grow the brand’s footprint in key markets.

The Pod Hotels addresses the rapidly increasing demand for affordable lifestyle hotels targeted at progressive minded and budget conscious travelers who are creative and ambitious and who maintain high expectations when it comes to authentic experiences, smart design and intuitive technology. With its functional guestrooms, vibrant communal space and flexible design, The Pod Hotels presents superior investment returns when compared to legacy hotel brands of similar positioning.

As Head of Acquisitions & Development working closely with BD Hotels owners Richard Born and Ira Drukier, Gharbie will be responsible for identifying potential investment opportunities and bringing together strategic partners and investors to fund future projects in numerous markets. He will leverage BD Hotels’ expertise in hotel development, investment and operations to expand The Pod Hotels brand across the country and eventually globally.

“Rani joins us at a pivotal time as we scale The Pod Hotels portfolio exponentially in North America” said Richard Born, Owner of BD Hotels. “He will undoubtedly be a tremendous asset as he brings over 20 years of experience in hotel acquisitions, development and operation.”

“I’m looking forward to expanding the profitable model Richard and Ira created to key markets nationwide,” said Gharbie. “I see great growth potential for the brand as there is an increased desire from today’s travelers to stay at smart, innovative brands like The Pod Hotels.”

Prior to joining Virgin Hotels, Gharbie was the Managing Director and Founder at Cedar Funds, a New York City based development and investment firm with a focus on progressive hotel and real estate assets, as well as regional Director of Development with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). In addition, Gharbie is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia’s Masters in Real Estate Development program, where he teaches the spring course Private Equity Development, Hotel Focus. He holds a Masters Degree from the program, an MBA from the HEC Business School in Montreal, a Bachelor degree in Hotel Management from the Glion Hotel School in Switzerland, and a Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University in New York.

Travel News | eTurboNews