WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) brought together food and beverage professionals and sustainability leaders within the hotel sector for the fourth annual Responsible Stay Summit to share best practices, discuss the latest trends, and honor those making significant strides.
For the first time, the summit brought together members of two of AHLA’s leading committees: the Sustainability Committee and the Food & Beverage Committee. The combined event drew a broad cross-section of the industry to address shared operational and environmental opportunities and challenges, ranging from responsible sourcing and food waste reduction to water conservation, through real-world case studies and peer exchange.
Statement From Leadership
“Hotels are anchors in their communities and their success ripples through local economies. Helping our members operate more efficiently isn’t just good for the environment, it’s good for their bottom line and for the communities they serve,” said Lauren Pravlik, vice president for committees and member engagement at AHLA. “The tools and resources we’ve built through our Responsible Stay initiative are designed to meet hoteliers where they are, whether they’re just getting started or looking to go further, and events like this are where that work comes to life.”
Awards
The summit included the presentation of multiple Responsible Stay awards recognizing measurable progress on sustainability goals. The Sustainable Hospitality and Leadership in Design (SHLD) Awards, presented in collaboration with MindClick, recognize hospitality projects that deliver measurable sustainability performance. The award recipients were:
- Hotel Verdant (Racine, WI) — The Gettys Group: Public Space Winner, Guest Room Winner
- Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa (Tucson, AZ) — Harken Interiors: Other Hospitality Winner
- Inn at Celebration (Kissimmee, FL) — Baskervill: Honorable Mention for Reuse and Repurpose
- Renaissance Boston Seaport District (Boston, MA) — Parker Torres Design: Overall Winner
In addition, the Argonaut Hotel, located in San Francisco, California, was recognized as the 2026 Green Key Global Property of the Year. The award, presented by Green Key Global, honors hotel properties with a distinguished commitment to responsible operations and innovative action.
The Hotel Kitchen Champion Award, presented by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), honored Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts for its leadership in sustainable food and beverage and for actively promoting environmentally responsible practices across its properties. Four Seasons was recognized for its global food waste reduction and disposal processes, commitment to employee training, and innovative use of technology to track and reduce waste.
