Review It Wednesday -- A hotel chain that cares about the earth

I'm sitting at the desk in my room at Home2 Suites and I just have to share how excited I am about this hotel. Aside from the fact that it has a lovely decor, with a bit of funkiness, and the most comfortable bed and bedding I have ever experienced, I love the fact that this is a hotel chain that cares about the environment. I didn't know that when I booked the room, but believe me, this will be my number one choice for hotels from here out. And no, this is not a sponsored post. It's just my wanting to share this info with you in case you're ever looking for a hotel.

Here are just some of the sustainability factors at Home2 Suites:

• The kitchenettes feature Energy Star Rated appliances, which use less energy and less water than traditional appliances.
• Their Dual Flush toilets give you the option to do a light flush or a heavier flush according to, well, you know...
• The shower stalls include bulk soap dispensers for shampoo and body wash, eliminating the need for all those small bottles used by most other hotels.
• They use eco-friendly carpeting made of 65% recycled materials and installed without using toxic glues or adhesives, which is a huge plus for anyone with chemical sensitivities, like me.
• Real plates, flatware, glasses, and mugs -- no Styrofoam or plastics!
• Recycling containers in every room!
• Indigenous plant landscaping, which reduces water consumption.
• Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certification which means lower VOC emissions and better indoor air quality.
• They offer light touch cleaning services daily, but reserve the full clean for the 5th day of a stay. That means beds are made, but not stripped, daily and guests reuse their towels. Of course, the full clean is done after guests check out, too.

They also use CFLs, which save a bunch of energy, but are not on my list of preferences. Perhaps somewhere down the line, they'll switch to LEDs.

The building itself was built with non-toxic construction materials and the saline swimming pool uses natural minerals rather than chemicals. Ahhh.

Oh... and all of the coffee is Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee, whose mission is "to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. By purchasing a Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee, you are contributing to the preservation of the people, land and spirit that is the Rainforest."

And one other thing -- when you enter your suite, you have to insert your key card into a slot before the lights will come on. After you leave the room, after removing the card, the lights will go off in 45 seconds. How cool is that? No more wasted energy used lighting vacant rooms.

Have I mentioned yet that I love this place? I'm thinking I'd like to extend my stay....

Reviewing it for you,