August 06, 2008 // Franchising.com // PARSIPPANY, N.J-Health-conscious travelers – especially those suffering from allergies and asthma – may breathe easier at Wyndham® hotels thanks to the upscale chain's new Wyndham ClearAir(sm) initiative to offer allergy-friendly guest accommodations.
While eight Wyndham hotels offer the rooms today, all will be required to convert 10 percent of their room inventory or a minimum of 25 rooms into allergy-friendly environments by the end of 2009. Wyndham Hotels and Resorts is the first national upscale lodging chain to mandate allergy-friendly rooms systemwide.
The chain's move responds to guest concerns over rising consumer health issues and costs associated with allergic reactions. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, allergies and asthma affect one in four Americans.
Following a system designed by New York-based PURE Solutions NA, Wyndham ClearAir rooms undergo a multistep cleaning process designed to remove up to 98 percent of allergens.
First, guest room walls, carpeting, bedcovers and fabrics are sanitized and treated with a long-lasting microbial shield, making them free from odors and resistant to bacteria and viruses. Next, a medical-grade air purification system is installed.
Air-handling units and vents are deep-cleaned and equipped with PURE Solutions' signature tea tree oil cartridge, which acts as a natural antiseptic and disinfectant to maintain sanitary conditions.
In hotel meeting rooms, air is purified at greater intensity and filtrated eight times more frequently than standard air-handling systems. The goal is to achieve 99.9 percent effective treatment of air and surfaces.
"We want to offer Wyndham guests amenities that are smart, innovative and, more important, useful," said Peter Strebel, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts president. "As travelers continue to focus on wellness, we're excited to offer ClearAir Rooms as a healthy amenity for Wyndham guests and meeting attendees."
Guests can find ClearAir rooms by PURE Solutions at the Wyndham Miami Airport Hotel & Executive Meeting Center; Wyndham Lisle-Chicago Hotel & Executive Meeting Center; Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center in Atlanta, Ga.; The Tremont House - A Wyndham Historic Hotel in Galveston, Texas; the Wyndham Rio Mar Beach Resort and Spa in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico; Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort and Spa in St. Thomas, the U.S. Virgin Islands; the Wyndham Princeton Forrestal Hotel and Conference Center in New Jersey; and Wyndham Glenview Suites in Illinois.
This fall, these hotels also will offer Wyndham ClearAir rooms: Wyndham Cleveland; Hotel Galvez - A Wyndham Historic Hotel in Galveston, Texas; Wyndham Virginia Crossings Hotel & Conference Center in Glen Allen, Virginia; and Wyndham Drake Oak Brook in Illinois. For more information, see www.wyndham.com/ClearAir.
For further information about PURE Solutions NA, see www.pureroom.com.
Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), offers upscale hotel and resort accommodations throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Mexico and the Caribbean. All hotels are either franchised or managed by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts or an affiliate. Additional information is available at www.wyndham.com.
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