One year ahead of the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte is installing some major tech and green hotelkeeping upgrades to the 146-room hotel.
The hotel, located just down the block from the Time Warner Cable Arena where the convention will be held, is offering complimentary morning and evening transportation in a BMW 7-series hybrid vehicle and has installed an electric vehicle charging station on the hotel’s front drive in addition to offering free parking for electric and hybrid vehicles. The hotel is also offering free Trek bicycle rental.
For the business travelers that the convention will bring, the hotel is offering “Technology Room Service” so that in addition to brining up additional towels or pillows, room service can retrieve wireless printers, keyboards, power converters, disks, cables, folders and other items to guestrooms. The hotel also features fully equipped private office space at The Nook, available at no additional charge. The Nook has a confidential teleconferencing area, computers and printers, office supplies, wireless Internet and copy/fax machine access.
Two programs to help travelers have been introduced: Travel Lite, a menu of small toiletry necessities that are inconvenient to bring given airport security restrictions and Luggage-Less Travel, which lets guests store clothing and personal items at the hotel in anticipation of their next stay. For an additional fee the hotel can launder, dry-clean and press the clothing.
