Hilton Garden Inn Introduces Eco-Friendly Coffee

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. October 14, 2008

NOVEMBER 19, 2007. Hilton Garden Inn(R), the award-winning mid-priced hotel brand, today announced the introduction of the ecotainerTM, an environmentally friendly coffee cup, in more than 340 locations across North America. Developed by International Paper, the cup is the only all-natural hot beverage paper cup available that is coated with a corn-based plastic that requires less energy and generates less greenhouse gas during manufacturing. The corn-based coating also allows the cups to be composted, rather than landfilled. Hilton Garden Inn locations will begin receiving the new ecotainerTM cups starting today.

"Looking ahead to new ways to be more environmentally sensitive while providing guests with the consistent products, innovative amenities and friendly service that Hilton Garden Inn is known for, we are proud to be the first hotel chain in North America to offer the ecotainerTM in all our hotels," said Jim Cone, vice president - marketing for Hilton Garden Inn.

American consumers use more than 16 billion disposable hot beverage paper cups each year.* Unlike conventional cups, the ecotainerTM is lined with a coating made from corn, making the cups fully renewable and compostable, and helping to reduce some of the 25 million pounds of petroleum-based plastics needed each year to make conventional plastic-lined paper cups.

"Hilton Garden Inn's adoption of ecotainerTM demonstrates their commitment to environmental leadership and supports millions of travelers across North America who want to make more sustainable environmental choices," says Austin Lance, VP/GM Foodservice Business of International Paper.

The introduction of the ecotainerTM to the more than 340 Hilton Garden Inn hotels now open will replace more than 6.5 million non-renewable styro-based cups used each year.

As a continued part of the Hilton Garden Inn goal to be more environmentally supportive, an ecological assessment related to the brand's bath amenity program found that:

---|renewable and 100 percent biodegradable packaging is used for soaps and shower caps

---|soy-based ink which is 100 percent biodegradable is used to print on cartons

---|liquid formulas are 98.5 percent naturally derived ingredients

---|soap formulas are 99 percent naturally derived ingredients

According to Cone, "As Hilton Garden Inn continues to offer our guests what they want and need most to make their hotel stays memorable and productive, we also are striving to find alternative solutions to conduct business while being environmentally friendly."