THE MARKER KEY WEST RESORT BECOMES THE FIRST HOTEL IN FLORIDA TO ADOPT ENVIRONMENTALLY REEF-FRIENDLY RAW ELEMENTS SUNSCREEN DISPENSERS.
The Hotel Will Launch the Sustainability Initiative with Special Event on World Reef Day (June 1) Featuring a Silent Auction to Benefit Reef Relief
KEY WEST, FL (May 10, 2023) – The Marker Key West Harbor Resort, a 96-room waterfront lifestyle resort managed by Highgate and owned by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust on the Key West Historic Seaport, has installed two public, environmentally reef-friendly Raw Elements mineral sunscreen dispensers. The dispensers were installed in partnership with Reef Relief, a Key West nonprofit dedicated to improving and protecting coral reef systems, as a part of its safe sunscreen campaign to encourage people to use sustainable mineral sunscreen.
“We are very proud to be the first hotel in Florida to introduce this sustainability initiative with Raw Elements, offering locals and guests an organic mineral sunscreen that will benefit their skin, the coral reefs and Key West marine life,” said The Marker’s General Manager Yunior Rodriguez. “This initiative will serve as another testament to our ongoing dedication to providing guests with the utmost care while showing our appreciation and support for ocean and wildlife conservation.”
In celebration of this milestone, The Marker will host an event from 4-6 p.m. on World Reef Day (June 1), a national holiday founded by Raw Elements in 2019. The event will be held at the hotel’s pool lounge and feature live music, a special Papa’s Pilar cocktail, scientific artifacts provided by the Reef Relief team, and a silent auction benefiting Reef Relief. Silent auction items, valued at over $3,500, include products and gift cards from Salt Life, MANG, Papa’s Pilar, and Raw Elements and a two-night stay at The Marker. In addition, Key West artist Jorge de la Torriente of DE LA Gallery will create a limited-edition 24-by-36-inch signed and numbered framed print dedicated to reef conservation valued at $2,500. Both hotel guests and locals are invited to the free event.
The Marker Key West is owned by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, the largest owner of urban and resort lifestyle hotels in the United States. The resort and Pebblebrook are committed to operating in an environmentally sustainable manner, focusing on the health, safety, and well-being of employees, guests, operators, and suppliers. Pebblebrook has committed to reducing its hotel portfolio’s greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 35% by 2030. And to make progress towards a net zero emissions goal for 2050.
“Raw Elements is honored to be part of this benchmark initiative with The Marker Key West Harbor Resort to bring attention to the state of our coral reefs,” said Raw Elements Chief Operating Officer Chris Wagaman. “By installing these reef-friendly sunscreen dispensers, we hope to educate guests and inspire many more organizations to show their support for reef conservation.”
To raise awareness about this initiative leading up to World Reef Day, The Marker and Raw Elements are launching a promotional sweepstakes, valued at $2,000, in partnership with Salt Life, Papa’s Pilar and MANG to give away gift cards for gear, a hotel stay and an annual supply of Raw Elements. From May 16 - June 1, visit Raw Elements’ website to enter the sweepstakes.
"Highgate and Pebblebrook maintain a responsibility to protect local habitats and preserve biodiversity,” said Highgate Vice President of Sustainability Marianne Balfe. “Along with their coastline erosion protection benefits, coral reefs provide critical habitat for a quarter of all marine species. Raw Elements was a natural partner for Highgate, given their scrutiny of coral reef health, human health and sustainable packaging. They exclude all reef-harmful chemicals, aligning with Haereticus Environmental Lab (HEL) criteria. We are impressed that the majority of their products have consistently received the top #1 scoring on Environmental Working Group’s (EWG’s) list of safe sunscreens.”
For more information about The Marker, visit themarkerkeywest.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook. For more information on Raw Elements, visit rawelementsusa.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook.
About The Marker Key West Harbor Resort
The Marker Key West Harbor Resort is ideally located on the Historic Key West Harbor at 200 William St., just steps from lively Duval Street and Mallory Square. This modern waterfront resort offers a hidden sanctuary of lush tropical grounds, three saltwater pools, an open-air restaurant and bar for alfresco dining, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. Each of the resort’s 96 spacious and luxurious guest rooms features a private balcony, perfectly appointed design elements and Key West-inspired touches. For more information or to book reservations, visit themarkerkeywest.com or call 855.485.9291.
About Highgate
Highgate is a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in major U.S. gateway cities, including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a growing footprint in Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. The hospitality-forward company provides expert guidance through all stages of the property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate has a proven record of developing its diverse portfolio of bespoke lifestyle hotel brands, legacy brands, and independent hotels and resorts with contemporary programming and digital acumen. The company utilizes industry-leading revenue management tools that efficiently identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive outperformance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle, Waikiki and London. For more information, visit highgate.com.
About Pebblebrook Hotel Trust
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE: PEB) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (“REIT”) and the largest owner of urban and resort lifestyle hotels in the United States. The Company owns 49 hotels, totaling approximately 12,500 guest rooms across 14 urban and resort markets. For more information, visit pebblebrookhotels.com and follow at @PebblebrookPEB.
About Raw Elements
Raw Elements’ mission is to make everyone’s sunshine experience fun and safe. Founded in 2012, the company creates purpose-built products that are safe to apply to your skin, perform beyond your expectations, and keep the environment free from unnecessary chemicals. Raw Elements is led by a group of dedicated enthusiasts who live to create superior skin care products using the best materials they can source to change the future.
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