Activity in West Yellowstone was busier than usual this winter season as Delaware North Parks & Resorts completed a $1.2 million renovation project of the company’s owned and operated Holiday Inn at West Yellowstone in Montana. Located just blocks from Yellowstone National Park’s West Entrance, the 123 room hotel is rich with amenities and the ideal “base camp” from which to explore America’s first national park. The renovation project focused on improving common spaces and guest rooms.  It included:

  • Replacing hallway and guest room carpets
  • Retiling of the bathrooms and showers
  • Installing new shower doors
  • Replacing soft-goods and furniture
  • Replacing all heating and air-conditioning units
  • Placing oversized artistic Yellowstone photography on the walls

As an underlying part of company culture, Delaware North’s GreenPath program brought environmental considerations to this project as well:

  • Approximately 11,600 pounds of carpet and 200 pounds of copper piping was removed and sent for recycling.
  • The furniture was donated, repurposed to employee housing, or recycled.
  • Replacement of each of the inefficient Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner (PTAC)/heating and air-conditioning units with new energy-efficient models that include a built-in Environmental Management Solution. This technology automatically adjusts the thermostat to a set temperature when a room is unoccupied to eliminate unnecessary heating and air-conditioning.
  • Installation of LED light bulbs in the common lobby areas and throughout The Branch Restaurant, saving nearly 80% in electricity usage and lasting approximately 16 times longer than the previous halogen bulbs.

These accomplishments as well as other practices around the hotel regarding energy and water conservation, waste management, and environmental interpretation, contributed towards the Holiday Inn becoming certified at the Bronze Level to Trip Advisor’s Green Leaders Program. Visitors to the West Yellowstone region can now enjoy the new stylish décor of the Holiday Inn all while having a softer impact on the environment during their stay.

Published: July 2014