In My Element at Element Hotel in NYC

If you're looking for an eco-friendly hotel for business travel or vacation, put the Element chain at the top of your list.

I recently was offered the chance to spend three nights at the Element Times Square West in New York City in exchange for providing my unvarnished feedback on the hotel's environmental attributes. Many hotels "talk the talk" when it comes to being green; did Element actually "walk the walk?" Here's what I found out.

LOCATION

The Element chain is relatively new; though it's part of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts family, there are only 10 Elements in the U.S. and a few abroad (though more are on the drawing board). The upside is that you can earn Starwood points if you stay there. The downside is that you won't yet be able to find an Element everywhere you travel.