CHICAGO | Preferred Hotel Group, in cooperation with participating member hotels and resorts, announced today their first-ever member social action program aptly named “The Giving Room.” From June 1 through September 30, for every night occupied in a hotel’s designated “Giving Room,” 10 percent of the selected room or suite’s revenue will be donated to the hotel’s charity of choice.

“The Giving Room” is an outgrowth of Preferred Hotel Group’s GIFTTS program which stands for Great Initiatives for Today’s (Tomorrow’s) Society, a recognition initiative launched in August 2006. Designed to acknowledge and encourage exceptional actions by member hotels and employees in the areas of philanthropy, environmental wellbeing and community service (), GIFTTS applauds socially responsible Preferred Hotel Group members.

“The modern traveler is an engaged citizen, looking for ways to incorporate philanthropy into their travel opportunities,” said John Ueberroth, Chairman and CEO, Preferred Hotel Group. “A stay in a ‘Giving Room’ at one of our member hotels provides guests with a seamless way to positively impact that local community. At the same time, it showcases the great breadth of social commitments that our hotels have already made to their communities.”

“The Giving Room” idea is credited to Hotel Derek in Houston, TX, who implemented the concept last year to great acclaim. Building on the excellent support the hotel received from guests, employees and the local community, Preferred Hotel Group has expanded the program as a global philanthropic opportunity across its family of four brands: Preferred Hotels® & Resorts, Preferred Boutique, Summit Hotels & Resorts and Sterling Hotels.

“We envisioned the original ‘Giving Room’ at Hotel Derek as a way for the property and our guests to give something back to the community,” said Steven Andre, General Manager, Hotel Derek. “It has touched a lot of people’s lives and we are proud that Preferred Hotel Group is taking the program to a global audience.”

The following is a list of participating members and their selected charities:

  • Alden Houston, Houston, TX, USA UNICEF
  • The Angler’s Boutique Resort, Miami Beach, FL, USA Woman’s Fund of Miami-Dade County
  • Bogotá Plaza Summit Hotel, Bogotá, Colombia, “Fundacion Renacer”
  • The Charles Hotel, Cambridge, MA, USA The Guidance Center, Inc.
  • Clayton on the Park, A Hotel & Residence, Clayton, MO, USA Judevine Center for Autism, Juvenile Diabetes
  • Dromoland Castle, County Clare, Ireland Barnardos
  • Hotel Derek, Houston, TX, USA Lone Star Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
  • Hotel Istana, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, National Cancer Society
  • Hotel Majestic, Barcelona, Spain, Intermon Oxfam
  • The Huntley Hotel, Santa Monica, CA, USA Cedars Sinai Board of Governors Center for Cancer Research
  • The Landmark Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand, Red Cross Charity (Based in Thailand)
  • Mosaic Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA, USA Make-a-Wish Foundation
  • Peter Island Resort, B.V.I., Virgin Islands Search & Rescue (VISAR) and Kids And The Sea (KATS)

Several members have gone above and beyond the program’s guestroom commitment by designating spacious suites or, in one case, an entire villa. Rented on a weekly basis, Peter Islands’ Villa Estate Falcon's Nest is the private resort’s latest luxury addition and likely to generate a sizable contribution to the resort’s two local charities: Virgin Islands Search & Rescue (VISAR), which provides a 24-hour search and rescue service in the British Virgin Islands’ waters, and Kids And The Sea (KATS), which promotes kids’ safety in boats and around the sea.

"When we were approached by Preferred Hotel Group to participate in ‘The Giving Room,’ we were thrilled about the opportunity,” said Brian Dye, General Manager, Peter Island Resorts B.V.I. “Anytime we are able to make an impact locally and give back to our community we are most appreciative. That we are able to offer our newest premium priced Villa Estate Falcon's Nest - which will yield the highest contributions for our local charities – is, as we say in the islands, 'good-good'."

Members’ charitable choices span the globe and include projects such as Malaysia’s National Cancer Society and Bogotá, Colombia’s ‘Fundación Renacer,’ an organization that helps children who have faced sexual abuse and slavery. In the United States, charities such as the Make-a-Wish Foundation and Cedars Sinai Board of Governors Center for Cancer Research are among the designated beneficiaries. For more information on participating hotels or to book “The Giving Room” guests may visit or call 1.866.990.9491.


Preferred Hotel Group is a global leader in the hospitality industry. This creative, cutting-edge company is designed for a new era in travel – an era in which travelers embrace the individuality of distinctive hotels and resorts – yet desire a consistent commitment to excellence. The four brands of Preferred Hotel Group represent a collection of the finest hotels in the world and include Preferred Hotels® & Resorts, (); Preferred Boutique (); Summit Hotels & Resorts (); and Sterling Hotels (). Learn more at .

Gina Galatro
+1 (212) 284-9934
Preferred Hotels