CHLA Lodging News Nov/Dec 2019

www.calodging.com November/December 2019 11 and Mike Kennedy Co-owner, Inn at Moonlight Beach (E cinitas, CA) nourishment, fitness, comfort, and mind— and achieved a Platinum level rating. Some of the features that helped us achieve our Platinum rating include: • Advanced Air Purification: High quality air filters in every suite and the shared guest lounge. • Water Treatment: Purified water from every tap with the inn’s whole-house water filtration system. • Food Advertising: Signage that encourages guests to select from the fresh, healthy, organic foods provided daily in the breakfast basket and as snacks in the guest lounge. • Right to Light: Over 75% of all regularly occupied spaces are within 7.5 m (25ft) of view windows. • Fitness Equipment: The inn provides cardiorespiratory and muscle- strengthening equipment to encourage guests and employees to engage in exercise. • Thermal Comfort: Occupants are able to adjust the temperature according to their preferences, which positively impacts mood, performance, and productivity. • Biophila: Each room was designed for the guest to experience dwelling in nature, and the California environment allows for an indoor-outdoor living experience of the biodynamic urban farm featuring ten distinct garden areas. WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO PURSUE WELL CERTIFICATION? When I first learned of the WELL Building Standard TM through a friend who develops top tier luxury hotels (Aman and Six senses), I got really moved at the thought that there was a building standard that is already created with the commitment to guide environment on improving human health that I would have devoted my life to creating, if it didn’t already exist. I immediately began my work to become a WELL AP in 2016. When we purchased the Inn at Moonlight Beach later that year, I jumped at the opportunity to implement WELL on this property. It was surprising to learn we were the first hotel committed to be a Well Certified project. I was inspired and grateful for the effort that was put into the creation of the WELL Building Standard. The concept of WELL aligns with the intention of our boutique hotel, which is to nourish life and encourage people to experience the joy of connecting with nature, one’s self, and the broader local community. WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE DURING THE DESIGN AND CERTIFICATION PROCESS? At first, the WELL standard was created primarily for office buildings and new constructions. The Inn at Moonlight Beach, as a renovation of an existing hotel, was a completely different building type and had limits on ceiling heights and other building configurations. Many of the original requirements were seemingly impossible to accomplish. However, we stayed in close communication with IWBI and ended up working with them to think through what might be appropriate for hospitality buildings and became IWBI’s pilot project for hospitality buildings. In the end, this initial “disadvantage” resulted in a very fruitful partnership with IWBI, which contributed to them branching out into a new building category and with us becoming the first hotel in the world to be WELL certified. The size of our property also presented a challenge in many cases. For example, our facility is not sufficiently large to accommodate some amenities such as fitness equipment, let alone a dedicated gym or pool, making it difficult to achieve the measures of WELL’s Fitness concept. We got creative and were able to utilize nearby natural hiking trails and beach workout offerings that guests could take on at their leisure. Moonlight Beach itself is a short walk from our inn. We like to say that we are a unique resort destination, and Downtown Encinitas is our resort. continues  