Chartres Lodging and Kokua Hospitality Begin Matching-funds Relief Effort for Japan's Disasters
No Reservations Giving Program will match up to $3 per person donated in support of the American Red Cross aid efforts in Japan
CHICAGO, IL - March 18, 2011 - Robert D. Kline and Maki Nakamura Bara, co-founders of Chartres Lodging Group, LLC and Kokua Hospitality, LLC today announce their commitment to match up to $3 donated per person to the company's Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief fundraising campaign. The charitable program sponsored by the No Reservations Giving Program will collect hotel guest donations from five properties Chartres Lodging either owns or manages with Kokua Hospitality. All funds raised will be donated to the American Red Cross which will provide direct aid to the victims in Japan.
“We feel a great need to help our family, friends, and the communities in Japan that must endure crises like this. Our No Reservations Giving Program is designed to help us provide direct relief for those in need,” said Kline, co-founder and president of Chartres Lodging Group, a company that currently manages a $5-billion, 15,600-room portfolio of luxury and upscale hotels, conference centers and resorts located throughout the United States and Japan. The group has owned and managed hotels in Japan since 2003.
“Kokua is a Hawaiian word that translates as extending loving, sacrificial help to others for their benefit, not for personal gain,” said Phil Tufano, a partner and executive vice president of operations for Kokua Hospitality. “We are proud to illustrate our company's core values of kindness and outreach through fundraising efforts like this,” he added.
The five participating hotel properties include the Doubletree Chicago Magnificent Mile and its restaurants (300 E. Ohio); the Inn of Chicago (162 E. Ohio); and the Allerton Hotel Chicago (701 N. Michigan Ave.); the Aloft Washington National Harbor Hotel in National Harbor, MD (156 Waterfront St.), and the Ocean Resort Waikiki (175 Paoakalani Ave.) in Honolulu, HI.
“The earthquake and tsunami devastation is dreadful, and we are saddened by the loss of life and property, as well as the disruption of a robust tourism industry our associates and Japan's residents depend on,” said Bara, Chartres Lodging Group's co-founder and managing director.
Those unable to check in to one of the participating properties are encouraged to send checks made payable to the “American Red Cross.” Mail the checks to: Chartres Lodging, 50 California St., Suite 3300, San Francisco, CA, 94111. Donors are asked to write “Japan Relief-American Red Cross” on the memo line, and include their mailing address and email for delivery of a donation receipt. All donations are tax deductible as permitted by law. This fundraising program may be modified or discontinued without notice, provided all contributions received by Chartres Lodging and Kokua Hospitality shall be contributed to the American Red Cross.
The No Reservations Giving Program has previously sponsored other major fundraising events to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Mumbai attacks, and the Haiti Earthquake disaster.
For more information, visit www.chartreslodging.com.
About The Chartres Lodging Group, LLC The Chartres Lodging Group, LLC, is an investment and advisory firm focused on the investment, asset management and renovation of high-quality lodging assets. Chartres Lodging Group's principals have been responsible for more than $8 billion of lodging investments and have asset-managed more than 100 upscale and luxury hotels, resorts and conference centers. The firm is currently responsible for a $5-billion, 15,600-room portfolio of luxury and upscale hotels, conference centers and resorts located throughout the United States and Japan. Chartres' principals and employees are direct investors in 65 percent of this portfolio. Chartres Lodging is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Tokyo. For more information on The Chartres Lodging Group, please visit http://www.chartreslodging.com/.
About Kokua Hospitality, LLC Kokua Hospitality, LLC, is a hotel management firm founded by its parent, The Chartres Lodging Group, LLC, with the mandate to become the operator of choice for strategic institutional and select private lodging investors by producing superior results as turnaround specialists. Created by veteran lodging investment and management experts to appeal to an investor's sensibility, Kokua Hospitality blends best-in-class operating practices with an owner's DNA. The name (pronounced “ko-kooh-ah”) is Hawaiian for “to serve.” Kokua Hospitality manages a growing portfolio of hotels and resorts nationwide. For more information on Kokua Hospitality, please visit http://www.kokuahospitality.com/ and follow us on Twitter @kokuahotels and http://kokuahospitality.wordpress.com/.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
