The island of Barbados is a little greener after Divi Southwinds Beach Resort was certified as a Green Hotel –the first property in Barbados to receive the designation. Green Hotel Certification is the independent review process for the hospitality industry based on internationally-known environmental, energy and corporate social responsibility guidelines.

Concord Hospitality Enterprises, one of the U.S.’s top-ranked hotel developer, owners and operators, opened the 120-room Springhill Suites Chicago Waukegan/Gurnee. It is the first SpringHill Suites hotel to feature the brand’s contemporary, boutique-style redesign, ushering in the next generation of the select-service franchise. Concord co-designed the brand’s new look in partnership with Marriott. Concord, which owns a minority equity interest in the hotel, also manages the property.

Starwood has changed the name of the 694-room Sheraton Cable Beach Resort in the Bahamas to the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort.

The Aruba Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino officially opened the Tradewinds Club, a new concept designed with today’s modern traveler in mind, on September 1. During the resort’s current $40 million renovation the necessary enhancements were made to turn the 8th floor of the Aruba Marriott in to the Tradewinds Club.

Marriott International has announced five new hotels for its Caribbean/Latin American region, spanning its upscale Marriott, moderate-priced Courtyard by Marriott and Residence Inn for extended-stay travelers brands. The hotels are located in Guayaquil, Ecuador; Paramaribo, Suriname; San Pedro Sula, Honduras; Cuzco, Peru, and Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Raffles Hotels & Resorts plans to give Los Cabos’ top two luxury resorts a run for their money when it opens the 130-room Raffles Cabo San Cristobal in 2011. The resort will be the Singapore-based hotel company’s first in Mexico.