Element hotels: Eco-friendly lodging has a wallet-friendly deal

This post has been corrected. See the note at the bottom for details.

President Obama’s recent stay at the eco-friendly Element Hotel in Summerlin, Nev., has inspired a deal. Apparently, the president suggested that his staff might want to miss their flight to stay an extra night, which led Element to resurrect an extended stay deal that has been popular with business travelers.

The deal: Element By Westin is offering a “stay three, stay free” deal in which guests get a free fourth night when they check in on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday into any of the 10 eco-oriented Element hotels. The website indicates it must be booked with an American Express card, but phone reservationists said any card will work.

All the Element hotels are seeking LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for sustainable design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. The Summerlin property where Obama stayed is LEED certified. Other Element hotel locations include Denver, Miami, Houston, and the Dallas/Ft. Worth and Miami airports.

Caveat: This deal is good for travelers who are certain their plans won’t change; this is prepaid and nonrefundable. Guests lose 100% if they cancel.

When: Through Dec. 31.

Tested: I tested this deal online and by phone. Availability seems limited in March and April because of spring break but widely available after May 1. A stay May 10-14 at the Lexington Element in Massachusetts would cost $269 a night for three nights (which averages out to $201 a night) for a total of $932.89 with tax ($807 pre-tax). Although the website indicates that the deal must be booked with an American Express card, two reservation specialists said I could book the deal with any card.

Contact: Element by Westin, (877) 353-6368

For the record, 9:51 p.m., Feb. 22: An earlier version of this story said that Element’s Times Square Hotel was LEED certified. It is seeking LEED certification.