Surprise, surprise, hotel restaurants have become locavores

For years, most hotel restaurants could easily be dismissed as unremarkable and unsurprising, their menus seemingly unchanged from year to year. But lately, they have been following the lead of upscale restaurants and offering ingredients grown or produced nearby.

“Most hotels for years tried to cater to a mass market,” said Charles D. Dorn, managing director of the Dorn Group, a hospitality consulting firm. “Now, in fact, they’ve all kind of realized that doesn’t work anymore.”

Mr. Dorn said hotels’ embrace of the locally sourced trend is an evolution of hotels’ increasing focus on environmentally minded practices. It also helps them differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace, where catering to business travelers is a priority.