Sunridge Hotel Group Makes Bittel Charging Solutions a Standard for Multi-Brand Portfolio

San Jose, Calif. -- Sunridge Hotel Group continues to win awards for having the highest guest satisfaction scores. As part of its customer service commitment, the company – which has earned multiple "Management Company of the Year" awards from Marriott International – is ensuring that guests have the easiest and most convenient way to plug, power and play their mobile devices by standardizing with Bittel in-room charging solutions. Today Bittel's all-in-one UNOMedia 5 charging station with brand-compliant alarm/clock/radio/telephone is a standard feature at four of 17 Sunridge properties representing the Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, TownePlace Suites by Marriott and Holiday Inn Express & Suites brands. Three properties feature UNOMedia 4 and four hotels feature the UNOMini. Eventually all properties will feature UNOMedia 5.

"Hospitality is a demanding industry, so to keep our guests happy and coming back, we stay on top of the latest technology trends and provide the most efficient in-room equipment," said Don Brooksby, Sunridge Properties Director of Technology. "Guests need assurrances that they can charge and enjoy ALL their personal technologies without any issues. UNOMedia 5 supports ALL devices, including Apple lightning (iPhone 5 and 6 series, and new iPad), Micro USB (Android, Blackberry and Windows), Apple legacy products (iPhone 4s and older), and audio 3.5mm. It also features four USB charging ports designed for both standard and high power charging.

"Real estate on the nightstand is another problem addressed by Bittel," Brooksby said. "We began using Bittel's UNO Mini in 2012 at a few properties because of it's small footprint. When the UNOMedia 4 came out in 2014, we saw it as the ideal compact solution to replace the existing alarm/clock/radios/chargers from another provider that are only compatible with Apple products. We began upgrading to UNOMedia 5 in 2015; it's a charging device and Bluetooth-streaming music player first, an alarm/clock/radio second, and a phone third – all wrapped in a stylish, small bedside unit. Bittel truly understands what today's guests' want from an in-room experience, and they design their products accordingly."

Meeting Guests' Demands with Charging Attachment

A renovation of the Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott property in Sierra Vista, Ariz., is scheduled for 2017. Until that time, mobile device charging was not provided in the room, and guest complaints were mounting because there were no available outlets near the bedside. Sunridge consulted with Bittel to find a temporary solution.

"Bittel told us about their Classic Charger that easily attaches to most existing guestroom phones and instantly adds two high powered USB ports for charging mobile devices," Brooksby said. "It was the perfect alternative. Today, many of our repeat guests are actually coming back to the front desk after checking into their rooms to tell our staff how thrilled they are that we listened to their concerns and to thank us for giving them bedside charging. After the renovation is complete and we upgrade to UNOMedia 5, we can remove the Classic Chargers from the old phones and use them elsewhere if needed. Listening to guests is critical to increasing satisfaction and loyalty. It's great knowing know that Bittel has our backs when it comes to meeting guest demands."

The Classic Charger being used at the Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Sierra Vista also features Bittel's optional Multi-Charging Cable that includes four connectors for Apple traditional (iPhone 4s and older), Apple Lightning (iPhone 6 and 5 plus new iPad), and two Micro USB (Android, Blackberry and Windows) charging. The Classic Charger is compatible with nearly all guestroom phones; no lamps, outlets, or furniture mods are required.

"We are delighted that Sunridge Hotel Group and its guests are so pleased with both the UNOMedia 5 and the Classic Charger," said Mitch Heinlein, Bittel VP of Sales and Marketing. "As travelers bring more and more mobile devices with them on the road, hotels need to free up space at the bedside to conveniently charge these devices. Adding a charging port for the desktop, a wall-mount hub, or standalone power hub is okay, but each added piece of equipment means more cost and more clutter, not to mention the fact that it detracts from the guestroom design.

"Bittel is designing streamlined solutions with small footprints that provide a multitude of services," he said. "UNOMedia 5, for example, lets guests carry on crystal clear phone conversations via the NFC-enabled Bluetooth speakerphone. They also can retrieve messages from anywhere in the room and play their favorite music without fear that their content is being enjoyed by someone else in a room next door or across the hall because each unit prevents unauthorized pairing to the device. More importantly, UNOMedia 5 isn't designed for the residential market, so guest's don't have to worry about wireless security risks. At Bittel, we've got you covered from both a security and a streamlined, brand-compliant, all-in-one technology standpoint."

For more information on Bittel's full line of in-room equipment options, visit www.bittelamericas.com.

About Sunridge Hotel Group

Paul Welker founded Sunridge Properties and began operations in 1981 developing small office and apartment properties along with his first hotel project (the Best Western Pinetop Inn) in Pinetop, Arizona. The main area of focus for Sunridge has always been in the hospitality industry with the development of approximately 40 hotel projects representing various hotel brands. Sunridge is currently focused on the development of Marriott brand hotels which comprise the majority of its current portfolio. Currently, Sunridge operates all five of the Marriott CFRST brands including Courtyard, Fairfield Inn and Suites, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites and TownePlace Suites. Since joining Marriott in 1999, Sunridge has received numerous awards including multiple "Management Company of the Year" awards, multiple "Best New Opening" awards and awards for highest "Guest Satisfaction scores" (GSS), just to name a few. Sunridge is also a four-time recipient of Marriott's most prestigious award, "The Partnership Circle Award", which is presented to Marriott's top Management & Development Companies. Sunridge's success is the result of our associates who adopt the "Spirit to Serve" attitude and who take pride in meeting and exceeding Guest Expectations.

About Bittel

Bittel is a rapidly growing provider of innovative technology solutions for the global hospitality industry. Bittel

products are known for their reliability and groundbreaking designs, and are installed in thousands of hotels around the world. Headquartered in Rizhao, China, Bittelʼs North American operations are based in San Jose, California. Please visit us at http://www.bittelgroup.com ">http://www.bittelgroup.com or www.bittelamericas.com.

Barb Worcester (for Bittel Americas)
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