A new HotStats study, which polled a consistent sample of nearly 45,000 hotel bedrooms across the UK over a 15-year period, identified a decline in rooms profit conversion, despite growth in RevPAR. Now more than ever, the rooms department is the cornerstone of UK hotel operations, comprising almost two thirds of total revenue in 2015 (61.5%), increasing from just over half in 2000 (53.6%).
Marriott International continues to lead the way in digital and social marketing innovation with the launch of the company's fourth M Live Studio. Located at Marriott's European Headquarters in London, the newest studio will serve as the epicentre for creating real-time content and generating social engagement with travellers in Europe. M Live will engage in conversations in multiple languages including French, Spanish, German, Italian and English. M Live first launched at Marriott International's headquarters in Bethesda, MD in 2015 and has since expanded to the Asia Pacific region, Caribbean and Latin America region, and now Europe. M Live empowers Marriott to interact with guests in a more personalised way and participate in one-to-one conversations on social platforms where travellers are already actively engaged. It tracks conversations, trends, global performance, marketing campaigns and brand reputation across social platforms in real-time, identifying opportunities for Marriott to engage consumers with its 19 brands and nearly 4,500 properties worldwide.
Andy Bellamy has been appointed as area general manager for Mercure, joining the AccorHotels brand after previously having worked for Amaris Hospitality, managing hotels under Jurys Inn and Hilton Garden Inn brands. Earlier in his career, Bellamy worked for Louvre Hotels and Golden Tulip.
Mercure Aberdeen Caledonian Hotel has welcomed Sebastian Brunet as GM. Brunet has already enjoyed successful positions at Mercure Aberdeen Ardoe House Hotel & Spa and the Mercure Stratford Upon Avon Shakespeare Hotel.
Karin Snoek has acquired responsibility of Mercure Dartford Brands Hatch Hotel. Having previously held senior management positions at Mercure Bristol Holland House Hotel and Mercure Oxford Eastgate Hotel. Karin is a successful graduate of the Accor UK Management Development Program. Mercure Dartford Brands Hatch will also undergo a refurbishment in 2016.
The Splendid Hospitality Group strengthens its presence in York with the acquisition of the Ibis York Centre hotel.Stuart Bailey, CEO for the Splendid Hospitality Group says: This is a strategic acquisition for Splendid Hospitality and an ideal fit for our expanding regional portfolio with three existing hotels in York. The Ibis York Centre hotel boasts one of the most central locations in York making it equally suitable for both the business and leisure travellers. Ibis belongs to the Accor brand portfolio and we are pleased to further enhance our partnership with Accor.Located at the gates of the city walls, the hotel is within walking dist ance of the main city centre. The Ibis York Centre boasts 91 modern and cosy en-suite bedrooms with free Wi-Fi and satellite television. The hotel has a Caf and bar serving hot and cold snacks, a contemporary meeting room and car park for up to 20 cars. It is easily accessible within walking distance from York Station and 48km from Leeds Bradford Airport.The hotel will continue trading as an Ibis and Splendid Hospitality Group has plans to invest 1.5m upgrading the hotel's facilities over the next two years so that it can maintain its premier positioning in the budget market in York.The expanding Splendid Hospitality Group portfolio now has 20 hotels and this acquisition follows the purchase of the Mercure Bristol Brigstow. The Ibis York Centre hotel joins the groups three other properties in the city including The Grand Hotel & Spa, Hotel Indigo York and Holiday Inn Express York. The group owns other city centre hotels in London, Oxford, Edinburgh and Leeds. In London they own and manage two prestigious hotels; the Conrad London St James and Hilton London Bankside.
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), announced today the designation of the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane, welcoming it to the brand's premier tier of hotels recognised for their enticing destinations, distinguished designs and excellence in service and guest experiences. Joining 32 other Sheraton Grand properties worldwide, the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane will start a new chapter in the hotel's 90-year history this October, following a multi-million pound top-to-bottom renovation. Sheraton Grand is one of many initiatives currently underway for Sheraton 2020, a comprehensive plan designed to solidify Sheraton as the leading global hotel brand of choice, everywhere.
After two years creating tech products for hospitality brands it was time to address the elephant in the room. Besides working as waiters when we were younger, no one on the team had any real hospitality experience. As 2016 rolled around, we decided to change that.
In a post-Brexit Britain, the impact of leaving the EU on the UK hospitality industry and the profession's influence on the rest of Europe will be perhaps the most pressing subject under scrutiny at HOSPACE2016 – to be held on 10 November at the Sofitel London Heathrow, Terminal 5.
Dr Bert 'Bow-Thai' van Walbeek was honoured by the University of West London (UWL)'s London College of Hospitality and Tourism on Thursday 21 July. The University's annual graduation ceremony took place at Wembley Stadium and the honorary degree recipients were joined by more than 1,700 graduates.
This month Hotel Café Royal is pleased to announce new appointments to its executive team – Laura Cammarano, Director of Sales; Franziska Lein, Senior Sales Manager – Leisure & MICE; Sasha Taylor, Director of Groups & Events and Andreas Bergfeld, Account Director – Corporate Markets for The Set hotels. July also sees a new position for Rohit Gupta, former Sales Director at Hotel Café Royal, who was appointed Regional Director of Sales, Middle East for The Set hotels.
This month Hotel Café Royal is pleased to announce new appointments to its executive team – Laura Cammarano, Director of Sales; Franziska Lein, Senior Sales Manager – Leisure & MICE; Sasha Taylor, Director of Groups & Events and Andreas Bergfeld, Account Director – Corporate Markets for The Set hotels. July also sees a new position for Rohit Gupta, former Sales Director at Hotel Café Royal, who was appointed Regional Director of Sales, Middle East for The Set hotels.
This month Hotel Café Royal is pleased to announce new appointments to its executive team – Laura Cammarano, Director of Sales; Franziska Lein, Senior Sales Manager – Leisure & MICE; Sasha Taylor, Director of Groups & Events and Andreas Bergfeld, Account Director – Corporate Markets for The Set hotels. July also sees a new position for Rohit Gupta, former Sales Director at Hotel Café Royal, who was appointed Regional Director of Sales, Middle East for The Set hotels.
Sleep Retreat Hotels is a new, luxury boutique brand, launching in August 2016 with a 37-bedroom property in Cornwall, UK. The company is targeting rapid national expansion, with 16 hotels planned by 2018.When evaluating PMS', Nathan Westbury, Managing Director of Sleep Retreat Hotels, was looking for "software that is user friendly, great for guests and can also offer a central reservations system." After reviewing several leading solutions, he settled upon Xn protel's cloud native offering, protel Air.
Dulce Marques has been appointed as general manager of the Lace Market hotel in Nottingham and has said she wants the hotel to once more be the “go-to place to stay” in Nottingham. Originally from Portugal, Marques has more than 18 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, and began working in hotels in the Swiss Alps. She spent eight years at the Cannizaro House hotel in Wimbledon, London, before spending a year as operations manager for the launch of Hotel Gotham in Manchester. Dulce is looking at the branding of the hotel outlets; as well as the hotel there is its Merchants restaurant and Cock & Hoop pub. She suggested the possibility of a unified Lace Market brand name may be explored to ensure no outlet gets forgotten about, while also respecting the legacy of the property.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced it will debut the iconic W Hotels brand in Scotland with W Edinburgh. Opening in 2021 and set to reinvigorate the city's traditional hospitality scene, the hotel will be part of TH Real Estate's Edinburgh St James scheme, which is set to complete in 2020. Designed by award- winning architecture and interior design practice Jestico + Whiles, in conjunction with Allan Murray Architects, the 12-story building will feature a unique façade crafted from a winding steel 'ribbon'. W Edinburgh will form the centerpiece of the 1.7 million square foot development, which will incorporate a vibrant blend of retail, entertainment, leisure and residential apartments, further reinforcing the city's reputation as a booming cosmopolitan capital.
BW Premier Collection has announced that Ten Hill Place, in central Edinburgh, will become the tenth member of Best Western Great Britain's soft branded offering for high end hotels and the first in Scotland. Operated by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Commercial Enterprises, the profits of this hotel go back to the College, which provides education and assessment for medical professionals and trainees. This unique partnership is mirrored by the hotel's aesthetic, which fuses the traditional Edinburgh Georgian terrace exterior with a modern and elegant interior. Thanks to its links with The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Ten Hill Place can offer both historical and purpose-built modern rooms for meetings, conferences, private functions and weddings, along with its fabulous range of bedrooms and suites.
Following a nationwide search, seven children aged between five and nine years old have taken on the role of Junior Hotel Inspector at the UK's top-rated travel brand*, Premier Inn. Known for their endless question-asking and refreshingly honest opinions, the lucky youngsters were selected from almost two thousand applicants to take on the role, offering their opinions to help improve Premier Inn's family offering.
Questex, a leading global business information and events company, today announced it has acquired The AHC Company Limited, organizer of The Annual Hotel Conference, the United Kingdom's leading industry event in the individual, boutique, branded and consortium hotel segments.
winwinbooking is pleased to announce its partnership with the leading hotel technology provider eRevMax, thereby offering seamless 2-way connection between the RateTiger channel manager and its social booking site winwinbooking, available for travellers to book through the mobile app.