iRiS Software Systems, the award-winning hospitality technology provider, has launched an integrated phone system through their iRiS Valet application. The iRiS Guest Valet application now supports integration with PABX systems via SIP servers, allowing guests to make internal and external phone calls from within the app- a world first!
The Doyle Collection has announce the appointment of Beccy Gunn as general manager of The Kensington Hotel, one of three London properties within its worldwide portfolio of boutique luxury hotels.
Swisscom Hospitality has been selected by Accor to provide the High-speed Internet Access (HSIA) which powers the free Wi-Fi now available at 194 hotels in the UK including the ibis, Novotel, Mercure and Pullman brands. Guest satisfaction with HSIA service in Accor UK locations has been extremely high in July as a result of Swisscom taking over the service.
World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, has a number of the world's leading travel bloggers speaking as part of its blogging programme. The blogging programme, organised by Travel Bloggers Unite Director Oliver Gradwell, is part of the overall The Travel Tech Show at WTM conference programme and includes leading bloggers;
Raymond started his hotel career in 1997 studying Hotel Management in Johannesburg, where he then worked for six years before moving to London in 2004. From there he continued to build on his experience, with positions including Revenue Manager at The Ritz. Raymond has has opened three hotels, two as Revenue Manager and one as Front of House Manager.
Profitability growth returned to the regions in Q2 2013 for the first time on a last twelve months basis since the downturn.London also recorded positive results; however weak comparators, due to the Diamond Jubilee, masked what was otherwise aflat quarter. This issue's city focus is on Liverpool, a hotel market that has doubled in size in the last decade.
The probe into the world's two biggest reservation services, Booking.com and Expedia.com, and IHG Group, which controls the Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and InterContinental chains, centred on allegations that the major booking sites were insisting on 'rate parity' from hotel chains, which prevented competitive discounting of room rates.
The total foodservice and hospitality market in the UK is expected to be worth £90bn by 2018, according to Allegra Strategies’ Eating Out in the UK report as eating out becomes the ‘new normal’. According to today's report, which studies the eating out habits of UK consumers and the views of the industry’s senior executives, 19 million adults now eat out at least once a week, compared to 17 million a year ago.
London Stratford City, which has just been named one of the UK's top ranking hotels on Expedia Insiders' Select Lists, is one of London's key hotels to have benefited from the 'Olympic bounce'. (New figures released by the ONS International Passenger Survey show that Britain's tourism sector is experiencing a five-year high*).
Brenda Collin has been appointed regional director UK, Ireland and Nordics for the Preferred Hotel Group. Collin will be responsible for development opportunities for hotels in the region. She joins the firm from technology company HotelREZ and has also worked for Utell/Pegasus and Hilton.
Lawder Smith has been appointed General Manager of Threadneedles (www.hotelthreadneedles.co.uk), the Square Mile’s original five-star boutique hotel, and Area Manager of The Glasshouse (www.theglasshouse.co.uk) in Edinburgh and The Academy in Bloomsbury, London (www.theacademyhotel.co.uk). The appointment is with immediate effect and follows the launch of The Autograph Collection in the UK. Lawder Smith has more than 30 years hospitality experience. He started his career in F&B at The Waldorf Hotel London and has since enjoyed a number of managerial postings around the UK including the former Manor House Hotel (now Bovey Castle); the Imperial Torquay, Area GM for Hilton Hotels in Nottingham, Leicester & Corby; General Manager at Heythrop Park, Oxfordshire and a more recent position with Crowne Plaza Kensington. His career has also seen a glittering list of awards from Hilton Hotels "Newcomer of the Year” 2001 to winning European Crowne Plaza Hotel of the Year 2012 for Kensington.
Ramada Encore London West will start its multimillion pound transformation on 12th August, 2013. The extension plans include a stunning brand new bedroom block, roof-top meeting rooms with open air cocktail area and a modern gym with views of the London skyline. Lobby area and restaurant is also planned to be given a soft refurbishment.
In June, hoteliers in London grew TrevPar by 10.9% year-on-year, bouncing back from revenue and profit declines in the same month last year, according to the latest HotStats survey of approximately 625 full-service hotels across the UK. Pre-Olympic effects, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and governmental warnings around transport led to a decline in total revenues per available room (TrevPar) of 5% in June 2012.
Successful revenue management enabled London hotels to outperform their regional counterparts for only the second time this year, according to preliminary hotel figures for the month of June released today by business advisory and accountancy firm, BDO LLP.
Guestline, a provider of software solutions that deliver revenue to the global hospitality industry, today announced that SACO The Serviced Apartment Company a worldwide provider of serviced apartment accommodation, has chosen Guestline to provide integrated hotel management solutions across its portfolio of properties.
Hailing from France, Delphine joins Jumeirah Carlton Tower with over fifteen years of experience, having held a variety of roles including Restaurant Manager, Event Operations Manager and Food and Beverage Manager before advancing to the position of Food and Beverage Director in 2008. Delphine has worked at renowned restaurants and hotels, including Le Gavroche, The Gleneages Hotel, The Westin Dubai and most recently, Kurumba Maldives.
Melissa joined the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa in 2002 as a Guest Services Agent in the Front Office, before transferring to the Spa Reception and eventually moving into Group and Events Sales. She subsequently held a number of positions in the hotel sales team, most recently as Assistant Director of Sales.
The recently opened DoubleTree by Hilton London – Ealing has welcomed general manager, Matt Williams to its team. Mr Williams will manage the hotel, which converted from an independent hotel to the DoubleTree by Hilton brand last month.
This newly created role will see Fiona managing the hotel group's international PR strategy and teams as Corinthia continues to build on its brand in major cities around the world. Fiona will also take direct responsibility for all PR matters at the Corinthia flagship hotel in London, where she will be based.
The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has re-launched The Park Tower Knightsbridge, a Luxury Collection Hotel, London following an extensive renovation of the hotel's public areas. Completed in time for its 40thanniversary and led by acclaimed London-based interior designer Anita Rosato, the refurbishment includes a complete redesign of the lobby, lounge and bar, reimagining the hotel for a new generation of luxury travellers as it continues to be a distinct Knightsbridge icon for years to come.