HOSPA – the Hospitality Professionals Association for Finance, Revenue Management and IT – is delighted to announce the speakers and subjects for the free-of-charge HOSPA Master Classes at Hotelympia 2012, to be held from 26 February to 1 March at ExCel London in the capital's Docklands.
Along with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Summer Olympics, this year also brings a quirky landmark to London: a little boat-shaped abode that sits atop Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre. It's a room with more than one view — really great views of the Thames River, the London Eye and Big Ben — and only accommodates two. The room sold out almost immediately in January after reservations opened for July to December (reservations for prior dates had opened earlier). The cost of a night's stay for those dates, the Guardian reported, was 300 British pounds, or about $473 a night.
On February 5th, 2012, Condé Nast Traveler’s Publisher, Carolyn Kremins, bestowed the third-ever Navigator Award upon Edward Steiner, SVP, Latin America & Caribbean, One&Only resorts; Managing Director, One&Only Palmilla, Los Cabos, Mexico. One&Only Palmilla has been honored 7 times with the Condé Nast Traveler Readers Choice Award for Best Resort in Mexico - a distinction that no other resort worldwide can claim in the last ten years.The Navigator Award is granted to an individual, on behalf of a travel organization or destination, who, in the opinion of the magazine’s publisher, possesses an extraordinary legacy and consistently upholds the highest standards of excellence in hospitality. The recipient demonstrates an industry-leading commitment to quality and ranks among the world's greatest hosts for the magazine’s readership. One&Only Palmilla, including its dedicated staff led by Steiner, was also recognized with this honor for its exemplary embodiment of the award ideals and for setting a gold standard for hospitality in Los Cabos.
The home of the British Academy – {10-11} Carlton House Terrace – has taken on Clare Arouche as the new Business and Development Manager. Arouche took on the role having left Trafalgar Events, the venue she set up off Trafalgar Square and remained at for 3 ½ years. Prior to that Arouche was the conference manager at Regent’s College, a post she held for 15 years.
Scanlon, who takes up his new role on 1 March, is currently director of revenue for the hotel's parent company, the Dorchester Collection, where he has been since 2008. He was previously revenue manager at the Dorchester. Prior to joining the Dorchester Collection, Scanlon worked at the Lanesborough from 1991 to 2005, progressing through various roles including night manager, reservations manager, front-of-house manager, rooms division manager and deputy to the managing director. Previous experience includes positions at Sheraton Skyline, Heathrow Airport and Trusthouse Forte Hotels across England.
In London's Olympic year, the theme of the Master Innholders' 19th Annual General Managers' Conference, held at the London Hilton on Park Lane, was Going for Gold. Janet Harmer finds out what makes winners and losers in business. With speakers including former Olympians, Sebastian Coe and judo champion Karen Roberts - as well as a host of leading hospitality personalities - the 450 delegates at the Master Innholders' 19th Annual General Managers' Conference were inspired in ways and means of taking their businesses to world-beating level.
Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, the UK's largest privately owned hotel operator with over forty 4 and 5 star hotels throughout the UK and Spain, has further increased its market presence by agreeing terms with the owners of the historic 48 bedroom Haycock Hotel in Wansford near Stamford.
Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro has announced the recruitment of three new team members at the hotel joining the hotel’s management team. Sebastien Brunet (pictured) has been appointed as deputy hotel manager with Nicola Houston joining as director of sales and James Wilson as facilities manager bringing the trio of new starts to the hotel set at the heart of the Trossachs and Perthshire countryside.
Jackie, whose responsibilities include managing the meeting and event sales teams and leading key accounts for corporate clients, has previously held a number of senior M&E and other commercial roles at Ramada Jarvis and Hilton Hotels and has an exceptional track record of delivering results and developing world-class teams. Jackie, who has over 15 years of experience in the field, commented: “I am thrilled to be heading up the meetings and events function for such a diverse portfolio of hotels, during such an exciting time. 2012 is a huge year for the UK and there are many exciting opportunities for the meetings and events industry to get involved with. My aim is to grow Guoman and Thistle’s excellent reputation and raise the profile of our unique collection of flexible venues and facilities across the country. I’m really looking forward to the challenge and am buoyed by the sense of pride and drive to exceed our clients expectations demonstrated by the team thus far.”
Z Soho is a designer conversion of twelve Georgian townhouses in central London. Billed as the designer label without the designer price tag, the 85-room hotel is the first in a planned chain of strategically located properties and opened its doors in November 2011.
London and Regional U.K. reported positive revenue-per-available-room (RevPAR) growth in 2011, according to data from STR Global, the leading provider of market data to the hotel industry. Despite its challenges throughout the year, demand grew in the majority of U.K. destinations. For 2012, STR Global forecasts a slight RevPAR increase for London and Regional U.K.
The three winning Bournemouth University students, who are in their final year of the BA(Hons) Hospitality Management Degree, attended the Master Innholders Conference held at the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane, London following the announcement that their entry on 'Maintaining Sustainable Competitive Advantage for the Hospitality Industry' had been given top spot in the competition.
Robert Wormall has been appointed General Manager for the Talbot Hotel which re-opens in the spring. Robert, who has been working as project manager prior to the hotel’s launch, was delighted when his appointment was confirmed by Sir Philip Naylor-Leyland, owner of the Fitzwilliam Estate and the Talbot Hotel.
Right on time for the Olympic Summer Games 2012: The third Bulgari worldwide is currently under construction in Central London in the elegant Knightsbridge area (TOPHOTELPROJECTS Project Nr. 10052). Following Bali (since 2006) and Milan (since 2004) this boutique hotel offering 85 rooms and suites is the latest and much-noticed engagement of this multinational life style corporation.
Today the UK's fastest growing hotel company, Travelodge, has announced it will be opening 41 hotels (3610 rooms) this year and creating 1,000 new jobs across the UK. These new properties, at an investment of £246 million, will boost the company's estate to 537 hotels and over 39,000 rooms.
The SRA is the leading UK authority on restaurant-related sustainability, but also works hand in hand with the hospitality industry and sustainability experts to provide up-to-date, practical resources and solutions to all member restaurants. Members (restaurants only) enjoy the economic benefits of greater sustainability and the SRA promotes their activities to diners.
A difficult end to the year has not stopped hoteliers in London recording a second consecutive year of profitability growth, according to the latest HotStats survey of approximately 550 full-service hotels across the UK by TRI Hospitality Consulting. The 4.7% increase in profit per room in the capital in 2011 was primarily due to a 6.1% increase in Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR), which was led by a 7.0% increase in the achieved average room rate for London hotels to £131.03 from £122.45 during the same period in 2010.
Focus Hotels Management Ltd have announced the appointment of John Collis as finance director in its quest for continued profitability, expansion and growth. Focus Hotels provides management and management support services to hotels in key city centres and prime business and leisure destinations across the UK, and has an impressive ongoing programme of refurbishments and expansion which will see the varied portfolio of Focus Hotels properties, currently at 14, continue to develop into a unique, credible three and four-star offering.
With the London 2012 Olympic year upon us, TravelClick, the leading hotel market intelligence provider, is using its forward-looking data to provide regular updates of how the London hotel market is performing in terms of demand and rates.
At FITUR yesterday afternoon, the CEO and Vice Chairman of Meliá Hotels International, Gabriel Escarrer, signed an agreement for what will become the third hotel for the company in the UK: the Innside Manchester Hotel. Construction will begin in the second half of the year in the new First Street North development, a major tourism development project for the City of Manchester creating a multi-purpose cultural space which is expected to attract over one million visitors a year.