hm (hotel management) magazine dec 2011 v.15.6

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ALSO IN THIS ISSUEThe Darling’s starring role in Sydney, Shangri-La, 8Hotels’ Paul Fischmann,

The Westin Melbourne, bathroom amenities, coffee and recruitment

Vol 15. No.6 Bi-monthly December 2011P

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A U S T R A L I A – N E W Z E A L A N D – A S I A - P A C I F I C

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contents Bi-Monthly – December 2011

EXECUTIVE FEATURES14 HM Q&AIn an exclusive interview, Shangri-La’s executive team reveal the company’s expansion plans through 2015.

14 In FocusA report on Echo Entertainment’s new Sydney hotel, The Darling.

34 CEO Talk8Hotels’ Managing Director Paul Fischmann talks about new properties and the company’s American dreams.

36 General ManagerHM sits down with the General Manager of The Westin Melbourne, Debra Watts.

38 Property ProfilesIn-depth reports on Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort and Spa, Hilton Queenstown and Grand Mercure Melbourne on Flinders Lane.

SPECIAL FEATURES44 Hotel DevelopmentSeveral of Australasia’s leading franchisees talk about branding.

50 Food & BeverageA special report on coffee and coffee systems.

64 Hotel TechnologyJames Wells looks at the latest audio and visual trends for the hotel industry.

68 Hotel TechnologyRoderick Eime speaks to the leading in-room entertainment providers.

70 Hotel TechnologyTed Horner reveals the top hotel technology trends for 2012.

72 Rooms DivisionTo save or spend? That’s the big question for Hoteliers when it comes to bathroom amenities.

78 Human ResourcesA report on the latest trends in the recruitment industry.

NEWS & COLUMNS04 Editor’s LetterWelcome to the issue by Managing Editor James Wilkinson, plus credits.

06 Check-InIn-depth news from hotels across the globe, plus exclusive columns from AAA, NZHC and TAA.

20 PropertyHotel openings, closings, sales, refurbishments and changeof management.

26 Key NewsA special section in HM magazine presented by the Accommodation Association of Australia.

60 Travel ForumWhy Air New Zealand’s new Premium Economy cabin is a game-changer for the airline.

62 Tech ZoneTechnology news for hotels.

77 HOT ProductsA guide to hot products for accommodation properties.

80 Human ResourcesThe latest human resources news for hotels.

81 PeopleProfiles, events and who’s moving where in the hotel industry.

82 The ConciergeThe latest news from the concierge society - Les Clefs d’Or.

GLOBAL REPORT56 New YorkA snapshot of New York’s leading lifestyle and luxury hotels.

p56

Crosby Street Hotel, New York

hotelmanagement.com.au 3

editorial

DISCLAIMERThis publication is published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.Copyright © 2011 - The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd.

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PUBLISHERJames Wells

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EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORSTrish Babu, Steph Busby, Michael Georgeson, Ted Horner, Jennie Langley, Tom Liao, Peter McBrearty, Dean Merlo, Richard Munro, Rodger Powell, Noel Teskey

GRAPHIC DESIGNBen Akhurst

PRODUCTION MANAGERJacqui [email protected]

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Almost every month over the last two years, Fiji has seen record arrivals from Australia. New Zealand has been quite strong as well. Air access has helped – par-ticularly the launch of Jetstar flights from Sydney – as has the increased marketing from Tourism Fiji.

For the people of Fiji, tourism is big business – it now accounts for 34% of the country’s GDP – and without it, the country would struggle in a big way.

It will come as no surprise then that the country’s Prime Minister, Commodore Josaia Voreque ‘Frank’ Bainimarama, recognizes the importance of new tour-ism development in his country, which remains under his control since he took power in December 2006.

When Bainimarama, a man who has been in the headlines for a number of negative reasons over the last five years, turned the soil to mark the start of de-velopment at Wyndham’s WorldMark resort expan-sion in early November, he praised the company for investing further in Fiji.

“The ground breaking ceremony for stage three development of this Wyndham property is an indica-tion of the growth and our confidence in the tourism industry,” he said.

The normally media-shy Bainimarama also used the occasion to reinforce the importance of tourism to the South Pacific nation.

“My government recognises the importance of the tourism industry for the sustained economic growth of Fiji and its ability to create a sustained livelihood,” he said.

HM ran an exclusive video from the Wyndham launch, featuring Bainimarama, the first time the Prime Minister has appeared on TV in the Australian media for several years. While the response was mixed, given the country has been under an enforced rule, many were full of praise

for Bainimarama given his strong focus on ensuring tour-ism remains a vital piece of the Fijian economy.

Talking to Bainimarama, he is by no means a dicta-tor by nature, but someone who truly believes he is doing the right thing for his people. And every Fijian who I’ve spoken to agrees, especially when it comes to tourism in the South Pacific’s friendliest nation.

Right now, with increased investment and a gov-ernment that wants to see more hotels and resorts built, tourism in Fiji can only continue heading in the right direction.

Enjoy this issue and I look forward to hearing your feedback.

Yours in hospitality,

James WilkinsonManaging Editor

Tourism’s vital role in Fiji's future

Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, HM Managing Editor James Wilkinson and Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific CEO Barry Robinson

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Accor teams up with Voyages at Ayers Rock Resort in Australia's Northern Territory

Marriott's SImon F. Cooper on performance across Asia-Pacific

Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama on tourism in Fiji

Pan Pacific's CEO Patrick Imbardelli on growth across the region in 2012

Rydges London's Joanna Carruthers talks about having rooms available for the london 2012 olympics

Carlson's Chairman Marilyn Nelson talks about her stellar career in the hotel industry

The accommodation industry is mourning the pass-ing of visionary and trailblazer Keith Williams, the man responsible for two of Queensland’s leading developments – Hamilton Island and Sea World, at the age of 82.

Williams’ entrepreneurial career spanned more than 40 years, with the man also responsible for Port Hinchinbrook retiring only a couple of years ago in 2008.

Hamilton Island was one project he was incredibly well-known for and owner Bob Oatley said the team was deeply saddened by the passing of a “pioneer”.

“We are just thankful that Keith and his wife Thea were able to visit us recently and spend some final days on the Island he loved,” Oatley said. “It was the first time in more than a decade that he had the opportunity to visit the resort.

“Queensland and Australia are indebted to Keith Williams for his many achievements. He was a true

pioneer and legend and the tourism industry has lost one of its most passionate supporters with his pass-ing. On Hamilton Island we are proud to continue the vision that Keith began so many years ago,” Oatley said.

Williams owned and operated Hamilton Island between 1975 and 1996.

The Oatley family has invested over AUD$300 million since they purchased Hamilton Island which includes the development of luxury resort qualia, the Hamilton Island Yacht Club and Villas and the 18 hole Peter Thomson designed Golf Club on nearby Dent Island.

“When he visited recently, Keith was excited to see all that we had created at Hamilton Island,” Bob Oatley said. “I think he was proud of what we had done to continue his early vision for the Island as a leading tourism destination for Australian and inter-national visitors.”

Four years after a review was launched, AAA Tour-ism has finally announced that changes to the Star Ratings Scheme have been approved by an advisory panel of industry leaders.

“The calibre of the Industry Advisory Panels we engaged to help review and establish the new assess-ment criteria was a huge factor in the success of our four-year Scheme Review and the launch of our new scheme,” said AAA Tourism CEO Peter Blackwell.

“From the Federal Government and Tourism Australia to the TTF, major accommodation chains to independent operators, there has been a ground-swell of support for an official rating scheme that helps address the supply-side issues Australian tour-ism must overcome to compete on the world stage.”

Blackwell added “the old facilities-based model had “failed to keep up with consumer demand and had also led to the development of homogenised, over-rated accommodation product in Australia”.

“Put simply, the quality of Australian accommo-dation product was failing to match international standards, especially from emerging markets such as China,” Blackwell said.

AAA Tourism’s Industry Advisory Panel included representatives from Accor, IHG, Choice, Outrigger, Mantra, TOGA, Best Western, the Oaks Group and Stayz, along with the Accommodation Association of Australia, Tourism Accommodation Australia and Hosted Accommodation Australia.

The partnership with the Federal Government's T-QUAL system was also a key to the program’s on-going success, Blackwell said.

Tourism Accommodation Australia’s Managing Director Rodger Powell said he was confident the new scheme will be welcomed by both the hotel in-dustry and consumers.

“Like with any new scheme, a few wrinkles will need to be ironed out, but I am confident that AAA Tourism will listen to the industry and get it right,” Powell told HM.

“I am supportive of the scheme and we (the TAA) were involved in the industry consultation as were many of our members. The old scheme was fo-cused on facilities, while the new scheme was based around a mass of research, driven by consumers.

“This will return the scheme to be aligned with the Australian and international markets,” he said.

Speaking exclusively to HM, Accommodation Association of Australia CEO Richard Munro said: “Our Association is testing the changes on a live hotel to see the merits of the new system,” he said. “We’re not waiting for feedback… we’re doing first hand testing in conjunction with leading Hoteliers.”

One leading Hotelier, who wished to remain anonymous, is also optimistic that the new scheme will work, but given the length of the review time-frame, remains cautious.

“It would have been great to see this a couple of years ago, but the changes nevertheless are certainly welcome news,” he told HM.

STAR RATINGS MELBOURNE

Thumbs up for Star Ratings rewview

PEOPLE HAMILTON ISLAND

Tributes flow for Keith Williams

AAA Tourism has announced changes to the Star Ratings scheme for hotels across Australia

WORDS JAMES WILKINSON


The most recent data published by the ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) reporting that international visitors were down by as much as 9% in the September quarter and outbound visitors had reached a total of 790,600, was not pleasant reading, unless of course you are an international airline carrying those passengers out of Australia. Primarily, our industry relies on Australian domestic tourism, however, the international guests are important. Tourism Australia (TA) has embarked on an ambitious plan to double the annual expenditure of international tourists from the current AUD$70 billion AUD per year to AUD$140 billion AUD by the year 2020. This target seems quite a stretch given the current economic climate, with the outbound market in traditional source markets such as North America and Europe down considerably on previous years, primarily due to macro economic factors.

I applaud Andrew McEvoy and the TA team embarking on this mission to achieve the goal of AUD$140 billion AUD by 2020, and I congratulate the TA team on not wavering from their goal despite the macro challenges. Our industry must join Andrew McEvoy and TA in achieving their goal by ensuring that our product is internationally competitive, we deliver outstanding service, and we understand the market nuances and cultural differences of each of our international guests. The Association will lobby the government and opposition on your behalf to focus on our key industry challenges – tax, labour and regulatory hurdles.

Since becoming the CEO of the Accommodation Association in July this year, I’ve often been asked by accommodation operators, “Why should I be a member of your association?” It intrigues me that some operators are still not members of any association representing our industry, therefore, missing out on valuable services such as workplace relations advice, is equivalent to not taking up insurance for your business. The other work that is undertaken on your behalf is lobbying to federal, state and sometimes local government on behalf of members. This can only be undertaken if accommodation operators join the Association, otherwise we have no voice and legislation will go ahead without any consultation or consideration for your business.

RICHARD MUNROChief Executive Officer Accommodation Association of Australia

PROPERTIES AYERS ROCK

Accor partners with Voyages at Ayers Rock Resort

Ayers Rock Resort has appointed Accor to help take the iconic resort and tourist attrac-tion to new markets as well as maximising opportunities for Indigenous employment and development.

Under the agreement, Accor will provide a full range of services to complement the day to day operation of the Resort, which is managed by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia.

Accor will particularly concentrate on opening up new markets for the Resort, boosting domestic leisure and conference demand, and working with the Resort to boost career opportunities for Indigenous Australians.

Ayers Rock Resort is the largest integrated resort complex in Australia, consisting of five hotels – Sails in the Desert, Desert Gardens Hotel, Outback Pioneer and Lodge, Emu Walk Apartments, and Lost Camel Hotel.

The hotels will retain their names, but will be aligned to corresponding brands in Accor’s portfolio.

Accor will bring to Ayers Rock Resort one of the world’s most comprehensive sales, marketing and distribution network, a significant presence in the Resort’s tradi-tional markets, and a leading position in key emerging markets such as China and India.

In addition, Ayers Rock Resort will lev-erage Accor’s expertise in Indigenous em-ployment. Accor pioneered Indigenous em-ployment in the Australian hotel industry when it launched its nationwide Indigenous Employment Program in 2001. In the past decade, the company has provided employ-ment opportunities for over 600 Indigenous Australians, providing crucial job training programs.

Announcing the agreement with Accor, Managing Director of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, Koos Klein, said that Ac-

cor would play a key role in re-building and growing Ayers Rock Resort’s market both internationally and within Australia.

“Since the Indigenous Land Corporation purchased Ayers Rock Resort earlier this year we have been looking at a comprehen-sive range of measures to rejuvenate what is one of Australia’s most important tourism assets,” he said.

“We are developing a new vision for the Resort, with new directions, new activities, a program of major refurbishments and up-grades and a far reaching program to involve far greater numbers of Indigenous Austral-ians at the Resort.

“We are committed to investing in the development of Indigenous employment and tourism businesses, which is why a fun-damental aspect of the agreement with Ac-cor is to enable trainees of our National In-digenous Training Academy to further their careers by working in Accor’s extensive hotel network," he said.

Accor Australia Vice President, Simon McGrath, said the partnership with Ayers Rock Resort provided the company with an exceptional opportunity to help advance Australia’s tourism industry.

“Ayers Rock Resort is one of Australia’s greatest tourism assets and a fundamental driver for our inbound industry, so it is es-sential that we reposition the product and attract new markets,” he said.

“Most significantly, however, we have demonstrated our commitment to advanc-ing Indigenous causes through our pioneer-ing Indigenous Employment Program and our Reconciliation Action Plan. We believe that Indigenous Australians should have far greater involvement in the Australian tour-ism and hospitality industries, and Ayers Rock Resort provides the perfect opportu-nity to demonstrate this commitment.”

Accor is partnering with Ayers Rock Resort


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Tourism is the ultimate service industry. Product is important but a tourist’s interactions with staff can determine their overall perception of the hotel and even the destination in general.

There is a shortage of labour available to meet the needs of the tourism industry. The big dollars on offer from the mining industry continue drawing workers away from hospitality, where unsociable hours and a lack of perceived ‘glamour’ means that young Australians are no longer working in our sector.

International students have provided an important labour source to plug some of these gaps, but in recent times these numbers have also been in decline, further reducing the available labour pool.

Australia’s tourism industry must find an alternative source of labour.

The recent changes announced by the Government – extending guest worker schemes, making 457 visas more understandable and allowing young holidaymakers to stay longer – are helpful but are just tinkering around the edges.

Our industry’s problem with a shortage of labour must not be confused with a shortage of skills. The main skill needed in the tourism industry is the ability to smile and discourse positively with a wide range of customers. Tourism has always been a good trainer of employees and will continue to be so.

Immigration is a sensitive issue for our major political parties. TAA is trying to raise awareness of the labour (not skills) shortages in the tourism industry and proposes the introduction of a new temporary work visa to address this ongoing issue. A visa category should be created providing a two-year working rights in the tourism industry. Extensions may be available but the visa will not provide a pathway to permanent migration.

Opportunities exist to open our doors to nearby countries such as the Philippines which have a developed tourism and service culture and are experienced in providing labour for export.

This is not a call for cheap labour. The industry is willing to pay the same local rates to find effective labour from any source. This proposal will not displace Australian jobs because Australians are not applying for the available roles now.

RODGER L. POWELLManaging DirectorTourism Accommodation Australia

The Rendezvous Hospitality Group (RHG) has announced a multi-million dollar initia-tive and rebranding which will revitalise the RHG hotel portfolio.

Under a new structure, Rendezvous Ho-tels and The Marque Hotels will evolve into one Rendezvous brand which, according to the company, “will become synonymous with superior value accommodation offering discerning travellers for business and leisure a unique hospitality experience”.

The introduction of different tiers within the Rendezvous brand will allow the group to target three distinct segments:

• Rendezvous Grand Hotels - the pre-mier hotel offering superior accommo-dation for upscale travellers;

• Rendezvous Hotels - targeting upper-midscale travellers; and

• Rendezvous Studios - the compact ho-tel targeting midscale travellers.

The first hotel in the group to be renamed and relaunched under this new model will be Rendezvous Grand Hotel Singapore in

December, 2011. The Hotel and adjoining retail podium Rendezvous Gallery are com-pleting a SGD$25 million upgrade program by the end of this year.

As part of re-branding exercise, The Marque Sydney and The Marque Brisbane will be renamed Rendezvous Studio Sydney Central and Rendezvous Studio Brisbane on George respectively.

CEO, Eric Teng said this realignment and investment in refurbishment will boost the Group's growth potential by way of devel-opment and strategic alliances.

“We have exciting plans to improve our product and we intend to build on our strengths as a provider of superior, value ac-commodation for business people travelling for work and/or leisure who want a unique hospitality experience,” he said.

Teng said this collection of contemporary and heritage style hotels under the one Ren-dezvous brand signals a long-term commit-ment and intention for growth in key desti-nations throughout the Asia Pacific region.

OPENINGS SYDNEY

Sydney’s revamped casino The Star has celebrated its opening in style with Stevie Wonder performing a set to 800 VIP guests. In a unique moment, Stevie was welcomed on stage by A-list actor and long-time fan Leonardo DiCaprio. Held in the lobby of The Star’s new five-star hotel The Darling, the party was a star studded affair with Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Russell Crowe, Entourage actor Adrian Grenier, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen attending.For more on The Darling’s debut, see pages 36 and 37.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Stevie Wonder at the opening of The Star

COMPANIES SINGAPORE

Major rebranding for Rendezvous Hotels Group

Rendezvous Grand Hotel Singapore


Our past clients have nO reservatiOns

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The 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) is already a distant memory for most people. As we head towards Christmas some are focusing on a good 2012 high season, others are finalising debriefs on an event that has been the centre of so much discussion and planning, for so long.

As an international sporting event the RWC was not only embraced by the thousands of international visitors and at-home match-viewers, but also the many New Zealanders who turned out in their droves to support their adopted team, work long hours as a volunteers, or to welcome new-found friends. For many, this will be their lasting legacy.

For NZHC members the RWC produced mixed results.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and NZHC has been proactive in ensuring that the many lessons learned from this event have been documented and will be shared for future use.

Did the hotels get their pricing strategies right? Feedback from most hoteliers indicates that yes, they did. Did the event produce the anticipated revenues? Certainly ADR and RevPAR results indicate that room yield was up across the country however food and beverage and conferencing revenues were down due to the drop off in normal business during the period.

The hotel sector, together with other tourism and business operators, is heading towards the high season with some reserve. The traditional UK/Europe markets have not returned to pre GFC levels, nor are they likely to anytime soon. The Australian market remains soft, particularly while there are such good-value deals on offer and its dollar remains strong.

On paper and from overwhelmingly good feedback, RWC legacy opportunities should be significant, but as yet they are unknown. However, six weeks of global media exposure must go some way to improving the overall state of the tourism/hospitality sector.

Would hoteliers welcome another major event in the future? Yes, of course they would, and the lessons learned from RWC 2011 will certainly put the sector in good stead to maximise the opportunities any future events might offer.

JENNIE LANGLEYIndependent ChairNew Zealand Hotel Council

The grounding of the Qantas fleet on Oc-tober 29 had a sig-nificant impact on the hotel industry across the country, according to industry body the Accommodation As-sociation of Australia.

“Estimates are the cost of the dispute to our industry is in the vicinity of AUD$10 million, which has come about from cancelled rooms, can-celled conferences and group businesses, and pre-existing staff rostering commit-ments – whereby staff still had to be paid despite having shifts cancelled,” said Ac-

commodation Asso-ciation of Australia CEO Richard Munro.

“It goes without saying that what’s happened highlights the high dependence that tourism accom-modation businesses have on aviation ac-

cess and Qantas as the largest Australian-based carrier.

“The accommodation industry hopes such a scenario never happens again. An environment where there are ongoing in-dustrial issues is not conducive for busi-nesses to maximise productivity.”

Average achieved room rates and room rev-enues in Auckland hotels in the three weeks ending October 23, 2011, the day of the Rugby World Cup (RWC) final, rose by 140% compared to the same period in October 2010 according to data released from STR Global.

This result, coupled with a strong impact on September 2011 trading from the Rugby World Cup, should allow Auckland (and similarly Wellington) hotels to experience a substantial uplift in annual revenues and profitability in 2011, according to research and analysis by Horwath HTL Ltd.

STR Global data shows that for the three weeks ending October 23, 2011 including the last round of pool play, quarter and semi fi-nals and final at the Rugby World Cup, Auck-land hotels achieved an average room rate of NZD$348 excluding GST and room occupan-cy of 82% which was 6 occupancy points up on the same period in October 2010. Room revenue in Auckland hotels rose by 160% on 2010 according to STR Global daily data.

Average room occupancy and daily room rate were understandably highest in the weekends of the semi finals and final, with occupancy averaging 98% each Friday, Sat-urday and Sunday, which was up 25% to 40% on 2010.

Weekday hotel occupancies in October 2011 were below that in 2010 due to less corporate travel, conferences and overseas group tours according to market research by Horwath.

Auckland hotels benefitted from the first three weeks of the Rugby World Cup in Sep-tember 2011 when seven games were played

at the Eden Park and North Harbour stadi-ums. Room revenue according to STR Global data was up 75% compared to the same pe-riod in 2010. This was due mainly to a 70% increase in average room rate which more than compensated for lower week day oc-cupancies during the rugby tournament. Oc-cupancy for the whole month of September 2011was 74%, only slightly up on 2010.

Wellington hosted two quarter final and six pool games during the Rugby World Cup. Four were played in September and helped increase both the average room rate and room revenue of Wellington hotels by 40% com-pared to September 2010. For the first three weeks ending October 23, 2011, the average room rate and room revenue rose 70% on Oc-tober 2010, despite occupancy since the quar-ter finals on 9 and 10 October being down approximately 20% on October 2010. Despite the Rugby World Cup visitor inflows, overall occupancy in Wellington hotels in September 2011 was only slightly up on 2010. Occupancy for the three weeks ending October 23, 2011 rose by five occupancy points compared to the same period in 2010 according to STR Global.

SPORTING EVENTS AUCKLAND

Room rates rise significantly during Rugby World Cup

AIRLINES SYDNEY

Qantas impact tops $10 million

Rugby impact: The Langham, Auckland

The Qantas grounding had a significant impact on hotels


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Accor Hotels has announced the launch of Earth Guest Research, a platform for sharing knowledge on social and environmental is-sues relating to the hotel industry. The goal of sharing the research is to help advance the tourism industry’s efforts in this area by making sustainable development surveys and methodologies available to all industry op-erators, as well as to the general public.

To identify effective improvement driv-ers and enhance support from guests, Accor initiated the survey by finding out exactly what their concerns and expectations are with regard to the environment and sustain-able development. As a result, the first Earth

Guest Research publication is dedicated to this topic.

“With 4,200 hotels worldwide and our pioneering experience in sustainable devel-opment, our role is to drive change and lead the tourism industry in this field,” said Accor Chairman and CEO, Denis Hennequin. “I strongly believe that sharing our knowledge will enable us to advance, and that we need to leverage sustainable development concerns to develop new, more sustainable products and services that will eventually lead to a whole new approach to the hotel experience.”

The survey of hotel guests’ sustainable de-velopment-related expectations was carried

out by French market research institute IFOP in six countries – Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany and the United Kingdom – from August 9 to 30, 2011. Representative of hotel users in each country, the sample groups comprised nearly 7,000 respondents who had spent at least one night in a hotel in the pre-vious 12 months, including a cross-section of hotel types (chain, independent, etc.) and seg-ments (budget, economy, midscale, upscale and luxury). The strategy also calls for extend-ing the tracking study to other countries and renewing it on a regular basis to identify any changes in consumer expectations.

“While some of these findings need to be interpreted with caution, they nonetheless reflect a new awareness of sustainable de-velopment issues and, more importantly, the emergence of new behaviors,” said Accor’s Executive Vice President, Organisation and Sustainable Development, Sophie Flak. “As a leading hotel operator, it’s our job to deploy innovative solutions that minimise the impact of each stay no matter how responsibly our guests behave, while offering them the oppor-tunity to play an active role if they wish. We believe that sustainable development will drive continuous improvement across the board by creating offers and practices that are efficient, safe and environmentally friendly. Our goal is to reinvent hotels… sustainably.”

The survey is available at www.accor.com

The first ever edition of Time Out Melbourne magazine has gone on sale, offering locals and visitors alike the ultimate guide to the city’s best bars, cafes, restaurants, shows, ex-hibitions and much more on a monthly basis.

The inaugural cover story is a celebration of the city’s vibrant bar culture and singles out the bars within which no self-respecting Melbournian should fail to raise a glass, from perfect summer rooftop bars to hidden drink-ing dens.

“And by ‘hidden’ I don’t mean those laneways every other guide tells you about, which are about as hidden as a flashy free-pour rosetta,” says editor Jenny Valentish, former editor of triple j magazine and whose CV also includes The Age, Cosmopolitan, SMH and Frankie.

“Time Out and Melbourne is one of those ‘meant to be’ couplings,” Valentish adds. “Melbourne’s unstoppable music scene, its art and theatre, its world-class restaurants, insanely creative cafes, and a comedy scene that’s the envy of the nation: these are all right in our wheelhouse. Time Out’s always been about discovering and celebrating the

best and boldest in each city, and Melbourne has plenty for us to get our teeth into.”

“Our goal from day one has been to put a magazine into Melbourne,” says Time Out Australia Managing Director Justin Ether-

idge. “We’re starting with a monthly maga-zine, weekly newsletter, daily tweets with website and a free app updated hourly. And all written by locals, for locals.”

“From a national perspective this makes us a very effective proposition for our adver-tisers: we can offer regional campaigns tar-geted to the city in question, or run national campaigns across city-specific websites and over 50,000 magazines per month in Aus-tralia’s two largest markets,” says Etheridge. “The launch of Time Out Melbourne maga-zine is another significant step in our national expansion.”

It’s been 12 months of enormous growth for Time Out in Australia with the launch of websites in Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne, a major upgrade of Sydney’s busy site as well as iPhone apps in Melbourne and Sydney and increasing numbers of events in Sydney.A selected number of Time Out Melbourne magazines are available for hotels to stock in rooms on a monthly basis. For more information, contact Angus Fontaine at [email protected]

MAGAZINES MELBOURNE

Time Out Melbourne magazine hits the streets

ENVIRONMENT PARIS

Accor releases Earth Guest Research

Accor has a major focus on the environment


Aloft brand surpasses milestone 50th openingThe opening of Aloft Bangkok – Sukhumvit 11, Aloft New York Brooklyn, Aloft Zhengzhou Shangjie and Aloft Haiyang in China and of Aloft Coimbatore Singanallur in India marks a major milestone, bringing us to 50+ hotels around the world!

Aloft is the sizzling “style-at-a-steal” brand that rocked the hotel industry when it launched in 2008. Designed to appeal to the digital generation, Aloft represents modern, vibrant design at an affordable price point.

Join Starwood’s growth in the Pacific today. Contact [email protected] to learn how you can own, develop or invest in the Aloft phenomenon.

starwoodhotels.com/development

©2011 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Four Points, Element, Aloft and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.

Shangri-La is currently expanding across the globe – what’s in the pipeline and what expansion goals are in place by 2015? Having established Shangri-La Hotels in Asia in the past 40 years, there is a need now to bring the group and its style of hospitality into Europe and beyond, for example, to create a global brand presence.

At the same time we continue to cement our position in China and Asia with over 20 projects in development. The mid- to long-term expansion strategy is to enter different markets to accommodate the increasing outbound traffic from China and Asia to the West.

Based on our current development pipeline the company will reach 100 hotels within the next few years, up from currently 72 within three distinctive brands: Shangri-La (47 hotels, 10 resorts) as the luxury brand, Traders (13) as the mid-market brand and Kerry Hotels (two) as the freestanding contemporary brand.

Do you believe the luxury segment will continue to provide strong development opportunities, or is there also a lot of potential in the upper upscale segment for your Kerry and Traders brands? We feel optimistic about the prospects in Asia, particularly in South-east Asia and China. In general, the business pick up is solid and shows a healthy sign of growth in all geographical markets and seg-ments. High-end leisure travel is growing and tends to be more theme oriented. Tailor made tours such as family vacation, golf trips or special events group are extremely popular in the Chinese market.

MICE is another segment showing strong growth with China as the leading destination followed by the South East Asian countries which is good potential for our Kerry and Traders brands.

How is Kerry Hotels coming along and how is your new lifestyle brand different to what many other chains are offering? We just announced our second Kerry hotel in Beijing this November following the launch at Kerry Hotel, Pudong, Shanghai in February ear-lier this year. The way we see the brand is that Kerry Hotels are the next generation of luxury hotels. They are vibrant, unpretentious and flex-ible. Today’s traveller wants to engage all senses whether at work or at

play. Kerry Hotels have a fresh and energetic vibe and offer some unexpected touches that fuel creativity yet allow time to recharge and

relax. Service is less bound by protocol but is enthusiastic and intuitive. The hotels are integrated with the surrounding environment in

multi-purpose complexes with extensive sports and wellness facilities and trend setting Food and Beverage concepts. They cater to the busi-ness and leisure traveller who is looking for a quality five star hotel that focuses on their individual lifestyle needs.

Shangri-La has three properties in the Australasia region – Syd-ney, Cairns and Fiji – but it’s well known the company has long had a desire to increase its presence down under. Where would you like additional hotels? Shangri-La is committed to expanding and becoming a stronger force on the international hotel scene. However, the group won’t expand for the sake of expansion and will only acquire or manage a new project where it makes financial sense and “fits” into the company’s strategic development plan. Our development philosophy is to select locations which will allow us to showcase the brand in markets with high poten-tial for Shangri-La guests.

Would Shangri-La consider acquiring properties alongside sign-ing management deals? Traditionally, the group owns, builds and operates its hotels and principally will continue to do so in future; out of 72 hotels, 18 are currently under management contract. Shangri-La will consider partners who share the same company values for opportunities in strategic locations that fit well into the overall portfolio and brand expansion plans.

Still on development and China is driving your brand growth at present. How much more potential is there in China? China has been our key feeder market for years and is considered one of the fastest growing economies in the world today. With a popula-tion of 1.3 billion, China has enormous potential for both domestic and international travel. Over the past few years we have seen a tre-mendous increase in travel within China’s regions. In addition, on the

SHANGRI-LA’SDEVELOPMENT DYNASTY

SHANGRI-LA’S ExPANSION IS AS STRONG AS IT HAS EVER BEEN, WITH THE GROUP OPENING UP HOTELS ACROSS THE GLOBE, PARTICULARLY ASIA-PACIFIC, AT A RECORD PACE. TO FIND OUT WHAT’S PLANNED AND WHAT GOALS ARE IN PLACE BETWEEN NOW AND 2015, HM SPEAKS ExCLUSIVELY TO THE ExECUTIVE TEAM AT SHAngrI-LA HoTeLS AnD reSorTS.


hMQ&A

heels of high profile events such as the Olympic Games and the Shang-hai Expo with the resulting improved infrastructure, China has become a magnet for foreign travellers, both business and leisure. This trend is anticipated to continue for the foreseeable future along with increased accessibility to new regions in mainland China.

Demand for hotels in China is consequently on the rise both for domestic and international travellers. Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts was one of the first hotel brands to enter China and our plan is to increase the number of hotels in China in the next few years. Most of these projects are in secondary and tertiary cities such as Nanjing, Ji-nan, Nanchang, Lhasa, Diqing, Sanya and Qufu. In some cities, we are investing in second properties such as Shenyang, Harbin and Dalian. Shangri-La is without doubt one of the most established hotel brands in China which allows us to progress at a controllable and manageable rate and to draw on our resources in the country.

What are the major challenges to growth in China? How much of a factor is recruitment and training and what other issues are hampering growth? In comparison with other hotel operators entering the Chinese mar-ket, Shangri-La has a long history of being an established and recog-nized brand in China with a very strong base in all primary cities and a solid development pipeline for additional locations in mainland China.

With the expansion of western brands into China and Asia hiring and retaining the right employees is becoming ever more important as other hotel groups aim for the same markets and employee base. Industry-wide we see a shortage of qualified talent to support the ex-pansion plans around the world.

The only way to balance this is to invest time and effort into train-ing and developing the right staff and build employee loyalty to the brand.

Shangri-La is without doubt one of the most established hotel

Shangri-La Hotel Sydney is a popular property in the company’s portfolio

BELOW: The Shanghai Suite Living Room in the Grand Tower of the Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai

brands in China which allows us to progress at a controllable and manageable rate and to draw on our resources in the country

How sustainable are new properties that are being built, both in China and globally for Shangri-La? Operating a company with recognized values has become a point of competitive advantage as well as an increasingly important interna-tional standard. Corporate responsibility enhances brand quality, at-tracts the best people and builds trust with stakeholders.

For our new and existing hotels we are now incorporating sustainabili-ty and environmental sensitivity as a minimum standard into all aspects of design and planning, from site selection all the way through to operations.

What commitment does the company have to making the existing properties more sustainable? Shangri-La shares the global “green” concerns and CSR is no longer just about doing good; rather, it is about good business practices. Cli-mate change, social justice and human rights are pressing issues that confront businesses today. Shangri-La released its first sustainability re-port in May 2011 outlining the company’s progress in the areas of envi-ronment, health and safety, employees, supply chain and stakeholder re-lations. The report will be issued every two years to track improvements in its CSR programmes.

Titled ‘Enhance, Enrich, Embrace’, the report shows Shangri-La’s commitment to environmental protection and resource management, a focus on social development through investments made in the wel-fare of colleagues and business partners and ShangriLa’s Care for Peo-ple Project committing each hotel to education and health projects in local children’s organisations over a minimum of five years.

Alongside staying in sustainable hotels what else does the Shan-gri-La guest ultimately want? We know internet access is a im-portant factor… First and foremost our strategy is to listen to our guests and adapt our operation if and when needed. In 2009, for example, Shangri-La was the only major brand that decided to offer complimentary broadband internet access throughout all hotels to all guests. This move resulted from customer feedback who, during leaner times, felt that this service should be inclusive in hotel stays. Additionally, a year ago we adapted the original Golden Circle Loyalty programme to now offer rewards in addition to recognition to all our 1.7 million members, regardless of whether they are just coming in for dinner with friends, enjoying a spa treatment or staying on business or holiday. Again, the change was based on customer feedback and demand.

What are you forecasting for 2012 and which markets are showing the most potential? Currently our top three growth markets are China, USA and Aus-tralia. China has been our key feeder market for years but India is now clearly showing substantial promise with enormous potential for domestic tourism in addition to ever increasing outbound busi-ness and leisure travel.

Last but not least, Shangri-La has been very active in the social media world over the last two years. What kind of in-roads has the company made and what level of response have you seen with engagement and bookings? Shangri-La launched its social media activities in June 2010 and we have seen an astonishing growth in that medium. This is a sign for us that our guests like to interact with us on a daily basis and are keen to hear from us. Social media is an invaluable tool to take the pulse of your customer base and to find out ways to improve services, promo-tions, products and so on. It also serves as a tool to bring the ‘Shan-gri-La Hospitality from the heart’ directly to our social media friends whether they are currently staying with us or not.


WORDS JAMES WILKINSON

SYDNEY’S ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEx THE STAR HAS GONE THROUGH A RAFT OF CHANGES OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS

– A NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM, NAME AND FINALLY, THE DEBUT OF A LONG-AWAITED NEW PROPERTY, THe DArLIng HoTeL AnD SPA. HM CHECKS-IN.

THE DARLING’SSTARRING ROLE

Sydney’s luxury hotel drought is over thanks to the opening of The Darling Hotel and Spa at The Star, the former

Star City casino that’s undergone a AUD$870 million transformation.

More than three years in the making, The Darling is the first 5-star hotel to open in Sydney’s CBD since the 2000 Olympic Games and is the showpiece of the casino’s makeover alongside the addition of world-class restaurants.

“Sydney epitomises Australia’s exuberant spirit, with a vibrant cityscape and iconic ar-chitecture,” said The Star’s Managing Direc-tor, Sid Vaikunta. “We felt it had the perfect backdrop for our innovative building.

“The Darling is light hearted and looks to speak to business and leisure travellers who are location orientated and looking for some-thing different to chain hotels,” he said.

At 171 rooms and suites, The Darling is a mix between boutique and lifestyle – it’s big-ger than your standard boutique hotel, yet carries a lot of the hallmarks you’d get in a designer hotel of its quality.

Alongside the 57 elegantly appointed suites, The Darling also features Sokyo, a con-temporary Japanese restaurant and bar that’s located off the lobby and designed by Syd-neysider Paul Kelly, an adults-only pool deck featuring high-end cocktails and exemplary service all day long, a luxury 16 room day spa and the latest in-room technology.

The Darling’s General Manager Drew Schlesinger, a veteran of the boutique hotel scene in his home country the United States, said the property was truly highlighted by its numerous unique design aspects.

“The architecture and design of The Darling is refined with subdued hues, yet the ambi-

Design-driven: the exterior of The Darling

iNFocus


ance is warm and inviting and there’s certainly nothing modest about our plush comforts,” he said. “Our guests will experience a one of-a-kind mix of an entertainment destination, a re-laxed urban culture, a contemporary design, all overlooking the spectacular Sydney skyline.”

The Darling is led from the top – the prop-erty’s five Penthouses are positioned in the premium apex of the hotel tower and feature two bedrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Sydney Harbour, bespoke furniture, a butler service and exclusive VIP arrival.

The five Penthouses were designed by Los Angeles-based designer Laurence Lee, while the fit-out as done by leading Austral-ian firm ISIS.

“At The Darling hotel we did the fit out of the signature suites on levels 11 and 12 to a Luxury standard not seen in any other hotel

in Sydney,” ISIS Group Australia’s National Executive - Hotels and Leisure, Brett Patter-son, told HM.

Below the Penthouses are nine Stellar Suites, eight Adored Suites (at 115m2), 35 Jewel Suites and 113 Darling Rooms.

All feature the latest in-room technology, offering guests a number of systems yet to be seen in Australia, including the Control4 sys-tem which mean guests can operate practi-cally everything in the room – from lowering the blinds to adjusting the temperature and controlling the televisions.

All of the suites in The Darling also fea-ture a ‘leaving room’ function, which means when a guest leaves, the system automati-cally places the room in an energy saving mode, including opening and closing blinds, lowering the air conditioning and turning off

The Jewel Suites feature 46-inch LED Samsung TVs

The Spa at The Darling

Adored Suite living area

lights. If a guest doesn’t activate the leaving function when they depart the room, then within 30 minutes it will automatically switch on, while upon a guests’ return, the room will switch back to exactly the same settings that were on previously.

Each room also features high definition Samsung LED 46-inch TVs with on demand entertainment through the iBahn system, along with media hubs, iPod docks, wireless internet and telephone systems with confer-ence call and speaker capabilities.

Alongside the latest technology in rooms, The Darling has also im-plemented a series of energy-saving measures to ensure the hotel is as sustainable as possible.

Schlesinger said The Darling is committed to energy saving meas-ures and is on track to become the first Sydney hotel to obtain a level four rating from the National Australian Building Environmental Rating Sys-tem (NABERS).

He said some of the energy ef-ficient measures included the build-ing’s glass façade that provides extensive natural light, the thou-sands of energy-saving LED lights throughout the property, and lou-vers and windows that open in the atrium allowing natural ventilation in rooms and public spaces. As part of The Star complex, The Dar-ling also has an integrated seawa-ter cooling system and a rainwater plant that can hold up to 475,000 litres of rainwater.

The design, highlighted by the ho-tel’s exterior – a combination of glass and sandstone – embraces Pyrmont, the suburb where the hotel is located, and the area’s history having been a quarry for a number of years.

Cox Richardson Architects were commis-sioned by The Star to create a contemporary hotel within the entertainment complex, while local interior designers DBI were re-sponsible for the rooms, spa and lobby. Lau-rence Lee’s rooms rounded out the building and its one that is sure to sweep numerous design awards across the globe.

The lobby is highlighted by the artwork and in particular the ten-metre-long rugs created by fashionable Australian designer Akira Isogawa.

Off the lobby is Sokyo, a contemporary Japanese restaurant that’s under the watchful eye of former Nobu chef Chase Kojima and designed by Paul Kelly from Paul Kelly Design.

Then there’s the spa, which at 16 rooms is one of the city’s biggest and is highlighted by the array of Asian and European inspired treatments featuring an Indigenous range of products from LI’TYA.

Paul, tell us about your work at The Star and why your projects have been so unique?We have been working over the past 18 months on three outlets at The Star – Black by Ezard, Sokyo and Antidote. The projects are very intelligent food and beverage spaces that have required a lot of knowledge and research, as these are to be pitched internationally. The projects have required us to delve deeply into the core of what an international contemporary restaurant space should be and mainly what customers in 2012 want to get from a space.

What was the client after and what level of design scope were you given?We had detailed briefings from the clients, specifically Victor Tiffany and Mike Henry, and these briefings included the feature chefs and a complete story was put to us on what the business as a whole wanted from the space, especially in regard to budget, which was generous but not excessive. It was clear from the first meeting with the clients that these spaces were to be very special and were to be successful, not only financially, but in breaking new ground in every aspect of operational business placement for the Australian marketplace.

What are some of the highlights of the projects?All of the projects have areas that ‘sing or pop’, as this is the way to create these journeys through the spaces. Black by Ezard has a two-tonne log high table from a farm in Northern NSW that had been sitting in the paddock for 20 years. We found it, cleaned it up and sculptured it with a chainsaw so we could use it in the restaurant. It’s an awesome piece and in fact, I had a meal on it last night with some friends. Black by Ezard also features a circular 5000-bottle refrigerated wine display housing

one of the largest selections of American wines in the country. Sokyo has quite a feature in the sunken dining area, with seven kilometres of black rope suspended from the ceiling, alongside ten-metre-long pictures of Japanese Anime dolls that are fixed to the ceilings over the bar and the private rooms.

What has the experience been like being part of such a major project as The Star?It has been a whirlwind of an experience and something that we have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of. There is without doubt a huge amount of pressure working on these influential spaces, as you only get one chance to make them right and the general public are very interested in what has been created. We look forward to undertaking more work with (owners) Echo Entertainment in the future as we have a great company team and very tight systems that allow us to complete this high quality work continually.

Tell us about your aspirations in design… would you consider designing a hotel in its entirety?We have a philosophy here that is based on the success of a venue, and the continual success of that space of which design is one of the key elements. But we are also getting heavily involved in the remainder of projects, on areas like food direction, operational intelligence, marketing, construction methodologies and entertainment concepts. We are finding by getting into the depth of these complimentary associations, our projects are becoming better businesses, and our customer-end product is able to compete on the international stage. As far as designing a hotel, we are probably a little way off that, as we go so deeply into our spaces that the team size for a project of that nature would be larger than our current core team, but it does seem to be where our future lies.

HM gets the low-down on restaurant design at The Darling and The Star by Sydneysider Paul Kelly of Paul Kelly Design.

DESIGN FILE:PAUL KELLY

Paul Kelly from Paul Kelly Design

Sokyo (and above) was designed by Sydneysider Paul Kelly

iNFocus


+61 2 9660 8299 paulkellydesign.com.auContact

Sokyo.At The Star, Paul Kelly Design has createdone of the world’s most evocative dining experiences.Welcome to Sokyo — Sydney’s premier destination.

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PRoPeRTy

Andrew, Starwood appears to be making good in-roads with the Luxury Collection brand into Australia. Are you close to an-nouncing a deal?We see enormous potential for Luxury Col-lection in Australia given there are a number of unique and iconic hotels and resorts across Australia. Since they are independently owned and managed, we are looking to part-ner with the owners who share our passion for luxury and the highest levels of guest service. The luxury accommodation market in Australia is alive, but it would be naïve to suggest that they wouldn’t love to be selling more room nights at the highest room rates. We think this can be achieved in many cases by these properties being a part of something bigger in the marketing and distribution sense. We are confident that this model can deliver real deal flow with details to be an-nounced soon.

What level of demand are you seeing with properties wanting to brand under the Luxury Collection banner? Starwood considered the best way to get traction with Luxury Collection and we felt that it suited the franchise model, where an owner plugs in to the Starwood sales and distribution system as a part of the Star-wood family, but effectively retains their own identity. The response has been simply over-

whelming… we knew that it made sense giv-en Starwood is a market leader in the luxury hotel space in Australia and that our brands are so well known.

On the other side of the spectrum, Aloft is also a major focus for Starwood. What plans are in place to bring the brand to Australia?Given the challenges of making hotel devel-opments “stack up”, Starwood believes that the select service space in Australia holds the key to our growth. Starwood has had meet-ings with a range of land owners, develop-ers and investors from across the country in recent months. The reaction to aloft has been fabulous so we think it is a matter of time before the first deal is signed. We are look-ing at a national roll-out plan – key cities and strategic regional locations where demand is quickly outstripping supply. Once we have a couple up in Australia, then we will also move our attention to New Zealand where we ex-pect the concept would also get traction.

Two new Sheratons are under construc-tion locally (in New Caledonia and in Melbourne). Are you seeing demand pick-up for Sheraton on the back of increased success across Asia?The Sheraton Melbourne has demonstrated the future of the brand in Australia with a clever design and modest building footprint.

Being part of a mixed use development with residential apartments above the hotel, there is no doubt that the Sheraton brand has pro-vided a ‘halo effect’ and added value to the entire project. Sheraton New Caledonia is a very exciting project and along with the last-ing success of our Fiji properties, this property will cement Starwood’s position as the num-ber one resort operator in the Pacific region.

With new-build opportunities few and far between, what level of interest is in the market at present for re-brandings and conversions?Starwood is active across all fronts – we are not leaving anything to chance and the mo-mentum on deals is gathering pace. We are in discussions on a number of conversions in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Adelaide including with our Four Points by Sheraton brand. The Four Points brand has signifi-cant opportunity for growth in Australia in the mid-market space where there is a large number of either independently managed or poor performing hotels.

Outrigger Hotels and Resorts has announced it had purchased the management rights and associated real estate assets of the hotel prop-erty currently operating as the Holiday Inn Surfers Paradise.

The sale includes the management rights from Colryan Pty Ltd (managers and receiv-ers appointed) for up to 414 hotel rooms and the real estate assets from Seasilver Hotels Pty Ltd comprising reception, extensive con-ferencing areas, and restaurant and bar.

The contract is subject to the satisfaction of standard commercial conditions. However, it

is expected to settle in late 2011 or early 2012 and the property will then be re-branded to Outrigger Surfers Paradise.

Outrigger’s Regional General Manager - Australia, Grant James, said he was extremely confident in the future of the Gold Coast’s tourism industry.

“The Gold Coast has fared much better than other regions in Queensland which can be evidenced by our other Gold Coast resort at Coolangatta eclipsing revenue and occupancy forecasts for the 2011/2012 period,” James said.

The addition of Outrigger Surfers Paradise boosts the company portfolio to four in Aus-tralia, which numbers close to 1,000 rooms, and almost 11,200 rooms internationally.

DEVELOPMENT SYDNEY

Starwood targets Luxury

MANAGEMENT SURFERS PARADISE

Outrigger to run Holiday Inn Surfers Paradise

Starwood is targeting stand-alone properties for its Luxury Collection brand and the top segment continues to bounce back globally. In an exclusive interview with HM, Starwood’s Director of Acquisitions and Development – Pacific Region, Andrew Taylor, talks about the Luxury Collection and opportunities for Aloft at the other end of the brand spectrum.

Starwood’s Andrew Taylor

EXCLUSIVE JAMES WILKINSON

Rebrand imminent: Holiday Inn Surfers Paradise is joining Outrigger


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The Fijian Prime Minister, Commodore Josaia Voreque ‘Frank’ Bainimarama, has officially launched Wyndham’s FJD$49 million expan-sion of the company’s WorldMark Resort on Denarau Island, saying the development is significant for tourism growth in the country.

Bainimarama, who turned the soil to com-mence construction of over 60 new rooms on the beachfront site on Denarau Island last month (Nov 4), said developments such as Wyndham’s expansion were important for the growth of Fijian tourism, which now ac-counts for 34% of the country’s GDP.

“My government recognises the impor-tance of the tourism industry for the sus-tained economic growth of Fiji and its ability to create a sustained livelihood,” he said.

“The ground breaking ceremony for the stage three development of this Wyndham property is an indication of the growth and our confidence in the tourism industry.”

Bainimarama said when the FJD$49 mil-lion development was completed, the prop-erty would offer “improved services, in-creased room inventory and give the entire property a facelift”.

The extensive renovation of Wyndham’s popular Fijian property, which attracts 36,000 guests annually, includes the construction of 63 new spacious rooms, ranging from one- and two-bedroom deluxe apartments to presidential villas featuring plunge pools overlooking the beach.

“This will provide another boost to the (tour-ism) industry as a whole,” Bainimarama said.

Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific Managing Director, Barry Robinson, said de-veloping stage three of the property was sig-

nificant for both the WorldMark Resort and the company as a whole.

“This is the largest project under construc-tion in Fiji (and) our commitment to provid-ing first-class accommodations and facilities to WorldMark South Pacific Club by Wyndham owners and guests is reflected in this signifi-cant redevelopment of this property, which was purchased in 1998 and the first in our portfolio that now encompasses 23 resorts throughout the Asia Pacific region,” he said.

Robinson said the new rooms are based on the design concepts of Australian architects Guymer Bailey, while the design, construc-tion, architecture and fit-out was undertaken by Fijian company Architects Pacific under the direction of Fijian construction company Pacific Building Solutions (PBS).

“We are pleased to partner with Fijian construction company PBS on the project to expand WorldMark Resort Denarau Island,” he said.

The original WorldMark Resort was constructed in the late 1990s and while the rooms have been upgraded since then, the new wing, due to be finished in mid-2013, will help set a new benchmark for Wyndham properties across the Asia-Pacific region.

Alongside the new wing, a number of changes will also be made to the existing prop-erty, including a new pool with a swim up bar, a new poolside café, a new reception and lob-by and the construction of a new restaurant.

“With the new development, I anticipate WorldMark Resort Denarau Island to become our jewel in the crown,” Robinson said.

To view an exclusive video, visit www.hotelmanagement.com.au

DEVELOPMENTS FIJI

Fijian PM Frank Bainimarama launches WorldMark upgrade

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EXCLUSIVE JAMES WILKINSON IN NADI, FIJI

Fijian Prime Minister, Commodore Josaia Voreque ‘Frank’ Bainimarama (far right) launches WorldMark Resort Denarau Island’s stage three development


PRoPeRTy

Accor has added two more properties to its fast growing Mercure resort network over the last three months in Yeppoon (QLD) and Gerringong (NSW).

In Yeppoon on Queensland’s Capricorn Resort, Accor has signed a management con-tract with major Japanese transportation, tour-ism and hotel investment company Iwasaki Sangyo to manage an existing 281-room resort.

Mercure Capricorn Resort Yeppoon is a short 30 minute ferry ride from Great Keppel Island located off the coast of Yeppoon and 40 kilometres from Rockhampton airport.

The property’s extensive facilities include four restaurants and bars, eight conference and meeting spaces, and a swimming pool and spa. Two golf courses, including a Championship

golf course voted in Australia’s top 100 courses, are located on the property for the convenience of guests, along with many other sports facilities.

Accor’s Vice President for Australia, Si-mon McGrath, says the Mercure name will bring global branding to the hotel.

“Accor’s appointment is testament to Iwasaki Sangyo’s commitment to maximise the potential of the existing Capricorn Resort Yeppoon,” he says.

“Their desire to expand the performance and profile of the resort, particularly in conference and domestic leisure sectors, is a key motivating factor behind the Group engaging Accor.”

Down south, Accor ended weeks of spec-ulation in October by confirming it would re-brand the former Bellachara Hotel on the

New South Wales South Coast to Mercure Resort Gerringong by the Sea.

“The hotel’s intimate size gives it a genu-ine boutique feel, which makes it ideal for couples,” said Mercure Resort Gerringong by the Sea Hotel Manager Michael Eggers. “We have one of the South Coast’s best day spas and a restaurant that showcases the finest South Coast local produce.

“The nearby beaches offer golden sands and safe swimming without the crowds nor-mally associated with such beautiful spots. Alternatively, we have two swimming pools, including an adults-only pool, around which guests can relax and enjoy a cocktail.”

The hotel is one of the South Coast’s most popular wedding and honeymoon venues, offering a complete service for brides-to-be. Families are also well catered for with a Kids Club operational during school holidays and a child-friendly pool.

“Having worked on the NSW South Coast for a number of years, I think the region is relatively unsung,” said Eggers. “What makes it so special is that it offers a remarkable di-versity of attractions. Within a short drive you can have completely different coastal, forest, mountain and rural experiences.”

The hotel’s rooms feature contemporary décor including chocolate leather lounges, plasma TVs, PlayStation2 systems, super comfortable beds and stylish bathrooms, some with spa baths.

REFURBISHMENTS SYDNEY

TAA says refurbishments are good news

DEVELOPMENT SYDNEY

Accor adds Mercure Resorts

Massive upgrades worth hundreds of millions of dollars at Sydney’s top hotels will make 2012 one of the best performance years for the accommodation industry since the Syd-ney Olympics, says the TAA.

Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) Director Carol Giuseppi says major hotels were leading the way in a revitalisation of the entire industry with refurbishments and redevelop-ments recently completed at more than half a dozen iconic landmarks across Greater Sydney.

“We have seen major investment in the industry over the last year and that is set to pay dividends in the future,” Giuseppi says.

Giuseppi says the extensive period of up-grades and renovations – largely in the CBD –had cemented Sydney’s place on the travel itin-eraries of the world’s most discerning travellers.

“The AUD$60 million transformation of the Park Hyatt Sydney has set a new bench-mark for luxury with three new roof-top suites featuring panoramic views of the Op-era House and Harbour Bridge,” she says

“At the Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, AUD$20 million has been invested refurbish-ing 477 guestrooms and adding that extra 'wow' factor.

“The bar has also been raised at the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney where the final stage of a two-year hotel refurbishment has seen the unveiling of four new signature suites including the Presidential and Deluxe Royal.

“Not to be outdone, the Marriott Sydney has also conducted a major refurbishment of its rooms while the Grace Hotel has also re-cently refurbished levels five and six with its signature ‘Neo King’ room range.

“Parkroyal Parramatta has a beautifully refurbished lobby, a new bar and extensive work done on 196 rooms.

“The re-development of Cafe Opera at the Intercontinental Sydney has added a whole new element of style at that venue.

“Swissôtel Sydney is also set to transform its conference and event facilities, restaurant, bar and executive lounge in the first half of 2012 as part of a major refurbishment.”

Giuseppi says the $870 million transfor-mation of Star City, of which accommodation is a significant component, into ‘The Star’ would also help revitalise the industry.

“Sydney’s top hotels are newly refur-bished, renovated and ready for business.”

The Royal Suite at the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

The pool at Mercure Capricorn Resort Yeppoon




phone: +61 2 9906 2202 | fax: +61 2 9906 3466


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CORPORATION

It's not anIllusion

It'S


®

The owners of Canberra’s Hotel Realm have opened up a second property in the national capital, the Burbury Hotel.

A contemporary 4.5-star hotel, the Bur-bury was designed by Sydney-based architec-ture and interior design firm, Katon Redgen Mathieson (KRM) and delivers a pioneering new in-room experience from Apple.

“We required interior design that offered global sophistication in our public areas and a timeless, generously comfortable in-room ex-perience,” said Burbury Hotel General Man-ager Emil Kovacik.

The Burbury’s rooms are a mix of light and shade, moving from crisp, infinite whites, through the serene, sandbar-and-shell tones of the bathrooms to the moodier coffee and choc-olate tones of the soft furnishings and carpets.

It is also the first hotel in Australia to pioneer Square-i Apple IPTV, a Mac-Mi-ni-based in-room solution developed by Square-i International.

Square-i Apple IPTV exceeds the enter-tainment comforts of home with full Mac computer functionality, iPod, iPad and iP-hone-docking, high definition TV, Foxtel,

play-your-own CDs/DVDs, pay-per-view movies, as well as a digital concierge, guest directories and a local attractions guide.

Kovacik said the Burbury Hotel would maintain the same high standards of its parent hotel Hotel Realm and takes the total number of rooms in the Realm Precinct to 264.

“While the Burbury Hotel echoes the prestige of the Realm precinct’s modern aes-thetic, we wanted a cosy, indulgent retreat for travelling and business guests beyond the hectic pace of sight-seeing and professional life,” he said.

Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific and Wyndham Hotel Group have announced the purchase of a combination of hotel rooms, holiday apartments and penthouse suites together with the management rights at Crowne Plaza Torquay.

Known as Wyndham Resort Torquay since October 7, the beachfront property was developed by Massey Pty Ltd as OnShore Torquay and formerly carried the Crowne Plaza flag for several years.

“The Asia Pacific region continues to be a key area of focus for our company’s de-velopment,” said Barry Robinson, Managing Director Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific and also managing director for Wynd-ham Hotel Group in the South Pacific.

“We are pleased to introduce the Wynd-ham brand to Torquay further strengthening our presence in the Victoria region.”

Wyndham Hotel Group was launched in the South Pacific region in 2010 with the ac-quisition of Wyndham Surfers Paradise, the hotel division’s first mixed use property in collaboration with Wyndham Vacation Re-sorts Asia Pacific.

The company’s expansion also includes the recent purchase and management rights

of Ramada Resort Port Douglas and franchise agreements for two Ramada properties in New Zealand.

Wyndham Resort Torquay will be a mixed-use property featuring 149 rooms, a combination of hotel rooms and one and two bedroom self-contained holiday apartments.

In addition to management of the resort, Wyndham has contracted to acquire a se-lection of hotel rooms and apartments to be transferred into WorldMark South Pacific Club by Wyndham, for use by its 44,000 Va-cation Owners of Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific’s Vacation Ownership club.

“Wyndham Resort Torquay is a significant addition to our portfolio as we continue to expand into Australia and the South Pacific region through franchising and management agreements,” Robinson said.

ACQUISITIONS TORQUAY

Wyndham acquires Crowne Plaza Torquay

OPENINGS CANBERRA

The Burbury opens in Canberra

Now open: the Burbury Hotel

Strategic acquisition: Wyndham Resort Torquay


PRoPeRTy

Jon, in the wake of the fire at the Great House, what’s planned now for Necker Island?Since the fire, the entire Necker Island team has been working non-stop to replace what was lost and fortunately the island is now back on its feet and it is business as usual with plans well under way to rebuild a stunning new Great House. Much of the beautiful features of the former Great House will be incorporated into the new design to ensure it retains its authentic Balinese style with panoramic views of the Caribbean but will include a couple of new and innovative twists.

Are guests still able to stay on the island?Yes, during the rebuild project Necker Is-land will be able to cater for slightly smaller groups to stay on the island with the newly refurbished six Bali Houses, as well as Sir Richard Branson’s private home Temple House and his 105ft luxury catamaran Neck-er Belle, to substitute for the bedrooms lost in the Great House.

It is understood Sir Richard is looking at opening a new property in Kenya. Tell us more.We’re hoping to introduce a new luxury Kenyan Safari Camp to open in the latter part of 2012. It will be situated within the Motorogi Conservancy in the Maasai Mara ecosystem of Kenya, about 240km due west of Nairobi. We hope to promote high value low density tourism that will generate em-ployment for over 50 staff with a commit-ment to keep recruitment and procurement as local as possible.

Ulusaba in South Africa has just undergone a refurbishment. What was undertaken?We’ve recently refurbished both the lodges at Ulusaba to give them a refresh. Rock Lodge is set against the backdrop of the Drakensberg Mountain range and each room has a con-temporary African design and a hint of tribal flair. Safari Lodge is built along the banks of the dry Mabrak riverbed and built tree house style with many rooms accessed by swing bridges or wooden walkways. Each room has been created and inspired by local and natu-ral materials, with elephants, bushbucks, li-ons and other local wildlife passing by.

How’s business at Kasbah Tamadot in the wake of the unrest across North Africa?2011 has been an eventful year for the tour-ism industry as a whole. The political unrest which swept across the Middle East and parts of North Africa, plus a reported terrorist bomb in Marrakech in April have all played a role in causing a dip in tourist traffic to Morocco. However, the team have been working hard to promote an increased number of offers to help keep Kasbah Tamadot front of mind for consumers and to focus on the unique loca-tion at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, just an hour away from the city centre. Over-all we have performed well compared with some of the luxury properties in central Mar-rakech, which we’re very grateful for.

And in Verbier... how has the Europe-an market held up?The strength of the Swiss Franc and the lack of snow at Swiss ski resorts had a big effect on business to Switzerland in gen-

eral this year. However, The Lodge, our ski chalet in Verbier retained high levels of busi-ness throughout the year with 75% of busi-ness already booked for the upcoming winter season, which is fantastic news.

What desire does the group have to open a property in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific?We’re always looking to expand the collec-tion whether by acquisition or management contract. We hope to expand our internation-al brand presence and there are few restric-tions to where we’ll consider. In fact we be-lieve Australasia would be a perfect addition to the collection.

Would Sir Richard’s half-owned Makepeace Island (with Virgin Blue founder Brett God-frey) ever join the collection?Never say never, but there are currently no plans to add it to the portfolio.

HM flew to London with Cathay Pacific. The leading Asian airline flies to Hong Kong several times daily from across Australia and New Zealand via Hong Kong and the author recommends flying in Business Class, which has just been given a complete revamp, including spacious new flatbed seats with 15.4 personal TVs. The food and wine onboard is real highlight, as is the superlative service. Visit www.cathaypacific.com for bookings

PROPERTY NECKER ISLAND

Branson’s Necker Island being rebuiltFollowing a fire that gutted the Great House on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands during August, plans are well underway to rebuild the luxury hideaway. In an exclusive interview with HM, Virgin Limited Edition CEO Jon Brown spoke about the rebuilding process and plans for a new property in Kenya, scheduled to open at the end of 2012.

EXCLUSIVE JAMES WILKINSON IN LONDON


It's not anIllusion

It's®



phone: +61 2 9906 2202 | fax: +61 2 9906 3466


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CORPORATION


Seasons Apartment Hotel Group has an-nounced the group has taken over the management rights of the Somerset Dar-ling Harbour and a subsequent re-brand has seen the hotel trade as Seasons Har-bour Plaza Sydney since November 3.

Located right on the footsteps of Dar-ling Harbour, King St Wharf and Darling Park Business Towers, Seasons Harbour Plaza features a mix of 119 apartments including one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments including penthouses.

Seasons Harbour Plaza also features a restaurant/cafe and bar, 24 hour recep-tion and room service, a rooftop indoor pool, gymnasium, laundry, concierge and much more.

“Sydney continues to be a key mar-ket for the Seasons Group and our mo-

mentum is building with focus on several more sites within Sydney, Brisbane and abroad,” said Seasons Apartment Hotel Group Chief Executive Officer, Krishna Ambalavanar.

“With this latest addition of Seasons Harbour Plaza, it will stamp Seasons footprint in Australia’s gateway city as it continues to grow throughout the coun-try and abroad,” Ambalavanar said.

The Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort and Spa on the Gold Coast has been re-launched following the completion of its extensive AUD$20 million refurbishment at an event attended by some of Queensland’s Govern-ment, tourism and business leaders.

The resort was officially re-launched by the Queensland Minister for Tourism Jan Jarratt, Marriott International’s Asia Pacific President and Managing Director, Simon Cooper, and Director of EHP (Gold Coast) Pty Ltd, the owning company, Erhard Hotter.

Speaking at the re-launch ceremony, Cooper said: “The fact that our partners EHP (Gold Coast) Pty Ltd have committed $20 million to the refurbishment of the property speaks volumes for their confidence in the Gold Coast brand. Marriott International is a global company and has great commitment

to this hotel and the future success of the Gold Coast.”

Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort and Spa, featuring 329 rooms over 28 levels, originally opened 19 years ago.

Hotter said with the refurbishment, the owners had a vision to take the Marriott to a new level of style and sophistication.

“The refurbishment works that have been undertaken are a strong vote of confidence in the Gold Coast, tourism in Australia and the property itself which is now right up at the top of the five star rankings nationally,” he said.

The hotel’s extensive makeover has in-cluded an upgrade to all guest rooms in-cluding the opulent Presidential Suite, lobby area, lagoon pool area, front entry, dedicated events floor and a new all-day dining interac-tive restaurant, Citrique.

MANAGEMENT SYDNEY

Seasons Group reflags Somerset Darling Harbour

Seasons Harbour Plaza Sydney

REFURBISHMENTS GOLD COAST

Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort re-launched in style

New look: Citrique Restaurant at Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort and Spa


keynews

The Gold Coast’s successful bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games will provide a much-needed boost for the accommodation indus-try, as well as the broader business commu-nity in the region, says the Accommodation Association of Australia.

Accommodation Association of Australia Chief Executive Officer Richard Munro said that hosting a major event of the magnitude of the 2018 Commonwealth Games will be a giant step towards lifting the flagging busi-ness environment on the Gold Coast.

“Having the 2018 Commonwealth Games will be a real fillip for local business, nota-bly one of the most important sectors on the Gold Coast - the accommodation industry,” Munro said.

“Preparing for and hosting this major event will inject confidence into the economy in south-east Queensland and will trigger further investment in tourism accommoda-tion infrastructure in the region.

“It goes without saying the Gold Coast’s famously stunning beaches and scenery will provide a spectacular backdrop which will re-mind consumers – both within Australia and internationally – about the attraction of visiting.

“Accommodation and tourism opera-tors welcome the opportunity to host inter-national and domestic travellers, and make their time on the Gold Coast truly special and memorable.

“The Accommodation Association con-gratulates the Queensland Government, Gold Coast City Council, the Australian Common-wealth Games Association and Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Bid team on their successful bid.

“The Association looks forward to work-ing with the State Government to ensure the event is a success,” Munro said.

The recently inaugurated AAA Academy is having a positive impact on training solutions for the accommodation sector. Since the first students signed in from the Staywell Group in June 2011, Mantra Group and other major groups and independent operators have also signed into the Academy. Richard Munro CEO of the Accommodation Association cannot be happier with the early results of the Academy.

“The combination of services provided to our members through the Academy is an ad-vantage to the industry. It is no wonder we are getting a great membership response,” he said.

The purpose of the Accommodation As-sociation of Australia is to provide a unified voice for the tourism accommodation sec-tor. Similarly, great importance has been placed on ensuring that all members have equal access to the Academy. The Acad-emy is perfectly placed to provide all AAA members with high quality training specific to the industry. Underpinning the Academy are highly experienced and respected train-ing partners in Franklyn Scholar Hospital-ity and Futura Group. Franklyn Scholar is a national training provider with offices in each state, and Futura provides an on-line

multi-media service. This means the AAA Academy can provide face to face training, on-line training or a combination of both. This combination provides consistent train-ing across businesses, including in regional areas. These have definitely shown proven benefits to Mantra Group.

The Academy can provide in excess of 60 courses from certificates to diploma level in hospitality, business, and retail etc.

Members have access to:• Compliance Courses such as Responsi-

ble Service of Alcohol, Food Safety, Food Safety Supervisor

• Induction Courses (Hospitality IndustryKnowledge, Occupational Health and Safety and Customer Service)

• ShortCourses(CommunicateintheWork-place,WorkingwithDiversity,DealingwithConflict, Leadership and Management)

Full Traineeship Qualifications: • CertII,IIIorIVinHospitality(Accommo-

dation Services, Food and Beverage) • Business II, III, IVorDiploma (Adminis-

tration, Supervisory, Management and Leadership)

In addition to accessing course and train-eeship qualifications, the Academy can also assist in providing professional advice about compliance standards and govern-ment funding entitlements for upskilling employees.

EVENTS

Gold Coast’s Commonwealth Games win to boost hotels

TRAINING

Action at the Academy

Hotels can improve efficiency by embarking on just a few small changes. Image courtesy of Futura Group.

The Accommodation Association says the Gold Coast’s Commonwealth Games win will

provide a huge boost to the region’s hotels


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Concern over the carbon tax and potential negative impactsofgreenhousegas(GHG)emissions has led a number of government and businesses to start implementing emis-sion reduction strategies. For many busi-nesses this concern to make a conscious ef-fort to minimise GHG emissions stems from current or proposed regulations, a personal sense of responsibility, customer expecta-tions, and financial benefits. By following an eco-efficiency process, strategic decisions can be made about how to go about reduc-ing emissions.

1. MANAGING YOUR EMISSIONSThe first and most effective way to reduce GHG emissions is to avoid generating them in the first place. The next options available involve reducing emissions through improv-ing energy efficiency, reducing demand or switching to low GHG emitting energy sources. Carbon offset strategies should be the final option investigated for reducing GHG emissions.

2. ENERGY MANAGEMENt - MEASURING ANd MONItORINGActively monitoring and managing energy use will help to ensure that energy saving initiatives are effective and GHG emissions are minimised. Conduct a site survey to identify energy consuming equipment and fixtures and install sub-metres on large en-ergy consuming equipment (such as boil-ers)or areas (suchas conference roomsorkitchens). Establish an energy management system including standard procedures for monitoring energy consumption and ap-point an energy manager to oversee the energy management system and coordinate energy reduction strategies.

3. dEvElOp AN ActION plANThe next step is to identify energy efficient initiatives and develop an action plan:• Removeunnecessaryequipmentandopti-

mise equipment capacity;• Reducetheloadonequipmentbymatch-

ing output to demand;• Replaceorretrofitoldinefficientequipment;• Reduceoperationalhoursofequipment;• Specify standard equipment operation

and procedures;• Maintaingoodhousekeepingandregular

inspection of equipment; and• Review building layout to remove heat

producing equipment from cold storage areas and maintain sufficient air turnover and temperature.

4. SwItchING tO lOw EMISSION ENERGY SOURcESGreenhouse gas emissions from energy con-sumption are usually highest for non-renew-able energy sources such as electricity gener-ated from coal. By utilising alternative energy sources, significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions can be made.

5. ONSItE AltERNAtIvE ENERGY SOURcESTourism operators can benefit from installing renewable power systems through operation-al cost savings, improved health and safety of employees and guests and improved image within markets and the local community.

Fuel switching can help reduce emissions by substitutinghighemissionenergysources(suchas coal) to low emission energy sources such as natural gas or biofuel. Some fuel switching ap-plications may require equipment to be retrofit-ted to cope with the alternate fuel source.

6. pURchASING GREEN pOwERIf utilising onsite alternative energy sources is not practical due to availability, space or fi-nancial limitations, purchasing green power from external electricity providers may be a more feasible option.

7. OffSEttING EMISSIONSIf you have minimised energy consumption and maximised alternative energy sources and are looking to further reduce emissions, carbon offsets is another opportunity. A car-bon offset is an investment in a project aimed at reducing or preventing carbon emissions or sequestering carbon from the atmosphere.

Carbon offsets involve purchasing ‘carbon credits’ to offset your carbon emissions.

whERE tO StARt?Calculate your residual emissions: After elim-inating and reducing your energy use and emissions as much as possible, the next step is to calculate your residual carbon emissions.

I kNOw MY cARbON fOOtpRINt, hOw dO I OffSEt?A number of companies are available to help offset your emissions. Care must be taken to se-lect a reputable company and offsetting scheme.

cASE StUdY: thE AltO hOtEl MElbOURNE, vIcTo reduce their carbon footprint, the hotel purchases 100% of its electricity from renew-able energy wind farms via the main grid, which makes up 66% of the site’s total energy consumption. Greenpower reduces the ho-tel’s emissions by approximately 158.6 tonnes CO2 equivalent. That’s equivalent to taking approximately 38 cars off the road. Purchas-ing Greenpower costs the hotel 40% more than standard high emissions grid electricity. To offset the remaining gas and diesel emis-sions the Alto supports an emissions reduc-tion project in India that burns waste agricul-tural products such as rice husks to produce power, mitigating potential emissions.

The Accommodation Association of Australia in partnership with EarthCheck provide a comprehensive online carbon management system. See the Association website for more details.

SUSTAINABILITY

A snapshot on improving efficiencyA guide from the team at EarthCheck on improving efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.

Hotels can improve efficiency by embarking on just a few small changes


keynews

Gold Coast hotels being used for drug labs is worrying the industry.

November saw a major hotel brand have their rooms used as a drug lab for the pro-duction of methamphetamine. Whilst thisstatement itself is shocking enough, the fact that it is neither a new or unusual occurrence in Australia is arguably worse. The activity has been seen nationally, and internation-ally, and has impacted on hotels, motels and caravan parks over the past several years.

The impact on the industry is not as sim-ple as criminals using accommodation hous-es for the manufacture of drugs. The prac-tice of cooking drugs in these small portable labs brings with it risks relating to the toxic and volatile nature of chemicals used. In this most recent case, two housekeepers collapsed as a result of the fumes and were taken to hospital to recover, however, the implications and risks can be far worse.

In the US, the results of illegal drug labs in accommodation businesses have been as dramatic as to result in deaths and explosions which have destroyed rooms. Manufacturing processes include the use of acids, alkaline and flammable solvents.

Reactions from these chemicals can pro-duce toxic gasses and it is these which have resulted in fainting or death in the worst cases. Employees in the accommo-dation sector, who encounter drug labs or the equipment and residue from cooking processes, face significant potential dan-gers. Guests staying in rooms are not im-mune either with the risk of toxic fumes spreading to other rooms, chemical resi-dues, fire and explosion all considerations for accommodation providers.

Management and staff should be aware of these potential issues and any evidence of the illicit behaviour such as strong chemical odours, guests who refuse access to rooms, rubbish which includes drug packaging such as cough and decongestants and general suspicious behaviour. All accommodation providers should ensure they are aware of this issue and contact police if they suspect they have a problem. MGThe Accommodation Association has a full fact sheet available on our website www.aaoa.com.au.

It’s an unfortunate fact of the busi-ness world, however, debt collection is a process accommodation providers may need to engage in from time to time. It is a legitimate and necessary business activity through which op-erators may take reasonable steps to secure payment from guests who are legally bound to pay or to repay mon-ey they owe. It is also most important that any operators involved in recov-ering debt are aware of their legal ob-ligations and appropriate procedures.

Operators should treat debtors and third parties fairly and with re-spect and courtesy. You should never harass or coerce them, treat them unconscionably or mislead them as to the nature of their debt, their legal obligations or any possible outcomes if the debt is not paid.

Primarily, you should never pursue a person for a debt unless you have reasonable grounds for believing the person you contact is liable for the debt.

Communications with the debtor must always be for a reasonable pur-pose, and should only occur to the extent necessary. It may be reason-able for you to contact a debtor for many reasons such as the debtor’s ac-count, consequences of non-payment, changes to their residential address and more. It is however, not reason-able to contact a debtor to frighten, intimidate or embarrass them.

Operators clearly have rights in recovering debts from guests, how-ever, all operators need to be aware of the appropriate means by which to conduct the debt recovery process in order to ensure as smooth an out-come as possible. The Competition andComsumerAct(administeredbythe ACCC) and the Australian Secu-rities and Investments Commission Act (ASIC) both contain three gen-eral prohibitions relevant to debt col-lection activity including prohibition of the use of physical force, undue harassment, coercion, misleading in-formation, unfair tactics or deceptive conduct. Guests who believe an op-erator has acted inappropriately may lodge a complaint with either the ACCC or ASIC dependant the com-plaint itself. MGVisit www.aaoa.com.au for more info.

OPERATIONS

The painful world of debt collection

OPERATIONS

Industry shocked by drug manufacturing revelations

Gold Coast hotel rooms have been used as drug labs


PRESENTED BY

A recent ruling in the Queensland Civil and AdministrativeTribunal(QCAT)whereasexworker had accused a North Queensland motelier of discrimination has resulted in the case being dismissed in favour of the motelier.

As alluded to in the last edition of HM Magazine, prostitution today has several implications which involves the rights of sex workers. This has become particularly relevant in Queensland where the issue has resulted in multiple cases of prostitutes claiming discrimination. The result of this case has asserted the responsibilities of the accommodation sector in regard to the appropriate management of their liquor li-censes and thus their rights in regard to the operation of a service to the public from their rooms.

In making the ruling, QCAT found that the sex worker had not been the subject of direct discrimination and that the Liquor Act 1992(Qld)permitsthelicenseetotakestepsto ensure a service to the public is not con-ducted from the property other than the pro-

vision of accommodation, without infringing theAnti-DiscriminationAct1991.

Accommodation Association CEO, Rich-ard Munro, has expressed his satisfaction with the decision saying: “The recent QCAT decision in favour of the accommodation pro-vider in North Queensland is very welcome news to the Accommodation Association. This replaces a level of control and manage-

ment with the accommodation provider, for their guests,whichwas in question.Whilstthe Association fully respects the rights of SexWorkers inallstateswhereprostitutionis legal, accommodation providers have their own businesses to run, and have rights and responsibilities of their own, which need to be protected.

“The Association is also highly conscious that many of our members are predominant-ly providing tourist and family accommoda-tion and relevant legislation, quite rightly, re-stricts the exposure of minors to the business of prostitutes.

“Wehavebeenpleasedtohavebeenofas-sistance to several of our members in dealing with this issue directly, as well as having the opportunity to communicate the rights and responsibilities of the accommodation sector.”

The industry on a national basis cannot refer or rely on this outcome, however, op-erators are reminded to ensure a solid under-standing of not only their rights but also their responsibilities. MG

OPERATIONS

Sex worker discrimination case dismissed

It pays to be aware of allergies, says AAA’s Manager of National Operations, Michael Georgeson.

Many operators who have F&B outlets will have come across guests who have allergies of one type or another over the course of their careers.Whatmanymaynotbeawareof isthe scope and severity of the reactions that individuals can have to a range of foods.

The most severe allergic reaction is known as anaphylaxis and this can ultimately be fa-tal if not handled appropriately. Studies indi-cate that most severe allergic reactions occur when eating away from home. According to Anaphylaxis Australia a recent US study re-vealed that almost 50 per cent of those reac-tions happened as a result of food eaten in restaurants or other food service outlets. It is therefore highly important that the F&B sector is aware of the risks that food aller-gies pose, and employs best practice in the preparation and service of food and beverage to all guests.

Kitchen brigades should be aware of the primary allergy offenders – there are nine (of which peanuts are arguably theworst)and the practices which should be in place to limit exposure. These would broadly cover the chefs on duty being alerted to an allergy sufferer placing an order, ensuring no cross contamination of the order, educa-

tion on packaged and pre-prepared ingre-dients and naturally a good knowledge of the menu. Service teams should be equally armed with good menu knowledge, relay allergy information clearly to the kitchen, be prepared to admit when they don’t have

the full answer needed and ensure the guest knows what has been done to assist them. Of course, guests have the initial respon-sibility of alerting staff to their needs and where appropriate many carry medication for emergencies.

AnewbookletproducedbytheNSWFoodAuthority and Anaphylaxis Australia, the ‘Be Prepared,BeAllergyAware, It’sWorthTheEffort’ aims to simplify the huge amount of information available on allergies and the As-sociation has placed a link to the resource on our website.

Prostitution in hotel rooms remains a major issue for the industry

OPERATIONS

Being allergy aware

Being allergy aware is important for hotels


keynews

Who designed the hotel’s interiors and why did you choose them?Since the hotel was built and opened in 1981, it has gone through a number of refur-bishments including a total refurbishment of the hotel’s 363 guest rooms and 50th floor suites as well as our Club Sofitel. All of these were completed in time for the Common-wealth Games in 2006, followed by the Lob-by, Sofi’s Lounge and the Atrium Bar and most recently we have created a new restau-rant No35, and redecorated our conference areas on the 1st and 35th floors.The earlier design work was done by Architects Bates Smart, with subsequent works by architects MillsGormanandinteriorsbyWebb+Inte-riorDesigners.BatesSmartworkedwiththeoriginaldesignerofCollinsPlace(wherethehotel is situated), world renowned Architect I.M. Pei, who is famous for his glass pyra-mid at Le Louvre, Paris. Mills Gorman have

been consulting Architects to Collins Place andthehotelformanyyears.Webb+InteriorDesignerswerechosenbecauseoftheexpe-rience in hotel interior design and, more im-portantly, they are a smaller, more creative agency. The refurbishments cost approxi-matelyAUD$45million.

How would you describe the property’s style?All areas of the hotel exude contemporary elegance with ultra-luxurious furnishings and fittings and the highest quality atten-tion to detail.With exclusive access to the50th floor suites guests are transported to a world of luxury, sophistication and el-egance, with upholstered walls, mirrored screens and deep leather chairs on expen-sive rugs. Suites are sumptuously appointed with American oak, granite benches and designer fabric.

Were any of the materials, fixtures or fit-tings difficult to procure?A true piece of Victorian history was re-turned to its rightful place when the hotel restored and reinstated two important tap-estries commissioned 30 years ago for the opening of Collins Place. The two tapestries, each measuring 6m x 3.75m, were hand-wovenby the renownedVictorianTapestryWorkshop, taking a team ofweaversmorethanayeartocomplete.TheVictorianTap-estryWorkshop(VTW)istheonlycentreofits kind in Australia and is one of the world’s great centres for hand-woven tapestry. The magnificent tapestries, titled ‘Pink Heath’ in honourofVictoria’s state flowerand ‘Wat-tle’ in honour of Australia’s floral emblem, were rehung in the hotel’s lobby following a restoration project as part of the hotel’s multi-million refurbishment. We are verypleased to have these two beautiful tapes-

MEMBER PROFILE:SOFITEL MELBOURNE ON COLLINSAccor’s Melbourne flagship hotel, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, is entrenched in the city’s arts scene and to find out how and why, HM catches up with General Manager Clive Scott.

INtERvIEw StEph bUSbY

Room with a view: Club Sofitel


PRESENTED BY

tries back to their rightful place, providing a sense of history and arrival for our guests as they enter the Sofitel. As Melbourne’s Hotel for the Arts, we are proud to continue the tradition that began back in 1981 when the hotel first opened its doors, of displaying quality artworks to complement the unique architecture of the building. These two tap-estries truly represent a slice of Victorianhistory, and create a strong impact reminis-cent of the days when royalty and aristocracy would commission tapestries to show their wealth and status.Additionally, our beautiful single disc pen-dant lights over the escalators and quadruple disc pendants suspended from the spine of the lobby and Sofi’s Lounge are of silver leaf finish and were hand manufactured in Italy by designers Catellani and Smith. Whilstthey have a space-age ultra modern look about them they juxtapose perfectly with the hotel’s elegant furnishings and fittings.

What are the highlights of Sofitel Mel-bourne On Collins in your opinion?The hotel is 50 storeys high and all guest rooms are situated on floors 36-50 built around a central internal atrium, giving guests the most magnificent views from all aspects. Rooms boast floor to ceiling win-

dows to take advantage of the views which have been described as ‘an event in itself’. Our Club Sofitel on level 35 is a haven for Club guests throughout the day, providing a number of exclusive services. Stylish decor, in neutral colours with green accents and warm timbers, Club Sofitel has been custom-de-signed, with a unique free-standing fireplace as a focal point, ensuring a warm inviting atmosphere during the Melbourne winter. Floor-to-ceiling windows ensure the view over Melbourne is the Club’s best feature, and teamed with the personalised service and relaxed environment, provides the perfect re-treat from a busy day.

Has the property been specifically adapt-ed to emphasise the distinctive aspects of the city’s cultural experience?One main feature of the hotel is that guests have wonderful sense of space on entering the hotel with its cathedral ceilings in the lobby and Sofi’s Lounge. The vast walls in these areas are ideal for hanging artworks on the walls for the many exhibitions which the hotel hosts throughout the year. Art works are displayed in three busy public areas of the hotel giving each artist the widest possible exposure to thousands of people.

Sofitel Melbourne has been an active supporter of the Melbourne arts scene – can you tell me more about how the hotel gets involved?As the only hotel in Australia to employ an art consultant company on an ongoing basis, the hotel has exhibited and promoted hun-dreds of solo exhibitions during this time. Sofitel hosts an opening event for each ex-hibition and supports each artist for the du-ration of their exhibition by promoting their work in various ways to hotel guests and visi-tors as well as to the general public.The visual arts program concentrates on showing original art works of the highest quality. A number of Melbourne’s leading

commercial galleries have been invited to exhibit work in Sofitel giving them an op-portunity tohaveapresence intheCBD.Anumber of young artists have had their first exhibition at Sofitel and have subsequently been approached to exhibit in a commercial gallery. The hotel has been a springboard for some young artists to launch their career. A number of first exhibitions have sold very well and people have commissioned further works. It has been very rewarding to have helped so many young artists at the begin-ning of their professional life. As well as presenting approximately 16 exhibitions a year, Sofitel has established partnerships and sponsorships with major arts institutions and organisations including the National Gallery ofVictoria,BellShakespeareCompany,Vic-torian Opera, Malthouse Theatre, the Aus-tralian Centre for Contemporary Art, Mel-bourne International Arts Festival and dance company, Chunky Move. Sofitel Melbourne On Collins has also been a major supporter of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces se-ries for the past seven years, as well as major theatreshows.Weareinacityknownforitsdiverse and thriving arts activity and we are delighted to have the opportunity to be part of Melbourne’s rich cultural life.

Has positioning the hotel as a supporter of the arts worked as a unique marketing an-gle in terms of your overall performance?The hotel’s leisure segment is buoyed by its unique positioning as ‘Hotel for the Arts’ with support of major musicals and blockbuster arts events and festivals. By marketing itself as the ‘Hotel for the Arts’, the hotel creates competitor differentiation as well as promo-tional and revenue opportunities for all mar-ket segments to engage in and patronize with. To achieve this, the hotel builds specific hotel based products surrounding the sponsored event that guests can engage with including: accommodation packages, dining packages – restaurant dining and high tea experiences, dedicated unique events – special high teas where guests have the opportunity to meet the cast of the big shows, functions, concierge ticket sales and so one. Sofitel Melbourne On Collins is also famous for its opening night parties for musicals such as The Lion King, Wicked,Mary Poppins,Hairspray and LoveNeverDies,andnootherhotelinMelbournedoes it quite like Sofitel with its talent for unique and exciting themeing.The party is an extension of the show, and the experience of the show must continue into thehotel.Wewill takemajor feature pointsfrom each musical, recreating scenes in the Ballroom and Sofi’s Lounge with elements of surprise. There is a skill to laying out and decorating a venue for large numbers to make these opening nights dazzling and memora-ble events.

SNAPSHOTSOfItEl MElbOURNE ON cOllINS25 collins Street, Melbourne victoria, Australia

Owner AMP Capital Investors

Operator Accor Hotels

General Manager Clive Scott

Opened 1981 (Sofitel since July 1996

Rooms and suites 316 rooms, 47 suites

f&b outlets 4 (including Club Sofitel)

Recreation facilities So FIT gymnasium

Sofi’s Lounge at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins


keynews

The Accommodation Association’s Workplace Relations Advisor Trish Babu says hotels need to be aware of the pitfalls in employing overseas workers.

Operators in the accommodation sector fre-quently encounter situations where a job ap-plicant mentions they are only visiting Aus-tralia, presents a foreign passport, provides overseas qualifications and refuses to provide any documentary evidence to support a claim of Australian citizenship.

It is a criminal offence under the Migra-tion Act 1958 for a person to knowingly or recklessly allow an illegal worker to work or refer an illegal worker for work with another business. The possibility of a prospective employee being an illegal worker will exist

whenever there is information to suggest that the person might not be an Australian citizen.

If a job applicant refuses to cooperate with the check, you should explain that you will not be able to employ them until their work entitlement can be verified.

In order to verify a person’s entitlement to workinAustralia,employerscanuseVisaEnti-tlementVerificationOnline(VEVO).VEVOcanbeaccessedattheDepartmentofImmigrationand Citizenship’s website: www.immi.gov.au.

If you wish to sponsor overseas workers on a temporary basis, a 457 visa or the Tempo-

raryBusiness(LongStay)-StandardBusinessSponsorship(Subclass457)isthemostcom-monly used program available to employers.

ThisVisacanbeusedbyemployerstofillnominated skilled positions in Australia. Only certain occupations are covered under a sub-class457Visa.Occupationscoveredandrel-evant to the accommodation industry include, but are not limited to - Head Chef/Chef, Ho-tel/Motel Manager, Caravan Park and Camp-ing Ground Manager, other Hospitality and Accommodation Managers, Human Resource Manager, Accountant, Landscape Gardeners and so on. The employers can be either Aus-tralian businesses or overseas businesses.

Withthisvisatheworkersemployedfromoverseas can:• WorkinAustraliaforaperiodofbetween

one day and four years;• Bring any eligible secondary applicants

with them to Australia – secondary appli-cants can work and study; and

• AfterenteringAustralia,havenolimitonthe number of times they travel in and out of Australia.

The validity period of the: • Sponsorshipisthreeyears;• Nominationis12months;and• Visaisbetweenonedayandfouryears.From 27 June 2009, there has been a require-ment for sponsors under subclass 457 Visaprogram to attest that they have a strong re-cord of, or a demonstrated commitment to employing local labour and non-discrimina-tory employment practices.Be careful - you have an obligation to keep records about sponsored employees for two years after they cease employment with you.

A recent case has shed some light on why

AAA’s Workplace Relations Consultant Noel Teskey looks at the misuse and misconceptions of fixed-term employment contracts.

Employers should not assume that fixed-term employment contracts will protect them from an unfair dismissal claim if the service of an em-ployee is not retained after the contract expires.

Unfair dismissal claims often arise:• When fixed-term contracts do not ex-

pressly state a valid reason as to why the term of engagement is fixed (a contractmade for the sole purpose of giving the employer an option whether or not to retain an employee after the contract ex-pires, is NOT a valid reason);

• Whenfixed-termcontractscontainclaus-es allowing either party to terminate the agreement at some time other than at the expiration of the contract;

• When fixed-term contracts have previ-ously been renewed on expiration.

TheFairWorkAct2009excludescertaincat-egories of employees from claiming unfair dismissal. One such category applies to per-sons employed under a contract of employ-mentforaspecificperiodoftime(onafixed-term contract).

However, there are a number of situations where employees on fixed-term contracts may be entitled to make an unfair dismissal claim if their contract is not renewed.

One such situation is when at the time of entering into such a contract, the purpose of the contract was to circumvent the employ-er’s fair dismissal obligations.

WORKPLACE RELATIONS

The 457 Visa debate continues

WORKPLACE RELATIONS

Misconceptions of fixed-term contracts

The issue of foreign worker visas is in the spotlight

Remember the importance of checking contracts


PRESENTED BY

it is so important to keep proper employment records for all workers employed on subclass 457Visas.

In Fair Work Ombudsman v Orwill PtyLtd&Ors[2011]FMCA730(28September2011) the Federal Magistrates Court ordered two companies and their directors to pay a total of $28,820 in penalties after failing tokeep proper employment records for three 457VisaworkersataPerthcaféin2008.

The employers failed to make and keep proper employee records, and did not record the proper details of each employee’s employment (suchastheratesofpayforeachemployee)andfailed to provide the employees with payslips.

Both companies and their directors claimed ignorance of this requirement.

Eachcompanywasorderedtopay$12,100andthedirectorswerefined$2,200and$2,420respectively for being knowingly involved in breachingtheWorkplaceRelationsAct2006.

FairWorkOmbudsmanNickWilsoncom-mented that these penalties were amongst the highest ever for a case only involving improper record-keeping and pay slip viola-tions – and if the breaches had been commit-tedundertheFairWorkAct,theycouldhavebeen even higher.

Under the FairWorkAct, themaximumpenalties for breaching record-keeping laws arehigher than theywereunder theWork-place Relations Act, so it is important to be aware of your obligations when it comes to 457Visaholdersnow,morethanever.For more information on 457 Visas, including your requirements as a sponsor, how to apply for a Visa and pay rates, contact the Accommodation Association’s Workplace Relations team on 1300 304 397 or visit www.aaoa.com.au.

Industrial Tribunals regard a contract that does not include an expressed valid reason as to why the term of engagement is fixed, is for the purpose of circumventing the employer’s fair dismissal obligations. Failure to renew a contract in these situations is considered to be a dismissal, especially if the position the person held is filled by another person.

If a tribunal considers the dismissal to be harsh, the employer may be ordered to rein-state the employee or pay the employee an amount in compensation.

Furthermore, fixed-term contracts that con-tain ‘out’ clauses for valid reasons allowing ei-ther party to terminate the contract at any time otherthantheexpirydate(e.g.byeitherpartygiving one month’s notice) are not necessarily considered fixed-term contracts for purposes of protection from unfair dismissal claims. Con-tracts may provide for termination in certain cir-cumstances. How these provisions are phrased is important so legal advice should be sought.Visit www.aaoa.com.au for more information.

AAA’s Workplace Relations Advisor Tom Liao looks what you need to be careful about with deductions from wages.

Employers must be aware of what they can and cannot legally deduct from their employee’s wages. There are several misconceptions concerning deductions from wages. In most cases deductions cannot be made unless they have been agreed to in writing and made for the benefit of the employee, unless it is specifically author-isedbytheHospitalityIndustry(General)Award.AuthoriseddeductionsunderthisAward may include deductions for the provision of accommodation and meals, or where the employee fails to return items of uniform and property, and other speci-fied circumstances. On the other hand, the Award prohibits deductions from the wages of an employee in respect of breakages or cashier shortfalls except in the case of willful misconduct.

There is also the ambiguous issue of ‘overpayments’ made to employees, particu-larly where an overpayment has been made due to clerical error. The general rule is that it is your right as an employer to recover overpayments if you can demonstrate that a genuine mistake has occurred. To prevent any disputes or complications result-ing from overpayments, it is recommended that an employer puts in place a policy which outlines the rights and obligations of both the employer and employee when overpayment occurs.

Employers should be aware of the types of ‘authorised’ deductions that may be made fromanemployee’swagesunder theFairWorkAct2009 (theAct) and theHospitalityIndustry(General)Award2010.TheActprovidesthatdeductionscanbemade only in the following circumstances:• Thedeductionisauthorisedinwritingbytheemployeeandisprincipallyforthe

employee’s benefit;• Thededuction is authorisedby the employee in accordancewith anenterprise

agreement;• ThedeductionisauthorisedbyorunderaModernAwardoranFairWorkAus-

tralia order; and• Thededuction isauthorisedbyorundera lawof theCommonwealth,Stateor

Territory, or an order of a court.For more information on authorised deductions and to read this article in full visit www.aaoa.com.au

wORkplAcE RElAtIONS

Wage deductions: what employers need to know

Employers need to be aware of what they can’t do when it

comes to wage deductions


CeOTALk

CHINA • VIETNAM • PHILIPPINES • MALAYSIA • INDONESIA AUSTRALIA • IRAQ • KUWAIT • OMAN • QATAR • KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

A Culture of PassionA Culture of Professionalism

More than 35 upcoming

destinations

Swiss-Belhotel Rewards program

Become a part of one of the fastest

growing management companies

30 PropertiesWorldwide

Across 12 Countries

Australia Regional Sales and Marketing OfficeSwiss-Belhotel International

5 York Street, Sydney, NSW Australia 2000Telephone: (61-2) 9210 5000 Facsimile: (61-2) 9290 1487

E-mail: [email protected]

Corporate Head OfficeSwiss-Belhotel International

Unit 904, 9/F AXA Centre151-159 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

Telephone: (852) 2836 5555 Facsimile: (852) 2893 9555E-mail: [email protected]

www.swiss-belhotel.com

Paul, it’s been quite a year for 8Hotels. What were the develop-ment highlights and what’s coming up next?There were quite a few highlights this year, including being awarded the management of two Perth properties, one to be re-branded Pensione Hotel Perth after an extensive refurbishment and the other our first whitelabelmanagementarrangementbrandedAllSuitesPerth.Wealsoexpanded internationally in Bali and added hotels in Sydney, Brisbane andHepburnSprings(Victoria).Overthenext6-12monthswewillan-nounce new hotel openings in Sydney and Auckland, as well as acquisi-tions and management agreements in Sydney, Melbourne and Fiji.

Your most prominent brand, Diamant, added a third property. What are your plans for further growth for the brand?We’llcontinuetolookfortherightopportunitiesfortheDiamantbrand.We’re currently in early discussionswith a developer for aDiamantPerthandareverykeentoacquireasiteforaDiamantMelbourne.

How is business at present and what are you expecting for 2012?Business is generally strong in the markets we operate and in some casesverystrong.Weexpect2012todeliverconsistentdemandwithourfocusonliftingAverageDailyRate(ADR).

Which segments are showing the most potential for next year and which could be better?Domesticbusinesstravelcontinuestosendsignalsoffurthergrowthandwe also expect the events market to continue to get stronger particularly inSydney.InboundfromthekeyWesternmarketsisdefinitelysluggishbut we expect a swift rebound next year compared to this year.

Are you seeing significant interest in your international proper-ties at present, given the strong Australian dollar?Yes our properties in Bali and Paris are very strong and there is no doubt the dollar is supporting the interest in our international proper-ties.We’reexperiencingverystrongforwardbookingsforthiswinterin Paris and Bali is powering along.

At the AHICE conference, you said there was a desire to have a hotel in Los Angeles. Entering the boutique/lifestyle segment in the US is no mean feat… how are you going about achieving this goal?From relationships and a lot of grunt work, we’re talking with a num-ber of agents, hotel owners and developers in LA and we’re playing the angle created by the massive influx of Australians travelling to Los Angeles.

Last but not least, what are the major challenges in the industry at present?The challenges are wide, varied and very real. I’d start with labour, (bothliterallyandpolitically),Australia’sindustrialrelations(IR)lawsare our industry’s biggest and most immediate challenge and this is closely followed by ridiculous taxes like payroll and the generally re-laxed attitude by policy makers to appreciate the importance of the tourism industry toGDPand thegeneral growth andwellbeingofour country. Another major issue is the depressed leisure product hurt furtherbytheAustralianDollarandthislackofcompetitiveproductdrains all market segments and our potential pool of quality human capital needed to operate great hospitality businesses.

EXPANDINGTIMES

pAUl fISchMANN’S 8HOTELS AddEd A nuMBER OF HOTELS In STRATEgIC LOCATIOnS ACROSS AuSTRALIA And SOuTH EAST ASIA. In An ExCLuSIvE InTERvIEw wITH HM, THE 8HOTELS MAnAgIng dIRECTOR LOOkS AT wHAT’S nExT FOR THE SydnEy-BASEd COMPAny.

EXclUSIvE INtERvIEw JAMES wIlkINSON

8Hotels Managing Director Paul Fischmann


CHINA • VIETNAM • PHILIPPINES • MALAYSIA • INDONESIA AUSTRALIA • IRAQ • KUWAIT • OMAN • QATAR • KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

A Culture of PassionA Culture of Professionalism

More than 35 upcoming

destinations

Swiss-Belhotel Rewards program

Become a part of one of the fastest

growing management companies

30 PropertiesWorldwide

Across 12 Countries

Australia Regional Sales and Marketing OfficeSwiss-Belhotel International

5 York Street, Sydney, NSW Australia 2000Telephone: (61-2) 9210 5000 Facsimile: (61-2) 9290 1487

E-mail: [email protected]

Corporate Head OfficeSwiss-Belhotel International

Unit 904, 9/F AXA Centre151-159 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

Telephone: (852) 2836 5555 Facsimile: (852) 2893 9555E-mail: [email protected]

www.swiss-belhotel.com

The Best in Luxury

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Debra, how is business in Melbourne at present and did the many events held in 2011 pay dividends?This year, 2011, has been a strong year. The WestinMelbournecompetesfavourably intheareas of quality, consistency, and instinctive service.Wealsoofferanumberofuniquesell-ing points that assists in providing a superior experience for guests. For example, we have an incredibly helpful and friendly staff culture, on which we have built loyal business relationships. Our market is based on strong corporate and conference business during the week and we offer a unique selection of value added leisure packages to encourage weekend leisure guests. It is important to ensure we have seasonal and unique packages that are placed in the market six months to one year ahead of events. There is no doubt that events attract guests to the destination and yes, we have seen an increase in the number of international guests year-on-year. Our brand is very strong and recognisable and we believe this continues to assist us greatly when people are deciding where to stay.

What are you expecting in 2012 – which mar-kets and segments look set to be the strongest?Weare expecting2012 tobe competitive,how-ever, we continue to offer unique selling points in the hotel, best available rates and packages to en-courage our growing stake in all market segments.

Are you confident that even with the amount of new rooms that have come online in Mel-bourne over the last 18 months that rates

will hold and the city will still experience increased demand?Year-on-year, the figures are showing an in-creaseinvisitorstoVictoriaandMelbournebothdomestic and internationally. Melbourne has also been attracting an increasing share of do-mestic and international conference markets and with Tourism Victoria and DestinationMelbourne’s new marketing campaign contin-ually driving visitors to the city, together with our strong events calendar, we welcome the new inventory which offers diversity in hotels.

WeareconfidentourAUD$5.7milliondollarrefurbishment and continued investment in The WestinMelbourne,willkeepourproductfreshand competitive.With a strongWestin brandandloyalSPG(StarwoodPreferredGuest)fol-lowing, historical site and prime location with personalizedservicedelivery;TheWestinMel-bourne makes for a very unique offering.

The hotel is set to undertake a number of mi-nor works to the general areas in line with Westin’s new design initiatives. What’s in-volved?The hotel continues to revitalise and refresh the facilities to ensure long term viability of the property and reaffirm its position as one of the city’s most popular hotels. A plan is cur-rently in place to refurbish Allegro Restaurant, Business Centre and Lobby. As the hotel is iconic and unique in its design, we are looking to appoint the original designer to continue thestoryandstyleofthewellrenownedWes-tin Melbourne.

MELBOuRnE LUXURYFOLLOwIng A RECEnT Aud$5.7 MILLIOn REnOvATIOn, THE wESTIn MELBOuRnE IS LOOkIng BETTER THAn EvER And TO FInd OuT ABOuT HOw THE PROPERTy IS PERFORMIng, HM CATCHES uP wITH THE HOTEL’S gEnERAL MAnAgER, dEbRA wAttS, wHO HAS JuST CELEBRATEd wORkIng wITH STARwOOd FOR 23 yEARS.

INtERvIEw JAMES wIlkINSON IN MElbOURNE

SNAPSHOTthE wEStIN MElbOURNE205 collins Street, Melbourne vIc 3000

Owner Ascents Hotel Pty Ltd

Operator Starwood Hotels and Resorts worldwide Inc.

General Manager debra watts

Opened March 2000

Rooms and suites 262 rooms including 10 Spa Studio rooms and 2 Regent Suites

f&b outlets Allegro Restaurant, Martini Bar, Lobby Bar

Recreation facilities wellness Centre - westin work Out, lap pool, steam and sauna

The Westin Melbourne boasts an envious location

in the heart of the city


GeneRALMAnAGeR

The Best in Luxury

Sealy Posturepedic Dynasty Series represents the best in luxury through advanced comfort, support and durability. It combines orthopaedic research to provide a sleep system that is superior in design and quality for you and your customers.Call Sealy Commercial...your success is our business



Not so long ago, The Westin Melbourne underwent a refurbish-ment of the hotel’s guestrooms. What was undertaken?Tocoincidewith its10thanniversary,TheWestinMelbourne recentlyunderwentaAUD$5.7milliondollarrefurbishment.Highlightsofthere-furbishmentincludeupdatingofdécorin262guestroomsincludingnewcarpet and furniture, enhanced multimedia features including an iPod dockingstation,DVDplayer,theinstallationof42-inchLCDtelevisions,brandnewWestinHeavenlyBedsandlinentoensureasleepexperiencelike no other, rejuvenation of the hallways to elevate the senses and re-freshingimprovementstotheWellnesscentre.Thisinvestmentispayingdividends with dedicated customer satisfaction and loyalty.

In a vibrant, hip, design-led and cosmopolitan city like Mel-bourne, hotels need an X-factor to win over the discerning travel-ler. How does The Westin Melbourne do it?The original design of the hotel and guest rooms in particular, was ahead of its time with a fresh modern style yet welcomes the residential sen-sationandexperience.TheartworkdisplayedthroughoutTheWestinMelbourne features Australia’s leading contemporary and most highly regarded artists. The aim was to use the hotel artwork to instill a sense of Melbourne’s way of life – an eclectic combination of style, simplicity and elegance.Wewantedourhotelguestsandclients,whomayonlyenjoya fleeting visit to the city, to immediately gain an impression of quintes-sentialMelbournebysimplybeinginourhotel.TheWestinMelbournealso continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to preserving well-ness in travel with innovative concepts and a renewing sleep, energizing workout, relaxing spa treatments, nourishing food and clean, fresh air –enablingyoutodepartfeelingbetterthanwhenyouarrived.Wellnessis a focus on mind and physical health and in this healthy environment infused with optimism, stress is reduced and a balance found.

The hotel’s Chief Concierge Steve Ciric won the Concierge of the Year gong at the 2011 HM Awards. How was the Award received amongst staff and how important is the role of a concierge in a leading luxury hotel?Recognised for consistently providing personalised and instinctive ser-vice to guests, Steve also guides our team to do the same and has been described by his fellow Clefs d’Or associates as “one of the industry’s genuineniceguys”.The(HM)AwardwassuchanhonourforStevetoreceive and it serves as an inspiration to all of our staff to continue pro-viding unforgettable service. The role of a Concierge is crucial in provid-ing the utmost in caring, attentive service to hotel guests, which upholds

theWestinpromiseofgoingtheextrastep,workingasteamanddoingthe right thing. Their role is to ensure an intimate knowledge of what it is that makes the ultimate tourism experience. Steve is an ambassa-dor for “the Melbourne memorable experience”. From when there is a major sporting event to gaining a restaurant reservation, Steve and his team are eloquently connected and successful in delighting our guests.

What are the major challenges in the Melbourne market at pre-sent and how is the hotel overcoming them?It is important we continually assess the way we communicate and connect with our guests, such as using social media and other emerg-ing technologies.

The strength of the economy is a major factor in the success of small business, which is an important market for the hotel as well. Competi-tion between states for city wide events is increasing due to the wide range of conference facilities available to host a large numbers of del-egates.WecontinuetoworkcloselywithourindustrypartnerssuchasMCVB,MEAandDestinationMelbournetoensurewearewellplacedto take advantage of any opportunity. In recent months, we have also seen diverse rates placed in the market where in previous years, rate integrity has always been a high priority for individual brands.

Let’s talk about your career – when did you join the Westin Mel-bourne as General Manager and what have been the highlights of your time in the industry?Spanning a career with Starwood over 23 years, I was initially appointed in 1999 as the Executive Assistant Manager to Rudy Markl, an iconic Hotelier in the Melbourne market, and was with the hotel opening team for a period of 17 months. I re-joined in September 2010 as General Manager and I do believe it is an honour and privilege to be appointed asGM for such adistinctiveWestinhotel inMelbourne. Therehavebeen many highlights in my career with Starwood, from opening new hotels to refurbishing hotels including the Sheraton on the Park and building 96 rooms at the Sheraton Perth Hotel and even going from number five in the competitive set to number two in a year.

What made you want to join the industry in the first place and how much has the role of a GM changed over the last 20 years?I have been in my role as General Manager for only the last six years, but I have certainly witnessed change in the last 20 years.

So much has changed for a GM today and yet several things will alwaysremaininourindustry.It’sourguestsandourassociates.Wecreate a future for our brand success via our associates by delivering theWestinbrandexperience.Technology,processimprovementsandinnovation is a must however it all comes down to our associates and investing in their development through training, tools and mentorship as they are the future in our Starwood Hotels. Although you are the leader and the “minder” of the asset you are also the coach, lecturer and educator for the success for department heads and line staff. You must be proactive and strategic to ensure long-term success. You must grow and learn, to allow others to follow. My approach is to be easily accessible, not only to our guests but also our staff to ensure we con-nect to them at all levels. If we teach, coach, guide and look after our staff, then in turn they will look after our guests and our business.

The grand staircase inside The Westin Melbourne


PROPeRTyPROFILe

Michael, Fiji has benefited from an increased airlift from a num-ber of international destinations, including Australia, over the last twelve months. What level of impact has this had? The question of airlift is a very interesting one. Fiji as a destination has a limited number of beds in its total inventory. As a destination, and with our current feeder markets, we have significant fluctuations during our ‘on’and‘off’seasons.Whilsttheincreaseinthenumberofseatshasposi-tively impacted our high season there has been little change in the low season. This is primarily because the increase in capacity has been brought aboutbysocalled‘lowcostcarriers(LCCs)’or‘nofrills’airlines.Thishasalso changed the demographics of our average visitor – we are now seeing a higher percentage of first time international travellers, which in turn is reflectedinourloweryields.Visitorarrivalsareupsignificantly,whichisavery positive reflection on the work done by Tourism Fiji and The Govern-ment.Whatweneedtodrivenowasadestinationistheyield.

Which are the most important international markets at present for the property and which are showing significant potential for the coming year? Australia continues to be the dominant market for the resort however it is pleasing to note that the Coral Coast properties have broken the stran-gleholdthattheDenaraupropertieshadontheNewZealandmarket.OurfiguresforNewZealandshowapositiveincrease.Themarketthatwe really need to crack is the high-potential Asian market in particular India, China and the Far East including the Russian Eastern seaboard. Tourism Fiji and The Government are well aware of this. However these are not markets that can be developed over night. They require a huge amount of work and indeed a change in the mind set of all who are involved in the tourism industry.Whatdo Imean?Well traditionallypeople from these markets are not going to be prepared to stay seven days in one resort and soak up the sun. They are people who like to get

everything out of a destination and to see everything that it has to offer – sights, sounds, experiences, tastes. If we hoteliers believe that they will make a seven night booking with us and will remain in our resorts the whole time, we have a reality check on the way. Next year will see an increase in these markets but the tree will bear fruit in 2013 and beyond. The potential in these markets cannot be underestimated.

United has flagged the possibility of operating services to Nadi from Los Angeles. What kind of impact would this have on the tourism industry?Any increase in international flights is a boost to the industry. Long haul flights from markets such as the United States, even more so. Many years ago Fiji was a popular destination for Americans, my own resort was first started by American airline people way back in 1965. It can only be good for us.

How is the resort performing at present and what level of interest has the property seen of late for the spa bures?Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort and Spa has the biggest inventory of rooms not only in Fiji but in all of the South Pacific. In peak periods we simply don’thaveenoughroomsbutinoffperiodswehavetoomany.De-spite a slower start to the year we will finish ahead of last year and the year before. 2008 was a great year for us and we always look to get as close as we can to the results of that year. Our ‘Chi The Spa at Shangri-La’ is doing so well that we are looking at increasing the number of treatment bures we have to almost double our present inventory. It all revolves around value-for-money.

Which other room types have been proving popular? As the most popular resort in the whole South Pacific for families, our family rooms are always popular and record our highest occupancy

SHAngRI-LA’S FIJIAnCOMMUNITY STAR

ShANGRI-lA’S fIJIAN RESORt ANd SpA On THE CORAL COAST ISn’T JuST LEAdIng THE wAy FOR ITS STunnIng SPA BuRES, BuT CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPOnSIBILITy In HELPIng THE LOCAL COMMunITy TO An ExTEnT THAT vERy FEw PROPERTIES In THE SOuTH PACIFIC nATIOn COME CLOSE TO. In An ExCLuSIvE InTERvIEw, gEnERAL MAnAgER MICHAEL MOnkS TELLS HM HOw IT'S dOnE.

INtERvIEw JAMES wIlkINSON

South Pacific star: Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort and Spa, Yanuka


PROPeRTyPROFILe

levels year round. The same applies to our three two-bedroom family bures that are booked out months in advance.

We understand the hotel does a significant amount of fundraising through the ‘Bilo Bar Club’. Tell us more about that. This year sees the 30th anniversary of the foun-dation of the Bilo Bar Club. Originally it was founded as a social club where return guests were recognised and social events were organ-ised around returnees on an annual basis. In the late 70s, a cyclone tore through Fiji causing a considerable amount of damage. The staff of the resort were also affected. In true-Australian fashion, the members of the Club dug deep into their pockets and were able to fund the repair of not only the houses of the affected staff but also the schools and kindergartens. This changed the Club for ever as the members came to realise the conditions in which most of the staff lived and the lack of proper schools and kindergar-tens. The Bilo Bar Trust Fund was established in 1988 and has since then been responsible for the funding and upkeep of four ‘kindies’, the paying of teachers' salaries, the provision of stationery items as well as giving help to staff of the Resort who have suffered personal tragedy – such as their house destroyed by fire, medical emergen-cies and similar. All of this, and a lot more, has been funded by the Club by way of subscription and donations. It is certainly one of the most meaningful clubs and institutions I have come across and if there is anyone who has stayed with us four or more times and would like to become a member or even renew a lapsed membership, I hope that they will get in touch with us. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Bilo Bar Members, current and old, that have supported such a worthwhile cause since its inception.

How active is the hotel in the local community? Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort and Spa has been involved with its surrounding communities

since long before corporate social responsibil-ity(CSR)becameabuzzword.Sincetheearlyyears of the Resort in the late 60s, the Resort has sponsored selected children from the com-munity through their education, it has helped villagers recover from natural disasters such as flooding and cyclones, repaired houses, dam-aged bridges, blocked waterways and the like. Wehave installedwater tanks in villages thathave no source of fresh water, built and main-tained the local police post at Cuvu; worked with other Coral Coast resorts in building a new A&E ward at the Sigatoka Hospital and fund-ing a Fire Rescue vehicle. Today the Resort has two major programs in place – Sanctuary and Embrace. Through Sanctuary we work with the local community and schools in the edu-cation and awareness of our marine habitat by way of Shangri-La’s Marine Education Centre. WithEmbraceweareactivelyinvolvedinlongterm projects with 4 of the schools in our com-munity. This involves building and maintaining new structures for dormitories, toilets and class-rooms as well as maintaining existing structures. Wealsocontinuetomaintainandupgradeareasof the hospital. In October 2011, Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort and Spa also won the prestigious HICAP ‘Sustainable Communities’ award.

How is the MICE market performing for the hotel and what are you expecting for 2012? In 2011 the Resort retained its position as the number one location for the larger events in the local market. Many of the overseas planners tried out the newer properties in 2011 how-ever with the strong Australian dollar, the larg-est stand alone meeting facility and the largest room inventory in Fiji it is definitely a market thatwewillbelookingintoin2012.Weareal-ready receiving a number of enquiries for 2012 andinfactalso2013.Wecontinuetobethepre-mier wedding location in the country with over 300 weddings this year alone and more than 200 booked for next year.

SNAPSHOTShANGRI-lA’S fIJIAN RESORt ANd SpAYanuca Island, coral coast, fiji Islands

Operator Shangri-La International Hotel Management

General Manager Michael Monks

Opened 1967

Rooms and suites 442

f&b outlets 6

Recreation facilities Extensive facilities for recreation including game fishing, kayaking, sailing, beach massage bure, 9-hole golf course, 18-hole mini golf, tennis and beach volleyball

The popular Chi Spa


PROPeRTyPROFILe

How has Hilton Queenstown performed since opening earlier this year?Our soft opening was in May which was well timed to coincide with the NewZealandtradeshow‘TRENZ’andthisprovideduswithagreatop-portunity to showcaseboth thehotelsandKawarauVillage tooffshorebuyers who are very important to us for the future. The strong domestic market has supported us positively since opening as has our extensive food and beverage operations and we also see great support trans-Tasman.

The hotel’s location is ideal for skiing at The Remarkables – how was the ski season for you?There was a slow pick-up initially with the snow a little reluctant to fall in the early stages of the season, but notwithstanding this, there was a good showing of Australian couples and families to ski Queenstown and some great relationshipswere builtwith ski operators.We arevery much looking forward to the 2012 season.

Did you see much pick-up in business during Rugby World Cup, particularly in-between games as the town was expecting? WewerefortunatetohostseveralVIPgroupsofrugbysupportersbe-tweengamesand the strengthof theHilton chain inNewZealandassisted us with this.

The domestic New Zealand market is a significant one for Queen-stown generally. How did the market perform this year?The domestic market has been strong since we opened both with the drive market and also those flying to Queenstown due to our close proximity to Queenstown International Airport and easy options to travel into town, such as the water taxi service we offer.

Hilton Queenstown has some impressive F&B on offer, particu-larly the Wakatipu Grill. What has the response been like from both a local and guest perspective?It has been extremely positive, which has been greatly rewarding for the team. The Grill has a captivating lakeside location, and our talent-

HILTON’SLAkESIdE LEAdER

INtERvIEw JAMES wIlkINSON IN QUEENStOwN

ed kitchen brigade led by Chef Peter Thornley focus on fresh, seasonal and local ingredients, which means our menu changes often, much to the delight of our regular diners and guests.

You have a number of room categories across the Hilton and Ka-warau Hotels – which are proving to be the most popular? Queenstown is famous for its spectacular scenery and quite naturally we see great demand for our Lakeview rooms which are plentiful, also the Relaxation Rooms which are located lakefront with outdoor hot-tubs and garden are immensely popular – all of the guest rooms at Hil-ton are incredibly spacious and feature gas fireplaces, balconies and all of the features one would expect a luxury hotel to offer – the feedback we receive from our guests about our rooms is simply stunning and they are surprised with the generous size of a standard room.

How is the MICE market performing for the property and what are you expecting for 2012?This market is looking really good for us and we saw support from this segmentfromdayone.OurVillageprovidessomeveryuniqueoffer-ings and our new MICE package which is about to go to market really focuses on unique experiences that the Hilton Queenstown team can deliver – we call these ‘Unforgettable Meetings, Unforgettable Experi-ences’.Weareveryawarethatfirstimpressionscountfromthearrivalexperience which is guaranteed to set the scene of the conference or meeting all the way thru to service delivery, exclusive food and bever-age offerings, accommodations and of course eforea: spa at Hilton. 2012 is looking strong for us with some good business on the books and with the release of our new packages we are confident this will only encourage further business.

dESPITE unCERTAInTy, FInAnCIAL ISSuES And OwnERSHIP CHAngES, THE FORMER MELvIEw-COnTROLLEd kAwARAu FALLS SITE OuTSIdE QuEEnSTOwn IS nOw OPEn FOR BuSInESS And wHAT’S THERE IS QuITE POSSIBLy HILTOn’S BEST ALPInE HOTEL. TO FInd OuT HOw THE HOTEL IS PERFORMIng, HM ExCLuSIvELy SPOkE TO hIltON QUEENStOwN gEnERAL MAnAgER MARLEnE POyndER.

Hilton Queenstown boasts a stunning location on Lake Wakatipu


What are you expecting across the other segments and markets for the next 12 months?The FIT market, as we establish ourselves, is making inroads, while tour seriesbusiness isshowinggood interestalso.Weareveryproudof theway our hotels are being well supported in the online environment. Our website, Hilton.com, has been a great source of business for us, as have our online travel agent partners. All in all, we are looking forward to a positive 2012.

HM flew to Queenstown with Air New Zealand, a leading Australasian airline which operates direct services to the adventure playground from across the east coast of Australia and domestically within New Zealand. The author recommends booking ‘The Works’ package and don’t forget to sign-up for Airpoints when you make your reservation at www.airnz.co.nz

SNAPSHOThIltON QUEENStOwNpeninsula Road, Queenstown, New Zealand

Operator Hilton worldwide

General Manager Marlene Poynder

Opened June 23, 2011

Rooms and suites 178 rooms

f&b outlets wakatipu grill restaurant, Cru wine Bar and Lounge, The Lake Counter gourmet deli, Stacks Pub and the Lobby Lounge and Bar

Recreation facilities eforea: spa at Hilton, business centre, conference facilities, gymnasium, sauna and steam rooms, heated spa, heated indoor 25-metre lap pool and landscaped gardens

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Hilton Queenstown’s Wakatipu Grill

PROPeRTyPROFILe

The property is housed in a classic Melbourne building. How did the refurbishment incorporate the rich history of the site?The property, located at 321 Flinders Lane, was built in 1921 on the formerDr. Jaeger’sSanitaryWoollenSystemCo.Ltdsite, thecom-pany later evolving into the internationally renowned Jaeger fashion house. The building was first tenanted in 1923 and housed various textileandfashionretailersincludingWallaceBuck&GoodesPtyLtd,founded by Henry Buck of Henry Bucks & Co.

In Design International’s Penny Del Castillo drew inspiration fromthose early fashion house days, with a view to creating an expression of sophisticated elegance through a design concept that would remain unique to Grand Mercure Mel-bourne, Flinders Lane.

The result has transformed this ‘all-suite’ apartment hotel into a market leading boutique

product, which presents a contemporary range of suites that infuse modern design philosophies with the architectural and his-toricalheritageofthebuilding.Wethinkthefashion designers who occupied the building in days gone by would have appreciated the creative elements and flair used in the overall design and we believe they would be proud to know that their influences live on today.

The building’s heritage has been captured through retention of the original cornices, architraves and skirtings, and blended with contemporary designer furniture and fittings in con-junction with state of the art appliances. The graceful colour palette is the key design element, from charcoal European bathroom tiles, con-trasted by the white, chrome and glass designer fixtures, to the use of dark veneers, stainless steel, leather and stone.

Penny worked closely with Chris Sedgwick, the Club’s General Manager of Operations, to come up with a series of designs that we knew would impress even the most discerning guest.

At the start of this year we em-barked on the most ambitious re-furbishment program in our Club’s history. Melbourne is the third property to undergo a refurbish-ment transformation and I was quietly confident that the feedback we received would be good, al-beit Melbourne was the first of the

VACATION ExCELLEnCEACCOR vACATIOn CLuB’S GRANd MERcURE MElbOURNE HOTEL IS HELPIng THE COMPAny SET nEw BEnCHMARkS In THE QuALITy OF MEMBERSHIP-BASEd ACCOMMOdATIOn. TO FInd OuT MORE ABOuT THE RECEnT Aud$3.4 MILLIOn REFuRBISHMEnT, HM SPOkE ExCLuSIvELy TO ACCOR vACATIOn CLuB’S CEO, CRAIg wOOd.

INtERvIEw JAMES wIlkINSON IN MElbOURNE

SNAPSHOTGRANd MERcURE MElbOURNE, AccOR vAcAtION clUb ApARtMENtS321 flinders lane, Melbourne, vIc, Australia

Owner Accor vacation Club – A.P.v.C. Holdings Pty Ltd

Operator Accor vacation Club – A.P.v.C. Holdings Pty Ltd

General Manager Sandy Crothers

Opened 2005

Rooms and suites 59 suites

f&b outlets In-room delivery available

Recreation facilities Onsite fully-equipped gymnasium

Grand Mercure Melbourne’s stunning new rooms (and above right) the new-look lobby


A bed so comfortable

your guests will want to take it

with them.

1300 654 000www.ahbeardcommercial.com

‘Heritage Urban Series’ to be completed and yet to be showcased. How-ever, never in my wildest dreams would I have expected the incredibly complimentary feedback from Members, guests, employees and indus-tryprofessionalsalike.Wehavebeeninundatedwithcallsandemailspraising the finished product and have witnessed a significant increase in positive feedback and scores on social media sites.

Tell us about some of the features, including large screen Sam-sung and Philips TVs in the rooms.The refurbishment encompassed a full renovation and modernisation of all 59 accommodation suites, the corridors, elevators and reception foyer, and included the introduction of a new, exclusive club lounge. The design is focused on an ‘urban chic’ feel, in keeping with Mel-bourne’s contemporary design philosophies.

Our suite sizes vary from 46sqm to 64sqm and all are generously appointed, including a designer urban kitchenette, a dining area with stone top dining table, a leather chaise lounge with sofa bed, a work deskwithcowhidechair,largescreenLCDTVsinboththeloungeandbedroom, media hub connectivity, iPod docking station, and a luxuri-ous bedroom with oversized, fully upholstered bed head. All courtyard view rooms have faux European styled balconies that overlook the Pa-risian styled, private green oasis.

The Signature Suites offer an increased level of luxury. Provid-ing 95sqm of pure opulence, the Signature Suites provide all stand-ard suite features with the addition of a cocktail bar and glass fronted winefridge,55”LEDTV,separateofficearea,largebathroomwithfreestanding bath tub and the ability to interconnect to a second bedroom.

How popular is the property amongst Accor Vacation Club mem-bers and guests? How many rooms are available to the public?The Grand Mercure Melbourne has always been a popular property due to its central city location. One of the main dynamics of running a timeshare business is balancing the needs of your members, antici-pating demand and maximising revenue where possible. Our mem-bers will always be our highest priority, and therefore some of our smaller properties are exclusive to members only. Melbourne, as one of our larger properties, will allow us to accommodate paying guests throughouttheyear.Weenvisagenomorethan12apartmentswouldbeavailabletothegeneralpublicatanyonetime.Withthemajorityofrooms available for Member usage, which I suppose is another great reasontojoinAccorVacationClub.

The refurbishment represented a significant investment from APVC. How is the company changing the face of timeshare in Australia?Accor entered the timeshare business in 2000 as Australia’s first hotel branded shared ownership club, giving an instant shot of credibility to an industry which has previously had its fair share of issues.

Our strength was, and still is, leveraging the wealth of experience we have as one of the world’s leading hospitality groups. Our great-est asset is our employees and we are very fortunate to be able to tap into a large pool of talented and experienced individuals that currently work in other parts of the Accor group.

Essentially, Accor Vacation Club prides itself on being a qualityservice and accommodation provider rather than a sales organisation. WhetherourguestsjointheClubornot,themostimportantpriorityis that they leave having had a great experience with us. I believe once you have your guest experience as your top priority, the new member enrollment part of your business will always be a success.

We already have in the pipeline further refurbishment projects,withourheritagelistedpropertyBasildeneManorinWA’sMargaretRiver receiving a stunning makeover, which will be complete by year end.Wehavealsoplannedanumberofadditionalmemberbenefits,probably most significantly the plan to allow our Members to use their points currency to stay at a selection of Accor Hotels, which I have no doubt will make our Club second to none in the region.

HOTeLDeVeLOPMenT

FRANCHISINGLEAdERS

Peppers Ruffles Lodge and SpagOLd COAST HInTERLAnd, QLd

John and Jan Nicholls own Peppers Ruffles Lodge and Spa in the Gold Coast Hinterland and they say joining Mantra Group has helped their business immensely.

HM PROFILES SIx OF AuSTRALASIA’S LEAdIng FRAnCHISEES TO FInd OuT wHy THE CHAIn THEy ARE ALIgnEd wITH HELPS dRIvE THEIR BuSInESS.

wORdS JAMES wIlkINSON

why did you choose your current brand for the property? Peppers brand equity is exemplary. with over 25 years in the market, it is regarded as the leader in high-end, boutique experiential accommodation in Australia and new Zealand - the perfect fit for our property. Mantra group have displayed a very selective approach with respect to bringing new properties into the Peppers Retreats portfolio with a focus on intimate and understated luxury, an indulgent food and beverage experience in unique, unforgettable locations.

how does the chain you are aligned with help your business? Peppers provides immediate market credibility with a trusted and recognisable Australian brand that is associated with luxury, indulgence and creating life memories. Mantra group is the market leader in the domestic leisure market and provides access to a powerful distribution platform. Further, this platform is fuelled by a sales and marketing engine that benefits from the critical mass only enjoyed by a significant accommodation provider. This competitive advantage is complemented by

Mantra group’s awareness in ensuring the Peppers brand is positioned as the high-end offering the market has come to know so well. Mantra group provides a cache of operational, HR, IT and logistical support services that can be accessed on a need-to-basis by an operator of a small niche accommodation business. This opens the door to a level of professionalism and skill that would not otherwise be available to an independent operator. A dedicated Relationship Manager ensures that communication lines are always open and that timely responses are given.

If you were to recommend your chain to someone, what would you say? Mantra group’s Marketing Services Agreement (Mantra group’s version of a franchise agreement) has taken our business to the next level while still ensuring I didn’t lose any control over the day-to-day operations of the business. Their systems are simple and user friendly, while the results are exponential from a revenue perspective… a must-do for any stand-alone boutique accommodation provider.

Peppers Ruffles Lodge and Spa


featurefeature

MELBOuRnE, vIC

Clarion Suites Gateway hotel is a leading CBD property aligned with Choice Hotels. HM

speaks to General Manager Tony Cakmar.

why did you choose your current brand for the property?Based on the Choice franchise offer, and the availability of the Choice brand segments in this region, the Clarion brand is commensurate with our AAA rating.

how does the chain you are aligned with help your business?There are a number of key points based on a range of areas, including sales and marketing, and services. with sales and marketing, they include: overseas sales offices distribute our product; access to major corporate accounts based on international and national sales; access to the overseas wholesale-markets via Choice international offices; access to consortia; Choice Hotels’ booking engine; and access to Choice Hotels’ affiliation/partnership on global basis. For services, they include: cost-effective gdS fees; Choice group buying offers discounted goods and services to hotels; inclusion in major frequent flyer programs; Choice Privileges’ Frequent Stayer Program; and the cost effective Choice PMS 'ChoiceAdvantage''.

If you were to recommend your chain to someone, what would you say?It’s a great opportunity for a hotel to perform under a franchise agreement which offers an excellent value for money proposition, and I would suggest that it is the most effective and valuable strategic arrangement that we have undertaken after considering other options in the market. we were not interested in a management agreement which was offered by other operators as a result of exorbitant management fees.

Clarion Suites Gateway

Clarion Suites Gateway

BRISBAnE, QLd

For Kenlynn Properties Australia, the owners of Novotel Brisbane Airport, it was essential for its

financial success to have a strong international brand on the roof when they opened in December 2009. HM spoke to Novotel Brisbane Airport General Manager

Alex Penklis to find out why they chose Accor.

why did you choose your current brand for the property?Building the first hotel at Brisbane Airport and the first in Brisbane for some time, we needed an association with a recognised brand to support the investment and the ongoing longevity of the business. After discussions with a number of operators and much due diligence, it was decided to go with Accor and their novotel brand.

how does the chain you are aligned with help your business?Accor are a global operation with a very strong recognized multi-brand platform and their distribution channels were considered crucial to the success of our business. Accor’s competitors offer much the same, but in my experience where Accor excels is in the integrity of their brand offering which is so important as consumers demand this more and more. Their ability to create traffic through their loyalty programs, AClub which is their global loyalty program, and domestically their Advantage Plus loyality program, which together bring access to millions of travellers helps us to fill rooms. you need to remember these factors create top line revenue but Accor also generates savings through their procurement department. Also their environment and compliance platforms are very strong and this helps us in these important aspects of our operation.

If you were to recommend your chain to someone, what would you say?At the end of the day you need top line revenue to create profit and Accor have the ability to generate strong consistent top line revenue through their sales and marketing strategies and loyalty programs and their operational expertise assists in driving flow through to bottom line. novotel is also one of the strongest hotel brands in the world and gives us instant quality positioning in the minds of travellers everywhere.

Novotel Brisbane Airport

HOTeLDeVeLOPMenT Chifley Suites Auckland

AuCkLAnd, nZ

Suites Auckland’s General Manager Brad Burnett says it was a perfect match when his property teamed up with Constellation Hotels Group in

New Zealand’s largest city.

why did you choose your current brand for the property?Constellation Hotels group (CHg) was looking to enter the Auckland, new Zealand market at this time and I liked their Australian portfolio and the team at CHg. we felt it was the right fit for us and gave us some good sales traction within Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane – all target markets for us. Also, it was a new brand coming into the country and I liked the idea of bringing something new to people but with a strong engine behind it in Sydney.

how does the chain you are aligned with help your business? Through a driven sales team who keep us connected and represent us at many trade shows. Traction in the Australian corporate market is big for us also.

If you were to recommend your chain to someone, what would you say?Constellation is flexible, easy to do business with and dynamic. They are also very ambitious but in a sensible way.

what are some of the key benefits of franchising in the current economic environment?Obviously group marketing campaigns help and as a group, discussing the challenges together of course with consumer confidence in terms of consistent product.

Franchise leader: Novotel Brisbane Airport

Chifley Suites Auckland’s contemporary rooms (and below)


Why Choice Hotels Australasia?

Join a leading Hotel Franchise

“Choice Hotels is the largest mid-market franchised hotel chain in Australasia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Choice Hotels International, with more than 6,100 hotels in 35 countries and territories We have more than 280 properties open or under development in CBD, metropolitan, regional and country areas across Australasia. With more than 30 properties added in the last 12 months, we’re continuing to provide our Franchisees with exceptional support focused on driving revenue increases across all of our brands; Econo Lodge, Comfort, Quality and Clarion.”

Property & Field Support delivering operational excellence, through dedicated state-based Field Support Managers, who provide face-to-face, practical business coaching in Yield Management, Training, Preferred Suppliers and Quality Assurance Review and brand standard guidance. There’s also a Melbourne-based HelpDesk team at the end of a toll-free number to assist properties. Recently Choice Hotels introduced its own proprietary property management system - Choice Advantage, which offers full rate and inventory syncronisation with the Choice reservations system.

Effective Sales & Marketing designed to drive business to our hotels. Choice leverages several marketing channels including advertising campaigns, strategic partnerships, our award-winning loyalty programme - Choice Privileges, and multi-brand promotions. In addition, our Sales team delivers incremental reservations to our hotels and assists with increasing revenue per available room.

CHoiCE HotElS bEnEFitS:

trent Fraser, General Manager Development & Franchise Services

Multi-Channel Distribution network which includes state of the art website - www.choicehotels.com.au, toll free reservation line, direct access to online travel agents, market segmented Sales force, proprietary RFP platform (ChoiceROCs), and direct connectivity with GDS providers

• Dedicated Australian-based call centre for reservations both for Australia and New Zealand.

• Call Forwarding is a recent initiative and an additional service for Franchisees to utilise. Hotels are able to forward incoming reservations calls through to Choice’s call centre to be professionally answered on their behalf.

Delegate feedback from July 2011 Choice Week

“Faces to names, sense to processes, beneficial to business”“Great networking, knowing Choice team & in depth ideas of Choice operations in Australasia”

“Extremely relevant & informative, very well organised & presented”

training - Choice has an extensive training program, delivering face-to-face workshops, webinars and a comprehensive Franchisee induction program, Choice Week.

Choice Hotels Australasia is the largest pure franchising, mid-market hotel group in the Australasian region, with more than 280 properties open or under development.

Join the team that’s behind their Franchisees all the way.For Development enquiries, please contact Trent Fraser - General Manager Development & Franchise Services on +61(0)418 910 502

or +61(0)3 9243 2400 or via email [email protected]

MELBOuRnE, vIC

HM asks Paul Goldsmith, Franchisee, Quest Glen Waverley and Quest East St Kilda, why he signed up with the rapidly-expanding Australian

serviced apartment chain.

why did you choose your current brand for the property?I was fortunate to have worked in Quest’s corporate office for many years before purchasing my own franchise. during this time I gained an intimate insight into the philosophy of the brand and an understanding of the pillars that would support and grow the brand into the future. This gave me enormous confidence and belief in the Quest brand and business systems, thus making my decision to invest in the brand a relatively easy one.

how does the chain you are aligned with help your business?without doubt, my business’ greatest asset is its association with Quest. The brand has achieved enormous respect in the marketplace and is recognised as the leader in serviced apartment accommodation. The brand supports and adds value to my business at all levels. Alignment with the brand assists in marketplace recognition and revenue generation. The brand makes a powerful statement which has far greater impact than a standalone name would. The Quest service culture and product specifications ensures guest satisfaction and the Quest business systems ensure all back of house and administrative compliance issues are properly managed.

If you were to recommend your chain to someone, what would you say?The Quest brand will work as hard for you as you work for it. Armed with the Quest brand, systems and processes you have all the tools required to build and grow a successful business. Take these tools and use them as they were intended to be used. Respect the brand, work with passion, apply prudent business disciplines and you will enjoy sustained business success.

what are some of the key benefits of franchising in the current economic environment?Franchising will always have a place in the business world, regardless of prevailing economic conditions. during uncertain economic times, franchising provides an additional layer of value as it is during these times, we as franchisees look to the franchisor for additional support, guidance and direction.

Quest Glen Waverley

MACkAy, QLd

Clarion Mackay Marina weathered both the financial and natural storms this year with

the help of Choice Hotels. HM speaks to General Manager Shane Bowman to find

out why.

why did you choose your current brand for the property?The brand of choice (my play on words) was decided six months before my role as general Manager. The hotel management company decided sign with Choice Hotels under the Clarion banner. The agreement is now in its seventh year and is strongly bonded.

how does the chain you are aligned with helpyour business?Mackay is a very unique market. Mackay has always been logistically challenged by distance, as it sits nearly exactly half way on the A1 national highway between Brisbane and Cairns. Many clients are now flying frequently due the tyranny of car travel and are extremely time poor. These guests are coming from locations such as Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. These fantastic guests know and expect similar standards they have been accustomed too. Simply put, I could be in Bondi from here quicker that getting to the next city by car. This left a fantastic opportunity to capture both the astute corporate traveller and the discerning leisure market with a superior branded product such as the Clarion Mackay Marina. we are in the geographical spotlight of business, corporate and leisure travel. with a coalition of two great combinations between franchisee and franchisor, both products win and so do the community and the guests.

If you were to recommend your chain to someone, what would you say?As always there will be a cost. However, the costs are greatly under shadowed by the returns. The marketing input and brand standards alone are covering this investment. no need to drill down any further, but a business without a sign is a sign of no business. I clearly remember when after the horrific weather last year the other hotels were sitting at 20-30% or less. we were still at 60% and then I clearly remembered why I like the Choice Hotels chain and so did my staff.

Clarion Mackay Marina

HOTeLDeVeLOPMenT Clarion Mackay Marina

Quest Glen Waverley


AN ACCOR HOTElS PROMOTION Accor frAnchising

Island properties have traditionally been difficult to fill as they tend to be seasonal, so joining the network of the largest hotel operator in the world, Accor, is a great way to fill rooms outside of peak periods.

Grand Mercure Apartments Magnetic Island is the latest addition to the franchise network, coming on board in September this year. The 124-room apartment resort is Accor’s second hotel on the island and GeneralManagerRitaDickinsonsaysshesawbookingsalmostimme-diately after the Accor system was turned on.

Located just eight kilometers off Townsville, Magnetic Island is one of the most attractive and accessible islands of the Great Barrier Reef. The resort features fully contained apartments with stunning views, four pools, a gym and outdoor entertainment area.

Its neighbor, All Seasons Magnetic Island, signed with Accor in 2009. Set amongst 10 acres of lush tropical gardens, it offers 80 rooms and 16 family suites, each with a kitchenette. Facilities include two flood-lit tennis courts, a games room, a newly renovated open air gym, a large pool with adjoining toddler’s pool, a playground, and jogging circuits plus a restaurant with open terrace.

In South Australia, All Seasons Kangaroo Island became part of the Accor franchise network in 2008 and has seen many advantages to be-ing part of a global distribution network. General Manager Julie Hales said the resort has improved its bookings, staff training and customer satisfaction levels since becoming an Accor franchisee.

“WehaveseenmanypositivechangessincecomingonboardwithAccor,” Hales said. “The weight of Accor’s marketing drives and its global sales distribution has certainly helped improve our occupancy levels but importantly we have also had a lot of professional help from the different training departments within the group.

“Wehavealsoseenrestaurantpatronagegrowsubstantiallyasare-sult of access to Accor’s Advantage Plus loyalty program and bookings from these members helps to boost our bottom line.”

Hales said that while at first she saw difficulties with being aligned to the budget All Seasons brand, the franchise agreement has turned into a truly collaborative process with Accor that allows her to maintain some of the unique features of the resort. They are now upgrading to become a Mercure property.

Julie said the Accor global distribution has certainly helped to bring more international visitors to the hotel.

“WeseethepartnershipwithAccorasawaytoimproveandsustainour position in the market and attract a more global audience and more conferences,” she said.

The All Seasons Kangaroo Island Lodge is a boutique hotel with just 38 rooms all designed to blend perfectly with its natural surroundings. It boasts excellent conference facilities, a restaurant, bar and pool and sits in pristine bushland overlooking the clear waters of Eastern Cove near the fishing village of American River.

All Seasons Stradbroke Island signed with Accor in late 2010 and features 82 stylish beach shacks and villas, located at Point Lookout, just one hour from Brisbane. Owner Cameron Arnold said the Accor franchise has opened up the resort to a global market.

“It puts us in the same calibre as renowned destinations such as Kan-garoo Island, Philip Island and Magnetic Island and cements Stradbroke as an iconic holiday destination,” he said. "Having Accor behind the resort is a great thing for the island.”

OnPhillipIslandinVictoria,theAllSeasonsEcoResortopenedinMay 2007 and has been performing strongly ever since, with a mix of ac-commodation including self-contained spa studios and two- and three-bedroom villas scattered within a 64 acre site. As the name suggests, all villas and communal areas have been designed with the environment in mind, with wetland areas preserved, a conservation woodland and a sustainable water treatment system.

Accor’sGeneralManagerFranchiseHotels,DinoMezzatesta, saidthat franchising is a great way for hotels to gain vast support networks while maintaining their own management style and personality. He and his team provide a great deal of support to franchisees in the areas of distribution,marketing,procurement,stafftrainingandmore.“Wearethe only hotel operator to offer franchise hotels a full spectrum of hotel brands to align with and access to the largest member loyalty program inthecountry,”hesaid.“Whileeachoftheseislandhotelsisdifferent,we work with each to add to their bottom line.” To find out more about becoming part of the Accor Franchise network go to www.accorfranchise.com.au or phone Dino on +61 (0)2 9280 9832.

ISLAND dREAMIngwITH SuMMER uPOn uS, IT SEEMS FITTIng TO TAkE A LOOk AT SOME OF THE ISLAnd PROPERTIES THAT ARE PART OF AccOR’S FAST-gROwIng FRAnCHISE nETwORk.

Picturesque outlook: Grand Mercure Apartments Magnetic Island


FOOD&BEVERAGE

It’s something many of us drink every day, yet how many could make a great cup of coffee? Even just getting the temperature, strength and sweetness right. It may seem easy from the outside, but once you start

trying to make that perfect cup, it so often ends in “hopefully next time”.Ironically, there are only a few small things between a good cup of

coffee and a great cup of coffee, according to Brisbane’s Dean Merlo, the man who established Merlo Torrefazione, an Italian-style coffee roasting house in the city’s Fortitude Valley in 1996, and who can be credited for starting a bean revolution in the city.

“Always pre-heat your cup or glass before introducing the cof-fee,” Merlo says. “A cold cup will cool the coffee considerably and cause the crema (the foam that gathers on the surface of an espresso) to break up.

Thereby starts Merlo’s tips for a great cup, which also in-cludes a few more essentials for the amateurs in the building.

“Have your coffee grinder set by a qualified operator. “(And) when filling the group handle with coffee, do not leave the handle pre-filled in the machine for any period of time, as the ground coffee will burn.

“Keep your machine clean – after every few coffees, wash the group handle. Backwash your machine every day with espresso machine cleaner.

“To build a thick, smooth froth it is essential to always use fresh, cold milk (and) pour only as much milk as you need into the frothing jug, because once milk has been heated, the enzymes within it make it difficult to reheat a second time, which means milk wastage if you pour more than you need.

“If you’re making lots of coffees, use two small jugs – that way, you will always be using fresh milk and always making great coffee.

“A good method for regulating the temperature is to keep your free hand patting the beneath of the jug and when it’s too hot to allow you to hold your hand on it, it’s hot enough. The sound is also a good indicator. If you hear a deep rumbling sound in the jug it’s starting to overheat and burning,” he says.

Listening to a few tips from Merlo, you could be mistaken for thinking that most of us have been on a completely different planet. How can making a simple cup of coffee be so complex?

Avoiding the complexity is no doubt one reason Nespresso’s pod coffee machines have proven so popular over the last few years, es-pecially in hotel guestrooms and in function and conference spaces.

The latest arrival from the company, the Aguila, is taking the pod technology to a large scale and Nespresso Australia’s B2B Commercial Manager, Eva Caprille, says it means less work for hotel staff while retaining a high-quality.

“We recognise that in this channel, high-quality coffee is inte-gral to the overall customer experience,” she says. “Consumers

now appreciate superior Grand Cru wines and are becoming more discerning diners. The Nespresso range of exception-al Grand Cru coffees ensures customers enjoy a true ‘taste experience’ from the start to the finish of their meal.

“The unique Nespresso system offers several advantages for the professional service of coffee. With the arrival of Aguila,

excellence is now available on a grand scale,” she says.In Australia alone, Nespresso has agreements in place with over

20 international luxury chains, including Hyatt, Hilton, Crown, Accor, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Swissotel, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Mantra (for Peppers), and several luxurious stand-alone hotels including The Observatory Hotel in Sydney.

Caprille says the feedback on the Aguila from the company’s hotel customers has been overwhelmingly good.

“Our hotel partners recognise that continuous innovation and our passion for perfection is of utmost importance to us... that’s why they choose Nespresso,” she says. “Feedback from our hotel partners about Aguila including Sofitel, Grand Hyatt and Crown has been very promising.”

A major trend at present, Caprille says, is the way milk is used in coffee and Aguila has been helping on that end as well.

COFFEE TIME

CoffEE kEEps goIng froM sTrEngTh To sTrEngTh In AusTrAlAsIA. To fInd ouT soME of ThE TrEnds In ThE IndusTry, HM spokE To sEvErAl lEAdIng supplIErs of boTh EquIpMEnT And bEAns.

words JAMEs wILKINsoN

Popular Cup: Brisbane's Merlo Coffee

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“An Australian coffee trend that continues to grow in popular-ity is the consumer’s preference to experiment with milk,” she says. “Whether it’s a flat white, a cappuccino or latte, we continue to see that as long as it’s with milk, this will be the Australian preference.

“The Aguila comes with state of the art milk-frothing technology, combining the best of traditional coffee making methods with the lat-est advances from Nespresso for high volume establishments.

“The new Aguila machine is designed with hospitality and high-volume establishments specifically in mind.

“With four extraction heads and state of-the-art milk frothing technology, the machine can deliver four high-quality coffees simultaneously in less than 20 seconds.

“Aguila is technologically advanced with an in-built SIM card that allows the machine to communicate directly with Nespresso Con-sumer Relationship Centres. This function allows Nespresso to provide an even higher service quality than before by addressing maintenance and service needs in a timely and proactive way.

“Despite this sophisticated design, Aguila is simple to use, with push-button operation meaning almost anyone can operate the ma-chine with minimal training,” she says

Douwe Egberts Coffee Systems’ Austral-ian and New Zealand Managing Director Tas Chronis says the demand for speciality coffee is also proving increasingly popular.

“The top trends we are seeing include the increase of specialty coffee varieties such a sin-gle origin or estate coffees,” he says.

“We are also seeing trends such as sustainability now being a must have of all coffee roasters.

“Consistency and quality still reign… consumers are more edu-cated than ever before, there is a quality expectation which is reflected not only in cafes, but expected in a hotel and other channels. For the operator consistency is important.

“The operator needs to have a stable product to work with – con-sistency allows operators to always deliver to their customer’s expecta-

tions. A happy customer means a happy operator,” he says.Chronis says another notable trend has been the use of milk, or

rather, the lack thereof.“Most of our coffees are still consumed with milk such as cappuc-

cino and latte, however there is increasing movement towards the smaller coffees such as piccolo lattés and macchiato,” he says.

Douwe Egberts recently released a new range of coffee that carries some significant green credentials.

“The launch of our Utz Certified range of Piazza D’Oro coffees is one of our biggest releases of late,” Chronis says. “Utz Certified is the sustainability program we have partnered with globally.

It’s something that hotels have embraced – blends in the Utz Certi-fied range can be found in IHG, Rydges and Mirvac properties and Chronis says there are a number of reasons why they are ideal for ac-commodation properties, restaurants and cafes.

“The blends we offer are the same coffees served at the best cafes, allowing hotels to provide their customers with a real coffee and café experience,” he says.

Franke Coffee Systems’ Oceania Sales Manager David Downing says he’s also been noticing a greater trend towards specialty coffee of late.

“We’re seeing a greater focus on certified coffee blends,” he says. “The base for traditional coffee drinks hasn’t changed however ad-ditional menu drinks such as hot chocolate, flavoured drinks and Chai are becoming more popular. Even the roasting process is adapting to offer more exotic blends to entice the guest into experimenting.

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FOOD&BEVERAGE

The expansion of the drinks menu, he says, means hotels and restaurants are now looking to automatic systems to be able to produce a range of dif-ferent drinks without being overly time consuming.

“The percentage of milk based coffees being ordered is high in Oceania, however we’re seeing more and more companies opting for automatic sys-tems which also offer hot chocolate or cold milk, two milk types and so on,” he says.

Franke Coffee Systems’ products are popular with hotels and the com-pany works with Hilton, Accor, Starwood, IHG, Marriott, Hyatt, Carlson and Movenpick amongst others on a global basis.

A popular product at the moment, Downing says, is the Franke Coffee Systems Foam Master.

“The Franke Coffee Systems Foam Master is an innovational milk system which enables individually programmed milk textures for each milk based drink,” he says. “Franke automatic coffee systems are becoming complete bev-erage systems, all from the touch of a button.

Downing says there a number of reasons why Franke’s systems are popular for hotels and restaurants.

“Through the high level of automation we ensure the operator spends less time interacting with the coffee system and more time focusing on the guest,”

he says. “With the system in self-service mode, the guest interac-tion is simplified by graphically appealing menus, with a mere touch of a button you can unleash the full potential of Franke’s fully-automatic coffee machines. Then there’s a certain self-satisfaction from the guest when they have just made their own cappuccino.

“In certain Australian market segments, particularly within bars and restaurants in hotels, the Su-per Automatic coffee systems are ideal. They offer consistent ‘in cup quality’ time after time. Even our semi-automatics have revolution-ary temperature controlled steam wands and all the theatrics of foaming milk in the jug but con-

trolled automatically,” he says.Global Coffee Systems CEO Jon Moore says consumers are looking for bet-

ter quality coffee when they choose to drink it.“In practice this is driving two distinct trends,” he says. “There’s an increas-

ing acceptance of premium automatic coffee machines that allow consumers to get a quality coffee in many more venues, time after time. And there’s an in-creasing market for premium coffee beans and specialist blends,” Moore says.

He says the coffee market in Australia keeps going from strength to strength.“People are ordering coffee and more and more of it,” Moore says. “Custom-

ers that are consuming more coffee tend to be moving towards the lower content milk drinks, espressos, macchiatos or piccolo lattes are becoming more common.

Global Coffee Systems has just introduced a number of new machines into the marketplace.

“We have been pleased to introduce two new Premium Automatic Coffee machines,” he says. “The Melitta C35 is the latest of the high volume premium automatic coffee machines. Its touch screen makes it easy to use and its compact size makes it ideal for restricted space.

“We have also introduced the Melitta Bar Cube II which provides great coffee in medium to high volume environments and can also provide hot chocolate or a chai latte.

“Both machines can be customised to produce coffee to the particular re-quirements of the venue including espressos and cappuccinos that will rival the best baristas.

“We are also introducing our Volere espresso blend. It can be found in some of the very best establishments in Australia,” he says.

EsPrEsso - An authentic espresso is 30ml of beverage served in a small porcelain cup but can be served in a small glass similar to a shot glass. It should have a

velvet like texture with a thick golden crema on top. The extraction should take between 15-18 seconds.

LoNG BLACK - fill the cup a little over half way with hot water from the machine then top with two short black extractions. It should also have a thick crema similar to the espresso (definitely should not see any black in the coffee).

MACCHIATo - An espresso with a “mark” or “stain” of hot frothed milk. A teaspoon of froth on the top contrasting with the crema makes the presentation appealing. A long macchiato is a long black finished in the same way.

doPPIo (double short black) - Two shots of espresso served in a cappuccino cup. (The standard cappuccino cup is between 220ml and 230ml.)

rIsTrETTo (to “cut off”) - A restricted espresso which is only 20-25ml.

CAPPUCCINo - one espresso measure of coffee in a cappuccino cup and filled with freshly frothed milk and usually served with a sprinkle of chocolate. (Although the chocolate sprinkle is standard in most places, it is not essential to the classical definition of the beverage). once topped up it should be a full cup with a dome shaped froth rising a centimetre or so above the lip of the cup.

FLAT wHITE - one espresso measure in a cappuccino cup and filled with freshly steamed milk. unlike the cappuccino, the froth should be a very flat layer or else held back just inside the lip of the milk jug using a teaspoon. There should be a thin layer of creamy froth and crema on the flat white unless the customer has specifically asked for “no froth”.

CAFFE LATTE - A classic latte has an extra shot of water after the espresso shot and filled as a flat white. however we have found better results with making it the same as a flat white but served in a tall glass which generally has more milk than a flat white. Again, heat the glass before making the beverage.

VIENNA CoFFEE - long black served in a latte glass and topped with freshly whipped cream. The cream should spiral around the glass coming to a peak and only be about 2-3 cm in height, not over the lip of the glass. (This is not an iced coffee and the cream will melt). There is traditionally no chocolate sprinkled on top.

For more information on Merlo Coffee, visit www.merlo.com.au

THE PERFECT

CUPDean Merlo’s guide to making the most popular styles of coffee.

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Let'sHearit for

GLOBALREPORT The lobby at Crosby Street Hotel


CrosBY sTrEET HoTELOwned by the London-based Firmdale Group, the 86-room Crosby Street Hotel is all about designer rooms, cocktails and mini-burgers with some of New York’s finest hospitality. Led by General Manager Jakob Hansen, the property stands tall as arguably the finest hotel in the hip New York neighbourhood of Soho even whilst the ‘hood has seen a significant increase in room inventory over the last few years. The interior design by the famed Kit Kemp has a strong emphasis on colour and texture, reflecting the designer’s personal style, which is best described as fresh, contemporary and “sometimes quirky” ac-cording to Firmdale. Each room has been individually designed and is highlighted by the fabrics, textures and unique pieces of furniture. The ceiling-to-floor warehouse-style windows have views over Soho, while the rooms also feature the latest technol-ogy, including flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations, DVD play-ers and WiFi. The bathrooms are luxurious and are highlighted by the feature of granite, oak and glass and complement the oversized studio rooms. Downstairs, the lobby is led by grey oak floorboards, a 10-foot-high Jaume Plensa steel sculpture of a hu-man head and individually-designed furniture. Below is some-thing truly unique – a 100-seat cinema, popular for both events and when the hotel is screening a black and white flick. The hotel’s Crosby Bar features not just brilliant design – including 1950s lights, a long pewter bar and comfortable couches – but arguably the best mini-burgers and martinis in Soho. Guests can enjoy drinks in the exclusive courtyard next door, which features a tall, petrified tree sculpture and rustic furniture.79 Crosby Street, New York, NY, www.crosbystreethotel.com

ANdAZ FIFTH AVENUEHyatt’s Andaz brand has seen significant growth over the last three years and in New York, two properties in the company’s lifestyle collection have proven to be global standouts for the US-based global chain. The Andaz Fifth Avenue and Andaz Wall Street (see below) showcase the best of the brand in two unique ways, highlighting how Hyatt are trying to ensure each hotel in the collection remains individual. At the Andaz Fifth Avenue, the property’s Australian General Manager Jonathan Frolich leads a team that needs to be on the ball in a challenging market like New York. In the Big Apple, Andaz Fifth Avenue sits in the lifestyle segment – dominated by brands like W, Thompson, The Standard and Crosby Street – and Frolich acknowledges that it certainly is challenging. He said the hotel has a large range of guest profiles, from those that seek a lifestyle offering to people that want a five-star experience without the luxury rates. Andaz Fifth Avenue defines what Hyatt is trying to do with the brand. There’s no huge sign outside and there are no check-in desks. Instead, guests are checked in on tablets while given a glass of wine, coffee or water in what is by far the most relaxed arrival ex-perience in New York. Each of the 184 guestrooms (which start at 322 square feet) offer free WiFi, a complimentary minibar with non-alcoholic drinks and snacks in a unique glass cupboard, a small daybed, oversized bathrooms with large showers and pol-ished floorboards. The property is located across the road from the New York Public Library (where ‘Ghostbusters’ was filmed) and in the lobby, guests can enjoy a range of books on loan in what is a brilliant example of going the extra mile.485 5th Avenue, New York, NY, www.andaz.com

THE sETAI FIFTH AVENUEOne of New York’s newest hotels and managed by the fast-growing Capella Hotels company, The Setai Fifth Avenue has been a popular addition to the city’s accommodation industry thanks to not just oversized rooms and suites, but impeccable

service. The 214-room property – made up of 157 rooms and 57 apartment suites – could simply rely on its mid-town Fifth Av-enue location, but the staff go above and beyond when it comes to service, from the impeccable pressing service (five items are done free on arrival) to the complimentary Maserati transfers to most parts of Manhattan. In a city where attitude can domi-nate in restaurants, the service levels remain high in the hotel’s Al Fiori dining room, where wait staff give you genuine tips on food and wine without overselling. It’s a similar story when it comes to the concierge desk, especially when requesting tickets for shows and attractions in the Big Apple. Upstairs, the large rooms and suites – ranging from 450 to 2000 square feet – have been designed in a mix of contemporary and luxury. Guests can expect a large bedroom with Duxiani beds, Pratesi linen, bath-rooms that star Grohe bath fixtures and Luce di Luna marble countertops, and kitchens with large fridges, cooking areas and espresso machines. Luxurious bathroom amenities and large wardrobes round-out the experience alongside lightning fast WiFi and large flatscreen TVs. The Setai Fifth Avenue may not have been the city’s most prominent opening over the last 18 months, but it’s been arguably one of the best and it’s easy to see why the property has been performing particularly well.400 5th Avenue, New York, NY, www.setaififthavenue.com

ANdAZ wALL sTrEETMost visitors to New York wouldn’t think of a stay at the very bottom of Manhattan, but it’s increasingly popular for travellers to the city – and not just those doing business down this end of town. The first Andaz in New York, the 253-room Wall Street property has a strong following and a very high TripAdvisor rating, being number 10 of 430 hotels listed in the city. The hotel gets points for its contemporary-designed rooms, excellent room service and the helpful staff who are very good ambassadors for not just this

The Setai Fifth Avenue

Andaz Fifth Avenue


GLOBALREPORT

property, but the Andaz brand. Like the Andaz Fifth Avenue, the rooms feature complimentary non-alcoholic minibar items and free WiFi along with luxurious C.O Bigelow bathroom amenities. Seven-foot-high win-dows are also a key feature, as is the in-room entertainment on the large flatscreen TVs. There’s also a 24-hour gym in the hotel and two impres-sive food and beverage outlets – Bar Seven Five and Wall & Water res-taurant, both which serve good local wines and farm to table produce, something not regularly found in New York City.75 Wall Street, New York, NY, www.andaz.com

THE PLAZAA hotel that needs little introduction, The Plaza has been the scene of 30 films, countless television shows and in its 105-year history has been a home-away-from-home for the most powerful men and women in the world. It’s been owned by famed business people and hoteliers alike – Conrad Hilton had the property from 1943-1955, while it was Donald Trump’s piece-de-resistance from 1988-1995 – and following an exten-sive three year USD$450 million refurbishment that finished in 2008, it’s now also home to some of New York’s most prominent residents. The ‘new’ Plaza is managed by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and fea-tures 282 rooms (including 102 suites) and 152 private condo residences, all featuring classically-redesigned rooms that showcase the stunning

architectural history of the hotel. The guest rooms are also technologi-cally advanced – each has an iPad that controls a number of features in the rooms, including the lights, television and air conditioning. On the iPads, guests can also order room service, make restaurant reservations and communicate directly with the concierge team. For those staying in the suites that don’t want to embrace the new technology, a butler is available on call – a service that retains the Plaza’s rich history. Down-stairs, the hotel is as popular with F&B as it is for stays. The Palm Court is the highlight and serves up arguably New York’s best afternoon tea, while the Champagne Bar has a wine list featuring the top bottles of bubbles from France. Below, The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English is an open-kitchen style food court that’s becoming increasingly popular for New Yorkers looking for a high-quality, good-value lunch.5th Avenue at Central Park South, New York, NY, www.theplaza.com

GETTING THErEHM flew to New York with Air New Zealand and Virgin America. A number of flights on Air New Zealand’s Auckland-Los Angeles service are operated by new Boeing 777-300 aircraft, which feature the next-generation premium economy cabin, which offers futuristic seats, gourmet dining thanks to new induction ovens, a fine selection of wine, entertainment on demand and large pillows to ensure a good night’s sleep. Virgin America offers one of the best domestic economy cabins in the sky, complete with live in-flight TV and WiFi, and food and drinks on demand, which can be ordered from your seat. Virgin’s schedule connects well with Air New Zealand and while you’re flying across the United States, you’ll also pick up valuable Velocity Rewards points to redeem on Virgin Australia flights. For bookings, visit www.airnz.com.au and www.virginamerica.com

Andaz Wall Street

The Plaza


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TRAVELFORUM

It’s no surprise that Air New Zealand continues to revolutionise long-haul air travel, given that after all New Zealand really is at the end of the world. But when the carrier debuted its new Premium Economy

and ‘Cuddle’ classes earlier this year, they took the aviation world by storm for creating two styles of product not seen in the market before.

Dubbed Cuddle Class, the Kiwi-designed Skycouch enables three economy class seats to be turned into a mini-bed, comfortably sleeping two passengers, and is one of several industry-leading initiatives to be introduced on the airline’s new long-haul Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

When the new Boeing aircraft was introduced in April on flights from Auckland to Los Angeles and London, Air New Zealand also de-buted a new version of Premium Economy that’s the most advanced in the sky, offering seats, entertainment and service that put many other airlines’ Business Class offering to shame.

Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Rob Fyfe says the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft – which are configured with 244 in Economy (includ-ing 60 seats creating 20 Skycouch combinations), 50 in Premium Econ-omy and 44 in Business Premier – was a ‘game changer’ for the airline.

“Four long years of planning and design (went in) to create an ab-solute world-first interior and passenger experience,” he says.

While Cuddle Class has stolen most of the headlines for the airline, it is Premium Economy that’s the stand-out product on the new Boe-ing 777-300ER. The new ‘Spaceseats’ feature greater comfort, signifi-cantly more personal space – where no shoulder touching is involved – and larger 10.6-inch touch-screen televisions compared to the existing Premium Economy offering.

“The majority of our long-haul flights are overnight and we fly on average 90 minutes longer than any other airline,” says Air New

Zealand’s Group General Manager International Airline, Ed Sims. “That’s why we set out to overcome the seem-ingly impossible challenge of finding a way for people to lie down in economy without compromising affordability.

“Few airlines have invested time and money beyond First Class, whereas we have focused on the areas where most of our passengers sit by reinventing every aspect of our Economy and Premium Econo-my customer experience.

“We’ve created the world’s first economy seating that enables peo-ple to lie down and a Premium Economy seat that many airlines would call Business Class,” he says.

The airline also created a special bistro-style menu for Premium Economy thanks to the introduction of induction ovens, whereby a steak can be cooked to a passenger’s liking, alongside a ramping-up of the wine menu, which features a number of New Zealand’s award-winning Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Shiraz varietal wines.

“We’re also the first commercial airline to introduce induction ovens for all cabins to give our customers freshly prepared food and have developed an in-flight entertainment (IFE) system to give people greater control over the way their journey will unfold,” Sims says.

When you add full-sized pillows, polar fleece blankets and foot cushions in place of foot rests, it’s not hard to see why this cabin offers better value and comfort than some other Business Classes on com-peting routes in the sky.

It seems passengers from across the world also approve, with Air New Zealand winning gongs for the ‘World’s Best Premium Economy Class Airline’ and the ‘World’s Best Premium Economy Class Airline Catering’ alongside ‘Best Airline Australia / Pacific’ at the 2011 Skytrax World Airline Awards at the Paris Air Show.

To put the Skytrax World Airline Awards in perspective, they are voted on by over 18.8 million airline passengers from 100 different countries. In any language, that’s a big deal.

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Peppers Broadbeach has brought an age old profession into the new age, arming its con-cierges with the ultimate mobile information source – the iPad.

Having recently celebrated their first birth-day it’s fitting that Peppers Broadbeach have embraced the ‘Gen Y’ technology to replace the traditional ‘little black book’ so powerfully wielded by hotel concierges over the years.

The iPad-clad Peppers Broadbeach con-cierge team now book tickets, tours, restau-rants, and attractions anywhere a WiFi inter-net connection is available.

The iPads are also linked via a wireless printer so that any tickets, maps or confirma-tions can be easily collected from the con-cierge station at any time.

Of course, should there be anything that they don’t know (rare but possible), concierg-es can simply jump online to find out, or ac-cess the Peppers’ comprehensive Concierge Guide which was developed and saved onto the iPads.

The Peppers Broadbeach Property Man-agement System (PMS) also interfaces with the iPad. This means that concierges have the ability to search arrivals, identify the status of the room and actually check in a reservation.

This has proved particularly handy with large groups, as iPad-clad concierges can be roaming the lobby area helping guests whilst the desk terminals can also be used to check in.

“It also means that these services can be undertaken away from the traditional recep-tion desk which makes our concierges more efficient and able to provide a higher level of personalised service,” said Peppers Broad-beach General Manager, Adam Taloni.

The introduction of modern technology to the traditional concierge service has obvious-ly worked for Peppers – achieving the Num-ber 1 position in Australia on TripAdvisor for accommodation. In an industry where fast, efficient and friendly service is paramount the investment has certainly paid dividends.

TECHNOLOGY broAdbEACh

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Samsung has recently completed a major AV installation at newly-opened Sydney hotel The Darling, part of Echo Entertainment’s prop-erty The Star.

According to Samsung Electronics Australia Business Development Manager – B2B Display, Stuart Meighan, the panels chosen for The Darling were the 46-inch and 55-inch Samsung panels which are the brand’s top of the range LED hospitality panels.

“These panels were chosen mainly for the design and picture qual-ity but also because of the connectivity and RS232 controls with the iBahn system and also the Control 4 STB installed by Suite Control,” Meighan said.

The panels were sold through Harvey Norman Commercial in Queensland by Lee Westhoff and the fitout was carried out over sev-eral weeks and required connection to the Control 4 equipment.

Samsung has supplied two panels in the suites for The Darling – a 46-inch and a 55-inch panel while each of the rooms features a single 46-inch panel.

“The rooms definitely showcase in room technology as well as screen technology with the move toward LED backlighting starting to gain momentum. The integration of all the Control 4 system allows the guest to have fast and simple control of a vast range of options for the panels and other hotel features,” he said.

Meighan has noticed a broader trend with more hoteliers purchas-ing larger screens.

“There is still a move toward larger screens with the 32-inch and 37-inch panels increasing in sales from 2010. We are expecting to see this continue in 2012 as guest expectations and star ratings will start to become a major contributing factor,” he said.

Philips has announced the release of its new MediaSuite range of hotel televisions which will be introduced to the Australian market from January 2012.

“MediaSuite brings a new standard into the Australian industry for use of internet enabled televisions,” said Philips Sales Manager - Hos-pitality, Travis Anderson.

words JAMEs wELLs

Samsung 46-inch LEDs can be found right through The Star’s new hotel, The Darling


hOTELTEchnOLOGY

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Introducing the new 7 Star* energy rating Series 5USB Cloning Bathroom Speaker Output Easy Installation & Setup

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* Applicable models UA40D5000P & UA46D5000P. LED displays combine LCD screens with LED edge lights. Visit www.samsung.com/au/hotel-tv for more information.


“MediaSuite is designed to allow hoteliers to cost-effectively offer guests previously unaccessi-ble interactive services via a wealth of online NetTV apps without the need for a set-top box. MediaSuite enables guests to experience the full functionality of the internet without the need to unpack a laptop or netbook to access the web. Catch-up TV, online apps such as local weather and news, Facebook and Twitter can now be accessed through the TV, meaning guests can be as connected in their hotel room as they are at home. The easy-to-use system includes an innova-tive remote control specifically designed for intuitive navigation through the range of interactive services.”

MediaSuite complements the existing ranges – EasySuite, PrimeSuite and the Signature Series.

One of the major differences between this particu-lar product launch is the involvement from global en-gineers and consultants to develop the range. Feedback was sought from over 230 professionals globally including Australian consultant Ted Horner to develop the new MediaSuite range.

“Having the ability to provide local input into the creation of the hospitality tel-evisions was a great opportu-nity. This allowed people to provide general input of what

is required in a day to day experience in an Aus-tralian hotel. From this, Philips was able to build specific requirements into the MediaSuite product that suits our local market,” he said.

According to Philips Hotel TV senior product manager, Robert Bar-telds, the MediaSuite product addresses opportunities in the marketplace.

“The market has fundamentally changed: where originally we had two segments for in-room entertainment, now the top of the market is shifting away from the high-end Pay-TV model and the low-end, due to the easier accessibility of the technology, is moving upwards,” Bartelds said. “The market however has not yet followed up on this, leaving a gap in the two to four star market. With NetTV we will fill this gap and with our services of RentalTV, easy cloning and installa-tion and a five year vendor warranty, we will now be able to address this market with our vast partner network.”

Anderson said there is a continual trend in the marketplace for ho-tels to seek bigger televisions in order to provide guests with an expe-rience which differs from their domestic environment.

“There is a general shift in the market place to move towards larger screens sizes,” he said. “We are currently seeing hotels looking at tel-evisions above 42-inches. With people’s homes having larger screen sizes the hotels need to move with the times and provide the same experience from home in their guest rooms.”

Anderson said that in addition to screen size, hotels are also consid-ering the energy consumption of televisions when updating their rooms.

“Hotels are looking at the opportunity to reduce energy consump-tion,” he said. “This means they must consider LED LCD televisions and making the comparisons between brands on whom is the more

energy efficient. The biggest trend that I have seen in the local market is that people are re-questing apps within the televisions. Some of

the larger hotel groups are investing in consult-ants to come back with specific requirements on

updating their internet service to provide greater bandwidth to ensure compatibility with using

internet enabled televisions. With the move to more online and cloud based

systems the use for greater band-width has increased.”

Bang & Olufsen Enterprise is the specialised hospitality division of the Danish consumer electronics com-pany established in 1925.

According to Bang & Olufsen Asia Pacific Regional Director, William Chan, there are clear trends within the hotel accom-

modation market. ”Larger screen sizes are preferred

as the rooms are generally bigger in Asia Pacific countries. Another trend is

multiple HDMI inputs as more travelers are looking for connectivity of their portable devices,” Chan said.

“Today’s connected world has not minimised the guest expecta-tions towards connectivity of their portable devices. They expect a range of technology services to be available within the room, and it has to be high quality, reliable and user-friendly.

“Technology suppliers therefore have to realise the fact that the screen has become more than just a TV – it’s an interface for the users to be able to integrate whatever other pieces of technology they may bring with them – and the hotel needs to provide their guests with the ability to plug it all in. Connectivity between the guests’ technology equipment and the TV within the room is simply a necessity of today’s concept of ‘room service’.

Bang & Olufsen’sBeoSound 8


hOTELTEchnOLOGY

“That is why Bang & Olufsen televisions which are available in sev-eral screen sizes from 32-inches to 103-inches easily can be connected to whatever the guests may bring; camera, laptop, MP3 player via a connectivity panel. Another trend we witness is that more hoteliers want to improve the audio quality of the already installed TV in the room by integrating additional loudspeakers,” he said.

Chan believes the Bang & Olufsen brand is intent on setting the right scene for guests.

“We are experts in adapting our solutions to suit your individual needs. Working closely with interior designers and project develop-ers, we create unique in-room solutions that deliver spectacular and memorable emotional experiences. We see the role of the TV within the guest room playing a more expanded role. For example does the use of digital platforms enable hotels to integrate computer based ser-vices onto the TV. This means that basically anything that guests can do on a computer they can now do on the guest room TV.

“The technology evolution brings new challenges to the hotels. All technology must represent a genuine benefit for the hotel guest; the best features in the world are useless if the hotel guest can’t figure out how to use them. The key to this is to ensure that all guest facing

interfaces (both hardware and software based) are intuitive, simple to learn and easy to use.

“At Bang & Olufsen, we believe people should not be forced to adapt to complicated technology. Technology should adapt to people. In fact we seek to make our products as simple to operate as possible, by cleaning up functions.

Seen in that light the computer also plays an important role for many travelers, as it allows easy access to their important contact de-tails, Skype, FaceBook etc.

“All Bang & Olufsen hotel TVs can be set up for easy connection via a connectivity panel to the guest’s own computer. This solution enhances the user experience, thanks to the large screen and amazing sound provided by the TV,” he said.

Chan believes in-room hospitality is about the overall experience, and when it comes to picture and sound performance.

There are two hero products for the hotel accommodation category in the Bang & Olufsen range for 2012 – the BeoSound 8 and BeoVision 10.

“Both products are the perfect solution for standard rooms. Beo-Sound 8 is a powerful loudspeaker dock ready to play the guests’ digi-tal music, while the BeoVision 10 is a slim-line inch LED TV (32-inch, 40-inch and 46-inch) ready to give the guests the best possible viewing experience,” Chan said.

“BeoSound 8 is a great solution for any hotel wanting to give their guests the possibility of enjoying their brought along digital music. Be-oSound 8 automatically starts playing when it detects an iPod, iPhone, iPad or other media players. It can also be used as a speaker for the

guest’s computer. The guests will, without doubt, be surprised when the digital sources unfold their recordings to their true potential, filling the room with an authentic sound and a feeling of luxury room ser-vice. The conical shape of the BeoSound 8 speakers has two functions. Design-wise, the shapes ‘disappear’ to create an unobtrusive impres-sion from most viewing angles and make placement easier. In terms of audio quality, they eliminate standing waves by avoiding parallel surfaces. BeoSound 8 comes in either black or white with aluminium details and matching power cord. If you want to colour the experience, choose from the six fabric speaker covers in yellow, orange, red, silver, black and white.

”BeoSound 8 offers flexible placement options to fit easily in any living space. It can hang on a wall using a custom wall bracket, or place it on a side table where the speakers will appear to float mil-limetres above the surface. The conical speaker backs are excellent if you prefer to place the BeoSound 8 in a corner. But a loudspeaker’s performance is strongly influenced by its physical position in the room, and a corner placement can be especially difficult as the walls will tend to “play along”, muddling the bass level in particular. Luck-ily, Bang & Olufsen has a solution to this.

“BeoSound 8 can be adjusted to its placement by means of a manual position switch which ad-justs the speakers’ performance according to whether the system is placed in a corner, against a wall, or standing freely. The switch positions will change the equalization of primarily the bass chan-nel according to a room response target based on a large number of measurements taken in different positions in different rooms.

“The slimline BeoVision 10 (32-inch, 40-inch and 46-inch) LED based LCD television combines head-turning looks with a stunning array of cut-ting edge picture and sound technologies. Specifi-cally designed with wall placement in mind, this oh-so-slender flat screen television is designed to discreetly blend with the room décor.

“BeoVision 10 brings together state-of-the-art picture technology with an impressive active two-way stereo loudspeaker system with centre bass in

one beautifully streamlined package. The only product that does not feature the centre bass is the 32-inch model. The television is covered by an elegant front glass, and both screen and loudspeaker elements are integrated within a high-gloss aluminium frame whose ingenious design maximises the screen surface.

“It fits virtually flush to the wall, but a concealed hinge on either the left or right hand side (the choice is yours), allows you to pull it out to an angle of 45 degrees, so that the viewer can enjoy the best possible viewing experience – wherever they are sitting in the room. The colour of speaker covers is your choice; black, white, silver, dark grey, blue or orange.”

Bang & Olufsen has also created a solution to meet the growing demand from hotels in regards to improving the audio quality of the TVs already installed within the rooms. “Creating flat screens has be-come a competition in creating the flattest screen – at the expense of the sound,” Chan said.

“At Bang & Olufsen we recognize that sound is half the picture, and that’s why I would like to mention The Easy Audio Solution we have created for hotels. This Solution is made possible by using Bang & Olufsen active speaker technology system.

“The Easy Audio Solution is a loudspeaker solution that tremen-dously enhances the guest’s viewing experience by improving the sound of any TV that has an audio output socket.

The solution also allows guests to easily make use of their iPod or iPhone when they wish to listen to their favourite music. There is no extra remote control involved, the audio switching between the dock or TV can be achieved seamlessly through our solution,” he said.

Philips’ new MediaSuite offering


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Samsung is highly committed to developing new and improved technology for the hospitality industry. We aim to make your guests’ stay at your hotel pleasant and memorable and have designed our latest line up of Samsung LED* Hospitality TVs to provide a range of convenient features to help benefit your property too. From installation to maintenance, programming to security, and an energy star rating of 7 stars, Samsung’s LED Hospitality TVs will help ensure that your TVs perform.

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For more information please email [email protected]*Samsung LED TV’s combine LCD screens with LED edge lights.

Easy-to-use onscreen instructions that guide you through the entire process

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USB Cloning Bathroom Speaker Output Easy Installation & Setup

Enable your guests to listen to whatever’s playing on the TV in the other parts of the room

UA46D5000PHXXY

SAMSUNG_A4_280711.indd 1 29/07/11 9:20 AM

hOTELTEchnOLOGY

just as that great lord of the gizmo, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, would confidently decree in dozens of Star Trek episodes, what was once merely a receiver of daytime soapies and the

6pm news, the humble in-room screen is fast becoming the hotel suite nerve centre.

As more and more technology is being pumped into the modern luxury hotel suite, driven by tech-savvy customer demand, the new wave of hi-tech flatscreens are evolving into the centrepiece of in-room communications and entertainment.

At the forefront of in-room technology is iBAHN’s ETVi solution, an IPTV platform offering access to TV, movies and online content – all in HD. The navigation system is via the television using a customised on-screen user interface that blends easily with the strict corporate identity demands of luxury hotel brands. Additionally, ETVi allows hotels to deliver information and messaging to the guest via IP in an eco-friendly, cost-saving communication method. Links to amenities pages and special offers can be used to drive repeat and add-on busi-ness via customised channel options.

Just as customers are switching to IPTV services at home, so too do they expect these services (and more) offered by their preferred luxury hotel brands. Research shows that the new wave of so-called NextGen travellers is approaching one third of high value hotel guests who have indicated their preference for accessing both free and paid content via the internet. By extrapolation, the common pay-per-view VoD model is quickly becoming redundant.

“IP platform technologies, IPTV in particular, are amongst the hot-test topics in the hospitality industry as they are rapidly transforming in-room entertainment, information systems and the means through which hoteliers and properties communicate and interact with guests,” said iBAHN CEO, David W. Garrison.

Going head-to-head with iBAHN is the recently released DOCO-MO interTouch product, ‘Freedom’. The Freedom suite is a powerful set of site-wide Internet and in-room solutions that DOCOMO inter-Touch claim will future-proof hotel network systems.

Freedom Entertainment Radiance, one com-ponent of the wider Freedom offering, is an in-teractive TV entertainment, hotel information system and a video-on-demand system. Some key features include a hotel branded user interface,

support in up to 14 languages, multi-language synopses of Video on Demand (VoD) content, folio and guest message review with scroll down function, wake up call with music and a customisable guest welcome page, movie trailer windows with full screen preview, pay TV channel bundling, guest/group and front desk messages/alerts plus express checkout.

Freedom has just been installed into Mantra’s new Peppers Broad-beach hotel, offering guests one of the best in-room entertainment systems in the Gold Coast region.

“DOCOMO interTouch are delighted with our partnership with the Mantra Group,” said DOCOMO interTouch’s Product Manager – In-Room Entertainment, Grant Wilkins. “Mantra Group have very high expectations of their technology partners, and it’s a good fit for DOCOMO.

“We have embraced their ideas, and ultimately it has made our Freedom product stand out, both in aesthetics and functionality.

Beginning last December, Marriott embarked on a massive upgrade to hotel technology services with the deployment of DOCOMO inter-Touch solutions in major CBD properties.

Established in 1976, Movielink is a wholly Australian-owned company currently servicing 700 sites with approximately 110,000 rooms. Service offering includes Digital Pay-Per-View, Broadband Laptop Connect and Digital Free-To-Guest services.

Movielink’s premium in-room entertainment and business pack-age is the X1 Digital, combining latest release movies from all major movie studios with the most advanced in-room interactive business services. Additional services include; Broadband Laptop Connect and the GuestNet WebTV product utilising Internet Explorer, PlayStation 1 and 2 games as well as an array of interactive services.

Then there’s Foxtel – certainly one of the best-known brands in content provision.

“Foxtel is ready to work with any and all hardware suppliers,” said Foxtel’s National Sales Manager for Business, Iain Nelson. “Our content can be distributed into virtually every type of net-

on SCREENsCIEnCE fICTIon Is bECoMIng A rEAlITy In ModErn hoTEl suITEs And To fInd ouT ThE lATEsT on ThE EnTErTAInMEnT fronT, rodErICK EIME rEporTs froM ‘plAnET TECh’.

iBahn's ETVi in-room entertainment solution is popular with hotels


MORE SCREENS. MORE TOUCHPOINTS FOR A TRULY SEAMLESS GUEST EXPERIENCE.

Suddenly, you have more windows of opportunity to create experiences that truly distinguish your property.

iBAHN® iMEDIA™ and the iBAHN ETVi digital platform enable you to provide the HD channels and Internet content your guests want, across the screens they use and with the performance and security they demand.

It’s an equation for guest satisfaction that is already paying off for more properties in more countries.

Two years ago, 17% of hotel guests accessed the Internet while watching TV in the guest room. Today, 74% of them do.*

*Source: the iBAHN iTRAVELLER 2011 STUDY.

More flexibility. More speed. More ease of use. Contact us on 1300 0 iBAHN and start making more out of every single guest experience. www.ibahn.com

work from a simple set-top box to an entire hotel system.”

Novotel has just announced a partnership with Microsoft to launch a world first: the hotel room of the future. The room, named Room 3120 at Novotel Paris Vaurigard Mont-parnasse, showcases the latest in cutting-edge technology and innovative design, with Novotel and Microsoft working closely to-gether to create the revolutionary room that allows guests to sample what the two compa-nies claim will be the ultimate in hi-tech hotel rooms. The visionary room will take guests on a technological journey with features includ-ing a Kinect interface, Sensorit mirror based on Kinect technology, a fitness interface and a Surface multimedia table. Rather than the

hotel room controlling the guest, the guest is able to control the room environment by body gestures and voice recognition, chang-ing the space to suit the situation.

Accor’s General Manager IT, Paul Smith, based here in Sydney, said: “Guest Technol-ogy is a very important service that we pro-vide and Accor is continually reviewing the services that are available in each hotel.

“Accor is currently undertaking a major review of this space with the view of provid-ing further clear direction and investment strategy to ensure these remain relevant into the future”.

HM understands that Accor will soon make an announcement about a new local technol-ogy partnership, so watch this space.

“IP platform technologies, IPTV in particular, are amongst the hottest topics in the hospitality

industry as they are rapidly transforming in-room entertainment, information systems and the

means through which hoteliers and properties communicate and interact with guests.”

DAVID W GARRISOn, cEO, iBAhn

Hd - high definition, as the name suggests, refers to screen resolution beyond current, sd (standard definition) formats and is measured in pixels per frame, much like a computer monitor. hd will inevitably become the new sd.

HsIA - high speed Internet Access.

IP – Internet protocol. The delivery of digital information (voice, data) using the well-known internet system in place today.

IPTV - Internet protocol Television is a new standard of video and content delivery that arrives on screen via a computer network, eg the Internet, as opposed to broadcast, satellite or co-axial cable. It’s different to ‘streaming’, such as youTube, because it adheres to industry standards.

MATV – Multiple Access Tv simply means having several services on the one Tv such as free-to-air, foxtel and internal programs.

Vod – video on demand is content that is delivered to your screen as and when you want it. like pushing ‘play’ on the dvd.

wi-Fi – is not just some fun acronym, it is in fact an industry standard mechanism for wireless computer connectivity and is a trademarked term. IEEE 802.11 is a common wi-fi standard.

*Source: The Power of An IPTV Platform (iBAHN)

TECHTALKThe technology acronyms, debugged.

The Freedom system at Peppers Broadbeach


The hotel industry will see technology rise to new levels in 2012, particularly with the iPad and its many uses for both guests and staff. Here are some of the things to look out for as hotels be-

come increasingly tech-savvy.

THE IPAd rEVoLUTIoNThis device in my opinion is going to redefine how guests are going to use technology in hotels in the future.

Consider these points:• Itisthefastestsellingconsumerelectronicdeviceinhistorywith

Gartner Group predicting that Apple will sell 100 million units by 2012;

• iPadisthefirstvideo-centricguestinternetdevice;• ItisdesignedforviewingvideoandaccordingtoCiscois600,000

times more data intensive than traditional text;• IthasaverysimpleGUI(GuestUserInterface)andnewusersboth

young and old and able to use it almost immediately with little or no training; and

• iPadisalreadyplacinghugedemandsonHotelWi-Fisystemscon-suming much more than Wi-Fi data.

What does this mean for hoteliers?• Mosthotels'Wi-Fisystemareoverloadedwithmanyguestscom-

plaining about poor download experience;• Guestswantthesametechnologyexperiencetheyhaveathomeor

office and if they have a bad experience may not return to hotel; • Withthe increasingdemandformorebandwidthandthesubse-

quent costs to provide this it is going to be difficult for hotels to agree to offer free Wi-Fi as many guests are demanding;

• iPadsopenupaworldofnewopportunitiesforhotelstodeployin guestrooms to handle the following applications - room ser-vice ordering, concierge services and it acts as a simple device to access all in room facilities such as lights, air conditioning, TV, curtains and so on;

• WiththeaboveapplicationnowavailableoniPadwhatdoesthismean to hotels that are upgrading their guestrooms?;

• AswemovetomoreWi-FiistherenowarequirementformultipleCat 6 cabling to each room?; and

• Manyguestsarebringingtheirowncontentonthe iPadandarehappy to watch it on the iPad screen so does that mean less watch-ing of traditional TV or do hotels need to install IPTV at all?

TECHNOLOGYIn 2012lEAdIng hoTEl IndusTry ConsulTAnT

TEd HorNEr looks ThE Top TEChnology TrEnds To ExpECT In 2012.


hOTELTEchnOLOGY

I recently came across this statement which I think sums up the current situa-tion: “Customers will arrive at your hotel and will want what they want when they want it and the key for hotels is provide them with the infrastructure and the bandwidth to achieve this.”

If this is indeed what guests want, then how can Hoteliers monetise the investment they make in new wireless access points, increased bandwidth and so on. The answer I believe is to offer tiered bandwidth where guests are offered a range or fees directly related to the amount of bandwidth they require. In other words, the bigger the pipe a guest wants the more they should pay?

In summary the iPad has changed the way customers are using technol-ogy on the road and while it creates a great challenge for hotels it is now up to the industry to embrace this device so guests can have the same download experience they have at home.

CLoUd CoMPUTING There has been a lot of talk about this subject and I believe 2012 will be when this technology takes off as a number of PMS vendors release their cloud ver-sion where hotels will have the ability to access their major software applica-tions on a web browser. Cloud computing offers many benefits to hotels not the least is a more cost effective way to deploy technology without the large up front capital expenditure and the need for a lot of hardware on premise.

soCIAL MEdIA The reach of social media is growing substantially and now hotels are using it more than ever to engage with both new and existing customers. Facebook has created enormous changes in social networks and now with the release of their latest version it is now possible to use Facebook as a booking channel. Recent research from PhocusWright reveals that 66% of travellers are on Facebook but more importantly is that referrals from Facebook are more likely to convert into bookings than are referrals from travel review sites. Hotels need to harness the power of social media in order to stay ahead of their competitors.

HosTEd PABXFor many hotels, one of the largest capital expenditures has been the PABX. In the past revenue from guest phone calls justified this large capital outlay but the advent of mobile phones and the cost of making calls from a hotel guest room have left hotels reeling from the costs of providing and maintain-ing this service. Hosted PABX provides many benefits not the least is that a new PABX requires minimal upfront costs and a monthly subscription based fee which can be based on the preceding month’s occupancy. There are still some challenges in putting this model together but for the first time it offers an alternative to hotel owners who have a very old PABX which has passed its used by date.

ENErGY MANAGEMENT sYsTEMs (EMs)With the cost of electricity continuing to rise, hotels have to start looking seriously at more sophisticated systems than the traditional magnetic stripe cards in the slot. Hotels that have invested in sensor based occupancy systems or those where the door lock systems are integrated to the PMS have shown dramatic reductions in energy bills as when a person leaves a room the EMS via an occupancy sensor can detect that no one is in the room and then au-tomatically lowers the air conditioning to a designated set back position and also turns all the lights off. ROI on these systems has shown payback on the investment can be between two and three years and can be less if hotels can qualify for government rebates on the original investment.

LIGHTINGAnother major contributor to excessive power bills is the type of lighting that is installed in hotels. With replacement of lights to LED and halogen hotels can save up to 30% and have lights that have a long life up to 12,000 Hours. While the costs of these lights are more expensive in the first in-stance their shelf life and the energy savings they generate more than com-pensate for the initial costs. Ted Horner can be contacted on [email protected]

AIrLINEs TAKE IPAds MILE-HIGHbritish Airways has issued ipads to the carrier’s senior cabin crew as part of a program to offer a more enhanced customer experience.

According to british Airways’ head of Inflight Customer Experience, bill francis, the ipads are not only replacing the long scrolls of paper that has details of every guest on the flight, but much more.

“The ipads provide real-time insight into our customers’ preferences across a whole range of areas, from special meal requests to onward travel plans enabling us to deliver a truly bespoke service,” he said.

The ipads are equipped with british Airways-developed apps and are updated moments before the plane pushes back from the gate. They are then updated when the aircraft lands, offering the latest information available to staff, including connecting flights.

“The possibilities for future development of the ipad are endless, and this is only the beginning,” said british Airways’ Managing director – brands and Customer Experience, frank van der post.

“once the roll-out has been completed, our crew worldwide will be able to offer a premium and more thoughtful onboard service to customers in every cabin.”

Australian-owned jetstar has begun offering ipads to guests for the purpose of on-board entertainment, replacing dig-e-players across the Airbus A320 fleet operating domestic and trans-Tasman flights.

featuring games, movies, Tv shows and e-books, the ipads on jetstar are available to rent for between $10-$15 per flight. jetstar, which has become the first airline in the world to offer ipads to guests, will initially roll-out 3,000 ipads across the network.

“jetstar is proud to be the world’s first airline to entertain its customers with cutting-edge ipad technology,” said jetstar group Chief Executive officer bruce buchanan

“we’ve listened to our customers and know in-flight entertainment is an important part of their overall travel experience, so we’ve made sure the new ipads offer the very best viewing experience.

“we’ve worked with major motion picture houses to ensure that our customers have access to the latest release movies, a first for the industry.

“we’ve also collaborated with the industry to and will also offer next-generation games for customers using the ipad in-flight,” he said. JAMEs wILKINsoN

British Airways cabin crew have been given iPads


ROOMSDIVISIOn

you can be staying in a luxurious suite, enjoying the massive flat screen TV, the comfortable leather sofa, the Egyptian cotton sheets, the feather down pillows and ice-cold Bollinger. But

then you walk into the bathroom to find… a no-name brand soap, cheap body wash, rough toilet paper and a shower cap from the 1980s.

It’s amazing how the small things really matter in hotels and how so many can stop a great experience in its tracks because of very aver-age amenities in the bathroom.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m all for saving money – but bathroom ameni-ties is one area that so many hotels should focus more attention on. From aguest'sperspective,anice,aromaticandsoftsoapbarisabsolutelyes-sential and shouldn’t be overlooked, as should nice soft, toilet paper.

Hotel amenity suppliers are adapting to the changing market – where, yes, cost is the driving factor – by producing high quality soaps and gels for an affordable price, meaning properties can have the x-factor in the bathroom.

Australian company Concept Amenities, headed by entrepre-neurial CEO Michael Matulick, is continuing to dominate not just the local market, but the global market, thanks to a series of innovative launches in recent years.

The latest range from Concept might also be the company’s finest hour to date. Concept has teamed up with French ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau to launch a collection of hotel guest amenities that will certainly be a ‘game-changing’ move for the Melbourne-based business.

The Jean-Michel Cousteau by Maricoid collection has already been recognised by the industry, winning the Editors’ Choice Award for the best product at the 96th annual International Hotel, Motel and Restau-rant Show (IHMRS) in New York during November.

“We are absolutely honoured to receive this award,” Matulick said. “Like Jean-Michel Cousteau, we are passionate about making a real difference in the world starting with our commitment to develop eco-friendly products that help minimise wastage through to ingredients which provide a true sensory indulgence.

“This marine-themed, branded collection – Jean-Michel Cousteau by Maricoid – is inspired by the beauty and wonders of the oceans and reflects Cousteau’s life-long commitment to the environment.

“The line contains a 100% organic seaweed extract from pristine Tasmanian waters.

“The comprehensive line of liquids, soaps and accessories contain distinctive features including paraben-free formulations with 100% organically certified Seaweed extract and vegetable-based soaps with raw materials sourced from established plantations.

“Moisturizing lotion features grape seed oil and organic aloe vera extract and fragrance notes include traces of tropical coconut and ap-ple, and sweet florals,” he said.

Matulick said the company’s commitment to being environmen-tally friendly has been a key to success.

“The majority of our ranges are part of our Environmentally Re-sponsible Products,” he said. “These products use biodegradable and recyclable packaging materials that are of less detrimental impact to the environment.

“We understand the excess of waste consumption from a hotel’s perspective and so we use materials that break down in landfill, or can be recycled to lessen the impact of their disposal,” Matulick said.

Guest International’s Rosemarie Bayne said sustainability is a ma-jor focus for the hotel industry and should be at the forefront of business.

“The question of sustainability is generally understood in two halves,” she said. “Managing human impact on the environment and managing the use of natural resources. As anyone knows, when you buy a quality product it lasts longer because it does the job better. You use less, and care for it more. It is the same with our body care products.

“Hotels find that they buy less, and their guests use less, because our product simply works. Using less is the best way to reduce hu-man impact on our environment, and by using less, the demand on resources has also diminished.

bAThrooM BLISS

whEn IT CoMEs To bAThrooM AMEnITIEs, bEIng susTAInAblE Is ThE kEy To suCCEss. buT who should hoTEls buy froM? To hElp AnswEr ThAT quEsTIon, HM profIlEs soME of ThE lEAdIng supplIErs In ThE AsIA-pACIfIC MArkET.


The Jean-Michel Cousteau collection from Concept Amenities


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“That is an example of effective and practical sustainability,” she said.Bayne said there are a number of trends in the market at present,

but sustainability is well and truly at the top of the list.“One positive trend in bathroom amenities is an increasing demand

for better quality products that are safer for humans and the environ-ment,” she said. “Our liquid formulations and natural soaps are of the very highest quality, using plant based ingredients and essential oils.

“We have also taken out the unhealthy chemicals that are com-mon in hair and body care products which make them inexpensive to manufacture.

“Although you pay more for a better quality product, you get better value for money, and guests in the hotel really notice the difference. We have built a successful retail business out of our hotel products because of our focus on quality,” she said.

Focusing on sustainable products is also a key to success for Guest Supply Asia (available through Pivot Supplies in Australia), accord-ing to Managing Director Andrew Johnson.

“With most of our programs we are now looking to minimise pack-aging,” he told HM. “This is a real solution since the less you produce, the less that goes into the waste stream. We also are implementing several programs where the plastic bottles have BDA (biodegradable additives) in the plastic. This allows the plastics to biodegrade in about 20 years if they are in a landfill,” he said.

Johnston said hotels don’t need to forsake costs simply because of budgetary issues.

“Due to the economic uncertainty, many hotels are looking to maintain costs or save money on amenity programs for their standard rooms,” he said.

“If they are looking for branded products for better category rooms, then they appear to be looking for famous high street brands such as Bvlgari and Salvatore Ferragamo or spa lines, such as Aromatherapy Associates.

“For better category rooms they are really looking for well known brands that offer high quality and value,” he said.

Guest Supply Asia has just launched a new line for Hilton Hotels, while also developing an amenity program for Shanghai Tang, which will no doubt be a massive success when launched.

Swisstrade’s focus on the environment is also substantial and the company’s principal, Roland Funk, said it’s been helping win the company new business.

“Our environmentally responsible Press+Wash dispenser system for example is at all time high demand, as more and more hotels, motels and resorts are looking to reduce their carbon footprint, eliminate waste and run a more environmentally sus-tainable operation.

“In addition we offer certified organic product ranges made in Europe. Our Naturals range for example contains no colour-ing agents, parabens, silicone oils, mineral oils or other petrol-derived ingredients.

“Another huge trend which we have helped initiate, are bath-room amenities supplied in biodegradable plastic packaging. We offer various products ranges where the packaging contains an ad-ditive, which when exposed to sunlight, oxygen and or heat, are ini-

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tially broken down through oxidation and ultimately become available for microbial digestion. The end products of this ‘oxo-biodegradation process’ are carbon dioxide (CO²), water (H²O) and biomass,” he said.

When it comes to dispensers, Amenities Australia’s ‘Aquameni-ties’ range is continuing to receive rave reviews.

Aquamentites, which has just been installed in every room at Kimpton’s Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco, is becoming well known for its quality and value for money.

“The Aquamenities’ Amenity Station offers the only amenity fix-ture and shampoo dispenser that combines an elegant design with ease of use, durability, and tamper-resistant security,” said Aquamen-ities’ owner, Ken Haworth. “They are designed to complement and enhance your guest room and brand with fully customisable fixtures, bottles and pumps.

“The Amenity Station bottles can be customised with the hotel name or your chosen amenity range from Gilchrist and Soames quality liquids or Aquamenities spa-quality products,” he said.

Haworth noted that “Aquameni-ties dispensers are proudly made in the USA” and are available from Amenities Australia.

When it comes to hotel bath-rooms, not many companies know them as well as SCA Hygiene. The supplier of Tork products not only produces some of the best dispens-ers and refills, but is also one of the world’s most sustainable businesses. Last year, they were ranked 68 in the list of the 100 most sustainable corpo-rations in the world.

“Choosing Tork hygiene solutions means you can have confidence you are providing your customers with products that meet their perfor-mance and quality expectations, and are also are independently recog-nised as sustainable,” says SCA Hygiene Australasia’s Director of Sales and Marketing - B2B, Tiffiny Lewin. “It also means that you can minimise your own workplace’s impact on the environment, provide your custom-ers with sound choices and be part of a global move towards making wiser choices for our future without sacrificing quality or performance.

“Tork has sustainable hygiene solutions that meet the needs of all hotels, from the smaller more modest establishment to the large, well known chains.

“With our broad assortment of dispensers and refills, we can offer the right solution for both high or low frequency of use environments,

from every day through to luxury environments where image matters for you and your customers.

“Our solutions deliver more than just the basics, they offer innova-tive features that drive total cost in use savings for our customers such as product usage reduction, labour and maintenance savings, pilferage reduction and OH&S risk reduction.

“We partner with many large and small distributors all over Aus-tralia making us easy to buy, and offer solutions for not only your washroom, but also for general cleaning, your kitchen and dining ar-eas and front and back of house duties.

“These elements mean that together we continue to ensure our mutual growth is sustainable,” she said.

Lewin said the company’s commitment to being sustainable has been highlighted recently with a major certification announcement in New Zealand.

“This year Tork’s manufacturing site in Kawerau, New Zealand has not only achieved FSC chain of cus-tody certification – making SCA the first to offer a comprehensive range of FSC certified hygiene products to the Australian market – but they are also the first tissue manufacturing plant, worldwide, to use geother-mal energy for production, setting new standards in the use of innova-tive, sustainable energy for sound tissue manufacturing.

“Harnessing geothermal steam reduced CO2 emissions by a huge 39%,” she said.

Alongside products with FSC certification, Tork has also recently

released a new Elevation dispenser range, the Xpressnap Café napkin dispensing system and Tork performance.

Of the Elevation range, Lewin said: “With solutions for your hand washing and drying needs to washrooms, soap, bins, wipers and air fresheners available in both clean white and sleek black, Tork Eleva-tion is guaranteed to lift the image of your establishment.”

Another company rising through the amenity ranks is Aromaba-by, headed by Catherine Cervasio.

“We offer something that provides a low risk to stores, with in-dustry knowledge second to none,” she said. “Most importantly we understand the need for resorts and retailers alike to differentiate.”

Aromababy’s new luxury line ‘Luxe’ has just been launched in Australia.

Spa from Swisstrade

The Salvatore Ferragamo range

Guest International's 'Romy' shampoo


hotel & Accommodation Management 77

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S.Pellegrino’s Bvlgari collaborations.pellegrino has released a new bottle in collaboration

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Piazza D’Oro Hot ChocolateThis hot chocolate mix has a deliciously smooth milk chocolate taste that makes it the perfect hot chocolate treat for your guests. you can either texture it with the milk, or create a concentrated paste beforehand for adding to the hot milk. packed in a tin for no mess and easy use for your staff.

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Nespresso’s AguilaThe Aguila machine is designed to offer high-volume establishments unmatched in-cup quality. It features four extraction heads which can run simultaneously along with two spacious high capacity cup heaters and state-of-the-art milk frothing technology.

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With hotel chains experiencing phenomenal growth across the Asia-Pacific region, especial-ly in China, the leading recruitment companies are finding that keeping up with the demand is proving to be increasingly challenging.

According to TMS Asia-Pacific’s CEO An-drew Chan, the demand for China won’t go away anytime soon.

“Quite simply, it is finding the talents and keeping up with the huge demands across the region, especially in China,” he said when asked by HM what the leading issue is for ho-tel industry recruiters at present.

“With the higher demands, candidate expectations are ever increasing, and organi-sations need to constantly evaluate, or re-evaluate compensation and benefits schemes to ensure they’re competitive in vying for top talent,” he said.

Chan said he expects the luring of execu-tives to China, and Asia-Pacific for that mat-ter, to continue for some time.

“Growth should continue in Asia as the region continues to experience a huge in-flux of new hotel room supply, with a pipe-line totaling more than 310,000 rooms,” he said. “However, this sentiment must at the same time be laden with caution as external market forces has played a big part in recent years on the degree of growth that eventu-ates,” Chan said.

He said even though high exchange rates of some currencies will deter some from heading to work in emerging markets like China and India, those countries are still see-ing significant expat employment growth in the hotel industry.

“China and India will undoubtedly con-tinue to fuel much of the demand for expat talents, and conversely the region has ap-pealed to many foreign candidates actively looking to enter the market,” he said.

“This has meant that traditional expat remuneration packages have been diluted

over time, and foreign talents are now in-creasingly opting to accept opportunities on local terms.”

Spectrum International’s Director Karan Singh also agrees that China and India will fuel demand, but he’s not expecting a large num-ber of Australian and New Zealanders to head off shore chasing the development boom.

“For the coming year we do not believe there will be a huge exodus of executives from Australia,” he said. “With the strong Australian dollar, the charm of working as an expat is lost.

“Each time you transfer your funds back to cover your mortgage, the value of the inter-national currency keeps depreciating against the Aussie dollar.

“In Australia, even though one gets a low-er salary, pays taxes and covers all costs, at least you get some quality of life back and a more stable financial position as long as you have a job,” Singh said.

RECRUITING ThE bEsTAre emerging markets like China and India luring our best talent offshore? HM finds out.

hUMAnRESOURcES



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nationals to return, especially from the US where jobs have been culled heavily. While some senior staff are happy to chase the boom, others are coming home and they are finding the market doesn’t offer what they would have expected in many parts of Asia.

“In Australia, we currently have over a dozen highly experienced, stable and bona-fide General Managers in between jobs,” Sin-gh said. “Some are ready to accept between 30% to 40% lower salaries, due to them hav-ing to remain in Melbourne, Sydney or Bris-bane for family reasons.

“Salaries have remained quite flat in some areas of hospitality and in other areas, you can-not get any managers for the love of money.

“Finance, Food and Beverage, House-keeping and Front Office have remained flat, whilst trying to lure Business Development Managers, Revenue Managers or Social Me-dia Marketing Managers is near impossible.

“General Managers are probably the low-est paid compared to the risk, responsibility and pressures they work under.

“A similar level manager in finance, bank-ing or telecommunications would probably get rewarded twice as much, with an equally handsome bonus.

“Salaries need to be restructured with a stronger focus on incentives. The entire team must share in the risk and rewards.

“Revenue figures must be transparent to the team, so that the employees of the compa-ny feel responsible for their efforts,” Singh said.

There are also some war stories that are seeing more Australians and New Zealanders coming home to work.

“You hear the horror stories of executives not being paid for 3-4 months deters expats to join unknown brands,” he said.

“As a recruiter, this raises alarm bells for us as these companies will most probably not be able to pay their recruitment fees either.”

Bligh Appointments’ Kyla Brancati said her company is also seeing a shift towards Australians wanting to work back in their home country and so often, it’s not about the money.

“People will continue to go overseas, but more and more we are hearing stories of Aus-sies checking out their own back yard,” she said. “We will all look further afield for that special overseas holiday, but we’ve got pos-sibly the most exciting, beautiful and varied country to explore right hear, and together with Australian tourism promotions, we are seeing more of it.

“Good businesses will survive because they are special. They encourage good cli-ents, who pay a little more for better services, in turn this allows the owners to employ and keep good staff on sensible wages.

“No one ever got into hospitality for the mega bucks, but because they have a passion to serve. A fair wage, above the award is there, if you are the best, because there are business-es out there that are and want the best.

“It is still often a labour of love – 5.30am for breakfast prep, through to 11.00pm for the last ‘rep’ to go to bed, you can never pay for those hours. Whilst you will have stretches during the day to relax a little, it’s either your life, or you are possibly in the wrong indus-try,” she said.

“Growth should continue in Asia as the region continues to experience a huge influx of new

hotel room supply, with a pipeline totaling more than 310,000 rooms.”

AnDREW chAn, cEO, TMS Asia-Pacific

Hotels across Asia are a hotspot for expats, from General Managers to award-winning

Chefs. Pictured: Peter Find, Executive Chef of the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong

He said he expects hotels in emerging markets to keep hiring more of their own ex-pats from around the world.

“India and China are trying to lure their own citizens or natives back to manage their hotels and this trend will continue,” Singh said. “The disparity in local salaries and expat salaries in India and China is rapidly narrow-ing, thus making it more tempting from local


hUMAnRESOURcES

The publisher of Hotel and Accom-modation Management and www.ho-telmanagement.com.au, The Intermedia Group, has launched jobla, a job board for hotel industry professionals.

From the start of October, jobla has been featured on the home page of hotelmanagement.com.au and can be accessed from mobile devices at m.jobla.com.au.

Job seekers can browse job listings, create a candidate profile, register for job alerts, save and manage job appli-cations, and more.

“We intend to deliver a more sat-isfying job seeker experience for hos-pitality professionals due to our ad-vertisers being highly focused and

motivated,” said Intermedia’s General Manager of Recruitment Services, Paul Humberstone.

He said advertisers can purchase job adverts and a range of banner adverts. Job adverts can be purchased individu-ally, in packs of multiple job adverts or as an unlimited monthly subscription. In addition, banner advertising also can be purchased for one week, two week or four week durations.

The Intermedia Group is a leading Australian B2B publishing, event man-agement and technology business, specialising in 12 vertical markets. It also provides the most comprehensive and targeted B2B advertising network in Australia.

Twenty-one teams from Accor hotels across the country participated in the inaugural Race to Survive: Mission Possible Australia, a three-day adventure challenge and raised an incred-ible AUD$240,855.21 to benefit disadvantaged Australians through Mission Australia.

The hotel teams not only held fundrais-ing events in their local communities but also competed in a gruelling three-day adventure challenge of strategy, strength and camping out on the Sunshine Coast in late October. Australian Ironman and Ironwoman Cham-pions, Matt Poole and Candice Falzone were also on hand to race teams to the finish line at Novotel Twin Waters Resort.

Accor Australia Vice President, Simon McGrath presented a cheque for $240,855.21 to Mission Australia CEO Toby Hall at a cele-bration dinner at Novotel Twin Waters Resort on Friday 28 October.

Funds raised from Race to Survive will directly benefit Mission Australia services in-cluding Café One on Wickham (QLD) - con-necting people and combating homelessness; MissionBeat (NSW) - combating homeless-ness; Charcoal Lane and Aboriginal Driver Ed-ucation Program (VIC) - pathways to employ-ment for Indigenous youth; Parents Staying Connected (TAS) - strengthening families and children; Youth Beat (SA) - empowering and supporting young people; Drug and Alcohol Youth Service, Yirra Rehabilitation Program and Youth Accommodation Support Service (WA) - providing pathways to a successful youth; and Saltwater Kitchen (NT) - pathways to employment for Indigenous youth.

Accor has been a partner of Mission Aus-

tralia for a number of years and, hence, it was a ‘natural’ for the two groups to launch the inaugural Race to Survive: Mission Possible.

“We are extremely proud of our Race to Survive teams who came together from all states and territories to compete under test-ing conditions in physical challenges to help Mission Australia transform the lives of dis-advantaged Australians,” said McGrath.

“We are absolutely thrilled that the first Race to Survive in Australia was such an in-spiring and heart-racing event. We would like to extend our thanks to the local commu-nities who supported the teams during their fundraising efforts which has helped us to

raise over $240,000 to help Mission Australia improve the lives of those less fortunate.

“Our hotels are very much part of their lo-cal communities and are committed to giving back through our partnership with Mission Australia. Race to Survive is just one initia-tive where we can help others in need and we look forward to doing it all over again next year,” he said.

Hall added: “Overcoming disadvantage is challenging and complex, but through the support of initiatives such as Race to Sur-vive: Mission Possible we can transform the lives of more people and create a fairer Aus-tralia for all.”

FUNDRAISING sunshInE CoAsT

Accor staff raise $240,000 for Mission Australia

HUMAN RESOURCES sydnEy

Intermedia launches jobla

Toby Hall and Simon McGrath

jobla covers all segments of the hotel industry


APPOInTMEnTS

PEOPLE on ThE MovE

MB

MICHAEL BoUrNE has been appointed general Manager of hilton sydney, following the departure of 2011 hM Awards general Manager of the year PAUL HUTToN to Asia. bourne takes over

hilton’s flagship hotel after hutton, who after an incredibly successful two and a half years at hilton sydney, is relocating with his family to hong kong as regional general manager, hilton China south. In what’s being dubbed a “dream” move for bourne, the relocation to sydney brings his family back to their hometown, following three years living in Melbourne where bourne was opening general Manager of hilton Melbourne south wharf. “opening hilton Melbourne south wharf was a fantastic experience and my family has been incredibly happy living in such a cosmopolitan city for the last three years,” bourne said. “Moving back home to sydney to the wonderful hilton sydney however, is more than a dream come true, it’s a complete privilege. I closely monitored the refurbishment process here in 2005 and knew then that if I had the opportunity to manage any hilton property in the future, I wanted it to be this one! I’m eager to get to know the entire team and work on leading them and this magnificent hotel into 2012 and beyond.” bourne has over 20 years experience in the hotel industry, beginning his career at the iconic newport Arms hotel in sydney’s northern beaches. This was the catalyst for him to want to learn about larger hotels and he joined what was then the second largest hotel in sydney, the koala oxford square hotel, as a porter. The hotel management soon recognised his flair for customer service and offered him a traineeship and helped him gain entry to study hotel Management at the ryde school of hospitality. bourne moved on to have a successful career with southern pacific hotels Corporation (sphC) where, amongst other achievements, he headed up operations for the opening of the sydney Airport parkroyal, managed the sails in the desert hotel (formerly sheraton Ayres rock) and was national director of sales and Marketing for Ayres rock resort. After 13 years with sphC, bourne wanted to extend his skills and left to take on the challenge of opening general manager for the prestigious Cypress lakes resort in the hunter valley and three years later, the opening of the novotel Century darling harbour in sydney’s Cbd, before accepting the role of general Manager at the former ritz-Carlton hotel in double bay. bourne joined hilton International in 2003 as general Manager of the award-winning hilton Melbourne Airport before moving on to manage hilton brisbane. In this time both hotels picked up two national Australian hotel Association awards. bourne also held the role of hilton’s food and beverage Coordinator, Australasia for four years.

GF

GrEG FINdLAY has been appointed general Manager at the w seoul-walkerhill. findlay, a seasoned hotelier and management expert from new Zealand, has previously worked

throughout Asia pacific and as a general Manager in Indonesia, Thailand on two occasions and new Zealand since beginning his career with the sheraton brand in new Zealand in 1992. findlay was particularly recognized for the successful launch of The westin Auckland in 2007 and The westin siray bay resort & spa, phuket in 2010. findlay studied Management and Marketing at bond university in queensland, Australia. Married with two daughters, he likes to spend his leisure time enjoying music and sports with his family. “I’m thrilled to be working with such a great team at w seoul-walkerhill, a leader of the w brand not only in Asia but worldwide. As one of the first successfully established w hotels in Asia pacific, we will continue to introduce new lifestyle experiences and present creative services to our guests,” findlay said. “I’m also excited to be working in seoul, one of the most dynamic businesses, fashion and design led cities in Asia.”

TM

InterContinental bali resort has appointed ToM MEYEr as general Manager and Area general Manager – Ihg bali. Australian born Meyer has almost 30 years industry experience in the hospitality

industry. After acquiring a passion for travel at an early age Meyer’s very first job during his gap year was with InterContinental hamburg, subsequently completing a hotel training programme and gaining valuable practical experience across a number of key departments. rising through the ranks and continuing to add new skills to his career portfolio, Meyer excelled at sizable properties in Antigua and his hometown of sydney as a director of food and beverage. since rejoining Ihg in 1993, Meyer has held a succession of senior roles that have taken him from sydney to singapore, Manila, and hong kong. Most recently he was in dubai where he spent several years as director of operations and Area general Manager of dubai festival City (dfC) with responsibilities that involved opening and overseeing InterContinental dfC and the Crowne plaza dfC as well as a complex of InterContinental branded residential suites. In addition, he was instrumental in orchestrating the take-over and rebranding of an18-hole championship golf course.

AG

outrigger hotels and resorts has appointed AMANdA GAUdIoN to the position of senior business development Manager, specialising in wholesale and inbound markets for the group’s

growing portfolio of hotels and resorts in

Australia and the Asia-pacific. based at outrigger’s Australian headquarters on the gold Coast, gaudion will focus on driving domestic and inbound market growth while also building on relationships with key global wholesaler networks and online travel agents. she will also be responsible for assisting with outbound business to outrigger’s resorts in Thailand and bali, and upcoming projects in China and vietnam. gaudion’s new role is an internal promotion and follows on from her recent position as rooms division Manager at the deluxe outrigger little hastings street resort and spa in noosa.

GR

The Australian hotels Association (wA) board has appointed GrANT rAUBENHEIMEr, general Manager of the pan pacific perth, to the senior position of AhA (wA)

Accommodation division president. raubenheimer brings over 28 years of distinguished hotel experience to this important position within the Association. “I am humbled by this wonderful accolade and it is certainly a great honour to act as representation for the vibrant wA tourism industry. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and passion for the industry to help shape the council’s strategic direction and achieve great milestones,” raubenheimer said. last year, raubenheimer and his family moved to perth to launch pan pacific perth, formerly sheraton perth hotel. prior to this, he was Manager of the iconic lilianfels blue Mountains resort and spa and hotel Manager of the observatory hotel sydney. Throughout his career, raubenheimer has held a number of general Manager and Corporate positions with some of the largest international hotel chains located in Africa, uk and germany.

InterContinental Adelaide has welcomed sIddHArTHA KAUL to the position of Chéf Concierge. kaul brings a wealth of experience to the hotel having previously held positions with starwood hotel and resorts in India, sea Island resorts in georgia usA, raffles in dubai and most recently InterContinental perth burswood. kaul has previously served a number of high profile guests including president george bush senior, venezuelan president hugo Chavez and Indian prime Minister Manmohan singh as well as many fortune 500 CEos. kaul said he would ensure guest service was a major focus moving forward for the hotel. “hopefully I can bring some different ideas to InterContinental Adelaide,” kaul said. “I have been blessed in my career to work in some amazing hotels and I aim to bring all my experience to the table and ensure the InterContinental Adelaide remains the number one hotel in Adelaide for guest service.” kaul holds a diploma in hotel Management from India and a butler Certificate from the International Institute of Modern butlers usA.


cOncIERGEcORnER

The revelation initially comes when you at-tend your first UICH International Congress; you suddenly realize that we are a truly glob-al community in every sense of the word. For me that revelation came to me in the Philip-pines in Manila in 2005 and changed both my personal and professional life thereaf-ter. Fast forward six years, and I find myself representing the Les Clefs d’Or Australian Membership as Pres-ident and the Oceania Member-ship as Zone Director.

In the role of Zone Director for Oceania I had the opportunity to attend the historic 60th UICH Executive Meeting in Vissoie, Switzerland, birthplace of our acknowledged founding father Ferdinand Gillet. I embarked on my 27-hour journey from my hometown of Sydney, Australia to Vissoie. Nothing can prepare a person for the sheer majesty of the Swiss Alps, and Vissoie and Saint-Luc are in every imagina-ble way, quintessential alpine villages.

In Vissoie, I found myself amongst the lu-minaires of the global concierge community. The wonderful thing is that in many cases these luminaries have become my friends, echoing our long held motto of “Service through Friendship”.

There were some wonderfully unique op-portunities afforded to us; such has hearing the Sages, Albert Ostertag and Walter Freytag

recount anecdotes from our distant past, and I realized - this was history coming to life. A crucial component of our time in Vissoie was the opportunity to attend the Zone Directors Meeting, Chaired by International 3rd Vice President Simon Thomas; it gave the oppor-tunity for the Zone Directors to provide an overview of each of the countries with in their zones. As well as highlighting, thoughts, ide-as and issues, there was a very tangible sense

of camaraderie.On a personal level, what

was most resonant for my-self, was the sense of history, the sense of where we began, where as a society, we came from. It was this unique op-portunity to connect with our direct past. The opportunity to visit the gravesite of Ferdinand and Jean Gillet, and then gain entrance at the invitation of “JJ” Gillet Ferdinand’s Grandson, to the home of Ferdinand Gil-let was beyond compare; to seat myself at his table, in his base-ment was simply extraordinary.

I would like to acknowledge each and every one of the participants in the pilgrim-age to our past, in particular Claudio Caser and the Members of Les Clefs d’Or Switzer-land Organizing Committee, and of course the always affable Aldo Giacomello.Michael Anderson is the Chief Concierge at The Observatory Hotel, Sydney, President of Les Clefs d’Or Australia and the organisation’s Oceania Zone Director.

The 2011 Les Clefs d’Or Concierge Balls in Sydney and Melbourne were once again a highlight of the society’s annual calendar. Here are some of the highlights.

CONFERENCES swITZErlAnd

Gillet's passion lives on words MICHAEL ANdErsoN

Michael Anderson visits the gravesite of Ferdinand and Jean Gillet

EVENTS MElbournE

Annual Concierge Balls a hit

Peter McBrearty and friends at the Melbourne Concierge Ball 2011

APT Day Tours and AAT Kings demonstrate that they are friendly competitors

As 2011 begins to draw to a close, members of les Clefs d’or and their associates in the general Concierge community have been balancing a busy itinerary with generally high occupancies at their respective properties, and a correspondingly high demand for assistance from their guests.

International 2nd vice president Colin Toomey of the shangri-la sydney was joined by our Australian president and oceania Zone director Michael Anderson of the observatory hotel sydney at the historic 60th uICh International Meeting in vissoie, switzerland where the theme of this year’s meeting was ‘A return to our heritage: A nostalgic journey’, a tribute to our founding father ferdinand gillet who was born in the village of vissoie.

spring has always been the season associated with the les Clefs d’or Concierge balls, and this year sydney commenced proceedings with their very successful ‘disco Inferno’ held in the ballroom of the westin sydney, with a special mention being due to the westin sydney’s very dapper ball organiser and ticket seller extraordinaire ron greedy. A wonderful night was had by all, and in the process through the kindness of those in attendance, members raised a substantial amount for st Anthony’s family Care.

our new Zealand brethren held their event at the rendezvous hotel in Auckland. once again our kiwi brothers and sisters produced a successful event and many of us hope to make it over next year to share the experience.

In Melbourne with an attendance in excess of 500 people from the tourism and hospitality industry, Cirque du les Clefs d’or at The sebel Albert park Melbourne proved to be not only the second largest of the Concierge balls ever held in victoria but also a testament to the organisational ability of Andrew natoli of the sofitel Melbourne in his first year as primary ball organiser. Members were also very happy to see International honorary Member jonas le souef of lightning ridge opals receive his membership certificate from our Treasurer steve Ciric. Those in attendance were once again kind enough to strongly support our very deserving charity, bayley house.

PETER McBREARTYPR & Media LiasonLes Clefs d'Or


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