the magazine for hotel executives june 2016 $4 · tourism industry association of canada; tony...

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JUNE 2016 HOTELIER 1hoteliermagazine.com

V o l u m e 2 8 , N u m b e r 4 | J u n e 2 0 1 6 Contents

Features8 A TRIP THROUGH TIME B.C.’s Hotel Zed offers an unapologetically retro guest experience By Laura Pratt

13 STEPPING UP Hotel operators are upping their planet- friendly practices for even bigger impact By Rebecca Harris

20 SLOW AND STEADY Around the world, the momentum for new hotel construction continues to build By Andrew Speller

22 REDEFINING BOUTIQUE As the definition of “boutique hotel” broadens, an increasing number of guests and operators are becoming interested in what a boutique-style property can offer By Carol Neshevich

27 SMOOTH OPERATORS F&B gets busy offering welcoming spaces, convenient services and menus that meet demand By Lindsay Forsey

31 ALL ABOUT YOU CRM is expanding its reach with big data and integrated tools By Denise Deveau

Departments2 EDITOR’S PAGE3 CHECKING IN36 HOTELIER: Cory Haggar, Falcon Crest Lodge, Alberta

ON THE COVER: Mandy Farmer, CEOand owner of B.C.’s Hotel Zed

Scan to view our website

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EDITOR’S PAGEEDITOR’S PAGE

Tragedy is unpredictable and can strike at any time. But, if and when it does, all we can hope is that we

have the support networks and the intes-tinal fortitude to help us endure. That’s a lesson the inhabitants of Fort McMurray, Alta. were forced to learn when, on May 1, wildfires swept through their community. By May 3rd the fires had destroyed 2,400 homes and businesses, forcing the evacu-ation of tens of thousands of people. By May 19, the fires were still raging, moving westward to Saskatchewan, in what has

become one of the costliest disasters in our country’s history. Watching the drama unfold, Canadians were left with stark images,

indelibly painted on their brains, of flames engulfing the entire town and the massive evacuation effort which ensued. It was a nightmare of epic proportions, leading one to wonder how to start the recovery process.

As tragic as the wildfires were, it was heartwarming to see the country come together as one community, donating more than $80 million — the biggest collection of money ever raised in Canada. The story made headlines not only across our country, but around the world.

As the magazine was going to press in late May, the Alberta govern-ment announced that evacuees were expected to be able to return to their homes by early June as part of a phased in re-entry. The process should be completed by June 15, coinciding with the full restoration of the Northern Lights Regional Heath Centre.

Many businesses including hotels will need to be rebuilt from the ground up. However, in speaking to some of the hoteliers whose business-es were decimated, it’s clear they are committed to moving forward with new properties. Some, like the Super 8, whose picture was plastered across many media sites, will be rebuilt, in that very same location.

It’s heartening to see Canadians from all walks, including individuals, businesses and even music bands such as Pearl Jam, which donated money from the sales of Canadian concert tickets and merchandise, coming together to help. In fact, foodservice and hospitality companies were among the first to contribute extensively to the fund. From companies such as West Jet, which moved quickly to accommodate displaced individuals, to companies such as Cara, McDonald’s Canada and White Spot — not to mention the federal government, which matched individual donations.

With their generosity of spirt, the process of moving forwarding and rebuilding will be made that much smoother.

From the ashes, a new Fort McMurray will take shape.

FROM THE ASHES

For daily news and announcements: @hoteliermag on Twitter and Hotelier magazine on Facebook

FOLLOW US:

ROSANNA CAIRAEditor and Publisher

[email protected]

ADVISORY BOARD

David McMillan, AXIS HOSPITALITY INTERNATIONAL; Bill

Stone, CBRE HOTELS; David Larone, CBRE HOTELS; Anthony

Cohen, CRESCENT HOTELS — GLOBAL EDGE INVESTMENTS;

Charles Suddaby, CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD LTD. — HOSPITAL-

ITY & GAMING GROUP; Christiane Germain, GROUPE GERMAIN

HOSPITALITE; Michael Haywood, THE HAYWOOD GROUP; Lyle

Hall, HLT ADVISORY; Drew Coles, INNVEST REIT; Ryan Murray,

THE PILLAR + POST HOTEL; Geoffrey Allan, PROJECT CAPITAL

MANAGEMENT HOTELS; Stephen Renard, RENARD INTERNA-

TIONAL HOSPITALITY & SEARCH CONSULTANTS; Anne Larcade,

SEQUEL HOTELS & RESORTS

ROSANNA CAIRA | EDITOR & PUBLISHER [email protected]

MARGARET MOORE | ART DIRECTOR [email protected]

AMY BOSTOCK | MANAGING EDITOR [email protected] ANDREW SPELLER | ASSOCIATE EDITOR [email protected]

DANIELLE SCHALK | ASSISTANT EDITOR [email protected]

DEREK RAE | MULTIMEDIA MANAGER [email protected]

COURTNEY JENKINS | GRAPHIC DESIGNER [email protected]

CHERYLL SAN JUAN | ACCOUNT MANAGER [email protected]

MARIA FAMA VIECILI | ACCOUNT MANAGER [email protected] MAGGIE SPENCE | ACCOUNT MANAGER [email protected]

WENDY GILCHRIST | SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER [email protected]

CIRCULATION | PUBLICATION PARTNERS [email protected] (905) 509-3511

DANIELA PRICOIU | CONTROLLER [email protected]

MITCH KOSTUCH | FOUNDER

HOTELIER is published eight times a year by Kostuch Media Ltd., 23 Lesmill Rd., Suite 101, Toronto, Ont., M3B 3P6, (416) 447-0888, Fax (416) 447-5333. All rights reserved. Subscription rates: Canada: $25 per year, single issue $4, U.S.A.: $30 per year; all other countries $40 per year. Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement #40 063470. Member of Canadian Circulations Audit Board, the American Business Media and Magazines Canada. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canadian Periodical Fund for our publishing activities. Printed in Canada on recycled stock.


Best Western Hotels & Resorts hosted members of the media last month at the Arcadian Loft in Toronto for its 2016 Leisure Travel Summit. This year’s Summit featured the event’s largest panel to date, which included

David Goldstein, president and CEO of Destination Canada; Brian Payea, head of Industry Relations at TripAdvisor; Charlotte Bell, president and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada; Tony Pollard, president of the Hotel Association of Canada; and Dorothy Dowling, SVP and CMO of Best Western.

Members of the panel predicted a positive outlook for 2016, noting current economic conditions have been instrumental in increasing inbound traffic to Canada. Goldstein and Bell also said Canada’s tourism business is becoming less seasonal, with growth in winter business.

Payea shared numbers showing that in the last 12 months, Canadians have been looking at 36-per-cent more Canadian properties on TripAdvisor than they did the year before, highlighting a trend towards more travel within Canada. However, Pollard did draw attention to HAC’s Canadian Travel Intentions Survey, which indicated leisure travel will decline by roughly five percentage points in 2016.

The panel also examined the impact of the millennial generation and concluded with a somewhat atypical view on the cohort. Goldstein pointed out that at Destination Canada, a much greater focus is put on psychographics rather than demographics, “because there is a great age range that fits a certain type of explorer…those people who aren’t just looking for the standard vacation but looking a little bit further.”

Payea revealed that the various generations “behave remarkably similarly” in the way they interact with TripAdvisor.

Panelists agreed that as the largest cohort, millennials certainly cannot be ignored. Bell described them as a “catalyst for growth” which have great poten-tial to fuel long-term development in the industry.

THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS FOR HOTEL EXECUTIVES FROM CANADA AND AROUND THE WORLD

Checking In

LOOKING AHEAD Industry experts discussed the outlook for future travel at the Best Western Leisure Travel Summit BY DANIELLE SCHALK

TRY BEFORE YOU BUYDuring the Best Western Leisure Travel

Summit held last month in Toronto,

Dorothy Dowling, SVP and CMO of Best

Western, announced the brand will be

launching virtual reality (VR) experiences

for all of its North American properties. “By

summer of this year, Best Western is going

to launch 360° VR tours of all our branded

hotels in North America,” said Dowling.

“This will allow customers to have an

experience before they get to wherever

they’re going and qualify and quantify

that experience in terms of what they

want to do when they get there.” The VR

experiences will be available through Best

Western’s branded channels, Facebook

and Google.

SELLING CANADA At last month’s Best Western Leisure

Travel Summit, Destination Canada presi-

dent and CEO David Goldstein revealed

how the organization’s new marketing

approach is changing the way it portrays

Canada to the U.S. tourism market.

“Americans think of us as remote, big,

epic and beautiful — we have to change

that message a little,” he explained.

Rather than focusing on the destination,

the new campaign focuses more on

experiential attractions such as Pride in

Toronto and the Montreal Jazz Festival. “If

we’re going to disrupt and differentiate in

[the American market], it’s going to have

to be with our experiences, which are,

frankly, exceptional,” he said.


GOING FOR GOLD

The Ontario Hostelry Institute (OHI) Gold Awards Dinner was held April 21 at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. More than 400 industry profession-als, educators and culinary/hospitality students gathered to celebrate their peers at the annual black-tie event, which included eight awards for outstanding contributions to the hospitality and foodservice

industry in Ontario; the induction of 10 new Fellows of the Institute; and the presentation of this year’s Top 30 Under 30. “Our industry would not be possible if we didn’t have the dedicated men and women who operate our culinary institutes across the province and instill in their students a sense of excellence, hospitality and dedication,” said Charles Grieco, president, OHI. Gold Award winners included: Zoe Yanovsky (owner, Chez Piggy Restaurant and Bar) for Independent Restaurateur; Malcolm Jolley (found-ing editor, Good Food Revolution) for Media and Publishing; Tracey Clark (president and CEO, Bridgehead) for Foodservice Chain/Group Opera-tor; Liloo Alim (chef concierge, Four Seasons Hotel Toronto) for Hotelier; Andrea Damon Gibson and Steve Gibson (owners, Fred’s Bread) for Suppli-er; and Bryan Gilvesy (owner, YU Ranch) for Artisan.

COMING EVENTS June 16: Kostuch Media’s Icons & Innova-tors Breakfast featuring Cora Tsouflidou, Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, Toronto. Tel: 416-447-0888 x235; email: [email protected]; website: foodservice-andhospitality.com/shop

June 20-23: HITEC 2016, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans. Email: [email protected]; website: hftp.org/explore-hitec

Sept. 22: Kostuch Media’s Icons & Innova-tors Breakfast featuring George Cohon, Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, Toronto. Tel: 416-447-0888 x235; email: [email protected]; website: foodservice-andhospitality.com/shop

Sept. 25-26: 3rd Annual ILHA Luxury Hospitality Summit, Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Washington D.C. website: luxuryhotelconference.com

FOR MORE EVENTS, visit http://bit.ly/Hotelierevents

(from left) Dimitrios Zarikos, Liloo Alim and Charles Grieco

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InBrief

Group Germain Hotels opened the new Alt Hotel Ottawa, its first proper-ty in the nation’s capital, on May 4. The 148-room hotel, featuring a fully-equipped fitness room, almost 4,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, spa-inspired bathrooms, geothermal heating and cooling and energy efficient lighting, is the company’s seventh property under the Alt banner…Destination BC will divvy up $3.6 million in fiscal 2016 to 2017 for more than 110 tourism projects to advance tourism and related activities, in the province…Realstar Hospitality opened a new Days Inn this month in Victoria, featuring 73 spacious guestrooms, each with a flat-screen HDTV, free WiFi, plush bedding and mini-fridges…Europe’s largest travel-services company, Germany-based TUI AG, is selling its Hotelbeds online reservations unit to Cinven Ltd. and the Canada Pension Plan Invest-

FROM MINNESOTA TO BEIJING

In April, Beijing-based HNA Tourism Group Co., entered into an agreement to acquire Carlson Hotels, Inc. from Carlson Hospi-tality Group, Inc. Carlson Hotels owns the Quorvus Collection, Radisson Hotels, Radisson Blu, Radisson Red, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites by Carlson brands, as well as the Club Carlson global rewards program. “Carlson Hotels owns a powerful set of global brands and this historic agreement provides tremendous oppor-tunities for growth,” says David P. Berg, CEO, Carlson Hospitality Group. “We look forward to working within HNA Tourism Group, a greatly respected global enterprise, in what will be an exciting new chapter in the history of Carlson Hotels. As part of HNA Tourism Group, Carlson Hotels will have an opportunity to advance our commitment to providing guests with hospitality worldwide.” Under terms of the agreement, which were unanimously approved by the Carlson Board of Directors, HNA Tourism Group will acquire all of Carlson Hotels’ assets, including its approximately 51.3 per cent majority stake in Rezidor Hotel Group. The transaction is expected to close in late 2016.

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ment Board for $1.3 billion (U.S.)…Starwood Hotels & Resorts World-wide, Inc. reached an agreement with Easton’s Group of Hotels in late April to open a second Element Hotel in the Greater Toronto Area and renovate Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Airport. The eight-storey Element Toronto Airport will open in summer 2018 adjacent to the seven-storey Four Points Toronto Airport, which will remain open throughout the $5-million renova-tion…Research firm Canadean released its “Travel and Tourism in Canada to 2020” report, which analy-ses 2015 industry results and forecasts the next five years. According to the report, American tourists flocked to Canada last year, taking advantage of the weak Canadian dollar. This trend is expected to continue through 2016…Delta Hotels and Resorts opened its first branded hotel in the U.S last month. The Delta Orlando Lake Buena Vista opening, in partnership with JHM Hotels, signals

the global expansion of the Delta brand. A new Delta logo was revealed as part of the integration of Delta into the Marriott family.

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refined product and service excellence to his new role.

SupplySide

Ottawa-based Hotel Communica-tion Network (HCN) is chang-ing the way hotels do business by developing in-room tablets for hotel guests, giving them access to the Internet, room service (from the hotel as well as local restaurants), wake-up calls, directions and the soon-to-be launched 24/7 concierge service... Metalcraft reinvented its drinking vessel offerings with the launch of more than 20 mugs, tumblers, cups and drink cans, available for purchase through Metalcraft’s Canadian supplier in Mississauga, Ont. The new drinkware is featured in American Metalcraft’s new product brochure being introduced at the NRA Show this month.

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EDITOR’S PAGEPROFILE

A TripThrough

TimeSTORY BY LAURA PRATT PHOTOGRAPH BY ADAM AND KEV PHOTOGRAPHY

The “ridiculously fun” Hotel Zed offers an unapologetically retro guest experience

JUNE 2016 HOTELIER 9hoteliermagazine.com JUNE 2016 HOTELIER 9hoteliermagazine.com

Travel, to the minds behind the zany and unique Hotel Zed, is about more than taking passages through geography — it’s about tripping through time. That explains the attention its innovators have paid to the in-room rotary-dial phones, the working lobby typewriters and the 1960s-era

VW buses which ferry guests to and from the properties. That these decidedly retro features are abundantly offset by ample to-the-minute technology offerings conspires to produce a quirky, original, attractive accommodation combo. “Personally, I don’t want to have a boring stay in a generic chain,” says CEO and owner, Mandy Farmer, and so she offers the same exclusive invitation to the guests of her two properties (the original, in Victoria, B.C., is two years old; the second opens in Kelowna, B.C., this month).

The story of Hotel Zed — which bills itself as “a ridiculously fun boutique motel” — is as unique as the chain.

IN THE BEGINNINGThe first Hotel Zed began its life in Victoria as the Blue Ridge Inn. Its owners had purchased it with the intent of operating it as an Accent Inn, the company’s flagship brand. But this cheap and cheerful two-star motel simply wasn’t of the same quality as Accent — a five-property, mid-market 30-year-old brand which maintains a three-star standard. Throughout its 10-year life under the Blue Ridge banner, the place thrummed with the potential to be something else. “I had this vision of doing something super fun celebrating the fact it’s a motel, rather than trying to hide that,” says Farmer.

In early 2014, Farmer’s team began the celebration on the outside, painting the exterior with bright colours so eye-catch-ing that riders on passing buses regularly crane their necks to catch a glimpse. They added glass railings and cedar accents and made a virtue of the kitschy, mid-century-motel architec-ture around the lobby building with more look-at-me paint.

Next was a hot pink waterslide — the Zedinator — a bonus to its indoor/outdoor pool, along with a hot tub, a spiffed-up

STORY BY LAURA PRATT PHOTOGRAPH BY ADAM AND KEV PHOTOGRAPHY

pool area and a brightly coloured ping-pong lounge directly below the hotel restaurant. “The restaurant is a huge hit, not only with guests, but with locals,” Farmer enthuses. “I love this mix. When I travel, that’s what I want. I don’t want to meet other tourists — I want to meet locals.”

At the Kelowna property, which Farmer picked up from a court-ordered sale in September (“It’s perfect,” she swoons, of the “dumpy downtown motel” across the street from a park with beaches, tennis courts and water features), they’re add-ing a rooftop patio with a lake view.

Other exterior offerings include skateboard and bicycle programs, both offered to guests gratis (“I think we’re the only hotel in the world that has free longboard rentals,” says Farmer). The Victoria property is located just off the city’s regional cycling trail, Galloping Goose, and the Kelowna hotel is across from the walking/cycling trail which winds through the city park.

Then, drawing deeply on the same retro-modern impulse, the team moved inside. That meant wholesale room renova-tions which featured quirky throwback details of the hotel’s unapologetic past and the modern amenities today’s travel-lers insist upon.

It installed high-speed wireless throughout the property, flatscreen LED TVs and media hubs where guests could plug in their phones and watch Netflix on their TVs. “You’ve got to have modern amenities when you’re dealing with hipsters — this high tech is the other piece of the balance,” says

John Espley, director of Marketing and Communications for Accent Inns Inc. The high-tech focus is also evident in the virtual reality (VR) app the hotel introduced in partner-ship with Vancouver-based VR video production company Wondr. Here, a 360-degree VR video of the property’s ele-ments can be called up for viewers who need only move their phones and tablets around to see the space as though they’re in it.

A TASTE OF YESTERYEARThe high-tech fare is deliciously offset by a profusion of retro elements, whose featured inclusion in the hotel’s decor has proven among its most powerful drawing cards. To wit, it sourced old-school rotary-dial telephones and 1960s-era government-issue gun-metal desks, both of whose original drab finishes were updated with rainbow hues. Local graffiti artists dressed up the walls (the work of a local Kelowna art-ist adorns the walls of the property in that city) and finishing touches include comic books, pencils and bulletin boards.

“It’s not your typical room,” says Farmer. Indeed, says Espley. “In some ways, you get to have a sleepover in the 1970s or 1960s at Hotel Zed.”

The goal for the refurbished lobby was to create a place of social interaction. In a nod to the widely endured tradition of substandard in-room hotel coffee, Farmer and her team removed the coffeemakers from the rooms (“It makes for a cleaner space”) and invited guests to get their caffeine fixes

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from the local brews that percolate in the lobby.

In addition to the coffee impetus, the lobby encourages congregation with its pair of typewriters, where guests will regularly situate them-selves to pound out tourist-y missives. There’s also a number of board games for borrowing, including Scrabble and Jenga.

In one more nod to the charms of yesteryear, the lobby features a vinyl listening station, where guests can chill out to Cat Stevens and Al Stewart.

At the Kelowna property, staff has transformed a room the size of an elevator into a mini disco, complete with fog machine and disco lights. Any guest who spies this novelty feels compelled to drop in for a truly little video dance party that they subsequently share with their phone.

“It’s been a ton of fun,” Farmer says of the renovation work, “and it’s been great to see my dream come true. But, it’s been surprising in good and in bad ways — you would not believe what we found when we started opening up the walls in Kelowna. The amount of money we’ve put into these dilapidated buildings is a hard pill to swallow.” She declines to offer a figure.

The final piece of the retro push, says Farmer, “is probably the most important” the trio of vintage Volkswagen buses serving as the company’s shuttlebuses. “It’s like a mascot,” says Espley. Funkily painted (Victoria’s are aqua and orange and hot pink and green; Kelowna’s is turquoise and hot pink), these standout modes of transport practically insist upon delighted tourist photography.

GUEST-POWERED MARKETINGAt Hotel Zed, corporate promotion is largely a do-it-yourself proposition. Guests, charmed by the retro elements of their temporary homes, feverishly snap photos and post them to social media. But the proprietors have been mindful of this likelihood, and have taken care to ensure branding gets prominent transmission in this digital exercise. For example,

there’s a Hotel Zed logo smack in the middle of the rotary dials of those snap-worthy orange, yellow, turquoise and aqua phones. The hotel’s name is in evidence at the mini disco, too. And the lobby typewriters rest alongside prominently displayed typewriter-ready Hotel Zed postcards.

“We’re really relying on our customers to market the prop-erty for us,” says Farmer. “Whether it’s a photo of them in the ping-pong lounge, in the vinyl listening room, or on the bus.”

Hotel Zed is a destination property aimed at “the customer that doesn’t want to stay in a boring, ordinary hotel.” The hotel is anything but, this property enjoys a loyal follow-ing with a variety of market segments. “We’re a hit with families,” says Farmer. “But we’re also a hit with seniors and hipsters. And toddlers love us. We’re all over the map.” The thrust for Zed is the leisure market but, says Farmer, some “forward-thinking tech companies” are delighted to find such a unique shelter choice for their conference attendees. Rates for the rooms — in Victoria there are 63, in Kelowna, there are 55 — range from $170 to $200 per night in the summer and $120 in the winter.

“There are a lot of people out there who are longing for something different,” says Espley. “They’re tired of the same old experience. Hotel Zed, because of everything that goes on there, is not just a place to stay — it’s an experience.” u


LOOKING BACK


SUSTAINABILITY

W hen Justin Keating began running Hôtel du Vieux-Québec full-time in 2008, his vision

was decidedly green. The owner and general manager set out to launch various eco-friendly initiatives at the

historic Old Quebec City hotel, such as adding solar panels, creating a roof-top garden with organic vegetables and herbs, introducing water-saving devices in the bathrooms and chang-ing the lighting to LED.

However, Keating isn’t content to rest on his green laurels, and is con-

tinuously looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly. Today, he’s got a number of projects on the go, including adding a solar hot-water system for in-floor heating; doubling the windows to improve the envelope of the building; and building a four-season greenhouse on the roof.

STEPPING

HOTEL OPERATORS ARE UPPING THEIR PLANET-FRIENDLY PRACTICES FOR EVEN BIGGER IMPACT

STORY BY REBECCA HARRIS

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Keating estimates the greenhouse will cost approximately $400,000, including structural changes that need to be made to the building. While these new improvements come with a hefty price tag, Keating believes the investment will pay off. As the months pass, more guests are saying they chose the hotel in part because of its green efforts. “Hopefully that will continue and if we’re attracting more guests, then it helps us pay for these improvements,” says Keating.

For Keating, being sustainable means having the smallest envi-ronmental footprint possible, but in today’s hotel industry, forward-think-ing operators are taking big steps to reduce their footprints. While saving energy and water has long been a green focus for the industry, hotel companies are broadening sustain-

ability efforts to create an even bigger impact on the environment — and the bottom line.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, for example, has been at the forefront of the green movement in the hotel industry, hav-ing launched its Green Partnership program in 1990. Now called the Fairmont Sustainability Partnership, the program covers areas such as ener-gy and water conserva-tion, waste management and community partner-ships. Last year, Fairmont met its goal to reduce its CO2 carbon footprint by 20 per cent through World Wildlife Fund’s Climate Savers program.

“Fairmont is always looking for

new and innovative ways to increase our sustainability efforts,” says Jane Mackie, vice-president of Fairmont Brand at FRHI Hotels & Resorts. “Currently, we are putting a greater focus on management of waste diver-sion, as well as reduction in the use of water, which we believe is an area that has many more opportunities to drive further operational improvements.”

Fairmont’s Bee Sustainable program is also expanding. The brand launched its global honeybee program in 2008 to support healthy bee habitats and since 2014 has grown the program through the installation of pollinator “bee hotels” at its properties and in local communities. Today, Fairmont has 21 bee hotels across Canada and the program is now expanding into the U.S. and abroad.

In Vancouver, the Fairmont Waterfront partnered with a local non-profit organization called Hives for Humanity to build the bee hotel

BEE-AWARE Bee hotels are becoming a more familiar sight on rooftop gardens across North America

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last year. The organization teaches beekeeping to the marginalized resi-dents of Vancouver’s poorest district, Downtown Eastside. “Sustainability for us isn’t just about green initiatives; it’s also about building and supporting local communities and local busi-nesses,” says Kristyna Vogel, manager of Marketing and Public Relations at Fairmont Waterfront.

The property is also committed to being zero waste by the end of 2016, which means it has to divert at least 90 per cent of all hotel waste from landfills. The hotel is working with Richmond, B.C.-based Recycle Smart, which works with companies to improve their waste and recycling programs.

On the “sexy” side of sustainabil-ity, says Vogel, is Eco Fashion Week, which has been hosted by Fairmont Waterfront since 2013. The event includes the Chic Sheet challenge whereby eight designers are given a set of the hotel’s discarded sheets and challenged to come up with runway-

worthy looks. “It may seem a bit frivolous on one

hand, but there’s a big conversation on slow versus fast fashion and ways of rethinking the fashion industry,” says Vogel. “What we’re trying to say with the Chic Sheet challenge is that if we can use sheets to come up with these amazing couture looks, think about what you could be doing with pieces at home before you discard them.”

W Hotels Worldwide, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, is also putting a green spin on bed sheets. Last year, the brand partnered with Coca-Cola and singer will.i.am to bring Ekocycle sheets to W Hotels around the world. The poly-ester sheets are made in part with recycled plastic bottles. Each king-size sheet set uses approximately 31 recycled 20 oz. plastic bottles, which equates to more than 268,000 plastic bottles across all W Hotel beds in North America.

Corporately, Starwood has an ambitious environmental goal it calls

30/20 by 20. It’s a global commit-ment to reduce energy consumption by 30 per cent, water consumption by 20 per cent and carbon by 30 per cent by the year 2020. “What makes the goal unique is that we are com-mitted to reducing those amounts across our entire portfolio, so it’s every owned, managed and franchised prop-erty around the globe,” says Andrea Pinabell, Starwood’s New York-based vice-president of Sustainability, Global Citizenship.

To track progress, Starwood col-lects data from its hotels, which report usage of energy, water and waste. “We track over time against our goals so we fully understand what that hotel is doing to contribute to 30/20 by 20,” says Pinabell. “In addition, we have dashboards and other reporting that leadership uses to help each hotel track its compliance.”

Starwood is also doing a great deal of work in sustainability on the food and beverage side. “It continues to be a real hot topic for our guests, and [the

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industry] will see a lot of movement in terms of sustainable trends within food and beverage,” says Pinabell.

In 2012, Starwood launched a sus-tainable food-and-beverage policy which included a ban on threatened seafood species, such as whales and sea turtles, from its menus. Late last year, Starwood developed posters and pocket guides for its properties to educate kitchen staff on which species to avoid, as well as alternative options.

For its part, on the seafood front, Fairmont Waterfront is working on sourcing 65 per cent of its seafood from Haida Wild, a business enterprise of First Nations’ group, Haida Nation. The seafood is sourced on Haida Gwaii, a group of remote islands in northern B.C. and is 100-per-cent Ocean Wise certified. “The reason we can hit only 65 per cent is some of the seafood we use in the restaurant isn’t available in northern British Columbia. But, if there are things we can get locally, of course we are going to do that,” says Vogel.

While many hotels are looking at

sustainability in the waterways, others are looking at the highways. Two years ago, the Hilton Garden Inn Toronto Airport installed an electric car-charg-ing station in the parking lot. “We did research in our market and found there weren’t too many car-charging stations in the airport,” says Paul Couto, gen-eral manager at the Hilton Garden Inn Toronto Airport. “So we thought, if we did this right, it could be a bit of a competitive advantage and it fits in with our profile as being a LEED-certified hotel.”

Anyone can use the car-charging station, not just guests, but there’s a $5 fee. Couto says on average, the station is used 10 to 15 times a month. “It’s still in the infancy stage, but we feel it will continue to get more usage,” says Couto. “It was something we were will-ing to try and we want to be on top of the trends in the industry.”

The car-charging station is just one small part of Hilton Worldwide’s global efforts in sustainability. In 2010, the company launched LightStay, a state-

of-the-art sustainability measurement platform which allows properties to track how much water, energy and waste they’re saving. Since 2009, global water use at Hilton properties has been reduced 14.1 per cent, waste has been reduced by 27.6 per cent, and carbon has been reduced by 20.9 per cent.

Vito Curalli, director, National

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Sales for Canada and Latin America at Hilton Worldwide, says the benefits of the LightStay program are both envi-ronmental and economical. “Certainly, anytime you factor in the reduction of energy or water, it goes right to the bottom line. It’s simply a reduction in cost overall for the hotel,” he says. “The environmental benefits are there because there’s a reduction in the use of those [resources].”

Curalli firmly believes that green

matters to guests. “Whether it’s through social media, face-to-face, or through B2B customers booking meetings at our properties, our guests are asking for this,” he says. “When we came out with LightStay and applied our targets against a five-year plan, we said to our hotels around the world, ‘we need to do something.’ Clearly, the world is doing something about it. And I think we’ve done a good job because we’ve hit all three targets.” u

INTO THE WILDEco-resorts are a growing trend for envi-

ronmentally conscious travellers who

also want an escape in nature. King

Pacific Lodge, a luxury floating hotel/fish-

ing lodge on Princess Royal Island, B.C.,

has gold level GreenLeaders status for

its green practices, such as composting,

low-flush toilets and using heat from the

generators to make hot water. But the

big draw for the property is its fishing

expeditions in breathtaking B.C. scen-

ery. “When we’re out on the water, it’s

very calm and we have pods of whales

that come through,” says Lisa Cuthbert,

who, along with her husband George,

owns King Pacific Lodge.

Cuthbert says the clientele is 60

per cent Canadian and 40 per cent

American, including corporate groups

and couples for whom price isn’t an

issue. The property’s four- and five-night

all-inclusive stays range from $4,295

to $5,495. “They want the wilderness

experience, but they want the comforts

as well,” says Cuthbert. “They want to

come back and have a beautiful guest

room and five-star service.”

E’Terra, a five-star, luxury eco-resort in

Tobermory, Ont., was built with the envi-

ronment in mind from start to finish. The

six-room villa on Georgian Bay was built

from stone and salvaged timbers. Owner

Laurie Adams considered how every

product was made, where it came from

and its environmental impact. “It was

designed to withstand the test of time,”

says Adams. “If [the property] were to

burn to the ground, the toxins back into

the environment would be almost nil.”

Adams says E’Terra, which is

designed with wellness in mind, attracts

a mix of clientele. Some are seeking a

place that’s off-the-beaten path, often

because of personal searching, while

others are bankers and CEOs looking for

a weekend away.

“When I built E’Terra, I looked at the

five senses, I looked at mental, emo-

tional, physical and spiritual: how when

you walked into a building it affected all

those aspects of the body,” she says. “I

also wanted to use mainstream products

that [anyone] could go out and buy, and it

might cost a little bit more, but in the end

you made a footprint on the planet that

was beneficial.”

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THE GLOBAL REPORT

When it comes to new hotel construction, upper-midscale and upscale

hotels dominate the land-scape. According to Lodging Econometrics’ Q4 2015 report, three industry giants — Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International Inc. and InterContinental Hotel Groups PLC. — account for 37-per-cent of current world-wide hotel construction, with 11,130 ongoing hotel develop-ment pipeline projects.

A slew of factors shaping the industry are fuelling a market shift towards recog-

nized brands. “Brand aware-ness, economics, geography and world events have forged a perfect storm, which has allowed Hilton, Marriott and InterContinental to accel-erate their stranglehold on the industry,” says J.P. Ford, senior vice-president and director of business develop-ment for New Hampshire-based Lodging Econometrics.

“Those three compa-nies have wide consumer acceptance,” explains Ford. “Independent [hotels] are in the pipeline, but frankly, in the past 15 years there has been a branding phenom-enon. Some developers want to do independents because they can do it their way. But, they don’t have brand marketing power. You don’t need many designers; you don’t need to spend a lot with architects. Those proj-ects are designed for quick development — get the thing built and get it open.”

According to Ford, the six hotel categories are all per-forming differently. “Luxury development, especially in the U.S., is not much to speak of — same with econ-omy. Upper-midscale and upscale, [those] are domi-nating these days.” Luxury hotels are expensive to build, says Ford, making it tough to secure financing.

“The lender sweet spot is the upper-midscale — hotels with great parent companies and great existing networks.”

According to the report, Europe has a total of 897 projects comprised of 146,744 rooms — a 5.3-per-cent and five-per-cent increase respec-tively compared to the previ-ous year. London has 21 proj-ects with 3,331 rooms cur-rently under construction, a 19.2-per-cent and 28.6-per-cent decline in both cat-egories. However, early plan-ning hotel construction proj-ects are up 35.3-per-cent and 42-per-cent for projects and rooms. Turkey experienced sluggish growth, increasing its projects by just two to 77, compared to 2014, with 12,496 rooms. Germany had a very strong year, with 136 projects and 27,271 rooms, a 37 project increase when compared to 2014.

Based on these figures, no one geographical loca-tion dominates. In fact, hotel construction appears to be evenly spread out worldwide, with the top cit-ies being New York City, Seoul, South Korea, Dubai, U.A.E., Shanghai, China and Jakarta, Indonesia.

Not surprisingly, New York remains a hot location for increased development, leading with the most pipe-

line projects. “New York is a major gateway into the country and an extremely well-known city throughout the world,” says Ford, while “Dubai, over the past five to eight years, has been an up-and-coming destination. It’s had some peaks and val-leys from time to time, but

SLOW AND STEADYAround the world, the momentum for new hotel construction continues to build STORY BY ANDREW SPELLER

TOP 3HOTEL BRANDS

IN GLOBALDEVELOPMENT

PIPELINE

HILTON 1,471 projects

238,904 rooms

MARRIOTT 1,458 projects

234,734 rooms

INTERCONTINENTAL 1,184 projects 187,212 rooms

TOP 5CITIES WITH

LARGEST PIPELINES

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

28,223 rooms132 projects

DUBAI, U.A.E.27,194 rooms94 projects

SHANGHAI, CHINA23,245 rooms

115 projects

JAKARTA, INDONESIA22,463 rooms128 projects

NEW YORK CITY, U.S.A.

4,788 rooms204 projects

S O U R C E : L O D G I N G E C O N O M E T R I C S

S O U R C E : L O D G I N G E C O N O M E T R I C S


the tremendous amount of wealth there transfers into development projects. And, Shanghai — people want to build where the popula-tion and demand is, so its inclusion on the list doesn’t surprise me at all.”

Ford also emphasizes the Middle East’s strong perfor-mance in hotel construc-tion; “At the end of 2015, compared to the end of 2014, Middle East [hotel development] pipeline proj-ects were up 24-per-cent by and 40-per-cent by rooms,” he says. “That’s an extreme-ly healthy increase. Saudi Arabia is at a cyclical high. The United Arab Emirates, led by Dubai, is very high.”

From a country perspec-tive, a new player joins the

list in fourth spot: Brazil. While it remains a popular tourist destination with a population of more than 200 million, there are two con-tributing factors which have caused the South American country to shoot to the top of the hotel construction list. “[Brazil’s] a little bit unstable, but the Olympics are going there, and they had the World Cup,” explains Ford. “They have two major world-class events in that country [within a two year time span]. And we see [hotel development] when people know demand is coming. Developers will build in anticipation of demand.”

While Ford admits hotel construction isn’t run-

ning at a fervent pace, he believes it’s a good clip. “In the first quarter of 2016, there was another uptick in the pipeline, but it was small — not a big jump,” he says. “Some [industry experts] might say we’re levelling off, but in the next six-to-nine months we may see more levelling off,” warns Ford, adding “the economic conditions in the [U.S.] are quite good [right now]. Interest rates are low, the economy is growing, unemployment is in pretty good shape, people have discretionary income, they have money to travel — they want to stay in newer hotels. So, there’s nothing on the horizon that says that the pipeline is going to

slow down.”Ford believes the global

hotel construction trend is parallel to the U.S. mar-ket. “Growth is about 900 hotels in the U.S. this year with about 102,000 rooms — from a growth rate per-spective that’s about two-per-cent,” he says. “So, it’s slow, but it’s steady. We’re not in an overbuilding situ-ation.”

When asked which part of the world he sees as the best and most stable invest-ment for global hotel con-struction, Ford is quick to answer. “The U.S.,” he says. “It’s a solid bet. The long-term outlook and horizon look very strong. I’d prefer to invest in my own backyard anyway.” uIM

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SEGMENT REPORT

REDEFININGBOUTIQUEAs the definition of ‘boutique hotel’ broadens, an increasing number of guests and operators are becoming interested in what a boutique-style property can offer

ORIGINALITY COUNTS:Hotel Zed (top), Hotel X (centre) and Aria Hotel Budapest (bottom)strive for unique looks which include bright colours, original designs and chic concepts

BY CAROL NESHEVICH

W hat, exactly, is a ‘boutique hotel’? Most people conjure up a certain image in their

heads when they hear the term and, undoubtedly, there are characteristics that are common to most boutique-style properties. However, the definition of ‘boutique’ has become increasingly broad.

“It’s become a kind of a catch-all [phrase] for many things,” says David Larone, a Toronto-based senior manag-ing director with CBRE Hotels. “You say boutique to some people and they’re thinking about art-deco properties from South Beach (Florida), very hard-edged stuff; and then you talk to other people and they’re thinking about small European-style hotels. Boutique can mean independent, non-branded — although we do have brands in that space today: lifestyle brands, smaller, often less than 100 keys. They can be unique upscale properties, some of them with a very original perspective on [food and bever-age], and then there are local, communi-ty-type properties…We’ve had a broad-ening of the definition, and certainly a proliferation of product and interest over the last 10 or 15 years in this space.”

Celso Thompson, director of Sales and Marketing for Toronto’s new Hotel X (expected to open this fall), thinks the essence of ‘boutique’ comes down to personalized service. “It’s about that

response to my individual needs — more than just creating an experience I can find in city A, city B or city C and knowin g there’s a reliable product when I travel, I find that [boutique] is about catering to each individual client’s needs,” he says.

Hotel X plans to provide that sort of personalized service, along with the promise of a memorable experience which can’t be found anywhere else. At 404 rooms, it “defies the common image of a small boutique hotel,” according to Thompson, “But we have 19 rooms per floor, so the feel and the attention to detail we have inside of the room is still that of a boutique hotel.” Given its unique location — on the historic grounds of Toronto’s Exhibition Place — the Hotel X team is aiming to make the various outlets on the property destinations in themselves. For example, the Peregrine Sky Bar is a rooftop bar featuring “three stories dedicated to a rooftop experience. There’s nothing like it in the city [or] anywhere else,” boasts Thompson.

The boutique property also plans to raise the bar with its technology offer-ings. “We are going heavy on technology, so that’s an area that will be extremely important for us — from the room keys, to the way that Internet access will not be an issue in our hotel,” says Thompson, with a chuckle. “We are future-proofing the building so when new technology


comes out, we’re already wired for it. What we’ve done so far responds to today’s technology and it prepares us for the next 10 years at least.”

As part of the Library Hotel Collection, Hotel X joins six other boutique-style hotels in a group which includes two Aria Hotels in Budapest and Prague, and four hotels in New York City: Library Hotel, Casablanca Hotel, Hotel Giraffe and Hôtel Elysée. According to Larone, while the boutique trend began as mostly

independents or very small chains, “collections” are becoming increas-ingly common in the segment.

In fact, many of the industry’s big-name brands — in addition to launching their own boutique-style brands — are beginning to offer “collection” programs, through which a group of independent properties become affiliated with a brand while maintaining their individuality and independent feel. “So let’s say you and I own a boutique hotel or own an asset that is well known within the industry or community, but we want to avail ourselves of the brand system, we could become part of the Curio Collection by Hilton or Autograph by Marriott. Starwood is starting Tribute and Hyatt has what they call the Unbound Collection,” explains Larone. “Another reason [operators are] going there is because it helps them get financing. Lenders like brands, so that’s another motivation.”

While lenders might like the affilia-tion with a known and trusted brand, the power of a brand seems less impor-tant to individual travellers these days, as online travel agencies (OTAs) and review sites proliferate online. “As a traveller, I’m really paying attention to what people are saying about places

online,” says Thompson. Well-known Toronto hospitality and

entertainment entrepreneur Charles Khabouth agrees. Years ago, people were reticent to stay in an unbranded hotel or a hotel they hadn’t heard of, he says, “But now I can Google, I can read reviews. That has given the boutique hotel industry a big push...A lot more people are trusting of the smaller brands, the smaller boutique hotels, so the audience has gotten bigger.”

After many years as a leader in the city’s restaurant and nightclub scene, Khabouth is gearing up to open his first boutique hotel in Toronto. The property, Bisha, is under construction and is expected to open in the next eight to nine months. At 96 rooms, Bisha will certainly fit the small boutique mould and Khabouth aims to differentiate this property by offer-ing one-of-a-kind food-and-beverage services. “It’s going to be a destination for F&B,” he explains. “It’s going to have a 24-hour café and a lively bar in the lobby. We’re not creating a seating area [in the lobby], we want everyone to go into the lobby bar. We also have a restaurant on the second floor and a rooftop patio with an indoor/outdoor restaurant bar.”

The atmosphere itself will be

FABULOUSLY FURNISHED:Hotels, including the The Confidante from Hyatt’s Unbound Collection (top) and Hotel Giraffe, fur-nish their rooms with locally designed and fabricated furniture collections

a primary draw for Bisha, says Khabouth. “A big drive to stay in our hotel is going to be the excitement, the electricity of walking into that lobby. The lobby bar, and the energy around the building will be spectacu-lar,” he adds. “You know that kind of atmosphere where you just can’t wait to drop off your bag and come down to the bar? That’s what I want Bisha to be. I want it to be an amazing, luxury, lifestyle, happy environment.”

As for room rates, while Bisha’s prices aren’t yet set, Khabouth expects it will be closer to a luxury brand rate as opposed to a mid-priced funky boutique property. “Not quite there, but more like 85 per cent of a luxury brand [rate],” he says. Indeed, accord-ing to Larone, rates for boutique properties these days are offering a wider range than ever before — from very upscale rates to affordably mid-priced.

For example, hotelier Mandy Farmer’s Hotel Zed in Victoria, B.C.

(see story on p. 8) offers the charm and personalization of a boutique property at prices that aren’t over the top. “In the summer our rates are roughly $200 and in the winter they can drop down to around $100,” explains Farmer.

“We’re a boutique motel,” she adds. “We took a dated, dumpy motel and converted it into a hip, funky, afford-able motel…but it has the boutique feel, in that the rooms are all brand new. We’ve really made it more of an experience. Our shuttle buses are vintage Volkswagon buses, we have ping-pong lounges, water slides and our new Hotel Zed in Kelowna (set to open in June) is going to have a mini disco. We’ve added lots of really fun features, but it’s certainly not an upscale boutique hotel.”

That’s exactly the vibe they’re going for with Hotel Zed, though — funky retro decor and cool activities, which make it stand out from the crowd. “We say we’re rebels against the ordinary.

So whatever we do, we look at it and say, ‘how can we make that not ordinary?’,” says Farmer. “When you walk in the room, we’ve got rotary dial telephones that are vintage. Instead of a magazine on the local happenings, we’ve got a comic book.” Farmer sums up how these offerings fit into today’s boutique scene by saying, “Hotel Zed is a prime example of the change in the boutique hotel market.”

Whether today’s newer boutique hotels are differentiating themselves with spectacular food-and-bever-age offerings, vibrant decor and atmosphere, fun and unusual activities, cutting-edge technology, or whatever they decide will be their ‘thing’, it’s clear there are diverse offerings for guests of boutique hotels, with proper-ties in the marketplace to satisfy the various personal tastes of travellers. As Hotel X’s Thompson says, “I’m not necessarily looking for a place that is perfect; I’m looking for a place that is perfect for me.” u

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OPERATIONS

smoothF&B gets busy offering welcoming spaces, convenient services and menus that meet demand BY LINDSAY FORSEY

On a typical Saturday night, Toronto’s Thomp-son Hotel is busy — and not just because a ton of guests have checked in. The Lobby Bar buzzes with people enjoying casual libations,

while Colette Grand Café — the hotel’s elegant French bakery and restaurant — is packed for dinner service. Party-goers let loose at Wildflower Nightclub and couples canoodle in the Rooftop Lounge. Teppanyaki master chefs entertain patrons at the newly opened Hibachi Seafood & Steakhouse and The Thompson Diner — open 24/7 — gets even busier in the wee hours, because sometimes you just need Peking duck poutine and a spicy jalapeño Inferno Burger at 3 a.m.

Located in Toronto’s vibrant entertainment district, Thompson Toronto opened in 2010 and quickly estab-lished itself as a trendsetting spot, equally geared to locals and guests. “Our strategy is all about driving people from the neighbourhood into our different venues,” says Jeff Waters, general manager and area managing direc-tor of the hotel. “When people come to Toronto, they’re looking for something authentic. This neighbourhood is reflective of Toronto today and the hotel being a popular destination for locals makes the experience even more enjoyable for our guests.”

It may seem like each of Thompson’s venues is meant

to connect with a different ideal customer, but Waters explains that isn’t the case. “People can look at Colette and Thompson Diner and think we’re catering to differ-ent people, but what we’re really doing is offering a differ-ent experience. Thompson is a luxury lifestyle brand and the people who come here don’t fit into a mould. We create options to suit time of day, mood, appetite and atmosphere. It’s not uncommon for someone to come into The Lobby Bar for a drink, then have dinner in Colette, followed by cocktails at Wildflower and maybe even an early-morning breakfast in the [Thompson] Diner.”

Another significant food-and-beverage program at the Thompson is room service, with orders up 20 per cent over last year. “Room service has never been more popular than it is right now, especially in the morning and late at night,” Waters says. “We highlight favourites such as hamburgers, salads and fruit bowls — comfort foods with a lot of healthy options.”

The hotel also delivers room service to the more than 300 condo units which are part of the Thompson complex and has a flourishing take-out business from Thompson Diner, which caters to people living in the neighbourhood. “We’re focused on growing by providing great service and the best products. We’re less focused on trying to cut costs, but with the devalued Canadian dollar


we’ve adjusted some menu items and pricing. We’re thrilled to see sales continue to grow and our profitabil-ity is in great shape,” Waters says.

Room service is an essential part of food-and-beverage operations at Crescent Hotels and Resorts, with 97 locations across the continental U.S. and Canada. For the past 18 months, the company has been reinventing its food-and-beverage strategy, includ-ing how to best connect with guests who want to eat in their rooms. “Room service has declined in some markets, but the fact is — people are still eating in their rooms. There’s been an explosion of high-quality, fast-casual options, so guests go out and bring something back. We’re positioning ourselves against that and offering something competitive,” says Greg Griffie, Crescent’s senior vice-president of Food and Beverage.

While Crescent still offers tradi-tional in-room dining, especially at its luxury properties, it’s using new speed-cooking technology and creative menu options to entice guests with dishes such as pork belly ramen, which arrives in a thermos (so it stays hot) along with a bowl and all the right fixings. “We’ve focused

on creating that casual experience the guest is looking for, rather than rolling in a table. What we’re offer-ing is more interesting, relevant and profitable. People might not want to go out, but they also don’t want to wait 45 minutes for a $45 steak.”

Beyond room service, Crescent’s reimagined food-and-beverage strat-egy includes doing away with brand-standard programs and creating a fun experience for guests with approach-able food and more bar-forward, cocktail-driven options. “Business travellers are looking for something recognizable, but well-executed — a great Caesar salad, burger or taco — and they feel good about spending their money on that,” Griffie says. “We know there’s a lot of competi-tion outside of the hotel, but there’s a huge opportunity for incremental sales. For example, if guests meet at the bar to try our espresso and tonic cocktail before they go out, we’re offering great appetizers to enhance that experience for them.”

Crescent’s new approach aims to capitalize on the rise of the cocktail culture, highlighting boutique spirits and prohibition-era classics, such as the Old-fashioned, the Manhat-tan and the Aviator. The company recently partnered with Perrier to run in-house mixology sessions with its F&B teams to develop refreshing hard and soft drinks. “Soda sales have declined, but people still want something effervescent. We can make a Bourbon Smash and we can also create a fresh lemonade with brown sugar and mint. It’s important to offer something that tastes good even if it’s not boozy,” Griffie says.

Alt Hotel Toronto Airport by le Germain is elevating its guest experience by collaborating with a well-known brand. In March 2016, it began testing a partnership with Boston Pizza, whereby guests can order from a pared-down selection of the full restaurant menu. “We’re experimenting based on customer feedback that it would be nice if we had a full-service restaurant. That’s not our concept, but we want people to be happy, so this is a test to see

TRENDY EATS: Thompson Hotel’s Colette Grand Café is a French-inspired bakery and restaurant offering freshly prepared meals and various tasty treats

LET IT FLOWGone are the days of wandering down

a dim hallway, passing through a door

and waiting to be seated in the hotel bar.

Today, lobbies typically flow into a café,

bar or restaurant, creating a space that’s

inviting for guests and customers alike. “It’s

extremely important that the lobby blends

into our F&B operations. When you walk

in, everything is within reach and you can

have coffee and work and sit anywhere,”

says Olivier Germain, director of Food

and Beverage and Customer Service at

Alt Hotel Toronto Airport by le Germain.

“Having less separation allows us to func-

tion more efficiently and give better ser-

vice, while also creating a more welcoming

atmosphere for people, whether they are

hotel guests or not.”

Thompson Toronto’s newly designed

Lobby Bar reopened in February. The space

has been reenergized as a dynamic day-

and-night destination for locals and guests

featuring weekly events, including live

music. “It’s a comfortable space any time

of the day and very popular with people in

the neighbourhood. We’ve also created a

new space within the Lobby Bar that can be

used for private events,” says Thompson’s

general manager and area managing direc-

tor, Jeff Waters. The event area, called The

Front Room, features a 60-sq.-ft., high-def-

inition media wall and can accommodate

approximately 100 people.

“Opening up the lobby space is the

first thing we address in every renovation

and new build we’re working on,” says

Greg Griffie, senior vice-president of food

and beverage at Crescent Hotels and

Resorts. “People are more comfortable

in a vibrant, busy area, than a dark back

bar, and having perks like USB charging

stations makes it easier for them to linger

longer. Keeping F&B in one area, rather

than being spaced out on different floors

allows us to be more efficient and that

increases profitability.”


if we can bridge that gap,” says Alt Toronto’s director of Food and Bever-age and Customer Service, Olivier Germain. “We take the customer’s order and deliver it to either the café area or to the room. So far it’s going well,” he says.

Unlike a typical hotel, Alt Toron-to’s food-and-beverage operations are busy 24-hours a day with interna-tional guests ranging from corporate travellers to people making a connec-tion to another destination and those waiting on delayed or cancelled flights. “We want our customers to be happy at any time. Many of our café customers are not necessarily guests, so our food-and-beverage offering is very important,” says Germain.

The Altcetera Café’s large selection of grab-and-go items is very popular, as are ready-made meals which customers can collect and heat up in an oven any time of day or night. A bartender is always available. “We work with a high-quality caterer and try to go local with our menu as

much as we can. So long as the quali-ty is there, we’ll always go local — even if it is more expensive. Serving fresh, local food is not a trend for us, it’s integral to our values.”

Alt Hotels recently introduced another new concept at its Ottawa location, which opened on April 1. Customers at Altcetera Ottawa can choose from three or four hot meals which hotel staff heat and serve, taking the café one step closer to full-service. Dishes range from $11 to $14 and include roasted salmon with seasoned vegetables and beef short rib with creamy polenta. The

new location partnered with a local brewery and a local coffee roaster, so guests can get a real taste of the capital. “Our Ottawa location isn’t near the airport, so it’s not a 24-hour operation. They will focus on break-fast, lunch and dinner using simple, beautifully prepared ingredients. I’m excited to see what the feedback will be,” says Germain.

Westin Hotels and Resorts also recently introduced new food-and-beverage programs designed to heighten guest experience. The Westin Sleep Well Menu, launched in March, was created to help

MEALS ON WHEELS The UberEATS Instant Delivery app is changing the game for folks who want to eat in, whether

at home or at a hotel. Launched in Toronto in May 2015, the app allows people to order food

from some of the city’s best restaurants. “The service is growing incredibly fast in the city and the

success in Toronto has helped to accelerate the rollout to other cities around the world,” says

Faye Pang, senior Marketing manager for UberEATS. Starwood Hotels guests earn loyalty points

when they use Uber taxis or order from UberEATS and Hilton Toronto is also running a pilot pro-

gram with the company. “Uber is a great fit for hotel guests because they can enrich their stay

by trying food from the best restaurants. We’re exploring opportunities for partners in every city

where the app rolls out.”

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people ease into a new time zone or rejuvenate after a hectic day of travel. Menu items include dishes such as grilled wild salmon with walnut quinoa and poached eggs on asparagus with snap peas and shitake mushrooms — foods high in vitamins and minerals to promote rest — as well as a selection of herbal teas.

“The focus on healthy, clean eating is greater now than ever. Consum-ers want foods made with natural ingredients free of artificial flavours or colours. Our new programs provide guests with healthy, satisfying options,” says Brian Povinelli, senior vice-president and global brand leader for Westin and Le Méridien. The company also has its Eat Well Menu for Kids in the works. In May, staff in 200 hotels began creating new options for the kids’ menu and the 40 best recipes will be provided to each property, giving them flexibil-ity to create a regionally relevant menu. “Having a healthy kids’ menu makes it easy for families to travel

without having to worry about finding good food that also appeals to their children,” Povinelli says.

While focused on providing healthful meals, the brand is also tuned into guests’ desire for conve-nience, with many properties offering Westin Fresh by The Juicery grab-and-go options.

“Today’s global traveller has little

time to wait and we want to capital-ize on that trend. The majority of hotel guests still want on-site food-and-beverage options, whether it’s grabbing breakfast on-the-go, order-ing from the comfort of their room or enjoying local cuisine,” Povinelli explains. “Our goal is to create programs and menus that meet our guests’ diverse needs.” u

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EQUIPMENT

Hotels can’t operate without some form of custom-er relationship management (CRM) strategy. Whether it’s basic email outreach or highly sophisticated integrated tools which can do

everything from pre-post to post-stay communications with guests, operators of all sizes are dedicating considerable time and effort to learn more about their customers.

The job has become easier in recent years with the proliferation of back-end and Cloud-based tools, which provide real-time data ranging from guests’ personal prefer-ences to their thoughts on their stay.

“CRM tools can be used to control more than just tradi-tional email, names, addresses and mobile numbers,” says Warren Dehan, president of Maestro PMS in Toronto. “Operators are starting to look at using data for mass personalization for promotions and lead generation, as well as to track how guests are feeling.”

Add social-media monitoring to the mix and operators can build a powerful advantage, he adds. “CRM can be used to track things like Twitter and LinkedIn handles, as well — anything that can help identify and position the guest into more of a pigeon hole.”

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SPOTLIGHT ON TECH SUPPLIERS

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Guest touch-points have also multiplied substantially, ranging from websites and social-media platforms such as Facebook, to booking, check-in and beyond — each one presents a potential marketing opportunity.

For example, a hotel system could be programmed to send a reservation confirmation prior to a guest’s arrival, including an invitation or promotion to book services or restaurant reser-vations, or perhaps send a dress code

reminder for a group event. Through-out a guest’s stay, managers can use monitoring tools to track requests and/or complaints, conduct in-room surveys and customize services based on preferences.

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The good news is the cost for this level of functionality is declining as technology evolves. In many cases, the capabilities are built into or easily integrated with existing property management systems (PMS), says T. Michael Manuel, private consultant and general manager at Point Pleas-ant Lodge in Halifax. He says today, PMS already contain a fairly robust back-end, allowing hotels to collect and manage a great deal of data. “Everyone has back-end systems to collect data. It’s not just the tradi-tional stuff; it’s everything, such as birthdays, anniversaries, or special requests. Even lower-end providers targeting smaller operations are offer-ing back-end integration.”

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beverage systems can be integrated to determine what clients are doing, where they go, their purchases and interests. “Where are the touch points in service for them? What times of day do those offers appeal or not? We’re at that micro-approach level now, whereas before it was more throwing a net out and gathering as much data as you can on a macro basis.”

That’s the journey Saskatoon’s d3h Hotels Inc. is taking — one step at a time, says John Allen, marketing coordinator. The company operates 13 properties in Alberta and Saskatch-ewan, including six Days Inn, one Motel 6 and six Home Hotel branded sites. For Allen, good CRM practices start with the individual operators.

“We believe operators play a huge role in that, since one of the biggest pieces is getting more insight into the guest staying there. We look for our hotel managers to be responding to requests at a really quick rate. If someone wants an extra pillow, they should be able to set that up instantly,” says Allen.

Location and brand can also mean different client expectations. “We have properties in both big and small-er cities. The clientele can be very different and sometimes their needs can work against each other if you look at it from a big picture level.”

Beyond the people factor, d3h works with the Guestfolio CRM tool. Each property has its own account for tracking reservations, compiling automated emails and conducting surveys. “That insight allows the concierge to look at packages and plan trips for guests. From the head-office standpoint, we get insight into revenues generated from bookings and guest requests that help in our overall marketing campaigns.”

On the social-media side, he predominently uses Facebook and the Hootsuite social-media management tool to oversee activities. “Since we’re mid-size, we wanted to make sure we had a strong foundation,” Allen explains. “Some operators go on every social-media platform but don’t really do it right. We prefer to work with smaller pieces at a really high level and do it properly. Right now we

can track everything that happens on Facebook including who we are targeting and their responses/engage-ment. We don’t need any other tools. This is more manageable because we can check things daily if we need to.”

There is no question social media is playing a significant and growing part in personalizing the guest experience, says Mike Little, VP business develop-ment for WebCanada, a builder of websites for large global brands and independents alike. “It all started with TripAdvisor. It really shifted the way people thought about booking a hotel because they could look at

SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING ON HIGH ALERT

Not every hotel has a skilled social-media

monitoring professional on hand. Four

Seasons Hotel Toronto’s Alex Marconi can be

counted among the ones which do exist. As

Social Media manager, Marconi tracks a variety

of the hotel’s social-media programs, including

Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

“I have my own spreadsheet that allows me

to track everything on those four platforms to

see where engagement is coming from and

when,” he explains.

The best part of social-media monitoring is

the immediacy of customer feedback. “What’s

really great is that in most cases you can actu-

ally do analytics from [the platforms’] websites

and tailor your marketing based on the data.”

He has also set up his program to receive

email and text notifications when a customer

messages, tweets, or posts a comment on

Facebook. “I can see everything immediately

and respond. Customers like to know we hear

what they have to say and are following up with

the right department to address their needs.”

Marconi says responding to customers has

always been a foundation of Four Seasons’

success. Social media just makes it easier.

“Integrating customer relationship manage-

ment with social media means we can monitor

activity and take immediate action. How you

recover from a complaint is one of the most

crucial aspects of our business.”

That level of responsiveness is a must for

hotels in today’s world of instant gratification,

Marconi adds. “People are very passionate

about sharing their experiences and get excit-

ed in the moment. If you can address those sit-

uations or comments right away, it really does

make a difference. Customers appreciate it,

and it increases the chances they will return.”

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what other users were saying. Hotels now have to recapture the interest of a potential booker.”

Consumer ratings may be one thing; but in reality they are merely the tip of the iceberg, Little says. “Personal-ization and authenticity has grown significantly from that. It starts with the fact hotels are sitting on tons of data about their guests that’s gathered from loyalty programs, bookings, POS, PMS, reservation systems and the web. Now they can use that insight to provide targeted information on sites. For example, someone from China checking out the Westin Harbour Castle may see very different informa-tion than someone in Canada.”

Hotels have become more proficient at monitoring social-media conversa-tions in real-time, even while guests are on site, allowing management to respond immediately.

While the promise is great, the practice needs fine tuning for many operators, Little contends. “Big data

and social media both promise something pretty significant and hotels are paying attention to that. But, the delivery on that promise to enhance the guest experience is only as good as the commitment hotels are willing to make.”

Despite the challenges, the role of CRM cannot be understated, Manuel says. “CRM allows you to see your

client and compare them against others. After all, the footprint, ameni-ties, fixtures and furniture of any particular room are arguably similar to another. The true way to bond with customers is anticipating and respond-ing to their needs. As an industry, we need to know how to connect to the minds and hearts of our clients. That is, after all, at the root of what we do.” u

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Kaba Lodging

www.kabalodging.com

1.877.468.3555 | [email protected]

KABA MOBILE ACCESS SOLUTIONS

SECURES THE GUEST EXPERIENCE

Convenient, reliable and secure, Kaba

Mobile Access Solutions is an end-to-

end mobile credential application utiliz-

ing Bluetooth Low Energy, the preferred

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mobile-enabled RFID hotel locks. This

solution integrates seamlessly with the

hotel’s locking system providing a state-

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curely issue and manage keys on the

latest mobile operating systems.

KABA – BEYOND SECURITY

Under the Kaba brand, dorma+ka-

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physical access systems, enterprise

data and time recording, and hotel ac-

cess systems (Saflok and ILCO locking

solutions). The brand is also the global

market leader for high security locks.

For more than 150 years, Kaba has set

trends in security and beyond – in terms

of functionality, convenience, and de-

sign - always with a focus on optimum

value to customers.

DORMA+KABA

The merger of the businesses of Kaba

Group, headquartered in Rümlang

(Switzerland) and Dorma Group, based

in Ennepetal (Germany), was complet-

ed on September 1, 2015. Together,

dorma+kaba is one of the top 3 glob-

al companies in the market for security

and access solutions, with pro forma

sales of over CHF 2 billion, and around

16,000 employees.


Kaba.indd 1 2016-05-27 11:17 AM


HOTELIER

Even as a young child, the hotel world always fascinated Cory Haggar. The Trenton, Ont. native began his

career there as a busboy/dishwasher at the Holiday Inn, where he was able to glean the customers’ eating habits. “I noticed who was and wasn’t finishing their plates. I ended up becoming great friends with the chef as I could tell him what the customers were eating,” quips the 42-year old hotelier.

Interestingly enough, Haggar worked at the Trenton hotel four different times in his career — first as a dishwasher, then server, restaurant manager and, finally, as the hotel’s F&B manager.

For the past f ive years, Haggar has been working at the 102-room Falcon Crest Lodge in the majestic Rocky Mountains, nestled between Canmore and Banff National Park. The luxury hotel features 75 condo-style rooms with private patios, balconies and gas barbecues.

The hotel has 12 timeshare units, while the remain-ing rooms have full-time owners. The hotel is part of Clique Hotels, which manages five different Alberta properties.

Though still in its infancy, the Falcon Crest Lodge has already won Trip Advisor’s Top Award four times. “We are the only hotel in Alberta that has received this award in 2016,” boasts Haggar. “We strive to welcome our guests to their home-away-from-home in the Canadian Rockies. Falcon Crest finds different

ways for customer service to be way above the expec-tation of all our guests.” A complement of 40 associ-ates keeps the hotel humming. “Falcon Crest Lodge is all about training and challenging the right staff; they use their own personalities to strive to be the best they can be.”

The father of two motivates staff with incentives to create new ways of increasing revenues and guest satis-faction. “I value hiring and working with staff who are passionate, creative, willing to take risks and try new things. I enjoy coaching [them] while constantly trying and learning new things.”

Haggar is an avowed risk taker, quick to instill the importance of learning through mistakes. “I want them to learn something new every day. I have trust in my team and strive to lead them to the next level.”

Never content to rest on its laurels, the hotel is constantly looking to evolve its offerings. “We’re presently trying to increase the use of technology within our hotel; it’s also getting ready for a full revamp. Starting in January 2017, we will have a completely new and fresh lodge look.” Always eager to give back, Haggar is also looking to partner with a college so he can “teach and inspire others about hotel management.” u

QUICK QUIPS: What do you attribute your success to: “Drive and passion.” Extracurricular Activities: Board member of the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association, Bow Valley Immigration Partnership and the Canmore Hotel and Lodging Association. Hobbies: “I enjoy camping with my family and all the activi-ties that the Canadian Rocky Mountains offer.”

Higher Learning Falcon Crest Lodge’s Cory Haggar inspires staff while learning every day

BY ROSANNA CAIRA

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the magazine for hotel executives june 2016 $4 · tourism industry association of canada; tony...

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