western hotelier june/july 09

JUNE/JULY 2009 / $8.95

PUBLISHED BY MERCURY PUBLICATIONS LTD., 1740 WELLINGTON AVENUE, WINNIPEG MB R3H 0E8 CPM SALES AGREEMENT #40062509

Aspha Dada, General Manager

PUBLISHED BY MERCURY PUBLICATIONS LTD., 1740 WELLINGTON AVENUE, WINNIPEG MB R3H 0E8 CPM SALES AGREEMENT #40062509

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Western Hotelier Magazine 5

on our cover14 A Home Away from Home

In the competitive Vancouver Airport lodging trade, La Quinta in Richmond, B.C. rings the bell as a true leader in the limited service sector.

departmentsBusiness News . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

New Products . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Across the West . . . . . . . . . . .58

Checking Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

JUNE/JULY 2009 VO LUME 33 NUMBER 3

51

45

27

features21 Small Market, Big Opportunities

Saskatchewan is showing itself to be a powerhouse amid a shaky national economy.

27 Clean & CleanerHoteliers are beating those washday blues with state-of-the-art laundry equipment that offers greater efficiency, better ecology,and larger cost savings than ever.

37 Dressing by Design Hotels Update & Renovate.

45 Bathroom BonanzaHigh-end, green bath amenities a growing trend.

51 An Inn for All SeasonsThe Old House Village Hotel and Spa In Courtney, B.C. is earningitself a reputation as a point of refuge that offers it all.

55 Sharpening the EdgeTraining schools and organizations have a wealth of shovel-ready programs for everyone from entry level workers to managers.

61 ShowoffsShows plus business equals a great slate of springtime hospitality trade events.

63 Good HousekeepingHotels that want to really compete on appearance and service have recognized they must address the housekeeping challenge.

6 Western Hotelier Magazine

Tel: (204) 954-2085 fax (204) 954-2057 e-mail: [email protected]

Perspective

checking in

Publisher: Frank Yeo

Controller: Haroon-ur-Rashid

Editor: Kelly Gray

Editorial Coordinator: Nicole Sherwood

Advertising Production Manager: Marsha Coombe

Associate Publisher/National Account Manager:

David Bastable

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Circulation Manager: Lucille [email protected]

Creative Manager: Sarra Burton

Cover Photography:shutterstock.com

Publisher: Western Hotelier Magazine is published five times a year by Mercury Publications Limited.

Head Office: 1740 Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3H 0E8 Telephone (204) 954-2085

Fax (204) 954-2057 e-mail: [email protected]: www.mercury.mb.ca

Associate Publications: Atlantic Hotelier, Western Grocer,

Commerce & Industry, Bar & BeverageBusiness, Bars et Boissons,

C-Store Canada, Votre dépanneur and Western Restaurant News.

Editorial: The contents of this publicationmay not be reproduced in whole or in partwithout written consent of publisher. Photo

credits not given unless requested in writing along with photo submission.

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Printed in Canada

This past April I had the pleasure to attend the AHLA annual convention at Lake

Louise. There I saw a lot of friends and business associates and made some new

acquaintances. Among these new faces is one I shall never forget. Paul Rusesabagina

was the general manager of the Hotel de Mille Collines in Kigali, Rwanda. He was

asked by the AHLA to come from his current home in Belgium to speak at the con-

vention on the anniversary of the beginning of what has become known as the Rwan-

dan Genocide.

Soft-spoken and articulate, the Swiss-trained hotelier walked the large breakfast

crowd through his experiences working feverishly to save his guests as well as his fam-

ily. Facing summary execution by cretinous Hutu mobs and rampaging militia, Rus-

esabagina kept the property open as long as possible in circumstances almost beyond

belief. The hotel, one of the city’s finest, had quickly ran out of water, electricity, and

food, but it never ran out of hope.

His strategy was a simple one — “I used the power of the word. This is our best

weapon. It is the only thing we have that can soften the heart.”

For weeks on end, this general manager used the power of simple words to keep the

dialogue going and keep his guests safe. Today, he has moved to Belgium and is

involved in businesses other than accommodation. However, his strong message

remains amid current day reminders such as Darfur and other places where we prefer

to turn our backs and look the other way.

The address, while disturbing, offered me a perspective on the current troubles in

Canada’s hotel business. In many parts of the country, hoteliers are bemoaning the

state of the economy and the lack of business. And, while I don’t want to down-play

hardship that some are undoubtedly suffering, I suggest we walk a mile in Paul’s

shoes. In simple terms things like cancelled bookings, bank debt, and supplier trou-

bles are nothing compared to the life and death struggles of people whose skin colour,

religious belief or ethnic group makes them targets for hate.

Kelly Gray, Editor

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business NEWS

Hospitality Industry to Cast a Line andRaise Funds for the British Columbia Hospitality Foundation

British Columbia Hospitality Founda-tion Chair Harry McWatters has reportedthat the foundation will host its inauguralfishing tournament at Langara FishingLodge on the Labour Day weekend.

The Hospitality Foundation FishingChallenge will bring together the lead-ers in the restaurant, hotel, wine andfood service and retail industries fromacross the province for four amazingdays of fishing, wine, dining and enter-tainment at Langara Fishing Lodge. Thisevent offers participants the opportuni-ty to network, catch the‘big one’ and helpraise funds for theirhost charity.The tournament

will kick off with a reception in Vancouver on Friday, Septem-ber 4. Saturday morning participants will depart from Van-couver’s South Terminal to Masset then take the final journeyby helicopter to Langara Island. The fun then begins withMcWatters overseeing four action-packed days.

There are only 25 spaces available with the cost of the tournament set at$5,000. This fee includes transportation, accommodation, guided fishing, tourna-ment prizes, meals, featured winemakers dinner and special wines with dinner.Those interested in registering should contact Harry McWatters at [email protected] or 250-490-7946.

Kelowna Debuts Canada’s First FlowriderCanada’s largest publicly owned and

newest aquatic centre opened this April inKelowna. H2O Adventure offers fun forup to 500 swimmers including a varietyof interactive water features includingwaterslides, family wave pool, river run,FlowRider® and more. The aquatic centre has introduced

Canada’s first-ever indoor surfing wave —the FlowRider®. The FlowRider® gener-ates a thin sheet of water that flows overa stationary wave form. The resulting‘wave-like’ shape permits riders to slidedown, carve a turn, and ride up the wavesurface, emulating the maneuvres ofother board sports. The FlowRider® isideal for surfers or boogie boarders,beginners or advanced.WhiteWater West Industries Ltd. ,

based in Richmond, BC, provided many ofthe aquatic centre’s exciting attractionsincluding three thrilling SilkTek water-slides with lengths between 60 and 90mthat swirl through the building’s ceiling. AFamily Wave pool, with waves up to 1.5mhigh, provides hours of enjoyment for allswimming levels. Jump on an inner-tubeto enjoy the exciting waves on the riverrun. The waves generated in the river cre-ate a fun and spontaneous currentthroughout the ride. AquaPlay™ multi-level play structures are designed to stim-ulate the imagination and create ‘hands-on’ adventure for everyone. The aquaticcontrols give participants a myriad ofpossibilities to explore and play. The chil-dren’s waterplay area is packed with toys,spray nozzles, jets and pull valves.

Coast Chilliwack Hotel Welcomes New General ManagerCoast Hotels & Resorts has reported the appointment of Joey Beltrano as general manager of the new Coast Chilliwack

Hotel in Chilliwack, B.C. Beltrano brings more than 15 years experience in all facets of hotel and food service management.For the past two years, he served as district manager for Aramark Canada Ltd., a leading supplier of food and beverage,cleaning and support services to healthcare, education and business clients. Joey first joined Coast Hotels & Resorts in2004 as food and beverage manager for the Coast Canadian Inn in Kamloops, B.C., a position he held for three years. Pre-viously, he was director of food and beverage for the Atrium Inn in Vancouver. The Coast Chilliwack Hotel was recentlypurchased by Coast Hotels & Resorts’ parent company, Okabe North America Inc., a subsidiary of Okabe Co. Ltd. The 110-room hotel is presently undergoing a $5 million renovation which includes a complete redesign and upgrade of its guestrooms,

a new roof and new siding. Other work includes new plumbing, the expansion of the business centre, upgrades to the fitness centre, refurbish-ment of the pool area and, as well a substantial makeover of the lobby, restaurant, lounge, and meeting and banquet facilities.

Days Inns Opens in AthabascaDays Inns - Canada has announced the opening of its

newest location in Alberta. The new construction hotellocated in Athabasca, Alberta offers 69 guest rooms, complimentary high-speedinternet access, free hot Daybreak Cafe breakfast, fitness facilities, business centreand meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 50 people.Located at 2805 - 48th Avenue, the hotel offers guests first-class comfort at

affordable rates. Each room is fully equipped with 42 inch LCD TV, fridge andmicrowave, work desk, coffee maker, hairdryer, iron and board. Suites with Jacuzzior sofa bed are also available. The hotel provides Days Inn’s signature SolTerreshower experience featuring a Waterpik six-function showerhead and grapefruitessence SolTerre bathroom amenities. Wheelchair accessible rooms with roll-inshowers are available. Guests will also enjoy free parking, free 24 hour self-servebusiness centre along with free local calls. Owner Ki Il Choi has a second Days Innthat is soon to open in Grande Prairie, Alberta.

Joey Beltrano

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Coast Victoria Harbourside Hotel & MarinaBrings in New GMThe Coast Victoria Harbourside Hotel & Marina has a

new top gun. This past April Coast Hotels & Resortsannounced the promotion of Scott Quinney to head up itsCoast Victoria Harbourside Hotel & Marina in Victoria, B.C.

Quinney brings more than 12 years of experience withCoast Hotels & Resorts to his new position having worked atfive Coast Hotels’ properties throughout his career. Prior tothis appointment, Scott served as corporate revenue manag-er for Coast Hotels & Resorts. Previously, he was operationsmanager for the Coast Victoria Harbourside Hotel & Marinaoverseeing operations of rooms and the food and beveragedivision as well as a $2 million renovation of the property.

Throughout his career with Coast Quinney has served asdirector of operations of the Coast Edmonton House, as act-ing general manager for the Coast Tsawwassen Inn, manag-er of the Coast Hotels & Resorts’ Call Centre, and acting General Manager for theCoast Prince Rupert Hotel.

Quinney holds a B.A. in history from Carlton University in Ottawa and a certificate inhospitality studies from Guelph University in Guelph, Ontario; he completed Guelph Uni-versity’s Hospitality Managers Development Course in 2006.

Bermil Industries Hires IndustryVeteran John SabinoBermil Industries, which distributes and markets Wasco-

mat and Electrolux brand laundry equipment in North Ameri-ca, has hired John Sabino as executive vice-president. In thisnewly created position, Mr. Sabino is responsible for con-tributing to continued growth of the Wascomat brand andlaunching the Electrolux brand of professional coin and OPLlaundry equipment. The wide-ranging scope of Sabino’s con-tributions will include aspects of distribution, finance, logis-tics, and product development.Mr. Sabino joins the Bermil team with more than 10 years of retail and operations

experience in the coin laundry industry. Prior to joining the company, Sabino was thepresident of Laundry Capital, LLC where he was involved in the development, acquisi-tion, and operation of more than 120 coin laundry superstores in New York, Philadel-phia, New England, Atlanta, and California.

Kelly McCauley Takes on CoastEdmonton Plaza HotelCoast Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of

Kelly McCauley as general manager of the Coast EdmontonPlaza Hotel, where he will oversee all operations for the 299-room property.McCauley, a certified hotel administrator, a graduate of the

Hospitality and Tourism Management Program at the BritishColumbia Institute of Technology and a sommelier, is returningto Edmonton where he previously worked in the early and late1990s. His career in the hospitality industry has taken him from

the West coast to the East coast and many points in between. In 28 years, he has heldmanagement positions at hotels in Victoria, Vancouver, Lake Louise, Edmonton, FortMcMurray, Kitchener, Toronto, Ottawa, Huntsville and St. John’s, Newfoundland. Mostrecently, he served as general manager of the 132-room Coast Victoria HarboursideHotel & Marina in Victoria, B.C., a position he has held since February 2005. As an active member of the community, McCauley has volunteered his time with orga-

nizations such as Special Olympics Newfoundland Labrador, Burnaby Board of Trade andthe Edmonton SPCA, among others. He is currently president of the Greater VictoriaEldercare Foundation as well as president of the Victoria Conservation Association. He isa Ballet Victoria board member and treasurer of the Victoria Hospitality Award Program.

Scott Quinney

John Sabino

Kelly McCauley

business NEWS


Studio 6 Unveils New Way to StayAccor North America, parent company of Studio 6 Extended Stay, has

announced plans for the first new Studio 6 prototype in eight years. Studio 6 isrevamping the budget extended-stay experience by introducing a modern, simpleand functional design while continuing to provide the same special amenities andaffordable weekly rates to accommodate travellers staying five nights or more.

Major features of the Studio 6 prototype include light and open living areas, awarm and contemporary color scheme with matching bed scarf and window drapery,a sleek black granite bathroom counter top with a vessel/raised sink, and a walk-inshower (bathtubs available). The studio design includes a 32-inch flat-screen HD TVand multi media panel with A/V connections for mp3 players, video game systemsand laptop computers — this feature allows guests to listen to their favourite tunes oruse the flat-screen HD TV as their computer monitor while enjoying Wi-Fi internetaccess in their room. The carpet will be replaced with wood-effect laminate flooringmade of 80 per cent preconsumer recycled material, a critical component of theupdated Studio 6 design. The room also features pedestal beds with a neutral-coloured coverlet and colourful bed scarf. In addition to the new features, Studio 6guests can still count on standard amenities such as fully-equipped kitchens with amicrowave, stove top, coffee maker, cooking utensils and refrigerator.

The new prototype features separate seating areas for eating and working. Thekitchen offers a bar with stool seating and an additional small flat-screen TV forguest convenience while eating or cooking, and the settee/banquette is convenientlysituated in the corner of the living area, providing a “table for two.” This unique fea-ture encourages and allows for interaction between guests, whether during meals,discussions or games and adds to the residential spirit of the new design. The new,modern bathroom features double doors, black granite and a large vanity area withpersonal storage space. The pedestal bed allows for storage of luggage under thebed and allows for easy cleaning access and visibility. Priestman Goode of Londondesigned the room to optimize the use of space and to provide a comfortable, resi-dential feel for extended stay guests.

NEW GM FOR COAST COAL HARBOUR HOTELGraeme Barrit, president of Coast Hotels & Resorts, has announced that Hans von Bloedau has been

appointed general manager of the new 20-storey, 220-room Coast Coal Harbour Hotel in downtown Vancou-ver, scheduled to open in the fall of 2009.Von Bloedau has an extensive hospitality industry management background that spans more than 20 years.

For the past two years, he has served as regional manager, Coast Hotels & Resorts’ Managed Properties, Alber-ta, overseeing the operation of six Coast hotels in Edmonton, Jasper and Yellowknife in addition to managingthe daily operations of the Coast Edmonton House Hotel. Mr. von Bloedau joined Coast Hotels & Resorts in 1991 serving as executive assistant manager of the Coast

Plaza Hotel & Suites in Vancouver, with successive appointments as General Manager of the Coast Inn of theNorth in Prince George, B.C., general manager, Coast Resort Development in Cranbrook, B.C., and generalmanager of the Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel. Prior to joining Coast, Hans held positions as director of food

and beverage and front office manager for the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver and the Westin Hotel in Edmonton.Over the years von Bloedau has contributed to the hospitality industry as recent vice-chair of the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Associa-

tion, as a board member of the Tourism Destination Region and Tourism Partnership Council, chair of Edmonton Tourism’s Meetings,Business Travel and Events Marketing Committee, and as a member of the Strategic Tourism Marketing Council for Travel Alberta.

Dynatrol HumanInterface TouchScreen Control (HMi)Edro Corporation, the first company to

produce the DynOzone DynaWash OzoneSystem introduces DynaTrol HumanInterface Touch Screen Control (HMi).DynaTrol’s touch screen control allowsfor the most specific wash programming,simplest operator interface, and fullarray of productivity reporting.

DynOzone with DynaTrol:

• Fully programmable • Simple operation • Password protected • Wash program productivity reports • Alarm identification, history and logs

• Pop up service reminders for maintenance • Substantial savings on operating costs

• Save on hot water and water usage • Laundry produced with reduced heat and shorter cycles

• From 35 to 450 pounds.

DynaTrol is simple enough to teacheven the most basic skill sets, whileoffering security and sophistication fordetailed programming and supervisorymonitoring. For further information, or to view a

machine in operation, please phone Jimor Sharon at 1-800-628-6434.

Hans Von Bloedau

Holiday Inn Express & Suites North Bay Signs on for RelaunchThe new Holiday Inn sign introduced in2007 is making its way around the world.And now, the Holiday Inn Express &Suites has announced this green and bluebeacon of hospitality will light the way forvisitors to North Bay, Ontario, Canada

The new sign is the seal of approval that this hotelexemplifies the standards of the $1 billion Holiday Innbrand family relaunch program established to create amore contemporary brand image, increase quality anddrive consistency.

“We have set an aggressive pace to relaunch our com-plete estate of nearly 3,200 hotels, in excess of 419,000guest rooms and 12,000 signs by the end of 2010,” saidJohn Merkin, senior vice-president — brand management,Holiday Inn Brands, the Americas. “And with the additionof Holiday Inn Express & Suites North Bay we are off and running on our journey to make every Holiday Inn hotel as great as our best one.”


Lighting is a very important part of a customer’s dining experience. So conservation was not the only consideration when

Denny’s Restaurants in the Lower Mainland decided to upgrade their lighting.

To their surprise the new visually appealing, longer lasting and energy-efficient lights had additional benefits. Apart from saving

thousands of dollars on their electricity bill, they found that the BC Hydro Power Smart Product Incentive Program could make

the project even more financially attractive.

And, as icing on the cake, the restaurants’ staff say that the new lights are much cooler than the old ones, which will also lower

air conditioning costs.

Looking for tips on how to lower your business’ energy tab?

Simply visit bchydro.com/incentives or call 1 866 522 4713.

CONSERVING ENERGY PUT MORE THAN SAVINGS ON THE MENU.

Bobby Naicker, President/COO, Denny’s Restaurants

BEING POWER SMART MAKES BUSINESS SENSE


business NEWS

New Vice-Presidentfor Travelodge

Royal Host andTravelodge Canadahas announced theappointment of Mr.Steven Robinson ,CHA, to the positionof vice-president ofTravelodge Canada. With over 25 years

in the hospital ityindustry, Mr. Robin-son brings a wealth

of hotel and franchise experience to hisnew position. He was previously withChoice Hotels Canada for eight years assenior franchise services director, over-seeing 265 franchised hotel properties.Most recently Mr. Robinson was directorof revenue management for Royal HostReal Estate Investment Trust. He hasserved on many boards and associationsincluding the Ontario Restaurant HotelMotel Association, the Manitoba HotelAssociation, the Kawartha Tourism andConvention Bureau and the Nova ScotiaRestaurant Association.

Steven Robinson

Choice Hotels Named Best Performer inUNH Franchising Index in Q4 2008Choice Hotel International topped the Rosen-

berg Center Franchise 50 Index at the Universityof New Hampshire in the fourth quarter of 2008,one of seven index components to weather therecession during the period.Overall, the Rosenberg Center Franchise 50

Index finished a dismal year with a 9.5 per centdrop in the fourth quarter 2008, though considerably better than the 22.5 per centdrop in the S&P 500 during the same period.The Rosenberg Center Franchise 50 Index tracks a representative set of 50 U.S.

publicly traded companies engaged in business format franchising. The index isdown 20.8 per cent over the year, compared to a decline of 38.5 per cent for theS&P 500. Since its inception in 2000, the index is up 43.8 per cent, compared to adrop of 35.2 per cent for the S&P 500 over the same period.“Economic conditions worsened sharply this quarter with mounting job losses,

tight credit, crumbling consumer and business confidence, declining consumerspending and business investment, falling home prices, and slumping exports. Alsothere was no prospect of a resolution in the short term for the real estate andfinancial crises that are at the root of the current slump in the economy,” saidHachemi Aliouche, associate director of the William Rosenberg International Cen-ter of Franchising at UNH’s Whittemore School of Business and Economics.Despite the dreadful economic and financial environment this quarter, seven of

the RCF 50 Index components gained, including Choice Hotel International (CCH),which was the index’s best performer with a 10.9 per cent increase in market value.Choice Hotel International is one of the world’s largest franchisors of mid-pricedlodging properties and the owner of hotel brands Cambria Suites, Comfort Inn,Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Mainstay Suites, Suburban ExtendedStay Hotel, Econo Lodge, and Rodeway Inn.


Michael Batke NamedExecutive Chef at theWestin BayshoreSean-Luc Barone, general manager of

The Westin Bayshore , Vancouver hasappointed Michael Batke as executive chefat the hotel. Previously Chef Batke servedas executive chef at the Westin Calgarysince 2007, working with Barone while hewas general manager at the hotel.

Throughouthis career, ChefBatke has heldvarious culinarypos i t ions inAlberta, NorthCarolina and Cal-ifornia includingserving as souschef at the St.Regis, San Fran-cisco, the num-ber one ratedMobil Five Starhotel in the city.

In his executive chef position Bane willhave ample opportunity to exercise hisculinary and leadership skills while drivingthe impeccable food service for the ban-quet facil it ies, Currents at Bayshoreres tau ran tand SeawallBar & Grill.“We are

delighted tow e l c o m eChef Batketo The WestinBayshore ,”said Jean-Luc Barone.“With the eyesof the world focused on Vancouver forthe next year, we’re thrilled to bring hiscul inary imaginat ion to del ight ourguests and visitors. His passion andenthusiasm is a tremendous addition tothe culinary landscape in Vancouver, inthis important year.”

Michael Batke

“With the eyes of

the world focused

on Vancouver for

the next year, we’re

thrilled to bring his

culinary imagination

to delight our guests

and visitors.

THE WESTIN EDMONTON UNVEILS A REFRESHED MENUSuperFoods inspired menu to be served at Pradera Café & LoungeExecutive Chef Michael Brown of Pradera Cafe & Lounge at the Westin Edmonton Hotel

has announced a new SuperFoods inspired menu. Having originally incorporated Super-Foods into the menu last year, the refreshed menu includes more items that are health-enhancing and rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients.Emerging science shows that certain foods play off of each other, and the new menu

brings together delicious favourites with a selection of foods designed to keep you ener-gized and at your best. A key attribute to the SuperFoodsRx philosophy, and likewise to the new Westin menu, is “food synergy.”“Our new menu goes hand in hand with The Westin Edmonton’s continuing efforts to enliven the mind, body and spirit,” said Execu-

tive Chef Michael Brown. “Our refreshed menu offers a wide selection of delicious options, while underscoring our commitment to help-ing our guests live their best lives and create healthful habits that will stay with them after their stay with us.”


After four years in the hotel business Vancouver-based

lawyer and businessman Aspha Dada is glad he

looked outside the box and picked a franchise

under-represented in the Canadian market. He reports that

his decision to go with La Quinta, a well-known U.S. mar-

quee famous for its signature bell tower and red roof has

proven to be a choice that has made him a leader in the

highly competitive Vancouver Airport trade where there are

26 other properties vying for guest business.

“We enjoyed an 87 per cent occupancy in April and data

like Smith Travel Research Star Report places us well above

our competition during the first quarter of 2009,” says

Dada, commenting further that his bookings are pointing

to an even stronger second quarter.

Behind his apparent success is a prime location that is 25

minutes from downtown Vancouver, 25 minutes from the ferry

terminal and a short shuttle ride to YVR. The property itself is

a 74-room limited service hotel that is listed by Canada Select

at 3.5 stars thanks to amenities like an indoor pool and top

shelf fitness facility with professional grade equipment, busi-

ness centre, high-speed internet and breakfast program.

Further, the rooms themselves are a cut above what

guests might expect from a limited service offering. Indeed,

Dada suggests that when he built the property he was able

to over-spec the sizes to give customers space uncharacteris-

tic of the tier. In fact, rooms in the first phase of develop-

Hotel Profile By Kelly Gray


ment come close to 400 square feet.

“We looked at the competition and asked

ourselves what could we add that would

make us stand out in the market. I looked

at the lobby and decided it should reflect

the attributes of an upper tier hotel so we

went with a two story design even though

this meant fewer rooms in the final prod-

uct. We added a pool and put a 450 square

foot meeting room next to the 850 square

foot breakfast room. We used marble for

the bathrooms and brought in the very best

hard goods we could source,” he says.

That was in 2004 during phase I of

development. He reports that this first

stage took a couple years. In fact, Dada

purchased the land back in 2002 and then

went looking for a brand to occupy the

site. “I looked at all the flags, but wanted to

stand out in an area that is very well repre-

sented by the established players. When I

looked at La Quinta I was

impressed by their per-

formance in the U.S. and

saw them as a good fit in

the Canadian market,

especially in the lower

mainland where we have

a lot of U.S. traffic.”

Dada and his team

built a 30,000 square foot

50 room property that

opened in October of

2004. “Almost as soon as I

opened I discovered that I

needed a bigger hotel and

more rooms. As it grew we

found that we were having to turn away

coach trade because we were just too small

to handle these and our regular business.

We were finding as well that La Quinta’s

customers were loyal to the brand and

when they came to Canada they were look-

ing to book at their favourite flag. To meet

this need we have now expanded the facili-

ty,” he says pointing to occupancy stats that

show the property enjoyed 87 per cent in

2007 and 90 per cent in 2008.

Recently Dada added 24 new rooms to

the mix that will give him the size to take

advantage of his business opportunities. “A

property does not begin to mature until

five years. We are just reaching this point

and have yet to stop moving forward. The

addition was really part of the learning

process where we found that we should

have just gone with a larger footprint right

at the outset.”

In this new section there are minor

differences. For exam-

ple, rooms are more in

keeping with the stan-

dard La Quinta design

of 335 square feet. Bath-

rooms util ize Corian

acrylics rather than the

natural marble used in

phase I because of lower

material cost. Furnish-

ings are still high spec

and are actually hand-

made pieces from a

smaller Canadian sup-

plier. Even the flooring

was selected to make a

difference. “It looks like wood, but is

actually tile,” he says.

One of the most obvious changes to the

new section at the property is in the roof

La Quinta opened in October of 2004.

Aspha Dada, General Manager

The green roof is covered in plants and trees.


line. In the new section, Dada decided to

spend an extra $50,000 and went with a

‘green’ roof that is covered with low main-

tenance plants and trees for cover. “People

have told us they can see the roof from the

air as they arrive at the airport. I think this

may help them make the decision to book

with us,” he says, remarking that the roof

area is available for guests to use as a place

for relaxation.

Fastest Growing U.S. BrandBehind the success of Dada’s property is

the power of the La Quinta marquee.

Owned today by the Blackstone Group, a

U.S.-based alternative asset and financial

services company that prides itself on hold-

ing some of the most profitable paper in the

business, La Quinta itself is head-officed in

Texas and has more than 700 properties. As

such, it is a mainstay of the U.S. lodging

industry. According to Dada the fact that La

Quinta owns roughly half of the brand’s

properties in a corporate portfolio suggested

an in-house confidence in the flag.

“There were 330 units when I joined the

brand. Today there are more than 700 and

projections point to them hitting the 1000

mark in the not too distant future. They

currently have 255 properties in the

pipeline with a 10 month development

cycle. This has made them the fastest grow-

ing chain in the U.S.”

Behind this growth is a need to fill in

the holes in mid to upper tier limited ser-

vice. According to La Quinta Executive

Vice-President Franchising & Chief

Development Officer, Rajiv Trivedi they

Continued on page 20

(Above) The rooms are a cut above whatguests might expect.

(Left) Guests can enjoy a delicious breakfast every morning.

Congratulations to the La Quinta Hotel

From

Timmermans Landscaping Ltd.

Celebrating our 32nd year as providers of quality landscaping.

1900 Inter-Provincial Hwy, Abbotsford, BC V3G 2H7

604-504-5381 [email protected]

La Quinta means ‘country villa’ in Spanish and inthat vein the brand strives to offer a personalizedapproach. For example, pets are welcome and

guests are treated to things like fresh baked cookies atthe front desk. Indeed it is reasons like these that haveearned the Richmond, B.C.-based La Quinta Inn occu-pancies that have hit 98 per cent during key businessperiods, a number that shows the degree to which theproperty outperforms the occupancies enjoyed by itsnearest competitor.Behind the success is a chain that is a well-oiled

machine, which focuses on franchising. La Quinta got itsstart in 1968 in San Antonio, Texas. Today La Quinta isowned by New York-based The Blackstone Group, a

diversified asset management company with holdingsthat include names such as Hilton Corporation. Until2001 all properties in the chain were corporately owned.Now franchisees have the advantage of being able toaccess highly developed skill sets and programs thathave been honed over more than 40 years in business.Together these operational facilities have combined tomake La Quinta a major presence in American lodging.“Currently we own roughly half of the properties,”

says Executive Vice President, Franchising & ChiefDevelopment Officer, Rajiv Trivedi. “This is a hugeadvantage for our franchisees who can open a hotelwhere all the systems and programs are tested on cor-porate properties first before they are rolled out chainwide.” He comments that the size and breadth of theirhead office capability helps keep the positive momen-

tum moving. For example, the company spends a lot onIT (information technology) and utilizes their own prop-erty management system — a system that interacts eas-ily with third party booking engines. “This meansgreater control of inventory where we can stipulateroom allocation to discounters on levels that are morerealistic and profitable for the property.”La Quinta offers full on-site training for franchisees with

corporate staff coming in for pre-opening and continuedassistance during the first week of operation. “There isalso La Quinta University where our operators are givencomplete and on-going instruction in everything fromhousekeeping, to front desk, revenue and yield manage-ment to guest relations. You are never on your own.”

Even the corporate sales team is very active in gener-ating business for the franchise operator. “We havemore than 75 sales personnel placed throughout NorthAmerica to strategically build relationships with majorcorporations, government, tour operators and regionalbusiness to book at our hotels. In our view this is a veryunique support we offer our franchise partners.”The efforts at head office not only strive to get

customers through the front doors of La Quintaproperties, but work to keep satisfaction levels high.In fact, the banner has earned an 85 per cent cus-tomer satisfaction rate. As well, industry analystssuch as CIBC have reported that La Quinta has con-sistently performed among the top of the class withthe best ROI (return on investment) of franchisedhotel brands in the U.S.


Never Alone - Focused Directed Support is Cornerstone


are viewed very positively by the both the travel-

ling public and hoteliers. “We have an 85 per

cent rate of overall guest satisfaction and CIBC

has reported that the banner offers the best

ROI (Return on Investment) among other

hotel brands,” he says.

Trivedi remarks further that the big idea behind La Quinta has been

to offer the services that guests demand and do it for just one price. “At

La Quinta there are no extra charges for things like internet or breakfast.

Our guests don’t want to be nickel and dimed. They are value-conscious

as well as knowledgeable about quality. Our ability to meet these needs

has made us what we are today.”

Perhaps nowhere is this more true that at the Vancouver proper-

ty where guests find 32-inch plasma televisions in-room, marble

tub surrounds, Dreamscape mattresses and 200 thread count

linens. Guests also get a free morning newspaper and complimenta-

ry high-speed internet from secure wired systems in-room and

secure wireless throughout the property.

“We are also preparing to launch a new breakfast program that will

serve to further heighten our offering,” says Dada. He notes that they

are looking closely at low cholesterol eggs and vegetarian options in

addition to the well known Belgian waffles that is a standard feature at

La Quintas everywhere. This move is bucking the current trend where

many flags are cutting back on things like breakfast selection and

other value-added options as they seek to limit the damage caused by

current recessionary forces.

Another strong suit in La Quinta’s hand is its full franchise sup-

port. “I had looked at other brands and found that once the deal

was signed and the property was running you were largely on your

own. At La Quinta they have a dedicated IT department and have

developed some of the most powerful tools in the business. For

example, I have seamless merging with third party sites that allows

me to quickly change a rate or even shut down the use of the third

party temporarily. I also receive a PACE report every morning.

This gives me a 90 day forecast that looks at the previous year and

projects expectations for rate and occupancy forward. So far it has

been bang on and has allowed me to correctly project staffing needs

and rate expectation.”

There is also a full range of training and support materials. “ For

instance, our front desk staff must undergo a two week program

and then write a test they must pass before they are brought on

board. I believe this type of effort contributes to a ‘buy in’ from

staff who see their positions as being professional and highly val-

ued. I believe as well that our guests see the difference this type of

effort creates in the property and helps create a culture of loyalty

where we get a very high rate of return customers.”

And, these customers are ones that know and understand the

brand. Dada reports that he has few guests coming from places like

Ontario or New Brunswick. Rather, his client base is from B.C. and

the U.S., especially Washington, Oregon and California, states

where La Quinta has been rolling out properties in rapid succes-

sion over the past couple of years. “For most hotels, operators see

70 per cent domestic business. We don’t see that,” he says, remark-

ing the current downturn in U.S. hotel trade has worked in his

favour. “As the economy shrinks in the U.S., corporate travellers

still have to come to Canada to do business and when they do they

are much less likely to stay at a traditional full service business

hotel. We are filling the need and our occupancy tells the story,” he

says finishing that it all started by trying to be something different

in a market populated by offerings that were all so similar. “Now

we are a leading force because we have been able to stand alone in

a competitive market and deliver a consistently high calibre of

product. Our numbers speak for themselves.” ●

The indoor pool and fitness facility are a coupleof the amenities guests can enjoy.

Continued from page 17


To say Saskatchewan had a good year

in 2008 is an understatement. To be

sure, Saskatchewan has proven itself

to be the little province that could. Only

three per cent of the national market in

terms of population, the province and its

cities have led the country in economic

growth. Indeed, the province enjoyed 3.1

per cent gains during ‘08 making it the top

performer in Canada.

This year organizations like the Canada

West Foundation, The Conference Board

of Canada and Stats Can all project contin-

ued strength for Saskatchewan. Already, the

province has recorded its highest ever

employment rate for the month of April

(+1.9 %), a number that goes against the

trend where much of the country has found

itself in a recessionary mire. In fact a recent

Manpower survey of business confidence

found that 97 per cent of operators in Regina

and 93 per cent of businesses in Saskatoon

saw a coming need for more staff in their

enterprises most of which are in strong dou-

ble digit territory. Consider as well that hous-

ing starts were up 61.7 per cent, building per-

mits up 46.6 per cent and retail sales ahead

by 12.7 per cent and the level of eco-

nomic power comes into perspective.

With all this positive news it comes as no

surprise that Saskatchewan Hotel and Hos-

pitality Association (SHHA) President &

CEO Tom Mullin is buoyed and optimistic

about the coming period. “Saskatoon led

the nation in 2008 in positive growth.

Operators there as well as in other areas

have seen good rooms business, but we’ve

also seen strong liquor and beer volumes

that is like icing on the cake.”

He suggests that while 2008 was a

remarkable year, 2009 may just keep up

and buck the national trends. This said,

Mullin admits that it’s not all a bed of roses

for Saskatchewan’s hoteliers. For starters,

operators in small towns that opened

rooms for drilling crews may now have to

close them as crews slow exploration in the

face of declines in oil and gas barrel prices.

At its peak production in 2008 before the

wholesale price fell through the floor,

Saskatchewan was exporting more oil to

the U.S. than Kuwait and the countryside

was peppered with teams on the hunt for

still more to ship. “For many properties in

the smaller centres the need for rooms was

unexpected and the business from explo-

ration companies was just one more exam-

ple of the commodity boom that caught

the province by surprise a few years ago,”

he says, adding that as oil prices fell these

rooms have become surplus again, a situa-

tion that could quickly change as world

economies improve.

With these oil and gas opportunities,

small town Saskatchewan is benefiting.

Mullin reports that one offshoot of this

boom is a resurgence in rural populations.

This is good news for the communities that

comprise the heart of the province. It also

means good news for country hotels that

were closing in rapid succession as people

moved to the cities.

“The smoking ban is still delivering a

negative impact to operators in both rural

and urban areas with businesses still seeing

Saskatchewan Focus by Kelly Gray

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock


20 per cent to 25 per cent shortfall in rev-

enue. The ban really hurt the small town

operator,” he says. “Now a bill, that is work-

ing its way through the Senate (S-226)

proposing to remove VLTs from bars, will

further hurt properties.”

Another bump in the road for hotels in

Saskatchewan has been the property tax

assessment issue. The hotel association

went to bat for properties that were being

charged on their escalating property val-

ues. According to Mullin, this represented a

windfall for governments that didn’t make

business sense. Better, he thinks, to levy tax

based on income of the property than the

appraised value of a hotel that could mean

big taxes on small earnings. “We are the

first sector in the province to have assess-

ments altered this way,” he says, comment-

ing that the idea was to create a level play-

ing field.

Another sticking point with

Saskatchewan hoteliers is the

lack of wholesale liquor pricing

for the province’s off-sale

establishments. “It makes it

tough to compete with the

government stores when we

have to pay the same price as

consumers for our products

and then take them back to the

store and mark them up,” says

SHHA board member Wayne

Folk who operates The Tap in

Regina, a 210 seat brew pub

with a separate off-sale that

offers in excess of 1000

skus. In the past, off-sale

had all the late night and

Sunday trade. Now SLGA

(Saskatchewan Liquor and

Gaming Authority) loca-

tions have matched the off-

sale sites in terms of hours

and days open.

“The previous government

was very tough. This gov-

ernment says they are lis-

tening to business, but things like recork-

ing and raising the minimum wage are not

helping,” says Folk, suggesting that a 0.60

cent raise is really an 0.80 cent raise when

the source deduction is taken into account.

Folk would like to see the government

step up with a wholesale price for retailers

that would allow them to compete equally.

His suggestion is a reduction in the LCT

(Liquor Consumption Tax) from 10 per

cent to five per cent, a move that could put

much needed revenue in the pockets of

retailers, many of whom are operating very

close to the bone.

On the labour

front Saskatchewan

still leads the coun-

try in terms of

percentage of the

population that is

employed. In fact,

roughly half the

people in the pro-

vince are working.

This translates into a

workforce of 512,800

persons, a figure that

is 1.9 per cent higher

than last year.

“We are still in a shortage situation here

in Saskatchewan,” says Carol Lumb, direc-

tor education and training STEC

(Saskatchewan Tourism Education Coun-

cil). “Just a few years ago staffing in the

hospitality sector stood at 63,000. Today,

Saskatchewan Focus

Cities such as Prince Albert have seendevelopment.

Carol Lumb,Saskatchewan TourismEducation Council,Director Educationand Training.

Tom Mullin, President & CEO of SaskatchewanHotel and HospitalityAssociation.

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we are several thousand persons below that number.”

According to Lumb, the situation is similar to that in Alberta

where people in lower paying occupations sought alternative work

in higher paying entry level positions in the resource or construc-

tion sectors. To help bring the employment level back up STEC is

undertaking a multi-pronged approach that includes working with

new immigrants as well as the unemployed

and underemployed. “We are doing career

awareness in high

schools as well as

doing job fairs in

Toronto and Lon-

don, Ontario to let

people know there

are good jobs here.

We may not get a

recently down-

sized auto compa-

ny executive or

factory worker

coming to train

for front desk or

housekeeping, but they are interested in

management and resource positions. For

some jobs it will remain a challenge to fill

positions,” she says, adding that they will continue to cast as wide a

net as possible to help ease the province’s labour shortage.

“One of our biggest concerns is — when will the recession end?

Things are tough now with a hard time filling all the postings.

When the recession ends and labour markets tighten we could find

ourselves in an even more challenging scenario. We are working

now to prepare by partner-

ing with industry. The real

value will come with train-

ing that helps staff work

smarter and do more. Indus-

try has recognized this and

sees the value in training

because it assists in retention

and recruitment, two essen-

tial characteristics of the

successful enterprise in these

times.”

Will Saskatchewan con-

tinue on its roll? Tom Mullin

expects it likely will. He

remarks that the reserves of

oil and gas as well as vast

stockpiles of potash and ura-

nium are key instruments to

the continuing growth. And,

as the barrel price climbs

beyond $60 to previous

highs, the hotel rooms in

small towns that were filled

just a year go will again fill

up. New properties are opening now to take advantage of the

opportunities.

“We have seen development in Weyburn, Prince Albert, and

Humbolt. There is a new Days Inn and a new Holiday Inn Select in

Regina and we are hearing about deals weekly,” says Mullin who

concludes that while Saskatchewan might be a small market, it rep-

resents a huge opportunity to hoteliers and others. ●

Saskatchewan Focus

Operators in Saskatoon have seen good business.

At a Glance YTD March 09Rooms Reporting: ..............6536 Occupancy: ..............(09) 62.2 %

(08) 60.4%Rate: .........................(09) $103.03

(08) $93.42RevPar: .....................(09) $64.08

(08) $56.43Supply: ................................ +1.0 %Demand: ..............................+3.9%

(HVS International)

The property tax issue has been abump in the road for hotels.

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Properties that want to compete have to be willing to take the guest experience to a higher level. This is the view of Gre-

gor Resch General Manager of The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. His suggestion is that this experience is perhaps

nowhere more important than in items that actually touch the guest. These include sheets and toweling as well as

thick bathrobes. And, to keep these items at their very best, properties have to pay attention to laundry and housekeeping.

Towards this end, Fairmont properties in the Canadian Rockies have established a central laundry service at a stand-

alone facility in Canmore, Alberta just outside the gates of Banff National Park. The facility, built in 1987 and continually

upgraded with the latest technology, is 18,000 square feet of washing, drying and dry cleaning systems that work to help

the chain maintain its high level of service commitment to its guests. The centre offers services to The Fairmont Banff

Springs, The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and their more than 1300 guest rooms, banquet facilities and staff needs as

well as the requirements for 25 other unrelated hotel and motel properties in the park area and in the Bow Valley.

Laundry By Kelly GrayPhoto Courtesy of Shutterstock


“We process 35,000 to 40,000 pounds of

laundry each day during peak periods,”

says Fairmont Regional Linen Service Gen-

eral Manager Jim McPhail. He reports they

clean linens as well as uniforms and offer

dry cleaning services to

guests and colleagues.

The centre utilizes a

simplified rail system to

move items through the

cycle and also features

things like deep chest

ironers, automatic feed-

ers, and folders — a

must-have for laundries

that service the larger

and more thread dense

bed linens. “ We can average 550 to 650

sheets per hour with two operators,” says

McPhail, remarking that the centre typical-

ly handles 8000 sheets per day. “Our num-

bers have dropped off a bit following the

company’s (Fairmont) ‘green’ initiative to

reduce the number of times housekeepers

change linens. “When we were triple sheet-

ing and changing sheets daily the centre

was doing 10,000 sheets each day,” he says,

adding further that they

are seeing colleagues aver-

age 160 pounds to 180

pounds of laundry per

hour/per worker.

“Automation is the key

to our success. For exam-

ple, we have been able to

combat the high cost of

labour and challenges of

high employment by

building a well-designed

facility that can easily meet the needs of

our clients and maintain a very high level

of service. Consider that a single ironer can

cost $250,000. Sheets that are not ironed

convey a poor message to guests so we are

willing to spend the money to protect our-

position in the market. Others who use our

service can also obtain this level of perfec-

tion and they can do it without having to

make the huge investment in technology.”

At the Fairmont Linen Service they use

two tunnel washers, systems also known as

continuous batch washers. These are ideal

for large capacity operations as they are

very efficient from a labour point of view

with water reuse as part of the system.

Not every hotel is capable of handling,

or requires, a massive operation such as the

one Fairmont operates in Canmore. Most

hotels utilize a much smaller facility that

takes care of in-house needs. For example,

a typical 94-room property may wish to

install two 40 pound washers and two 50

pound single drum dryers to meet the daily

laundry need.

Here, a well respected supplier in the West

is Dyer Equipment from Delta, B.C., a com-

pany that offers top brands such as Dexter, a

full line commercial laundry equipment

manufacturer that has been a name in the

industry since 1894. Dyer supplies both On

Premise Laundry (OPL) and coin systems to

the industry from its lower mainland loca-

tion. “We do it all from the planning stages

of a new build hotel to a reconfiguration as a

property grows,” says Dyer’s Richard

Kalloch. “We need to examine the number of

pounds per day that will go to wash as well

as understand the flow-through for soiled

linens and staff uniforms. Once we have an

idea on need, we can recommend the right

system for the job,” he says.

According to Kalloch, most hotels have a

three tier need. “There must be clean linens

on the shelf in the storage area, clean linens

Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock

Properties have to pay attention to their laundry as it is part of the guest experience.

Coinamatic’s Revolution is perfect for limited service properties.

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on the bed and linens in the wash ready to

go into storage as those sheets are placed.

Any breakdown can throw the system out

of whack and result in guest service prob-

lems. We have built a reputation as a com-

pany that works with our clients to keep

machines moving and keep guests happy.

For instance, we will provide training and

our service people can step in with simple

solutions,” he says remembering a phone

call about a squealing noise where a service

tech listened to the sound over the phone

and then advised on-site maintenance staff

to merely sand the drum. Problem solved.

Kalloch comments that efficiency in

equipment represents a major drive by

manufacturers. For example, Dexter has

ramped its dryer efficiency by 17 per cent.

This has been achieved by simply opening

up the venting to eight inches and increas-

ing fan size. “This increases airflow to the

clothes and allows the system to use less gas

because the air itself is working to remove

moisture from the garments,” he says.

Dryers also need to be higher capacity

than the washers

because clothes

and linens come

out of washing

machines heavy

with moisture. For

example, an aver-

age-sized property

can easily use two

55 pound single

drum dryers and

two 40 pound

washers. Accord-

ing to Kalloch a

shift may occur

when manufac-

turers begin to produce smaller reversing

dryers. These tend to offer more efficient

drying cycles where items don’t ball up and

thus dryers don’t have to work hard to get

air into knotted sheets and towels.

Gary Noriega agrees. Noriega heads up

Nora Systems of Edmonton, a full line sup-

plier that offers products and services to

both hospitality and institutions. He com-

ments that a reversing dryer can reduce

drying time by 30 per cent. “But, this is

only part of the money-saving equation.

Over the past 20 years the softmount wash-

er has been one of the biggest advances in

laundry systems. Our Cissel 75 pound soft-

mount washer/extractor can help reduce

drying time by half because of the incredi-

ble 475 G force spin that takes almost all

the water out of a load. This means less

time drying, less weight for staff to handle

and less energy use in general,” he says

adding that a standard hardmount washer

with a G force spin of 80 to 100 can deliver

laundry to dryers that can take another 40

minutes to dry while a softmount unit with

high G force rpm can take that drying time

down to 15 minutes.

With softmount machines, the days

when you had to bolt the

laundry equipment to a spe-

cial reinforced floor is large-

ly gone, suggests Charles

Reid, general manager and

owner of Vancouver-based

Haddon Equipment and

Supplies a major player in

B.C.’s on-premise laundry

and warewashing sectors.

He describes the company

as a onestop shop for customers, with the

expert staff in their chemical and equip-

ment divisions doing more than just selling

the necessary equipment. Their strength is

to act as consultants to ensure the cus-

tomer has exactly the laundry or warewash

(dishwashing) setup they need with the

right chemicals and machines for their

individual specifications. For example,

Reid points out that the newer softmount

models have suspension

built right in to them. This

means that the installation

costs are much lower.

“It’s getting more impor-

tant for laundries to select

the proper equipment to

suit their needs because


Clean linens must be available at all times.

A washing machineby Continental.

Many hotels have athree tier need to theirlaundry process.


there have been so many advances in the

past ten years,” says Reid pointing to higher

extract washers which will extract towels at

over 1,000 rpm as a good example of inno-

vation. “These high extract washers reduce

drying time, which in turn reduce energy,

saving money and increasing production. If

the last time you bought a washer was ten

years ago and it needs replacing, talk to us

and consider all the new features that are

going to save you money in the long run,”

says Reid, noting that payback on upgrad-

ing equipment can be less than five years

depending on your specific application.

“Another big saving can be achieved

with laundry chemicals. We offer products

that allow operators to reduce hot water

temperatures from 140 degrees to just 120

degrees,” he says.

The vents and lint traps are also impor-

tant considerations for more effective dry-

ing. “The venting area should be cleaned

every six months to improve air flow and

prevent fires. The lint tray should be

cleaned daily,” he says.

When it comes to washers, flow and

water quality are important considerations.

For instance in rural areas the water should

be screened to take out damaging particu-

lates. In both urban and rural settings

operators can also benefit from an ozone

generator that conditions water by adding

an extra atom to the water molecule. The

result is water that offers a bleaching action

that kills bacteria and viruses. According to

Susan Reynolds, director business services,

Coinamatic, this can greatly reduce the

need for hot water as well as reduce the

amount of chemicals. “It can also reduce

the heat in the laundry room during hot

summer months and decrease the amount

of air-conditioning needed thereby creat-

ing further savings,” she says, remarking

that in some cases they have seen hot water

use decline by 80 per cent and gas bills fall

by 25 to 30 per cent.

According to Reynolds, Coinamatic

remains on the cutting edge of laundry sys-

tem technology. A case in point is the

recently introduced Revolution, a line of

coin-activated front control washers and

dryers that are perfect for limited service

properties where guests appreciate a close-

at-hand laundry system they can use. With

Revolution, there are variable level pricing

options that can mean higher revenue and

more satisfied guests thanks to ease of

operation and custom settings.

Coinamatic also operates Coinamatic

Commercial Laundry, a unit that was, up

until recently, known as OPLS (On Premise

Laundry Systems), a company that has been

a leader in commercial laundry systems for

more than 50 years. Today, Coinamatic

Commercial Laundry is the only company

in Canada that offers full service leasing.

This means operators get it all for one cost.

According to Reynolds, the unit provides a

full range of the leading brands, no capital

investment, no charge design services, and

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professional turnkey installation. “We handle all the details from

products to service to training. This lets hotel operators get on with

the business while we take care of the laundry details.”

Being among the first to embrace new technologies in the laun-

dry field has brought Haddon further success in recent years. Con-

sider X3 a new solid laundry product launched in 2002. According

to Haddon Equipment’s Reid, X3 is environmentally friendly, safe

on all linens (white or coloured), and completely disinfects all loads

(in the United States,

ingredients of X3 are

officially registered as a

disinfectant). The water

and energy savings with

X3 are tremendous. In

fact, Reid reports that

X3 reduces water con-

sumption by 40 per cent.

Each case of X3 used

saves approximately

28,000 litres of water

and 50 per cent of that is

hot water.

“Operational costs are

the biggest expense next

to labour in running

your laundry, so if you

can save on water and

energy and increase pro-

duction with a product

such as X3 and combine this with high extract

washers, that’s half the battle in keeping your costs

under control.”

This lowered water consumption and energy sav-

ings has made X3 a popular product, especially

among properties that have environmental con-

cerns and are working towards green accreditation.

Commenting further Reid says that reducing ener-

gy consumption has played a large role in equip-

ment advances from our suppliers in recent years and can result in

lowered operational costs over the long term. “This is something

that businesses with outdated equipment may not realize.”

At Nora Systems they too have a number of programs that can

result in a more efficient laundry department. Consider the offer

they have on washing chemicals. According to Noriega, they charge

hotels on a sold room night basis

that can translate into about 16

cents per room for chemicals. “We

take the legwork out of your chem-

ical inventory. Our people make

regular visits to ensure the right

chemicals are at hand and that the

equipment is operating as it

should. A lot of properties have

seen the benefit of this highly com-

petitive program,” he says.

Indeed, both Noriega and

Reynolds suggest that a well-run

laundry system is a win/win sce-

nario. Firstly, cleaner linens and

softer toweling means more guest

satisfaction. Secondly, modern systems are putting money back

into operator pockets through greater efficiency and durability.

Lastly, but certainly no less important, is the fact that more effi-

cient systems and less chemical use is good for the environment.

Is cleanliness next to godliness? Who can say. But cleaner uni-

forms, spotless sheets and fluffy towels certainly place a hotel on a

higher plane. ●

Efficiency is a major drive bymanufacturers.


Laundry items such as sheets and robes touch theguests and should be kept at their best.

Increase your hotel’s laundry room production and reduce its operational costs by upgrading your laundry equipment.

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Furnishings can bring a blend of modern luxury with intuitive service.

photo courtesy of Hotel Arts


First impressions go a long way with today’s savvy travellers. And when

it comes to choice of hotels, that first impression can make or break a

pleasant stay. That’s why many hotels are looking a little more closely at the

furnishings they provide in their public spaces and guest rooms.

explains. “Rooms will usually have a desk

that fits under the screen. The credenza or

desk is a multi-functional piece today.”

Casey also notes that the flat panels have

led to a more contemporary and open feel

in the rooms.

“You can stretch the dollar a lot more and

still have the room feel high-end,” she says,

adding that hotels should look at how their

furnishings are holding up every five years

or so, and should plan for some updates

every 10 years. “In times when money is

tight, hotels may opt to make an impact by

spending money on their lobbies and public

spaces, the things guests will see when they

first come in that will make an impression.”

Everything Old is New AgainWhen you’re building a brand on a well-

recognized Canadian figure like Louis Riel,

the leader of the Métis nation and the peo-

ple of the Northwest, then there has to be a

certain established look to the place. And

that’s exactly what’s in store for guests at

the newly renovated Place Louis Riel

Suite Hotel in Winnipeg. The property

provides a unique boutique hotel expe-

rience that blends contemporary

design and comfort in well-appointed

suites and spacious guest rooms. It

offers a mix of warm colours, as well as

the visual drama of an aborig-

inal art collection.

Furnishings By Melanie Franner

Furnishing Factors“Furnishings are extremely important

for hotels,” explains Abby Casey of Thiel &

Thiel, a full-service architecture and interi-

or design firm located in Dallas, Texas.

“Furnishings are one of the amenities that

hotels offer their guests.”

One of the more recent trends that

Casey has seen in furnishings, particularly

more so in new builds, is a focus on

“green” products.

“There are different levels of LEED certi-

fication,” she explains, adding that Silver

seems to be the most common with hotels.

But green isn’t cheap. Casey estimates that

it can cost a 25 per cent premium to go

with a LEED-certified building and can

include products that range from recycled

carpet to incandescent lighting.

In terms of style trends, Casey com-

ments on how the popularity of flat panel

TVs has changed room décor.

“With the dawn of flat panel TVs, we’re

not seeing armoires anymore,” she


“We’re the third largest property

in Winnipeg,” explains Krista

Mask, general manager, Place

Louis Riel Suite Hotel. “We cur-

rently have 301 guest suites.”

The property opened originally

in 1970 as a state-of-the-art apart-

ment building, and has been slow-

ly made over into a hotel. Renova-

tion began in June 2007, with 50

per cent of the guest floors now

completed, as well as the lobby

area. The total budget for the pro-

ject is $15 million.

“The upgrade is a way for us to

make sure that we’re meeting the needs of our business travellers,”

explains Mask. “There is a lot of innovation happening in the hos-

pitality industry today. We’re fortunate to have been purchased by

the Westcorp Group in 2006. They saw the opportunity of moving

us up to become more appealing to the business traveller.”

The appeal is generated through the spacious suites — the small-

est one is 450 square feet — as well as the full kitchen that is pre-

sent in every suite.

“The furnishings are a very important component of the

upgrade,” says Mask. “We’ve made sure that there is a large working

desk in all of our new luxury suites. We’ve focused on the business

executive. We want that executive to be comfortable conducting his

or her day-to-day business from the suite. We have a very comfort-

able chair. In the studio suites, we’ve put in leather chairs and

ottomans so they can put their feet up. If they are in the bedroom,

they can sit on the leather sofa. We’ve tried to make it more like

being at home.”

The rooms all sport a wall-mounted flat panel TV as well, along

with upgraded wired and wireless internet service. And to tie back

to its strong heritage, each suite has between two and six pieces of

reframed Aboriginal artwork. Luxury suites are outfitted with plush

duvets and luxury linens, as well as window treatments.

“We have tried to create a lot of value for the business traveller,”

concludes Mask.

Renovate in StyleOver at the Calgary Hotel Arts, the boutique-style hotel offers its

customers a sumptuous blend of modern luxury with intuitive ser-

vice. The hotel offers 175 rooms and suites, each appointed with

fine linens and chic contemporary décor.

“The design aesthetic is very important to the ownership group,”

explains Fraser Abbott, director of sales and marketing, Hotel Arts

Group. “We’ve created a unique ambiance here.”

The Calgary Hotel Arts sits on the city block that formally

housed the Holiday Inn Calgary Downtown. It was rebranded in

2005 and the massive renovation took place in the following year.

Phase Two got underway in May 2007 and in the fall of last year,

Calgary Hotel Arts opened a new 9,400 square foot ballroom. A

new Hotel Arts Galleria, a 220-car underground parking garage,

and a three-story office/retail complex are all underway. The budget

just for the hotel proper was $10 million.

Place Louis Riel blends contemporary design and comfort in

their guest rooms.


“We feature upscale residential furnishings, mixed in with

interesting artwork,” says Abbott, who suggests that even the Italian

lamps used throughout the hotel should be considered pieces of art-

work. “The lobby experience provides a pretty powerful impression.

We have two giant egg chairs that give a retro look dating back to

Austin Powers.”

The guest rooms themselves offer a mix of dark tones and

functionality in the same upscale residential feel. Each one sports a

plasma screen, a desk and work chair, and a work lamp. The room

amenities vary according to type of suite, but common features

include triple-sheeted goose-down duvets with Frette linens, an Ital-

Pho

to C

ourt

esy

of

Pla

ce L

ouis

Rie

l

The décor in the suites includes a leather

couch, chair and ottoman configuration.


ian Bamboo Tile bathroom with Spa

Rain shower, and work desk with

designer lamp.

The transformation has changed not

only the feel of the property, but it has

also attracted a different cliental.

“We used to be a tour hotel, a sports group place and an oilfield

service kind of property,” says Abbott. “We now have a completely dif-

ferent demographic. On the weekends, some 25 per cent of the mix is

local — people just looking to get away for a couple days and de-stress.”

A Piece of HistoryThe Vancouver-based Moda Hotel is housed in a heritage build-

ing built in 1908 that used to be the old Dufferin Hotel. The bou-

tique hotel offers 57 rooms that blend the best of old-world style

with modern, contemporary design. The guest rooms feature a

sleek, tailored look with the comforts of luxurious beds, linens and

furnishings, as well as the latest technology with flat panel TVs,

high-speed internet access, data port outlet for laptops and voice-

over Internet Protocol (IP) telephones.

Niradia Enterprises purchased the hotel in 2005 and spent the

next two years renovating it with millions of dollars.

“It’s a very European, limited boutique hotel,” explains Kanat

Kantman, hotel manager. “It’s very Spartan like. The rooms are very

minimalist, very streamlined and very comfortable. The furnishings

are an assortment of fun themes like red and cappuccino chocolate.”

According to Kantman, the furnishings play an important role in

ambience of a hotel.

“I think they are crucial,” he says. “The furnishings are what your

identity is if you will. They are used to present the building.”

Although the renovation of Moda Hotel has led to a more futur-

istic and funky quality, there are parts of the property that highlight

its heritage. Examples of this include: the 100-year-old exposed

mosaic tile floors in the lobby and bathrooms; the 80-year-old

hardwood flooring on the stairs and in the feature rooms; the origi-

nal lobby ceiling with dramatic crown mouldings; and the build-

ing’s corner cornice.

Even the hotel’s Uva Wine Bar and Cibo Trattoria offer some

local history by including original structure elements like the

approximately 200-year-old Douglas fir beams and walls, and the

original exposed mosaic tile flooring.

A Changing TransformationUpdating or upgrading continues to play an important role in

helping to keep hotel properties fresh and appealing. Using furnish-

ings to exude the right ambience for your clientele is one way to create

a new and fresh look, without having to spend more than the budget.

Whether it’s a cozy comfortable feel of old-world elegance and charm

or the hip and happening look of the trendy set, furnishings are a

powerful tool that can help you attain that perfect hotel look.

“For the consumer, furnishings are hugely important,” concludes

Thiel & Thiel’s Casey. “People want to be comfortable. Different

hotels have done different things to attract different clientele. There

is a certain level of quality that consumers have come to expect.” ●

Hotel Arts offers rooms with function-ality and dark tones. Room amenitiescan go from TVs to duvets.

The widespread North American staff

of Protect-A-Bed held their annual

meeting in Canada for the first time

in 2009, meeting in downtown Toronto for

a jam-packed extended weekend confer-

ence in late May.

As pioneers in the manufacturing of

mattress and pillow protectors that provide

protection from dust mites, incontinence

and bed bugs, the large Protect-A-Bed gang

had plenty to chew on during their much-

anticipated time together.

Seldom able to meet face-to-face, com-

pany CEO James Bell says the assembled

staff and management “really enjoyed the

opportunity to get together to share and

exchange ideas.”

By presenting speakers with different

backgrounds, including the founder of the

Famous PEOPLE Players Diane Dupuy,

investor Cecil Brauer of Brimor Capital

and Furniture Today editor David Perry,

conference planners shrewdly showcased

the weekend’s theme — Simply the Best —

by encouraging the speakers to share their

personal philosophies on success with

those in attendance.

However, the show-stopping session

came on the last day of the conference dur-

ing an eye-opening (and sometimes eye-

closing) presentation by Toronto’s Bug’n

Scrub team that highlighted the city’s cur-

rent bed bug crisis.

Wrongly believed to be a pest of the past,

bed bugs are back with a vengeance in the

twenty-first century and are causing more

problems than ever before. Previously asso-

ciated with filthy slums, bed bugs have

spread uptown and can now be found at

some of the finest addresses in communi-

ties across the country.

While the growing bed bug problem is

not a topic that comes up too often at cock-

tail parties, it had better be on the agenda

when hoteliers take a hard look at the chal-

lenges facing their industry. Bed bugs are

now an equal-opportunity nightmare, able

to wreak as much havoc at a five-star hotel

as at a downtown homeless shelter.

Hotels that want to get out in front of

the problem have to be proactive in their

approach says Petra Minoff, Protect-A-

Bed’s vice-president of hospitality sales in

the United States.

She explains that a typical hotel guest

stays at a property an average of just two

days. Unfortunately, because noticeable

signs of bed bug bites are often not visi-

ble for between 10 and 14 days after con-

tact, it is often difficult to make the con-

nection between a particular hotel and a

bed bug problem.

Early detection is imperative for hote-

liers interested in avoiding disaster. Because

as Minoff warns, if the problem gets away

from a hotel and the property ends up

attracting unwanted media attention, “It is

very hard to recover from this.”

Industry leader is quietly winningthe battle against bed bugs.


Protect-A-Bed:

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Minoff also points out that hoteliers are

opening themselves up to significant law-

suits should former guests get wind of a bed

bug problem.

Whether it is a preventative measure or a

post-infestation reaction, for hoteliers

looking to take steps to ensure they stay

out of both court and business-sapping

media reports, investing in Protect-A-Bed’s

Aller-Zip™ mattress encasements is clearly

a smart move.

With this kind of protection, a hotel that

uses an Aller-Zip™ encasement on a mat-

tress that is new or has no infestation is

guaranteed no bed bugs will make their

way into the mattress.

For a previously infested mattress that

has just been steamed or vacuumed (and is

now bed bug free), the encasement ensures

that bed bugs currently in the room will be

unable to get back into the mattress.

Finally, for currently infested mattresses,

the total encasement stops the bugs in the

mattress from escaping (then biting). It

also stops any bed bugs in other places in

the room from getting back into the mat-

tress and breeding.

With the bed bug problem snowballing

in recent years, Johan Bosman, the compa-

ny’s channel director for hospitality in

Canada, says more and more hotels are get-

ting on board with the product. As the

clear industry leader in terms of market

share and innovation (e.g. they are the only

double-stitched encasement), he says Pro-

tect-A-Bed products easily outclass what

little competition they face.

Add to that the fact that Protect-A-Bed

products extend the life of a mattress by

greatly reducing the time and costs

involved in early mattress replacement and

Bosman says it should come as no surprise

that, “Canadian hotels are really starting to

see the value of the product.” ●


According to the company’s Web site, the Aller-Zip™encasements feature a unique:• BugLock™, a three-sided zipper system and seal, for complete protection against bed bug entry and escape. The zipper extendsto the end of the BugLock™ thereby ensuring bed bugs never escape;

• Miracle Membrane® with polyurethane backing. It’s breathable yet cool to sleep on;

• Protection against allergens, such as dust mites, pet dander and pollen.

By James Farr

Caber stafflistens tospeakersduring thetwo dayconference.

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There isn’t much worse than arriving

in a hotel room after a long day of

travel only to find a dirty bathroom

with bleach-stained towels and funky

smelling mini-shampoos.

Washing away a disturbing memory like

that can be tough, particularly in a bath-

room with soap that crumbles the instant

it is removed from its packaging.

Savvy hoteliers will avoid these issues by

making their bathrooms a priority. Because

other than bed quality, the bathroom is a

close second on the internal check lists for

most guests when it comes to rating their

overall hotel experience.

For Avril Matthews, the director of sales

and marketing at Victoria’s Inn at Laurel

Point, the bathrooms at their 200-room prop-

erty are a great source of pride. “With the

immense dedication to space in our luxury

bathrooms, we have been fortunate to receive

plenty of great feedback from our guests.”

In the hotel’s Erickson wing, the bath-

rooms have double sinks, deep soaker tubs

and a separate shower that makes the

bathing process feel like a walk in a warm

misty rain.

When it comes to the actual bath prod-

ucts available, the hotel provides both

Molten Brown and Aveda amenities. In

Bathrooms By James Farr

Many guests look for an indulgent experience while staying at a hotel.


particular, Molten Brown, a well known

high-end product in the United Kingdom,

has really resonated with the hotel’s guests.

At Vancouver’s Sutton Place Hotel, Exec-

utive Assistant Manager Navid Sariolgha-

lam is extremely satisfied with the broad

line of Gilchrist & Soames bath amenities

they offer their guests. While Sariolghalam

says that it is the high quality of the ameni-

ties that makes the difference, he is certain

Gilchrist & Soames’ long association with

environmentally friendly practices and

products is also part of the reason for their

popularity.

Christine Pyle, senior director of mar-

keting and product development at

Gilchrist & Soames, is a big believer in

today’s business leaders taking a proactive

approach when it comes to being better

global citizens. The company is fully

engaged in an ambitious strategy to

become more green.

By working with Purdue University’s

earth sciences department, the company

has ensured that the formulations of

their toiletry products are the best they

can possibly be from an environmental

standpoint.

For instance, their recently launched

Zero Percent liquid products, including

shampoo, conditioner, conditioning

shampoo, body wash and body lotion,

contain no sulfates, DMDM hydantoin,

parabens, phthalates, petrol-derived

ingredients, mineral oil, urea, DEA, TEA

or propylene glycol.

Fairmont’s Green Partnership Program

has been in effect since 1990, making the

luxury hotel chain a corporate leader in the

rapidly growing green movement.

“I think we’ve shown that companies

can green their operations with the right

tools in place, and the right commitment.

As an industry, we’ve made great strides in

terms of making the environment a key

consideration in how we do business,” says

Sarah Dayboll, Fairmont’s manager of

environmental affairs.

Dayboll has many examples of Fair-

mont’s green initiatives. However, when it

comes to energy and water conservation

in their hotels’ bathrooms, she says the

installation of low flow showerheads, low

flush toilets and tap aerators are corpo-

rate room standards. Additionally, all

properties participate in sheet and towel

exchange programs to conserve water

resources by reducing the frequency of

laundering guest linens.

The number of low flush toilets in hotel

bathrooms across Canada has grown in

The number of low flush toilets in hotel bathrooms across Canada hasgrown in recent years as hoteliers see that their bottom line can be helped,while at the same time, do the right thing for the environment.

Amenities such as Molten Brown andAveda resonate well with guests.

Photos Courtesy of Shutterstock

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recent years as hoteliers see that their bottom line can be helped,

while at the same time, do the right thing for the environment.

However, while environmental concerns are clearly important,

many guests are also looking for an indulgent experience when they

stay at a hotel.

Aspha Dada, owner/general manager of La Quinta Inn Vancou-

ver Airport, says that the bathroom is extremely important when it

comes to setting a positive tone at the property.

He goes even further, arguing there is a direct link between the

quality of the bathroom and the likelihood a guest will return for a

repeat visit. That is why during a recent 12-room expansion at his

property, he opted to make the extra capital expenditure to upscale

the bathrooms.

The Le Germain group is gearing up to open a new hotel in Cal-

gary at the end of 2009 and according to Marie-Pierre Germain, the

new property will include all of the same elements that have made the

company’s other boutique hotels so popular. That means guests can

look forward to spacious bathrooms outfitted with Tashodi toiletries.

Hoteliers should ensure they do not forget about common bath-

rooms in their lobbies, restaurants and meeting room areas. While

these bathrooms must meet the same high standards of in-room

bathrooms, they also present the opportunity to include amenities

that are not cost effective in smaller bathrooms.

Dyson Airblade hand dryers, which use high-velocity, filtered air

to dry hands in 12 seconds, are a rugged durable product that will

catch the attention of guests while costing just pennies a day in

hydro costs.

Hoteliers that fail to recognize the importance of their bath-

rooms do so at their own peril. Offering up a sub-par bathroom is

recipe for disaster when it comes to drawing repeat business. ●

“I think we’ve shown that companies can green their operations with the right

tools in place, and the right commitment. As an industry, we’ve made great strides

in terms of making the environment a key consideration in how we do business.”

Savvy hoteliers make their bathrooms their priorities.

Has your hotel recently:• opened?• done renovations?• had a change in management?• expanded?• celebrated an anniversary?• rebranded?

If yes, please contact David BastableTel: 1-800-337-6372 or email: [email protected] YOUR HOTEL MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE

What Makes Your HOTEL So Special?Let us tell the

Western provinces why your hotel is so special!

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ensure a simple, fast installation. Create an ambience of comfort where your

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Visit us at our website: www.brite-lite.com LIGHTING AND ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTORS


B.C.’s Old House Village Hotel and Spa

has something hoteliers value highly

— four season attraction. Located in the

stunning Comox Valley on Vancouver

Island, the property is sited on three river-

side acres that permit access to recreation

as well as proximity to the town of Court-

ney, a principal up-island centre.

According to General Manager Larry

Seburn the facility is the vision of owners

who wanted to establish a four to five star

resort in the heart of this beautiful region.

“There is so much here. We have skiing,

water sports, fishing, hiking and now the

property has established the premier spa in

the area with a new 4,500

square foot full service facili-

ty,” he says.

Certainly, the year-round

golfing, the Beaufort Moun-

tains and their ski slopes, the

vineyards, and the proximity to

both river and ocean make the

property an exciting getaway.

“Where else can you ski in the morning,

golf in the afternoon on one of five nearby

courses, and kayak after dinner?” asks the

property’s general manager, who remarks

that a stay at the hotel and spa can be as

relaxing or as exhausting as guests demand.

The property, located directly on the

Courtney River, currently offers 79 suites

and one luxurious penthouse unit follow-

ing construction that saw Phase I complet-

ed in 2006 and the second phase completed

just recently. “In Phase I we completed 33

one-bedroom suites that range in size from

550 square feet to 575 square

feet. These offer king beds in

the master and queen size

sofa pull outs in the living

rooms, full gourmet kitchens

and in-suite stacking laun-

dry,” he says.

He comments further that

this phase also delivered a

stunning 900 square foot

penthouse unit that comes

with loft king bedroom,

Jacuzzi tub, wet bar and kitchen as well as

balcony with views of the pond and botani-

cal gardens. “In Phase II, a section we com-

pleted last December, we added 45 units of

which 30 are studios (400-600 sq. ft.), a per-

fect addition for those looking for less

Hotel Profile By Kelly Gray

THE OLD HOUSE VILLAGE HOTEL AND SPAin Courtney, B.C. is earning itself a reputation as a

point of refuge that offers it all. Given the easy

access and the quality of the product it’s no surprise

that guest levels are growing.

Larry Seburn, General Manager


expensive accommodation in this gorgeous

setting. We also offer 13 deluxe one-bed-

room suites and two two-bedroom suites.”

Studio rooms offer kitchenettes, fire-

places and 32-inch flat screen televisions as

well as free wireless internet.

“The facilities make the property ideal

for groups looking for a short term retreat

or individuals seeking a full featured holi-

day. For example, the ‘Snowbirds’ aeronau-

tics team has been staying here during their

training sessions at CFB Comox. They have

booked because they enjoy the closeness to

the base, the amenities of the property and

the fact that many of the rooms come with

stacking laundry equipment, an important

consideration given the (three week dura-

tion) active nature of their program.”

Others who have been enjoying the facil-

ity are corporate guests from South Island,

travellers from the Lower mainland and

Alberta as well as those from the western

U.S. “Westjet has really enhanced access to

the Comox Valley from points in Alberta

like Calgary and Edmonton. Flying times

are only one hour and twenty minutes,” he

says, noting that for this reason they are

booking guests from Grande Prairie and

Fort McMurray who are taking the quick

flight for a bit of R&R away from the

Alberta oil patch.

According to Seburn, they sought

opportunity by looking into the communi-

ty and determining needs. For example, the

OH SPA is the only full service facility of

its kind in town and as such has been

enjoying solid bookings from both guests

and others who have found the packages

highly valuable as a point of relaxation.

The 4500 square foot OH SPA offers a vari-

ety of treatments and facilities such as

Vichy Shower and a two-person efferves-

cent chromatherapy tub where you can

enjoy a glass of wine by the fire. There are

also larger couple’s rooms complete with

slate showers, fireplaces and a sumptuous

spa cuisine menu. Altogether OH SPA

offers a hair salon, 10 treatment rooms and

services from pedicures to facials to spe-

cialty massage and hydrotherapy.

Another challenge The Old House Vil-

lage Hotel & Spa took on was the need for

meeting space. Recently completed is a 900

square foot professionally designed busi-

ness and meetings centre that is fully wired

for commerce and communication. This

means roof mounted projection systems,

plug-ins for microphone and access to the

hotel’s wireless internet system and phone

network. The result is a surge in corporate

business with guests coming in to use just

the facility for one-day workshops and

business gatherings or multi-day meetings

that get everyone together at the hotel for a

bit of work and play.

The seminal point for the property is the

Old House Restaurant that is situated

between the two wings of the hotel, a con-

figuration that contributes to the village

feel of the property. The ‘house’ was origi-

nally constructed in 1938 and stood as an

example of fine residential living until the

mid ’70s when it was reshaped into a din-

ing establishment. The owners have kept

the tone and flavour of the old property

and blended it into the framework of a

fresh new business that is an all-encom-

passing hospitality package. Indeed, the

The property offers 79 suites.

The Penthouse is 900 square feet andlooks out over the botanical gardens.

Guests can relax during spa massages.

The property offers a great proximity toboth the river and the ocean.


history may suggest ‘Old House’, but the menu at the restaurant

says new age in its approach, featuring for example, the prosciutto

wrapped halibut, duck tacos, or tomato cumin braised lamb shank.

Seburn remarks that this total hospitality package has the proper-

ty enjoying steady gains in occupancy with some weekends booked

solid. In fact, April delivered a record month for occupancy to the

property. “Certainly, our central location is key to our popularity,

but now the meeting facility and the OH SPA can serve to attract an

even bigger client base,” he says, adding that the area tends to be

over-serviced with a lot of properties offering rooms. “We have had

to be very competitive with rate, however, the fact that we are new

means people are more interested to book and find out about us.”

The property also features a Quarter Ownership opportunity

with floor-plans available for purchase. This entitles people to a

stay one week per month in facilities that offer private fitness club,

pool and hot tub as well as all the amenities one would expect in a

world class setting. Floor plans are varied and extensive.

With all these attributes the property owners and management

are very positive regarding the coming year. As mentioned, occu-

pancies have been strong already. Now with the Olympics right

around the corner there is an opportunity to showcase the prop-

erty and the Comox Valley as the Mount Washington slopes host

the run-up to the Winter Olympics with ski teams training prior

to the event. “We celebrated one million visitors to the Comox

airport last year and I believe the run-up to the Olympics will

only serve to heighten our visibility. The more people know about

this region, the greater the likelihood we will see further gains in

both rate and occupancy,” says Seburn, concluding that with a full

four seasons to play with the prospects are very bright indeed at

The Old House Village Hotel and Spa. ●

Has your hotel recently:• opened?• done renovations?• had a change in management?• expanded?• celebrated an anniversary?• rebranded?

If yes, please contact David BastableTel: 1-800-337-6372 or email: [email protected]

YOUR HOTEL MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE

What Makes Your HOTEL So Special?

Let us tell the Western provinces why your hotel is so special!


Staff Training By Kelly Gray

Training schools andorganizations have a

wealth of shovel-readyprograms for everyone

from entry level workersto managers seeking

post graduate degrees.

In this economy, training is one of the most powerful tools to maintain a steady keel at hotel

operations where entry level staff can be hard to come by. By training workers, properties are

allowing what staff they do have to complete tasks more effectively. Training also lets staff

know they are appreciated and their jobs matter. These two factors alone contribute to sizable

retention in an industry characterized by high staffing turnover.

Simply, these days hotels cannot hope to compete without utilizing some form of training

program for on-site personnel. The same is true for the management individual. Competition is

tough for the best jobs. Training delivers the edge that keeps managers at the top of their games.

Want to keep staff, maintain a high standard in operational and management practice, and

limit turnover? Training is the only way to go. Look here for some of the best schools and organi-

zations to help make this happen.



agement of both the accommodation and

food service facilities used by the public

and private sector.

The Hotel and Food Administration

Co-op program seeks to facilitate the

transition of students from academic

studies to a professional work life by

enhancing the integration of theory and

practice. Administered by the School of

Hospitality and Tourism Management the

co-op work program consists of one

twelve-month period. The

work semester begins at the

end of the second year and

extends from May to April.

The co-op program is com-

pleted over a five year period.

The program in Tourism

Management builds on a

strong base of hospitality

management courses (hu-

man resources management, accounting,

finance, cost controls, hotel operations).

In conjunction with these courses the

program provides specialized courses

dealing with the economic, social, cul-

tural and environmental aspects of the

industry as well as the critical functions

of tourism marketing , distr ibution,

planning and development. In addition,

there are opportunities to develop exper-

tise in eco-tourism and international

tourism operations.

The University of Guelph’s two-year, on-

line MBA is designed for up and coming

professionals who wish to enhance their

skills and credentials without leaving their

current employment.

Guelph’s MBA is based on the application

of contemporary management concepts and

strategies to industries where the University

has a world-class reputation. Upon admis-

sion, participants choose to concentrate

their MBA studies in one of two fields: Food

and Agribusiness Management or Hospitali-

ty and Tourism Management.

The University of Guelph MBA program

includes a core group of courses that build

and develop key managerial skills, and spe-

cialization courses that allow participants

to apply concepts and skills to manage-

ment situations in a particular sector. Case

studies are widely used.

Participants complete their program

with a major research project or have the

option to substitute two courses for the

major research project. Program prerequi-

sites include significant work experience in

either Food and Agribusiness Management

or Hospitality and Tourism Management.

University of Guelph/Schoolof Hospitality & TourismManagement

Since 1969 The School of Hospitality

& Tourism Management has gradu-

ated in excess of 3000 students into

a wide range of positions within the

industry. Today, the program is well

known as one of Canada’s premier teach-

ing and research institu-

tions in the field of hospi-

tality and tourism.

Available programs in-

clude a Bachelor of Com-

merce (BComm) degree as

well as Masters of Business

Administration (MBA).

In the BComm program

students may choose The

Hotel and Food Administration major.

This track offers principles of administra-

tion, theories of interpersonal relations,

human resources management, and com-

munications. Distinctive courses include

Hospitality Facilities Management and

Design and Lodging Management. The

courses in this program relate to the man-

Professional DevelopmentInstitute of Tourism & Hospitality Management

Based in British Columbia and active

in 45 countries with entry level to

advanced programs the Professional

Development Institute of Tourism & Hos-

pitality Management offers a variety of off-

site study options.

The Correspondence School, in academ-

ic partnership with the Educational Insti-

tute of the American Hotel and Lodging

Association offers Hotel Management

Diploma, Hospitality Operations Certifi-

cate, and Resort Operations Certificate

programs as well as individual Home Study

Courses through Distance Learning.


Hotel & Services Supervisor

Start career training as a

Call now for more information!

1-866-830-1282www.EverestCanada.ca

Career services assistance availableFinancial assistance may be available for those who qualify

The hospitality industry is often referred to as “the people business.” The skills and knowledge

acquired in this program prepare you to work in the hospitality industry.

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The Home Study courses and Distance

Learning Programs are available to individ-

uals seeking entry into the Hospitality and

Food and Beverage industry, as well as to

employees and supervisory staff currently

employed in the

tourism and hospi-

tality industry who

are seeking to up-

grade their skills or

seeking advance-

ment into management positions.

Courses are all text book based. Accord-

ing to principal Bashir El Khalafawi stu-

dents are tested in proctored settings fol-

lowing each module. He suggests there are

numerous advantages to off-site corre-

spondence study. For example students

may learn while they earn and learn on

their own time at their own pace.

Modules are available in 12 areas:

• Hospitality Management Diploma • Food & Beverage Management Diploma

• Hospitality Operation Certificate Rooms • Hospitality Operation Certificate Food

• Rooms Division Management • Marketing and Sales Management

• Food and Beverage Management • Human Resources Management

• Accounting and Financial Management • Club Management

• International Resort Management • Individual Home Study Courses

The curriculum is geared to meet the certification requirements of The Hotel Association

of Canada (HAC) and the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s AHLA Educational

Institute. The programs are approved by the British Columbia and Hotels Association

(BCHA), and Hospitality Industry Education Advisory Committee (HIEAC).


YTEC

The Yukon Tourism Education

Council is an organization that

addresses industry’s need for a

coordinating body to undertake the human

resource issues facing the Tourism Industry

in the North. YTEC provides training and

education products to tourism

and service businesses, in an

effort to enhance the growth of

a professional training culture in

the industry. YTEC works in

conjunction with the Canadian

Tourism Human Resource

Council. In the North, YTEC is

the local representative of emer-

it, the Nation’s seal of excellence in human

resource products and services.

emerit offers a remarkable selection of

training programs and resources ideally suit-

ed for professionals in various tourism occu-

pations at different stages in their career.

emerit training resources are available

online. This is perfect for those comfort-

able working in an online environment

and interested in a flexible, self-directed

training option. For added convenience

and flexibility, students can buy only the

modules they are most interested in.

emerit online training courses are available for thesetourism occupations:

BartenderEvent Co-ordinatorEvent ManagerFood and Beverage ManagerFood and Beverage ServerFront Desk AgentHeritage InterpreterHousekeeping Room AttendantReservation Sales AgentSales Manager SupervisorTourism EssentialsTourism/Visitor Information Counsellor

YTEC also offers a number of sector

workshops. For example, the Welcome

Yukon seminar emphasizes important

aspects of quality customer service training

such as Tourism Awareness, Quality Ser-

vice, Yukon Community Awareness.

The Welcome Yukon program is a three-

hour training seminar that emphasizes the

importance of treating each customer as a

very important individual.

SuperHost-Service Across Cultures — is

designed to increase awareness about visitors

and customers from other cultures, and pro-

vide practical skills and advice to improve

our ability to communicate with them.

Trainer training workshops help develop

the skills to uncover the wealth of knowl-

edge that is in each employee and to assess

the most effective method to ensure the

trainee learns what needs to be learned.

The goal of the two-day Train the Trainer

workshop is to provide trainers

with an understanding of adult

education principles, plus provide

information about and opportu-

nities to practise training and

coaching skills.

YTEC also delivers Foodsafe semi-

nars. On offer is Level I: Basic For

Foodhandlers and Servers as well as

Foodsafe Level II, a program that provides

advanced information for operators, man-

agers and supervisors.

YTEC is part of the Canadian Human

Resource Tourism Council (CHRTC) and

is responsible for administering programs

in each of the three Northern Territories.

Royal Roads University

Royal Roads University in Victoria

offers both undergraduate and

graduate level programs for the

hospitality sector. Programs include a BA

in International Hotel Management, and

MA in International Hotel Management,

MA in Tourism Management, Graduate

Certificate in Tourism Leadership, Gradu-

ate Certificate in Destination Develop-

ment, Graduate Certifi-

cate in Sustainable

Tourism, and Graduate

Certificate in Interna-

tional Hotel & Resort

Management.

According to Nancy

Arsenault, associate dean, tourism & Exter-

nal relations, there has been a merging of

the tourism and management faculties.

Now there is a School of Business that

offers MBA and BComm programs and a

School of Tourism and Hospitality Man-

agement. From leading-edge programs

designed for experienced professionals,

who have taken on or aspire to senior man-

agement responsibilities, to innovative

delivery options that balance the time pres-

sures and preferences of those seeking face-

to-face interaction and the flexibility of the

internet‚ the Faculty of Management tar-

gets the needs of organizations and those

who lead them. She reports that last year

they launched a two year electronic edition

of their Hotel Management BA. In 2010-

2011 they will launch a grad program in

Worldwide Hospitality Management in an

effort to continue enhancing an already

very complete program.

“We are in the people business. We

offer programming in modules that

deliver short face-to-face

sessions alongside online

functions that create a

total package that is flexi-

ble, choice-laden, and

student focused.”

Arsenault suggests that

their module approach is such that stu-

dents who cannot commit to big time

chunks are still able to get involved with

the program. The programs are flexible

and students can stop and start as neces-

sary. This means jobs can be maintained

and home life is not upset thanks to vari-

able exit points.

“We are able to design modules with

industry in mind. This means a degree or

certificate at Royal Roads is relevant to the

trade today,” she says, remarking that 50

per cent of module work is compulsory

with the other half mix and match accord-

ing to the students needs.

a graduate education while continuing to work. Our combined on-line program with a 10-day on-site residency ensures you have the best of both worlds in learning!

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Training is an essential component toboth recruitment and retention.


Advance your career.Advance your life.

Our new six month, three course, Graduate Certificate in International Hotel and Resort Management is your key to advancing in the global marketplace of a dynamic and ever changing industry. An intimate, high quality and innovative learning environment at Royal Roads will allow you to succeed in obtaining a graduate education while continuing to work. Our combined on-line program with a 10-day on-site residency ensures you have the best of both worlds in learning!

Successful program graduates will be eligible to apply for advanced standing in the Master of Arts in Tourism Management.

Put us to work for you today.Inquire 1-877-778-6227Email [email protected] www.royalroads.ca/tourism

MA IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT | BA IN INTERNATIONAL HOTEL MANAGEMENT

GRADUATE CERTIFICATES IN TOURISM LEADERSHIP, SUSTAINABLE TOURISM,

DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT AND INTERNATIONAL HOTEL AND RESORT MANAGEMENT


Imperial Hotel Management College

Imperial Hotel Management College is an

accredited hotel management school

based in Vancouver. The college was

founded on the principle that to be successful

in the hospitality business, one needs to have

knowledge of management theory, as well as

substantial firsthand knowledge of the prac-

tical aspects of hospitality. The school’s phi-

losophy is to combine these two elements

in a theory-plus-

practise approach,

which balances

academic learning

with hands-on

training.

Imperial College

has partnered with

a group of elite hotels and resorts across

North America to create what they call a

chain of ‘teaching hotels’ or ‘hotel campus-

es’. For example, students attending the

nine-month diploma program will be

studying and gaining work experience in a

fully operational hotel at one of the many

affiliated ‘hotel campuses’.

Programs include Executive Hotel Man-

agement Diploma and Advanced Diploma

in International Hotel Management. The

nine-month executive and 12-month

advanced hospitality management pro-

grams offer a strong emphasis combining

hotel work experience with academic

learning.

The mission of the school is to educate

students who are aiming for top careers in

the international hospitality industry.

Through their emphasis on both academic

and practical preparation they ensure that

graduates are operationally competent and

immediately effective on the job.

Imperial Hotel Management College is

accredited by the Private Career Training

Institutions Agency (PCTIA) in British

Columbia. They are a client of the Cana-

dian Education Centre Network (CECN),

and a member of the following associa-

tions and organizations such as: Interna-

tional Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and

Institutional Education, Canadian

National Association of Career Colleges

(NACC), British Columbia Career Col-

leges Associat ion (BCCCA), Br it ish

Colombia and Yukon Hotel Association,

Hotel Associat ion of Canada, and

Tourism Vancouver.

The ManitobaInstitute of Culinary Arts

Visit www.assiniboine.net/micaor call 800.862.6307 ext 6145

for more information.

Learn marketable skills and gain

management training to advance

your hospitality, food and

beverage career


STEC

Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council (STEC) works with

tourism operators, managers, employees, and educators/con-

sultants across the province with a mandate to develop a pro-

fessional tourism workforce in Saskatchewan.

Since 1990, STEC has worked with literally thousands of indus-

try professionals in every sector, from front-line staff to managers

and owners. In 1996, STEC merged with the Saskatchewan Tourism

Authority and the Tourism Industry Association of Saskatchewan

(TISASK) to create Tourism Saskatchewan.

STEC is non-government and

industry-driven. And, while they

receive some funding from gov-

ernment, it is the tourism indus-

try that determines the pro-

grams and services they offer.

STEC promotes, coordinates and evaluates industry managed stan-

dards, certification, career awareness and training in the five

tourism industries: Accommodation, Food and Beverage, Recre-

ation & Entertainment, Transportation, and Travel Services.

STEC is on the Board of the Canadian Tourism Human Resource

Council (CTHRC), a national network of tourism human resource

councils that work together to establish, implement and deliver

national occupational standards, training and professional certifi-

cation. Nationally recognized programs have been developed for

over 30 tourism occupations. STEC delivers CTHRC-sponsored

programs and products in Saskatchewan.

Assiniboine Community College/ManitobaInstitute of Culinary

Arts ACC’s Culinary Arts students and faculty is located in

the beautiful new campus on Brandon’s North Hill. Togeth-

er with the Hotel and Restaurant Management program,

Culinary Arts opened the doors of its state-of-the-art educational

facility in September 2007. The site features heritage buildings and

picturesque grounds, and newly constructed and renovated class-

rooms and labs with a leading-edge teaching kitchen, theatre, and

sixty-seat dining room.

This interactive two-year

program features a high level

of student/instructor inter-

action and lots of hands-on

experience through in-class food preparation and community events.

If you are seeking a career as a chef, this two-year program can

provide the skills and practical experience to help you reach your

goal. The Culinary Arts program features interactive instruction

with hands-on training involving classroom work, community pro-

jects and industry-based competitions. Students are trained in all

aspects of food preparation including institutional cooking, interna-

tional cuisine and nutrition. To graduate with a diploma students

must successfully complete 132 credits with a cumulative weighted

GPA of at least 2.0. Students also have the option of exiting after the

first year of studies and graduating with a Professional Cooking

Certificate after completing 66 credits. Graduates who enter into

apprenticeship agreements may apply course credits towards the

technical training requirements for apprenticeship as a cook. ●


HOST SaskatchewanThis past March 22-24 saw 400 delegates

and 100 exhibitors gather at Regina’s

Queensbury Centre. This marks the first time

the organization has used a facility that is larger

than those utilized in the past. The reasons for the change in venue

were simple. This year, the Saskatchewan Hotel and Hospitality

Association joined forces with Tourism Saskatchewan and last year

the SHHA brought Saskatchewan Outfitters Association on board

to create a complete package. Now, HOST Saskatchewan offers

something for everyone in the accommodation sectors, foodser-

vice as well as tourism.

Attendees were welcomed to walk the aisles of the trade

show, participate in some of the 15 informative sessions, listen

to addresses by trade personalities such as Peter Yesawich of

U.S.-based Ypartnership Marketing, Advertising and Public

Relations and Barry Lacey, president SLGA, or attend

events like the gala Chairman’s dinner or Host

Saskatchewan Fun Night.

According to SHHA President Tom Mullin, the

turnout was excellent and attendees reported good

times. “Our idea has been to create an event that can

bring everyone together. This is HOST. For three

days all the stakeholders are in the same building talk-

ing issues and

discussing busi-

ness,” he says, noting that

this year a lot of operators

were concerned about Bill

S-226 and its impact on

gaming revenue from VLTs.

Under the proposed Bill,

VLTs would have to be

located in dedicated gam-

bling sites like casinos.

Saskatchewan and other

jurisdictions see the federal

move as a limiting of provincial authority to manage gaming. Cur-

rently VLTs in Saskatchewan represent $350 million. Discussions at

HOST pointed out the danger to revenue inherent in such a bill.

Following the event the provincial industry is positioned to speak

with a stronger unified voice on the matter.

The industry is invited to pencil in March 14-16, 2010 when thenext installment of HOST Saskatchewan will be played out atTCU Place in Saskatoon.

AHLA Trade Show & ConventionAlberta has a lot going for it. And, perhaps nowhere is this more

evident than in the mountain parks where the Alberta Hotel and

Lodging Association (AHLA) hosted its recent annual get-together

at The Fairmont Chateau

Lake Louise (April 5-7).

There, staff in woolen Tyro-

lian-style trousers greeted

450 delegates from 200 AHLA member properties.

Over the three days, attendees crowded the facility’s new confer-

ence centre to check out the 85 exhibitors and take in some of the

informative sessions. Breakout rooms offered trade guru’s PKF

who delivered their Alberta Accommodation Outlook as well as

EVENTS By Kelly Gray



other business sessions (there were eight in

total) where there was discussion on yield

management techniques, menu develop-

ment and promotions as well as a wide

range of other topics that made the event a

powerful idea exchange.

According to Tracy Douglas-Blowers of

the AHLA, there were a number of new

participants this year. For example, AB

Children & Youth Services were on hand to

promote the launch of the new partnership

between the AHLA

and Children &

Youth Services to

prevent child sexual

exploitation.

The event kicked

off with a welcom-

ing reception that

was well attended

and full of buzz as

people got ready for

a packed slate. The

next morning, Connect Logistics and HED

Insurance sponsored a breakfast session

that featured an address by Paul Rus-

esabagina, a hotelier who is famous for his

defiance of the Rwandan genocide and sav-

ing more than 1000 hotel guests from cer-

tain death at the hands of Hutu thugs.

The event also featured gala dinners and

award ceremonies where the association

lauded housekeepers, operators and even

menus. This year Sawridge Inns, Lina

Venchiarutti of Becker’s Chalets in Jasper

and a host of others were lauded by the

AHLA and the industry at large.

Next year’s AHLA Conference andTrade Show will be held at The FairmontJasper Park Lodge, April 18-20, 2010

CentrexThis year more than 1800 owners, man-

agers and staff from hotels, restaurants,

and other hospitality businesses met at The

Winnipeg Convention Centre for the 2009

edition of Centrex. Similar to others in the

western hospitality industry trade fair cir-

cuit, Centrex also increased participation

by including other stakeholders. This year

was the first time for broader participation

from the wider Manitoba tourism industry,

through MHA’s cooperation with Travel

Manitoba. Together, both organizations

presented a gala awards ceremony and din-

ner just after the conclusion of Centrex.

“We’ve tried very hard to bring in new

booths that are of interest to all the partici-

pants whether it’s restaurants or hotels,”

says show manager Jerry Weir.

“And we try to build as much into the

convention program as we possibly can with

education being an important component.”

According to Weir there were 130

exhibitors this year, a tally that is down

slightly from 2008. This said, the group of

exhibitors represented a who’s who of

suppliers and contributed to the overall

excitement of the show. As well, Weir and

his team were helped by a very active cen-

tre stage that brought back Iron Chef, a

black box cooking completion. This year

the Fairmont Winnipeg beat out seven

other teams to take the Iron Chef title at

the Garland sponsored stage. Iron Chef

was produced by the CCFCC Juniors,

who spent more than a year planning this

year’s event.

“We also brought in Chef David Adjey

from Restaurant Makeover to offer cooking

demos on the centre stage during Monday

and during our convention. David also

addressed Monday’s breakfast session as

the keynote speaker.”

Weir comments that Centrex has

remained popular as the place to be for

hospitality among the industry in Manito-

ba. “A lot of buyers from around Manitoba

come in for this show, and it really helped

make this a strong show for us this year.”

Weir mentions that next year’s show is

slated for April. “Centrex is the only chance

that hotels and restaurants have to see some

of these suppliers. We’re really happy with

the turnout from our sector this year and

we’re hoping for more in 2010.” ●

Paul Rusesabagina


Housekeepers rock ‘n roll through shifts using more body positions than

Chubby Checker. In fact, studies suggests that during a standard

shift where a worker changes 16 rooms, posture is changed every

three seconds meaning that for every day a housekeeper cleans she has to

find about 8000 moves to make a bed, clean a bathroom and tidy up.

What this creates is a job where there is a high rate of repetitive

motion injuries (RMI) to neck and back as well as upper limb.

The job is also tiring. For example, the Centre for Occupation-

al Health and Safety points out that an average room atten-

dant will expend four kilocalories per minute lifting mat-

tresses, mopping tiles, and cleaning tub surrounds. Consid-

er that housekeepers at a luxury property where bedding

can have more than 10 components might typically

handle in excess of 500 pounds of soiled linen and

another 500 pounds of clean linen during each shift.

Not surprising then is the fact that the caloric output

places housekeeping into the heavy work category.

Now, current trends — where properties are over-spec-

ing rooms with thicker sheets and towels, luxurious

duvets and mattresses that are higher off the floor than

previous models — are showing scenarios where a

room attendant’s job has become more difficult than

ever. Add to this the fact that current recessionary

pressures are making hotels more cost conscious

resulting in some properties seeking to get more

out of cohorts that are often short-staffed.

Not surprisingly housekeeping stands out as

one of the toughest hires in the industry with a

worker supply shortfall approximately three times the

Canadian average. It is currently estimated that of the

280,000 hotel workers in Canada, roughly one quarter

(70,000) are room attendants or persons who perform

housekeeping as part of their overall duties. For these duties

room attendant, maids and housekeepers with up to four

years experience receive an average of $10.81 hr. (Vancouver

= $11.50/ Calgary = $14.75).

According to Arlene Keis, CEO of Go2, a provincial tourism

resource that works with industry and staff to help B.C. meet its

tourism service commitment, housekeeping recruitment is better than

Housekeeping By Kelly Gray

The issues surrounding housekeeping have been swept

under the rug long enough. Hotels that want to really

compete on appearance and service have recognized

they must address the housekeeping challenge.



it was eight to 12 months ago, but it is

still challenging with properties reporting

staffing holes. She points out that before

the wheels came off the economy last

August, it was far more difficult to find

people willing to work this hard job for

the wages on offer because there were

alternatives in the market.

“Even with labour problems in other

parts of the country we are not finding

people willing to relocate to take on house-

keeping roles,” she says, noting that first-

time workers have been the traditional

pool from which properties have pulled

new housekeepers. “We are seeing a demo-

graphic shift where there are fewer youth

coming to the labour market. It may well

be 2020 before things balance out. This

means that over the short term we have to

look at a variety of options. However, the

simple fact is that housekeeping is a physi-

cally demanding job and as such the senior

or older worker is not a viable option. This

leaves many properties looking to foreign

countries to help fill the need.”

Robert McNamara suggests operators

don’t have to look to the Philippines or Mex-

ico for workers. McNamara is general man-

ager of Jani King, a national janitorial com-

pany that wants to do a hotel’s dirty work.

“In the U.K., Spain and Portugal it is

very common to find housekeeping out-

sourced. Now the U.S. is looking more

closely at getting this service for its hotels.

Canada has been a bit slow in its accep-

tance of outsourcing, but with all the

advantages we are finding properties here

are getting involved as well.”

According to McNamara, outsourcing

properties looking to outsource can part-

ner with a franchised JaniKing operator.

“Our franchisees are not dissimilar to a

hotelier who operates a franchise banner.

Both are business people who have a lot

invested in their reputations. What the

“Hotels have seen the light and they are working hard to become

employers of choice with improved remuneration and benefits

that make housekeeping more competitive with other sectors.”

HousekeepingPhoto Courtesy of Shutterstock


outsourcing model delivers to hotels is a firm cost structure to

room cleaning,” he says, commenting that properties pay Jani

King a fee predicated on the number of occupied rooms in a per-

formance-based scenario where staff wear hotel uniforms and

live up to the property’s standards. “There is no overtime, no

recruitment problems, and no training issues. We take care of

this and we do it for a cost very close to what most hotels are cur-

rently experiencing for room cleaning.”

Keis adds here that properties that want to get a grip on house-

keeping and its challenges must look at the issue strategically.

Properties must be willing to recruit and retain as well as train

and advance people. “Hotels have seen the light and they are

working hard to become employers of choice with improved

remuneration and benefits that make housekeeping more com-

petitive with other sectors,” she says, concluding that with the

spotlight shining on B.C. and the coming Olympics operators

there are stepping up to the housekeeping challenge. “But, we are

not alone. The industry has recognized the problem and positive

initiatives are being seen in every province.” ●

Housekeeping is one of the toughest hires in the industry.



across the WEST

British ColumbiaNew Golf Resort Slated for Nk’Mip Bellstar Hotels & Resorts, the Osoyoos

Indian Band and Watermark Asset Man-agement have announced that they willjointly developing Canyon Desert GolfResort, a $150 million destination resortcommunity in Oliver, British Columbia.Located on NK’MIP Canyon Desert GolfCourse and the shores of Tuc el Nuit Lake,the destination will offer 450 golf and lake-front condominiums, villas and resort lodgesuites along with a host of mixed amenities.Canyon Desert Golf Resort will be the firstdestination resort of its kind to be built in

the Oliver area. The destination will includea restaurant and bar, wine and culinary pro-grams including a wine cave to be used forprivate functions, and a vineyard celebra-tion green for private functions. Subject toan Osoyoos Indian Band Land Use Designa-tion Vote in the summer of 2009, realestate sales could commence in the springof 2010, with development starting soonafter. The first phase of the developmentshould be completed by the fall of 2011.

Sparkling Hill Resort and Wellness Hotel UnveilsFirst Look Sparkling Hill Resort and Wellness Hotel

perched high on a cliff above OkanaganLake, have unveiled the first architecturaldetails of the resort that will be the firsthotel project in North America incorporat-ing elements from Swarovski crystal. The$50 million, 150 room hotel project is onschedule for the grand opening for spring2010. Chiselled from granite bedrock, thewellness hotel will be 22,400m2 (240,000sq. ft.) and built in a fluid style respectingand infusing the natural landscape. Withunobstructed access to both the sun andfull moon, and their shimmering reflectionfrom the lake, light and crystals play a piv-otal role in the overall structure as well asthroughout the unique interior. SparkingHill Resort will infuse the crystals in water-falls, in fireplaces and in overhead lights.

They will dazzle and set the mood with boldprisms in public areas while subtly creatinga feeling of warmth and rejuvenation in thewellness centre.

Coast Hotels & Resorts Selected to Manage New Chilliwack, B.C. HotelCoast Hotels & Resorts has announced

that it has been selected to manage a new110-room hotel in downtown Chilliwack,B.C.,which was recent lypurchased by its par-ent company, OkabeNorth America Inc., for$7.3 million. The hotel,which was previously managed by Rhom-bus Hotels & Resorts , is located at45920 First Avenue in Chilliwack. It isundergoing an extensive $5 million interi-

or and exterior renovation and will open inJune 2009 as the Coast Chilliwack Hotel,the fifth hotel property operated by CoastHotels & Resorts in the Lower Mainland.The Chi l l iwack hotel renovation wi l linvolve a complete redesign and upgradeto each of the 110 guest rooms. The exteri-or of the property is undergoing a sub-stantial makeover including new sidingand a new roof. Additionally, the lobby,restaurant, lounge, and meeting and ban-quet facilities are being upgraded to com-

plement the revital-ized look and feel ofthe guest rooms. Newplumbing is beinginstalled. The busi-

ness centre has been expanded and thefitness facility updated and outfitted withstate-of-the-art equipment along with arefurbishment of the pool area.

Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver Unveils $20 Million RenovationFollowing two years of refurbishments, a completed $20 million renovation reveals

a vibrant 30-storey Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver. Designed to capture the essenceof British Columbia’s natural environment, the final renovation to the 372 guestrooms and 23,000 square feet of meeting space completes the third phase of therenovation that launched in July 2007 with a new lobby and the award winning YEWrestaurant + bar.The design team at Forchielli Glynn of Los Angeles updated the 372 guest rooms,

including 66 suites providing new energy and harmony to the building’s contempo-rary architectural style. Three different colour schemes have been used to lighten andrefresh the rooms with accents of earth tones incorporating the West coast environ-ment. To provide superior guest comfort, the addition of new bedding, seating, light-ing, carpet and wall coverings are complemented by new artwork featuring Vancou-ver’s picturesque surroundings. A full renovation to the lobby includes new floors, art-work, furniture and front desk with the addition of Blo, Blow Dry Bar open seven daysa week. The 23,000 square feet of meeting space including the Park Ballroom havebeen upgraded with with new carpets, wall coverings, sconces and drapes. The time-less Park Ballroom accommodates up to 500 or 700 for theatre-style meetings, anideal choice for weddings, celebrations, events or meetings. The 10 additional meetingrooms are fully equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual wireless services.

AlbertaCalgary Welcomes AcclaimThe new Acclaim Hotel located at 123 Freeport

Boulevard N.E. Calgary, rolled out the welcome matthis Spring. The $13 million hotel project has beendeveloped by Canmore-based Summit Hotel andResort Management with the architectural designsby award winning Norr Architects Planners (for-merly Poon McKenzie) . Each guest room isdesigned with the electronically savvy traveller inmind. Gone are the days of big armoires hidingthe electronics and dominating the room. Forexample, sleek 42-inch flat screen TV`s are flushwith the wall, wireless or wired internet, cordlesstelephones, and IPod docking stations, help createa uncluttered environment to work or relax.Guests may expect pillows topped with crisp white300 thread count linen on a brand new beds. Theymay also choose between deep soaker tubs orcascading rain showers and six jet Euro Spa mas-sage shower panels. Rooms are also equippedwith Keurig coffee makers, hair dryers, DVD Play-ers, bath robes, toiletry kits and more. TheAcclaim will soon offer a rooftop hot tub to helpguests relax and take in the view of the mountainsand city skyline as well as a fitness centre andvideo conference room. Meeting rooms, loungeand restaurant will be open by summer of 2009.

SaskatchewanNew Regs in SaskThe Saskatchewan Government has announced a

number of changes to its liquor regs. New are aseries of upgrades to fines for offences rangingfrom underage patrons to operating an unlicensedUBrew. New as well is the removal of mandatoryminimum opening times that allow permit holdersto set their own hours. The old regulations on maxi-mum capacity have also been removed in favour ofthe national fire code provisions. Patrons inSaskatchewan bars will no longer have to have ser-vice at table only. Still, however, restaurants willhave to follow the old rules for table service andthe meal component stays intact as well.

Radisson Hotel Saskatoon Celebrates 25 YearsRadisson Hotel Saskatoon, the prairie city’s

largest hotel, is celebrating its 25th year milestonewith completion of a $5 million makeover to all ofits guest and meeting rooms. While the hotel wascontinuously refreshed over the years, this is thefirst complete renovation of its rooms. It includesall new carpets, furniture, bedding and bathroomswith granite countertops, all done in contemporarydécor reflecting a sophisticated palate of neutraland navy tones. The meeting rooms have alsoreceived a refreshed look with new carpet andpaint. The next phase of changes will take placeover the course of the year and include a $2 millioncosmetic and structural renovation to the lobby,conference space and waterworks area whichincludes two three-storey waterslides and pool.

Across the CountrySenate Bill Seeks to Limit VLTsSenate Bill S-226 has been tabled for its

second reading and is expected to go tothe House for its next run. The bill is spon-sored by Quebec Senator Hon. Jean Lapointe who calls video lottery terminalsdiabolical and wants them removed from restaurants and bars and placed incasinos. According to the CRFA (Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Associ-ation) the bill would contravene the 1985 Federal-Provincial Agreement andCriminal Code provisions that hand to provinces the jurisdiction over gaming.Total revenue for the devices is slated at $585 million a year over eightprovinces. The gaming industry suggests that if the bill goes ahead it would notonly take money out of the pockets of bar and restaurant businesses, but woulddrive gambling underground where communities would see little benefit.


ManitobaCanad Inns Creates Annual $50,000 Awards Program for RRC StudentsWinnipeg-based Canad Inns has made a major donation that will create a

$50,000 annual scholarship program for culinary and hospitality students atRed River College. The Canad Inns Awards will include 28 different scholar-ships for first-year, second-year and graduating students. To recognize theefforts of its own staff who are pursuing post-secondary education, prefer-ence will be given to students who are also current Canad Inns employees.Other students will be eligible for any remaining scholarships. The first set ofCanad Inns Awards will be distributed this spring.

Fairmont Winnipeg Appoints Jacques LavergneThe Fairmont Winnipeg has announced the appoint-

ment of Jacques Lavergne as director of sales andmarketing for The Fairmont Winnipeg hotel in Win-nipeg, Manitoba. Mr. Lavergne brings 10 years ofknowledge and expertise in the hospitality industry tohis new position at The Fairmont Winnipeg. Jacques,originally from Winnipeg, began his career with Fair-mont Hotels & Resorts in 1999 in food & beverage atThe Fairmont Winnipeg. In July 2001, Jacques wasappointed sales representative and held that position

until 2002 when he was promoted to sales manager overseeing the gov-ernment, pharmaceutical, SMERF and entertainment markets. In 2005,Jacques transferred to The Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver as salesmanager, responsible for the corporate and incentive groups. In 2007,Jacques transferred to The Fairmont Palliser in Calgary in his most recentposition as director of group sales. Lavergne has completed a BusinessAdministration Diploma from Red River College in Winnipeg and is a mem-ber of the Canadian Society of Associate Executives (CSAE).

Winnipeg Groups Slow DevelopmentsBoth Canad Inns and Lakeview Hotels and Resorts have announced a

slowing of plans or complete shelving of projects. Earlier this year, reportsindicated Lakeview planned to put on hold its downtown project at Edmontonand St Mary Avenue as well as the proposed Grand Hotel Winnipeg on KingEdward Street. The first was anticipated to be a 13-storey 115-room propertywith a preliminary construction budget of approximately $11.6 million. TheGrand Winnipeg Airport Hotel site was expected to include 100 rooms inseven storeys with a construction budget of approximately $8.7 million.Canad Inns has indicated it will walk away from its proposed hotel work and

water park project in west central Winnipeg. The original proposal was for 100new rooms for the existing Canad Inns Hotel at Polo Park, and a 66,000-square-foot indoor water park that would include a wave pool, lazy river, fam-ily whirlpool, adult whirlpool, children’s activity pool, inner-tube slides, waterroller-coaster, bowl waterslide and surf ride. Under the deal the City of Win-nipeg would have contributed $7 million towards the project.

NEW products

SCA Tissue Introduces NewTork® Foodservice Wiper and Improves Three Existing Wiperswith Addition of Microban®

SCA Tissue, a leader in wipers, napkins, bath tissues andhand towels in the foodservice industry, has introduced anew thicker bussing wiper to its lineup of color-codedfoodservice wipers and is adding bacteria-inhibitingMicroban® to its lineup of Tork® Advanced Cuisine wipers.The new Tork Universal Cuisine Foodservice Wiper ismade of carded rayon, comes in a distinctive green andwhite diamond pattern, and is heavier than its bluecounterpart. Both the green and blue Tork Universal

bussing towels can be used for light to medium dining room duties such as bussing andwiping up spills. Both are engineered to hold up under use with foodservice sanitizers.Tork’s color-coded wipers promote hygiene and prevent cross contamination by mak-

ing it easy to ensure they are used for their designed tasks and in their appropriateareas: for example you can use red for kitchen duty; white for food prep areas; blue andgreen for front of the house.

Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission ..........65Assiniboine Community College ..........................60BC Hydro ..........................................................................11Brite Lite ........................................................................50C & C Furnishings Inc.................................................. 41C.P.N.A ..............................................................................38Coinamatic ..................................................................... 31Coldstream Commercial Sales ..............................33 Direct Cash Management Inc............................. 7, 47DMG Landscape Architects...................................... 16 Dyer Equipment Sales Ltd .......................................32Everest College............................................................ 57First Run Multimedia Corp ......................................69George Courey Inc ..................................................... 64H.E.D. Insurance & Risk Services........................... 23Haddon Holdings Ltd ............................... 26, 35, OBCHotel Solutions ............................................................49Howard Johnson - Full House Franchise .............4ISAC Hotelier............................................................... IBCJani King Canada ........................................................64Kruger .............................................................................44La Quinta Inns and Suites ........................................ 19Liquid Stone Studios ................................................. 52Londen Inc..................................................................... 47Marina Textiles Inc .....................................................48

Mazzei Electric .............................................................53Milne Roofing Ltd .........................................................53Monte Carlo Inn .............................................................13Nora Systems................................................................ 34OKWireless .....................................................................68Pellerin Milnor ..............................................................29Philips Electronics ..................................................... IFCPie Communications................................................... 12Professional Development Institute of Tourism ..................................................................60

Progressive Builders Ltd ..........................................20Realstar Hospitality ......................................................9Restwell Sleep Products ....................................39, 69Royal Roads University ...................................... 59, 69Sask Tourism Educ Council .....................................54Serta................................................................................. 40Service & Hospitality Safety Assoc of Sask....... 22SIAST Kelsey Campus .................................................24Simmons Canada Inc.................................................... 3Skyline Plumbing Heating & Gastfitting Ltd .......17Studio Senbel, Architecture & Design Inc ...........18Timmermans Landscaping....................................... 18Westport Manufacturing Co. Ltd ...........................48YTEC.................................................................................. 56

Advertisers Index


GO GREENGet Green TheWarmer WindowLonden Inc is a Toronto-based

manufacturer of bedding, drapesand other soft home furnishings.New for this season is an insulatedfour layer fabric which in an inde-pendent test on a single pane win-dow with an 1.3 r value went to 7.69.Dealing with the heat loss and heatgain of hotel windows can meansubstantial savings in Energy costs

as well as being used as a market-ing tool showing how your hotel isreducing its carbon footprint.There are green teams and com-

mittees as part of the marketingcampaigns of many hotels and mostbusinesses in today’s world. Thisproduct provides substantial sav-ings during any empty room nightand if closed during the day or atnight by the guest or housekeepingwill work year round.By its nature, it works best as a

Roman Shade, but there are otherapplications that can be adaptedbased on the existing structure andwindows.The savings are so dramatic that

we can say with some confidencethat the payback might be as quickas 24 months.Any decorative fabric can be

added to the cloth to make it blendin with the existing decor and theRoman Shade can be instal ledbehind existing drapes in banquethalls and other common areas.

Rubbermaid Introduces NewMetal Housekeeping CartRubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) has

introduced its new line of Metal Housekeeping Cartsthat offer expanded capacity in a compact footprint.These new Metal Housekeeping Carts are a smart

solution for hotels and resorts — allowing forincreased productivity enabled by an expandedcapacity. Cart accessories include the patent-pendingremovable mobile 34-gallon fabric bag, which slides out forincreased storage capacity while also allowing for the removalof soiled linens or waste while the cart stays in service. The Deluxe High Security Carthas a smaller footprint but can hold enough linens and supplies to service up to 18rooms before returning to the supply closet for restocking.With Rubbermaid’s Metal Housekeeping Carts, transporting and maneuvering fully

loaded carts is no longer an issue. The Carts’ ergonomic design makes them safer andless taxing on the user. An optional angled hood provides better visibility and, patent-pending comfort grip handles include a 25 degree bend that makes pushing and steer-ing easier, helping to reduce muscle strain.

Hotel Product Profiles

Simmons/Crypton LaunchFirst Disinfectable MattressCrypton Super Fabrics (www.cryptonfabric.com)

has reported that it has formed a new alliance withSimmons Bedding Company. The two companies havecome together to create the first totally disinfectable

mattress for the hospitali-ty industry. SimmonsBeautyrest beds withCrypton Mattress tickingare impermeable to stains,

odours, mites, allergens and more.Crypton also introduces a new protective technol-

ogy for wallcovering manufac-turers. Makers of recy-cled fabrics for panel sys-tems, partit ions andother wall décor can har-ness Crypton’s revolution-ary green technology to maketheir products stain, odour, mold, mildewand bacteria resistant. The easily spot-cleanableCrypton fabric system extends the life of wallcover-ings and cuts down on the need for continued main-tenance or expensive replacements.

New UVC Kit Destroys Micro-organisms Including FluViruses, Bacteria & MoldA new UVC Kit for Air Handlers from Steril-Aire,

Inc. may be used in a wide range of HVAC applica-tions to destroy micro-organisms including flu virus-es, bacteria and mold. The easy-to-install kit deliversSteril-Aire’s proven UVC technology to fan coil units,unit ventilator systems and indoor air handlers withcoils up to 84” (213.4 cm) with dual access.It delivers energy savings on retrofit installations,

maintains factory design efficiency on new units, andimproves indoor air quality and infection control in allsystems. Applications include air handlers servingpatient rooms, classrooms, hotel/motel rooms, apart-ments and condominiums, and offices in commercialbuildings and industrial plants.A slim power supply and convenient mounting

options allow installation flexibility close to the faceof the coil for continuous coil cleaning and optimumair quality. The multi-patented high output UVC Emit-ter‚Ñ¢ has been independently tested to deliver up tosix times the output of other ultraviolet devicesunder HVAC conditions, for the longest service lifeand most reliable germicidal control. It kills or inacti-vates airborne microbial contaminants to greatlyreduce the spread of infectious diseases and elimi-nate the major source of allergy and asthma discom-fort. It also eliminates surface biofilm to keep coilsand drain pans in a constantly clean state, savingmoney by reducing HVAC energy use and eliminatingcostly chemical cleanings.


Advance your career.

Advance your life.

Our new six month, three course, Graduate Certificate in International Hotel and Resort Management is your key to advancing in the global marketplace of a dynamic and ever changing industry. An intimate, high quality and innovative learning environment at Royal Roads will allow you to succeed in obtaining a graduate education while continuing to work. Our combined on-line program with a 10-day on-site residency ensures you have the best of both worlds in learning!

Successful program graduates will be eligible to apply for advanced standing in the Master of Arts in Tourism Management.

Put us to work for you today. Inquire 1-877-778-6227 Email [email protected] Visit www.royalroads.ca/tourism


by Kelly Gray

FRIENDS INDEED

checking out

The BC Hospitality Foundation has made itself the charity of choice within theindustry through a concerted effort that has brought all participants to the table.

Workers in the hospitality industry can

face some tough challenges over the

course of a career. Indeed, the very

nature of the trade is such that staffing that can be

part-time or on-call tends to be fluid with workers

moving between employers and projects in a sce-

nario unlike most other occupations. And, the

result can sometimes mean workers slip through

the cracks of benefit programs and find themselves

in desperate circumstances should they fall ill.

This is where the BC Hospitality Foundation

(BCHF) comes into the picture. The Foundation

formed in 2006 and since 2008 has been the charity

of choice for the BC Restaurant and Foodservice

Association, ABLE (Alliance of Beverage Licensees

of British Columbia) and the BC Hotel Association.

The BCHF vision is to provide support for indi-

viduals within the entire scope of the hospitality community from servers to wine merchants who may find themselves having to

cope with extraordinary costs arising from serious illness.

The need for the organization was brought to light when retired wine mer-

chant Michael Willingham found himself sickened by a stroke, which result-

ed from a car accident. The industry came together to provide aid for the

well-respected trade personality back in 2006 and the foundation was born.

Now, the BCHF is widening its reach. The Foundation will offer an educa-

tional component to deserving members of the hospitality community. This

will come in the form of bursaries and scholarships that will be available to

those seeking to get a foothold in the trade or those that want to raise them-

selves to a higher level in a specific area.

These two components — assistance during time of personal crisis and

education — have pushed the foundation to become the charity of choice

among those in the trade.

The BCHF will host a new major golf tournament, supported by all sectors of

the industry, as a way of achieving its fundraising goals. The date is July 20th at

Swan-e-set Bay Resort & Country Club where it is expected that more than 220

participants will tee off on one of the two Lee Trevino

designed courses. The event includes brunch and

dinner, power cart and 36 holes of golf.

Online registration for the golf tournament is available at www.bchfgolf.com ●

Swan-e-set Bay Resort & Country Club.

Supporters swing for the cause.

The Hospitality Associations of BC believe that together they aremuch stronger. It is from this strength that they will be able to reachdown to offer a hand to those in need. The industry should be justlyproud of its efforts in this regard.

western hotelier june/july 09

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