The business of accommodation Vol 13. No.

6 Bi-monthly December 2009

IN THIS ISSUE
IHG’s Bruce McKenzie,
Quay West Resort Bunker
Bay’s Sean Watt, Mexico’s
comeback, United Airlines,
hotel schools, Travelodge
Wellington, W Hotels, Fraser
Suites Sydney, bedding and
audio-visual technology.

Mantra’s Bob East and

Michael Moret-Lalli

MANTRA’S
growth
mandate
LEADING AUSTRALasIAN hotel
and resort OPERATOR MANTRA
GROUP ENTERS 2010 WITH A CLEAR
MANDATE FOR GROWTH.
Print Post approved PP255003/07998

AUS T R A L IA – NE W Z EA L AND – S o u t h P ACIFIC

 contents
Bi-Monthly – December 2009

COVER STORY REGULARS

16 Mantra Group 04 Editor’s Letter
A Mantra Group promotion. Welcome to the issue by Managing Editor James Wilkinson, plus credits.
06 Check-In
SPECIAL FEATURES
In-depth news from hotels across the globe, plus exclusive columns.
36 Hotel Technology
18 Property
James Wells looks at the latest with audio-visual technology.
Hotel openings, closings, sales, refurbishments and change of management.
44 Rooms Division
32 Day Spas
Jonathan Porter speaks to the leading suppliers and hotels about bedding.
A profile on Villa Thalgo Day Spa at The Sebel Resort & Spa
EXECUTIVE FEATURES Hawkesbury Valley.

14 In Focus 48 Global Report

A special report on how Mexico has become the world’s hottest HM checks in to VIE Hotel Bangkok.
destination against the odds. 49 Travel Forum
26 Property Profile An exclusive interview with Alison Espley, head of United Airlines in
HM checks-in to Travelodge Wellington. Australia.

28 Room Key 50 The Insider

An exclusive column from IHG’s Bruce McKenzie. The products featured inside the rooms at Fraser Suites Sydney.

30 Brand Profile 53 Food & Beverage

Behind the success of Starwood’s W Hotels brand. How Novotel has taken an organic turn.
56 Human Resources
BUYERS GUIDE Human resources news for hotels.
52 HOT products 57 People
A guide to hot products for accommodation hotels.
Profiles, events and who’s moving where in the hotel industry.
58 Stop Press

p24
The latest news from hotels across the globe.
EXECUTIVE FEATURE
24 General Manager
HM catches up with Sean Watt, General Manager of Quay West
Resort Bunker Bay.
Mirvac

Quay West Resort Bunker Bay

Hotel & Accommodation Management  3

editorial
Hoteliers confident about 2010
Following a tumultuous, uncertain and challenging 2009,
it looks like the tide may finally have turned for the hotel
industry. Virtually every hotelier and tourism leader I’ve
spoken to across the world over the last six weeks is opti-
mistic about 2010 – and that’s come from forecasting on
the back of solid bookings already in place for the next
calendar year.
From the Margaret River to New York, Wellington to
Nadi and Hong Kong to Mexico, leading hotels, airlines
and tourist boards are predicting a strong 2010, particu-
larly from the high-end luxury segment.
While outlooks are generally reserved for our annual

Industry Leaders Forum edition each February, our
December 2009 issue has turned into an outlook for
2010, thanks to the positivity shining through each of
our major features.
A huge boost for the inbound travel market has come
from United Airlines. Speaking to HM in late Novem-
ber, United’s head of Australian operations, Alison Esp-
ley, said she is optimistic about the next twelve months,
from both an inbound and outbound perspective.
Similarly, Quay West Resort Bunker Bay, Pullman
On the cover Cairns, Toga Hospitality, IHG and Accor – all of whom
A Mantra Group were also interviewed for this issue – are also positive
promotion on what 2010 will bring for the Australian industry,
THE BUSINESS OF ACCOMMODATION Vol 13. No.6 Bi-monthly December 2009
p44
ly-focused Aussie traveller. In New Zealand, hotels from
Dunedin to Auckland are reporting stronger numbers
compared to the corresponding period in 2008 and many
remain confident of a strong start to the next calendar year.
This is quite a different picture compared to early
2009, when optimism was at a 10-year low and ho-
teliers were restricted to only forecasting for several
months in advance.
I trust you will find the above interviews informative and

thanks to a late 2009 rebound across all market seg- enjoy the rest of this December edition, which also includes
IN THIS ISSUE
IHG’s Bruce McKenzie,
Quay West Resort Bunker
ments, including the high-yielding MICE segment. key features on bedding and audio-visual technology.
During a visit to New York in early November, I had the Yours in hospitality,
Bay’s Sean Watt, Mexico’s
comeback, United Airlines,
hotel schools, Travelodge
Wellington, W Hotels, Fraser
Suites Sydney, bedding and
audio-visual technology.

Mantra’s Bob East and

Michael Moret-Lalli
opportunity to stay at five of the city’s W Hotels. When
I spoke to several of the General Managers, they said
bookings were up and many were running in the 80%
bracket for occupancy right through until February.
New Zealand and Fiji are also experiencing a lift in busi-
MANTRA’S
GROWTH ness. Fiji has seen full flights from Australia on a regular
MANDATE
LEADING AUSTRALASIAN HOTEL
AND RESORT OPERATOR MANTRA
GROUP ENTERS 2010 WITH A CLEAR
MANDATE FOR GROWTH.
basis and that is expected to continue well into 2010, as James Wilkinson
the country markets its affordability to the international- Managing Editor
Print Post approved PP255003/07998

A U S T R A L I A – N E W Z E A L A N D – S O U T H PA C I F I C

PUBLISHER CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER DISCLAIMER

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4 Hotel & Accommodation Management

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inbrief
MANAGEMENT singapore CRADLE MOUNTAIN Anthology, owners
of the Cradle Mountain Huts walk along

Exclusive: Rendezvous’ new path the Overland Track in north-eastern

Tasmania, has introduced a new range
of short walks for time starved travellers.
IN AN EXCLUSIVE COLUMN FOR HM, RENDEZVOUS New to this walking season which runs
HOSPITALITY GROUP’S NEW CEO IQBAL JUMABHOY REVEALS through May 1, 2010, guests can now
HIS PLANS FOR THE CHAIN GOING FORWARD. choose to take a three day, four day or
the traditional six day walking option.
As CEO of the recently created Rendezvous Each of the experiences commences at
Hospitality Group (RHG), I am looking for- the newly opened walking base – in the
ward to an exciting new path of growth and converted stables building at the recently
expansion for the company, its people and restored Quamby Estate heritage
homestead, about 20 minutes outside of
hotels. At RHG we have grand plans to be-
Launceston. Following a drive through
come a leading regional player in the busi- the historic countryside of Deloraine
ness hotel segment, and despite the global and Sheffield, the walks begin at the
financial crisis affecting the hotel industry, romantic Waldheim Chalet in the Cradle
we are optimistic of the times ahead. Valley. They then take in the spectacular
RHG, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The scenery of Cradle Mountain and Dove
Iqbal Jumabhoy Lake on the first day with a stay at Barn
Straits Trading Company Limited has been
Bluff Hut on the first night. The three-day
formed to combine the hospitality assets of itinerary is a loop and is based for two
The Straits Trading Company together with its hospitality management arm, Rendezvous nights at Barn Bluff Hut exploring the
Hotels and Resorts International (RHI). This makes us one of the very few Asian-based local scenery around the Bluff before
hotel groups with assets that are both owned and managed. We also have the capability to heading back to Quamby Estate.
develop our own properties. JAKARTA Garuda Indonesia is set to
RHG has a net asset base in excess of AUD$237 million, with 13 hotels currently op- return to Europe from June 1 next year,
erating and three additional properties under development. Of the 13 hotels currently in following a five-year absence. Flying
operation by RHG 10 are in Australia, one is in New Zealand, one is in Singapore and one brand-new, two-class Airbus A330-200
is in Shanghai. Upcoming properties are located in Malaysia, China and New Zealand. aircraft will commence services from
To run the newly formed RHG we have put together a highly qualified senior manage- Jakarta to Amsterdam via Dubai and
Garuda Indonesia President Emirsyah
ment team comprising of executives from RHI together with globally experienced new talent.
Satar says it marked a significant
Nine senior managers will help me implement our new corporate direction and expand our milestone for the carrier. “We have
footprint in all areas of business from operations and marketing to human resources and IT. set an aggressive five year growth
Our new direction and focus is encapsulated by RHG’s new logo which encompasses strategy for the airline that will allow
the cultural symbols, ‘The Wisdom Loop’ and ‘Endless Knot’, reflecting our new brand Garuda to take its place alongside
promise to be driven by insight and to deliver with care. other leading international airlines in
the Asia Pacific region. Establishing
Our first step at RHG is to reposition both the Rendezvous Hotel and The Marque Ho-
a strong presence in Europe is an
tel brands as business hotels, by implementing the hardware and services that the sophis- important element of meeting these
ticated business traveller wants. We plan to invest over AUD$147 million into our owned targets,” he says. “Along with new
and leased properties to refurbish them to meet the new standards of our two reinvigor- aircraft, new routes and increased
ated brands. The new look and feel of the two hotel brands will also provide an exciting frequency around the network, Garuda
base for development into new markets. is investing heavily in developing a
service culture built around the Garuda
At RHG we plan to increase our number of operating hotel rooms from 2,600 to 12,000
Indonesia Experience both in the air
in the Asia/Pacific region by 2020, and firmly establish ourselves as a formidable player in and on the ground.” The Amsterdam
the business hospitality market. We plan to make our investments in gateway cities and services will feature Garuda’s new livery
key markets including Australia and New Zealand, South East Asia, East Asia, and India and interior design, along with new
and the Middle East. seats and touch-screen LCD screens
The industry will hear a lot from us over the coming months as we develop and an- in all both business and economy
nounce new and exciting initiatives. classes. Garuda’s new state-of-the-art
entertainment system features audio
and video on demand with a choice of
25 feature films, 250 audio tracks and
TOURIST BOARDS NOUMEA
25 games. The airline currently has ten

Aussies flock to Noumea

New Caledonia Tourism (NCT) Aus-
tralia has reported record growth for in-
bound Australian tourist numbers dur-
ing the months of July and August 2009.  announced a new property, the Sheraton
Both months have seen increases in arriv-
als, with July up 31% from 2008, making
it the best July in nine years. Meanwhile
August also saw promising growth with a
7.8% increase in comparison to the same
month in 2008 – the best figures for the
month in eight years.
As a result of increased visitation to New
6 Hotel & Accommodation Management
Caledonia over the last three years, the
destination has attracted a number of new
hotel developments.  Recently, Starwood
New Caledonia Bourail Resort & Spa, due
for completion in January 2013. The TERA
Hotels & Resorts chain has also confirmed
its development of the Nouméa Tera Beach
Resort at Anse Vata beach on the previous
Club Med site. The resort will offer 112
three star apartment style rooms and is
scheduled to open at the end of 2010.
Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on order
and once the delivery commences, the
route will go non-stop from Jakarta
and also allow Garuda to commence
services to other European cities, such
as Frankfurt, London and Paris.
LAKE MACQUARIE Family holidays
are easy and fun for the family when
it comes to Raffertys Resort. Just a
90 minute drive from Sydney and
the children will be well looked after
with Raffertys Rascals Kids Club. The
Raffertys Rascals Kids Club program
will entertain the children through the
school holiday periods where they can
make friends and participate in a range
of activities for just $30 per child (ages
4- 14 yrs) to be a Rascal for a year.

Patrick Griffin OAM
National President, Accommodation
Australian Hotels Association (AHA)
In October this year I had the pleasant duty
of opening the AAHS National Hospitality
Careers Expo in Sydney, where anything
up to about 1,000 hopeful tourism and
hospitality students and graduates can meet
with future employers, find out about their
potential careers and build valuable contacts
for the future in the industry. Seeing the
great turnout at this event, and noting the
prominence of some of the major hotel
sponsors, such as Accor, IHG, Starwood, and
Hyatt, made me stop and think again about
the real value and potential in a career in the
hospitality industry. As part of the AHA, we
have always found it a challenge over the
years to convince governments of the true
economic impact of tourism and hospitality;
likewise, we battle with perceptions of
hospitality as just a fill-in job for students to
work their way through university.
As industry leaders, we need to make sure
we continue to provide the thriving and
rewarding workplaces to tempt the best
students and graduates. More importantly,
we need to work more concertedly on
changing the perception of hospitality being
‘just a student job’.
While individually we may hold our staff in
high esteem, it is important to communicate
that same sense of pride more openly and
publicly, and start to dispel some of the myths
and misconceptions that people hold about
choosing hospitality as a career.
In thinking about perceptions, another social
evolution springs to mind. The supreme
democracy of the internet, where everyone
has a say and where opinions can be
recorded for posterity for all to read, has
over the last few years increasingly touched
the hotel business. In the past, a hotel’s
rating was pretty well the sole indicator of
what a guest could expect; a hotel star rating
provided a really useful expressive and short
message about what was on offer there.
Now it is second nature to use consumer
rating websites to see what other guests
have experienced at the hotel before one
books a room.
Whether as a cause or effect of this change
in consumer habits, a glance at any of the
popular internet hotel booking sites shows
a growing number of hotels relying on ‘self
rating’ as a means of locating themselves
on the continuum of services and facilities
available. There are any number of reasons
why hotels are choosing to self-rate, my own
included. However, as time passes I think there
is still good reason as to why the hotel industry
would still benefit from a solid, credible rating
scheme that was widely subscribed.
On the face of it the main reason is for
consumers to be able to make a judgment
based on reliable standards, thereby avoiding
hassles and disappointment and encouraging
return business. This is important for the
long term health and prosperity of the hotel
industry, builds consumer trust and faith
in hotels, as well as providing a consistent
framework for hotel investors in designing
their facilities to attract the desired market
groups, and an incentive to the hotel owners
and managers to upgrade their facilities to
higher standards.
8 Hotel & Accommodation Management
checkin
MANAGEMENT POKOLBIN
Peppers celebrates 25 years
By James Wells in Pokolbin
Peppers Retreats, Resorts and Hotels celebrat-
ed its 25th anniversary on October 26, with
a cocktail party at the Peppers Guest House
in the Hunter Valley, celebrating the vision of
original owners Mike and Suzi O’Connor.
“Twenty five years ago, a luxury holiday
usually meant spending a week at a big in-
ternational hotel, with the formality of tra-
ditional hotel systems,” Mantra Group CEO
Bob East told HM.
“Peppers changed this holiday mentality
when it opened Peppers Guest House and
consequently redefined the top-end Austral-
ian holiday market.
“The Peppers concept was a big risk at
the time, as the short-break holiday market
was still in its infancy. But a combination of
a personalised approach to service, luxurious
surroundings and a focus on quality holiday
experiences such as food, wine and spa en-
counters paved the way for the redefinition of
an Australian holiday escape.
“There are not too many organisations
that can boast the longevity. We haven’t tried
to roll through systems and standards - their
standards are to have something unique to
the area,” East said.
Peppers Retreats, Resorts and Hotels Group
General Manager Tomas Jonsson added:“I can’t
think of another brand I want to be associated
AIRLINES BRISBANE
VA adds Fiji
V Australia has announced the launch of daily
flights between Sydney and Nadi, Fiji, follow-
ing the approval of services by the Interna-
tional Air Services Commission.
Set to take off on December 18, the V
Australia flights replace existing Pacific Blue
services between the two cities, adding ad-
ditional seats, cabins of service and in-flight
entertainment on the Sydney-Nadi route.
Virgin Blue Group CEO Brett Godfrey said
V Australia would operate three-class, 361-
seat Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on the route
and launch fares would start from $199 each
way in international economy.
“We’re very pleased to be increasing our
capacity and introducing V Australia to and
Peppers Guest House
with. I am very excited to be part of the story.
“Peppers is a brand built on entrepreneur-
ial spirit. Mike and Suzi’s vision was to create
anything but a hotel - it was like attending a
friend’s house,” he said.
The current Owner and General Man-
ager of Peppers Guest House, Peter Har-
man, started as an employee in 1997 and
relocated from Sydney and took over the
business in 2005.
“This crystallises what the Peppers brand
represents,”Harman said.“At the time, no one
was game to put a guest house in the vine-
yards and over the years it has done a lot to
bring the community together.”
In the audience were four generations
of chefs from the property, former manag-
ers, housekeepers, wine suppliers and a
special presentation was made to Joy Guy
for her 25 years of outstanding service to
the business.
Currently living in a stone villa in an an-
cient town called Soller in Mallorca, Spain,
the O’Connors were unable to attend the
celebration.
Representing the original owners, how-
ever, was Jeremy O’Connor, who was born
just months before the opening of the Guest
House which continues to operate on the
philosophy of “as good as the last meal
served and the last guest farewelled”.
V Australia has added Fiji flights
from one of Australia’s best loved interna-
tional getaway destinations,” he said.
In recent months, Fiji has been record-
ing its highest ever monthly inbound arrival
numbers from Australia – from all market
segments including leisure, business and
conferencing – in a sign the country is firmly
on the tourism mend.
V Australia is initially launching the services
with a daily frequency, but that will drop back
to six times per week from February 1, the same
day the airline reduces Sydney-LA flights.
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 checkin

BRETT GALE
Executive Director
TTF Australia Accor’s Cairns hotels are positive about 2010

Australian tourism has had a tough time

since the global financial crisis began
more than 12 months ago, with falls in
domestic travel and international arrivals,
and although the economic recovery seems
to be gathering momentum, there are a
number of indications that tourism is still
facing a rocky road.
One sure sign that Australia’s economy is
outperforming others around the world is the
exchange rate. On Christmas Eve 2008, BNP
Paribas predicted the Australian dollar would
be worth just 47 US cents by June this year. OPERATIONS CAIRNS

It didn’t get any lower than 63 and it’s gone
from strength to strength since. Indeed, one
analyst is tipping the Aussie to reach USD$1.20
later in 2010. This is a real double whammy for
Australia’s tourism industry, because it makes
it more expensive for international visitors to
come to Australia and cheaper for Australians
to go overseas
The second key indicator is interest rates
and, again, Australia led the world’s
developed economies in moving away from
expansionary monetary policy, with rate rises
beginning in October and expectations that
more will follow into next year. Although
rates are still relatively low and rising rates
are closely related to rising confidence,
higher interest rates can impact on
discretionary spending – and that includes
tourism. Put the dollar and interest rates
together and it seems our expectations for
tourism need to be revisited.
Tourism forecasting is fraught with risk at
the best of times, let alone when the world
is experiencing the most volatile economic
conditions in decades, which shows why
we must be cautious about what’s to
come. The Tourism Forecasting Committee
expected the number of Australians heading
overseas to fall by more than 50,000 in
2009, however up to the end of August
there had been a rise of almost 160,000
compared to the same period last year. As
the dollar keeps rising, so that trend will
continue and 2009 could see the number
of overseas trips taken by Australians top 6
million for the first time.
In addition, domestic visitor nights were
expected to fall by 3.9% for the year.
Unfortunately, that’s not the half of it, with
nights down 8% for the year to the end of
June and 9.9% for the first half of 2009. This
is a function of the economic downturn,
but domestic travel is also being hit by
substitution, as more people opt to travel
offshore. Our strong economy also means
Australian consumers are being targeted by
other countries, increasing the competition for
local destinations.
All this makes the National Long-term Tourism
Strategy vital to ensuring sustainable growth
of the industry. We must concentrate on areas
where we have a competitive advantage.
We must invest in tourism infrastructure in
areas which attract the most visitors. We
must streamline regulation and adopt a
whole of government approach to tourism
to foster private investment. And we must
ensure the strategy and the agencies charged
with overseeing its implementation and
management are properly resourced.
Accor set
for Cairns
recovery
By Roderick Eime in Cairns
Despite the widespread disappointment
and cynicism at the deferral of the promised
Jetstar direct flights to Japan, Accor is dem-
onstrating its confidence in the Cairns/Port
Douglas region’s recovery by investing mil-
lions of dollars in key properties.
Currently Accor manages or brands eight
properties across five badges ranging from
the recently rebranded 5-star Pullman Reef
Casino to the 3.5-star All Seasons Cairns
Gateway Resort.
The two newest properties to join the Ac-
cor family included the landmark Oasis Re-
sort on Lake Street and one of the region’s
best known properties, Treetops in Port
Douglas. Both properties had fallen into de-
cline and required substantial modernization
and refurbishment.
Accor Vice President Australia, Simon
McGrath, said the addition of Mercure Port
Douglas Treetops was a significant milestone
for Accor and the Australian hotel industry.
“The addition of Treetops marked a very
special occasion for Accor as it took our Aus-
tralian network to over 20,000 rooms – the
first hotel group to achieve such a mark in
Australia,” McGrath said.
“Not only has the hotel been benefiting
from our partnership, it has brought Port Doug-
las to an even wider audience. The destination
achieved a very high-profile in recent decades,
and we will use our vast distribution channels
to revitalise interest in what is one of the world’s
most attractive destinations,”he said.
The 224-room resort is located a short walk
from Four Mile Beach and is five minutes drive
to the centre of Port Douglas village (a shuttle
bus service operates throughout the day).
Over the past six months, the hotel has
received an extensive, multi-million dollar
renovation, including upgrading of rooms,
the restaurant and public areas and a fresh
new paint scheme throughout the resort.
Now carrying the Novotel logo, the Oasis
Resort in Cairns received a radical AUD$7
million bare shell makeover almost as soon
as the resort changed hands in August 2007.
“The Oasis was one of those typical ‘80s
‘tropical’ resorts needing lots of TLC,” said
Novotel Oasis Resort Director of Sales, Philip
Newland. “And now we have a totally new
look... much more contemporary. The previ-
ous AAA 4-star rating was generous, now we
are a confident 4.5-star rated property.”
Just down the road and occupying the
prime location adjacent Cairns’s Trinity Wharf,
is the Pullman Reef Casino. Newly-installed
General Manager Adrian Williams relishes his
new post and strongly believes 2009 repre-
sents the bottom of the current cycle.
“Like many destinations reliant on tour-
ism and corporate travellers, Cairns has been
responsive to the difficult GFC period and
demonstrated new adaptability and innova-
tion,”Williams said.
Over AUD$4.5 million has been spent on
the property up to May this year in a contin-
ual process of upgrading rather than a debili-
tating refurbishment.
Despite Williams’s disappointment at the
deferral of the Jetstar flights, he considers this
a minor hiccup that “provides tourism opera-
tors, marketers and travel agents with a bet-
ter lead time in which to properly prepare a
strategy to sell on the back of the forthcoming
Osaka services.”
Bridget Catterall, General Manager of the
Best Management Group, who are contracted to
manage the Treetops Resort and Spa under the
Mercure franchise contract sums up the climate:
“Travel to Australia and Cairns has never
been cheaper, and with Port Douglas boasting
such a high profile in the American, European
and Australian markets, we believe there is
great potential to grow our business substan-
tially over the next few years.”

10 Hotel & Accommodation Management

 Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney

Transforming
great Australian
Hotels, Casinos
and Resorts.

The Four Seasons Hotel Sydney project marks another

success story for ISIS Group Australia and further
displays their relentless focus on client service and
project excellence. Visit isis.com.au
 checkin

MANAGEMENT SYDNEY

Toga Hospitality notches up a half century

Australian owned and operated company
Toga Hospitality has opened its 50th prop-
erty, Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Haupt-
bahnhof.
Toga Hospitality has grown from humble
beginnings with one property in 1982 to op-
erating 50 properties across five countries over
a 27 year timeframe. The group currently of-
fers over 6,500 apartment and hotel rooms to
Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Germany
travellers across Australia, New Zealand, Den-
mark, Hungary and Germany.
Australian owned and operated, Toga Hos-
pitality began with one hotel brand in the 1980s
and currently operates four brands – Medina
Apartment Hotels (23 locations), Vibe Hotels
(seven locations), Travelodge Hotels (15 loca-
tions) and Adina Apartment Hotels (five loca-
tions) - delivering distinct accommodation op-
tions for Australian and international travellers.
The first Medina Apartment Hotel, known
for delivering space, service and style opened
in 1982. A new concept in accommodation ar-
rived in 2003 with the launch of Vibe Hotels
– hotels with personality. In 2005, Toga Hos-
pitality entered into a long term agreement
to manage the Travelodge Hotels portfolio
across Australia and New Zealand. Toga Hos-
pitality then became the first Australian ac-
commodation provider to expand into Con-
tinental Europe with the launch of the Adina
Apartment Hotel brand in 2006.
Toga Hospitality has risen quickly to be-
come one of Australia’s market leaders in the
accommodation field with a diversified portfo-
lio of hotel brands within the Group. This has
been recognised throughout the years with
the company taking out many awards, most
recently the Best New Hotel Award for Vibe
Hotel Darwin at the 2009 HM Awards.
Allan Vidor, Managing Director, Toga
Group, said:“We are delighted to have achieved
this significant milestone. We look forward to
continuing our expansion with the opening of
Travelodge Docklands in February 2010 and
two further Adina Apartment Hotels opening
in Germany mid-2010.”

OPENINGS WOLGAN VALLEY

Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa

General Manager Joost Heymeijer (right)
and Executive Chef, Dwane Goodman, were
busy in October welcoming their first round
of media guests after the property’s soft
opening. Guests were transferred by chauffeur
from city hotels paralleling the experience
planned for inbound arrivals and exposed
to samplings of the new AUD$125 million
resort’s repertoire. The development has
been characterised by a tenacious and single-
minded devotion that has triumphed over
Photo by Roderick Eime

many planning and environmental hurdles

including an intensive revegetation and
preservation program to restore the former
pastoral lease to its natural beauty. -RE

loyalty programs melbourne

Quest launches invitation-only loyalty program

Quest Serviced Apartments has created a
new member recognition program called
QClub. The new program is by invitation only
(guests need to be identified as regular clients
of Quest before they can be asked to join) and
offers a number of benefits at participating
Quest properties.
QClub members receive a complimentary
newspaper on their first morning, late check-
out of 11am when they leave and the ability to
earn QClub Dollars when they stay with Quest
as well as surprise bonuses along the way.
Quest Chairman Paul Constantinou said:
“We established QClub to recognise the
guests who stay with us regularly and provide
them with meaningful benefits. The objective
is to ensure that QClub members feel like
true VIPs when they use their card through-
out the Quest network, regardless of whether
it’s at their regular Quest property, or one
they haven’t visited before.”

12 Hotel & Accommodation Management

 checkin

EVENTS MELBOURNE

Tiger Woods makes Melbourne hotels roar

Melbourne’s hotels enjoyed their best week
of 2009 in mid-November, thanks to a Tiger
Woods led tourism boom.
Accor, the largest hotel operator in Mel-
bourne (operating Sofitel, Grand Mercure,
Novotel, Mercure, Ibis, All Seasons and
Formule 1 hotels), reported that its eleven
central business district hotels were all full
from Thursday November 12 through to
Sunday November 15, and even Accor’s
suburban hotels in Glen Waverley and
Caroline Springs were at capacity on a cou-
ple of the nights.
Accor’s Melbourne CBD hotels ran at
95.64% during the time, eclipsing perform-
ances during the Melbourne Cup and Aus-
tralian Grand Prix.
The week represented an 11% growth in
occupancy compared to the corresponding
week of 2008 – despite the prevailing eco-
nomic situation and a large increase in room
supply in Melbourne.
Such was the demand for accommodation,
that the Mercure Melbourne Spring Street
recorded five nights of 100% occupancy in a
row – the first time this has occurred in 2009.
“Our car-parks were full of interstate
number plates and we have had guests book
in from Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok
– all came to Melbourne specifically to see Ti-
ger play,” said Accor’s Regional Manager Vic-
toria, Scott Boyes.
“After a really challenging 10 months, we
have a lot to thank Tiger for fuelling such a
strong recovery in Victoria’s tourism and ho-
tels sector.
“Unlike other cities in Australia, Mel-
bourne has had a major increase in hotel sup-
ply over the past year which, combined with
the global financial slowdown, has meant
that it has been a tough year for the industry.
“You could say that Tiger has got us out of
the bunker – at least for November,” he said.
Boyes said that the Tiger-led recovery
complemented encouraging signs of growth
in the business travel and meetings sector,
which augured well for a stronger revival in
the Melbourne hotel sector in 2010.
“Not only did Tiger come to town in No-
vember, so did big business – and that’s a re-
ally encouraging way to finish off the year.”

airlines MELBOURNE

The latest Middle Eastern airline to add Australian flights will touch down for the first time on
December 6, when Qatar Airways launches Melbourne-Doha services. Qatar Airways Country
Manager - Australia, Brett McDougall, said the service and product on board the new flights
would be nothing short of 5-star. -JW

HOTELS SYDNEY

Diamant’s penthouse rises above the rest

By James Wilkinson
While grand and extravagant suites at hotels
such as the Park Hyatt, Hilton, InterCon-
tinental, Shangri-La, Westin and Sheraton
may be the choice for international dignitar-
ies visiting Sydney, the hip set are turning to
city’s best-kept secret, the Diamant for its
stunning penthouse.
Located atop the Diamant Hotel Sydney
in Kings Cross, the Burley Katon Halliday-de-
signed penthouse comes complete with two
outdoor entertaining balconies with amazing
views of the Harbour and city, a huge gour- Diamant Hotel Sydney’s
met kitchen, dining and living room, powder stunning penthouse

room, ensuite with spa bath in the master

bedroom and two guest rooms featuring pri-
vate bathrooms.
Ideal for visiting A-listers, celebrities and
those looking to host a private dinner party
for up to twelve guests, the space also features
luxury furnishings, a state-of-the-art entertain-
ment system complete with speaker controls in
every room and floor-to-ceiling windows.
The best selling point for the room, per-
haps, is the price tag. This space, which is
arguably in the top half-dozen Sydney hotel
rooms, is priced from AUD$1700 per night.
Eight Hotels Australia CEO Paul Fis-
chmann said the Diamant Hotel Sydney’s
penthouse was truly a jewel in the crown for
the locally-owned chain.
“We are pleased to have the Diamant
Penthouse in our collection,” he said. “This
landmark space caters to guests demanding
exceptional quality of space and service, and
showcases our commitment to delivering the
sophisticated travelling and living experience.”
Also available for private events and product
launches, the penthouse is undoubtedly the
most exciting addition to Sydney’s accommo-
dation scene since the opening of the hotel
itself a couple of years ago.

Hotel & Accommodation Management  13

infocus
MEXICO’S
TOURISM TURNAROUND
TALK ABOUT A TURNAROUND – MEXICO HAS BECOME THE WORLD’S
HOTTEST DESTINATION OF 2010, LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER THE OUTBREAK
OF SWINE FLU, DRUG-RELATED violence AND THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL
CRISIS. HOW HAS THIS HAPPENED? HM INVESTIGATES.
WORDS JAMES WILKINSON IN LOS CABOS, MEXICO
Presidente InterContinental Los Cabos (and right)
F
rom the outbreak of swine flu to drug trafficking violence, the
global financial crisis and a series of hurricanes, it’s fair to say
Mexico has had a tough 2009.
But now the country is educating the world on how to come back
from an epic travel downturn, becoming one of the hottest destina-
tions of 2010 thanks to worldwide marketing, great value holidays, in-
creased accessibility and extensive travel editorial coverage.
Leading hotelier Michael Oney, General Manager of the Presidente
InterContinental Los Cabos, said the reason for the turnaround comes
down to education from the country’s national and regional tourist boards.
“The Mexican culture has generally focused on the issues at hand
and I feel that this has proven to be a great strength in recovering from
the myriad of market failures that were faced in 2009,” he told HM.
“This has allowed Mexico to address the matter, take the necessary
steps and move forward. Amazingly enough, what was maybe once
considered as a laid-back culture, actually took the issues in stride and
did not over-react to extreme and create a non-desirable situation, but
rather, a bump in the road.
14 Hotel & Accommodation Management
“Not all tourism destinations could say the same,” he said.
He is entirely right. For example, Thailand continues to struggle on
the back of the anti-government protests in April 2009, while Fiji has
an ongoing uphill marketing battle thanks the government being in
the headlines in Australia and New Zealand for all the wrong reasons.
“Mexico, and moreover Los Cabos, has placed a grand effort in
education of the travelling public,” he said. “While no one can deny
the impacts of the issues mentioned, it has been our desire to ensure
the travelling public that Los Cabos was one of several Mexican resort
destinations with a very minimal medical incidence.
“Additionally, with increased accessibility into the Los Cabos area
via additional domestic flights, Los Cabos has increased as a destina-
tion for Mexicans as well,” he said.
As Oney said, the Los Cabos region – made up of Cabo San Lucas
and San Jose del Cabo on the Baja California peninsula – has been spared
the full brunt of the 2009 storm. However, the region has still needed to
market extensively to assure travellers the peninsula is safe from swine
flu and the drug trafficking violence spanning the country’s major cities.

“The Mexican culture has
generally focused on the issues
at hand and I feel that this has
proven to be a great strength in
recovering from the myriad of
market failures that were faced
in 2009.”
MICHAEL ONEY, General Manager, Presidente
InterContinental Los Cabos
“There have been efforts across the Hotel Association and Visitors
Bureau to maintain the focus on Los Cabos being the enjoyable des-
tination upon which it has built its reputation… relaxation and sun in
a beautiful Mexican setting, with a desert backdrop and the deep blue
seas at your feet,” he said.
That is on the back of the country’s multi-million dollar travel mar-
keting campaigns that have heavily targeted Americans, Canadians
and Europeans.
“Mexico is letting the world know that we are ready to welcome
back travellers and continue to offer the beauty, culture, history, gas-
tronomy, and pristine beaches our country is known for,” said Mexico
Tourism Board CEO, Oscar Fitch. “Of course this is all within great
proximity and at a great value.
The initial results of the campaign, Fitch said, have spoken for them-
selves.
“Not only are we back up and running and receiving tourists every
day, but we are showing the world that this administration represents
responsibility,” he said.
The bottom line is the country’s tourist board needed to spend up
big to ensure the survival of Mexico’s tourism industry. It is an industry
the country relies heavily on – in 2008 alone, 22.6 million international
visitors crossed the Mexican borders, spending USD$13.2 billion.
To put the American market in perspective, 18 million US citi-
zens crossed the border in 2008 and the 12 major US markets, along
with six in Canada, combined represent over 80% of Mexico’s in-
ternational tourists.
Oney said he believes the increased marketing from the Mexico
Tourism Board has not only helped the major markets pick-up, but
opened doors to emerging ones, even as far away as Australia.
“As emerging markets and flight patterns continue to change, Mex-
ico as a prime vacation destination will continue to grow,”he said.“This
most definitely has assisted in opening up routes which have not been
traditional inbound sources for Mexico.
“Additionally, the focus of today’s traveller to experience more
culture and variety, Mexico opens a vast opportunity to enjoy from
pre-Hispanic to modern day Mexican culture, along with enjoyable
beach climates that not all countries and resort destinations can
offer,” he said.
Oney is confident Mexican resort destinations such as Los Cabos
can pick up a greater share of the Australian international market, giv-
en the affordability and value of airfares currently on offer.
“Los Cabos has not been the traditional destination for Austral-
ians, but now with one of the most elusive factors now within reach
– airfare prices – its the prime time for the Aussie culture to begin to
experience the genuine spirit of Los Cabos, which is like no other in
all of Mexico,” he said.
To put the price point in perspective, you can currently fly from
Sydney or Melbourne to Los Cabos on United Airlines for under
AUD$1300, placing it on par with Southeast Asian destinations such
as Langkawi in Malaysia, Koh Samui in Thailand and Indonesia’s Bali
in peak season.
Oney said again this was why emerging markets are helping Mex-
ico take top spot on the ‘hottest destinations for 2010’ list in many re-
spectable travel magazines across the globe.
“Mexico, and in specifically, Los Cabos, has risen on the radar for 2010
as an affordable destination that previously elusive economically,”he said.
“While it still maintains a high level of stature, the infrastructure
and hotel availability that has grown over the last few years now allows
for enjoyment for all spectrums of the travelling market,” Oney said.
All-inclusive resorts such as the 390-room Presidente InterConti-
nental Los Cabos are ensuring that all ends of the spectrum are cov-
ered, particularly with affordability taken to new levels. For Australians
in particular, it represents excellent value.
“Prices vary depending on room type or location, however, they
hover around USD$300 USD for a party of two,” Oney said. “With
that in mind and considering the airfares from Sydney are coming in
around USD$1200 per person, a couple could enjoy a seven night ex-
perience at just under USD$2500 per person.
“I trust that this is comparable to many other resort destinations for
the Australian outbound market,” he said.
For a holiday with guaranteed sun – it only rains 16 days per year
on average in Los Cabos – it’s no wonder the Baja California peninsula
and Mexico in general is going to be a hot destination for 2010.
Hotel & Accommodation Management  15
Cover story

Bob East and Michael Moret-Lalli at

Mantra

Mantra’s home on the Gold Coast

16 Hotel & Accommodation Management

 A MANTRA GROUP PROMOTION
MANTRA’S
MANDATE FOR GROWTH
LEADING AUSTRALIAN CORPORATE AND LEISURE ACCOMMODATION OPERATOR MANTRA GROUP
ENTERS 2010 WITH A CLEAR MANDATE FOR GROWTH FOCUSING ON THE STRENGTHS OF ITS
THREE KEY BRANDS MANTRA, PEPPERS AND BREAKFREE.
W
ith a vision to strengthen its position as the favourite
provider of hotel, apartment and resort accommodation
throughout Australia and New Zealand, Mantra Group
has undergone significant restructuring and recapitalisation to lay the
foundations for its expansion strategy.
In August 2009, Stella Group was restructured and recapitalised,
with Stella Travel Services and Stella Hospitality Group being sepa-
rated into two independently operating businesses.
The rebranding of Stella Hospitality Group to Mantra Group short-
ly after signaled a fresh sense of independence for the company which
has forged ahead with a strong balance sheet concentrating on being
the best in its field.
Company CEO Bob East said that with the Mantra Group brand
already very well embraced by the market, the Group could now set
about expanding its three consumer brands Peppers, Mantra and
Breakfree with confidence.
Each of the three brands have benefited from successful re-launches
over the past 12-18 months, resulting in even stronger brand strength
and acceptance.
‘‘Our products, service, positioning, pricing
and promotion of each brand are designed
to meet the core needs of our guests and
our company structure, training, procedures,
policy, development, culture and processes
are, in turn, modified for each brand.’’
BOB EAST, CEO, Mantra Group
Market penetration and brand awareness is enhanced with consid-
erable advertising. Mantra Group dominates advertising in the Aus-
tralian media’s accommodation sector, consistently ranked the number
one advertiser.
“Continuing the strong growth of Mantra Resorts into key corpo-
rate and leisure destinations across Australia and New Zealand will be
a major focus in the coming years,” East said.
A recent example was Mantra Group’s strengthened commitment
to Queensland’s Whitsundays region by signing a management agree-
ment for the new One Whitsundays development at Shingley Beach
due for completion in 2012.
To be marketed under the Mantra brand, it comes hot on the heels
of another new property for the group in the region with the recent
opening of Peppers Coral Coast Resort at Airlie Beach which has ex-
ceeded all expectations in terms of business success.
“With more than 140 properties in our group under the three
brands we are closely monitoring tourism trends and forecasts and
have identified the Whitsundays as just one of the growing hot spots
for development and tourism,” East said.
“We are committed to bringing our world-class brands to these ar-
eas and contributing to long-term tourism growth.”
In November this year Mantra Group stepped up its ongoing strat-
egy of acquisition and divestment by selling the management letting
rights of some of its smaller, non-core properties representing just 2.5%
Cover story
of room stock in the company’s portfolio and less than 2% of profit.
While Mantra Group does not need to divest in order to acquire
new properties, the move has further paved the way for the company
to bid on larger projects that better align with its brand and growth
strategies, with some premium Gold Coast hotels amongst those be-
ing considered.
An important part of the growth strategy will be aligning the high-
end Peppers brand to unique properties and locations with a particular
focus on establishing a Peppers gateway CBD property within the next
18 months.
“Celebrating its 25th anniversary in October, we have proudly built
Peppers into one of the most iconic accommodation brands in Aus-
tralia offering an intimate and personalised holiday experience across
a portfolio of around 25 retreats, resorts and hotels,” East said.
Mantra Group also plans to tap into the burgeoning regional ac-
commodation market utilising the simple appeal of the BreakFree
brand which has redefined the way Australian families think about af-
fordable, self contained holidays in great locations.
Another key driver of growth for the Mantra Group brands will
be the franchise and marketing service relationships forged on the
strength of the company’s central reservations (CRES) system and su-
perior distribution platforms.
“We have developed a world class distribution network which gives
us the ability to communicate and market to the industry as well as the
consumer,” East said.
East said CRES had seen a huge growth over the past 12 months,
with consumers liking the convenience of booking a destination
through a centralised system.
Mantra Group’s distribution strength lies in over 20 years of in-
dustry experience and relationships with key wholesaler partners both
domestically and internationally.
Through a strong presence amongst consumers and the travel trade
alike, Mantra Group provides a total travel solution and ‘one stop shop’
for all accommodation needs. Customers also benefit from Mantra
Group’s strong and fruitful relationships with relevant government
and marketing bodies.
Additionally, a strong online presence and e-marketing strategy
drives business through the Group’s websites as well as providing the
means for selling distressed inventory.
As part of the Mantra Group central reservations system, properties
are automatically linked to 4,000 travel agents worldwide, more than
300 wholesalers, past guests, last-minute sites and corporate partners.
East said Mantra Group’s ultimate focus would continue to be the
guest experience offered by the three distinct brands of Peppers, Man-
tra and BreakFree.
“Our products, service, positioning, pricing and promotion of each
brand are designed to meet the core needs of our guests and our com-
pany structure, training, procedures, policy, development, culture and
processes are, in turn, modified for each brand,” he said.
“The end result is a robust confident business that is delivering
both in terms of management performance and profitability.”
For more information on partnering with Mantra Group, visit www.
mantragroup.com.au
Hotel & Accommodation Management  17
propertynews
MANAGEMENT GOLD COAST
Mantra sells letting rights
Offloaded: BreakFree Royal Harbour
Mantra Group has announced plans
to sell the management letting rights
(MLRs) to some of its non-core proper-
ties as part of an ongoing strategy of ac-
quisition and divestment.
Mantra Group CEO Bob East said the di-
vestment of the properties in New Zea-
land, Northern NSW, the Gold and Sun-
shine Coasts, 1770 and Tropical North
Queensland represented just 2.5% of room
stock in the company’s portfolio and less
than 2% of profit.
“As one of Australia’s leading operators of
leisure and corporate accommodation we
are always looking at ways to improve our
business,” East said.
MANAGEMENT sydney
Constellation adds seven
The growth of Constellation Hotels ac-
commodation network has continued with
the addition of seven new hotels under its
Chifley and Country Comfort brands, as
well as a group of strategically aligned in-
dependent hotel partners.
Constellation’s announcement coin-
cides with the official launch of Chifley Al-
ice Springs Resort into the network, mark-
ing the arrival of the Chifley brand’s first
hotel in the heart of Australia.
Constellation also welcomed the Chi-
fley Pacific International Cairns into the
18 Hotel & Accommodation Management
“Part of this process is continually evalu-
ating our portfolio to ensure we have the
best product suite for the changing market,
which means divesting out of properties
which are not a strategic fit.
“The properties we are divesting do not
align with our brand strategies and, gen-
erally speaking, are smaller buildings more
suited to individual operators,” he said.
The MLR sale is a continuation of a con-
solidating process which began 18 months
ago for the Group when it brought 10 ho-
tel brands together under the three key
brands of Peppers, Mantra and BreakFree.
“We said from the outset that our plan
would be to evaluate which properties
fitted our strategy, to divest out of those
which didn’t and seek new investment op-
portunities,” East said.
While Mantra Group does not need to di-
vest in order to acquire new properties, the
move paves the way for the company to bid
on larger projects that better fit its brand
and growth strategy.
“It’s a process of keeping our brand stand-
ards consistent,” East said.
At the request of owners, Mantra Group
said it may retain the names of some build-
ings under franchise agreements.
Properties being divested: New Zealand
– BreakFree Highview Apartments, Break-
Free on the Waterfront; Sunshine Coast
and 1770, BreakFree Marcoola, BreakFree
Seamark, BreakFree South Pacific; Mantra
Pavillions 1770; Gold Coast and Northern
NSW – BreakFree Enderley Gardens, Break-
Free Equinox, BreakFree Maldives, Break-
Free Moby’s, BreakFree Paradiso, BreakFree
Rays Resort, BreakFree St Tropez, BreakFree
Surfers Plaza, Aruba, Aloha; Tropical North
Queensland – BreakFree Royal Harbour,
Mantra Links.
network including Country Comfort Al-
camo in Hamilton, New Zealand, and
Country Comfort Mt Gambier on South
Australia’s Limestone Coast.
A new partnership structure has also
been introduced which enables independent
hotel operators, to leverage Constellation’s
loyalty program. Hotels to join the network
under this partnership structure include Q-
Station Retreat, Manly (NSW), Tuscany Wine
Estate Resort, Pokolbin (NSW), Pensione
Hotel Sydney, Diamant Hotel Sydney and
Cosmopolitan Hotel, St Kilda (VIC).
inbrief
SYDNEY The new Sydney Harbour YHA
in The Rocks is now open, bringing
quality budget accommodation in an
outstanding harbourside location to the
city. With overnight accommodation
priced from just $42 per night in a
six-bed shared room ($37.50 for YHA
members), budget travellers can
finally stay in the heart of Sydney’s
premier tourist precinct and enjoy its
many attractions and stunning Sydney
Harbour views. “Sydney Harbour YHA
makes quality accommodation in
Sydney’s highly sought after The Rocks
area available to everyone. The variety
of room types ensures it is perfect for
couples, families and groups travelling
on a budget,” said Ross Lardner,
Manager, Sydney Harbour YHA.
Facilities include a self-catering kitchen
and dining area, laundry facilities, state-
of-the-art Internet cafe, coffee bar,
lockers, bicycle storage, lounge, tour
booking desk and convenience store.
Individual lockable cupboards include
a power point for charging a phone,
IPOD, camera or laptop.
BRISBANE Eight Hotels Australia
continues to rapidly expand in key
gateway cities and has announced
that Limes Hotel Brisbane has become
the eighth hotel in the collection.
Owned and operated by Brisbane local
Damian Griffiths, and just one year
old, Limes has made an indelible mark
on Brisbane’s boutique hotel scene.
Designed by Alexander Lotersztain, the
property features 21 luxurious guest
rooms and Brisbane’s hottest open air
roof top champagne and cocktail bar
complete with outdoor cinema. Damian
Griffiths said: “We are very excited to
join Eight Hotels Australia and further
drive our domestic and corporate
market business, particularly from
Sydney and Melbourne.” Eight Hotels
Australia CEO, Paul Fischmann, added:
“We are thrilled to welcome Limes to
our collection. Our long search for a
Brisbane property has paid off. Limes
is a spectacular hotel and perfectly
complements our portfolio.”
GOLD COAST Leading Surfers Paradise
resort, Mantra Sun City, has taken
relaxation to a higher orbit with the
opening of a decadent new day spa.
Holidaymakers can now splash out on
the ultimate in Gold Coast indulgence
with leading massage and beauty
company Calmertherapies opening
its doors at the property. Adding an
extra dimension for guests looking
to be pampered in paradise, the day
spa offers a tempting range of body
treatments and pamper packages
to soothe the mind, body and soul.
Located in the resort lobby, the day
spa offers rejuvenating deep tissue,
relaxation, pregnancy and hot stone
massages plus a choice of cleansing
facials utilising the finest French
marine-based products from Algologie.
Full body scrubs, deluxe pedicures and
manicures, Mother’s Rewards and Men’s
Treats is just a small example of what
is waiting to be enjoyed, all in a serene
and soothing setting.

bookings sydney
Accor launches
apartment
website
Accor Hotels has launched a new dedicated
website for its rapidly growing apartment ho-
tel network in Australia and New Zealand.
The new www.grandmercurepartments.com.au
website covers 17 apartment hotel properties in
Australia and New Zealand, from Accor’s dedi-
cated Grand Mercure Apartments brand.
The new website provides greater func-
tionality for handling apartment-style prod-
uct as well as detailed information of facilities
and features available. The website’s features
include downloadable hotel fact sheets,
Google Maps for driving holiday enthusiasts,
detailed apartment floor plans, an extensive
image gallery and tailored search options.
“The visual aspect is an important compo-
nent of selling apartments to our guests who
want to see as much detail about the property
as possible prior to booking,” says Accor’s Di-
rector of Marketing, Alison Rodgers.
“Whilst bookings will link through to the
accorhotels.com website booking engine,
the www.grandmercurepartments.com.au por-
tal provides detailed information that relates
specifically to apartment hotels. This market
is growing strongly, so the new website will
be of great benefit to our customers.”
Grand Mercure Rockford Palm Cove
Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney
propertynews
developments hunter valley
Château Élan at The Vintage, a new, 5-star golf and spa resort
located in the Hunter Valley, is on target to open in February
2010. The AUD$30 million development has been co-conceived
by the group behind the prestige Château Élan brand in
Atlanta, Georgia, and will offer luxury retreats for up to 200
guests.“Château Élan at The Vintage brings together top-flight
golf, world-beating spa treatments and a superior level of
luxury, and all within one of the country’s great destinations,”
said Château Elan CEO Erik Stuebe.
day spas hunter valley
Vinotherapie exfoliates Endota
Endota Spa Hunter Valley at
the Peppers Guest House in-
troduced Vinotherapie treat-
ments in late 2008 and since
then they have continued a
big hit in the region.
According to Endota’s Jul-
ie Molenaar, the Vinotherapie
treatments, which originated
in France, use the stems,
oils, seeds and flesh of wine
grapes to create anti-ageing
skin and body treatments.
“Signing up for a vino-
therapie treatment means
soaking up a good drop –
literally,” she says. “We use
freshly crushed grapes from Vinotherapie at Endota Hunter Valley
nearby vineyards and, when
they’re in season, we’ll also vine leaves being laid all over the body; a ‘pinot
use the vine leaves to wrap the body. The grape noir wrap’, which includes a detoxifying, skin
seed oil, grape seed and red wine extracts have polishing scrub; a ‘vinotherapie facial’ which
a detoxifying effect. uses all of the grape elements to cleanse, exfoli-
“So not only are the treatments deliciously ate, detoxify and moisturise; and a ‘shiraz bath
relaxing, but they have a real therapeutic benefit. soak’ which brings new meaning to the phrase
“People step out of the treatments with skin “soaking up a good drop of red”.
that is energised and firmed,”she says. More than just a gimmick, Molenaar says
Endota Spa Hunter Valley offers a range of the new vinotherapie treatments have been
vinotherapie treatments, including: a ‘chardon- bringing real health benefits to Hunter Valley
nay massage’; which wraps up with warmed locals and visitors.
Transforming great
Australian Hotels, Casinos
and Resorts.
isis.com.au
Hotel & Accommodation Management  19
 propertynews

REFURBISHMENTS AUCKLAND
Quest Campbelltown

Major refurbishment complete

at Hyatt Regency Auckland
Hyatt Regency Auckland

Quest

developMENTS campbelltown

Hyatt Regency Auckland’s highly anticipated
rejuvenation is on track for completion by the
end of 2009.
The long-overdue enhancement has seen
the creation of two new room types in the
original Regency Tower – a View King and a
Suite View King.
New textured carpets and fresh colour on
the walls bring a warmer feel to each room,
which also include new King-size beds and
linen and 32-inch TVs, while the furnishings
are the work of New Zealand designers. The
bathrooms have received a modern touch,
with all original tiling being polished to
perfection. This complements the new rich
colours of the vanity, also specially designed
for these rooms.
The new Residence Tower King Rooms have
been refreshed with a warmer, more inviting
colour palette. Beds have received new linen
and valance that match the new curtains and
headboard, which complement the original
décor of the room. The new Residence Suites
have received all new furnishings. The colours
have transformed the room to match the unique
outlook of Auckland City, harbour and parks.The
greens and browns have an earthy feeling with a
very chic and contemporary design to each piece
of furniture that was created especially for these
rooms by New Zealand designers.
Construction
begins on
Quest
Campbelltown
Quest Serviced Apartments has begun con-
struction of its newest multi-million dollar
development, Quest Campbelltown, NSW.
Built – one of Australia’s most dynamic
construction and fit-out companies – is con-
structing the latest Quest development, led
by Built Projects Director, Mitchell Futcher.
The AUD$16 million property invest-
ment will employ 200 local consultants,
project managers, site managers and trades-
men. When complete, the anticipated 4.5-
star property will feature 81 studio, one, two
and three-bedroom serviced apartments
over four levels.
Quest Chairman, Paul Constantinou, said:
“Quest is excited to forge ahead with this Syd-
ney suburban development. Quest Campbell-
town will offer business travellers to Sydney’s
southwest a home away from home.”
Quest will consider franchise manage-
ment expressions of interest for the Camp-
belltown property in February 2010.

refreshments melbourne
New look: Crown Towers Melbourne
Since its AUD$65 million refurbishment
was completed several months ago, Crown
Towers Melbourne continues to be the 5-star
toast of the Victorian capital. “The feedback
from guests has been extraordinary,” Crown
Hotels Executive General Manager Peter
Crinis told HM. “Whether travelling for
business or pleasure, our guests love the
modern styling and attention to detail.” Look
for the new rooms to be extraordinarily
popular during Melbourne’s upcoming
sporting summer, when celebrities flock into
town by the hundreds. -JW

20 Hotel & Accommodation Management


franchisING tamworth
Tamworth
Towers goes
All Seasons
Tamworth’s largest hotel has joined Accor’s All
Seasons network following a major refurbish-
ment. The 108-room hotel is a landmark in
Tamworth, in country NSW, and became the All
Seasons Tamworth Towers from October 1, 2009.
“We are extremely pleased to be associ-
ated with Accor,” said Pravin Sundarjee, Di-
rector, Tamworth Towers Pty Ltd, the owners
of the hotel. “Further enhancements will be
made to our property and I’m sure that Accor,
with its strong, well-known brands, will help
us grow and prosper in the future.”
Accor’s General Manager Franchise Ho-
tels, Dino Mezzatesta, welcomed Tamworth
Towers into the All Seasons family and said
Tamworth was a strategic addition to the na-
tional All Seasons network.
“The All Seasons brand is currently un-
dergoing a renaissance and Tamworth Towers
epitomises the brand’s relaxed, friendly and
affordable ethos,” said Mezzatesta.
“Tamworth offers much more than its coun-
try music scene and is growing as a very popular
centre for events and conferences year-round,
and it is our aim to build on the Tamworth Tow-
er’s conferencing facilities to attract even more
events to this exciting regional city,”he said.
Many rooms have views over the Moonbi
Ranges or Perel River and there are a range
of room types including spa rooms and fam-
ily suites. Crossroads Restaurant & Bar is
one of the most popular dining options in
town, and the hotel boasts meeting facili-
ties for up to 200 delegates. Other facilities
include a guest laundry, on-site parking and
an outdoor pool.
All Seasons Tamworth Towers
propertynews
BRANDING CHRISTCHURCH
Rendezvous Hospitality Group
(RHG) will launch The Marque
Hotel brand in New Zealand
with the re-branding of the
planned Rendezvous Hotel
Christchurch, which will now be
The Marque Hotel Christchurch,
due to open early in 2010. Iqbal
Jumabhoy, CEO, RHG, said:
“As we already have a well
established and very large RHG
hotel in New Zealand with the
Rendezvous Hotel Auckland,
we have decided to launch
The Marque Hotel brand in the
Christchurch market.”
The Marque Hotel Christchurch
 propertynews

REFURBISHMENTS GOLD COAST

Sold: Four Points by Sheraton Sydney

Sea World unveils deluxe rooms

New rooms: Sea World
Sea World Resort has unveiled the first of its
new deluxe room range.  The multi-million
dollar renovation will see 120 rooms in the
resort’s premier Park Wing undergo a full
makeover with all rooms ready just in time
for Christmas holidays.
Positioned next to the theme park, the new
wing will offer a mixture of king, double, queen
and family suite configurations making it ideal
for all guests who seek luxury during their stay.  – blending natural light and water to create
General Manager, Ernst Pfister said the de-
cision to upgrade again was always
on the cards. 
“Sea World Resort is arguably
one of the most popular tourist
destinations in Queensland. How-
ever we know that to remain on
top of our game we need to con-
tinually improve and exceed our
guest’s expectations,” he said.
“I know our guests will be
thrilled with the new rooms, as are
we. They are really special and we
can’t wait to show them off.”
Designed by leading refurbish-
ment specialists, Carmody Group,
the new deluxe rooms are the perfect mix of
luxury and practicality. 
According to Director, Peter Carmody, in-
spiration came from the pristine Queensland
sky and ocean to offer a fresh and invigorat-
ing design that captures the essence of Sea
World and the Gold Coast.
“The new deluxe rooms redefine the re-
sort’s style through contemporary aesthetics
relaxing internal décor,” he said.

HOTEL SALES SYDNEY

GPT sells
GREEN ACCREDITATION KINGS CANYON

APT’s Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge has been granted

EcoTourism Australia accreditation which recognises economic,
environment and socially sustainable practices in tourism.
Four Points
APT Operations Manager, Myles McClure who oversaw the The GPT Group (GPT) has continued its non-
development of the lodge three years ago said the certification, core asset sale program, with the exchange of
which began in 1996, provides travel agents and consumers contracts for the sale of the Four Points by
alike with an assurance that a nature tourism or ecotourism Sheraton Hotel in Sydney.
product will be delivered with a commitment to environmental, The Hotel has been sold for AUD$185 mil-
economic and social sustainability. lion to an offshore investor and according to
GPT, the sale proceeds will be applied to the
Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge Group’s borrowings.
GPT Chief Executive Officer, Michael
Cameron, said: “Four Points by Sheraton is a
solid asset in the Sydney hotel market. It has
performed well for GPT and the sale repre-
sents a good result in the current investment
market. In line with our strategy announced in
August, the divestment of the Hotel/Tourism
assets allows us to focus on our core portfolios
in the Australian retail, office and industrial/
business park sectors and further strengthens
GPT’s balance sheet to enable us to secure
compelling opportunities in these sectors.”
Cameron said GPT will complete the cur-
rent capital expenditure program of up to
AUD$5 million and completion of the sale is
expected before year end.
He also said the sale process for the re-
maining hotel and tourism assets - Brampton
Island Resort and Ayers Rock Resort - contin-
ues to progress.

22 Hotel & Accommodation Management

Accor AN ACCOR HOSPITALITY PROMOTION
novotel lands
at brisbane airport
This month, HM looks at why Kenlynn
Properties Australia selected
Accor as the brand for their
new Brisbane Airport hotel.
W
hen developers Kenlynn Properties Australia were ready
to launch their new hotel at Brisbane Airport, they decided
they needed the assistance of the international hotel brand
that has attracted, according to a recent Roy Morgan poll, more Austral-
ian guests than any other. The Novotel brand is not only one of the most
powerful global hotel brands in the world, but with Accor managing ho-
tels at almost every major Australian airport, an Accor franchise seemed
the perfect way to ensure the success of their newest project.
The brand new Novotel Brisbane Airport is now set for a mid-De-
cember opening and will be the first global airport hotel in the city.
Located just off Airport Drive, the 157-room, 4.5-star hotel can be ac-
cessed by road or AirTrain utilising a bus transfer loop running be-
tween the domestic and international terminals and the hotel. It is also
just a short walk from the DFO hub which houses over 120 discounted
brands in fashion, homewares and more and the commercial precinct
which is home to more than 300 businesses.
Scott Flynn, a spokesperson for the owners said they chose a fran-
chise with Accor because they knew Accor had the expertise to make
an airport hotel successful.
“Novotel hotels are located near some of the world’s most im-
portant airports so we were confident the brand would suit our new
project,” Flynn said. “We felt the Novotel brand was the perfect fit for
the style of this new hotel and would help to attract both domestic and
international guests, as the brand has such a strong global presence.
“While there might be about 4 million international and almost 15
million domestic passengers each year passing through Brisbane Air-
port, we wanted to ensure we attracted as many of these people as pos-
sible to stay with us and we felt that Accor could provide the global
marketing, brand awareness and distribution channels to ensure we fill
our rooms,” he said.
“Being a franchise hotel enables us to maintain our individual per-
sonality while providing access to the Accor expertise that will support
our efforts on a global level.”
Designed to cater to a diverse range of short-term travellers, the
hotel includes six dedicated meeting rooms and an executive board
room, a restaurant and stylish bar with separate lounge area, 24-hour
franchising
Novotel Brisbane Airport
room service, and a rooftop lap pool, gymnasium and sauna.
All meeting rooms have natural light, state of the art audio visual
equipment, broadband and WiFi. The lobby level includes a complimen-
tary web corner with MAC computers enabling guests to access the in-
ternet and print their boarding passes prior to departure from the hotel.
Designed by Brisbane-based firm Noel Robinson Architects, the
hotel includes a six-storey atrium and a dramatic, glass-ended canti-
levered rooftop pool and recreation space.
To capitalise on Queensland’s year-round subtropical climate, it
has been designed to harness natural light and outdoor living spaces
to achieve high energy efficiency. The interior design will comprise a
blend of traditional elegance and contemporary design, with local tim-
ber veneers and stone, while the rooms will offer guests a mix of natu-
ral materials, warm colours and the latest in technology.
Dino Mezzatesta, Accor’s General Manager Franchise Hotels said
Novotel Brisbane Airport was a strategic addition to Accor’s network.
“Airport hotels have high visibility and typically perform very well
and with the focus on further upgrading the Novotel brand, this new
hotel is a very exciting addition to our network,” he said.“Brisbane Air-
port is an increasingly important hub in Australia, with new airlines
offering direct flights and the Novotel branding will help to attract a
global audience to the hotel.
“Accor franchising is a great way to offer start-up hotels instant brand-
ing, access to the knowledge and expertise of the entire Accor team, and
a ready base of customers via Accor’s loyalty programs, existing customer
network and extensive global distribution channels. For this new airport
hotel it will help to ensure business soars from the very first day.”
With Brisbane Airport boasting a curfew-free status, it is likely it will
attract even great numbers of international and domestic carriers in
future years, which will make Brisbane a hub for increasing passenger
movements.
Novotel Brisbane Airport will become part of a global network of
400 Novotel hotels across more than 56 countries, including over 80
hotels in the Asia Pacific region.
For information on franchising go to www.accorfranchise.com.au or con-
tact Dino Mezzatesa on (02) 9280 9832 or email dino.mezzatesta@accor.com
Hotel & Accommodation Management  23
 generalMaNAGER

MARGARET RIVER’S
MASTER RESORT
THIS MONTH, HM SPEAKS TO SEAN WATT,
GENERAL MANAGER OF MIRVAC’S QUAY WEST
RESORT BUNKER BAY, LOCATED IN THE HEART
OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S MARGARET RIVER
WINE REGION.
WORDS JAMES WILKINSON IN BUNKER BAY

HM: Sean, how is Quay West Resort Bunker Bay performing HM: What interest are you seeing in the region from outside West-
at present and what are you expecting for the next 12-18 months? ern Australia and do you believe the Australian East Coast states
SEAN WATT: The financial year 2009/10 is tracking relatively well, will be key markets for the hotel over the next twelve months?
with July, August and September already achieving a 10-15% higher SW: Definitely continued growth and interest from the east coast
occupancy than the corresponding period in 2008/09.  We have good which has been assisted by accessible and cost friendly air travel and
business on the books for Christmas and the New Year, which is a big-name events in internationally acclaimed wineries. 
favourite time for the Margaret River Region and we enjoy a fairly  
healthy return guest ratio.  HM: What are the main challenges facing the hotel at present?
  SW: Whilst remoteness is a drawcard to many, especially those who
HM: Which market segments are you expecting to be the strong- feel they want a complete escape, it does still offer a challenge to some
est in 2010? and what we need to do is convince some visitors to drive from Perth
SW: Domestic leisure continues to be our strongest market, with con- to Bunker Bay. But once they have arrived, they appreciate the tranquil-
tinued growth/interest from the east coast which has been assisted by lity of Bunker Bay and the surrounds. Also, staffing will continue to be
accessible and cost friendly air travel. We are also seeing a pick up on a challenge irrespective of the state of the economy. I say this because
conferencing and of course the wedding market is great for us because the majority of the front line hospitality staff are young and in the early
we have such a romantic location.  stages of their working life and they are primarily here for a relatively
short period and then move on to their next adventure.
HM: How is the Margaret River market performing and how is  
the industry banding together to maintain strong visitor arrivals? HM: What makes the hotel so unique in your opinion?
SW: I believe that the Margaret River Region has worked extremely SW: The simplicity of the location just emphasises the beauty of the area
well with the various tourism bodies and that  we are certainly becom- – from beaches to vineyards, restaurants and art galleries. Everything is
ing a well recognised tourist destination offering a wide variety of at- accessible with ease, from the luxury accommodations to the superb facili-
tractions all year round to attract a wide audience.  ties, being the restaurant, bar, swimming pool, tennis courts and Mii Spa. 

24 Hotel & Accommodation Management

 The pool at Quay West Resort Bunker Bay generalMaNAGER

“The financial year ‘09/’10 is

tracking relatively well, with
July, August and September
already achieving a 10-15%
higher occupancy than the
SNAPSHOT corresponding period in ‘08/’09.” 
Quay West SEAN WATT, GM, Quay West Resort Bunker Bay

Resort HM: You have some excellent F&B on offer at the hotel. What are
Bunker Bay the highlights in your opinion?
SW: The variety and freshness of local product available and with the
Bunker Bay, WA, seasonal changes made to our menu highlighting this vast and diverse
Australia range of food and beverage on hand. Obviously the renowned quality
of our Margaret Rivers wines is a highlight.
Owner:
 
Mirvac Hotels
and Resorts  HM: The hotel is very strong in the MICE segment. What does the
hotel offer in the way of MICE facilities?
Operator: SW: Quay  West  Resort  Bunker  Bay  offers a diverse selection of
Mirvac Hotels function, conference and catering options which range from our small
and Resorts private function rooms – The Shivery, Sugarloaf and The Snug – to our
extensive Windmills function rooms which cater for up to 120. We also
General Manager:
have our magnificent Bunker Bay Marquee that can easily manage 250
Sean Watt 
for a spectacular gala dinner.
Rooms and suites:  
150 fully equipped HM: How is the MICE market performing and what are you
villas of studio, 1-, expecting for the next twelve months?
2- and 3-bedrooms  SW: As mentioned, the 2009/10 financial year is currently tracking
very well and includes strong conference business on the books.
F&B outlets:
There certainly seems to be renewed confidence with in this
Other Side of the
Moon Restaurant, market segment and we are optimistic of a robust 2010 and even
The Snug Lounge, brighter 2011.
Poolside Bar and
Kiosk 

Conferencing:
6 conference
and event spaces
catering for up to
400 guests

Recreation facilities:
25m wet-edge
heated pool,
gymnasium, tennis
courts, sunbathing
decks, Mii Spa,
extensive grounds for
jogging and walking,
and beach access. A villa at Quay West Resort Bunker Bay

Australia’s most preferred

bedding brand* and the
product of choice at leading
Hotels and Resorts.
Dynasty Series
For excellence in luxury bedding solutions Phone: 1300 780 150
sealy.com.au
*
Quantum Market Research April 2009

Hotel & Accommodation Management  25

 propertyPROFILE

TOGA STARS IN
Travelodge Wellington

WELLINGTON
THE DOORS TO WELLINGTON’S ‘NEWEST’
OPENED IN JUNE 2009, BRINGING ANOTHER
STRONG INTERNATIONAL BRAND TO THE NEW
ZEALAND CAPITAL. HM CHECKS-IN.
WORDS JAMES WILKINSON IN WELLINGTON

W
hile Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown have
been hot on the development radar, Wellington has struggled
with new supply, thanks to a lack of approved or planned
projects leading right up to Rugby World Cup 2011.
With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Toga Hospitality’s 132-room
Travelodge Wellington opened to much fanfare in June 2009, despite
the ‘new’ property being a refurbishment and rebranding from an age-
ing Copthorne Plimmer Towers.
Toga Hospitality CEO Rachel Argaman said she was encouraged
by bookings and occupancy at Travelodge Wellington over the last six
months, given the substantial investment in time and money the com-
pany has injected into the property.
“We’ve seen occupancy increase steadily month-on-month and are
already welcoming repeat customers,” she told HM. “Wellington is a
very competitive market to be operating in, but we have seen some
strengthening in the market in the past month or so.
“Whilst we are all challenged by current economic climate it brings
like all challenges, opportunities to improve our business… so, we are
focused on guest service, growing repeat business and paying close
attention to our costs,” she said.
A strong finish to 2009, coupled with the company’s increased focus
on the bottom line, has Argaman confident of a strong 2010.
“For the next 12-18 months we are aiming to continue the growth in
occupancy and growth in room rate,” she said. “In 2010, we are expect-
ing to see strong growth in the corporate and government markets and
will continue to drive leisure bookings through our consumer marketing
campaigns.
Alongside Toga’s direct campaigns, she said the company would also
be working with Positively Wellington Tourism.
“We will all be working with Positively Wellington over the more
leisure months of late-December and early-January and then look for-
ward to seeing continued growth in the strength of the market in the
New Year,” she said.

Rooms start from

NZD$99 per night

26 Hotel & Accommodation Management

 propertyPROFILE

“In 2010, we are expecting to see strong

growth in the corporate and government SNAPSHOT
markets and will continue to drive leisure Travelodge
bookings through our consumer
marketing campaigns.” Wellington
2-6 Gilmer Terrace, Wellington, New
RACHEL ARGAMAN, CEO, Toga Hospitality Zealand

Argaman said there were a number of “These factors make it ideal for both lei- Owner:
Toga Hospitality and Eureka Funds
factors why the hotel had proven popular in sure and business travellers,” she said.
Management
recent months, including the extensive refur- Argaman said those factors also meant
bishment and its prime position in the middle Travelodge Wellington was perfectly suited to Operator:
of the city. the MICE market (both domestically and in- Toga Hospitality
“We have the newest hotel offering in ternationally from Australia), a segment that
Wellington and our corner rooms have amaz- has also been showing positive signs for the General Manager:
ing views over the city,” she said. next twelve months. Shaarn Letele
“The hotel was completely refurbished “The MICE market looks to be very prom- Opened:
over an eight month period and the 132 rooms ising for 2010,” she said. “We have a number June 2009
were revamped with new fixtures and fittings. of pieces of business already locked in for
The three conference rooms also have a fresh 2010 and will be focusing on this market Rooms & suites:
new look and the hotel’s foyer and restaurant through the year.” 132 rooms
have been transformed. Thanks to the cheapest trans-Tasman air-
F&B outlets:
“Travelodge Wellington is also in a prime fares in the last ten years, conference and in-
Steps Restaurant, serving
location in the centre of Wellington’s finan- centive planners are looking to New Zealand breakfast, lunch and dinner
cial and shopping hub, yet close to key at- destinations such as Wellington for conferenc-
tractions such as Wellington Zoo, the Wel- es under 100 people and the city’s ‘newest’ ho- Conferencing:
lington Cable Car and Te Papa Museum of tel is in the perfect position to capture a strong Three dedicated conference rooms
New Zealand. share of the ever-growing MICE market.

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ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Oceania • Unit 1, 44 Cambridge Street • Rocklea 4106 • Queensland Australia
Phone in Australia: 1300 796-233 • Phone Outside Australia +61 7 3278-3944 • Fax: +61 2 8336 6300 • E-mail: australia@vcegroup.com
info@vcegroup.com • www.vcegroup.com

Australia_180x130.indd 1 28.05.2009 11:25:25

Hotel & Accommodation Management  27

 roomKEY

MAXIMISING OPPORTUNITIES
In a challenging climate
IN AN EXCLUSIVE COLUMN FOR
HM, IHG’S COO FOR AUSTRALIASIA,
BRUCE McKENZIE LOOKS AT
MAXIMISING OPPORTUNITIES IN A
CHALLENGING ECONOMIC CLIMATE.
When ex-Malaysian Airlines CEO Idris Jala quipped
there’s nothing like a good recession to get your business
into shape, he’d already brought the business through one
extraordinary change process – only to face the need for
further reorganisation and cost cutting in light of the GFC.
Despite their dire situation however, Jala – a celebrated
change agent – publicly recognised the need to keep im-
mediate needs in perspective of longer-term goals for the
70-odd year old company.
While the MAS situation is an extreme one com-
pared with that of most of the major operators in our
own sector, it exemplifies the dilemma we’ve all found
ourselves in over the last 18 months. If nothing else,
2009 has been a year of embracing the realities of man-
aging short term needs while keeping sight of longer
term objectives.
Even though there’s no doubt things are picking up for
us in Australasia faster than most other parts of the world,
there are likely to be examples of operators and owners
who will suffer as a result of focussing solely on short-term
responses to the challenging economic conditions.
In seeking to avoid this trap, we’ve focussed on protect-
ing the balance between delivering returns today and con-
tinuing to build our business capability ensuring we have
a stronger market position next week. Recent events have
demonstrated how tempting it is to forego that balance in
favour of an immediate competitive advantage, which ul-
timately damages business prospects over the longer term.
Of course, we’ve had the luxury of being better able
to maintain balance in the first place. Strong operating
systems and expertise coupled with powerful brands,
marketing channels and location network are insulation
against the storm that surrounds every low point in the
economic cycle.
Our ultimate objective over the last couple of years has
been to use the current economic climate to our advan-
tage. The restructuring of our Asia Pacific operations into
two separate business units has meant we’ve dedicated
more resources to Australasia and Southern Asia, while
the Greater China team focuses on the 118 properties un-
der their care and the 100 more in the immediate pipeline.
It’s also meant we can cut costs constructively and in
a sustainable manner, while still improving the customer BRUCE MCKENZIE
experience and the engagement of our hotel and corporate Chief Operating Officer - Australasia
InterContinental Hotels Group
teams. As a result, we’ve been able to live up to our promise
to customers, continue to provide highly competitive ca-
reer opportunities for our staff, and deliver strong returns
for our owners.
There is no doubt business is picking up across the
board. The next few months will be telling, and will very
likely demonstrate which operators have managed to
maintain the balance required to remain competitive as
the cycle lifts.

28 Hotel & Accommodation Management

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 brandprofile W New York - Times Square

THE
WOW
FACTOR

IN DECEMBER 1998, STARWOOD’S W HOTELS

BRAND CREATED A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR
SOPHISTICATED TRAVELLERS, OFFERING HIP
BARS, HOT RESTAURANTS AND THE MOST
EXCITING ACCOMMODATION SEEN FOR
DECADES. HM FINDS OUT HOW OVER TEN
YEARS ON, W REMAINS THE COOLEST BRAND
THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.
WORDS JAMES WILKINSON IN new york

D
uring the 1990s, hotels were stuck in a
transitional portal of being large, grand and
over-luxurious or small, stale and under-
developed. What was missing was a hip, contempo-
rary and sophisticated hotel chain - one where guests
could sip martinis at the bar while listening to eclectic
“W is more than a music spun by the world’s best DJs. People wanted ho-
hotel brand… It’s an tels to stay at where they could be in ‘the scene’.
iconic lifestyle brand Sure there were the luxurious 5-star hotels where guests
and what sets us could drink Dom Perignon and eat caviar in the lobby, but
apart is how we offer what was missing was a collection of hotels under one
more than just a banner where no matter wherever in the world you were - be
hotel stay, (because) it New York, Sydney, London, Hong Kong or Paris - you were
we offer unique guaranteed to be staying somewhere hip, happening and fun.
and innovative So, when Starwood opened the W New York in December
experiences.” 1998 - complete with a happening bar, loungeroom-style lobby,
EVA ZEIGLER, Global Brand Leader,
funky music and eclectic furniture - it’s no surprise that hotels
W Hotels, Starwood were firmly placed in the realm of cool for the first time in decades.
In fact, soon after Starwood first opened the W New York,
hotel chains across the world scrambled to try and keep up, by
revitalizing their bars, restaurants and guest rooms. Some have
come close, but none have been able to emulate what W has done
on a global scale.
“W was a category buster when Starwood opened W New York
in 1998 and it quickly redefined the hotel experience,” Starwood’s
Global Brand Leader for W Hotels, Eva Zeigler, exclusively told HM
in New York.

30 Hotel & Accommodation Management

 W New York W Hoboken

NEW YORK’s finest
From one hotel in 1998 to six today,
New York is more than just a home
for W Hotels – the city has the brand’s
biggest presence and remains its
largest market. James Wilkinson finds
out the wow factor at five of them.
W New York - The Court (1999)
A converted apartment building, W
The Court is a hotel with an incredible
amount of character and is perhaps
the most quaint of all the city’s W
Hotels. Love the location at 130 East
39th Street.
W New York - Times Square (2001)
In New York’s most famous square,
the W Times Square rises high above
the neon lights that dominate the
streetscape down below. It’s the
ultimate location for first timers to
the Big Apple.

W New York (opened 1998)
The brand’s original property, W New
York is highlighted by Randy Gerber’s
Whiskey Blue bar located to the side
of the hotel lobby (Gerber’s original),
and the 720-sq foot Extreme Wow
Suite atop the building.
W New York - Union Square (2000)
Arguably the best location for a hotel in
New York, the W Union Square is one of
the brand’s most popular hotels in the
city for good reason. Fantastic service,
large rooms and a hip bar downstairs
highlight this superlative hotel.
W Hoboken (2009)
W Hoboken is located across the
Hudson River in New Jersey and
features incredible views of Manhattan.
The hotel is highlighted by its amazing
Bliss day spa, popular Zylo steakhouse
and hip Chandelier Room bar.

“Since then, W has grown to become an American phenomenon
and is currently transforming into a global powerhouse.
“W was the first to transform the lobby into what we call the Living
Room experience - a place where guests and locals come to mix and
mingle - and other W firsts include branded beds, retail stores, signature
scents, branded CDs and designer minibar amenities,”she said.
Australia, of course, has had its taste of W when the W Sydney
opened in 2000 on the harbour in Woolloomooloo.
It may be the BLUE Sydney now, but the W’s legacy remains and the
hotel can be credited for making Australian hotel bars cool once more.
On several occasions in the early 2000s, Water Bar was so popular at
times that only hotel guests were guaranteed access – another benefit of
staying at a hotel that W also pioneered and remains in force to this day.
Sydney was also the first city outside the United States to feature the
W brand and many industry leaders would say the brand recognition
remains so strong in the harbour city that marketing budgets would
be able to be kept to a minimum in the event of a new hotel opening.
Zeigler said while there are no immediate plans for a return to
Sydney, the city remains firmly on the brand’s radar, a message echoed
to HM several times by Starwood’s regional head Sean Hunt.
“W is always seeking exciting new locations around the world… places
where our loyalists want to visit,”Zeigler said.“While no plans are currently
in the works for a property in Australia, we never rule a location out.
“However, this is a very exciting time in W’s history as we are on
track to double our footprint by 2011. We’re expanding to some of
the most sought-after markets in the world including Paris, London,
Shanghai and St. Petersburg,” she said.
After a rapid expansion from 1998 to 2004, the United States
growth of the brand slowed down and Starwood started to focus on
signing properties across the globe. While several W Hotels opened -
in Canada, the Maldives and South Korea - the international reach did
not truly kick into top gear until mid-2008 when Starwood was signing
properties practically by the month. That date also marked the opening
of W Hong Kong, what has become a flagship hotel for Starwood in
Asia and at the time, quite possibly the best W to open anywhere in the
world since W New York in 1998.
Since Hong Kong, a plethora of hotels have opened on an equally
grand basis, across both Europe and the United States.
“In 2009, we opened several flagship hotels globally including W
Barcelona, W South Beach (Florida) and W Washington D.C. and will
soon open W Hollywood and W London – Leicester Square,” she said.
“New York City, as the birthplace of W, will continue to be flagships
for the brand, especially the new W New York - Downtown, which is
also set to open in 2010,” Zeigler said.
There’s more to come, especially in some emerging and exciting
markets for Starwood, including Athens, Greece (2011), St Petersburg,
Russia (2010), Marrakech, Morocco (2011), Amman, Jordan (2012),
Bangkok, Thailand (2011), Guangzhou, China (2010), Shanghai (2014).
Several W properties under the Retreats and Resorts banner are also in
the pipeline, according to Zeigler.
“In Spring 2010, W Retreat and Spa – Vieques Island will open (in
Costa Rica),” she said. “It’s a breathtaking property that was designed
by David Rockwell and Patricia Uriquola and will feature a restaurant
by Alain Ducasse.
“In 2010, we will be opening Retreats and Spas in Koh Samui and Bali.
Then, in 2012, we will debut our first ever ski resort, W Verbier,”she said.
In not just emerging markets, but by adding major in-demand cities
such as Paris (2011), London (2010), Shanghai and St. Petersburg is
proof of W’s positioning in the market and the fact that the brand is
ultimately lacking a major competitor in its segment.
The only chains that come close to W at present are Thompson Hotels
in the United States (which is set to add a Seoul hotel over the next 18
months), Eight Hotels Australia (specifically with the Diamant brand),
Viceroy (which opens a uber-hip Snowmass hotel this month) and Le
Meridien, following Starwood’s major revamp of the brand earlier this
year (which is ironically also under Zeigler’s direction). And, until the first
Edition hotel - the collaboration between Bill Marriott and Ian Schrager -
is opened, no other top five chain will come anywhere near a W concept.
Zeigler said what Starwood have developed with W is create a
brand that more is based around more than just accommodation.
“W is more than a hotel brand… it is an iconic lifestyle brand,” she
said. “What sets us apart is how we offer more than just a hotel stay,
(because) we offer unique and innovative experiences.
“Our leading-edge design sets the stage for an integrated lifestyle
experience, including destination bar and restaurant, signature spa
experience, Whatever/Whenever service promise, and W Hotels The
Store, our take on the traditional hotel gift shop,” she said.
Zeigler said offering the complete lifestyle experience, with a hip
twist, is one of the main reasons why W is in such strong demand and
has proven successful over the last decade.
But, given W’s leadership in its segment, Zeigler knows the brand
has to remain at the forefront of the industry and she has been left with
the responsibility doing just that.
What’s next? From what Zeigler says, it sounds like Starwood is
creating its own magazine house-slash-fashion brand.
“In another W first, we have just appointed of our first ever Global
Music Director Michaelangelo L’Acqua,”she said.“His job is to strengthen
our presence in the music community and create brand partnerships for us.
“We will also soon be appointing a Global Fashion Director to help
us do the same in the fashion arena,” Zeigler said.
For a hotel chain to take these financial risks and go to the lengths
of creating the ultimate hip guest experience, it truly is no wonder that
W remains the coolest hotel brand in the world – a title it will mostly
likely retain for another decade and beyond.
HM flew to New York with United Airlines, which flies twice daily to the Big
Apple via Los Angeles or San Francisco. The author recommends flying in
United Business, which features new flat-beds, entertainment on demand and
premium beverages on all Australian flights. Visit www.unitedairlines.com.au

Hotel & Accommodation Management  31

 daySPaS
SPA
VALLEY
Nestled not far from the Great Dividing
Range is one of Mirvac’s most beautiful
rural properties and a stunning
example of how a Day Spa facility can
create business.
WORDS adam Daff in windsor
I
n 2010 the NSW town of Windsor will
Picturesque: The Sebel Resort and Spa
celebrate the bicentennial of its nam- Hawkesbury Valley
ing by Governor Lachlan Macquarie, an
event that will not be lost on the staff at one
of Mirvac’s most relaxed rural properties.
The Sebel Resort and Spa Hawkesbury
Valley is a stunning example of what awaits
Sydney city folk who would venture west
towards the Great Dividing Range.
The Sebel Hawkesbury Valley is at the
gateway to the Hawkesbury Valley, 45
minutes west of Sydney, and was origi-
nally named after the events that led to
the Rum Rebellion, Australia’s attempt to
give the ruling government a dose of what
the Americans handed the British at the
Battle of Lexington.
“This property was called Rum Corps
Barracks, when it was privately owned, and
then changed to Radisson Rum Corps Re-
sorts. It changed ownership in 2000 when
it was branded a Sebel,” said Kun Rahad-
ian Marketing Manager for the The Sebel
Resort and Spa Hawkesbury Valley and The
Sebel Kirketon Park Hunter Valley.
To say the Windsor area has grown in
the past decade, would be a sincere under-
statement and this Mirvac property is in a strong position to capitalise.
Local government figures show that in the decade between censuses -
1991 and 2001 - the estimated resident population of the Hawkesbury grew
by over 20%. This growth was among the highest in NSW, but the Hawkes-
32 Hotel & Accommodation Management
Villa Thalgo at The
Sebel Resort and Spa
Hawkesbury Valley
bury was also surrounded by some of the
other fastest growing local government areas.
What was once covered in orange or-
chards and small farms is now home to
several software and hardware IT compa-
nies, pharmaceutical firms, government
industries and food retailers such as Coles
and Woolworths have also moved corpo-
rate offices to the area.
The Hawkesbury has retained a relax-
ing rural feel, however, and The Sebel is a
reflection of that, most particularly through
its day spa – Villa Thalgo.
Villa Thalgo is one of the biggest day
spa facilities in Australia, almost a ho-
tel within a hotel – offering extraordinary
service in large waiting rooms surrounded
by gardens full of flowers of every colour
and range of treatments.
Villa Thalgo and its Manager, Danielle
Palmer, were awarded Day Spa of the Year
at the 2009 HM Awards, for excellence in
hotels and accommodation last August. Of
the 40 awards given on the night, the Spa
category was one of the most popular.
“The HM Awards were extremely im-
portant as it adds not only a testimonial of
our achievements in the year (both financial and repeat business) but
it validates it by our industry peers with receiving this award from a
highly respected industry magazine,” said Palmer.
“The HM Awards was the first accolade the spa has received since
time to
pamper
your guests

create a luxury
experience in
the hotel bathroom THE NEW GENERATION IN GUEST AMENITIES
PO Box 553, Newport Beach NSW 2106
Tel: 02 9979 1500 Fax: 02 9979 2555
info@swisstrade.com.au
www.swisstrade.com.au
 daySPaS
it has opened and we are very honoured.
“But in 2009 we had several other firsts;
including exceeding our budget by 29% and
implementing an online printable voucher
system. Our online sales in 2009 amounted to
15% of total sales, compared to 6% in 2008.”
Rahadian added the industry recognition
for Villa Thalgo was another example of how vi-
tal day spas can be to the marketing of a hotel.
“The day spa is an integral part of the hotel
as it gives an exclusivity and value-add factor
to the property. Whether they are booking a
conference, leisure getaway or organising a
wedding, the spa will add an additional influ-
ence to the buying decision process,” he said.
“It is an important factor for a resort ho-
tel’s appeal to have a world class day spa on
site. This is not a surprise to us, however, as
seasoned travelers and spa enthusiasts expect
a resort hotel to have spa facility onsite.”
With its destination focus, events, particu-
larly weddings, are as important to this hotel as
any other – and the spa remains essential part of
the hotel’s offering for events and conferencing.
“The hotel has eight formal and five in-
formal meeting rooms and can accommo-
date up to four weddings at a given time in
one night. Moreover, we’re proud that 90
per cent of the meeting rooms have natural
light,” Rahadian said.
“A lot of the larger organisations use the
day spa as part of the team incentive, as a re-
Villa Thalgo at The Sebel Resort and Spa Hawkesbury Valley (and above)
34 Hotel & Accommodation Management
energizing process for their staff and another
idea for a team building activity around the
resort for their staff. Many stay on and utilise
the facilities or buy gifts for their loved ones.”
Other facilities at the resort include a golf
course, nine and 18 holes, two tennis courts,
a volleyball court, an indoor heated pool and
for the adventuring type – access to a hot air
balloon ride.
For weddings this property has private
group relaxation rooms as well as make-up
rooms and pre-and post wedding spa treat-
ment packages for brides.
The spa was purpose built in 1998 with
consultants from Thalgo Paris assisting with
design and Palmer was thankful for this part-
nership with a well-established, treatment-
based professional skin care company.
“A brand like Thalgo gives us an instant
identity of quality and association with a well
known proven product which has been in
Australia for a good number of years,”she said.
At Villa Thalgo Palmer said there was an
emphasis on “seamless service, a warm per-
sonal touch, high repeat customer service, ex-
tensive facilities and tailor-made treatments”.
And her secret?
“Great staff are always difficult to find.
However, with the correct training and moti-
vation we will have minimal turnover. We are
fortunate that our team is highly motivated
and passionate in what they do.”
 TRAVELLERS TRUST STAR RATINGS
When selecting accommodation travellers trust the unbiased and independent quality assurance
that STAR Ratings offer. Who says? Travellers do. AAA Tourism commissioned independent
research to get an understanding of how travellers perceive STAR Ratings as opposed to self
ratings. The results were promising for STAR Rated properties.
Over 87% of respondents consider STAR Ratings to be useful, with the majority (75%) regarding them very useful to
extremely useful. Just over a half (53%) are aware of self rated dots (as seen on some websites), with less than 30% of
total respondents considering self ratings useful. Research Now 2009.

STAR Ratings really do drive customers to your door and can help your business keep that ‘No Vacancy’ sign well lit up!

For more information about STAR Rating Membership contact AAA Tourism (03) 8601 2274 or visit aaatourism.com.au
 hoteltechnology
WORDS JAMES WELLS
FLATOUT
FLAT PANEL TELEVISION IS BOOMING IN
THE COMMERCIAL CATEGORY AS IT IS IN THE
RETAIL CATEGORY AND IT IS NOT SURPRISING
TO FIND THE TOP BRANDS ARE WINNING
A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE BUSINESS.
S
amsung Electronics Australia has experienced strong sales
this year following the decision to create a dedicated busi-
ness to business team and strategy in line with the global
business structure.
“Whereas previously we had limited resources for this market,
Samsung Electronics Australia now has a close knit team with a
number of BDMs with marked territories and a dedicated product
manager with a sales and marketing focus,”said Samsung Electronics
Australia Pro AV manager, Claudio Cardile. “This team now services
the B2B specialist resellers who are involved with hotels, commercial
audio video installations and digital signage. This had a big impact
on our ability to service this market and we now have the manpower
to train specialist resellers and service hoteliers far more effectively.”
According to Cardile, the two key areas for Samsung are hospitality
TVs and commercial display incorporating digital signage.
“The focus for Samsung has been to offer choice in terms of models
and solutions. Over the last 12 months we have experienced exponen-
tial growth and a significant uptake in sales volume and market share.”
“In terms of trends this year, we have seen a migration from 26-
inch LCD hotel televisions to 32-inches without a doubt. There are
three key reasons for this – firstly luxury facilities are crucial for hotel
room star ratings, secondly there has been a shift in the price point
where 32-inch panels are now within the confines of a lot of budgets
and capital expenditure even though upgrades are planned well in ad-
vance. The third reason is the expectation of luxuries from hotel guests
– there is an underlying assumption that the hotel room will offer at
least what people are experiencing in their home,” he said.
Samsung has recently installed 284 new 32-inch hotel LCD TVs
into Crowne Plaza Terrigal, 380 new 32-inch hotel LCD TVs into the
Grace Hotel and 240 new 32-inch hotel LCD TVs into the Brisbane
Hilton. Samsung is also currently undertaking a fit out of 524 new 40-
inch televisions in an Australian 5 star hotel.
36 Hotel & Accommodation Management
InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto with Philips TVs
The hero products in the Samsung hotel television range are the
B550K1H series which are available in 32-inch, 40-inch and 46-
inch sizes and features full high definition panels and fire resistant
casing. The 52-inch model which has not been introduced to the
Australian market is anticipated for release in the second quarter of
2010 in a larger format.
Other products in the range include the entry-point 450 series
which has four HD ready models – 22-inch, 26-inch, 32-inch and 37-
inch, while the 457 series features a 40-inch model with an OLED
clock built into the face of the unit. All Samsung televisions feature
pre-programmed video on demand systems, pre-set volume control,
lock out function and external bathroom speaker outlets.
According to Cardile, Samsung is also planning a strong year in
digital signage in 2010.
“Digital signage has become more active in terms of execution and
deployment. It has always been lingering up until now, but this year it
has been massive and next year it will be even more so.
“For hotels, the trend towards digital signage is for information
boards in reception and foyer areas. Samsung is one of the few brands
that can cover installation of televisions in hotel rooms right through
to digital signage with complete solutions straight out of the box.”
Samsung has two software platforms for digital signage solutions –
Magic Info Pro and Magic Info I.
“The difference with Samsung digital signage solutions is hotels
can purchase the panel with an embedded PC whereby the player and
the server software come inclusive within the package, whereas with
some other brands the software is an additional fee.”
Samsung also offers a digital signage solution across every sin-
gle series of large format display commercial panels and even touch
screen solutions. Samsung offers in its commercial range the entry
level MX series high brightness and slim bezel DX, UX and UT se-
ries as well as the TSN touch screen models. The DR series (direct

Features Philips: The Sebel Albert Park Melbourne
“In terms of trends this year, we have seen a migration
from 26-inch LCD hotel televisions to 32-inches
Claudio Cardile, Samsung Electronics Australia Pro AV manager
Hilton Brisbane featuring Samsung
hoteltechnology
sunlight readable panels) features a 46-inch
outdoor model with IP65 waterproof and
dustproof rating which will be complement-
ed by a new 70-inch outdoor model which is
about to be released.
According to Panasonic Australia Busi-
ness Systems Group Director, Mark Deere-
Jones, the range of Panasonic televisions
available to the hotel industry is the broadest
in the marketplace with panels ranging from
32-inches through to 103-inches.
Complementing the existing, 32-inch,
37-inch, 42-inch, 50-inch, 60-inch and
103-inch panels is the new 85-inch panel
emphasising the ability for plasma to be
commercially viable at larger sizes, particu-
larly above 40-inches.The 85-inch will be
available from this month and represents
Panasonic Australia’s continued strategy of
large panels in the commercial market.“A lot
of hotels will view the 85-inch as an enter-
tainment product as well as an installation
within corporate board rooms for presenta-
tions and clarity of video conferencing.”
Deere-Jones points to the departure of
brands such as Hitachi and Pioneer from the
flat panel market as one of the reasons that
hoteliers should work with companies who are
manufacturers of their own products and can
support them with a dedicated commercial
team of installers and after sales specialists.
“People clearly have the expectation. If I am
used to a 42-inch or 50-inch at home, I expect
that as a minimum when I leave home.”
Deere-Jones therefore sees an opportuni-
ty for hotels to meet the needs of their guests
by upgrading in-room technology.
“There is a huge number of CRTs out
there. The challenge for the hotel as they are
upgrading is how far do they want to go?
What sort of information and entertainment
hub do they have and what do they want to
create? It also depends on your star rating
and how they want to differentiate from their
competitors with inputs such as PC connec-
tivity or even iPod connectivity.”
Panasonic is also considering digital sig-
nage as the next frontier in terms of plasma
displays within the hotel environment.“At
long last, we think as we come out of the
GFC, people are looking at digital signage as
an alternative medium for information distri-
bution,” Deere-Jones said.
“For hoteliers, visual devices are not just
about the in-room experience. Digital sig-
nage can deliver everything from check-in
information and conference agendas while
butcher’s paper is being replaced in meet-
ing rooms by projectors and integrated
cabling for integration with laptops, while
interactive whiteboards are now also very
common within larger hotels. Deere-Jones
believes the consumer brand does provide
a strong pull-through for the commer-
cial division of the company, but he also
Hotel & Accommodation Management  37
Setting A Setting A
 hoteltechnology
SCREEN
LEADERS
Samsung B550K1H
Hotel TV Series
• 1920 x 1080 full high definition
• Crystal design
• Fire resistant casing
Philips 52PFL5604H
– 52-inch LCD television
• Pixel Plus Full High Definition
1920 x 1080 resolution
• PC-input allows guests to use
the television as a PC monitor
• USB input for multimedia playback
Sharp LC-40LE700X
– 40-inch LED LCD television
• Sharp’s first LCD TV with
LED backlighting system
• Low power consumption
with 139 watts
• Piano black design
Sony GXDL65H1 65-inch
LCD ruggedized panel
• IP54 rating – dust and
splash proof with completely
sealed terminal
• Economical power consumption
& 3 year warranty
• Internal cooling system
eliminating the need for
ventilation holes
40 Hotel & Accommodation Management
IHG’s Crowne Plaza Terrigal hotel features Samsung TVs
acknowledges the importance of service to
obtain a satisfied customer.
“We are fortunate to have some very good
integration partners. The end user customer
wants a total solution and they do not want
different vendors doing different bits of the
project as no one takes total responsibility
such as cabling, brackets and the integra-
tion with the backend, particularly with
servers in relation to digital signage and
content management.
The latest product added to the Sharp
Corporation of Australia portfolio of
products is the new Aquos LCD TV fea-
turing LED backlight. The LC-40LE700X
features a piano black design and the com-
pany’s most advanced technology to date.
The 40-inch model boasts a selection of
connections including three HDMI ports,
two AV-in ports, two Component ports,
S-Video in as well as an AV, Optical Audio
and headphone out terminals. The X-Gen
panel with advanced pixel control features
a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1 and four mil-
lisecond response time.
The new Aquos also delivers an energy
efficient, eco-friendly performance with an
impressive reduction in energy consumption
compared with conventional LCD TVs. The
LED technology delivers greater energy sav-
ings with a low power consumption of 139W,
producing less heat generation and is able to
boast a backlight life of 100,000 hours and a
six-star energy rating.
Philips Australia has released a new 52-
inch LCD TV for the hotel category to com-
plement its existing products in the category.
According to Philips Hospitality Sales Man-
ager for Australia and New Zealand, Travis
Anderson, this product provides guests with
many of the features they would expect from
a hotel television.
“As high definition entertainment takes
off in homes around the world, many
travelers now expect the same high quality
when they stay in a hotel, as such Philips’
52PFL5640H Full HD 1080p digital TV is
offering the same viewing experience to
business and leisure travelers with access
to HDTV out of the home,” Anderson said.
The full high definition 52PFL5640H fea-
tures 1920 x 1080p resolution and Philips’
proprietary Pixel Plus technology for better
detail, enhanced depth and clarity as well as
28.9 billion colours for natural images and
a 50000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. The televi-
sion offers a range of connectivity options
including USB for multimedia playback,
three HDMI inputs and a PC input so guests
can use the screen as a PC monitor.
Sony Australia offers in-room televi-
sions as well as digital signage solutions for
hoteliers across a range of sizes including
32-inch, 40-inch, 42-inch, 47-inch, 52-inch
and 65-inch LCD TVs.
Sony is currently in the middle of a project
with an unnamed hotel to upgrade their tel-
evisions and install foyer signage and panels
within banquet rooms. Like other industry
experts, Sony believes that 32-inch pan-
els have now become the sweet-spot for a
number of hospitality installations.
“The 32-inch is popular but this is not
necessarily demand from the end user. A lot
of manufacturers are no longer producing
smaller screens as they are not as economical
the way prices are falling. I would love to see
more rooms with 40-inch screens in them,”
said Sony Australia product manager – public
display, Les Boros.
“The commercial market is a lot more
price sensitive than the consumer market.
When you are a business owner and pur-
chasing for your business, you are not al-
ways looking at the best you can get for a
strict budget. Sony has never been the best
priced, but that’s because we have a good
quality product.”
In the digital signage market, Sony offers
three distinct offerings including an all-in-one
solution which is built into the panel and does
not require any software for under $5,000.
LG Interactive Hotel TV
Full HD TV at the place where you shine
LG Electronics’ advanced, highly sensible Full HD technology turns the
space where hotel guests stay into a more trendy space, presenting
comforting relaxation with high end hotel mode and precise color as well
as best resolution and satisfaction.
Now, enjoy relaxation and satisfaction at once with premium LG’s high
end hotel life.

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 hoteltechnology

THE ESSENSE OF
Technology
Essense Hospitality Solutions has launched ONEvision
– representing the cutting edge of the next generation
IPTV category.
“Our unique technology offerings mean more features
The future of in-room entertainment – today
for your guests and more profit for you the hotelier,” Our vision is to provide your guests with cutting edge,
said Essense Hospitality Solutions Manager, Lee Berry. feature rich digital content.
“We offer a true multimedia experience – TV channels,
Our vision is for you to maximise your revenue; by
high definition blockbuster movies, an exclusive music
delivering advertising and information directly to the
library and radio stations.” ONEvision allows guests
in-room television, allowing your guests to quickly and
links to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn.
easily book a service or purchase a product from the
“The guest can ‘tweet’ about the movie or TV show
comfort of their room.
they are watching or enter an update at the touch of
a button, whilst watching the TV,” Berry said. “This Our vision is your vision - ONEvision IPTV solutions from
service promotes the hotels and its services as well as essense – the future of in-room entertainment today.
providing the Generation Y guest with the ability to
stay connected to their online world. The interface is
completely customisable in its look and feel and can be
tailored according to a hotel’s exact requirements.
“Guests can access items that have traditionally been
printed such as the Hotel A-Z, Room Service menus
and Spa Treatment Lists; they can view their room bill
and automatically check out – you can even have an
electronic or audio copy of the bible.
“One of the biggest advantages of ONEvision is that all
of these menus, lists and items can be made interactive.
A guest selecting an item from the room service menu
can see a picture (or video) of the item or selecting a
spa treatment a short video showcasing the treatment
and its benefits. “ONEvision holds the customer
information within the Multimedia appliance, and is not
reliant upon the PMS which makes the personalisation
of the guest experience easy to implement.
“With the addition of a webcam and microphone the
TV can be used as a communication device for Skype
/ other VOIP or even to talk to reception (guests
should ensure they are not just out of the shower.”

“This is very simple to set up not have to change their hard-

and run and has only one power
cable,”said Boros.
“In the hospitality sector, I
know a lot of hotels prefer to have
people directing crowds, but in
busy periods, digital signage is an
absolute necessity.”
Complementing its low end
solution is a mid range semi en-
terprise solution which can serv-
ice a series of screen up to 200,
while the high end Ziris software
based system can utilise a range
of Sony panels or an existing net-
work of panels.
“Ziris allows you to not only
cater for enterprise solutions,
but also installations that do
ware. If a hotel has a number of
screens that they do not want to
change, the software can work
on a server and utilise the exist-
ing infrastructure.”
Sony has recently used various
installations around and through-
out the Sydney Opera House to
demonstrate the capabilities of the
brand’s digital signage products.
Sony is completing another
major installation over the com-
ing months at the Sydney Con-
vention and Exhibition Centre For more information please visit:
with over 140 panels and network
www.essense.com.au
players throughout the facility to
assist with patron information or contact essense on 02 8354 1510
and to advertise events.

Hotel & Accommodation Management  43

 roomsDivision
BEDROOM
CAPERS
T
hey are the most important part of the hotel room and often the
most overlooked. They are where drink is taken (who sits on
chairs in hotel rooms?), deals are consecrated and relationships
consummated. Oh yes, and where weary travellers and business folk
recharge before girding their loins and heading out into the fray for a
hard day’s sightseeing, or fact finding, once more. So what do hotel
managers look for in a bed?
For a G-rated interview, Sealy’s National Commercial Accounts
Manager Antony Raiteri is remarkably PG13.
“The fact is that beds in hotels need high levels of durability and
that durability factor is based on the antics that guests get up to in
hotels,’’ Raiteri told HM.
“The fact is that people do things on beds in hotel rooms they
would not do in their own homes.’’
Murray Rowbotham, Business Development Manager for Bris-
bane’s 2.5-year-old Emporium Hotel, which only uses Sealy mattress-
es, said that the bed was the main feature of the room.
“They may not turn on the TV, they may not crack the mini bar, but
everyone at some stage is going to go to bed,’’ Rowbotham said.
“Our whole idea is to create an atmosphere where they feel relaxed
when they are in the room. At the end of the day they are purchasing
44 Hotel & Accommodation Management
From The Westin’s trademark Heavenly
Sofitel’s MyBed
Bed to Sofitel’s MyBed and Sealy’s
numerous high-end hotel placements, HM
delves into the world of toppers and
thread counts for the discerning guest.
WORDS JONATHAN PORTER
a good night’s sleep and so the bed is probably the most important
feature in the room.
“We have a lot of honeymooners and people stay for all sorts of rea-
sons, the feedback regarding the comfort of the bed, linen and pillow
menu is always positive.”
Emporium provides its guests with Sealy Posturepedic Dynasty
Beds, he said.
“The bed itself has a very tight spring coil system which provides
guests with a comfortable yet sturdy platform which is, most impor-
tantly, very good for the back,” he said.
“The bed is further enhanced by a woollen underlay which is placed
on top of the bed and under the linen.
“The luxurious linen and duvet cover are 100% cotton with a very
tight knit of a 250 thread count.
“To further personalise the sleeping experience Emporium offers
its guests a beautiful range of pillows from the Exquisite Sleeps Menu
located on the bed.
“When a pillow is requested, housekeeping delivers the pillow to
the guest’s room with red ribbon in a bow and a message to wish them
a good night’s rest.
“The bedding has proved so popular that not long after opening we

found it necessary to place a Luxurious Bedding Menu on to the Empori-
um Hotel’s website for guests to order direct with hotel,”Rowbotham said.
Raiteri said Sealy was used by InterContinental Hotels, Marriott,
Hyatt, Stella Group, Mirvac, Crown Towers in Melbourne, Starwood
and Four Points by Sheraton amongst others.
“We have the majority of the 4- and 5-star brands nationally and
when guests check out of these hotels they are telling staff they had a
great night’s sleep and hotels take a lot of notice of that kind of feed-
back,” Raiteri said.
“Good news travels fast in the industry and when someone who
has a proven track record does something properly that is a success it
permeates through the rest of the industry,” he said.
If you can’t give a guest a good night’s sleep it’s too easy for them to
walk down the road and go somewhere else, Raiteri said.
“So you have only got one chance to make a first impression and
the bed is that chance to make that impression,” he said.
“If they don’t get that then they will lose the chance to get return
business from that client whether it’s the business traveller or the
tourist traveller.’’
Raiteri said the quality of a room’s bed was a very good barometer
of the success of the guest’s stay.
“If they don’t get that right it will show on the bottom line in hotel
chains,” he said.“They are in the business of selling sleep. If they fail at
that they are in trouble.”
Raiteri said Sealy designed their beds to be used as chairs.
“We know that people won’t sit on the chair in the room,” he said.
“They sit on the bed to answer the phone. They sit on the bed to put
their shoes on. We build that into the integrity of the product to make
sure the edge support of the product is very high quality.”
So how often do beds need to be replaced?
“A replacement cycle in a hotel can vary depending on the occu-
pancy rate,” Raiteri said. “It also depends on how well they are main-
tained. We use five to seven years as a benchmark but I have seen some
commercial beds go in excess of seven years.
“Sealy uses a no turn, no flip technology, but it still needs to be
rotated from end to end from time to time so it allows the bed to wear
evenly… it is very similar to rotating the tyres on your car.”
He said legs and casters need tightening from time to time.
“They don’t come loose very often but in certain circumstances they
can wear free so they need to be tightened,” he said.
Raiteri said Sealy was also Australian made, with the springs from
honest carbon BlueScope Steel shaped in the company’s Brisbane plant.
“Others are claiming to be Australian made but the actual compo-
nents come from overseas,” he said.
“We export from Australia to the South Pacific and we have sent
product into Asia as well.
“We have been in Australia making Sealy under licence since the
1960s and we have been making beds for over 60 years,” he said.
Sealy, which employs over 500 people nationally, also has the na-
tion’s largest test facility.
“Every product must pass minimum performance criteria before we
allow it to wear the Sealy brand,” Raiteri said.
And he said all of the hotels Sealy supplies to run bed purchase programs.
“So guests can buy the bed they slept on the night before, which is
a great vote of confidence,” he said.
Accommodation giant Accor, meanwhile, says it is not just about
the perfect mattress, but the little extras which are essential for a su-
perior night’s sleep.
One of the key components was the mattress topper, said Accor‘s
Peter Hook.
“It’s an extra layer of luxury,” Hook said.
Sofitel’s signature MyBed has a goose down mattress topper that
you gradually settle into. It seems to take about five minutes to float
down and make contact with the mattress, by which time, naturally,
you are sound asleep.
roomsDivision
MyBed has been incorporated as a Sofitel signature feature across
the brand’s range of worldwide hotels, including the Pacific region
Sofitel properties in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Fiji
and Queenstown.
Sofitel’s Rebecca Freestun said surveys had shown that hotel guests,
regardless of the brand they choose, were still relatively unsatisfied
when it came to the bed they slept in at their hotel away from home.
“This is why Sofitel has decided to refocus on the essence
of its business – sleep – while also enabling it to honour Sofi-
tel’s commitment to bringing its unique ‘art de vivre à la Française’
(French art of living) to its hotels around the world,” she said.
MyBed marks a break with ubiquitous style trends right from the first
glance - no more low, thin futon-like mattresses.
“This is a grand return to a bed that would make our grandmoth-
ers proud: raised high, immaculate and plumped up with welcoming
feathers,” she said.
“Creating MyBed meant identifying the latest technology, review-
Emporium Hotel Brisbane
features Sealy beds
“We have the majority of the 4- and 5-star
brands nationally and when guests check
out of these hotels they are telling staff they
had a great night’s sleep and hotels take a
lot of notice of that kind of feedback,”
Antony Raiteri, National Commercial Accounts Manager, Sealy
ing surveys and studies by top specialists and testing scores of materi-
als. More than simply a new bed, MyBed ushers in a whole new con-
cept in rest, with a guarantee of plush softness that has never before
been experienced,” Freestun said.
To design MyBed, Sofitel “retro-engineered” each detail in a tradi-
tional bed. The first decision was to get rid of both the bedspread and
blankets, replacing them with a down-filled comforter which is infinitely
more hygienic, as it has been specially treated to resist dust and stains.
“Sofitel also wanted MyBed to have a generous size, both very long
and very wide – with the idea that people are in fact bigger than in the past
– and also very high, making it easier to get in and out of bed,”she said.
“Sofitel set out to choose the best possible mattress and box spring.
Created exclusively for Sofitel, both are extra-thick, because that is one
of the secrets of quality sleep. Between the mattress and the comforter,
Sofitel also addressed an all-important component, a down feather-
bed, taking softness to another dimension. And, for the ultimate in
comfort, Sofitel decided that MyBed would have four over-sized pil-
lows,” Freestun said.
But Hook said a 5-star sleep experience doesn’t necessarily have to
be in a 5-star hotel.
Hotel & Accommodation Management  45
 roomsDivision
Mixing work and pleasure at Pullman Hotels
“All of Accor’s brands offer quality bedding, but there are extras
added for the upscale hotel brands which enhance the bedding and
comfort,” Hook said.
“The Sofitel MyBed is the ultimate in hotel bedding luxury, but
business travellers are assured of a good night’s sleep at Pullman ho-
tels with the brand’s specially designed bedding,” he said.
Likewise, Novotel and Mercure guests staying for leisure or busi-
ness were provided with the same restful sleep they enjoy in their own
home, he said.
“Even the economy style brands, All Seasons and Ibis, which have
a philosophy of providing affordable comfort and service, ensure bed-
ding requirements are met with the highest of standards,” he said.
Hook said Accor uses Dunlop’s Sleepmaker range because they
have a selection that covers all brand standards and requirements.
“They also adhere to Australian Standards including being 100%
cotton and fire retardant treated,” he said.
“Research shows that above and beyond room service and flurry bath-
robes, the thing that matters most to hotel guests is a good night’s sleep.
“Guests that stay at Accor hotels can be travelling for work or pleas-
ure so it is important that the sleep they get is the best possible,”he said.
Westin have also developed their own bed and were the first to do so,
with the Westin Heavenly Bed, said Starwood spokesperson Laura Kelly.
“The importance of beds to hotel guests are found in the Westin
Heavenly bed survey,” she said. “There is now a huge range in the
Westin Heavenly bed products from linen, pillows, through to dog
beds. You can purchase a Westin Heavenly Bed at any Westin Hotel.”
The new Westin online store features an Interactive Retail Concierge
to assist with purchases, tips on making the Heavenly Bed, product
suggestions based on recent purchases, and easy one-click shopping.
Visitors can purchase the iconic 10-layer Heavenly—including box
spring, 13-inch pillow-top mattress, sheets, blankets, and variety of
pillows—all in one click.
In addition to the new products joining the Heavenly family, shop-
pers can also find the brand’s beloved classic Heavenly products in-
cluding signature White Tea candles and oil diffusers, the Heavenly
Rollaway Bed, and Brazilian combed cotton towels and bath sheets.
46 Hotel & Accommodation Management
“Westin jump-started the hotel-retail phenomenon in 2000 follow-
ing tremendous guest feedback to the launch of the now-iconic Heav-
enly Bed,” Kelly said.
“More than 35 guests called within the first week, asking how they
could bring the fluffy, all-white bed home; the Heavenly Bed has been
Westin’s hottest seller ever since. Westin has sold more than 30,000
Heavenly Beds online and through its partnership with Nordstrom; in
fact, beds account for 95% of online sales,” she said.
Jackie Porter, Resident Manager at the Surfers Paradise Marriott Ho-
tel said beds were crucial for guest comfort and the perfect night’s sleep.
“After Marriott rolled out our new ‘Revive’ bedding package globally
in 2005 the Guest Satisfaction Surveys increased dramatically in rela-
tion to the beds and guests sleeping experience,’’ Porter said.
The Surfers Paradise Marriott and the Brisbane Marriott use Dun-
lop and Sealy beds.
Marriott spokeswoman Laura Spiers said the group continued to re-
ceive phenomenal feedback on the ‘Revive’ bedding worldwide, so much
so that they set up www.Shopmarriott.com to sell the bedding items.
“In Australia the bedding can be purchased in most hotels (how-
ever, there may be a waiting period at some hotels),” she said.
One-on-one training is important to ensure the beds are perfect
for the guests.
“The beds look so inviting that the staff/associates want to jump
back into the bed as they look so comfortable,” said Kathleen Counsel,
Executive Housekeeper at the Brisbane Marriott Hotel.
“The bed is the focus point when a guest walks in so we want to
ensure they are perfect. That is why our training places so much impor-
tance on this,” said Counsel.
“We also have a program called Make Ready Team – this is when our
teams go into our rooms and strip back a minimum of four times a year
completely steam cleaning every detail of the bed including mattress, base
and bed-head, carpets and furnishings to ensure complete cleanliness,
hygiene and to ensure that they are as allergy free as possible,”she said.
The doonas and special Marriott toppers are dry cleaned and pro-
tected, and staff perform random audits to ensure bedding and rooms
adhere to the hotel’s rigorous standards.
 An investment in
guest comfort
& return business
A Sealy® Posturepedic® bed is what your customers expect!
Give your guests the comfort and support they
choose for their home. Seal your future business.

is your guests choice

Sealy
-the bedding brand preferred by more Australian consumers*
-provides the comfort they love and support they trust.
*Quantum Research March 2006

When you buy bedding, give your customers the quality and feel they prefer
Sealy Posturepedic is your investment in return business and happy guests.

For more information on the Sealy Posturepedic range of low maintenance commercial bedding call us today.
Our Commercial Division can help you find the perfect solution for your property.

Call us today at Sealy!

Commercial has the solution NSW: (02) 9604 0044, VIC /TAS: (03) 9553 0855,
QLD / NT: (07) 3331 5200, WA: (08) 9277 2977, SA: (08) 8252 4555
View the Sealy range at www.sealy.com.au
 globalReport

BANGKOK’S HIP SIDE

ACCOR’S M GALLERY BRAND IS CONTINUING
TO GROW RAPIDLY AROUND THE WORLD AND
A STARRING PROPERTY IS THE VIE HOTEL
BANGKOK, LED BY GENERAL MANAGER
REMKO KROESEN.
WORDS JAMES WILKINSON IN BANGKOK

F
ollowing the anti-Government protests in April, Bangkok
continues to be a tough market for the hotel industry, with
international tourism confidence well down from where it was
twelve months earlier.
Compounding the problem for the Thai capital has been the global
financial crisis, along with the imminent opening of more 5-star hotels
in the country’s largest city. However, things are starting to look up and
new properties, such as the VIE Hotel, which opened in January 2009,
are in a position to pick up a substantial amount of business thanks to
location and high quality of accommodation on offer.
VIE Hotel Bangkok General Manager Remko Kroesen, a man well
VIE Hotel Bangkok
known to the Australian accommodation industry thanks to his 15
(and above)
years in the country, said while the market remains challenging, there
are positive signs for the twelve months ahead.

“Today, we are out-performing

many more established hotels
in Bangkok, though competition
in the city is intense and it will
become even more competitive
with a never ending line of new,
quality hotels set to open.”
REMKO KROESEN, General Manager,
VIE Hotel Bangkok

“Bangkok  is currently an extremely tough market with corporate
and conference business still significantly down compared to previous
years,” he told HM.
“Global economic recovery is going to be crucial to Bangkok and
Thailand’s tourism recovery, though the city has made serious gains in
the past six months with leisure travel from shorter-haul destinations
such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and to a certain extent China.
“After the instability of earlier this year, TAT (Tourism Authority of
Thailand) has been successful with its promotional campaigns and,
of course, Thailand has never been more affordable for markets such
as Europe and Australia, whose currencies have grown dramatically
against the Thai baht.
“All in all, despite the challenges, Bangkok remains in a strong posi-
tion to win tourism trade,” he said.
Kroesen said the hotel itself was now performing well, following the
issues that compounded the hotel in the first four months of the year.
“Opening any hotel at a time when external factors are as serious
as the global economic crisis will always prove a challenge, but having
said that, our performance has been improving throughout 2009, as
both the hotel and its location become better known.
“Today, we are out-performing many more established hotels in
Bangkok, though competition in the city is intense and it will become
even more competitive with a never ending line of new, quality hotels
set to open.
“Still,VIE has certainly established itself pretty quickly and will remain
a serious competitor to other branded properties in the city,”he said.
VIE Hotel Bangkok is a member of Accor’s fast-growing MGallery
brand and Kroesen said that association is helping the hotel pick-up
business that otherwise would have been non-existent, had the hotel
remained a stand-alone property.
“Behind the hotel name is Accor’s strong sales, marketing, distribu-
tion and operational structure,” he said. “There is a genuine desire by
travellers to have a more intimate experience of the destination and
MGallery allows the hotel to come to the fore.
“The MGallery label also gives us such flexibility to manoeuvre
quickly and offer tailor made services and products to our markets,
which more standardised brands can’t do,” Kroesen said.
The 254-room VIE Hotel Bangkok opened at the beginning of 2009
as the first designer boutique in the MGallery network and it remains
one of the finest in the collection.
With a central location just off Sukhumvit Road, the VIE Hotel is
winning over both business and leisure travellers. The property is within
close proximity to Bangkok’s major shopping district, while also being
just one BTS station away from the new Suvarnabhumi Airport train link.
Kroesen said they are just a few of the reasons why the VIE Hotel is
winning over the Australian market in particular.
“Over 2009, Australia has become one of our principal markets,
with the high Australian dollar allowing travellers to secure 5-star
service and facilities at rates almost 30% lower (in terms of Australian
dollars) than when the hotel opened at the start of 2009,” he said.
“From our customer feedback, VIE appears to suit the Australian
market very well due to its proximity to all major points of interest and
the product itself,” Kroesen said.
Thai Airways flies to Bangkok from Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne,
Perth and Sydney. Direct services to Brisbane commenced in October, the
same time as the airline re-introduced Royal First Class on the Sydney route.
For bookings and more information, visit www.thaiairways.com.au

48 Hotel & Accommodation Management


UNITED
in high demand
WHILE 2009 HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING YEAR FOR AIRLINES
FLYING TRANS-PACIFIC, THE HEAD OF UNITED’S AUSTRALIAN
OPERATIONS IS CONFIDENT OF A STRONG 2010.
WORDS JAMES WILKINSON
The new business class on United Airlines
F
rom two airlines to four and airfares cut in half – 2009 sure
has been an interesting year for carriers flying the 14-hour hop
across the Pacific Ocean between Australia and the West Coast
of the United States.
At the beginning of 2009, only Qantas and United were flying be-
tween Sydney and Los Angeles and airfares were hovering around
the AUD$2000 mark. By mid-year, airfares had dropped to around
AUD$900 including taxes and two new entrants, Delta and V Australia,
had commenced services.
While it’s been a year of great deals, high loads and lower yields,
stability and demand is returning to a route that desperately needs it.
United Airlines General Manager, Australia and New Zealand, Ali-
son Espley, said the airline is finding demand on both sides of the Pa-
cific, in a sign that the inbound American market could bounce back
for 2010.
“Demand has been strong from inbound and outbound points of
sale,” she told HM. “It’s been a year of high load factors driven by ex-
tremely competitive fares which have reduced average yields.
“Whilst corporate travel is still down, demand has picked up in the
last few months (and) loads have shown significant increases year over
year,” she said.
Espley is confident that the next twelve months will remain strong
for United, particularly thanks to the airline’s competitive prices on
offer in the market.
“Forward bookings suggest that demand will continue to be strong,”
she said.“We have compelling fare offers already in the market for 2010
and together with the strong Australian dollar there has never been a
better time to travel to the U.S.
“We also believe that corporate travel will continue to improve
throughout 2010,” Espley said.
The best value cabin on the Sydney-Los Angeles and San Francisco
routes during 2009 was business class, with prices less than half of
those on sale in 2008. For United, the year has meant a fall in business
class airfares, but not a downgrade in quality. United has upgraded
travelforum
its on-board product, with the airline’s new, 180-degree flat beds now
available on all flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco from Sydney.
Espley said the feedback from customers had been strong and that
has no doubt led to increased demand – which at the end of the day
results in increased load factors.
“We have been consistently operating our upgraded onboard prod-
uct for nearly a year and our customers love it,” she said.“The business
class offering includes 180 degree lie flat beds, over 150 hours of audio
and a 15 inch TV monitor which guests can start watching from the
moment they reach their seat.
With V Australia launching with flat-beds and Qantas offering
fully-flat Skybeds on its A380s, an upgrade in product is something
United had to do, but the airline has done it well. The service, food and
entertainment is comparable to what the rival airlines offer and direct
connections upon arrival to over 50 cities from Los Angeles and San
Francisco means the airline offers a seamless flying experience.
Espley said the airline would be looking to grow all market seg-
ments across every cabin in 2010, particularly the MICE market, which
looks at both business and economy classes for incentive travelers and
conference delegates.
“Whilst corporate travel is still
down, demand has picked up in
the last few months (and) loads
have shown significant increases
year-over-year.”
ALISON ESPLEY, General Manager
Australia and New Zealand, United Airlines
“The MICE market is indeed an area of the business which we are
looking to grow at United,”she said.“We are actively outreached to this
market and will be participating in AIME in March 2010 together with
our colleagues from the Las Vegas Tourism.
“Group and MICE business has tended to come in later than in
previous years, no doubt as a result of the economic uncertainty. Inter-
est remains high and as confidence returns the U.S. will definitely be a
great option for this market sector.
“With highly competitive economy and business class fares, cou-
pled with the availability of great hotel deals, not to mention the varie-
ty of destinations on offer, now is undoubtedly a great time to consider
the U.S. for the MICE market,” she said.
United flies daily to Los Angeles and San Francisco from Sydney
and daily to Los Angeles from Melbourne via Sydney.
Visit www.unitedairlines.com.au
Hotel & Accommodation Management  49
 theINSIDER

FRASER SUITES 1

SYDNEY
HM STEPS INSIDE FRASER SUITES SYDNEY,
WINNER OF SERVICED APARTMENT PROPERTY
OF THE YEAR AT THE 2009 HM AWARDS.
PHOTOGRAPHY ANDREW JARVIE

FRASER SUITES SYDNEY

GENERAL FEATURES
Hotel Owner: Frasers Hospitality Pte Ltd
Hotel Manager: Leah Feldmann
Interior Design by: RLD
Interior fit-out: RLD
PMS: Hotel Information Systems (HIS)
POS: Micros
Audio Visual installation: Space Age communications
Laundry systems by: LG
Kitchen equipment: SMEG

50 Hotel & Accommodation Management

 theINSIDER
hotel room
1 Samsung TV
2 Bose surround-sound system*
3 In-room entertainment system by Samsung
4 Internet provided by AAPT*
5 Furniture by Custom Design
6 Door locking system by Seaflock*
7 Telephone system by 3D Networks*
8 Alarm clock by Avanti*
9 Safe by Chubb*
10 King-size bed by Dunlop
11 Sheets by Tropicot
12 Pillows by Tontine
13 Minibar by various suppliers*
14 Bathroom amenities by Molton Brown*
15 Towels by Combed Cotton*
16 Interior design and fit-out by RLD

11 10 *NOT IN PICTURE

12

16 1

Hotel & Accommodation Management  51

 buyersguide

HOT HM PROFILES HOT PRODUCTS FOR HOTELS.

Products
Winterhalter UC
dishwashers
Comcater has released a new range
of Winterhalter UC under-counter
glasswashers. Choose the size of machine
that’s best for the job and right for the
amount of space available: S, M, L or XL.
The larger machines can accommodate
large pieces, such as trays, tins and
platters. This is where using a UC-XL with
an extra deep interior pays off. It can
wash tins, trays and platters faster, more
economically and more hygienically.
Tel: +61 (0) 2 9748 3000
www.comcater.com.au

Upgrade Vingcard door locks

Upgrading from Classic by Vingcard magnetic stripe or combo technology to
RFID technology is easily done by adding the Classic RFID reader. All in all, it
is a 3-5 minute operation to make the change, which means no disturbance or
inconvenience for guests staying in house. No drilling is required and there is no
need to replace the lockcase or handles.
Tel: 1300 796 233 (within Australia)
www.vingcard.com

Onity All-
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and is compatible
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humidity and salinity of
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well as sand, dust, heat,
cold, rain and snow,
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this specially designed The Marathon Towel Range is revolutionising the commercial towel. This is
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52 Hotel & Accommodation Management


inbrief
ADELAIDE Chris Ehmann, General
Manager of Hilton Adelaide, has
announced that Cheong Liew, The
Grange restaurant’s celebrated chef has
informed Hilton of his intention to retire
from full-time restaurant operations to
focus on other opportunities. As a result,
The Grange restaurant will be closing
at the end of December 2009. Ehmann
said the decision to close the restaurant,
because of Cheong’s retirement, after 14
years was a difficult one: “The Grange
with Cheong at the helm has been one
of Adelaide’s most awarded and popular
restaurants. Cheong is one of Australia’s
best chefs and we are sad to be losing
his creativity and expertise,” he said.
The Grange will finish regular trading
on Saturday December 19 2009 and
Cheong will be hosting a special New
Year’s Eve event at the restaurant.
MELBOURNE Grand Hyatt Melbourne
has unveiled its culinary offerings for the
upcoming festive season. Festive lunch
menus will be available from December
7-24 in Collins Kitchen, where guests
can sample the innovative authentic
cuisines that include dishes from the
Sushi, Grill, Wood Oven and Patisserie
kitchens while celebrating with friends,
family or colleagues. The sharing menus
are perfect for groups, with a set price,
and a choice of two menus, priced
at AUD$68 and AUD$88 per person.
Dishes include Sydney rock oysters with
vodka and cranberry granita, air dried
Wagyu with rocked salad and shaved
truffle, rolled turkey breast stuffed with
panetone and Italian sausage, honey
glazed ham, and a selection of decadent
desserts including traditional Christmas
pudding. Banquets and other events are
also being held on Christmas Day and
New Year’s Eve across the hotel.
SYDNEY Celebrated Sydney restaurateur
Tony Bilson has launched Cuisine NOW,
a celebration of contemporary cuisine
by seven Australian and French master
chef/restaurateurs, and of the theatre
and finesse of gastronomy. Beginning
on January 11, 2010 for two weeks,
this heady, marvelous Michelin star
entertainment offers unprecedented
public access to culinary maestros.
Cuisine NOW is running in the summer
holiday period concurrently with the
Sydney Festival, adding a new dimension
to January’s entertainment calendar. It
has three tiers involving leading city
hotels, the Radisson Plaza Hotel Sydney
and the Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, and
the polished new events space, Doltone
House Darling Island Wharf in Pyrmont.
The Australian gastronomic performers
are Tony Bilson (Bilson’s Restaurant)
Cheong Liew (formerly of The Grange,
Hilton Adelaide), Philippe Mouchel (The
Brasserie, South Bank, Melbourne) and
Tetsuya Wakuda (Tetsuya’s Sydney).
From Europe are Nicolas le Bec
(Restaurant Nicolas Le Bec, Lyon,)
Michel Roux, (The Waterside Inn, Bray,
England) and Reine Sammut (Auberge
La Fenière, Lourmarin, France).
FOODSERVICE SYDNEY
Novotel’s organic push
The organic food sector is
Nici Andronicus of Organicus, Kylie Kwong, and Lorraine
now the fastest growing area
in food trade, with sustained
rates of growth between 10%
and 30% around the world.
The organic industry is
emerging from a niche into
a valuable multi-billion dol-
lar market and while many
restaurants are now getting
on board this trend, not many
hoteliers have embraced the
organic ideal because of the
higher cost associated with or-
ganic food.
But one hotel brand, Novo-
tel, is increasingly using or-
ganic food, in keeping with its
‘Designed for Natural Living’
brand promise.
Novotel hotels across Australia have
launched a new, healthier breakfast offering
that includes an innovative selection of organ-
ic, gluten-free and low-GI menu items, with a
focus on the best possible fresh, healthy pro-
duce and organic menu items are increasingly
making their way onto menus for lunch and
dinner as well.
As a minimum standard all Novotel break-
fast buffets must now include organic options
such as organic banana bread, organic fruit com-
potes, organic toasted muesli and organic jams.
Karen Sainsbury, General Manager of
Novotel Manly Pacific and Director of Novotel’s
F&B Committee says she believes the trend to-
wards organic produce is only going to increase.
“Our guests are well aware of the environ-
mental impact their traveling has and are seek-
ing ways to reduce their environmental foot-
print, but more importantly they are also seeking
a return to a healthier, simpler lifestyle in terms
of their food choices,” she says. “Our guests are
telling us they want the option of organic food
and so we are listening to their demands and fo-
cusing more and more on organic food.
“With the Novotel’s shift towards a natural
living focus we now offer clean, fresh organic
foods that meet the expectations of today’s con-
sumer, who is attuned to the health benefits
of pesticide-free food and is seeking to reduce
their food miles.
“We are increasingly seeking local suppliers
for our produce and focusing on smaller, organ-
ic producers who can supply us with the best
seasonal produce,”she says.
In recognition of Novotel’s commitment to
organic produce, the hotel brand was chosen
as the launch pad for the new Trust Organic
campaign recently and the launch of new Aus-
tralian Standards for the organic and biody-
namic food industry.
food&beverage
Mercuri, GM of Novotel Darling Harbour
Kylie Kwong, whose restaurant Billy Kwong
is carbon-neutral and uses only organic foods,
was a special ambassador for the launch and
commended Novotel on their efforts to pro-
mote organic foods.
“Our aim is to leave as small and light an
environmental footprint as possible, to give
back to the community wherever we can and
to think globally and act locally,”Kwong says.
The Australian Standard for organic products
will help to ensure consumers of truth in label-
ling for organic products and will identify only
organic produce that meets strict guidelines.
Former pentathlete, Nici Andronicus, whose
company produces the Organicus line of or-
ganic products including mueslis, banana bread
and jams which she supplies to Novotel, high-
lighted the importance of using organic foods
to ensure the future health of both the people
eating it and the planet.
“Organic food is not only healthy for the
people consuming it but more importantly is
the best choice for the future health of our plan-
et,”she says.
The Australian organic industry is worth
over $600 million in retail and if we add the
related flow on-industries such as the compost
industry that is worth over $400 million it is easy
to see that this industry is worth over a billion
dollars to the Australian economy.
Market information from the USA, Europe
and Australia is showing an increase in sales
of fresh and staple organic produce. Global
demand for organic foods is expected to grow
by 46% over the coming five years despite the
world economic crisis, according to an outlook
from the United Nations Trade and Develop-
ment Agency (UNCTAD).
World sales from certified organic products
are expected to reach US$67 billion in 2012, up
from US$46 billion in 2007 and about US$23
billion in 2002.
Hotel & Accommodation Management  53
hotel schools
HOSTEC: BETTER PEOPLE
DRIVING BETTER RESULTS
Over the past twelve years Hostec has evolved to become a market leading
provider of high quality education, training and recruitment services to the
tourism, hospitality and service industries.
T
oday, Hostec connects with these industries globally providing
services to assist world-leading organisations with their execu-
tive recruitment and learning and development needs.
Hostec founders Ian Wilson and Raman Nambiar, have always
been strongly committed to the industry and the development of its
people. It has always been their belief that by providing a 360 degree
people solution, they are in turn helping to build the profile of the
industry and its people.
The Hostec business model has grown to accommodate the needs
of what is a fast paced and dynamic industry. The company, from
its early roots of vocational training and recruitment solutions has
evolved to offer a unique higher education platform for students look-
ing to pursue a serious career in hospitality. The launch of Hostec’s
International Academy two years ago has been an absolute success
and Hostec is now recognised as the fastest growing hospitality educa-
tor in the country.
One of the Academy’s unique points of difference with the launch of
their Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane campuses has been to base the
Academies in four and five star hotel brands (InterContinental Mel-
bourne, Sydney Marriott Hotel, Crowne Plaza Coogee, Sebel Citigate
54 Hotel & Accommodation Management
A hostec PROMOTION
Hostec students, dressed by
Farage at the 2009 HM Awards
Brisbane & Sydney Tower Restaurant) giving students a true insight
into the inner workings of the hospitality industry. Hostec students
take part in a dedicated Industry Engagement program, giving them
invaluable real life work experience and the employer the opportunity
to nurture future talent for their organisation.
Hostec continues to maintain a strong profile in the vocational
training arena, offering a broad range of mandatory programs allow-
ing people to upskill and gain employment in our industries hotels,
pubs, clubs and restaurants. The company also offers tailored train-
ing programs for individual organisations looking for leadership and
development and cultural programs for the continued improvement
of their workforces.
The Hostec business model focuses on the connection between
helping the industry identify, develop, and retain the best people in
the business. It is also committed to attracting and developing new
recruits and helping them to understand and experience the amazing
scope of opportunity available to them with a career in the tourism and
hospitality industry.
Better People for your Business means Better People for our Industry.
Visit www.hostec.com.au
 A LE CORDON BLEU AUSTRALIA PROMOTION
EDUCATION EXCELLENCE
LE CORDON BLEU AUSTRALIA OFFERS INTENSIVE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS
TO GAIN THEIR BACHELOR AND MASTER DEGREES IN INTERNATIONAL HOTEL and RESTAURANT
MANAGEMENT AND VOCATIONAL COURSES IN THE CULINARY ARTS.
L
e Cordon Bleu Australia is part of the world-renowned school in
Paris which was founded in 1895. Today, Le Cordon Bleu has a
presence in some 20 countries with more than 30 international
schools attended by 20,000 students annually.
Hospitality Management
All awards offer the perfect mix of academic and practical training to en-
sure their graduates achieve success in their chosen career. Combining
all the essential elements of traditional business degrees, the Le Cordon
Bleu business degrees are cemented with specialised knowledge and skills
required to reach the top professionally in the hospitality and tourism are-
nas. Graduates are armed with the specific tools, confidence and prepara-
tion to succeed in a variety of middle and upper management roles within
these challenging and growing industries.
The three year Bachelor degree also incorporates one year worth
of Professional Experience where students are given the opportunity
to go into the workforce and put their training into practice in the real
world. The two six month blocks of Professional Experience can be
done around Australia, New Zealand or the rest of the world depend-
ing on the students ambitions and positions available.
Culinary Arts
Le Cordon Bleu Sydney Culinary Arts Institute offers intensive training
programs in both Cuisine and Pâtisserie for those aspiring to become a
chef. The culinary arts programs conducted at the Sydney Culinary Arts
Higher education: students at Le Cordon Bleu Australia
Le Cordon Bleu Australia
hotel schools
Institute bring together all the critical elements of mastering the princi-
ples, theory and techniques of classical French cuisine.
The Culinary programs offer the flexibility of four intakes a year Janu-
ary, April, July and October. The Le Cordon Bleu Classic Cycle teaches stu-
dents in approximately nine months as students advance through Basic,
Intermediate and Superior levels in Cuisine or Pâtisserie. These are pro-
gressively structured courses that provide Le Cordon Bleu students with
the skills they need to apply French culinary techniques to any cuisine.
Also incorporated within the Classic Cycle are the Australian Government
qualifications. After completing the Classic Cycle a six-month work place-
ment is completed to gain the Certificate III in Commercial Cookery.
The Advanced Diploma of Hospitality builds on from the successful
completion of the Le Cordon Bleu Diplome program. Over one year
of academic studies this program offers the fundamentals of front line
management, allowing students to enter into the industry and apply
their practical and theoretical knowledge as a Chef.
Unprecedented industry demand for skilled practitioners in the
hospitality industry has now been satisfied with these key manage-
ment qualifications.
So, if you have interest in being involved in the booming hospitality
industry and envisage your self as a General Manger of an Internation-
al Hotel, or if you would like to become a world renowned chef, please
let us tell you how Le Cordon Bleu can make these goals a reality.
For more information on Le Cordon Bleu Australia, call
+61 (0)8 8346 3700 and visit www.lecordonbleu.com.au
Hotel & Accommodation Management  55
humanresources

HOTEL SCHOOLS SYDNEY

Stars of the show: Hostec Academy

Hostec Academies students at the 2009 HM Awards,

dressed in Farage

expand across
Australia
Two years after opening its doors in Sydney in 2007, Hostec is
has announced that its fast-growing Academy will launch two
new campuses in Brisbane and Melbourne.
Hostec Director Ian Wilson says: “Through our relationship
with Eureka and the Crowne Plaza Coogee Bay, we are open-
ing our first Melbourne campus in the Rialto restaurant at The
InterContinental. Similarly, through our relationship with Mir-
vac, we are celebrating the opening of our first Queensland
campus at the Sebel Citigate Brisbane.”
Hostec started in 2007 with 23 international commercial cook-
ery students from Nepal and Thailand. Today it has a total of 800
students from 35 countries enrolled across four campuses. Wilson
says, “The key to our success has been industry placement. All of
our students must spend at least nine months working in the in-
dustry during their course meaning that they graduate with real,
hands-on experience.
“Due to the nature of our campuses and our hands-on ap-
proach to learning, it is important that we align ourselves with
campuses that offer the right learning environment, as well as the
leading hotel brands that benchmark the industry,”Wilson says.
“We work side by side with our international hotel partners to
place students throughout their operations. Within 12 weeks of
course commencement, 30 per cent of our students are working
in within the industry and to date, all of our graduates have gained
paid employment.”
Due to overwhelming demand, Hostec has introduced an
Advanced Diploma add on to its enormously popular Certificate
III in Hospitality and Diploma of Hospitality.
“In our quest to be the industry’s partner of choice, we are
constantly looking at ways to enhance our courses, develop our
students and provide the industry with better people,” Wilson
says.“As an industry leader we have recently gained recognition
from several Australian Universities that will allow our students
to seamlessly continue to degree level.”

Ross Willis
For more information on the Hostec Academies,
visit www.hostec.com.au

HOTEL SCHOOLS melbourne

Hyatt launches national hospitality school

In a special ceremony with Federal Tour-
ism Minister Martin Ferguson, Aus-
tralia’s Hyatt hotels have launched the
Pacific School of Hospitality (PSOH).
Showing a continued dedication to employee
training and customer service, participating
Hyatt hotels in Australia including Grand Hy-
att Melbourne, Hyatt Hotel Canberra, Hyatt
Regency Coolum, Hyatt Regency Perth, Hyatt
Regency Sanctuary Cove, Park Hyatt Mel-
bourne and Park Hyatt Sydney have launched
the PSOH, which provides associates work-
ing in these hotels with continuous work-
place learning.
The curriculum of PSOH includes
training and development courses and
also allows hotel staff to complete a Cer- ing in something that promotes career
tificate III or IV in Hospitality while development, retention and productivity.”
working at participating Hyatt hotels. Area Director of Human Resources for
Most hospitality employers in the coun- Hyatt hotels in Australia, Andrew Nod-
try recognize the training certificate.  ding, said: “The development and im-
The program is a joint initiative of Hy- plementation of the PSOH has been
att hotels in Australia, award winning HR a total hotel initiative, with a team of
and training specialists Mint Group and training specialists working tirelessly to
both Federal and State Governments.  prepare specialized training material.”
Mint Group Director, Tony Fritsche, said: “Through the new programme, hotel as-
“We welcome the opportunity to have input sociates will receive a wealth of experience
on such a valuable training tool. Training in and knowledge enabling them to perform
the current economy makes good business their job with confidence and skill. Each
sense. The Hyatt hotels participating in this associate will have a personalised learning
new programme will not only be improv- syllabus customised to suit their individual
ing the skills of their staff, but also invest- requirements,” Nodding said.

56 Hotel & Accommodation Management

 people
onthemove
people

Graham Wilson
Peppers has bolstered its leadership team in
Tropical North Queensland with two key staff
appointments. JENNIFER ISAAC has been
appointed General Manager of Peppers Beach
Club, Port Douglas and MICHAEL BROOKS has
replaces retiring
JB
been appointed General Manager of Peppers Balé,
Port Douglas, with both bringing outstanding Ray Stone at Accor
backgrounds in property management to their respective
positions. Brooks brings a proven track record in managing Graham Wilson
high-end hospitality product to his position, having been General
Manager of Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast and also General
Manager of strata title cruise liner, The World. Down south,
BELINDA CROUDIS has been promoted from front office manager
to hotel manager at luxury Tasmanian hotel Peppers Seaport.
Croudis brings extensive local knowledge to the top job having
worked for some of Launceston’s leading hotels in addition to
holding senior positions with Rydges and the Mantra Group in New
Zealand. Still within the organization, Mantra Group, has announced
a number of key appointments in New South Wales, Victoria and
Tasmania. Experienced hospitality professional LISA KNOWLSON
has taken the position of General Manager at award winning Coffs
Harbour property BreakFree Aanuka Beach Resort. In other staff
movements, JEFFREY BRANCH has been appointed General
Manager of Mantra Erskine Beach Resort, Lorne, Victoria. Most
recently Branch was managing his own Vanuatu property and has
also worked with Mirvac as General Manager of Citigate Sebel The
Entrance, Sea Temple Palm Cove and Sebel Vanuatu.

Rendezvous Hospitality Group (RHG) has

announced its new senior management team
which will support the recently appointed CEO,
IQBAL JUMABHOY in implementing the new
corporate direction of the Hotel Group at all
levels of business. The senior management team,
MM which will be based at corporate headquarters in
Singapore by early 2010 includes: SEAN FLYNN as
Executive Vice President of Operations. Flynn will
oversee the operations of all hotels in the Group
as well as pre-opening, operational training, and
purchasing activities; EDDY TAN as Chief Financial
Officer. Tan joined RHG in September 2009 and
PS
is responsible for the finance, tax, and treasury
functions of the Group; WOOLSEY MCKERNON as
Senior Vice President of Property. McKernon will
be responsible for managing all real estate-related
projects within RHG, including owned, leased and
managed properties, ensuring that the brand and
operational requirements are translated into the
physical product; MICHAEL MEADE as Senior
GJ Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Coming
from a similar role with the former RHI for the past two years,
Meade will be responsible for driving brand development, sales,
distribution and promotion for the Group; PATRICK SHEEHAN
as Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Sheehan will
oversee the selection and development of the Group’s people,
innovative learning and talent management strategies as well as
the growth of RHG’s dynamic corporate culture; TIM ETHERIDGE
as Senior Vice President Information Technology. Etheridge
will oversee the full spectrum of information services delivery
across the Group, including data centres, application vendors
and distribution technologies; SUDARSHAN DHURU as Regional
Finance Controller. Dhuru will oversee controlling, consolidation,
management reporting, planning and tax structuring for RHG;
PETER TUNG as Vice President Pre-Opening. Tung has over
30 years of experience in the hospitality industry and has held
senior appointments with international 5-star hotels and serviced
apartments in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore;
and GEOFFREY JOHNSTONE as Regional Vice President of
Operations, Australia and New Zealand. Johnstone will oversee
the operations of all hotels in the region while maintaining his
role as General Manager of Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne.
French-born DANIEL TOURANCHEAU has been appointed
Executive Chef at Market Square Restaurant at The Sebel
Launceston.
Ray Stone is retiring as Senior Vice President Sales and Market-
ing of Accor Asia Pacific after 13 years in senior executive roles
for the company.
His role will be taken over at the start of 2010 by Gra-
ham Wilson, currently Vice President Marketing for Accor
Asia Pacific. Stone will continue his involvement with Ac-
cor in 2010 as Senior Advisor, where he will be responsible for
major partnerships and Accor’s involvement in trade shows.
Stone has had an extensive career in the hotel industry. He com-
menced with Accor in 1996 as General Manager Sales and Market-
ing for the Pacific region and assumed his current role in 2003.
Chairman and COO Asia-Pacific Michael Issenberg said Stone
had made a substantial contribution to Accor during his 13 years.
“Ray’s contribution has been invaluable in establishing Accor as
the pre-eminent hotel company in Asia Pacific,” he said.
“We are very pleased that his experience and knowledge will be
available to us in 2010, as he takes on a consultancy role as Senior
Advisor. He has worked extensively with Graham Wilson over the
past decade and this will ensure a smooth and seamless transition.
“In his consultancy role he will concentrate on key partnerships
as well as Accor’s involvement in trade shows and World of Accor,
which he pioneered so successfully for the company.
“Graham Wilson brings a wealth of experience and initiative to
the position of Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing - Asia Pa-
cific. Graham has been with Accor Asia Pacific since it was founded
in 1993, and he is well known for his success initially as Director of
Sales and Marketing for the Pacific and more recently as Vice Presi-
dent Marketing for Asia Pacific.
“We have a very substantial expansion programme taking place
throughout the Asia Pacific region, with particular emphasis on
growing the network in China, India, Vietnam and Australia. This
has involved introducing new brands, new loyalty programmes and
new distribution channels, all designed to build Accor’s position for
the long-term. While there remain short-term economic concerns
in the region, the overall future of the region’s tourism and hospital-
ity industry looks very encouraging.
“I would like to thank Ray for his contribution to the company
and wish Graham all the best in his new and pivotal role in further
building Accor’s position in the Asia Pacific region,” Issenberg said.

Hotel & Accommodation Management  57

 stoppress
inbrief
DAYLESFORD Award-winning Victorian
openings taupo property, Peppers Springs Retreat
& Spa, has raised the bar for guests
Hilton Lake Taupo opens craving healthy and enjoyable choices
with the introduction of organic mini
bars in its rooms. The Hepburn Springs
property has announced the rollout of
the all-organic mini bars as part of its
commitment to establishing Peppers
Springs Retreat & Spa as Victoria’s
premier health and wellbeing retreat.
Utilising local organic produce suppliers
as much as possible, highlights of
the mini bar selection include 100%
Australian owned Thomas Chipman
Hilton

Now open: Hilton Lake Taupo

Hilton Lake Taupo has officially opened its Wing is positioned alongside the Herit-
doors for business in the popular Taupo resort age Wing with panoramic views over Lake
district on New Zealand’s North Island. Taupo and to the volcanic mountains of Mt
Managed by Hilton Worldwide, the 113- Ruapehu, New Zealand’s largest ski field.
room Hilton Lake Taupo is one of the first up- “Hilton Lake Taupo is truly spectacular and I
scale, full-service international hotel brands am pleased we will be managing a hotel in one
to open in Taupo and the second Hilton hotel of New Zealand’s most significant leisure and
in New Zealand after Auckland. meetings destinations,” said Hilton Worldwide
The hotel is comprised of the Heritage Asia Pacific president, Martin Rinck.
Wing, previously known as the historic Ter- “The new hotel reflects the very high
races Hotel, built in 1889 and now com- standards that guests from around the world
pletely re-furbished, and a new wing of 100 have come to expect from the Hilton experi-
rooms – the Mountain Wing. The Mountain ence,” he said.
people melbourne
Quest Serviced Apartments Chairman,
Paul Constantinou, pictured, has been
honoured with the Ernst & Young 2009
Australian Entrepreneur of the Year
award, recognising his creativity and
innovation. Constantinou opened the
first Quest property over 20 years ago
and the company now consists of more
than 125 properties. “To receive the award
is a credit to the entire Quest group,”
Constantinou said. -LS
AIRLINES MELBOURNE
chips made from local potatoes; Loving
Earth organic and wild crafted foods
such as dark chocolate; Absolute
Organic produce including beetroot and
sweet potato chips; treats from Essential
Living Foods, a farm-to-table sustainable
business based in nearby Yandoit;
premium Jasper Coffee produced by a
100% carbon neutral Melbourne business
and premium handcrafted certified
organic wines from Captain Creek
Winery. Guests can also purchase an
organic mini bar gift set to take home.
DUNK ISLAND The recent acquisition
of world heritage listed Dunk Island
by Hideaway Resorts marks the
beginning of a new era for the popular
Australian island paradise. Already a
perennial favourite with sun seekers
and holidaymakers, Dunk Island is set
to re-establish itself as Queensland’s
premier tourism destination thanks to
a planned makeover of facilities and
services. Newly appointed CEO Darren
Cann is overseeing the work that will
cement Dunk Island’s position at the
top of holiday maker’s wish list. “It is a
very exciting time on Dunk Island, as we
make changes to uphold our position
as a market leader. Without giving the
game away, we will be involved in local
projects and will continually improve
and develop the customer experience,”
he said. Whatever the changes involve,
Dunk Island will remain the ideal island
for a tropical getaway. Hideaway
Resorts, based in Cairns, took over
ownership of Dunk Island, as well as

Viva Macau Adds Melbourne nearby Bedarra on September 21, 2009

By James Wilkinson
Macau’s popularity as a conference and in-
centive destination is set to soar, following
the announcement by Viva Macau Airlines of
new direct flights from Melbourne.
The highly anticipated second Australian
destination for the Chinese SAR’s low-cost
airline will be flown twice-weekly by Viva
Macau from December 9 and will comple-
ment the existing Sydney services.
Viva Macau CEO Reg Macdonald said
Melbourne beat Brisbane to the new flights
and the new flights would be operated by
two-class Boeing 767-300ER aircraft.
“After an intensive search across the globe,
Viva Macau is adding Melbourne, Australia,
to our growing network,” he said.
“Melbourne won out against numerous
other points under consideration. We were
impressed by Melbourne’s attractiveness
as a tourist destination and market with
great potential, and by the coordinated and
proactive approach of the Melbourne air-
port and government.
“We are very excited about the addition of
Macau-Melbourne as a great new route for
Viva Macau,” he said.
Like the Sydney route, prices between
Melbourne and Macau will be the most af-
fordable seen to the Hong Kong region in
some time – one-way economy airfares start
from $339 and premium class airfares start
from $639 (including taxes).
and remain committed to introducing
more facilities and activities in 2010, to
create an island Utopia in Australia.
MELBOURNE Quest Serviced
Apartments provides travellers the
comfort of staying in a fully equipped,
self-contained apartment offering
kitchen and laundry facilities, plus
the option of a fully stocked pantry
waiting for them on arrival, thanks to
the Quest Pantry Shopping service. This
unique service allows Quest guests to
place a grocery shopping order prior
to arrival so that Quest can do the
shopping on each guest’s behalf. The
Pantry Shopping service allows guests
the option of preparing and enjoying
a fresh, home cooked meal on arrival
rather than spending on in-house
catering or having to leave the property
to eat out soon after they’ve arrived.

58 Hotel & Accommodation Management

 are you
a leading
hotel
brand?
let the hoteliers Find you in the leaders ForuM

hotel & aCCoMModation ManageMent leaders ForuM 2010

For all details call Adam Daff on 02 8586 6209 or email adaff@intermedia.com.au before January 15, 2010
 They want the right super fund.
You want to keep your cool.

If you’re the one with the headaches at super

time, you’ll really appreciate having Intrust Super
at your service. We’ll stay in touch and keep it
simple. So you’ll be happy and so will your staff. Ph 132 467 www.intrust.com.au
Especially when they visit www.intrust.com.au
and see that all profits are returned to members
of our 100% Industry Super Fund.

The information contained in this document is of a general nature only, and does not take into account your individual situation, objectives and needs. You should
consider the appropriateness of the general information having regard to your own situation before making any investment decision. A Product Disclosure
INT0102

Statement is available at www.intrust.com.au or call us on 132 467 for a copy. The Trustee of Intrust Super is IS INDUSTRY FUND Pty Ltd | ABN: 45 010 814 623
AFSL No: 238051 | RSE Licence No: L0001298 | RSE Registration No: R1004397 | Intrust Super ABN 65 704 511 371 | SPIN: HPP0100AU