NEWS

Hotels raise £37k and counting for charity partner

Independent hotel management company RBH has added £18,500 to its fundraising pot for charity partner 4Louis – taking its total for the partnership to just over £37,000.

UK-wide charity, 4Louis was launched in 2009 by the family of baby Louis – who was stillborn at 38 weeks gestation – to support those affected by miscarriage, stillbirth or the death of a baby or child.

Some of the events which contributed to the five figure fundraising total includes a burger pop up on the London Marathon route held by Holiday Inn Express Limehouse and various small scale events raising a collective £6,200 by Aberdeen Altens.

Bob McGurrell, 4Louis Chairman, said “The donation of £18,500 is very welcome in this current climate as all our events have been cancelled. We will continue to support bereaved families across the county. We are eternally grateful for all your support, thank you!”

Physical challenges have proven to be fantastic fundraisers for the RBH team in aid of 4Louis with Raymond Peebles from Aberdeen Altens who raised £2,000 thanks to a sky dive and various members of the RBH office team who completed a Scafell Pike hike raising £1,700.

Carla Yarrow, RBH Charity Partnerships Manager who has driven fundraising efforts across the business, said, “I’m so proud of everyone at RBH and our hotels for their fantastic efforts this year in aid of such a worthy cause - 4Louis.'

Councillors delay Pacific Quay Holiday Inn project

Plans for a new £18m hotel at Pacific Quay in Glasgow are on hold after councillors delayed a verdict to allow for a hearing about the development. Although 12 letters of support had been received, Glasgow’s development plan limits the use of the land for business or industrial purposes.

Mosaic Architecture + Design submitted proposals with Iceni Projects last year for the 150-bedroom hotel situated on the former Glasgow Garden Festival site. These development, if given the green light, will have seven storeys, and a Skybar on the top floor.

Now a hearing will take place which will feature a presentation by officials and also allow those who support or oppose the application to contribute. RBH Hospitality Management is lined up as the operator.

PERTH BOUTIQUE HOTEL A STEP CLOSER

Henley Homes Group has been confirmed as the preferred bidder for the former Perth & Kinross Council council offices in the city, which they have plans to transform into a new £1.9m boutique hotel for the Rogue City Hotel Group.

The Group, if given the green light, will convert the former High Street offices, category B listed building, and the former council chambers and courtroom.

Henley Homes is a property development group established which through its RCHG brand, has developed the five-star Dunalastair Hotel Suites at Kinloch Rannoch in Perthshire, and is currently working onThe Wellington in Glasgow.

The preferred bidder status follows a competitive marketing process and while not binding to either party, it means negotiations can begin.

Bees buzz in to Monachyle Mhor

Monachyle Mhor Hotel in Balquidder now has two Webster Honey beehives on its grounds and in a unique partnership with the Fife-based honey company the hotel will now offer a series of beekeeping workshops to guests at the hotel and locals too. It’s the first hospitality tie-up for Webster Honey, which was set up by Daniel Webster and his partner Emily-Kate McDonnell in 2016. It now has hives all over the country in various venues from schools to nature reserves while Monachyle Mhor, owned by the Lewis family, has always had a reputation for local and sustainable food practices. Daniel Webster, Managing Director of Webster Honey said, “We could not have hoped for a more suitable hotel with which to work with.”

The owners of The Old Manse of Blair, a five-star boutique hotel in Perthshire, have invested in the hotel with the creation of seven new rooms and the development of a farm shop on its 10-acre Highland estate.

The latest additions have been created within The Stable Block and Railway Cottage and the hope is that the investment will pay over post-Covid.

Owner Anne MacDonald took a keen interest in the interior design of the new contemporary styled rooms which feature a blend of bespoke furniture and eclectic art – all of which have been chosen to make the rooms unique and stylish.

The rooms have their own entrances and are located on the ground floor so from a social distancing point of view the hotel is in a good position and the hotel also has a virtual check-in.

TripAdvisor accolade for Dunstane Houses

The Dunstane Houses in Edinburgh is amongst the top 10% of hotels worldwide having just received an award in Trip Advisor’s annual ‘Best of the Best’ awards which celebrate venues of outstanding merit and customer service. It has placed The Dunstane Houses amongst the top 10% of hotels worldwide. Shirley Mowat of Dunstanes Houses commented, “We are delighted to receive this award as recognition of our team’s hard work and dedication over the course of the last year. Whilst these last months have been challenging, we are so grateful to have been able to reopen our doors and welcome back friends of the Dunstane Houses once again”.

BOOM IN BOOKINGS AT MELDRUM HOUSE

Investing in outdoor dining domes has proved to be inspired spend for Aberdeenshire’s Meldrum House Country Hotel. Their indoor seating was severely restricted due social distancing guidelines so when the hotel re-opened customers were able to book into two new outdoor domes and now it has taken delivery of and opened a third called Luna, due to the demand from customers who have been booking for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner in their droves. General Manager Jordan Charles said, “With the launch of Luna, together the 3 domes will create an extra 500+ covers a week. Castor and Aurora have been open for bookings for almost 6 weeks and have been hugely successful, due partly due to the fact they are socially distant-friendly which keeps contact with other guests to a minimum.”

Although Glasgow’s Grand Central will not open until 2021, its Champagne bar will re-open this month. Champagne Central will now also have a tapas-style kitchen. The hotel will re-open next year as a VOCO hotel, Scotland’s first

Stirling Highland Hotel, part of The Cairn Collection, has created a new outdoor dining terrace in the hotel’s private courtyard. Open to hotel and locals it also has its own al fresco menu. Tables are safely socially distanced to protect guests and staff, and the hotel is also operating an enhanced cleaning programme.

Bruce Group Scotland, the company behind The Cow Shed, Bar Bados and Subway nightclub on Edinburgh’s Cowgate, have presented plans to convert the venues into a new hotel with 26 modern, ‘Scottish-inspired’ rooms. A bar and restaurant will also be developed in the Cow Shed part of the site, with the bedrooms formed above the current Bar Bados nightclub.

CCL Property are marketing the Lochalsh Hotel at offers over £2.25m. Situated in the scenic tourist town of Kyle of Lochalsh on the tranquil West Coast of Scotland, The Lochalsh Hotel has 47 letting rooms, a substantial restaurant and lounge bar which all benefit from breath taking views. The grounds of the hotel include a car park and lawns with picnic areas overlooking the Loch Alsh and the Isle of Skye.

Portavadie, located on Loch Fyne is perhaps best known for its marina as well as its five-star luxury apartments, but now the owners have created pitches for Motorhomes and RV’s too. Its Leisure Experience which has an indoor pool and outdoor pools and possibly the largest heated outdoor infinity pool in Scotland, is also open from 7th September.

A VIRTUAL HUNTING EXPERIENCE AT MARYCULTER HOUSE

Maryculter House, best know as a popular wedding venue is pivoting slightly and has lodged plans with Aberdeenshire Council for a new wooden lodge to house an interactive hunting experience.

The virtual experience would be “in-keeping” with the hotel and be one of the first of its kind in the UK.

The concept will see groups invited to form teams and wear hunting attire as they shoot virtual animals on a giant screen against a backdrop of the Highlands. The aim is to offer an “alternative to traditional country sports”.

Meanwhile the hotel has also cemented its commitment to support the Million Trees Project. Since re-opening on 1st August it has been asking dinners to add a discretionary £1 per person to their bill The cash collected is being donated to a local charitable trust, the River Dee Trust.

The money raised will go directly to supporting the Trust’s aims of planting 1 million trees over the next 15 years in a bid to encourage healthy salmon stocks and flourishing wildlife. The hotel currently owns two fishing beats on the River Dee.

Managing Director of the hotel, Peter Walker (right) said, “Maryculter House sits on the banks of the River Dee, and it’s such a big part of the hotel’s history and future”.

“I have always felt strongly about supporting local businesses and charities and more than ever during these challenging times, this has never been more needed. Contributing to this well-deserved and important environmental cause continues to be high on the hotel’s agenda.”

The trees will help prevent a repetition of the high river temperatures which damaged young salmon stocks on the Upper Dee two years ago. They will provide nutrition and shelter for all river species and they will encourage a wide range of wildlife to thrive.

Dr Lorraine Hawkins, (left) River Director, Dee District Salmon Fishery Board & River Dee Trust said, “It is great that this iconic business is looking after its local environment by supporting our communitybased Trust and the river’s future. This support comes at an especially crucial time, as like many charities, we have been impacted by Covid-19.”

New boutique hotel No 25 by the sea set for Oban

Oban-based hospitality entrepreneur, Paul Sloan, is to open a new boutique hotel in Oban imminently. The nine-room property will be called No. 26 By The Sea and has been designed by Dominic Paul of Glasgow-based IBDP,

The new hotel, formerly the Ach-Na-Mara, or Meadow By The Sea, guesthouse has great views of the bay and islands and guests will reside in rooms which are individually themed including a cabin room, a garden room and a Scottish room, the latter will have a four-poster bed, and feature contemporary tartan. The hotel also will have a small gynamsium and two self-serving honesty bars.

Its new General Manager is Ioana Moldovan, of Oban, who is originally from Transylvania, Romania. She formerly worked at the The Taynuilt Inn.

NEW ‘TONE’ DATE 1.4.22 The Scottish Government has announced in the Programme for Government 2020- 21 published on 1 September that the next non-domestic rates revaluation in Scotland will be delayed by one year. It is now scheduled to take effect on 1 April 2023, the same year as in England and Wales. However, the tone date, unlike England and Wales, will be based on rental values as at 1 April 2022, and not 1 April 2020 as was previously scheduled, nor 1 April 2021 as will now be the case in England and Wales. The Government say this will give sufficient time for market conditions to fully adjust to any post-Covid effects, more so than anywhere else in Great Britain, and these will be reflected in the rateable values assessed which should be more accurate and sustainable. By delaying revaluation it will reduce any shocks and provide stability and certainty on rates bills in the recovery period.. Next month we will look at what this could mean to hospitality businesses across Scotland.

UKH calls for investigation into hospitality energy market

UKHospitality has written to the Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng MP calling on the Government and Ofgem to investigate unfair practices in the energy market.

The trade body has been contacted by hospitality businesses with evidence that they are being unfairly targeted by energy firms.

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said, “It appears that hospitality businesses are being singled-out by energy providers. Prices being quoted are significantly higher for our sector than others and we are even seeing instances of businesses being asked to pay extortionate deposits up-front. One of our members has been instructed to pay a £60,000 deposit for a singe site hotel.

“This behaviour would be wholly unacceptable at the best of times. When it is happening while so many businesses are trying to recover from the COVID-19 crisis and while so many jobs are still on the line, it is totally beyond belief.

“The Government and Ofgem must investigate this immediately. Our sector has already been hit the hardest of any. It can not afford to be unfairly squeezed like this right at the moment it is expected to play a role in the recovery of the economy.”

Ten Hill Place reveals first phase of £1.8M refurb

Edinburgh hotel Ten Hill Place has unveiled the first phase of a £1.8 million refurbishment that includes its new “Big Snug” private dining space and a new look for 40 bedrooms.

The ongoing work will result in the installation of a gym with 18 pieces of Technogym equipment and weights.

Ten Hill Place is operated by Surgeons Quarter, the commercial arm of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh, which invests profits into advancing surgical standards worldwide.

Scott Mitchell, managing director at Surgeons Quarter, said, “Refurbishing the remainder of Ten Hill Place has been a plan of ours since we completed the hotel’s extension in 2018.

“With strict social distancing rules in place and in line with Government guidelines, we have been working with Thomas Johnstone and local contractors to ensure work is carried out as safely as possible for everyone.

We are looking forward to fully completing the next step in our hotel’s journey, which we hope will finish next month. The refurbishment will give us a greater platform to enable the hotel to reach its full potential, furthering our current offering and assisting our charitable aims.”

NEARLY HALF OF JOBS IN HOSPITALITY AT RISK IF SECOND LOCKDOWN COMES

If there’s a prolonged second lockdown academics at the University of Edinburgh Business School fear that 43% of Scottish jobs in tourism and hospitality could be lost as firms go bust. This would mean the loss of 89,870 jobs.

It also estimates that if there is not a second lockdown, but the economic downturn is as bad as 2008 – then a quarter of businesses in the sector could close with the loss of 58,000 jobs – out of the 209,000 employed.

The research carrried out by academics at the University of Edinburgh Business School in collaboration with Wiserfunding, wrote the new report to help governments and business managers decide where to focus support, and it compiled it after looking at the financial statements of 5,000 Scottish companies in the sector, and looked at their profitability and level of debt.

It came to the conclusion that businesses that showed the highest level of adaptability should be rewarded and offered additional, tailored support to overcome the crisis.

Dr Galina Andreeva, senior lecturer in management science at the Business School, said: “We hope that the results of our study will be useful to governments and business managers to decide where to focus support during the next phase.

“Our results confirm that the current government efforts to support the sector are going in the right direction.

“However, we would recommend support tailored to company size to maximise impact. Firms that show the highest level of adaptability should be rewarded and offered additional support to overcome the crisis.

“The withdrawal of current borrowing schemes should be carefully planned in order not to create additional shocks to companies with high debt levels.”

Dr Gabriele Sabato, co-founder and CEO of Wiserfunding, commented, “The picture that comes out of our models is providing a frightening, but also encouraging message for SMEs.

“Although, they have been severely affected by this terrible pandemic, they are also the ones that can adapt faster and lead the recovery.

“The financial industry should carefully consider the results of this study when setting their lending criteria in the post CBILS (Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme) world in order to target the allocation of their funds at boosting the UK recovery.”

The study was funded by the university’s Data-Driven Innovation initiative, part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

Crerar Hotels throws opens doors for NHS

Crerar Hotels welcomed more than 380 NHS key workers and their families to its venues recently to say thank you for all of their efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The guests were chosen following a public nomination process for the ‘Scottish Hospitality for NHS Heroes’ initiative which resulted in thousands of nominations for NHS Heroes, and has resulted in upwards of £250,000 spent by the hotel group to express gratitude to the frontline workers of Covid-19.

Crerar Hotels dedicated all rooms across its portfolio of seven hotels in Royal Deeside, Inverurie, Nairn, Oban, Isle of Mull, Inveraray and Glencoe and catered for 850 guest and 2,000 complimentary stays with Crerar chairman Paddy Crerar CBE hosting a weekend which included champagne, locally sourced food and drink and even private boat trips.

Chris Wayne Wills, CEO of Crerar Hotels, said “We were so pleased to welcome over 380 NHS heroes and their families from across Scotland for a weekend of celebrations. It was great to see them all relax and have a good time. I and the Crerar Hotels team were lucky enough to meet many of these courageous workers face to face and personally thank them for all of their work.”

Each guest also received a personal note of thanks in their room from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Hotels fund their own Eat Out to Help Out Scheme

The Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group chose to extend the Eat Out to Help Out (EOTHO) scheme throughout its venues for the month of September. The group were not the only one to do so – the scheme, which was introduced by the UK Government in a bid to help the hospitality industry and encourage customers to ‘eat out’ has proved to be a real success for the hospitality industry. Other hotels running with a similar offer during September include The Townhead Hotel in Lockerbie, Cawley Hotels, The Chester Hotel and The Rad Hotel Group.

The scheme which ran throughout the month of August, gave customers a 50% discount (maximum £10 per person) at participating restaurants on Mondays to Wednesdays.

The Manorview Group has chosen to extend this scheme with the same deal through Mondays to Wednesdays for the whole of September at five of its venues. That means an extra 15 days for customers to enjoy the offer with the Manorview Group.

David Tracey, Managing Director, Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group, said,“The EOTHO To mark the re-opening of The Fife Arms in Braemar, a specially created new neon, ‘Work No. 3435: EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT’ by the Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed, has been unveiled with the backdrop of Braemar Castle and will and remain in situ in the Highland village for the rest of the summer. Martin Creed is known for his hugely varied work, which is by turns uncompromising, entertaining, shocking and beautiful. His charmingly engaging photographic print of two dogs, ‘Work No. 1094’, is also part of the hotel’s large art collection. scheme has been a successful initiative. We have welcomed many customers, old and new, into our venues and our team has a renewed sense of purpose. We have noted a nervousness among some people as they venture back outside. This has made us appreciate the efforts our customers have made to support us. As a result, we have decided to extend the EOTHO offer. We want to offer something extra to our customers to thank them and to help them enjoy the benefits of this scheme a little while longer.”

The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen has launched a scheme called Missed Out On Eating Out? Graham Wood, owner of Aberdeen’s Chester Hotel says, “People living in Aberdeen missed out on the chancellor’s scheme due to the localised lockdown. We’re giving everyone the opportunity to eat out with us with a generous discount for three weeks in September. People have missed out on family celebrations and friendly get togethers for many months now and we hope the Missed Out On Eating Out campaign gives everyone an opportunity to enjoy some

Research from building society, The Cumberland, has revealed that 83% of Brits would prefer to holiday in the UK than travel abroad this year: 71% plan to holiday in the UK in 2021: 68% citing fears of being stranded abroad due to COVID-19; 55% admitted to concerns around quarantine measures; 39% selected hotels as their preferred accommodation and 31% opted for self-catering cottages.

EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT...

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properly distanced socialisation.” Federica Bertolini, General Manager of The Fife Arms said, “Our art collection never fails to delight, surprise and intrigue our guests. The installation of ‘Everything is going to be alright’ in the open air is an extension of our collection – and a celebration of our glorious setting in the Cairngorms. It will also be a very thought-provoking, but reassuring and smilemaking, welcome to the village.” Martin Creed, a Scot, who grew up in Lenzie, is particularly well-known for the much-loved Scotsman Steps in Edinburgh, a public staircase joining two streets made with more than a hundred different types of marble. The phrase ‘Everything is going to be alright’ has been used by the artist in a series of large-scale neon works since 1999 and draws on the comforting words Creed was offered by a friend. He explains, “If you are upset and someone speaks to you to try to help you, even if the words are empty because no one knows what is going to happen in the future, it can still feel like a comfort. No-one can really tell you everything is going to be alright, but despite that, many times in my life I have been very comforted by people saying something like that to me.” The resulting work has never resonated so poignantly as in the current situation.

Hotel Support Scheme must be followed by additional support

The £14m Hotel Support Scheme which closes on 9th September for applications needs to augmented by further support says UKHospitality. Executive Director for Scotland Willie Macleod says, “This needs to the first step on the road to recovery, not the final one, though. Hospitality businesses remain in rescue mode despite reopening over a month ago. There is still a lot more that can and should be done to support Scottish hotels and the wider tourism and hospitality sectors that are so vitally important to the Scottish economy. “Rents are still a huge issue for many businesses, notably casual dining, and we are going to need both fiscal and non-fiscal support to get through the crisis, probably in the form of a grant combined with a further extension of the moratorium on lease irritation. The business rates holiday and VAT cut both need to be extended and businesses will need help if they are expected to hire and retain workers following the end of the furlough arrangement for staff at the end of October. “

ANDREW FAIRLIE SCHOLARSHIP SEEKS ASPIRING CHEFS IN SCOTLAND

Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland have announced that the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship is again seeking applications from aspiring chefs working in Scotland and this year it also applies to chefs on furlough or who have been made redundant. The scholarship, now in its second year, sponsored jointly by HIT Scotland, the Scottish Government and Gleneagles, is awarded annually to a male and female chef who want to progress their career, and it reflects Andrew Fairlie’s unwavering commitment to diversity in the kitchen. The recipients will gain industry-wide recognition as Andrew Fairlie Scholars and experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to continue their culinary education, such as a practical stage in an international kitchen and at 2 Michelin star Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles.

Last year, the scholarships were awarded to Emma-Rose Milligan, 24, from Kilmarnock, Demi Chef de Partie at Chez Roux at Inverlochy Castle in Fort William, and Joseph Harte, 24, a Junior Sous Chef at Douneside House in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire. The judges remain the same as last year, with 2 Michelin starred chefs Tom Kerridge and Sat Bains, Masterchef winner and National Chef of Scotland, Gary McLean, Stephen McLaughlin, Head Chef at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Lorna McNee, Head Chef at Cail Bruich, and Andrew’s former mentor Keith Podmore all lending their expertise. In support of the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said, “This is a fantastic opportunity in memory of one of Scotland’s most inspirational chefs and I would encourage any aspiring chefs to consider applying. “The hospitality industry has been severely impacted by the current pandemic and it will be vital as we move towards the safe and sustained recovery of the sector that we make the most of Scotland’s wealth of talent, skills and creativity. “This scholarship will once again provide a fantastic opportunity for two chefs to enhance not only Scotland’s reputation but their own, as they forge what will undoubtedly be successful careers.” David Cochrane, Chief Executive of HIT Scotland, added,“We were extremely impressed with the quality of last year’s entrants, who truly showed the high calibre of chefs who are working and learning in restaurants across Scotland. “It is very exciting to again be launching the search for those chefs who represent the values of Andrew Fairlie. We’re looking for people who demonstrate his work ethic, integrity and passion for excellence and who will continue to represent these qualities in Andrew’s name as they forge their careers.” Conor O’Leary, Managing Director at Gleneagles, said, “Gleneagles is delighted to continue in its support of the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship, and carry on the work that Andrew so passionately started. Now, more than ever, it will be crucial to do all we can to provide a platform to the emerging talent within the Scottish hospitality industry, and we are excited to see what the future holds for the recipients and to be playing just a small role in what we are confident will be very promising careers.” Stephen McLaughlin, Head Chef at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, said, “I am so excited to have the ball rolling again on year two! All our finalists displayed fabulous skills and each one of them showed a true passion for learning. They also had a wonderful attitude towards each other. Chef Andrew would have been over the moon with our two winners. Joe and Emma-Rose both displayed everything required that comes with the responsibility of being an Andrew Fairlie Scholar. “The Andrew Fairlie Scholarship is a must enter experience for chefs that truly want to learn, develop and flourish in an industry that genuinely allows passionate, committed people to be as good as they want to be.” To apply, potential candidates will complete an online application stating why they feel that they should win the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship, and what they think it takes to run a successful kitchen. The finalists will take part in a skills test which will focus on their knowledge and creativity, with the winners showing the right mix of personality and professionalism to be named an Andrew Fairlie Scholar. Eligible applicants can find out more information by visiting https:// hitscotland.co.uk/scholarships/.

THE TECHNOLOGY AND SAFETY FEATURES HOTEL GUESTS WANT DURING COVID-19

Agrowing appreciation for mobile technology and contactless services in hotels has been accelerated by COVID-19. Research commissioned by technology provider Criton, with 7,000 travellers, has revealed that 80% of hotel guests would now download a hotel app that would enable them to check-in, check-out and get all information about the hotel; a 10% increase compared to March 2020. Only 8% of guests now would feel comfortable to check-in and check-out at a public kiosk. The findings highlight crucial information for hoteliers, with guests’ mobile phones now clearly being recognised as an essential tool for delivering a safe and carefree experience. With 43% of travellers staying in a 3-star hotel and 40% staying in a 4 or 5-star hotel, findings show that, compared to March this year, a higher percentage of guests, 73%, would download and use an app that would enable them to open the door of their room. Research findings also highlight the need for hoteliers to adopt contactless solutions to boost revenue as almost half of the respondents, 47%, said they would be more likely to order in-room service or to go to the hotel restaurant if they could use a mobile app to place their order. The importance for hotels to communicate their new guest safety protocols is confirmed by the fact that 75% of respondents said that the hotel should have clearly defined cleaning standards to fight against COVID-19; with 67% of travellers saying that, in order to consider staying in a hotel, the hotel staff should disinfect everything that people might touch in a hotel room. Reflecting on the results of the survey, Julie Grieve, founder and CEO of Criton said, “At Criton, we work hard to track and really understand changes in guest technology requirements to allow us to ensure our operators benefit from that knowledge to enhance their guest experience and drive their bottom line. Undoubtedly due to Covid-19 there has been a significant change in how guests are looking to interact with the hotel, however in reality the demand for digital was there before the global pandemic. At Criton, our mission is to make it easy for independent hotels and groups to embrace digital to give their guests that choice of interaction pre, during and poststay”. Julie Grieve, founder and CEO of Criton Criton is a guest engagement and integration platform which simplifies digital transformation in hotels, helping operators save money, stay engaged with guests and drive more revenue with a sophisticated mobile app. Research Methodology: An online survey ran between February and March 2020 and received 5,405 responses. As the landscape of the hospitality industry changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Criton ran another online survey which between July and August 2020 received 2,549 responses.

KEY FINDINGS OF THE AUGUST SURVEY Accommodation preferences - 43% of respondents said they stay in a 3-star hotel - 40% of respondents said they stay in a 4 or 5-star hotel Technology preferences for check-in/out - 62% of respondents said they would prefer to check-in and out through a hotel app - 30% said they would prefer to check-in and out through a webpage - 8% said they would prefer to check-in and out at a public kiosk Contactless technology preferences - 80% of respondents said they would download a hotel app that would allow them to check-in, check-out and get all information about the hotel - 73% would download and use an app that would enable them to open the door of their room - 47% would be more likely to order room service if the hotel would give them the option of ordering via an app - 48% would be more likely to go to the hotel restaurant if the hotel would give them the option of ordering food via an app Safety measures when staying in a hotel - 75% of respondents said that the hotel should have clearly defined cleaning standards to combat COVID-19 - 67% said that in order to consider staying in a hotel, the hotel staff should disinfect everything that people might touch in a hotel room - 42% of respondents said they would expect the hotel to replace complimentary toiletries, whether used or not, between guests - 53% of respondents would still prefer to eat in the hotel restaurant, followed by 18% who would use room service.

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