Canadian Lodging News - March 2014 by Ishcom Publications

LodgingNews March 2014 Vol. 11 No. 2

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Two new brands for Carlson Rezidor

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A Couple of Chicks’ Game Changer

In true Minnesota style, Carlson Rezidor executives Thorsten Kirschke (above) and Javier Rosenberg bundled up to go ice fishing in a humourous video to kick off Day 2 of the Radisson and Radisson Blu Americas Conference. Right, at a press conference on Carlson Rezidor Hotels’ new brands are, left to right, David Berg, COO Carlson, Gordon McKinnon, EVP and chief branding officer for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, and Wolfgang Neumann, president and CEO of Rezidor Hotel Group. More Radisson coverage on page 6.

By Colleen Isherwood, editor MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Gordon McKinnon, executive vice-president and chief branding officer for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, unveiled two new brands at the Radisson and Radisson Blu Americas Hotel Conference in Minneapolis on Feb. 19.

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Quorvus Luxury Collection The Quorvus Luxury Collection, to be launched in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, will allow luxury certification while promoting each hotel’s individuality, along the lines of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. In a press conference following the announcement, McKinnon said the collection would be “a notch above Autograph… just below Four Seasons or Ritz-Carlton.” McKinnon also said that while Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific were target areas, “if anyone has a property in New York or San Francisco that they want to share with us, we would be more than happy to have that conversation.”

Radisson Red The second brand, Radisson Red, will be launched in 2015 as an upscale

select brand. With upscale rooms and select hotel services, these types of hotels made up the top six JD Power brands in the upscale category in 2013. The brand would operate in the same space as Aloft, Indigo, Hyatt Place, Tryp, Element, Courtyard and Hilton Garden Inn. The target group for the brand will be the 89 million millennials in the U.S. Specs include a two-acre site and an 80,000-square-foot property made up of 70,000 square feet of guestrooms and 10,000 square feet of back-of-house and front-of-house space. Rooms will be 325 square feet in North America, although Wolfgang Neumann, Rezidor Hotel Group president and chief executive officer, noted that room size would be flexible in different geographical areas. McKinnon described the entry space as being “like a private gallery.” Check-in will be paperless, and there will be a bar and deli rather than a restaurant. Other elements include multifunctional areas, connectivity and a communal table. The modern, eclectic décor might include elements such as a pool table. The desk and office chair in the guestrooms or “studios” will be re-

placed by a flexible arrangement of a table and four chairs, while suitcases can fit under the beds. One guestroom style, called Studio Four, will house up to four people and may include bunk beds. Asked whether Radisson Red would have a cookie cutter design, McKinnon said that while the signature items (or bones) will be the same, the skin would be flexible.

“It is cookie cutter from an efficiency point of view, but it will have different touches and flexibility within the local market,” said McKinnon. Asked if Radisson Red would be appropriate for Canada, McKinnon said they are defining the product in the Americas market, with an eye to global expansion. Target markets include “first ring cities,” he added. More Radisson coverage on page 6.

HAC: Faster horses and millennials TORONTO— Sheryl Connelly is a futurist with Ford Motor Company, but 15 years ago, when she and her sister visited a fortune teller, she felt uncomfortable. Sheryl Connelly “It wasn’t like I actually believed—it was supposed to be fun. But when [the for-

tune teller] turned up the fourth and final card, and it was the death card, I saw it as an ominous sign of things to come. All these years later, I am alive and well. But I had the feeling I had done something wrong—good, bad or indifferent, I don’t want to know what the future holds.” Connelly provided the keynote address at this year’s Hotel Association of Canada conference, held at the Eaton Chelsea hotel on February 12.

This is Extended Stay. This is Studio 6.

Continued on page 6

Patricia Brusha will mix and match mentors and students in advance of Online Revealed 2014 in Toronto.

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Labour-saving laundry at Casino Rama

Casino Rama saves 15 person hours of labour each day thanks to implementation of an RFID laundry system.

Art deco accents at Bistrot Cartier

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Bistrot Cartier at the Best Western Gatineau-Ottawa—part of a multimillion dollar reno that is boosting business.

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Patricia Brusha’s idea a Game Changer MISSISSAUGA, ON—What changed the career game for you? asks Patricia Brusha, best known as one half of A Couple of Chicks, who have hosted the Online Revealed Conference for the past decade. Most often it was a mentor or two—someone who inspired you, guided you and helped you with your career aspirations. Her own experience in the industry has been a positive one, and now Brusha is looking to share her knowledge of hospitality and online marketing by hosting an event that will link mentors with college and university students. What better time to do it than immediately preceding the Online Revealed Conference, tapping into the skills and expertise of the conference speakers—people from Facebook, Google and TripAdvisor and hotel companies such as InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). Canadian Lodging News’ Colleen Isherwood has been asked to mentor students interested in print and online magazine publishing. “Young people still in school or recent graduates taking hospitality, tourism marketing, food and beverage or social media are finding out that actual jobs are nothing like the textbooks—changes in this field are happening so quickly that [colleges and universities] can’t teach them fast enough,” said Brusha. “The only way I ever got anywhere in 36 years is through people, networking, advice and relationships,” Brusha told CLN. The event, called Game Changer, will be held from noon until 4 p.m. on April 7 at the Hilton Toronto Airport hotel. Students must be 19 or older and registration costs $20. They will be asked to pick their top three interests from a roster of about 20

Patricia Brusha (left) and Courtney Michaels at last year’s Online Revealed conference.

subjects including SEO, social media, advertising, hotel sales and hospitality, gaming, food and beverage and event management. These choices will be used to pair about six students with each mentor. The event will start with a Meet the Mentor lunch. “Students won’t know until the day they show up whether they are lunching with Expedia, Google, Caesar’s Entertainment or Porter Airlines,” said Brusha. Lunch will be followed by four mini-keynote presentations from companies that include Google, TripAdvisor and XBox, which is becoming huge in marketing travel, Brusha said. Part three consists of the Career Explora-

tion Marketplace where students will have oneon-one face time with five additional industry leaders. And part four consists of an online space where participants will form a LinkedIn Community Group and upload their resumes. At the end of the day, students will receive business card holders for all the cards they will have accumulated. “We still have spaces for mentors and for sponsors, and we’re encouraging swag—lanyards, bags to carry things and more,” said Brusha. The target is 100 to 200 people including mentors and students. For more information, contact Courtney Michaels, cmichaels@onlinerevealed.com.

ORHMA program director Robert Coish audits a hotel

TORONTO—Since launching last August, the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association’s Retrofit Savings Program for hotels and motels has audited 40 properties and identified approximately $800,000 per year in total energy savings. Funded by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA), the program provides a free ASHRAE Level 1 energy audit valued at $2,000. Following each audit, ORHMA writes a report recommending energy efficiency savings measures, including payback timelines. In tandem with the report, the retrofit program suggests incentives, provided by the local electric utility (among Ontario’s 83 distributors), to offset the costs of upgrades; offers free assistance with incentive application submissions if the hotel chooses to proceed; and pro-

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Kicking Horse ranks as Canada’s most expensive ski resort

ORHMA: $800,000/year in energy savings

By Don Douloff, contributing editor

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GOLDEN, BC—Kicking Horse, located close to Golden, British Columbia, is the most expensive ski resort in Canada. That finding is according to a new survey from CheapHotels.org, which compared all important ski resorts in North America based on the cost of their lodging. In particular, the survey checked the price skiers will have to spend to stay in each resort’s most affordable double room during the month of February. With an average cost of $176 per night, the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort ranks priciest among all Canadian ski resorts. In the U.S., however, eight resorts are even more expensive than Kicking Horse. Topping the list is Utah’s Deer Valley, where the least expensive room is averaging $395 nightly this February. Coming in second and third most expensive respectively are Snowbird in Utah ($312) and Beaver Creek in Colorado ($289). Whistler Blackcomb, North America’s largest ski resort, ranks 14th most expensive overall at $149 per night. A bit more expensive is the Panorama Mountain Resort, located in the Purcell Mountains of Southeastern British Columbia. An average nightly rate of $169 positions it as the second most expensive resort in Canada, and 11th most expensive overall. For the full results of the survey, visit http://www.cheaphotels.org/press/skiresorts2014.html

W hotel partners with Igloofest MONTREAL—As the official partner hotel for the 8th edition of Igloofest, W Montréal invited guests to experience one of the coolest events in Montreal this winter. For the four weeks ending Feb. 8, thousands of electronic music fans came to Montreal to dance under the stars at the Old Port for Igloofest with local and international DJs. As the official hotel, W Montréal created a special Igloofest package including tickets to the event(up to a maximum of four adults) and two free cocktails at Bartini located in the lobby of the hotel. After dancing the night away, guests could also enjoy some well-deserved rest with a late checkout of 3 p.m. Packages started from $245 per night.

First children’s hotel menu vides operational recommendations, including staff training to help properties further improve energy efficiency. The 40 hotel audits identified potential energy savings in a number of areas, including lighting, HVAC, chillers, PTAC units, pumps, motors and building envelope, Robert Coish, ORHMA program director, told CLN.

Average payback of one year The $800,000 in projected savings feature an average payback period of one year and translate to 8-million kilowatt hours of energy saved, said Coish, who conducts the onsite audits for ORHMA. Moreover, the 40 audits identified $294,000 in available incentives from local distribution companies, he said. “We are estimating more than 150 additional properties [will] be audited in 2014.” While the energy savings potentially realized

by the audited hotels are substantial, individual properties also stand to experience sizeable savings and take advantage of considerable incentives. For example, an audit of a large Toronto hotel resulted in a report outlining 4.8-million kilowatt hours of potential savings, $487,017 per year in energy savings (based on $0.10 per kilowatt hour) and incentives totaling $90,942, said Coish. So far, ORHMA has assisted a hotel in Windsor, ON, with submitting an incentive application through the local electrical utility. That project, said Coish, would entail replacing T12 fixtures with LED recessed downlights in hallways and guestrooms. It would cost $6,032 and provide 23,260 kilowatt hours in total energy savings, translating to $3,259 in yearly energy savings. Once eligible incentives of $2,668 are factored in, the payback period is 1.1 years.

ATLANTA, GA—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) recently announced the launch of the first global children’s hotel menu designed by a child nutrition expert and an award winning chef. The menu, which debuts at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts this year, promises to take children through an exciting journey of food discovery. The menu has been jointly developed by award winning celebrity chef, Theo Randall, chef patron of Theo Randall at the InterContinental, and leading children’s food expert and best-selling international author, Annabel Karmel MBE. The menu features delicious dishes which embrace flavours, textures, smells and tastes that will take children on an educational voyage around the world while ensuring an enjoyable and nutritionally balanced meal.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

LodgingNews www.canadianlodgingnews.com Editor Colleen Isherwood ext. 231 cisherwood@canadianlodgingnews.com Senior Contributing Editor Leslie Wu ext. 227 lwu@canadianrestaurantnews.com Contributing Editors Marni Andrews marni@trolltales.com Don Douloff ext. 232 ddouloff@canadianrestaurantnews.com Larry Mogelonsky larry@lma.ca Kristen Smith ext. 238 ksmith@canadianlodgingnews.com Jonathan Zettel ext. 226 jzettel@canadianlodgingnews.com Senior Account Manager Debbie McGilvray ext. 233 dmcgilvray@canadianlodgingnews.com Account Manager Kim Kerr ext. 229 kkerr@canadianlodgingnews.com Production Stephanie Giammarco sgiammarco@canadianlodgingnews.com Circulation Manager Don Trimm ext. 228 dtrimm@canadianrestaurantnews.com Controller Tammy Turgeon ext. 237 tammy@canadianlodgingnews.com How to reach us: Tel (905) 206-0150

Com m e n t By Colleen Isherwood, editor

A message from generation Y Jimmy Hilsinger, owner of Algoma’s Water Tower Hotel in Sault Ste. Marie, ON had a number of jobs as a teenager, but the one he remembers best is working for an aircraft plant at 50 cents an hour. My first job at age 14 was as a page at the Eatonville Public Library in Etobicoke, filing books at 80 cents per hour. We are both boomers, obviously, and so were most of the attendees at the Hotel Association of Canada Conference in Toronto last month. Curt Steinhorst, 30, who spoke to conference on Feb. 12, asked the group what advice they would have for his generation, as they started their first job at, say, age 27. The responses were quick. “Remember to smile.” “We can do it.” “Now pull up your pants ...” “My generation has a lot to learn,” Steinhorst said. But, he pointed out, gen-Y is the product of a very different life experience. “On average, we are starting our first jobs six or seven years later than earlier generations. Many kids at 23 have never had a job. Compare that to you at 23, with two kids, two dogs and a

mortgage with no support from your parents.” But by 2017 gen-Y is expected to have more spending power than the boomers. “We are the single most influential generation with the least established loyalty. We’re the easiest to please—just stop talking to us!” Steinhorst said, only half joking.“If you treat us right, we will show up one week later with seven friends in a KIA.” Generations are not a box that fits every person of a certain age, Steinhorst noted, but they offer powerful clues on how to engage different ages. He added that the two most important trends that differentiate gen-Y from earlier generations are parenting trends and technology. Steinhorst gave this example of how parenting trends have changed. On the boomer’s 18th birthday, Mom and Dad greeted their child at the door together (because they were married). They said, “We love you, we are so proud of you and you have a bright future. You can get a job, join the military

or go to college.” There were 80 million boomers—more people than jobs. Their secret to success was to outwork the competition. “Tell us about [that work ethic]—it freaks us out!” said Steinhorst. On the gen-Y’s 18th birthday, the child was greeted at the door by the parents—one drove in for the occasion. They said “We love you. As long as you go to university, we’ll help you out—for the next seven years!” And when those children finished school, 86 per cent went back home. Generation Y wants to be valued, challenged and included. Steinhorst gave the example of a highly motivated gen-Y bartender at a resort he and his wife visited. The bartender was motivated because her employers let her go scuba diving for free. She could visit other hotels and stay free. She felt valued. And she passed that feeling along to Steinhorst and his wife, who is pregnant. “I told her my wife was sick one morning, and she sent me a hand-written note with some ginger pieces to help with morning sickness. “Gen-Ys can be great employees when they’re positioned correctly.” In terms of technology, gen-Y communicates by text, Steinhorst said. “E-mail is gen-Y’s second preference, only gen-Y reads it differently— they only read the subject line. We think—if it was really important, you would text me. “If you’re not on social media, you do not exist to gen-Y,” Steinhorst said. “For my generation, its the phone that is an invasion of privacy.”

spot lig h t By Larry Mogelonsky, P.Eng. www.lma.ca Publisher Steven Isherwood ext. 236 sisherwood@canadianlodgingnews.com

Volume 11 No. 2 Canadian Lodging News is published 10 times a year by Ishcom Publications Ltd. which also publishes Atlantic Restaurant News, Ontario Restaurant News Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News, and Canadian Chains Directory and Canadian Lodging News Buyers’ Directory Address: 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201 Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Tel: (905) 206-0150 Fax: (905) 206-9972 In Canada (800) 201-8596 Subscriptions: Canada & USA: 1 year $39.57, 2 years $63.43 (PLUS APPLICABLE TAX) Single copy: $5.00 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Department, 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Jason Cheskes, Above The Line Solutions Vito Curalli, Hilton Worldwide Justin Friesen, Western Financial Group Philippe Gadbois, Atlific Hotels & Resorts Mark Hope, Coast Hotels & Resorts Elizabeth Hueston, Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc. Dave Kaiser, Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association Brian Leon, Choice Hotels Canada Inc. Chris Lund, Deerhurst Resort Brian Stanford, PKF Dr. David Martin, Ted Rogers School of Hospitality Christine Pella, Serta Mattress Company Tony Pollard, Hotel Association of Canada Sarah Segal, Informa Canada Andrew Chlebus, LG Electronics Publication Mail Agreement No. 40010152 ISSN 1710-145X GST number R102533890

Hotel movie moments driving sales My big vices these days are movies and the occasional sports game. Midway through watching Scarface (1983), Al Pacino’s eponymous character strategizes his next move while lounging on a terrace at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach. It occurred to me, “Can having a portion of a popular or iconic film set in your hotel work to increase your brand appeal in the long run?”

Cult films for millennials/gen-Xers Consider the Fontainebleau. It has hit the silver screen many-a-time, notably in Goldfinger (1964), The Bodyguard (1992) and the opening example, which has had tremendous exposure and a definite ‘cult’ following amongst male gen-Xers and millennials. Do these appearances ‘legitimize’ the property as beholding a certain brand mystique in the customer’s mind? There’s little doubt that the Fontainebleau needed these movies to bolster its image. Now picture yourself as a younger travel shopper, however, and perhaps such ‘hotel cameos’ could be leveraged to help win a few more bookings. Suppose the Fontainebleau posted the appropriate images from these popular movies under the accommodations or activities section of their website. “Whoa! We could stay where Tony Montana stayed,” they might say. This association to the film can help bridge the gap to a future experience one might enjoy while on property. They liked Scarface therefore they will like staying here. With every hotel in Miami available for cross-referencing at the click of a mouse, the fact that this 80s classic took place at the Fontainebleau becomes a unique, albeit very niche, emotional selling point.

Ocean’s Eleven + Bellagio fountains Better yet, the remake of Ocean’s Eleven (2001) prominently displayed the Bellagio’s magnificent fountain, which is already a unique point of differentiation for the hotel. People might choose the Bellagio over other luxury Las Vegas properties simply to have a front row seat for one of the town’s best landmarks. Essentially, whenever the cathartic denouement fountain scene in Ocean’s Eleven is on television, it’s a flashing billboard for the Bellagio featuring the charismatic faces of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon et al. – so star-studded a scene it’s impossible not to rubberneck, and, subliminally, convince you to stay there.

The Hangover and Caesar’s Palace Next, consider The Hangover (2009), which, apart from some shenanigans in Los Angeles and out in the desert, took place almost exclusively at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. As one of the highest grossing comedies of all time, it’s safe to say that this movie touched a fair number of people, particularly those in the gen-X and millennial bubbles. With all its raunchy jokes and laughs, recollecting The Hangover elicits happy emotions; feelings that might percolate through the brainwaves when a younger consumer is researching options for the next bachelor or bachelorette party.

Lost in Translation Over in Tokyo, we’re struck with another unlikely contender in the breakout indie hit and Oscar winner Lost in Translation (2003). Lucky for the Park Hyatt Tokyo, over three-quarters of Lost in Translation takes place at their property; every syndicated run of this movie is a blaring promotion for the Hyatt … with Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. Would this film singlehandedly convince someone to visit Tokyo?

Probably not. But, by identifying with the characters on screen, viewers in turn identify with the Park Hyatt Tokyo and this will play a part when it’s time to crack out the credit card.

Tourism spikes in Middle Earth And then there is the magnum opus of examples – The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy. With stunning panoramic cinematography, New Zealand is undeniably Middle Earth, and tourism has spiked upwards by hundreds of millions of dollars to the nation’s two main islands as a direct result of the popularity of these fantasy epics. Instead of throwing its marketing capital solely towards the creation of a distinct brand image for tourists somewhere along of the lines of ‘Visit New Zealand Today!’, the government decided to also leverage an existing fan base towards its own interests.

A movie shoot at your hotel? This harks back to another relevant hypothetical to ask yourself: if a film producer approached you about using your hotel for a shoot, would you jump at the chance? Again, a ‘no’ is perfectly logical. Even though you’d be paid for your troubles, you’d likely have to close shop for several weeks and the compensation would hardly match that accrued by occupied rooms. But a ‘yes’ has some powerful advantages that you should at least consider before passing on the opportunity. Chief among them being that your hotel will be immortalized on film, and if the movie performs well at the box office or gains a ‘cult’ following, you might be reaping the rewards of this investment for decades to come. Mind you, there are a lot of if ’s here, but it’s not every day a movie studio comes knocking at your door. Larry Mogelonsky (larry@lma.ca) is the president and founder of LMA Communications Inc.

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Canada must work harder to attract the U.S. market TORONTO—Canada needs to work much harder to attract the crucial U.S. business and leisure travel market, said Tony Pollard, president of the Hotel Association of Canada, at the annual Best Western Business Travel Summit held Feb. 18 in downtown Toronto. This and other insights emerged from a panel of industry experts convened for the summit, held at the Malaparte event space in TIFF Bell Lightbox. Joining Pollard on the panel were Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Best Western International and Brian Robertson, chief operating officer, Vision Travel Solutions. Handling moderating duties was Bryson Forbes, of Forbes Marketing Consultants.

Pollard noted the success of the HAC’s Grassroots Campaign, whereby association members meet regularly with members of parliament to express their concerns. With some 200 meetings held annually, the campaign, he said, is helping to raise awareness, in the federal government, of the importance of the travel industry to Canada’s economy. He pointed to the recent Conservative government throne speech, which acknowledged, for the first time ever, the importance of the industry to the country. Pollard also applauded the federal government’s plan, effective Feb. 6, to automatically consider visitors to Canada for multi-year visas valid for up to 10 years. While this is a good start, the feds still need to do much more, he said.

Connecting America

Ninety-cent dollar

During the discussion, Pollard noted that since the U.S. represents the biggest market for Canada’s travel industry, the country’s stakeholders need to make the American market a top priority in their marketing efforts. He referenced, as a step in the right direction, Connecting America, the industry sponsored proposal for a three-year, $210 million co-ordinated tourism marketing initiative led by the Canadian Tourism Council and funded half by the federal government, with provincial, local and private-sector interests making up the balance.

Also up for discussion was the lower Canadian dollar, which has fallen below 90 cents relative to the U.S. dollar. Panellists predicted that the lower dollar likely won’t affect the amount of business travel, since companies still have to conduct business regardless of the dollar’s value. They acknowledged, however, that the weaker loonie would make it more costly for companies to do business on the road in Canada. Another hot topic was technology and its growing role in the travel industry. For example, Dowling noted that use of social media is “crucial” to Best Western’s overall marketing plan.

Left to right, Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Best Western International; Bryson Forbes of Forbes Marketing Consultants; Tony Pollard, president, HAC; and Brian Robertson, chief operating officer, Vision Travel Solutions.

Moreover, Dowling said that Best Western has aligned with Google Maps Business Photos to provide virtual, 360-degree interactive tours of the company’s hotels. First to be launched on the Business Photos service were Best Western properties in the U.S. sunbelt, with Canadian properties expected to be added by year-

end, she said. Pollard noted that the HAC’s 2014 Canadian Travel Intentions survey of Canadian business and leisure travellers revealed that 77 per cent of Canadian business travellers want free wireless Internet in their guestrooms and almost 25 per cent of business travellers use information gleaned

from social media to make travel decisions.

Future gazing Peering into his crystal ball, Pollard was optimistic, predicting that business travel will increase in 2014 compared to 2013 and that 2015 will be stronger than this year.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Predicting the future [or not] and working with gen-Y Continued from page 1

Connelly said that any strategy is based on assumptions about the future. Her job is to slow down the conversation to take note of the deep-rooted assumptions. For example, one assumption is that young people want cars, but they just can’t afford them. The reality might well be that a car is not a relevant status symbol—whereas cell phones are relevant. “Young people would rather lose their wallets than their cell phones,” she said. And if you asked people in Henry Ford’s time what they needed, they would have said, “Faster horses.” Connelly’s approach to her job as a futurist is to identify such deep-rooted values and challenge them. Some of those challenges to trends are: o Tensions between change and the sea of sameness. For example, Ford used to take five years to develop a product, but now develops 20 new products per year. o Square. Jack Dorsey, creator of Twitter launched payments site, Square, and it did $15 billion worth of transactions a year. In its first month, it created 80,000

new jobs in the marketplace. o 3-D printing. It will be worth $3.1 billion worldwide by 2016. o Drones. Will they actually be dropping off packages at our door? FedEx says they are not concerned, but they continue to pour money into it. o Old School. Seventy-four per cent of people say it’s hard to find products that are unique, while 82 per cent say vintage goods have more character. o The Statusphere. Status symbols are shifting. While 90 per cent of Japanese people surveyed said displays of wealth are tasteless, only 56 per cent of Americans agreed. o Multi-tasking. Science says only two per cent of people are effective multi-taskers. In an IQ test, participants lost four per cent of their IQ when high versus sober, and 10 per cent when they multi-tasked. o The female frontier. Women in third world countries are getting more access to eduction; some countries have more single than married people. Women now outnumber men at U.S. colleges. “It’s my job to bring this to the attention of subject matter experts at Ford,” Connelly said, as she en-

couraged hoteliers to bring such thoughts to bear on their own businesses.

Motivating gen-Y Thirty-year-old Curt Steinhorst entertained the HAC audience with his take on differences between the four generations in the workforce today—traditionals, boomers, gen-X and gen-Y—with an emphasis on the boomers and his own group, gen-Y. See the editorial on page 4. His most important message was regarding motivators for genY, also known as millennials. o They want to be valued and challenged. And they want it from their very first day at work. Don’t stick them in a room and tell them to read the manual, and keep in mind that they are not motivated by the five-year plan. o Sell the experience. Steinhorst told a story about a bartender who was motivated because she got to go scuba diving for free at her job. o Gen-Y needs specific examples. For example, don’t just say that the dress code is business casual—take photos and show them what business casual is—and is not.

o Ongoing feedback. If the only feedback your gen-Y employees get is their annual review, you might as well call it an exit interview. A paycheck does not equal feedback. They want lots of quick-hit feedback. And if they get that positive feedback, then they are comfortable with ways to grow with the company.

Gen-Y as customers Steinhorst also had a number of tips on interacting with gen-Y as customers. o We think that we are special. We want to experience things that make us feel unique. o Give us the local scoop. Tell us about things tourists don’t typically know about. When we have unique experiences it makes us feel important and we will share them with the world. o Communicate in ways we use. Gen-Y aren’t interested in a product page, but are captivated by real photo of real people at your place. “Canada is one of the coolest places in the world that we would go to. What you offer is what genY wants. We’ll pay for that experience; you just have to let us know about it,” he said.

Curt Steinhorst

Kudos for Canadian Radissons at Americas Conference

Shown here accepting the award for 2013 New Hotel of the Year for Radisson Hotel & Conference Centre Calgary Airport are, (left to right): Thorsten Kirschke, president, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Americas; Laura Williamson, director of sales, Radisson Hotel Calgary; Harman Arora, owner, Radisson Hotel Calgary and Javier Rosenberg, chief operating officer, Radisson, Americas.

Above: Like never before, Radisson Red will create a uniquely engaging and meaningful guest experience; one that will leverage technology and use intelligent and pervasive customer data to anticipate and serve individual needs and preferences.

Three Canadian hotels win coveted President’s Awards MINNEAPOLIS, MN—Three Canadian properties were awarded the Radisson President’s Award by the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. The three properties were the Radisson Hotel Saskatoon, which won Hotel of the Year last year; the Radisson Plaza Hotel Saskatchewan in Regina, and the Radisson Hotel Fallsview, Niagara Falls, ON. In addition to the Canadian hotels honoured with President’s Awards, Radisson Ft. McMurray and Radisson Halifax won Carlson Rezidor Hotel Trudy Rautio, Carlson president and CEO unveiled the company’s next Group’s Renovation Award. evolution of its Ambition 2015 campaign—Vision 20/20.

Radisson Saskatoon chef wins at CCFCC Radisson Hotel Saskatoon’s executive chef Trevor Robertson was recently awarded the Chef of the Year title by the Canadian Culinary Federation of Chefs de Cuisine (CCFCC) Saskatoon Branch at the 2014 Chef’s Gala. The CCFCC also honoured Jasmine Goldsack, a talented associate on chef Robertson’s culinary team at the AROMA Mediterranean Resto-Bar, with the Junior Chef of the Year title.

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CTMS: Attention-grabbing marketing on a budget

Cartons of eggs on a luggage carousel were one of Terry O’Reilly’s examples of quick-thinking, innovative marketing that was both inspired and inexpensive.

John Houghton (left) and Ken Lambert took opposing views on whether DMOs should target meetings and incentive travel or leisure markets.

By Don Douloff, contributing editor

nation experts in the local community; increase traveller spend with local businesses and activities; and create visitor experiences that exceed travellers’ expectations, said D’Astolfo.

TORONTO—Taking the theme “domestic and international travel up close and under the microscope,” the Canadian Tourism Marketing Summit, held Feb. 13 at the Eaton Chelsea Toronto Hotel, explored effective marketing on a budget, the huge opportunities offered by technology and the wisdom in DMOs targeting the business-to-business versus leisure segments. In the morning’s plenary session, Terry O’Reilly, award-winning advertising/marketing veteran and co-founder of Pirate Radio & Television audio production company, demonstrated that creative marketing is possible on a shoestring budget. In a highly entertaining and media-rich session, O’Reilly presented vivid examples of companies whose inspired (and remarkably inexpensive) advertising and marketing efforts reaped huge returns, making a big impression on social media and the wider media universe.

their trips (by posting photos, for instance). In tandem with that, the use of mobile phones to book trips is expected to triple by 2015, he said. Tablets and smartphones, which have affected every stage of the travel life cycle, present a huge marketing opportunity for in-destination services, he noted. Between 30 per cent and 60 per cent of mobile bookings are made within 24 hours of the stay, said D’Astolfo, so “whoever can present information on their destination and hotels in a mobile environment can reap rewards.” Once travellers reach a destination, local marketers can use tools such as gaming to engage them and encourage them to explore the area, he added. Through creative use of technology, DMOs can brand a destination as a tech-savvy locale worth visiting; facilitate exploration and a richer traveller experience; connect visitors with desti-

B2B versus leisure At a lively morning breakout session entitled Point: Counterpoint, John Houghton, executive vice president of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, and Ken Lambert, director of HLT Advisory Inc., took opposing views on whether DMOs should target the meetings and incentive travel (M&IT) or leisure FIT (flexible independent travel) segment. Houghton staunchly supported investing in the business events market because, he said, business-to-business (B2B) events “are about spending.” To bolster his claim, he noted that B2B travellers spend up to three times more

than leisure travellers. On top of that, additional spending comes by way of the participating exhibitors and the meeting planners organizing the event. Moreover, Houghton noted that travellers involved in B2B events arrive earlier and stay longer, driving leisure activities in the destination, and said that B2B events attract travellers in lower-demand ‘shoulder’ seasons. For his part, Lambert said DMOs should direct their marketing resources at the leisure market, citing “flat” convention-market spending Canada-wide and declining attendance at conventions and conferences, especially among the younger millennials demographic. Plus, he said there has been an “arms race” of Canadian cities building new convention centres. “Does the city brand support the cement?” he asked rhetorically, answering the question with a “no.”

Inspired and inexpensive A clever example from the tourism arena included cartons of eggs, sent onto a luggage carousel, demonstrating Virgin airline’s safe luggage handling practices, while a quick-thinking example from the hospitality world included someone from Morton’s Steakhouse meeting a traveller at a U.S. airport and handing him a gift bag containing a porterhouse steak very soon after he’d tweeted, on the incoming flight, his desire for just such a Morton’s meal. In order to create attention-grabbing marketing, companies must present their core message in an interesting way; need ideas that are creative and impossible to ignore; and must develop ads that create an emotional impact, said O’Reilly. Furthermore, he emphasized that Canada’s tourism marketers shouldn’t be confined in their thinking and need to “jump the fence” and borrow ideas from other industries, citing Apple and Nike as leading-edge examples. O’Reilly also professed his admiration for social media’s marketing power. Twitter, in particular, he said, is valuable because it provides a touch point with customers, giving insight into their thoughts and opinions. Creativity, not dollars, is the currency of smart marketing, he concluded.

Tech-driven opportunities Continuing the technology theme was Tony D’Astolfo, managing director of market research firm PhoCusWright, based in New York City. Digital media’s impact continues to grow, he said, as travellers use them to search for deals and book trips and use social media to document

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

LobbyFriend—an internal Twitter feed for hotels By Lauren Carter EDMONTON—Staff at the Radisson Edmonton South can now connect instantly with guests through LobbyFriend, a social networking tool for hotels. “It’s like an internal Twitter,” explains general manager Robin Cumine. When visitors check in, they gain access for their stay and can use the network either on a station in the lobby or by downloading a smart phone app. Owned by SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts, the Radisson is the first hotel in the chain – and in Canada – to use the temporary network, which is currently in place on a yearlong trial. Developed in Montreal, the app is in use at 50 other properties, in cities includ i n g

New York and New Orleans. Through LobbyFriend, staff can distribute promotions, special offers, restaurant specials and event information to current guests. “It’s like having a concierge to a degree,” says Cumine. “We might post about a pasta evening in our Atrium Restaurant or invite guests to the pub for [Edmonton] Oilers hockey and half-price wings.” As with any social network, guests are able to interact by posting photos and status updates and sending messages. Those opting for privacy can still get the spa discount or learn about the breakfast special by interacting anonymously. Guests can also ask private questions. “You could be shopping at the West Edmonton Mall and post a question asking where to catch the hotel shuttle,” says Cumine. Last spring, the hotel tested the technology at the SilverBirch leadership conference with a mobile station in the Radisson’s conference room. The live feed showed real-time comments about the presentations, says Cumine, while also addressing practical matters. Brigitte Diem-Guy, the chain’s vice president of sales and marketing, posted that the panel needed water and refreshments were delivered without interrupting the proceedings. The Radisson launched LobbyFriend last June. So far they have trouble-shot problems like the lobby

installation’s appearance and issues with inappropriate comments. “It can recognize and block many words, but some guests have been more creative.” This emphasizes the need for quick response, says Cumine, which is key in online relations. Integrating the network has been a bit bumpy. Last summer, it was used recreationally by visitors and didn’t earn immediate accolades. “At first it was confusing and after three months we were really questioning it, but once September hit and we started getting into the corporate cycle, we found it was being used more as a communications tool.”

General manager Robin Cumine and conference services manager Lynsey Savill standing in front of the LobbyFriend station.

Best for big conferences Conference services manager Lynsey Savill agrees and adds that LobbyFriend is best for big conferences where it’s more challenging to keep everyone connected. “If you have lots of people and dinner is delayed, for example, you’re able to post that so everyone will see.” The younger demographic and college and business conference attendees have gravitated more readily towards the new technology, she says. “They’ve embraced it because they’re used to communicating this way.” But Savill remains confident it will catch on with a wider range of guests. “It’s like Facebook,” she says. “Five years ago, your mom kept asking you about it and now you can’t get her off it.”

You can get hospitality news delivered straight to your inbox with our twice-monthly newsletter. Canadian Lodging eNews provides breaking national coverage and in-depth regional stories in a concise, easy to read format. You can’t get this news anywhere else. Canadian Lodging eNews comes out the first and third Tuesday of each month.

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Hospitality tackles human trafficking issue WASHINGTON, DC—One of the most serious This online course defines the issue of child and difficult challenges hotel employees must trafficking and explains why it is important to face is that of human trafficking and commer- hotels. The Educational Institute and ECPATcial exploitation USA partnered of children. Large to develop this concentrations of online training to tourists bring an provide the inforincreased demand mation needed for for child prostituhotel employees tion. This demand and managers to is filled by pimps identify and rewho target vulnerspond to human able children to trafficking and the make a quick profcommercial sexit. And hotels are ual exploitation seen as an anonyof children. The mous place where funding for the - Example from the AH&LEF course these activities can development of be carried out. this program was The American Hotel & Lodging Educational provided through a grant from the AH&LEF. Foundation (AH&LEF) has developed a course The 30-minute course explains the risks to help hotel management and employees iden- trafficking can pose to properties, provides a tify the signs and take appropriate action. It’s list of signs and behaviours that may indicate called, The Role of Hospitality in Preventing and child trafficking, and offers steps to respond to Reacting to Child Trafficking. It is available to the situation in ways that minimize risk. Canadian and global hotels and organizations, Audio and video clips and interactive knowland although the course was developed in the edge checks are incorporated throughout this U.S., the course material applies to hotels ev- training and conclude with a 10-question quiz erywhere. to gauge employee learning. Trainees, who pass The online course was priced at a minimal the quiz with a score of 80 per cent or higher, fee, making it affordable to the hospitality in- can print out a certificate of completion. dustry, noted Brenda L. Vazquez, senior vice For more information go to: https://www. president of marketing, American Hotel & ahlei.org/Products/Online-Learning/TheLodging Educational Institute. The product is Role-of-Hospitality-in-Preventing-and-Reactalso available for licensing by organizations for ing-to-Child-Trafficking/#sthash.SemrugZT. training multiple employees, she added. dpuf

Glamping—deluxe camping at Long Point Eco Adventures By Katherine McIntyre LONG POINT, ON—Sometimes trips don’t go exactly right. Sometimes it is just bad luck. And it was bad luck and wrong decisions that followed me when I went glamping at Long Point Eco Adventures in Southwestern Ontario. As a former cottager I should have known better than to choose Sept. 21, 2013, the weekend of the fall equinoctial gales, for my glamping trip. And it rained and rained. Fortunately, and for no reason, I had tossed in a big umbrella and a rain jacket before I left home. And this bit of preliminary thinking turned what could have been a disaster into simply a rainy event. So what did I discover at Long Point Eco Adventures? First of all, it was easy to find in the daylight, down a country road right across from the Burnt Kiln Winery near St. Williams, ON. But not so easy to find on a dark rural road at night when the landmark winery is invisible in the rain. Registered and encumbered by umbrella, my kit bag and flashlight, I was directed to my glamping tent. It was one of 15 that overlooked Long Point Bay on Lake Erie. To my happy surprise, I discovered that tents have come a long way since I went to girls’ camp back in the dark ages. Resting on solid pine floors, with comforts you wouldn’t find in the 20th century backwoods, were glamping tents in assorted sizes. My particular tent came with two chairs and a pot of geraniums firmly ensconced on my own private deck. These tents incorporated the best of designs

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that the owners, Dave Pond and Mike McArthur, had discovered in tents while on a Kilimanjaro trek in Africa. Inside, my tent was surprisingly roomy, with a queen-size bed, a small table, two chairs and a heater and fan for cold or hot nights. An attached washroom included a separate shower with an open roof. All were tucked safely inside a sliding-glass locking door. But all was not perfect. I could not find the switch to turn off the overhead light. Then I had a choice—either sleep in a bright light or take my problem to the office in the middle of the night, without a flashlight in the teeming rain. I chose the light. Next morning everything changed but the weather. Breakfast was delicious and substantial and included omelettes, French toast and scrambled eggs served on long-legged bar tables in the Kumbuka Tent. But I was a sissy when it came to experiencing the area—two hours of ziplining in the drizzle were not for me. Now I wish I had defied the weather and had zipped over the hills and valleys of Southwestern Ontario for 12 miles on eight different ziplines that included two sky bridges, 14 platforms and a 40-foot rappel with views of Long Point Bay World Biosphere and Turkey Point Marsh. Sometimes we make the wrong decisions! Long Point Eco Adventures, 1730 Front Road, St. Williams, ON N0E 1P0. Website: http://www. lpfun.ca. E-mail: info@lpfun.ca. Phone: 519586-9300 or 1-877-743-8687.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

New equipment and suggested best practices can help hoteliers operate their laundry services more efficiently and cost-effectively, while being gentle on the environment.

By Don Douloff

oteliers’ laundry operations take a big chunk out of the bottom line and can leave a significant environmental footprint. But a number of innovative new products, and suppliers’ suggested best practices, can help boost efficiency and save money, while being gentle on the environment.

ozone gains traction In the past several years, ozonebased laundry oxidation has gained traction in the industry. Advocating such a system is Charles Reid, general manager of Haddon Equipment & Supplies, a Vancouver-based company that provides laundry equipment and chemical/ozone systems for hotels in BC and the Yukon. “Ozone is essential to any successful laundry operation in regards to energy efficiency,” Reid told CLN. An ozone system will save money on hot water, gas and electrical consumption, leaving a much smaller laundry room carbon footprint, he said. Moreover, “ROI on a properly

utilized system and an appropriate volume of laundry is two years or less.” Ozone’s ability to process laundry in cold water reduces hot water consumption by at least 75 per cent, drastically cutting costs, Reid added. In addition, an ozone system will help extend linen life thanks to “less thermal damage in the wash wheel and by reducing drying times, resulting in fewer dollars being spent on linen replacement costs.” Combined with proper use and good operating procedures, hoteliers can realize “substantial” savings with this type of system, he said. Haddon offers the ozone-based Aquawing system, which washes

primarily in cold water, thereby reducing drying time and lessening linen degradation. Ozone relaxes the weave of fabrics, resulting in a more effective wash action. On top of that, ozone’s strong oxidizing nature activates chemicals so that they’ll be used more effectively and efficiently. This reduces the amount of chemicals required and reduces the harm they can cause if they’re not properly rinsed. Aquawing offers the VO3, a device validating that mandatory levels of ozone have been reached and maintained in the wash wheel, providing disinfection and superior wash results.

true laundry costs On the service side, to keep costs down and increase efficiency, “hotels need to look at their true laundry cost, such as labour versus per-occupied-room,” said Robert McNamara, national general manager of cleaning-service provider Jani-King Canada. “Hoteliers need to measure occupancy and the levels of laundry costs together in order to accurately gauge laundry loads. This monitoring activity will keep costs down.”

under-loaded machines Addressing the common problem of under-loaded washing machines, which waste water, chemicals and time, is Laundrylux’s Compass Pro microprocessor. Introduced in fall, 2013, the Compass Pro measures the weight of the laundry load. If the weight of the linens is less than a full load, the washer automatically adjusts the water and laundry chemicals, for an optimal ratio for the load size.

If a hotel under-loads its system twice a day, the Compass Pro could realize chemical, water and energy savings of $750 annually, according to Laundrylux senior vice president of on-premises laundry sales Kim Shady. Addressing another common problem, over-drying, is Laundrylux’s Residual Moisture Control (RMC), which measures the moisture content of linens while they’re

in the dryer. As the linens dry, the RMC counts down and stops the machine once the linens reach the desired moisture level set by the operator. Shady estimated that overdrying “happens 60 per cent of the time” and lasts for six to 10 minutes per incident. The RMC is built into the dryer at the factory, at a cost of $350, and in most locations will pay for itself in the first year, he said.

Hoteliers, said McNamara, need to implement a preventive maintenance program “so that equipment works at its designed capacity. Analyze staffing production levels: labour cost is the largest expense, so hotels need to know what it is taking them to turn their guestroom linens on a daily basis.” McNamara recommends that hoteliers launder their linens and towels onsite, rather than contracting that service out, which entails

operational risks. For instance, there’s no guarantee that all the linens that leave a hotel will be returned; plus, other hotels’ linens could get included in returned batches, he said. “Mistakes are made and hotels are paying for it.” JaniKing’s personnel, he said, function as part of the onsite housekeeping laundry team and work closely with the property’s suppliers to develop a customized training program that best fits the hotel.

suspended washers Pellerin Milnor has introduced the cabinet style MWF-Series of suspended washers available in 60 lb. (27 kg), 100 lb. (45 kg), 140 lb. (63 kg) and 170 lb. (77 kg) capacities. The MWF27J8 provides efficiency with 300 Gs, for maximum moisture removal; large door opening (15.63 inches) for easy loading/unloading; and user-friendly E-P Plus control in a small footprint. In addition, Milnor is offering, standard on this product line, RinSave water saver software, which reduces up to two rinse steps, saving water, energy and time without compromising wash/rinse quality.

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higher spin speeds For his part, Stephen Hietpas, new business development manager at Maytag Commercial Laundry, says hoteliers should consider upgrading washers “to models that have higher spin speeds, which remove more water from linens in the washer. This leads to a reduction in the amount of natural gas consumed in the drying process by shortening the dry times.” Dry times, he noted, “can be cut anywhere from 20 per cent to 40 per cent with higher-extraction washers.” Furthermore, by working closely with a local chemical supplier, hotel owners and operators can determine the appropriate type and amount of detergent needed to clean the laundry and meet resident or guest expectations, said Hietpas. Incorporating a chemical injection system into the machine will help dispense

the precise amount of detergent needed, which ensures the correct amount of chemicals are added to the water and helps guarantee clean laundry. On the equipment side, the Maytag Commercial Laundry 55-pound soft-mount washer features highspeed extraction of more than 350 G-force, to cut drying time and save on labour and energy costs. In addition, Maytag Commercial Laundry 75-pound dryers are the most energy-efficient multiload dryers in the Energy Advantage lineup and feature moisture-sensing technology, improved airflow for faster dry times and a reverse-tumble feature. The dryer senses when the load is dry and shuts down the unit to prevent over-drying, saving time, utility costs and increasing the life of the laundry.

extra-large capacity

Earlier this year, UniMac, a provider of on-premise commercial laundry equipment distributed in Canada by Harco Co. Ltd., introduced the UT200 200-pound tum-

Case Studies

ble dryer. The UT200 offers an extra-large capacity and an efficient, high-performance heater box. Sealed cylinder rims and a concentrated airflow pattern ensure no heat escapes, helping to keep utility costs down and maximize productivity. UniMac also offers its Combustion Auto Response Equipped (CARE) system as an added option for the UT200. CARE monitors for excessive cylinder temperatures and sprays water on the load should it register an abnormally high read-

ing. A “system active” signal can also be sent to a property’s alarm system, laptop or another electronic device to notify the laundry or facility manager. UniMac’s national sales manager, Bill Brooks, says “on average, labour accounts for 45 per cent to 50 per cent of hotel laundry operating expenses” and that monitoring systems such as the company’s UniLinc product can help hoteliers increase efficiency. UniLinc’s OPTispray rinsing technology provides highly effective rinsing that uses less water and decreases operating costs, and increases throughput by decreasing rinse-cycle times by up to 12 per cent. Slow drain detection monitors drain time to catch issues early and reduce maintenance expenses.

New UHF-RFID system helps Casino Rama luxury resort in Ontario grow with greater efficiency, automated uniform laundry processing.

Casino Rama: how to save 15 hours daily with RFID RAMA, ON—Casino Rama is saving time and money since its implemented InvoTech Systems Ltd.’s uniform system to track and maintain the asset value of the casino resort’s 15,000 uniforms. InvoTech Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of systems that integrate the latest RFID technology to increase profitability for hotels, casinos, hospitals, and commercial laundry operators “Our team estimates we are saving 15 hours a day in labor with InvoTech. This is huge,” said Helen Cooper, director of hotel and resort operations for Casino Rama, one of Canada’s premier entertainment destinations in the heart of Ontario’s lake country. “With our old system, we had to have people on site 24 hours per day processing each uniform item. InvoTech scans, counts and records entire racks and carts of uniforms in

seconds. It is a huge increase in productivity,” Cooper said. “InvoTech also eliminated waiting lines for staff queuing to pick up uniforms. Now they swipe their ID card one time and their clean uniforms are automatically delivered to them.” The InvoTech system communicates with Casino Rama’s White Conveyors U-Pick-It automated uniform delivery system that moves specific uniforms quickly and neatly to the appropriate employee’s hands. Casino Rama has a uniformed crew of almost 2,000.

‘A more efficient way to do business’ The InvoTech system utilizes easyto-use touch-screen monitors and advanced UHF-RFID technology that automatically reads and records durable waterproof tags on the uniforms without manual sorting. “We

did not have to build anything special to install InvoTech and start working,” said Cooper. “We were looking for a more efficient way to do business and InvoTech provides it. The system also forecasts our budget for new articles because we know how long each garment has been used. InvoTech’s training and installation team was very professional and got us up to speed quickly.”

20-year anniversary Casino Rama will soon mark its 20-year anniversary. The property opened as a standalone casino, but now is a full service, all-suite destination resort with 289 luxury suites. “We have grown since opening and our uniforms are part of that growth. Some of our crew members have six different uniforms. InvoTech manages this perfectly; our old system couldn’t handle that much

Ottawa Valley laundries tailored to handle volume and space PEMBROKE/PETAWAWA, ON— Jessica Schmidt, general manager at Holiday Inn Express, Pembroke, works for a management group that currently owns two hotels. The first, built in 2011, the Petawawa Quality Inn & Suites, is located two and a half hours northwest of Ottawa. With 66 rooms available, this hotel caters to an assortment of guests that travel to Garrison Petawawa and the surrounding area for business. The second hotel is a 10-monthold Holiday Inn Express in Pembroke, Ontario. The new Holiday Inn Express

launders roughly 700 pounds of linens per day when fully occupied. Schmidt notes that UniMac was their first choice “because their equipment offers the most advanced technology in order to process all of that laundry in the shortest time frame, increasing our laundry throughput and eliminating the need to expand our laundry area or add over-time hours.” The space in the Petawawa Inn & Suites laundry room is an issue, Schmidt told CLN. “We decided to work with Harco and UniMac because of their reputation for service and the machine’s dependability. We needed equipment that provided

quality results and handled the laundry load we had. The machines that we purchased suited our space and are capable of washing at a capacity that keeps us efficient during our workday.”

Remote location “Because we are remotely located, we needed dependable, durable machines that were built to last. Additionally, we wanted machines with an easy-to-use control system that our employees could understand and use across both our washer-extractors and tumble dryers. With UniLinc, our employees are able to receive au-

detail,” said Cooper. Other InvoTech clients include MGM Resorts International, Hyatt Hotels, Marriott, Hilton Hotels, Universal Studios Florida, Wynn Resort Las Vegas and Macau, Madison Square Garden, MSR-FSR Laundry, Empire State Building, Loews Hotels, Mandarin Oriental, and other leading companies.

Operating since July 31, 1996, Ca-

sino Rama is Ontario’s only First Nations commercial casino and has earned a reputation for presenting exclusive world-class sporting, entertainment and television events. The casino offers a complete entertainment experience with over 2,500 slot machines, more than 110 gaming tables, eight unique restaurants, a world-class 5,000 seat entertainment centre, and an all-suite, full-service hotel, featuring spa and health club facilities

tomatic warning e-mails and maintenance reminders, which is key to helping us to prevent downtime because we pre-emptively service our equipment.” Staff particularly appreciate the increased throughput that results from the shortened wash and dry times, Schmidt added. The two hotels use UniLinc, OPTidry and OPTispray at their new facility. “OPTispray Rinsing Technology provides us with highly effective rinsing that uses less water and decreases operating costs. The nine ECO Cycles and 400 G-Force extraction that come with our new UW washerextractor help us to further decrease

water usage and drying times, reduce our labour costs and increase our laundry throughput, while also saving on energy costs,” Schmidt noted. “OPTidry helps us to preserve our linen investment by preventing our staff from having to guess if linens are dry.” Schmidt says the hotels chose Harco for ongoing maintenance because “they understand the impact that a broken machine can have on a hotel and staff’s ability to perform basic tasks, such as housekeeping. We needed one rather large repair and our Harco rep was able to assist us with parts and service immediately, because of the ability to send parts overnight.”

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Top left: Corrine Hunt, artist; Sharon Bortolotto & Madeline Eng, BBA Design. Top right: Jon Zwickel, Skwachays transformation project manager. Left: At press time, painting was underway. Photos: Craig Minielly, Aura Photographics.

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CONTACT VICKI (416) 924-2002 x233 vickiwelstead@bigpictureconferences.ca

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

EAST VANCOUVER, BC—Starting later this year, visitors to Vancouver will be able to stay at Canada’s first Aboriginal arts hotel. It will feature 18 rooms designed by the Aboriginal artists, who share the multi-use building, in conjunction with Vancouver hotel designers. Located on West Pender Street in Vancouver’s downtown East Side, the building includes an Aboriginal Art Gallery, 25 residential units for the artists, and the hotel rooms on the top two floors. Skwachays (pronounced SKWATCH-EYES) Lodge and Urban Aboriginal Art Gallery, opened by the Vancouver Native Housing Society (VNHS) in 2012, is undergoing an incredible transformation this Spring, with the help of twelve of Vancouver’s leading interior designers and Aboriginal artists. Once a century-old single room occupancy welfare hotel, the VNHS acquired funding to salvage the building facade and build the subsidized housing units and the art gallery. The Lodge and Gallery were originally conceived as social enterprises that would support the VNHS mandate, which is to provide support and housing for urban Aboriginals and to provide Aboriginal friendly accommodation to those guests coming from rural and remote areas in the province for medical purposes. At press time, the guestrooms had been stripped out, painting was underway and flooring was expected the following week, said Jon Zwickel, the Skwachays transformation project manager. Zwickel is also principal of

Zwickel got involved in the project almost by accident, while touring friends with an interest in Aboriginal art around the city. When they got to the art gallery, there was a guy with a mop and bucket, dealing with a leak. “He told us to come back later. That guy turned out to be Dave Eddy, president and CEO of VNHS. We became friendly, and he told me the story of the history of the building. “The building addressed head on, two issues that bother me—welfare and homelessness,” Zwickel told CLN. The gallery was profitable, but the hotel needed to attract a broader clientele in order to make money. “As I looked at the location, target market and other criteria for a hotel, it dawned on me that there was no cultural connection between the residents of the building and the gallery to relate to guests—there must be some way to get the gallery and the guests connected.” It was Zwickel’s idea to connect six resident visionary artists with six Vancouver interior designers. The artists would provide the vision and the concept, and the interior designers would transform their ideas into a functional hotel space. “The first six interior designers I approached said yes,” Zwickel said. The decision to transition 18 rooms into a luxury boutique hotel that will immerse guests in Aboriginal culture and experiences was not taken lightly, as the goal is for the business to become a fully self-sustaining entity in support of the artists. Wherever possible, the project is relying on donations of time and supplies, complemented by a campaign to raise $180,000 to make up any potential shortfall. Faced with a limited budget, Zwickel approached his contacts including designers and industry suppliers. “Things fell into place, with donations including flooring, window treatments, bedding, mattress sets and plumbing.

“There are still a few gaps in FF&E we are looking to fill,” said Zwickel, adding that these items include new, flatscreen televisions and in-room safes. The $180,000 will cover some of these items plus stipends for the volunteer Aboriginal artists. “We are just over 20 per cent there,” he added.

First Aboriginal arts hotel When it is completed, rooms will go for about $225 a night, a rate that is comparable to other Vancouver boutique hotels. The focus will be on experiential travel. For example, if a guest yearns to learn wood carving, there could be a package for them. It might consist of a half-day interpretive tour of the Stanley Park totems and the Museum of Anthropology. Then they would work with an artist in the hotel workshop, with a mallet and a chisel in hand. In addition to the carving they produce, the guest would have priceless memories of their stay. “This has been an emotional and transformational experience for all involved, especially for the artists our gallery supports, to see how our community has rallied around the vision,” said Vancouver Native Housing Society CEO, Dave Eddy. “We want to express our gratitude to the interior designers, suppliers, trades and many others who are working with us along the way as well as those donors who have already made contributions.” “Boutique, experiential style hotels with a conscience are gaining popularity worldwide,” said Zwickel. “It was important for me and many others on this renovation to volunteer our time and energy not only because this new hotel would be unique to Vancouver and a great draw for tourists from around the world, but also because of the opportunity it presents to demonstrate how a business can sustain itself as well as provide direct social enterprise benefits in the local community.” More information can be found on the Skwachays Lodge website at http://skwachays.com/skwachayslodge-transformation/

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Three Hiltons for Calgary YYC

Thomas Lorenzo, VP and managing director, development-Canada and Northeast United States.

Marcel Berube, general manager, The Calgary Airport Hotels and Conference Centre.

Kerrie Buist, director, sales and marketing, The Calgary Airport Hotels and Conference Centre.

CALGARY—Marcel Berube is general manager for the three Hilton Brands and a Conference Centre opening at the Calgary Airport, and as such he wears a lot of hats. “I have a coat rack at each property,” he quipped with CLN in an interview. The three-hotel campus is a first in North America, Berube said. Developed by Prestige Hospitality Group and managed by Hilton Worldwide, the complex will include: o A 135-room Hampton Inn that opened in December 2013; o A 122-room Homewood Suites, opening Spring 2014; o A 266-room Hilton Hotel, opening in early 2016; and o A 30,000-square-foot conference centre, also opening in 2016.

maintenance are all shared, and “realistically, that’s what makes it all make sense,” said Berube. Once the complex is completed, guests will be able to walk from any of the three hotels to the conference centre without going outside. At the same time the guest experience is that of three brands that all cater to a separate and distinct category of business. As Berube pointed out, the back of the house operations are one facility, but the guest facing experience is that of three different hotels.

Marketing approach

Three brands meet needs of a variety of guests

The Hampton by Hilton will cater to the more price conscious transient traveller Hampton Inn & Suites. who is most likely doing business in and around the Calgary airport. As an extended stay brand, the Homewood Suites by Hilton will serve companies in and around the area, with guests who will be staying for extended periods of time. Such guest occasions would include extended training and contractors who will “Calgary is a thriving market- be in the area for long-term projfrom both an economic and hotel ects—something which is very prevaperspective—and the airport has seen lent in Calgary. dramatic changes, including enhancAdditionally, the Homewood ing the entrance to the airport,” said Suites by Hilton will cater to both Thomas Lorenzo, vice president and business and leisure travellers who managing director, development- are looking for all of the amenities Canada and Northeast United States. that come with an extended stay ho“With these changes, our three tel, including a suite and complimenproperties sit immediately in front tary breakfast. of those exiting the airport, ensuring The full-service Hilton will promaximum visibility for travellers to vide a whole new dimension by addCalgary. ing a great deal of meeting space to “Combining three award-win- the mix. This hotel will then be able ning brands on one site creates great to cater to the higher end transient synergies and economies for a hotel guest, but also more importantly creowner, as well as for guests,” Lorenzo ate additional demand by making added. Calgary a destination for large group The sales, housekeeping and meetings across Canada.

Artist’s rendering showing, left to right, Homewood Suites, Hampton, conference centre and full-service Hilton.

For the most part, Hilton is marketing the hotels as a complex, but sometimes they are marketed separately, says Kerrie Buist, director of sales and marketing for the complex. “Hampton Inn is aimed at the corporate independent business traveller, with sports teams on weekends and shoulder dates. “Homewood is a mixture of corporate and business travel. The typical goal is to have 50 per cent extended stay business—five nights or more. “The full-service Hilton is in design and construction right now, but once they’re closer to completion things will get really exciting,” she added.

Design fits in with airport Berube says that the design of the hotels is in line with the look and feel of the Calgary airport. “It’s beautiful and will be an integral part of the airport community, blending in with the area,” he noted. Jane Lawson of Walker Lawson, a Calgary design firm, is handling the design of the full-service Hilton, while Kirkpatrick and Associates out of New Mexico are handling the Hampton and Homewood designs. With more than 13.5 million passengers in 2012, the Calgary International Airport is undergoing a multi-billion dollar development to meet the growing numbers. That includes Canada’s longest runway at 14,000 feet and a new international terminal. Along with the need for more room at the airport, there is also the need for more nearby accommodations. “We’re proud to offer our product at a time when hotels are at a premium,” said Berube, adding that there is a lot of compression on Tuesday and Wednesday nights in the Calgary market.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

PE OPLE

Philippe Gadbois of Atlific Hotels elected HAC chair

Gregg Lown, director of golf, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.

Theresa Ginter, hotel manager, Nita Lake Lodge, Whistler.

Jessi Carrier, associate vice president, Colliers International Hotels.

Jessie P. Cayabo, communications specialist, Immedia Management.

Kassaundra Richards, sales manager, Brookstreet Hotel, Ottawa.

Matt Zaruba, chief information security officer, Carlson.

Sarah Law, regional director, Radisson Franchise Ops., Canada.

Michael Guy, executive chef, Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub, Pan Pacific.

Robert Scott, sales manager, Scotiabank Convention Centre.

Robert Stelmachuk, GM and wine director, Cibo and Uva, Moda Hotel.

Ryan Matheson, director of sales and marketing, Westin Bayshore.

Morgan Sommerville, director of communications, Serena PR.

Canadian Rockies Golf welcomes Gregg Lown as the new director of golf at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, in Jasper, AB, and announces the promotion of Laura Hansford to executive chef at Silvertip Resort, in Canmore, AB. In his new role, Lown brings a wealth of experience, including leadership positions at El Cameleon Golf Course at the Fairmont Mayakoba, in Mexico’s Riviera Maya; the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, in Whistler, B.C., and the Fairmont St. Andrews, in Fife, Scotland. Since 2010, Hansford has worked at Silvertip as chef de partie and executive sous chef, putting her stamp on the menus of Rustica Steakhouse and Stoney’s Bar and Grill. Canadian Rockies Golf represents a collection of six golf properties in Western Alberta: Canmore Golf & Curling Club, The Fairmont Banff Springs, The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Kananaskis Country Golf Course, Stewart Creek

Golf & Country Club and Silvertip Resort.

ing telecom, sport and retail companies in Edmonton and Calgary.

Jessi Carrier has joined Colliers International Hotels as associate vice president, based in the Montreal office. His most recent posting, at an investment banking firm, involved working with business owners and corporate executives in structuring financing facilities to support mergers and acquisitions and company expansion projects. Prior to that, Carrier worked with GE Capital for seven years as a senior account manager. Jessie P. Cayabo has been named communications specialist at Immedia Management Inc. as the Vancouver-based public relations, events and digital publishing company expands its Alberta operations. Cayabo’s 10 years experience in corporate sponsorships, public relations, event management and community relations includes increasingly senior communications positions for lead-

Kassaundra Richards is the newest sales manager at Brookstreet Hotel, in Ottawa. In 2007, Richards joined Brookstreet in the reservations department and since then has worked as event coordinator, event manager and most recently, lead event manager. Carlson has announced the appointment of Matt Zaruba as chief information security officer, reporting directly to Steve Brown, chief information and innovation officer. Most recently, Zaruba served as director, information security and disaster recovery for Jack Henry & Associates, Inc., a leading provider of core solutions for the banking industry. Sarah Law has been appointed regional director for Radisson Franchise Operations in Canada. She has more

OTTAWA—Philippe Gadbois, senior vice president Atlific Hotels, was elected chair of the Hotel Association of Canada board of directors effective Feb. 11. Gadbois has over 40 years of experience in the hotel industry including senior positions at Atlific Hotels, Realstar Hospitality Corp. and Hilton International as well as ownership of a hotel consulting firm. Gadbois began his career with Hilton International at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. In 1992, he was appointed general manager of the Hilton Ottawa before being promoted to chair and president of Hilton Canada Inc. He then moved on to found DSP Hospitality Group, with a mandate to help developers bring their hotel projects to fruition. In 2003, Gadbois joined Realstar Hospitality, where he spearheaded the company’s development alliance with Accor Hospitality. In addition, he’s a member of the Canadian Lodging News editorial advisory council. than 23 years in the hospitality business, most recently as general manager of the Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre Canmore. In addition to the Radisson, Sarah also oversaw three other properties owned by SilverBirch properties, focusing on building service and financial results. Michael Guy has been appointed executive chef for all foodservice at Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub, Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside and Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre in Whistler, B.C. Early in his career, Guy worked on the kitchen teams at Vancouver’s Blue Water Café and West restaurant. After stints in Ontario and Italy, Guy and his family returned to Whistler in 2008, working at Araxi restaurant and Nita Lake Lodge and running his own catering business in Pemberton. Michael Pye has been named general manager of the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. As GM of the 556-room property, he will oversee a $12 million lobby renovation that will be completed in time for the hotel’s 75th anniversary in the fall. Most recently the general manager of the Fairmont Winnipeg, Pye began his career in 1996 in the Fairmont Jasper’s stewarding department. Since then, he has held a series of progressive roles at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald in Edmonton, Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver and Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda. Robert Scott has joined the Scotiabank Convention Centre, in Niagara Falls, ON as a Toronto-based sales manager focused on the corporate segment. Scott brings over 20

years experience in the hospitality and tourism industry to his new role. Before coming to Niagara, he spent the past nine years in Toronto working as a sales manager at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and most recently at the OMNI King Edward Hotel. Robert Stelmachuk has been named general manager and wine director of Cibo Trattoria and Uva Wine Bar, located in the Moda Hotel in downtown Vancouver. A 25-year industry veteran, Stelmachuk has contributed to and created wine programs at such noteworthy Vancouver restaurants as Le Crocodile, Market By Jean-Georges at the Shangri-La Hotel and Chambar. He succeeds Steve Edwards, who has accepted an executive-level operations position in a soon-tobe announced project expected to open later this year The Westin Bayshore, Vancouver has appointed Ryan Matheson director of sales and marketing. In this role, Matheson will lead the sales and marketing efforts while driving revenue. Matheson brings more than 20 years of hospitality and sales experience to the position. Most recently, he held the position of director of sales and marketing at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel. Morgan Sommerville has been named director of communications at Serena PR, a Vancouver-based media relations firm launched last December by Laura Serena. Most recently, Sommerville worked at Immedia Management Inc., where she was account manager and editor of Immedia’s online community, Media Kitty. A member of the Travel

Media Association of Canada (TMAC), Sommerville has been the BC chapter treasurer since 2009. Rinnai America Corp. has named Susan Mittelbrun vice president marketing. Mittelbrun began her career at General Motors and since then has held senior marketing positions at GE Medical Systems, Harrah’s Casinos and Trane heating and cooling. Most recently, Mittelbrun led brand-marketing initiatives for multiple business units of Dal-Tile (a division of Mohawk Industries) in Dallas. Nita Lake Lodge, in Whistler, BC, has promoted Theresa Ginter to hotel manager. Ginter joined the property in November 2010 as front office supervisor. Ginter began her 12-year hospitality career as a restaurant server and worked in various bartender, supervisory and management roles before joining Nita Lake Lodge. Industry veterans Jonathan Crellin and Sara Glenn have joined forces to launch Whetstone Partners, a hospitality asset management and consulting firm with offices in Boston and Toronto. Crellin and Glenn each bring more than 20 years experience to their new venture. Crellin worked in sales and marketing before transitioning to GM roles at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in Boston and Bermuda and at the Forbes FiveStar Boston Harbor Hotel. Glenn began her career with Delta Hotels & Resorts and then gained experience in asset management through stints at Westmont Hospitality Group, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International and RGA Hotel Asset Management.

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Check In Canada’s Alberta pilot TORONTO—Dave Kaiser (right) and Amir Lehrer (left) of the Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association were on hand at the Hotel Association of Canada and CTMS shows last month to introduce an online booking solution that provides hoteliers with a low-cost alternative to online travel agencies (OTAs). AHLA is piloting the system, called Check In Canada. The system gives the consumer the lowest available rate for a property, providing the functionality that consumers demand. But the big difference compared to the OTAs is that Check In Canada sends the consumer to the hotel so that they can book directly. The system also offers Trust You, which aggregates reviews so that consumers can see at a glance how other travellers rated various aspects of the hotel. Hotels that sign up for Check In Canada can get that functionality without the hefty fees charged by OTAs. Check In Canada charges no fees or commissions. The cost to the participating hotel is $295 per year for those with less than 50 rooms; $395 for 50-99 rooms and

T HE

$495 for 100-plus rooms. “You don’t need to sell too many rooms to pay for that,” Kaiser noted. Check In Canada will include rating system scores including Canada Star Quality and Green Key eco-ratings. “It gives guests everything the OTAs give them, but hotels have the benefit of not managing inventory—there’s consistency,” Kaiser told CLN. “Guests can also get their loyalty points.”

guest experience

He explained that the strategy is to get as many provinces and DMOs as possible to use Check In Canada as their marketing site. “There’s a compelling message to tourism bodies—they’re missing out on all that tax revenue [that goes to OTAs]. There are lots of reasons to work together.” Right now, Check In Canada is in beta testing but is fully functional. The next step is to go national, starting by adding Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Going tankless in hotel operations PEACHTREE CITY, GA—Tankless hot water heaters have been around since the late 1970s in Japan, but it wasn’t until the turn of the century that they were adopted in the North American market. And while the percentage of users is still small in comparison to the overall water heating market, use of tankless water heaters has been growing since 2000. Tankless water heaters provide energy efficiencies—Tracy Young of Rinnai, a manufacturer based in Peachtree City, GA, says its standard efficiency tankless water heater operates at 82 per cent efficiency, compared to the high 60s or low 70s for conventional water heaters. Rinnai also offers a higher efficiency tankless model with 95-96 per cent efficiency. And because water is heated only when needed, there are additional energy and water savings. Tankless water heaters are much smaller than traditional tanks—a regular efficiency residential unit is the size of a carry-on suitcase, while the higher-efficiency units are a little wider and deeper. “There’s so much more,” Young told CLN. “There’s freeze protection—as long as there is gas or electricity avail-

Tracy Young, Rinnai

able, there’s no worry about freezing.” Hotels often split their laundry and other water heating functions between separate tankless units. “Contractors are recommending them for major brands because they give [the hotels] the space back, they are energy efficient, and even though the up-front cost is higher, it pays back a lot more quickly,” said Young. Rinnai has been a preferred supplier for the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) for the past four years. “They understand that hoteliers are looking for alternatives

when heating water,” Young added. Installation of tankless units in Canada is almost the same as in the U.S., aside from some venting requirements, Young said. Rinnai offers three types of tankless water heaters: the value model suitable for new construction in the competitive building market; the luxury unit, which is the same efficiency as the value model, but has added features like isolaton valves to turn off water when the unit is being serviced; and the ultra series, which has the highest efficiency and is used in many commercial applications. The ultra series units can be placed on a rack so that they have common piping, gas, water and ventilation— two to six units on a single rack offering 199,000 to 800,000 BTUs. A 100-room hotel might require anywhere from 10 to 20 units depending on location, fixtures in the laundry room, groundwater temperatures and maximum amount of heat required. Rinnai is also working on ways to electronically connect the tankless water heaters to individual appliances and building management systems. Visit www.rinnai.us for more information.

Sysco Guest Supply is committed to maximizing the guest experience at your property by offering an extensive line of hospitality products that enables you to provide the ultimate in comfort and convenience.

Heather McCrory wins OHI Gold TORONTO—Heather McCrory, senior vice president of operations for the Americas, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, has won an Ontario Hostelry Institute (OHI) Gold Award, in the Hotelier category. The nine OHI Gold Awards will be presented at a gala dinner April 24 at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. Prior to working in the corporate office of Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, McCrory was regional vice president for Central Canada and general manager of the Fairmont Royal York. She has also worked as vice president, sales and distribution at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ corporate office, vice president, hotel sales, and Heather McCrory, SVP operations, Fairmont Raffles. regional director, sales and marketing, Alberta

Region. The other OHI Gold Award winners are as follows: Chef—Arpi Magyar, Couture Cuisine; Independent Restaurateur—Tony & Mario Amaro, Opus Restaurant; Educator—Debi Pratt, Great Estates of Niagara-Inniskillin Wines; Media/ Publishing—Jennifer Bain, Toronto Star and Cookbook Author; Foodservice Chain Operator—Annie YoungScrivner, Starbucks (Canada); Supplier—Lynn Siegal, Hilite Fine Foods Inc; and Artisan—Jonathan Forbes, Forbes Wild Foods.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

O p e n i n g s , s a l e s a n d r e n O vat i O n s

DoubleTree debuts in West Edmonton EDMONTON—DoubleTree by Hilton has announced the launch of a property in Edmonton. The brand’s first Alberta hotel, the 238-room DoubleTree by Hilton West Edmonton features a design that celebrates the region’s natural setting juxtaposed with an urban edge. Amenities include on-site restaurants serving globally influenced fare made with locally-influenced ingredients, and the SilverBirch Conference Centre offering 38,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. DoubleTree has also opened a hotel in Flagstaff, Ariz. Marking the brand’s entry into Flagstaff, this newly upgraded 183-room property features a modern-rustic design and houses 6,500 square feet of flexible meeting and banquet facilities and two restaurants. In addition, the hotel serves as a base for visiting popular destinations such as Grand Canyon National Park, the Petrified National Forest and Meteor Crater.

Fairmont Vancouver reopens roof restaurant VANCOUVER—The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver celebrates its 75th birthday with the return of The Roof pop-up restaurant on the 15th floor, scheduled to open in late February and operate through the fall. Overseeing the restaurant’s food program is executive chef Cameron Ballendine, whose menu will feature classic and contemporary dishes. The dinner menu, for instance, will include starters like oysters, French onion soup and Boston bibb wedge salad, along with new offerings like tempura morels. Entrees will include prime rib, steaks, pork and lamb chops and grilled free-range chicken and B.C. seafood, with sides such as creamed spinach, cauliflower gratin and sautéed mushrooms. Desserts will feature sweet offerings such as lemon tart, chocolate cake and crème brulee and savory options such as artisanal cheeses. Serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, the dining room looks north to coastal mountains and south to Point Grey peninsula and the Strait of Georgia. Cocktails, served in the sunken bar outfitted with banquettes and overstuffed wingback chairs, will have a retro 1960s feel. In addition, the lounge will offer live entertainment Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. A venue that debuted when the hotel opened in 1939, the dining room, after launching, quickly became a landmark known for its dinner and dancing, and put Dal Richards on the musical map. On May 1, 1940, Richards and his 11-piece big band debuted for a scheduled sixweek gig — and ended up playing for 25 years. The Roof was also a stu-

dio for CBC Radio, which, for many years, broadcast a weekly show from under the green copper roof.

Waterloo’s new Four Points by Sheraton

STAMFORD, CT—The Four Points by Sheraton Waterloo-Kitchener Hotel & Suites has opened in Waterloo, ON, after completing an extensive renovation. The newly renovated hotel features 104 guestrooms, with 52 tower suites, meeting facilities, restaurant, lobby bar and 24-hour fitness centre. “Four Points by Sheraton Waterloo-Kitchener Hotel & Suites is a great new option for travellers to the city of Waterloo, with an unbeatable location,” said Brian McGuinness, Starwood Hotels and Resorts’ senior vice president of specialty select brands, in a release. Operated by Palm Holdings, the hotel is centrally located in the Waterloo Region, minutes from the Region of Waterloo International Airport and offering easy access to St. Jacobs Farmers Market and the village of St. Jacobs. Currently, 27 Four Points properties operate in Canada, representing Starwood’s largest brand footprint in the country.

MasterBUILT Microtel opens in Weyburn, SK CALGARY—MasterBUILT Hotels has opened a Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham in Weyburn, SK, the brand’s fourth new-prototype location in Canada. Located at Grace Street and Highway 39, the 84-room Weyburn property offers a hot continental breakfast, high-speed wireless Internet, indoor pool with sauna and hot tub, and fitness and business centres. The hotel is close to shopping, dining, museums and an 18-hole championship golf course. A joint venture between Superior Lodging Corp. and residential builder developer Jayman MasterBUILT, the Weyburn hotel joins Microtel properties in Estevan, SK, Timmins, ON and Blackfalds, AB opened during the past 19 months. MasterBUILT’s development plan calls for another 75 Microtel hotels in Canada during the next 25 years. Other locations opening this year include Lloydminster, SK, Red Deer, AB and Sault Ste. Marie, ON, with construction starts slated for Kirkland Lake and Petawawa ON, Fort McMurray, AB and Kitimat and Terrace, BC.

Two other Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham operate, in Woodstock and Parry Sound, ON, both in the brand’s older configuration.

Starwood: 30 North American hotels in 2014 STAMFORD, CT—Starwood Hotels & Resorts expects to open about 30 new hotels in North America by year’s end, driven by the rapid growth of its Four Points by Sheraton and Aloft brands and a surge in conversions across several brands, including Le Meridien. In 2013, Starwood opened 33 new hotels and signed 52 new hotel deals in North America, up 27 per cent over signings the previous year and the most signed since before the global economic crisis. “Starwood remains extremely bullish about its growth prospects in North America, which is still our largest market, comprising over 50 per cent of our existing global portfolio,” said Simon Turner, Starwood’s president of global development, in a release. “We now have a total of 577 hotels in North America and expect record low supply and growing demand to continue driving growth.” Starwood’s Specialty Select brands — Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft and Element — are leading the company’s growth in North America and account for approximately 75 per cent of new hotel openings in the region in 2014. As a group, these brands are on track to surpass 200 hotels in North America this year.

DoubleTree West Edmonton.

The original Fairmont Vancouver roof restaurant.

Left to right: Andrew Arksey, GM Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Weyburn, Lorna Knoll, director of operations, MasterBUILT Hotels, Marc Paradis, GM Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Estevan.

Realstar’s first franchised Studio 6

TORONTO—Realstar Hospitality has opened its first franchised Studio 6 extended-stay property in Canada, located in downtown Toronto. Housed in a six-storey building, the 72 renovated guestrooms feature fully-equipped kitchens that include cooking utensils, a microwave, stovetop, refrigerator and coffee maker. Rooms also feature free WiFi, 32-inch flat-screen HD TV with expanded cable and multimedia panel with A/V connections for MP3 players, video game systems and laptop computers. Guest laundry facilities and on-site parking are also available. “Studio 6 Toronto is a perfect addition to our portfolio of hotels in Canada,” said Farhan Kassam, vice president operations, Sterling Group Inc., which owns the hotel. “We were impressed by the brand’s ability to fill

a void for travellers seeking extendedstay accommodations by offering rooms that combine a modern edge with comfort and value.” Studio 6 - Toronto is close to Kensington Market, Chinatown and entertainment district.

Viamede Resort undertakes $1M reno TORONTO—Viamede Resort, in Ontario’s Kawarthas region, is undertaking its first major renovation in 30 years, a $1 million refurbishment in advance of a spring relaunch. As part of the renovation, guestrooms will receive new carpets as well as premium baths and showers, while guestrooms and cottages will receive new, custom-designed furniture (cottages will also receive new bathrooms). The dining room features new windows and lights. New steel roofs will also be installed. In addition, the project will add

a boardroom accommodating 10 people and featuring a 55-inch flatscreen television, built-in speakers, large whiteboards and a table built from reclaimed wood found onsite. A member of Ontario’s Finest Inns, Viamede was rebuilt after a fire in 1907 and taken over in 1985 by Don Bennett, who enhanced amenities and added a chapel and the hilltop building.

Super 8 Toronto North sold to Sunray Group TORONTO—Super 8 Toronto North has been sold to the Sunray Group of Hotels. CBRE Hotels acted as exclusive advisor to Lakeview Hotel Investment Group in the sale of the property, which features 82 guestrooms, including 30 suites; a breakfast area; indoor pool with waterslide; business centre and 110 parking spaces. The hotel is located in Vaughan, just north of Toronto.

Shut the doors on pests to keep them open for guests By Alice Sinia, Ph.D. In the hospitality industry, there’s one type of guest that is always unwelcome—pests. Ants, bed bugs, cockroaches and pesky rodents can turn a guest’s experience from “five-star” to “never-again.” Pest problems not only damage your facility’s reputation, but can cause costly structural damage if not handled appropriately. Proactive pest management is mandatory to keeping pests out of your facility and away from your guests. The most effective method of mitigating pest infestations is an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach, which focuses on sanitary and facility maintenance measures to reduce pests’ access to their three survival elements—food, water and shelter. By working with your pest management professional and incorporating small, but important,steps into the everyday housekeeping routine, you can make sure there’s no vacancy for pests. While normal housekeeping operations can help deter pests, such as frequently vacuuming, taking out trash, cleaning, and washing linens and towels, staff should also regularly inspect for signs that point to an infestation and check pest hot spots in and around the facility for indications of pest activity.

Look out for droppings, gnaw marks and rub markings Rodents are most active at dusk and dawn, which is why it’s especially important for housekeeping to be on the lookout for signs of these pests. Mouse droppings are about the size of a grain of rice and rat droppings are the size of a raisin. Rodents are always gnawing and can squeeze through very small openings. Holes that appear to be chewed or gnawed are a likely sign of rodent activity. These critters also leave rub marks when they crawl, so dark, greasy marks along walls and baseboards may mean rodents are nearby. Observing any one of these signs points to a rodent infestation.

Bed bug skins, reddish-black spots, live or dead bed bugs Regularly washing linens will not prevent an infestation if bed bugs have already invaded the mattress and box spring. These stealthy, nocturnal insects can easily “hitchhike” on guests’ luggage or even on housekeeping carts. House-

keeping should proactively look for signs of bed bugs during regular service of each room. Signs include brown, dark brown or cream cast-off skins, reddish-black spots on linens and mattresses, and live or dead bed bugs themselves. If any of these signs are present, management should contact the facility’s pest management professional immediately. If possible, keep found signs as samples so they can be verified by your pest management provider. Housekeeping is often the first line of defense against pests, but an IPM approach requires a facility-wide dedication to pest management. All staff should be aware of what areas are more prone to pests and report any signs of activity to management. o Laundry facilities, along with appliances like dishwashers and vending machines, are a great moisture source for pests like ants and cockroaches. These areas should be regularly monitored and inspected for signs of pests. o Gaps, cracks, crevices, open exit doors and worn-out door sweeps are open invitations for pests to make your facility their new home. Staff should be on the lookout for these potential entry points, and your pest management professional can provide recommendations on the most effective way to address them. o Areas with food are like magnets to ants, cockroaches and rodents. Guestrooms with kitchen areas should be thoroughly cleaned, and staff should make a joint effort to keep other food areas sanitized and free of crumbs and spills on a daily basis. These areas should be closely monitored for pest activity. Pest management can seem like a daunting task when you have many guests to keep happy, but incorporating small steps into staff members’ daily routine will save you the hassle of an infestation—and very unsatisfied guests—down the road. Don’t risk losing a lifetime customer to a preventable pest. Work with your pest management professional to establish an IPM system and get your whole facility involved in establishing a no-vacancy policy against pests. Alice Sinia, Ph.D. is resident entomologist— regulatory/lab services for Orkin Canada focusing on government regulations pertaining to the pest control industry. For more information, e-mail Alice Sinia at asinia@orkincanada.com or visit www.orkincanada.com

Stealth kitchens for hotels NEW YORK—Resource Furniture has announced the debut of its Stealth Kitchen modules. This product allows all full-sized appliances, work surfaces and storage areas to become completely invisible when not in use. In as little as six linear feet, Stealth Kitchen incorporates all the necessities of a high-end, modern kitchen—refrigerator, freezer, dishwasher, microwave, oven, cooktop, sink, counter space and abundant storage—all cleverly concealed behind a wall of cabinetry that blends seamlessly into its surroundings. Stealth modules in the form of pantries, double ovens, island units, washer/dryer laundry centres, and dry/wet bars among many others can be used to create limitless kitchen configurations. Stealth Kitchen modules may qualify for up to six LEED points in seven categories, depending on specifications and actual use. They have locally-sourced hardwood, formaldehyde-free plywood, and CARB2-compliant materials. Contact: http://resourcefurniture.com

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Stealth Kitchen closed (top) and open.

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InnVue/Canalta partnership y

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Left: InnVue allows you to wow your guests with your HD image, their name on screen and on-screen hotel information.

Send y Below: general or specific

direct messages to your guests’ TVs courtesy of InnVue technology.

QUEBEC CITY—InnVue will provide its marketing platform and entertainment solution to all 36 Canalta-owned and operated hotels in Alberta and Saskatchewan, the company announced last month. Canalta is also building two hotels and has Canalta, Super 8 and Ramadabranded properties. They also own several restaurants surrounding the With their agreement with InnVue, for the hotels. first time in North America, Canalta hoteliers “We chose InnVue’s marketing and in-room entertainment platform to improve and stan- will have the tools to control all guests’ TV expedardize the branding and entertainment experi- riences from their head office, according to Innence across all of our properties,” said Canalta Vue. The marketing department will have the ability to communicate with guests directly in a VP Brooke Christianson. “The ability to inform, entertain and man- non-intrusive fashion. Using the system, hotels can even be proacage content remotely from our head office is tive and send the maintenance staff to a guesta powerful and efficient tool. We want to offer our guests an experience that is as good or room to fix a problem such as a disconnected better than what they experience at home and television before the next guest walks in. our partnership with InnVue should help us to achieve that,” he added. InnVue offers hoteliers the ability to fully control the guest experience as soon as they walk in the room. The solution welcomes the guest, offers them products such as entertainment, Jani-King provides a great robes and pillows, and provides alternative that helps you exceed your guests needs while meeting descriptions of local events. As the guest turns on the TV, your budget. it powers onto an HD splash Our Services Include: page chosen by the hotelier. This Room attendants can be a picture of the hotel, bar, Laundry attendants pool, casino or any product the All housekeeping positions hotelier would like to promote. Front & Back of House cleaning The guest will also quickly notice a custom greeting on the Kitchen & Restaurant cleaning TV that says: “Welcome Colleen Isherwood.” A menu on the top of the TV reveals all the features offered by the solution. The addition of direct messaging to the solution means that hoteliers can now leave Learn more. Scan the QR code using a message to one guest, some your smartphone for guests or all guests at any demore information on Jani-King’s hospitality sired time on the TV. Hoteliers cleaning services. use this feature to invite guest for breakfast, welcome a group or give directives when there is 800.565.1873 | www.janiking.ca a special situation, e.g., “No hot water from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m.”

Housekeeping & Cleaning Services

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Best Western Plus Gatineau-Ottawa Bistrot Cartier Before.

GUestrooM Before.

By Don Douloff, contributing editor GATINEAU-OTTAWA—Given its location directly across from the Parliament Buildings, the Best Western Plus Gatineau-Ottawa, not surprisingly, attracts a weekday clientele skewed heavily towards government and corporate meetings. On weekends, however, the property plays host to sports teams participating in area competitions. It was crucial, therefore, that the hotel’s renovation, begun in 2011 and completed in early 2013, cater to those key demographics, the property’s owner, Al Karim, told CLN. “Our clientele is mixed and we wanted to balance the needs of all those markets,” said Karim. “We wanted the renovation to incorporate an upscale, boutique-style feel that would also appeal to sports teams.” To that end, the project revamped all 133 guestrooms and suites, installing 36-oz., neutraltoned nylon carpet; high-end light-oak desks, beds and credenzas, along with ergonomic desk chairs and, mounted on each credenza, a 42-inch LG plasma television. Videotron provides highdefinition programming and TVs feature plugand-play compatibility accommodating guests’ gaming, laptop and personal-DVD needs. Also refreshed were public areas, includ-

Bistrot Cartier after.

GUestrooM after.

ing 5,000 square feet of meeting space given boutique-hotel accents such as neutral-coloured wallcoverings and carpets, said Karim. In keeping with the property’s 3 Green Key eco-rating, the renovation added energy efficient lighting.

Bistrot Cartier remodelled The project modernized the property’s 80seat restaurant, Bistrot Cartier, recasting walls in a neutral palette (replacing wallpaper), removing carpet in favour of hardwood tile and adding art deco accents to the ceiling. A more open-concept space, including a lounge featuring terracotta accent walls and mahogany high-top seating, prevails. Over the quartz-topped bar, 50-inch LCD TVs perch in place of mirrors. To enhance the guest experience, the renovation updated the fitness centre, adding commercial-grade elliptical and strength-training equipment, along with 37-inch LCD TVs. The 35,000-gallon swimming pool (top of page) was drained, sandblasted, repainted and refilled with saltwater (“it’s more therapeutic than chlorinated water,” said Karim). Augmenting the saltwater are new UV filtration and dehumidifier systems. Two years ago, the construction team demolished the 130-stall indoor parking garage and rebuilt it, upgrading the sprinkler system and

COMI NG

March 31-April 1: Resorts of Ontario Spring Conference and Tradeshow, Casino Rama, Rama and Fern Resort, Orillia. Contact: Michelle Duff, michelle@resortsofontario.com. April 7-9.: Online Revealed Conference, Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites, Toronto. Contact: Patricia Brusha, 416-817-5595. E-mail: pbrusha@onlinerevealed.ca. Website: www.onlinerevealed.com. April 13-14: ApEx Show, Exhibition Place, Halifax. Contact: Peter Ridout, tel: 416-512-

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

adding energy efficient lighting. Throughout the renovation, and key to its success, said Karim, the Best Western design team drew on its experience working on highend portfolio properties while seeking input from the Gatineau-Ottawa team. “The Best Western team brought insights to the project that allowed them to create a renovation that will have staying power in terms of the design,” said Karim. To date, the Gatineau-Ottawa renovation has cost about $1.9 million, according to Karim — and that investment already appears to be paying off.

Business on the rise Since the renovation was completed early last year, the hotel has seen business increase, with Karim reporting a “significant difference in bookings” that included, in 2013, a “dynamic summer season and record numbers in fall and winter.” The final phase of the project entails revamping the building’s entire façade, for which an additional $2 million has been budgeted, said Karim. He expects work on that phase to begin in September or October, 2015 and be completed by April, 2016.

E V E N T S

8186 ext. 262 or 866-216-0860 ext. 240. E-mail: peterr@mediaedge.ca. Website: http://www. apextradeshow.ca. April 14-15: Saskatchewan Hotel and Hospitality Association, Saskatoon, SK. Contact: Warren Nerby. Phone: 306-539-8286. Fax: 306525-1944. E-mail: wnerby@sasktel.net. Website: http://www.shha.co April 24-25: Alberta Hotel & Lodging Assoc. AGM & Trade Show, The Banff Centre, Banff, AB. E-mail Ldoyle@edmonton.ca. Fax 780-425-

5121. Website: www.ahla2014.com. May 5-6: Canadian Hotel Investment Conference, Eaton Chelsea Toronto Hotel, Toronto. Contact: Orie Berlasso, Big Picture Conferences Inc., 416-924-2002 x229. E-mail: orieberlasso@ bigpictureconferences.ca. Website: www.hotelinvest.ca. May 6-7: Canadian Restaurant Investment Summit, Eaton Chelsea Hotel, Toronto. Contact Orie Berlasso, orieberlasso@bigpictureconferences.ca. Website: www.restaurantinvest.ca

lI ST

Google: Eight tips to improve online business today TORONTO—Eric Morris, head of mobile advertising for Google, invited participants at the recent Hotel Association of Canada conference to rate their businesses based on the following questions. A higher score equals a higher success rate, Morris said. 1. Are you mining the database of intentions? Take a look at the purchase journey to find out what people are doing in the virtual world. For example, look at searches for Toronto hotels as well as related searches, such as Sheraton vs. Marriott, mining them for competitive insights. Google has a free app that can help at www.google.com/ trends. 2. Where are you on the digital shelf? If you look at a Google search as a traditional bookshelf, is your official site at the top of a search of your hotel, i.e., at eye level on the shelf? Or is that top shelf occupied by sites like Booking. com or Expedia? 3. How fast is your website? Most businesses have no clue, despite the fact that your website is your most important sales tool. Use Google PageSpeed Insights and type in the url for your websites. You will get a rating for web and mobile sites, and suggestions as to how to improve them. 4. Your customers are mobile, are you? A good way to drive business to your mobile site is to draw people in using deals. Morris pointed to Travelodge Canada’s website as “an experience built for phones, not for mice.” Features included a phone number or phone icon link at the top, since 20 per cent of bookings are still by phone. Some people who search using their mobile will book by calling you on the mobile phone. 5. Do you have a culture of digital experimentation? Sometimes small changes online account for big changes overall. For example, an ad featuring President Obama as a family man got an 11.6 per cent response while one with the message Obama—get involved drew only 8.2 per cent. That’s a 40 per cent difference. That’s why it’s important to test different concepts. 6. How profitable is your online marketing? Try and measure the impact of a campaign as close to your business as possible to get true business results. 7. Are you segmenting your customers? All customers are not equal. For example, three different customers took advantage of a $300 per night special offer. The first customer spent $5 on Pringles potato chips. The second customer bought Pringles, ate at the restaurant and used [paid] Internet. The third customer did all that and was a member of the loyalty program. Obviously, the third customer was the most valuable. Which channels are bringing in your best customers? 8. Are your best and smartest people working on digital? We’ve brought a lot of complexity to marketing with digital—it makes sense to have your best and brightest people assigned to digital marketing.

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