Canadian Lodging News - March 2015

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C A N A D I A N

LodgingNews March 2015 Vol. 12 No. 2

c a n a da’ s l o d g i n g b u s i n e s s n e w s pa p e r $ 5 . 0 0

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SENECA’S GRADS OF THE FUTURE

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NETFLIX OR BLOCKBUSTER?

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GENERATION 3 AT PALM HOLDINGS

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FEATURE: FIFTY SHADES OF PLAY IN-ROOM ENTERTAINMENT FOCUS

More Hyatt brands for Canada

Scott Richer

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

OTTAWA — It’s no accident that Hyatt has hired Scott Richer as its dedicated Canadian vice-president real estate and development — he’s going to be busy.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced in late January that Canada’s first Andaz-branded property is slated to open in Ottawa’s Byward Market in mid-2016. They also have one Hyatt and two Hyatt Places in the pipeline, and are looking at Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Regency, Park Hyatt and Andaz — to round out their Canadian expansion plans.

Hyatt’s affiliate reached a management contract with developer Claridge Homes to create the 200-room Andaz Ottawa Byward Market at 325 Dalhousie St., which is near the city’s of-

fice core, Parliament Hill and the University of Ottawa.

The hotel will feature a destination restaurant, rooftop lounge and bar and an outdoor terrace with views of the city. Meeting facilities include six studios, a lounge area and open kitchen totalling about 4,500 square feet.

“Andaz Ottawa Byward Market will bring to life the brand’s mission of creating inspiring, indigenous experiences and immersing guests into the destination’s local culture,” said Hyatt’s senior vice-president of development, Americas, David Tarr in a release.

The hotel plans to collaborate with local musicians, artists, designers and cultural influencers to deliver events and programs unique to the Ottawa location.

Andaz Hotels by Hyatt has 12 properties worldwide in cities such as New York, London and Tokyo and recently also announced plans for a Singapore location.

porate communications, Americas for Hyatt.

“It’s a residential-style design that blurs the lines between bedrooms, bath and sitting areas. The name itself is a Hindi word for ‘personal style.’ ” Hotels are encouraged to source everything from beers to chips locally; craft cocktails are locally designed and local musicians and artists are featured at each property.

The lobbies are barrier free — i.e., there’s no front desk.

Continued on page 7

Michael Beckley honoured at HAC

New Canadian development VP Richer, who came to Hyatt from Delta Hotels, told CLN the Andaz Ottawa makes sense for Byward Market, an urban, culturally rich neighbourhood.

“It will include compelling food and beverage on the main floor that will align with the brand and the location,” Richer said. He describes the rooms as “sizeable, stylish and spirited.”

“Guests feel like they are living in the destination,” said Aurelia Vasquez, director of cor-

Michael Beckley

Andaz Ottawa Byward Market

TORONTO — The Hotel Association of Canada honoured a true industry icon, Michael Beckley, senior vice-president, Lodging Development, Marriott Hotels & Resorts Canada, with a Lifetime Achievement Award at its annual conference on Feb. 3. Beckley retired at the end of March. Under Beckley’s leadership, Marriott Hotels of Canada has more than tripled in size to 124 properties, including the recent acquisition of Delta Hotels and Resorts, with another 20 anticipated in 2015.

Upon receiving the award, Beckley said that it is not the first time he has tried to retire — last time Bill Marriott Jr., who turns 83 in March, talked him out of it, saying he was too young to retire at 70. “I have a lasting respect for the hospitality industry that will remain as strong as ever,” Beckley added.

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Seneca and industry: Grads of the future

John Walker, former dean of Humber College and George Brown College, and Angela Zigras, chair, Seneca School of Hospitality and Tourism, at the think tank.

TORONTO — Seneca School of Hospitality and Tourism (SoHT) hosted more than 70 industry representatives at an industry think tank Feb. 11 to help shape a new type of graduate better equipped to meet the needs of the future.

Trudy Parsons, director, workforce development at Millier Dickinson Blais, a national economic development consulting firm, told the group that often the talents and skills of the people in a certain region don’t align with what local employers need, and the challenge is how to create opportunities and provide the students of tomorrow with what they need to succeed in a constantly changing world.

To show what’s changing, she gave the example of her two and a half year-old granddaughter, who wanted the song, The Wheels on the Bus, and showed her grandma how to find it on the iPad.

Hotel room of the future She took delegates on a journey to the hotel room of the future, where she could beam her kids’ photos on the wall, change the wall colour if it didn’t suit her mood, program the pillow, and have her heart rate and blood sugar monitored to make sure she was healthy. In the washroom, she could call up her schedule for the day on the mirror while brushing her teeth,

or turn the wall into a computer monitor.

If she didn’t have time to visit attractions in the location, she could call up a virtual experience in the hotel room during the 15 minutes before she had to attend her next meeting. Instead of getting up at 5 a.m. to go to the hotel gym, a hologram could lead her in an exercise program. “Even clothing can be programmed,” she said. “Did you see the Twitter dress worn by one of the former Pussycat Dolls?”

One of the skills hospitality and tourism professionals will need in the future is lingual flexibility. “People are coming to us with many different languages. Tourism from China and South Korea is increasing both in number of visits and dollars spent. How ready are our new employees in serving these customers?” Parsons asked.

She added that in 2010, Canada spent an average of $688 per employee on training, while the U.S. spent $1,071. The Canadian figure is down from 1993, when we spent $1,116 per employee.

“Things change so fast, and we constantly need to be building or adapting,” Parsons said.

“Lifelong learning is needed, and employees must be adaptable, responsible and accountable.”

Later in the morning, an industry panel

looked at what will be different in the hospitality and tourism industry in 10 years.

Robin O’Hearn, director of talent management at Delta Hotels, said technology will look a lot different and work spaces will be collaborative hubs, but hospitality still needs that human element. “There will be a lot of automation, and the winners will be those who strike a balance. I like that calendar in the mirror,” she said.

Donna Dooher, interim CEO of Restaurants Canada and owner of Mildred’s Temple Kitchen in Toronto, said the restaurant industry provides entry level jobs for people 18 to 25. Her employees are always the same age, but she continues to get older. “And the frustration gap widens....” One of the big challenges will be to work together, to understand their needs and wants, to manage their expectations and manage change.

Asked about the characteristics of the perfect job candidates, panellists mentioned knowledge of the entire travel experience and an understanding of different jobs within that industry. Said Diana Rodriguez, director, product development for Air Canada Vacations, “I expect applicants to know what they’re applying for. If someone talks to me about the airline, not Air Canada vacations, they’ve lost me.”

“Restaurants are becoming gatekeepers of customers’ well being,” Dooher said. “We’re in charge of healthy, informed dining, and we need to set the tone for [those who are new to the workforce]. We make people happy — that’s the most important thing! A number of young people are coming out of college and university who have never had a job. Some have a bornto-the-manor attitude. We need to manage their expectations.” She called on the colleges to help ensure students have work experience.

The delegates broke into round table discussions to look at SoHT’s vision and promise, including a service leadership culture; to discuss desirable characteristics of SoHT graduates and to look at possible new names for the School of Hospitality and Tourism.

Stay tuned for the results.

BRIEFS Mindful Eating, Mindful Meeting MCLEAN, Va. — Hilton Worldwide recently announced Meet with Purpose, a concept designed to make it easier for meeting professionals to reduce waste and incorporate health and wellness into meetings and events.

Meet with Purpose is supported by two focus areas: Mindful Eating, which encourages meeting professionals to reexamine event dining to minimize food waste and encourage healthy choices; and Mindful Meeting, which encourages meeting professionals to consider meeting practices that are less resource-intensive.

To calculate and analyze meeting sustainability, Hilton has developed the LightStay program to measure energy, water, carbon, housekeeping, paper product usage, waste, chemical storage, air quality and transportation.

LightStay also provides social networking tools that allow properties to communicate and share information, and features a “meeting impact calculator” element that calculates the sustainability impact of any meeting or conference held at a property.

Fairmont meets CO2 targets TORONTO — Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced that it has achieved World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Climate Savers Program targets, reducing its operational CO2 emissions by 20 per cent below 2006 levels. In doing so, the luxury hotel brand becomes the first hotel brand to meet this ambitious environmental goal.

WWF’s Climate Savers Program was designed to inspire companies to change their thinking about climate solutions, while encouraging them to transform themselves into low-carbon leaders.

This leaves member companies better placed to avoid carbon-related risks while realizing opportunities within their long-term business strategies. Other Climate Savers participants include The Coca-Cola Co., Johnson & Johnson and Nike.

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March 2015 | 3

C A N A D I A N

EDITORIAL

Blockbuster or Netflix?

Does your company want to be Blockbuster or Netflix? Doug Stephens of Retail Prophet kicked off the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) conference at the Hilton Toronto Feb. 3 with this analogy in his keynote address, “Lessons from the world’s most innovative companies.”

The more things change, the more things ... change, Stephens told the more than 300 delegates to the conference, giving the Blockbuster versus Netflix example. In 1997, when Netflix came on the scene with mail order DVDs, Blockbuster had a 27 per cent share of the movie rental business.

Two years later, Netflix offered subscriptions, and unlimited rentals chosen from 15,000 titles, while Blockbuster had 2,500 titles. In 2000, Reed Hastings of Netflix approached Blockbuster about a partnership, but Blockbuster brushed them off.

By 2004, Netflix had nine per cent of the

DVD market. Blockbuster modified its policies, offering a grace period on the late fees that provided 20 per cent of its revenues and starting an online store.

In 2005, Netflix started streaming video on the Internet, while Blockbuster ended its late fees and made a minor investment in streaming. By 2011, Netflix accounted for 32 per cent of all bandwidth, and Blockbuster was out of business.

Blockbuster’s downfall was due to three factors, Stephens said. First, their organizational imprinting took place from the era in which the organization was formed, and that set their view of the world. Blockbuster believed that people want to go to the video store. Secondly, they protected their existing business — sticking their heads in their shells. Thirdly, they had incremental rather than exponential responses.

“These three things in concert sealed Blockbuster’s fate,” Stephens said.

Colleen Isherwood, Editor

LodgingNews PUBLISHER

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Doug Stephens of Retail Prophet.

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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

SPOTLIGHT

JASON CHESKES Above The Line Solutions

HAC panel on profitability

VITO CURALLI Hilton Worldwide PHILIPPE GADBOIS Atlific Hotels & Resorts MARK HOPE Coast Hotels ELIZABETH HUESTON Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc. BRIAN LEON Choice Hotels Canada Inc. ROBIN MCLUSKIE Colliers International Hotels BRIAN STANFORD PKF DR. DAVID MARTIN Ted Rogers School of Hospitality CHRISTINE PELLA Serta Mattress Company TONY POLLARD Hotel Association of Canada ANDREW CHLEBUS LG Electronics

Left to right: Robert Pratt, Didier Oboeuf, Michael Jackson, Philippe Gadbois, Scott Allison, David Larone.

Yield management, sales management budgets and business plans all affect the operating success of a hotel. At the HAC conference, Robert Pratt of Coast Hotels, Didier Oboeuf of Groupe Germain, Michael Jackson of Easton’s Group of Hotels, Philippe Gadbois of Atlific Hotels and Scott Allison of Marriott Hotels of Canada all shared their ideas on profitability in a panel moderated by David Larone of PKF. Pratt spoke about the importance of business plans, saying he was surprised at how many organizations don’t have one.

Everyone has a role, he said. “The owner wants ROI, ongoing investment and an exit strategy. The management looks at profitability as part of a balance it strikes between the guest and employee loyalty.

GMs have to collaborate with hotel teams to determine what’s achievable, but stretch targets.”

Allison noted it is important that the

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team understand key metrics and stay on top of the numbers.

Gadbois said that the planning process has changed. “Fifteen or 20 years ago, forecasting was easier to do because it was governed by the past; now we’re trying to project.”

“The biggest mistake people make is to plan with a full look in the rear view mirror,” said Oboeuf.

“The ability to react is as important as our ability to plan — as long as the plan can be adjusted. Planning beyond three months is like the weather channel!”

The success of a plan depends on whether the bottom line is meaningful to various members of a hotel team. Front desk staff can understand the benefits of upselling a room, but for a room attendant, that’s not important, said Jackson.

Gadbois told the group that at one point he had an epiphany, realizing that our cus-

tomer today is not really loyal. Many customers have platinum or elite status in two or three loyalty programs.

The important things are location, type of experience, value for money and recognition. “Those who do better at those basics will win,” he said.

Whether it’s a hockey group or a large Fortune 500 company, hoteliers need to understand who their customers are by segment, Allison said.

The key, said Pratt, is maximizing the business mix. “We look at so many different factors to define the optimal business mix.

We have to tweak that.”

“You cannot save your way to prosperity,” said Jackson. “If you put more in the top of the funnel, it’s a whole lot easier at the bottom.”

“Keep it simple,” said Oboeuf. “Believe in your people and they’ll take care of business for you.”

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Drayton Valley among eight new BW properties in 2014

Best Western Plus Executive Residency Drayton Valley, Alta.

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Best Western Plus Executive Residency Drayton Valley, Alta. all-suites hotel is among the eight properties Best Western opened hotels in Canada this past year. Best Westerns also opened in downtown Montreal, St. John’s, Nfld. and Sussex, N.B.

Groundbreaking for a Best Western Plus in St. Stephen, N.B., will commence this spring with an opening targeted for spring 2016.

“Every deal is different,” Mike Muir, vicepresident North American development, told CLN. “Best Western Plus new construction proj-

ects are taking place in a number of markets including Campbellton, N.B., Grand Falls-Windsor, Nfld., Brampton and Bracebridge, Ont.” All told, there are 24 Best Western projects in the Canadian pipeline, including one Best Western, 20 Best Western Pluses and three Best Western Premiers. “Western Canada is really the hottest region with the most openings and projects under construction right now,” said Muir.

The Best Western Plus Executive Residency in Alberta’s Drayton Valley stands out because it is an extended-stay property. While it’s not the extended-stay prototype designed and developed by Best Western, the 90-room hotel has some outstanding features.

Located about 133 km southwest of Edmonton, Drayton Valley has just over 7,000 people and an economy fuelled by oil and gas. The property was designed with the long-term guest in mind. In place of a pool, the hotel features an

entertainment lounge including complimentary WiFi, ping pong, foosball and pool tables.

Guests can enjoy gaming stations, a sports simulator that offers golf, baseball, hockey, football and soccer, and a virtual Formula 1 and NASCAR racing simulator. Outdoor heated summer patio areas include barbecues, seating and a fire pit. The fitness centre features cardio and strength workout equipment as well as a Bodo Inada Sogno Dreamwave massage chair, while the huge parking lot is ideal for large trucks and crews.

Muir said Best Western is looking at one of its new Vib brand hotels for Toronto, and at major downtown markets for the soft brand, The Best Western Premier Collection.

At press time, Muir said Best Western was still looking for a development director to replace Gene Conklin in Western Canada. Conklin left to join Vantage Hospitality earlier this year.

Empower “U”/AHLEI partner to build trained workforce

Joanne Gallagher Kurtzke.

VANCOUVER — British Columbia will need more than 100,000 new skilled hospitality workers by 2020 — and that’s just one Canadian province! This means the need for companies to train and certify their existing workforce is more imperative than ever, said Joanne Gallagher Kurtzke, who heads up a new workforce training organization based in Vancouver.

That organization, Empower “U,” is working closely with the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) to offer high-quality hospitality training, education, and certification to hospitality organizations, schools and workforce development agencies in Canada.

Kurtzke, director of education and training for Empower “U,” became familiar with AHLEI and its education and training resources while working as a hospitality professional and a college instructor. When she decided to establish her own training solutions company, she turned to AHLEI to be her training partner.

“The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute is delighted to be working with Joanne Kurtzke and Empower “U” to expand AHLEI’s training presence in Canada,” said Elizabeth Johnson, the organization’s senior public relations and marketing manager.

“Joanne’s background in both hospitality operations and teaching and her knowledge of the Canadian market make her the ideal per-

Elizabeth Johnson, AHLEI.

son to deliver AHLEI’s academic courses and professional certifications to those in hospitality careers and those who aspire to work in the hospitality industry.

“Joanne has used our products in the classroom for many years and is a true believer in AHLEI’s mission and commitment to developing a well-qualified, credentialed hospitality workforce.”

Empower “U” has a memorandum of understanding with AHLEI to create, facilitate and design customer-centered, industry-focused, certified, workforce training programs.

The goal of the organization is to empower hospitality organizations and the people they employ to train in a new, affordable, flexible and innovative way.

AHLEI training programs that Empower “U” will offer to its clients include Guest Service Gold and the Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP), as well as AHLEI’s full line of hospitality management distance learning courses.

Kurtzke and Empower “U” will work with a team of industry professionals to assess and identify service and hospitality companies’ needs, then design and create specialized programs to help them achieve their goals.

“We are a B2B company. Our target market is Canadian hospitality organizations that want to offer custom designed, AHLEI certified, (vo-

Jim Pelton, KPU. cational) training to their employees. The duration of these programs can run as short as one day and as long as 11 weeks,” Kurtzke told CLN. This includes companies such as Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Empower “U” is working with Jim Pelton, executive director of continuing and professional studies, for Metro Vancouver-based KPU. “We are offering training that will produce highly skilled ambassadors for beautiful British

Columbia,” Pelton told CLN. “The expertise that both Empower “U” and the AHLEI bring to the table will enable us to deliver first class education that will meet the needs of a growing and vital industry in British Columbia.

“The KPU courses will be delivered in blended online and in-class formats to ensure that busy professionals get the quality training they need in a flexible, schedule-friendly fashion” said Pelton.

The Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC), a union that represents workers in the construction, health care and food industries, plans to offer its members hospitality training, education and professional certification using globally-recognized resources from AHLEI. The training will be delivered through a collaboration with Empower “U.” “We are interested in developing our hospitality membership and wanted to work with someone who has industry knowledge and expertise,” said Chris Cameron, CLAC training coordinator.

Empower “U” is confident that the training materials and expertise of the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute is the right fit for all clients in the service industry sector.

For more information on Empower “U,” contact 604-943-6604 or inquiries@worktoempoweru.com.

Expedia: Orbitz, technology spend BELLEVUE, Wash. — Expedia, Inc. announced last month that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Orbitz Worldwide, Inc., including all of Orbitz Worldwide’s brands, for $12 per share in cash, representing an enterprise value of approximately $1.6 billion.

Expedia also released information on its technology innovations, noting that it invested more than $686 million during 2014.

In the company’s full year earnings report, Expedia Inc. reported 26 per cent growth in room nights year-on-year.

Throughout 2014, Expedia Inc. devel-

oped a number of new technology products across all of its brands to help consumers research and book their travel using a combination of technology devices.

“Expedia conducts significant research into traveller booking behaviour as well as identifying what our partners need from our technology. This ensures the business invests in the right technology to direct customers to our hotel partners quickly and easily, generating increased demand for the hotels we work with,” said Susan Spinney, senior director of market management for Expedia in Canada.

March 2015 | 5

BY THE NUMBERS Canadian hotel trading was $1.4 billion in 2014

Highlights: •

• •

•

Park Hyatt Toronto.

TORONTO — Colliers International Hotels’ fourth quarter Canadian Hotel Investment Sentiment Survey indicated that investors continue to show growing confidence in the Canadian market.

The report, prepared in conjunction with the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Ryerson University, was released on Feb. 9. A total of 108 investors participated in the 2014 survey, with the majority being Canadian-based.

Investors reported a strong appetite to invest: 49 per cent indicated buying is their primary investment strategy in 2015, the highest buy signal since the survey’s inception five years ago; Almost a quarter of respondents indicated plans to sell assets this year; Investors planning to dispose of assets cited recycling capital and timing the market as the principal motivations; and Urban markets remain most popular, however interest in new construction and buying smaller assets in secondary and tertiary markets continues to emerge as a growing trend.

In 2014, Canadian hotel trading was more than $1.4 billion, which, according to Colliers, is the second highest since 2007. More details will be available in the upcoming 2015 Canadian Hotel Investment Report, to be released this quarter.

In February, Colliers International Hotels also reported the completion of 40 lodging transactions in 2014 representing $750 million in deal volume.

Some highlights include: 15 transactions on behalf on InnVest Reit (1,378 keys in Ontario Quebec and the Maritimes); the purchase of Park Hyatt Toronto (346 keys plus commercial space); the newly built, duel-branded Courtyard & Residence Inn Calgary (328 keys); Ontario Select Service Portfolio (419 keys in Brampton,

Sudbury and Mississauga, Ont.); Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello (211 keys and about 1,000 acres); and Toronto Area Hilton Extended Stay Portfolio (578 keys).

Tourism employment up in P.E.I. and N.L. OTTAWA — Statistics Canada reported in its seasonally adjusted employment snapshot that

Source: CTHRC

in December 2014, the unemployment rate in the tourism sector was 6 per cent, which was 0.3 per cent lower than the rate reported in 2013 (6.3 per cent).

Employment in the Canadian tourism sector overall increased during the month, with Prince Edward Island (-7.2 per cent) and Newfoundland and Labrador (-1.9 per cent) having the most significant increase in employment.

Compared to December 2013, the food & beverage services and transportation industry groups recorded lower unemployment rates.

On a provincial basis, tourism unemployment rates ranged from 2 per cent in Alberta to 19 per cent in Prince Edward Island.

With the exception of the Maritimes, the (seasonally unadjusted) unemployment rate in tourism industries was below or similar to the rate reported for the provincial economy overall.

Beltliner and Taqueria for Fairfield Calgary Downtown CALGARY — Calgary restaurateurs Brendan Bankowski and Cody Willis plan to open eateries in the Fairfield Inn & Suites Calgary Downtown, which is expected to launch in late spring in a refurbished former apartment building.

Vacant since late 2008, the 11-storey building is located at 12th Avenue and 2nd St. S.W., in Calgary’s Beltline area, and will be completely renovated to house 124 guestrooms, including 45 suites.

Expected to open at the end of May, according to the hotel’s general manager Brad Schlosser, this will be the first Fairfield Inn to open in the city.

Beltliner to open ahead of the hotel Opening ahead of the hotel (and the first of the two eateries to open) will be the Beltliner, slated to launch the first week of March, according to Bankowski, who owns Calgary’s Taste restaurant.

Named after the streetcar that serviced the area from 1909 to 1952, the Beltliner will serve “classic diner staples elevated by modern technique and local produce and ingredients sourced almost exclusively from Alberta and B.C.,” said Bankowski, who will be owner and managing partner.

On the plate, that will translate to dishes such as venison-stuffed cabbage rolls, and mac and cheese with pork belly. Average cheque, at dinner, will range between $35 and $40 per person, including food and drink, said Bankowski.

6 | Canadian Lodging News

In partnership with Calgary’s Fratello coffee shop, the Beltliner will feature, near the front door, a grab-and-go counter serving coffee (including the restaurant’s own blend), baked goods and breakfast sandwiches.

Bankowski will act as general manager.

Handling executive chef duties will be Shawn Greenwood, who, for four years, held a similar post at Taste and is a partner in the Beltliner.

Located on the hotel’s ground floor, on the west side, just off the lobby, the Beltliner will feature 70 seats (58 in the restaurant and 12 at the bar) and a look that Bankowski describes as “modern industrial, playing off the streetcar theme.”

To that end, the room will feature concrete floors; wood reclaimed from old CP Rail boxcars (on cabinetry, shelving and booths); black leather booths and banquettes; and painted white-brick walls.

Augmenting the food will be a drinks list featuring 30 Western Canadian craft beers (overseen by an on-site cicerone, or beer sommelier); 20 wines (10 reds and 10 whites) sourced from Canada, the U.S. and Europe; 15 cocktails, including five proprietary creations; and 50 bourbons highlighting popular and lesser-known labels and all priced at $5 per ounce.

Native Tongues Taqueria As for Native Tongues Taqueria, construction began in mid-February and the restaurant expects to open in late May, in the east corner of the hotel’s ground floor, according to Willis,

Fairfield Inn & Suites Calgary Downtown king room. who is partnering with Calgary-based BMeX Restaurant Group to launch the eatery.

The menu will focus on Mexican street food such as tacos, antojitos and tortas (sandwiches) and, at Saturday and Sunday brunch, egg dishes (such as huevos rancheros), cheese quesadillas and the like.

The basis of Native Tongues’ tortillas, tamales, etc., will be masa dough made from ancient-species corn grown by independent, smallholder farms in Mexico and imported by New York-based company Masienda.

“Masa is the foundation of Mexican food, the bread of Mexico,” said Willis.

Including food and drink, lunch cheques will average $17 to $20; dinner cheques, $30 to $35, said Willis.

Native Tongues’ executive chef, Willis spent 18 months developing the menu with Ryan McNamara, who will act as sous chef. Nathaniel

Cody Willis.

Krieger has been named general manager.

Willis expects Native Tongues to attract a primarily local clientele, but he added that the Fairfield’s business travellers could also provide traffic.

Hewing to the menu’s theme, the 70-seat space will feature a rustic Mexican look realized via steel cantina tables; banquettes; and a large communal table made from reclaimed wood.

Greens, blues and tobacco browns will dominate the palette. The room will also feature an open kitchen.

Rounding out the menu will be a drinks list offering 20 to 25 varieties of mezcal and about a dozen types of brandy; 10 to 12 beers (Canadian and Pacific Northwest microbrews); 10 Latin American-themed cocktails; eight European wines (two reds and two whites by the glass, and two reds and whites in bottles) and two sparkling wines.

Palm Holdings’ third generation TORONTO — Anil, Anish and Rajan Taneja are the third generation at Palm Holdings, a company founded by their grandfather and then managed by their father, Ashok.

Anil Taneja, president, told CLN that his grandfather was an orphan, who at the age of 12 ran away from India to Africa. He started with an Indian sweet shop, then bought some of the stores around him, then purchased apartments to make a 15-room hotel.

When the Kenyan government expropriated the property of Indians living in that country, the operation moved to England. There they started with a travel agency; then bought a group of five houses, knocking down walls to make a hotel. Today, they have stuck to the model of buying hotel properties, constructing or renovating them, and then selling.

The past year has been good for Palm Holdings, Taneja said. “Previously we were not as focused on the Ontario market, but in 2013 we decided to firmly put our feet down in Ontario. We have had a robust last 12 months.”

During that time, Palm Holdings purchased the Travelodge Chatham Ontario, the Travelodge London and Travelodge Niagara Falls. They opened the Four Points by Sheraton in Waterloo, sold the Travelodge Chatham, opened the Marriott TownePlace Suites in London; purchased the Quality Suites London; and sold the Four Points by Sheraton in Waterloo.

After all those transactions, they currently have five Canadian hotels.

The renovation and rebranding of the Travelodge London to a TownePlace Suites by Marriott is an example of how Palm operates. They bought the hotel from Royal Host in March 2014, and opened as a TownePlace in January of this year. By renovating, they retained some of the previous customers, but raised the price per key

T HE

Left to right: Anil, Rajan, Ashok and Anish Taneja. from $70 to $100.

“We like to put our personality as a group into the hotels,” said Taneja.

The TownePlace Suites has distinctive, modern lighting and an artists’ map of Canada carved in wood that Anish Taneja had found on a trip.

There’s a feature wall in the lobby as well as a gym.

Palm Holdings concentrates on the public areas when renovating, Taneja said. “If you customize the rooms, you can spend so much money on changes.”

Last month, they added the Quality Inn Halifax to their portfolio. “We are excited to be in Atlantic Canada with our first property outside of Ontario,” Taneja said. The hotel has 130 rooms and a 3,700-square-foot full service spa, a swimming pool and a water slide.

At the Travelodge Niagara Falls, they are restrategizing their operations, and the hotel’s revenues have gone up 35 per cent. The Niagara Falls market is benefitting from the

drop in the Canadian dollar and the price of oil.

In Waterloo, Palm Holdings owned 49 per cent of the rooms until last year when a Delta, Homewood Suites and Holiday Inn Express were added to the market.

While they are committed to Canada as their now primary focus, Palm Holdings continues to grow in the U.S. and U.K. markets as well. Currently, they have four hotels in the U.K. and one in the U.S. Selling hotels in order to create opportunities for new purchases is part and parcel of Palm’s business plans.

“It breaks my heart because of loyalties, but it’s necessary for the growth of the business,” said Taneja. “If an opportunity comes by in an area with high exposure, it makes a lot of sense.

Taneja added that 2014 was the best year the company has had, and he can’t see why 2015 can’t be the same or better. “We will continue to grow by making strategic purchases and adding value to hotels and operations.”

Neighbourhood crucial for Andaz Continued from page 1 “It’s peer to peer versus master to servant,” said Vasquez. “Guests can sit down and have a glass of wine while they are exploring things to see and do,” she added.

Hyatt only gets involved in projects that are the right asset in the right location working with the right group, said Richer, adding that locations such as Queen Street West in Toronto or Gastown in Vancouver could work for Andaz.

There needs to be an alignment with the brand’s philosophy, a need to be in a neighbourhood suitable for travellers seeking to be inspired, said Richer.

In short, “Andaz is our luxury, full

guest experience

service boutique brand, with a full range of food and beverage.

“It’s a transient-focused property, likely to be the RevPAR leader as an upscale boutique or lifestyle hotel.”

Andaz is suitable for new construction, repositioning and repurposing of buildings, with architecturally enhanced older buildings part of the mix.

“We are just as interested in new construction,” said Richer, noting North American key counts range from 141 to 290 rooms.

Other Hyatt brands part of expansion plans Canada currently has five Hyatts open, four Hyatt Regencies in Montreal, Toronto King Street, Calgary

and Vancouver and the Park Hyatt in Toronto. Hyatt has announced one new Hyatt to be built in Ottawa.

Two Hyatt Places, a 255-room hotel located in downtown Edmonton and another 161-room property in West Edmonton, are scheduled for this year.

Hyatt Place is upscale select service, similar to Marriott Courtyard.

Hyatt House, another possible brand for Canada is upscale extended stay, similar to the Marriott Residence Inn. “These are primarily new construction and primarily franchise, but Hyatt will manage them,” said Richer.

Hyatt Centric is the company’s four-star, boutique lifestyle brand.

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March 2015 | 7

FIFTY SHADES

OF PLAY

BY DON DOULOFF DRIVEN BY INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGY, IN-ROOM TELEVISIONS ARE OFFERING HOTELIERS MORE FLEXIBILITY AND GIVING GUESTS MORE ENTERTAINMENT CHOICES THAN EVER BEFORE.

T

he hotel industry is entering a Golden Age of in-room entertainment. Driven by rapidly changing technology, televisions — the hub of in-room entertainment — are providing hoteliers more flexibility and giving guests unprecedented choices.

Amidst this increasingly sophisticated and bewildering technology landscape, what should hoteliers keep in mind when considering their in-room entertainment system?

“Guests want to watch whatever they want whenever they want wherever they want,” said Louis Noel, CEO and founder of Innvue, a Quebec City-based provider of interactive entertainment solutions to hotels.

The major recent development is the digital signal, providing the same level of interactivity available on home televisions, said Noel. Digital allows high definition (HD) and services such as TV-driven, roomto-room direct messaging. Digital also paves the way for on-demand movies and television programming that will be available to hotels before June, he said.

By the end of 2015, technology will allow hotels to offer free-to-play games on their in-room TVs, offering prizes and permitting guests to upgrade game features — for a price, said Noel.

As for a checklist of must-have features, hotels should buy a topquality brand-name television, such as LGE or Samsung, equipped with Pro:Idiom copyright encryption technology; provide a high-definition (HD) signal; and give guests access to broadband, said Tom Hocker, senior account manager, Western Canada, lodging and hospitality, Best Buy. Broadband Internet is crucial “so guests can stream from their device to their TV,” he noted.

“Broadband is more important than the bed or shower. If a hotel doesn’t offer it, they’re done.” When it comes to broadband, “the more the better.”

With the exploding popularity of online movie and television services such as Netflix, guests’ ability to stream entertainment content to inroom TVs will become increasingly important. But Hocker cautions that TVs must be able to delete guests’ Netflix or iTunes account info, to

safeguard privacy and security.

To that end, major television manufacturers are developing apps, built into their sets, that will recognize guests’ devices, such as phones or tablets, allowing them to connect to their in-room television and, for example, watch a movie or read a newspaper — and will wipe their account information from the television when they check-out. These apps will be available within the next year or two, said Hocker.

Hotels must also offer more streaming for devices such as sound bars and portable audio systems, he said. “Anything that docks is dead.

Everything (runs on) either WiFi or Bluetooth.”

On the hardware front, sets grow ever slimmer and their screens larger, with 40 and 42 inches becoming the standard, said Hocker.

Geoff Baker, senior manager, solutions specialist, business TV, at Bell, said, “today’s market belongs to thin LED LCD TVs.” OLED TVs, using organic light-emitting diodes, deliver a better picture quality than LED LCD TVs, but are much more expensive.

Both LED LCDs and OLED TVs provide HD resolution, the next generation of which, 4K or Ultra HD, features four times the resolution as an HDTV, he noted.

Infrastructure is key and Baker said there is no point paying for added bandwidth for High Speed Internet Access (HSIA) “if the infrastructure doesn’t support it. It is more expensive to upgrade an existing infrastructure to Cat 5/6 or fibre than it is to install during new construction. Without the right infrastructure, there will be limits in terms of what features can be delivered over the TV by the hotel.”

Depending on the bandwidth and infrastructure, along with an understanding of what experience a hotelier wants to offer their guests, the interface can be built within the TV or exist externally and largely enables or limits the In Room Entertainment (IRE) interface, said Baker. The most common considerations are: allowing guests to sync their devices with the hotel television, providing access to their own content and social media sites; and the extent or scope of all other IRE

services provided by the hotel.

Operators should choose televisions that include interactive displays, where guests can log onto their Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and other social networks to have a more immersive TV experience, said James Politeski, president, enterprise business and chief operating officer, Samsung Canada.

Hoteliers should be seeking a flexible business solution that not only drives efficiency and revenue, but is also scalable, so it can grow and evolve with the growing needs and demands of their guests, said Politeski.

Hoteliers must engage guests while driving business value through key screen features that allow guests to stream premium HDTV content from their devices straight to smart TVs, said Politeski.

“This means hoteliers can help personalize their experience using apps and widgets. This type of technology allows hoteliers to communicate with guests and drive additional streams of revenue by highlighting activities on-property or with nearby partners.”

CASE STUDY: ONE KING WEST, TORONTO When the team at downtown Toronto’s One King West Hotel & Residence was deciding which televisions to install as part of the full suite refurbishment of its 400-plus hotel guestrooms, it had to consider a number of key factors.

First and foremost, the property had to take into account guests’ needs. “As a primarily corporate hotel, our discerning clientele expects the in-room entertainment to be (as good as), if not better, than the experience they have at home,” said Matt Black, One King West’s director of brand and guest experience.

“Guests expect a full highdefinition experience with crystal clear picture and an adequate mix of channels between news, sports, entertainment, movies and (children’s) and multicultural programming,” said Black.

“Guests also want an electronic program guide, so they can easily see what is on and what is scheduled to be on while they are staying with us. The business traveller expects major domestic, U.S. and European news outlets as well as business channels such as CNBC and BNN.” In addition, the team — Black, general manager Steve O’Brien, the property’s asset managers, CK Atlantis and the purchasing com-

pany, Cardy Group — sought a TV “that could be as ‘future proof’ as possible and offered the best picture quality and features for the money being spent,” said Black.

“The current standard is RF/coaxial in hotel rooms, as we were not convinced that the IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) infrastructure is as mature yet as we would need it to be. That being said, we wanted to select a TV that had IPTV capabilities, so we could change the protocol in the future once we were convinced the technology was mature on the administration end and there was a significant advantage to doing so.”

Armed with this list of criteria, the team considered about a dozen TVs — approximately four models from each of three manufacturers — before deciding on the LG LY970H set featuring a 42-inch screen.

“Being able to manage the TV from a centrally controlled Pro:Centric server, while offering a best-in-class refresh rate of 240hz, and (being) 3D ready and (featuring an) IPS screen — the LG LY970H was a very attractive TV for us,” said Black.

Indeed, the LG model’s refresh rate will allow the hotel’s in-room televisions to accommodate any future technological advances and

resulting improved signal quality, while IPS (In-Plane Switching) screen technology improves the viewing experience by allowing an increased viewing angle without glare or loss of picture, he noted.

Black manages guestrooms’ TV content via a web browser interface featured on the Pro:Centric server located on-property. The server constantly communicates with the TV, so if content is updated, the TV, once it’s turned back on, will receive the new content and update automatically. Previously, content updates or resetting of TVs would be done manually through a USB, said Black.

“Previously, if we had a menu change or change to pricing in a service, the information had to be reprinted and updated in every room manually in the directory,” said Black. “Now we just need to change it once on the server and it pushes it out to all of the TVs instantly. This, along with tweaks to TV setup, (such as) power management tweaks, can be done without having to send staff to every room to change (them) manually.”

One King West now has centralized control over 121 TV features, everything from start, minimum and maximum volume, to screen resolution and closed captioning.

Managing the new LED TV system via the Pro:Centric server also enables the hotel to push, directly to guests’ TVs, a range of content: weather updates; in-room dining menu, with pictures and prices; in-suite amenity descriptions and instructions; fire and safety information; local restaurants with maps, operating times and phones numbers; local attractions with maps; and information on the property’s clubONE loyalty program that guests can join by scanning a QR code with their phone.

In addition, “we have our One King West channel that displays videos we have put together to promote our other business, such as meetings, events and weddings,”

said Black. In future, the property might consider pushing, to in-room televisions, hotel promotions and event agendas for in-hotel meetings and conference attendees, he added.

Moreover, the LG televisions allow the property to manage settings such as backlighting (picture brightness) and auto shut-off, cutting energy costs.

As part of the refurbishment, One King West upgraded its network switches to gigabit and increased fibre-optic bandwidth to 500 MB/s. The property also upgraded its WiFi, with new and increased access points to improve signal saturation and handle the increase in demand brought about by guests’ multiple devices.

Matt Black, with one of the property’s new in-room TVs.

March 2015 | 9

PRODUCTS Lumotune: digital content on glass WATERLOO, Ont. — There is a reason retailers prefer to use static signage tools like clings and decals on their windows instead of dynamic displays like TVs. That is because TVs and monitors block window space and look dim in bright conditions.

But imagine if TVs were transparent and looked as vibrant as a decal under the sunlight.

Retailers could constantly change their ads on windows, and not have to compromise the aesthetics of their storefront. That is what Lumotune is enabling retailers to do, through a transparent digital screen.

In 2011 Matin Esfahani, Hooman Safaee, and Shafi Siddiqi began work on building transparent displays as a fourth-year engineering

project. In April 2013, shortly after graduating from the University of Waterloo’s Nanotechnology Engineering program, they incorporated the company Lumotune and dedicated their lives to building transparent displays.

Lumotune comes from the Latin word “lumen” meaning light, and Anglo-French “tune” meaning adjust. The company is focused not on producing light, as most display companies are doing, but rather adjusting light. Lumotune’s technology uses the surrounding light in the environment to show an image to the viewer, much like a poster. This means it does not cause light pollution and is a much friendlier medium to show information.

Lumotune is primarily selling their product to quick service restaurants (QSRs).

The product comes as a piece of glass that can be attached to storefront windows. The glass is connected to a small adapter through a

Digitized example of how Lumotune would look on a restaurant door.

Lumotune founders, left to right: Hooman Safaee, Matin Esfahani, Shafi Siddiqi. wire which plugs into a power outlet. The glass is WiFi connected and receives all information through the Internet.

The message on the glass can be adjusted from anywhere in the world. “The best ROI will be for people with multiple businesses,” Safaee said. “They could control all storefronts in all locations, or customize them. Our technology allows stores to conduct A/B testing [of two different versions]; if something is doing really well, they can just go with that promotion.”

“It will be a long journey until we’ll be able to turn all surfaces into digital screens,” says Esfahani, the company’s chief executive officer. “For now, we are targeting storefronts of quick service restaurants, because they have an

immediate problem that we can solve with our current technology. We want to give them the ability to perpetually change what their storefront says.”

“No restaurant front is alike, and we made sure we took this into account while designing our screens,” said Siddiqi. “We have the ability to cut the screens to the exact sizes of different windows, and easily retrofit them on top of existing glass.

“Our screens give the owner the ability to display information on their windows in a more dynamic and customized manner. At the push of a button, you can convert your glass to electronic blinds, a dynamic messaging board, or simply have it appear as a regular window.”

PROVINCIAL NEWS ORHMA objects to Retirement Pension Plan TORONTO — Foodservice margins have declined from 9.6 per cent in 1990 to 4.2 per cent in 2013 and 90 per cent of ORHMA members surveyed are concerned about the impact of Ontario Retirement Pension Plan changes.

Tony Elenis and Leslie Smejkal of the ORHMA have written The Hon. Mitzie Hunter, Associate Minister of Finance, expressing concerns about the impact of an ORPP on the province’s hospitality industry.

In the letter, they note that the Canadian foodservice industry has been pressured with skyrocketing food costs, escalating utility bills

and, with the proposed ORPP changes, a 1.9 per cent increase in labour costs.

“ORHMA remains concerned about the unintentional consequences a 1.9 per cent increase to an industry operating at 33 per cent labour costs is a significant new cost to absorb,” Elenis and Smejkal said in their letter.

“There will be further restraining of hiring younger workers and while the government aims for the well-being of Ontarians there will be unintentional consequences to employee benefits. Our members have told us that this will lead to trimming health benefit plans such as prescription drug and dental plans as these are typically managed and accounted for less than one profit and lost statement department line.”

OHI’s Top 30 under 30 TORONTO — The Ontario Hostelry Institute (OHI) announced the recipients of its 2015 Top 30 Under 30 recognition program in mid-February. The annual list celebrates young professionals in the hospitality and foodservice sectors.

Here are this year’s honourees who work in the hotel sector: • Christine Fancy, corporate pastry chef, The Drake Hotel commissary • Gracie Goad, food and beverage manager, The Drake Hotel Properties • Yiannis Kokolakis, roomservice and stewarding manger, Four Seasons Hotel Toronto • Benjamin Lillico, chef de partie, Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa • Emily Newton-Przulj, executive meeting manager, The Fairmont Royal York • Sarah Russell, meeting and event manager, The Westin Harbour Castle • Mark Tsujimoto, assistant guest services manager, Park Hyatt Toronto.

Restaurants Canada: Craft beer tops survey TORONTO — Restaurants Canada released its sixth annual Canadian Chefs Survey on Feb. 25, which polled more than 400 professionals in January. Topping the list of “Hot Trends,” which are considered at the peak of popularity, is craft beer and microbrews.

Here are the top 10 trends for 2015.

1 0 | Canadian Lodging News

1.

Craft beer/ microbrews (Number 5 last year) 2. Locally sourced foods (Moved up from number 3 in 2014) 3. Leafy greens (Kale, swiss chard, mustard greens, dandelion greens, beet greens.

Number 4 in 2014) 4. Food smoking (Same ranking last year) 5. Charcuterie/house-cured meats (Same ranking last year) 6. Gluten-free/food allergy conscious (Held the 2014 top spot) 7. Quinoa (Same ranking last year) 8. Sustainable seafood (New to the trends list) 9. Inexpensive/underused cuts of meat (Moved up from number 10) 10. International sauces (For example, sriracha, raita/raitha, chimichurri, soy sauce.

New to the trends list.)

The survey also rated up-and-coming trends: 1. International/street food inspired appetizers 2. Ancient grains (for example, kamut, spelt, amaranth, freekeh) 3. Uncommon herbs (for example, chervil, lovage, papalo, lemon balm) 4. Non-wheat noodles or pasta 5. Fewer choices on the menu 6. Natural ingredients/minimally processed foods 7. Fermenting 8. Natural sweeteners (honey, maple syrup, agave) 9. Family-style dining 10. Vinegar/flavoured vinegar/house-made vinegar

S U P P LY L I N E S

Paul Ireland (left) and Robert Attard of AJM at the HAC Show.

AJM Solutions/VingCard partnership pays early dividends MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — The partnership between AJM Solutions Group Inc. and VingCard Elsafe for the Canadian market, announced last autumn, has paid early dividends for both companies.

Under the agreement, AJM Solutions, a Mississauga, Ont.-based supplier of in-room systems and solutions to the hospitality industry and retirement or assisted living facilities, is marketing, selling and servicing VingCard Elsafe’s security products, including electronic locks, in-room safes and hotel energy management systems, to the hotel and multi-housing markets north of the 49th Parallel.

Since the partnership took effect, “we’ve added 35 to 40 significant new contracts with VingCard systems products,” said Paul Ireland, vicepresident of sales and marketing for AJM Solutions. Customers for those new contracts include hotels across the price spectrum, from limited-service properties all the way up to highend chain and boutique brands, said Ireland.

As he noted, VingCard was a

good fit for AJM Solutions for a host of reasons: the company’s products feature superior technology, design and reliability; VingCard has the best understanding of the Canadian market; and the company’s geographical proximity — it’s U.S.-based (in Dallas, Texas) rather than overseas — offers many practical advantages.

For its part, VingCard “was looking for a localized vendor that understood the marketplace,” said Ireland.

In summer, 2014, AJM Solutions approached VingCard “to take on their products by dealership and distributorship” and in late October, the partnership, under which VingCard chose AJM Solutions as its master distributor for Canada, was formally announced.

In the Canadian market, AJM Solutions is representing 3,500 VingCard product SKUs and of the company’s three areas of specialization — electronic locks, in-room safes and hotel energy management systems — electronic locks “are the largest part of the marketplace,” said Ireland.

He added, however, that VingCard’s

in-room safes are growing in popularity in the marketplace, and its energy management systems are experiencing rapid growth. All three product segments “flow together” and offer “one-stop shopping” for buyers, said Ireland. VingCard has products installed in more than 42,000 properties in 166 countries.

On the product side, AJM Solutions, for its VingCard lines, offers overnight just-in-time delivery for spare and repair parts and consumables and features a demo area in its offices. (In addition to its head office in Mississauga, AJM Solutions maintains an office in Calgary and has representation in Vancouver and Montreal.) Furthermore, AJM Solutions has availed itself of VingCard personnel to assist in training its staff, and AJM had its own staff certified as factory installers. In addition to carrying products, AJM Solutions has the capability to take on service contracts.

So far in 2015, AJM Solutions has been introducing its VingCard product line to the hospitality industry at trade shows such as the Hotel Association of Canada’s national conference, in early February, and throughout the year, the company plans to continue taking its message to hospitality industry events in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec and New Brunswick, said Ireland.

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March 2015 | 1 1

OPENINGS, SALES AND RENOS Choice Hotels adds two properties MONCTON, N.B., HINTON, Alta. — Choice Hotels Canada added two new hotels in January, bringing the company’s portfolio to 311 properties.

In Moncton, N.B., the Quality Inn on Mountain Road is a 74-room conversion hotel in the Magnetic Hill region. The pet-friendly property also features free WiFi, an indoor pool and hot tub, and fitness and business centres.

Also a conversion property, the Quality Inn & Suites in Hinton, Alta., has 70 rooms and is located along the TransCanada Highway 15 minutes from Jasper, Alta. The pet-friendly hotel has complimentary wireless Internet, an indoor pool and whirlpool, exercise room and business centre.

Park Hyatt sold to Oxford Properties TORONTO — Oxford Properties Group purchased the 346-room Park Hyatt Toronto from Hyatt Hotels Corporation for about $90 million (U.S.).

In Toronto’ Yorkville area at the corner of Avenue Road and Bloor Streets, the property includes 17,000 square feet of meeting space, the Stillwater Spa, The Roof Lounge, Annona restaurant and office and retail space.

According to a release, Oxford intends to spend approximately $25 million (U.S.) in additional capital expenditures over the next five years. A Hyatt affiliate will continue to operate the hotel under a new hotel services agreement.

Atlific’s management contracts and reno TORONTO — Atlific Hotels announced on Feb. 19 that it will manage the brand new, 169-room Element Vancouver Metrotown, the second Canadian location of Starwood’s extended-stay brand and the first to open in Western Canada.

Paul Gallop has been appointed general manager for the property. Gallop joins Atlific from his most recent position as director of operations of the Delta Burnaby Hotel & Conference Centre, where he spent the last six years overseeing all operational areas for the 200-room property. “The B.C. market has long been ready for a truly green hotel and I am honoured to help Atlific lead the way with the Element Vancouver Metrotown,” said Gallop in a release.

In related news, Atlific announced on Feb. 10 that it is taking over management of the Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Airport, effective immediately.

Paul Cochrane, who has almost 20 years of experience with Atlific, has been appointed general manager of the hotel, which was recently acquired by THI Holdings 5 Corporation Inc., a subsidiary of Shelter Canadian Properties Ltd. Most

1 2 | Canadian Lodging News

recently, Cochrane worked as assistant general manager at Le Westin Montreal and general manager of the Courtyard by Marriott Montreal.

The property features 159 guestrooms, 48 of which are equipped with kitchenettes ideal for longer stays. Other amenities include 2,500 square feet of meeting space, an onsite restaurant-bar, complimentary 24-hour business centre and heated indoor pool.

Atlific Hotels also unveiled, in late February, the comprehensive renovation of its managed property, the Saskatoon Inn & Conference Centre, in Saskatoon, Sask.

The project transformed all 257 guestrooms and corridors; public areas, including lobby and public washrooms; meeting rooms, including foyer; and fitness centre and pool. Three boardrooms, seven guestrooms and a communal break area were also added.

The revamped lobby features walnut woods and floor-to-ceiling fireplace.

Super 8 opens in Kingston, Ont. KINGSTON, Ont. — Super 8 has opened a 40-room hotel near Kingston, Ont. Located along Highway 2, the property offers an outdoor pool and guest laundry services along with free WiFi access, complimentary breakfast and free parking. The hotel is a short drive from downtown Kingston and close to Canadian Forces Base Kingston and the Royal Military College.

In addition, the newly opened hotel participates in Wyndham Rewards, the free-to-join guest loyalty program of Wyndham Hotel Group.

Executive House now DoubleTree VICTORIA, B.C. — Hilton Worldwide announced on Jan. 28 that a landmark Victoria hotel, Executive House, will reopen this spring as the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and Suites Victoria following a multi-million dollar property-wide renovation.

Managed by Mairet Consulting and Management Ltd. of Victoria, the property will mark the first hotel from the Hilton Worldwide portfolio to open on Vancouver Island.

Upon opening, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and Suites Victoria will feature 181 guestrooms equipped with refrigerators and microwaves. Eighty-nine of the guestrooms are suites featuring a convenience kitchen, living room, dining area and separate bedroom. The hotel is also home to Bartholomew’s English-Style Pub, Belmiro’s Restaurant and Lounge and Doubles Cocktail Lounge.

As a DoubleTree by Hilton, the hotel will be a part of the Hilton Worldwide portfolio, allowing Hilton HHonors members to earn and redeem points for stays.

Local entrepreneur Derryck Jackson

opened the 19-storey Executive House Hotel in 1964 as a hotel and apartment complex. In 1985, his daughter, Andrea Phillips, took over operations of the property and remains involved.

Blue and Westin’s cross-resort deal THE BLUE MOUNTAINS, Ont. — The Westin Trillium House, Blue Mountain announced on Feb. 3 a cross-resort sales and events partnership with Blue Mountain Resorts LP. Under the partnership, the expanded sales team will provide meeting professionals with increased meeting space and versatility for programs when planning events at the resort.

As a result of this partnership, there is over 53,000 square feet of conference space available for meetings and events in Blue Mountain Village. The partnership also provides meeting professionals with one point of contact, whether holding the event at The Westin Trillium House or at the Village Conference Centre.

The Westin Trillium House offers more than 10,000 square feet of meeting space. Recently, Blue Mountain’s Village Conference Centre completed construction on a $10 million investment to debut over 11,000 square feet of new meeting space as well as a redesigned, 23,000-square-foot tennis facility completed in late 2014.

Element Vancouver Metrotown.

Wyndham buys Dolce Hotels portfolio PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Wyndham Hotel Group announced on Feb. 2 that it has acquired Dolce Hotels and Resorts’ portfolio of 24 properties for $57 million.

This acquisition allows Wyndham Hotel Group to expand its managed portfolio by nearly 40 per cent, with a significantly larger presence in the group and meetings segment. Dolce’s brand recognition among global meeting planners enhances Wyndham Hotel Group’s portfolio, with significant group and transient cross-selling opportunities across Wyndham’s existing managed and franchised operations.

Wyndham Hotel Group plans to maintain and expand the Dolce brand along with its signature service, technology and F&B products as part of its existing portfolio.

Comprising over 5,500 guestrooms across seven countries in Europe and North America, Dolce Hotels’ portfolio includes two Canadian locations, Ivey Tangerine Leadership Centre, in downtown Toronto, a newly expanded and upgraded conference centre with two amphitheaters, 17 meeting rooms and 7,000 square feet of meeting space; and Ivey Leadership Centre in London, Ont., a conference hotel which offers 125 guestrooms, 36 meeting rooms and 24,000 square feet of IACC-approved meeting space.

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and Suites Victoria.

Spencer Extension, Ivey Leadership Centre, London.

PEOPLE Westin Edmonton executive chef Ryan O’Flynn captured gold at the Canadian Culinary Championships grand finale, which took place Feb. 7 at the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort and Conference Centre, in Kelowna, B.C. O’Flynn took top honours in the event — the finale to the Gold Medal Plates competition — which featured regional winning chefs from 11 Canadian cities competing for top honours.

Frits van Paasschen, CEO and president of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, has resigned from the company by mutual agreement, according to the hotel company. Adam Aron, a current board member, has been named as interim CEO while the board begins its search for van Paasschen’s replacement.

Aron is a senior operating partner at Apollo Global Management.

Since 2006 he has been chairman

Wendy Swedlove retiring March 31 and CEO of World Leisure Partners, Inc., a personal consultancy for matters related to travel and tourism, high-end real estate development, professional sports, which acts in partnership with Apollo. Aron has previously served as CEO of the Philadelphia 76ers, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Vail Resorts, Inc., president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line and senior vice-president of marketing for United Airlines.

Frits van Paasschen has resigned from Starwood.

Ryan O’Flynn, centre, gold winner, Canadian Culinary Championships with his trophy. Photo: Yuri Akuney.

Mitch Kostuch received the OHI Chairman’s Award.

Robert Housez, OHI Hotelier of the Year.

Phil Keb, executive VP development, Langham Hospitality.

Gopal Rao is now VP sales and marketing for Westmont.

Skal Toronto board at the organization’s AGM held Jan. 27 at Lambton Golf and Country Club, in Toronto. Brent Bowes, VP of Plaza Premium Lounge was elected club president for 2015.

OTTAWA — Wendy Swedlove, president of the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC), will retire on March 31 after a distinguished 30-year career.

During her three decades of service, Swedlove built a legacy of strongly supporting the tourism industry in Canada. She is CTHRC’s founding president and for over 20 years, the council has supported the tourism sector in addressing human resource issues and building a globally competitive and sustainable Canadian tourism industry. Under Swedlove’s leadership, the CTHRC produced groundbreaking research and labour market information that has been essential for understanding the sector’s employment characteristics, growth, compensation and labour supply/demand gaps. In addition, the council has developed over 50 National Occupational Standards, two International Competency Standards, 30 Professional Certification programs, two International Certifications, and a library of workbooks, online training and resources for business and educators under the emerit brand.

Due in large part to Swedlove’s dedication to enhancing the tourism industry’s professionalism and the public image of tourism and hospitality careers, nearly 20,000 individuals have been certified through emerit. For many, this certification has had a profound impact on their lives, providing recognition of their skills and professional accomplishments, and fostering a sense of value and pride in their career, whether they work on the front lines of customer service or in a management role.

Langham Hospitality Group announced on Jan. 28 the appointment of Phil Keb as executive vice-president of development, the Americas and Europe, a new position created under chief executive officer Robert Warman. In this new role, Keb will be responsible for expanding the footprint of Langham Hotels and Resorts, which includes the luxury properties for the Langham and Langham Place brands, as well as upscale developments for the Cordis and Eaton brands. The Eaton Chelsea in Toronto falls under the Eaton brand.

The Ontario Hostelry Institute (OHI) announced the recipients of its annual Gold Awards in early February.

The Chairman’s OHI 2015 Lifetime Achievement Gold Awards will be awarded to Kostuch Media president Mitch Kostuch (posthumously); John Rothschild, vice-chair of Cara Operations; and Sir Corp. chairman Grey Sissons.

Hotelier of the year goes to Robert Housez, general manager of the Delta Meadowvale Hotel and Conference Centre, for his work with the Greater Toronto Hotel Association.

The OHI Gold Awards Dinner will be held on April 23.

On Feb. 2, John Collie and the staff at Markham, Ont.-based health and safety training company Rescue 7 bid a fond farewell to long-time

sales executive Ken Leslie, who retired from the company after 17 years. Leslie has worked tirelessly from day one to help position Rescue 7 as a national leader in health and safety training in Canada, especially first aid. His sales expertise has been instrumental in establishing Rescue 7 as a trusted supplier of Automated External Defibrillators. Leslie was also a captain with the Toronto Fire Services and recently retired from that job after more than 30 years of exemplary public service.

Gopal Rao is now vice-president sales and marketing at Westmont Hospitality Group, based in Mississauga, Ont. Rao recently returned to Canada after a two year assignment in India as regional vice-president for IHG. His most recent responsibility was as regional VP commercial for South West Asia. In addition to leading the Commercial team, Rao also led in the creation of a national sales team for the region. Prior to his position overseas Rao was the regional vicepresident, Canada for IHG. Rao has over 26 years of management experience. Previously he was the regional vice-president, sales and marketing with Royal Host Hotels in Canada. He is the past chair of the board of directors of the Tourism Association of Canada and holds an MBA from Queen’s School of Business. Rao will be based in the Westmont office in Mississauga, Ont.

March 2015 | 1 3

BEFORE AND AFTER

Hilton Garden reno celebrates gardens

TOP 10 LIST Recruiting and retaining top talent TORONTO — Bill Pallett of Delta Hotels and Resorts spoke at the recent Hotel Association of Canada conference on 10 ways to recruit and retain top talent.

Here is what he said.

Lobby before.

By Don Douloff AJAX, Ont. — The renovation of the 4,500-square-foot ground-floor lobby area at the 133-room Hilton Garden Inn Toronto/Ajax provides an object lesson in the virtues and rewards of staying scrupulously on-brand.

“Project Grow was designed to bring the spirit of a backyard or garden party into the lobby,” said the hotel’s general manager Jimmy Chan. “This creates a space where guests can relax with a book, talk with friends or work on their own or with a group.” Project Grow’s three goals, said Chan, included “increasing guests’ connection to our brand, which drives increased loyalty; setting us apart from competitors; and increasing food and beverage sales from the entire pavilion.”

Additionally, the renovation sought to differentiate the hotel from the adjoining Homewood Suites by Hilton Ajax.

Completed in September, 2014, at a cost of over $450,000, the project was spearheaded by Royal Design Inc. Based in Newmarket, Ont., and founded 12 years ago by Jolanta Lukus, Royal Design specializes in renovations and new builds

Lobby after. in the hospitality sector. For the Hilton Garden Inn project, Lukus worked in conjunction with Chan and Alfa Hoteliers Inc., the property’s ownership group.

The Hilton Garden Inn renovation focused on the lobby, reception area, Garden Grille & Bar restaurant, and meeting and event spaces (2,500-square-foot ballroom and three small boardrooms). As Lukus noted, one of the main goals was to produce a “relaxing space” via “natural, organic” design elements. To that end, just off the lobby, the conservatory room, which can serve as a function room or business centre, according to Lukus, features a communal glass-topped table fashioned from a cut-through tree trunk.

Also featuring prominently in the lobby is an oversized fireplace, whose base features stone-like grey-toned tile, while in a corner, a funky oval coffee table, finished in silver, mimics the look of an oversized garden rock. Cabana drapes, echoing an outdoor patio look, adorn the cupola at the entrance. Lanterns continue the theme.

Also part of the desired esthetic is “leafy” elements, a motif realized in green, brown and taupe on the carpet, drapes and on soft seating. Dark brown furniture and

millwork bring a richly contrasting visual element. Bolder still are purple and fuchsia accents on artwork photos, soft seating and wall coverings.

Purple and fuchsia also carry through to the dining area, where the powerful purples feature on soft seating and leafy background accents. The buffet, in the breakfast area, features a central island serving station that doubles as a chef ’s table.

Brand-dictated graphics, realized in acrylic panels, adorn the reception area, bringing visual consistency with other Hilton Garden properties. “Guests expect certain features at the brand,” noted Lukus.

Post-renovation, “Project Grow makes the lobby a more open space, with many different seating options,” said Chan.

“The space is designed to encourage guests to spend more time in the area. In the past, guests rarely left their rooms after checking-in.” Now, guests are spending more time in the lobby — working, having a meeting or spending time with friends, said Chan.

For more before and after photos, see www. canadianlodgingnews.com.

Bill Pallett.

2.

Create and manage your employer brand: Your talent is part of your brand. What is your talent brand? What competitive advantages do you offer?

What’s your employee value proposition?

3.

Have a clear employee value proposition: What’s different about you? At Delta, we offer talented people, passion and possibility.

4.

Create a talent network of followers and referrals: If they are following you on LinkedIn, people are 80 per cent more likely to apply for a position. At the opening of the new Delta Toronto, over 11,000 people applied through social media.

5.

Hire for culture fit: If you don’t, chances are turnover will increase by 22 per cent. Choose for cultural fit over technical skills.

6.

Incorporate your employee value proposition into every part of the employee experience: For example, learning and development and brand standards for talent.

7.

Understand who is on your bench: Develop a strategic workforce plan, find out where the gaps are and develop strategies to fill those gaps. Be proactive in saving money and increasing retention rates from 55 per cent annual turnover to just 20 per cent.

8.

Develop, develop, develop: Develop employee and succession them. Knowing there is a long-term place for them increases engagement by 25 to 30 per cent.

9.

May 5-6, 2015: GE Capital’s Canadian Restaurant Investment Summit, Hilton Toronto Hotel. Contact: Orie Berlasso.

Tel.: 866-887-4453.

Email: Orieberlasso@bigpictureconferences.ca.

Website: restaurantinvest.ca

It’s all about engagement: That’s your best defence against turnover. Ensure employees are saying the right things about you; that they want to stay with you and thrive. It is a bottom-line issue — if 24 per cent are actively disengaged and 56 per cent indifferent, that can cost you $50 million in everything from absenteeism to workplace accidents.

May 20-21, 2015: TIANB Annual Conference, Fredericton, NB (venue TBA). Contact: Jean Bertin. Tel.: 506-4585646; Fax: 506-459-3634.

Email: Jean@tianb.com. Website: tianb.com

10. The secret is in the doing: Make sure the whole leadership team has shared accountability for the talent agenda.

Oct. 19-20, 2015: Western Canadian Hotel & Resort Investment Conference, Hyatt Regency, Vancouver. Contact: Orie Berlasso. Tel.: 866-887-4453.

Email: Orieberlasso@bigpictureconferences.ca.

Website: hotel-resortinvest.ca

“There are many resources — capital, financing, furniture and fixtures, location and time — all of which you own,” said Pallett. “The only resource you don’t own is your talent — they are free to go at any time.”

COMING EVENTS March 25-27, 2015: 27th Annual Hunter Hotel Conference, Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Contact: Nancy Petenbrink.

Tel. 770-916-0300. Fax: 770-916-0301.

Email: Nancy.petenbrink@hunterhotels.net.

Website: hunterconference.com

April 27, 2015: Resorts of Ontario Trade Show, Blue Mountain Resort Conference Centre, Blue Mountains, Ont. Contact: Michelle Duff. Tel.: 1-800-363-7227; Fax: 705-3257999. Email: michelle@resortsofontario.com. Website: resortsofontariopreferredsuppliers.com.

March 29-30, 2015: ApEx trade show, Cunard Centre, Halifax. Contact: Chuck Nervick. Tel. 416-512-8186, ext.

227. Fax: 416-512-8344. Email: Chuckn@mediaedge.ca.

Website: apextradeshow.ca

May 4-5, 2015: Canadian Hotel Investment Conference 2015, Hilton Toronto Hotel. Contact: Orie Berlasso. Tel.: 866-887-4453.

Email: Orieberlasso@bigpictureconferences.ca.

Website: hotelinvest.ca

March 31-April 2, 2015: Online Revealed Canada, Telus Centre for Performance and Learning, Toronto. Contact Courtney Michaels. Tel.: 647-607-0092.

Email: cmichaels@onlinerevealed.com.

Website: onlinerevealed.com April 13-14, 2015: Saskatchewan Hotel & Hospitality Association Convention & Trade Show, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Conference Centre Regina. Contact: Warren Nerby.

Tel.: 306-525-1944. Fax: 306-525-1944.

Email: Wnerby@sasktel.net. Website: shha.co April 16-18, 2015: Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association Convention and Tradeshow, the Banff Centre, Banff, AB. Contact: Tracy Douglas-Blowers. Tel.: 780-423-9227. Email: tdblowers@ahla.ca.

Website: ahla.ca/convention-and-trade-show

1 4 | Canadian Lodging News

1. Ensure a positive employer reputation: Check out Glass Door and find out what people are saying about you — you want the push of resumes, not pull.

Chefs Supplier s Hotelier s Educator s Media Restaur ateur s Ar tisans Students

25 Ontario Hostelry Institute

YEARS

2015 Gold awards dINNEr

Excellence - Passion - Achievement - Success. These words have underscored the mandate of the Ontario Hostelry Institute for the past 25 years. Each of these attributes is difficult to achieve in any industry and the Hospitality, Foodservice and Tourism industry is no exception. Every year the Ontario Hostelry Institute ensures that these attributes do not go unnoticed by acknowledging and celebrating these achievements at the Annual OHI Gold Awards Dinner.

The OHI Gold Awards are awarded to members of our industry who exemplify passion, achievement, success and whose commitment to excellence enhances not only the industry but also the image of Ontario and Canada among thousands of diners, travelers and vacationers year after year.

Join us to celebrate these amazing men and women on Thursday, April 23rd, 2015 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto. Partake in our 25th Anniversary celebration of this continuing legacy. Tables and tickets are available for purchase at www.theohi.ca or by calling 416-363-3401.

Ontario Hostelry Institute 300 Adelaide Street East #339 Toronto ON M5A 1N1 Tel: 416-363-3401 Fax: 416-363-3403 www.theohi.ca

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