Canadian Lodging News - May 2014

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LodgingNews May 2014 Vol. 11 No. 4

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Resorts of Ontario celebrates diversity

By Don Douloff ORILLIA, ON—Resorts of Ontario’s spring conference, which unfolded March 31-April 1 at Fern Resort and Casino Rama, near Orillia, ON, took the theme Diverse by Nature! Get Ready for New Business and outlined how to adapt to new, non-traditional demographic groups in a changing marketplace.

One morning session devoted itself to a three-hour Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Diversity Training Workshop. Hosted by Annemarie Shrouder, of Travel Gay Canada, the spirited and highly interactive session helped resorts learn about LGBT diversity and how to effectively understand, value and serve LGBT employees and customers.

Pride and Pan Am With Toronto hosting this summer’s World Pride event June 20-29 and also hosting the Pan Am Games July 10-26, 2015, the workshop

couldn’t have been more timely.

Historically, the LGBT travel market has remained relatively untapped by many of Canada’s destinations and tourism-related businesses and therefore represents a lucrative opportunity. Furthermore, as more and more destinations outside Canada start to actively target this demographic, Canadian businesses and destinations need to act now, to ensure they capture and maintain market share.

The LGBT market is a sizeable and lucrative one. Although the actual size of the population that identifies as LGBT is unknown, it is estimated that in North America, it’s close to 30 million people, representing 6 to 8 per cent of the total population. The total spent by the LGBT North American consumer market is estimated at $750 billion, with tourism spending estimated at more than $70 billion.

Research shows that the Canadian LGBT travel market is worth $7 billion annually and Canadian LGBT travellers, on average, spent $3,400 on

SoHo gets Luckee

travel in the 12 months covering October, 2009 to October, 2010.

In addition, 58 per cent of LGBT travellers take trips that last four nights or longer and on average, LGBT travellers stayed 8.4 nights in paid accommodation. For American LGBT travellers, Canada is the top international destination, with Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto the top three cities.

Throughout, the workshop raised key points about the business ramifications for resorts looking to woo the LGBT market. For example, depending on how aggressively properties court the LGBT market, and the message they send about how proactive they are towards that segment, they could, potentially, turn off other markets who aren’t inclusive towards all groups.

In addition, when resorts announce their inclusion of the LGBT market, they also announce their inclusiveness for all other specialized groups. Similarly, how a property positions itself regarding the LGBT market sends a message about how safe that community will feel at that property and indicates the suitability of the property for the nonLGBT community.

Fifteen Candlewoods for Canada

P.3

Maplewood Hotels is working with IHG to expand the upscale extended stay all-suite brand across the country.

Spam canary in the consumer coal mine

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The world of email marketing in Canada is about to undergo a radical change.

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

How safe am I going to be?

Susur Lee launches a new haute dim-sum restaurant at the SoHo Metropolitan.

—Story on page 10

Finally, it was pointed out that although resorts can’t control how other guests will treat LGBT guests, properties can control how they react to any adverse experiences their LGBT guests encounter—a crucial point, since a Travel Gay Canada survey revealed that one of the top ten travel concerns of the LGBT market is, “how safe am I going to be?”

Continued on page 3

Tom Mullin retires from the SHHA

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Longtime president and CEO says “It’s been a great run for me,” as he announces he will retire on November 30.

Annemarie Schrouder

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Fifteen Candlewood Suites for Canada BEDFORD, NS—Maplewood Hotels and Resorts has announced that they are working with IHG to develop 15 new-build Candlewood Suites economy extended stay hotels in key markets throughout the country over the next few years. Formed in 2013, Maplewood is a joint venture between Driftwood Hospitality Management and Pacrim Hospitality Services Inc. The announcement comes on the heels of another deal signed in late January with Choice Hotels International for Maplewood to develop 25 Cambria Suites hotels here in the next five to seven years.

Potential markets for Candlewoods could include St. John, St. John’s, Halifax, Quebec, Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria.

“We think there’s a great opportunity for Extended Stay hotels because there’s very little product in Canada,” Pacrim CEO Glenn Squires told CLN in a call from Oman, where he has properties under development. “We’d like to build a couple this year and three to five each year after that. We’re looking at the 100 to 150room size.

“Locations won’t be suburban. We’re very definitive in what we’re aiming for in each city, and it’s well within the city limits,” Squires added, noting that resource-based communities such as Fort McMurray aren’t their first priority.

“Driftwood is eager to continue our expansion in Canada through our strategic partnership with Pacrim,” said Carlos Rodriguez, EVP for Driftwood. “We’re also keen on strengthening our relationship with IHG, which is why the development of new Candlewood Suites hotels through Maplewood is a perfect fit.”

Both Pacrim and Driftwood are known quantities for IHG. In 2007, Pacrim opened

Candlewood Suites one bedroom

the first Candlewood Suites hotel for Canada in Montreal and currently owns or operates 11 IHG-branded hotels in Canada and two in the United States. A few years back, Squires was chair of the IHG Owners’ Group.

Driftwood has 12 IHG-branded hotels in its portfolio, through management and franchise agreements with affiliates of IHG, across the United States in markets including Chicago, Denver and Orlando.

While Candlewood is essentially a new-build brand, the lone Canadian property in Montreal is a converted apartment building.

“Canada is a key market for growth for IHG,” said Joel Eisemann, chief development officer, IHG. “Both Pacrim and Driftwood are long-time strategic partners for us in Canada and the U.S. They are proven industry leaders.

We are proud that they already own and oper-

Left to right, Kristie Anderson, Michelle Duff and Mary McIsaac at the Resorts of Ontario conference.

Day One of the conference, which took place at Casino Rama’s conference centre, featured educational round tables hosted by trade show exhibitors.

Abell Pest Control hosted an informative round table discussing resorts’ legal obligations regarding bed bugs.

In a nutshell: Unless your property is making a concerted effort to monitor and control these blood-feeding nasties, it is liable for any bed bug incidents affecting guests.

Following the roundtable sessions was the trade show featuring 37 suppliers exhibiting their goods and services.

That evening, Fern Resort hosted a late-af-

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emerit offers international F&B management certification

ate a number of IHG-branded hotels. We are excited that the Candlewood Suites brand and IHG are an integral part of Pacrim’s and Driftwood’s growth plans in Canada.”

All Candlewood Suites hotels feature a combination of studio and one-bedroom suite floor plans with a fully equipped kitchen, executive desk, DVD player, recliner in all suites and sofa bed in one-bedroom suites as well as complimentary high-speed Internet access.

“Candlewood Suites hotel guests are often travelling for weeks and even months at a time, so the hotel truly becomes like their home. The hotels give guests a home-like space they can make their own and by offering friendly, but non-intrusive service that gives guests the independence they desire,” said Robert Radomski, IHG’s VP brand management for Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites.

Resorts meet at Rama and Fern MasterBUILT COO

Continued from page 1

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ternoon reception in its intimate Bertyl’s lobby and bar, after which everyone moved to the Heritage dining room for a multi-course dinner.

During dinner, Resorts of Ontario handed out awards to board members of its Preferred Supplier Division.

Trevor Walker, of R&F Construction, received a plaque honouring him as outgoing president and Doug Rolling, of Abell Pest Control, received a gavel recognizing him as incoming 2014 president.

Rolling was elected at the Preferred Supplier annual general meeting held earlier that day on the tradeshow floor.

Also at dinner, Adrian Boem, of Barrie Equipment Sales, received a plaque as outgoing Preferred Supplier board chair.

CALGARY—MasterBUILT Hotels Ltd. (MBH) has appointed Eric Watson chief operating officer of its group of companies, reporting to the co-chairmen and principals of the company, Jay Westman and Marc Staniloff.

Prior to his appointment as COO, Watson was vice president of Superior Lodging Corp.—a joint venture partner in MBH—and has played an instrumental role in growing MBH’s development and hotel operations groups. Watson has spent the past 12 years in the resort and hotel industries in various executive leadership roles.

Founded in April 2011, MasterBUILT Hotels is a vertically integrated hotel company focused on the development, investment, construction and operation of Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham branded hotels in Canada.

Plans call for the company to develop and open 75 Microtel by Wyndham hotels within 25 years. MBH owns the master territorial development rights to Canada for Microtel

by Wyndham and works in partnership with Wyndham Hotel Group for the franchising of the brand within the country.

Eric Watson

OTTAWA—emerit is now offering Food and Beverage Management International Competency Standards and Certification. This program covers the skills needed to successfully manage food and beverage operations anywhere in the world, from independent restaurants to international hotel and resort chains.

The program places successful candidates among the elite of their profession and rewards them with a globally recognized emerit professional designation, Certified International Foodservice Management (CIFM). The certification program and credential was developed by an international committee of food and beverage professionals, and is recognized by major industry players around the world.

For more information about emerit resources for tourism and hospitality occupations, visit emerit.ca.

Nin Hao program caters to Chinese travellers CHICAGO—One of the fastest growing group of travellers to North America is from China. With this influx of Chinese travellers, many locations and hotels are seeking ways to accommodate them.

Hyatt Regency Chicago is one step ahead of the others with their “Nin Hao” program, created to help curate an authentic experience for the Chinese visitor.

The program is a welcoming kit for guests. Upon arrival to their room guests will be welcomed with a bathrobe and slippers; tea kettle, preferred teas, tea cups preset in room upon arrival or delivered to room upon request; compendium pages in Chinese language; welcome letter in Chinese language; Chinese language tourist maps and information brochures; Chinese TV channel; and power socket adapter available upon request.

Additional services that are offered include: in-house Mandarin-speaking Chinese specialist; iPad/iPhone translation apps to assist with translation; and a 24-hour hotline connecting guests to a Mandarin speaking translator.

To ensure the success of this program Hyatt Regency Chicago was paired with a “sister hotel” in China that helped with the implementation of the program and remains as a long-term source of information for assistance and guidance.

Hyatt Regency Chicago’s sister hotel is Hyatt Regency Hangzhou.

Earth Day alive and well at Best Western International PHOENIX—Best Western recently launched an “Acts of Green” photo sharing contest on Instagram designed to inspire fans of the brand to showcase their eco-friendly habits. One lucky fan has the chance to win a vacation at an eco-friendly Best Western hotel in one of 11 North American destinations including Best Western Premier Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke, BC.“We have had more than 300 posts in support of the program from our followers on Instagram—to date, the highest level of engagement in Instagram by anything Best Western has launched,” Laura Cherry, senior manager public relations, told CLN on April 21.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

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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

Labour market makeover At the end of April, the federal minister of employment called for a moratorium on the foodservice sector’s access to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) after reports the program was being abused. The suspension will put a stop to any new or pending labour market opinion (LMO) applications related to the foodservice sector. At the time of press, it is unclear whether the ban includes hotel workers.

Delegates who attended a town hall meeting at the Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association at The Banff Centre, in Banff, AB, heard how much the industry in that province needs the program.

Alberta has 4.9 per cent unemployment (5 per cent is considered “full” employment); 46 per cent of all new Canadian jobs were created in the province; and the accommodation and foodservice sector employed 149,000 people last year—up 14.3 per cent year over year.

What’s on tap for next year? More growth—3.7 per cent GDP—a higher percentage than last year.

Clearly Alberta needs workers, and right now it relies heavily on the Temporary Foreign

Worker Program.

The townhall meeting included a panel composed of AHLA president and CEO Dave Kaiser, HAC president and CEO Tony Pollard and Joanne Kirkland acting assistant deputy minister, tourism, for the province. Hoteliers also had their say about ways to approach the province’s labour shortages.

Here are some of their ideas to solve the labour market shortage.

1. Make hospitality an industry of choice.

There are many ways to do this: education, training, certification, provision of benefits, and the Employer of Choice designation, a rigorous online assessment tool developed by the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council.

The goal is to let employees know that the hotel industry offers careers in hospitality, not just entry-level jobs. Take a look at the terms used to describe different jobs—instead of “light duty cleaning attendant,” why not call them “housekeeping/laundry attendants”?

2. Combat the anecdotal stories in the news with real numbers. One of the most powerful tools Alberta has is its Labour Market and

Wage Survey, now in its third year, which covers 64 per cent of the Alberta hotel workforce. It showed that 28 per cent of respondents are using temporary foreign workers; that one in five full time hospitality occupations is being filled by a foreign worker; and that the program was more active in certain areas such as Peace River, Hinton or Edson, AB. It gives statistics on wages, noting that there is indeed a shortage of workers, and that participating companies pay foreign workers prevailing wages, and in some cases more than the going rate.

3. On the political front, work to have Service Canada create a separate category for hospitality workers, specific to the 10,000 temporary foreign workers in the Canadian hospitality industry (5,000 in Alberta).

The new category could be modelled on the one specific to agricultural workers, and could provide a Group of Employers program, enabling temporary foreign workers to move more easily from one establishment to another.

Pollard encouraged the Alberta hoteliers to work at a grassroots level and talk to the 28 provincial MPs, telling them stories about what the labour shortage is doing to actual hotels.

The hoteliers in the meeting didn’t think that was going far enough—a number of them said that a united public relations effort is required, and that they were willing to pay for such initiatives.

“Politicians will follow public opinion,” one hotelier noted. “We need to do something provincially—a concerted effort.”

spot lig h t Publisher Steven Isherwood ext. 236 sisherwood@canadianlodgingnews.com

Volume 11 No. 4 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. 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

By Larry Mogelonsky, P.Eng. www.lma.ca

Spam canary in the consumer coal mine The world of e-mail marketing is about to undergo yet another earth-shattering change.

Well, at least in Canada it is. In case you aren’t aware of the latest parliamentary actions, it’s critical that you circle, star and double underline the day of Tuesday, July 1, 2014 because that is when the first of three overtures of Canada’s AntiSpam Legislation (CASL) takes effect.

Designed with the intention of protecting Canadian consumers, it has vast and profound consequences for resident hoteliers, especially those working in meetings, those in group business or those who may be aggressively using electronic marketing through purchased lists. The new law essentially functions as the US CANSPAM Act of 2003 on steroids, requiring users to expressly opt-in for solicitor e-mails, whereas before this was regulated via an unsubscribe, or opt-out, functionality. A business must now have this consent or a documented, pre-existing B2C relationship prior to any consumer electronic message. Moreover, this pertains to all digital materials sent by or accessed by computer systems within Canada.

The second phase takes effect just six months later on Jan. 15, 2015, focusing on provisions related to program installations for computers, tablets, smartphones and any other softwarebased device, helping thwart malicious downloads.

The third and final phase, effective July 1, 2017, aims to enable statutory private rights of action against spammers. With enforcement by agencies as well as the courts, noncompliance fines will range from $200 per message to upwards of $10 million with robust capacity for personal as well as class action proceedings.

It’s a powerful law and a natural next step in the fight against unsolicited spammers. As for the title? Canada’s intransigent legislation may become the new benchmark for further regulations enacted in much bigger consumer markets like the United States and European nations.

Importantly, because of its emphasis on computer systems physically located within Canadian borders, it restrains both Canadian hospitality companies as well as foreign operators looking to penetrate the Canadian market. If iterations of CASL catch on in other larger markets, it will make e-mail and mobile marketing for hotels a very thorny game to play without accruing penalties. In fact, a few key adopters may be all that’s needed to make it virtually unplayable.

When the jig is up so the speak, marketers will have to look to other channels to effectively

build relationships with consumers, even those where the rates of return aren’t nearly as lucrative as harvested subscriber lists. The likely candidate will be social media or a budgetary resurgence for retargeting advertisements. Perhaps this will mark a renaissance for the more physical sales tactics such as tradeshows or magazines.

July is just around the corner, though. Everyone values their electronic marketing activity, but now you need to take steps to validate your databases. If you have established B2C relationships with, for example, past guests, then you have no worries. However, if you are unsure how your database has been obtained, you may want to distribute confirmations requesting that individuals verify their acceptance of your communications.

Cleaning up databases has always been important; now it’s essential.

Personally, I see this as the beginning of the end for spam and its marketing capabilities. As this, along with any subsequent action in other countries, will reduce your company’s supposed sales funnel, it’s critical that you make every B2C opportunity count. The future will favour conversion rate over reach. In the meantime, whether you are in Canada, the U.S. or overseas, you had better get a compliance team together to audit your current operations and implement necessary changes prior to July 1.

Larry Mogelonsky (larry@lma.ca) is the president and founder of LMA Communications Inc. (www.lma.ca). His latest anthology book titled Llamas Rule and his first book Are You an Ostrich or a Llama? are available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

AHLA town hall tackles labour market woes

By Colleen Isherwood, editor BANFF, AB—Hiring temporary foreign workers isn’t the first choice of Alberta hospitality employers—it’s expensive to go through the hiring process, then fly someone over from, say, the Philippines and help them find housing. HAC president Tony Pollard put out a figure of $2,000 to hire each temporary foreign worker, but hoteliers in the province said the cost is much more than that.

It’s hard to get Canadian workers, especially in resource-based boomtowns like Peace River, Hinton, Edson, Grande Prairie and Fort McMurray where there’s competition for labour from $70,000 industry jobs.

And it’s not as though hoteliers haven’t tried to hire Canadian workers. One hotelier commented. “We’ve tried, and people send us their resumes and then we wait around for them to come to the interviews. They have fulfilled their requirements for Employment Insurance by applying, and they didn’t really want the job.”

There are abuses of the program, and there are cases like that of the woman in Weyburn, SK, who claims she was fired after working for a company for decades and a foreign worker was hired to take her place. But there are many other cases where temporary foreign workers are an essential component of a hospitality organization’s staffing solutions.

Real numbers not anecdotes The Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) has independent research by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) that shows actual numbers.

“The Labour Market and Wage Survey provides an accurate diagnosis of what we are faced with,” AHLA president Dave Kaiser told a town hall meeting addressing labour market problems at the association’s annual conference, held in Banff from April 24-26.

“In 2013, we had an excellent response with 64 per cent of the [hotel] workforce covered.

Speakers at the AHLA Town Hall on Labour Market issues, l to r, Brian Woodward, faculty member Peter Lougheed Leadership Centre; Dave Kaiser, president and CEO, AHLA, Tony Pollard, president and CEO, Hotel Association of Canada; and JoAnn Kirkland, acting assistant deputy minister of tourism for Alberta.

The numbers from the survey show that 28 per cent of respondents are using temporary foreign workers to fill labour gaps. One in five full time occupations is now being filled by a foreign worker.”

Making hospitality more attractive One way to tackle the dependence on temporary foreign workers is to make our industry more attractive.

“The Employer of Choice program does this one employer at a time. This year we had 87 properties receive the designation,” Kaiser said.

“The Employer of Choice is an awesome thing—it shows we are serious about how we treat, train and compensate people.”

Other provinces including Saskatchewan also have Employer of Choice programs.

AHLA also offers front-line training for front desk, housekeeping and supervisors.

On the education side, they support students through $50,000 in scholarships each year.

“That’s the future,” Kaiser said.

JoAnn Kirkland, acting assistant deputy minister of tourism for Alberta, noted that the provincial government is working to make the industry more accessible to groups such as youth, older workers and aboriginal groups, working towards a “motivated, trained and educated workforce.”

Dual credit strategies whereby high school students can obtain credits that apply to both their high school degree and a college degree, help encourage youth to finish high school and go on to post-secondary for courses that include hospitality.

Lobbying government for change Pollard noted that we need a permanent solution to what’s been termed a temporary

Emotional intelligence

Stephen Barth

BANFF, AB—Emotional intelligence is a strong predictor of job performance. Mastering emotional intelligence is the key to unlocking your true potential as a leader, manager or communicator.

Stephen Barth’s keynote presentation at the AHLA helped delegates understand emotional intelligence, master it, and use it personally to cope with change and stress as well as professionally develop engaged, productive and committed employees. Barth is the author of Hospitality Law and co-author of Restaurant Law Basics. He is based in Houston, TX. Barth says it’s important to understand what stimulates our reactions, to manage those reactions and emotions, to be self-motivated, and most importantly, to practice social awareness and empathy.

For example, when someone cuts in front of you on the highway, how you react is your decision. You can let the other driver make you angry, you can drive up beside them and escalate the conflict. Or you can maintain control, and not let that aggressive driver dictate how you will feel that day.

And you can make great progress in your life by actually putting yourself in the other person’s shoes and practicing empathy.

Barth tells a story about a sous chef in a 2,000-room New York hotel who had spent 25 years being the best sous chef possible. And in those 30 years, the sous chef had always had Sunday and Monday off—something unheard

of in the business.

In all of those years, the sous chef had never worked a Sunday or Monday, refusing each time he was asked. Not one time had the sous chef ever been flexible.

One day, the hotel F&B manager had an event on a Monday morning, which needed to be overseen by a chef. He couldn’t get anyone qualified at the hotel to work; he tried outside agencies with no luck; and finally, he approached the sous chef.

When asked if he could work on the Monday, the sous chef immediately said, “No, I can’t help you.”

His manager asked, “Why not?”

The sous chef explained that his son had been a quadriplegic his entire life and that on Sunday and Monday, the entire family came home.

“Those are the most remarkable days of my life,” the sous chef said. “And on Monday, we can finally get him a motorized wheelchair and I have to be there to pick it up.”

The F&B manager listened as the sous chef outlined all of his son’s accomplishments through the years.

Later, the sous chef came back and asked, “What time do you need me on Monday morning?”

Why the change of heart? “The only thing I did that was different was that, this time, I listened to what was important to him,” the F&B manager said.

problem.

“Dave’s PWC study proves that yes, we do have a shortage, and that we pay the prevailing wage plus,” he told the Town Hall “We cannot take on the CBC. These stories will keep on coming until something else big happens. We all know about slow news days,” he noted.

“We should focus on the local level— go out to the 28 federal MPs in Alberta and say, my hotel doesn’t have enough staff. Let them know about the hotels we open, but we can’t open all the floors because we don’t have enough staff.”

National task force The HAC has appointed a national task force, with Kaiser from AHLA as its head.

“We have half a million temporary foreign workers in Canada, but only 5,000 in accommodation in Alberta and 10,000 across Canada. We are low-skilled and our model is small. We are looking at the migrants model and a Group of Employers program design for temporary foreign workers to move among employers,” said Kaiser.

It would be hotel and lodging worker specific, he added. There would be bilateral agreements with foreign countries to make sure that documents are in order and legal, similar to the agreement AHLA already has in place with Jamaica. The industry would stop using third party recruiters, and have employers commit to an industry human resources plan.

Under the plan, everyone would have to be involved in research (such as the Labour Market study); employers would participate in a program like CTHRC’s Employer of Choice, which would include an audit of human resource practices; employers would be committed to the hotel industry recruitment plan and target underemployed groups; and hotels would be required to join a provincial hotel association.

What’s next?

A number of hoteliers in the audience said that there was a need for a concerted public relations effort to counteract the negative publicity generated by reports like those of the CBC and Globe and Mail. They indicated that they were willing to pay for such a provincial or federal initiative.

Pollard summed it all up with a Banff analogy. “When William Van Horne came out and built Banff Springs hotel, he said that you can’t export the scenery, so you will have to import the people. One hundred and twenty-five years later, not much has changed. We have to keep on importing the people.”

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Uncovering the criminal element in hotels and motels BANFF, AB—The transient nature of the lodging business can expose your hotel or motel to the risk of criminal activity—including organized crime—without your knowledge.

No one knows that better than Constable Wayne Birks of the Calgary Police Service, who spoke to a standing-room-only audience at the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association conference held in Banff late last month.

These criminal elements can include escorts, illicit drugs and identity theft. Constable Birks gave examples of each, offering practical advice to the hoteliers too keep them from becoming an easy target for criminals.

Credit card fraud Credit card fraud is the number one problem among Calgary hoteliers, said Birks, passing around some fake credit cards as he spoke. At the top of the credit card crime pyramid is organized crime, who are also involved in trafficking of people, drugs and weapons.

At the bottom of the pyramid is the thief, who needs to unload their stolen goods to a fence—and the best place to meet is at a hotel.

Credit card data can be obtained in all sorts of ways—Internet scams, websites, card readers, card cloning, mail theft and trash theft.

“If I take your credit card, I have

about 24 hours to use your card. If I steal mail when you’re on holiday, I have a longer time frame,” said Birks.

The most successful way is to clone information by switching bluetooth devices in machines, say at a Starbucks or Tim Hortons. Every time a card from that machine gets read, WiFi sends the co-ordinates. There’s no need for the thief to start using the card right away—the victim doesn’t even know it’s been compromised.

The thief goes to the fence who swaps the info for a hit of cocaine. Then they get a few people to use the credit cards to buy gift cards—turning stolen credit into real money.

When to take action So, with all this criminal activity taking place, what alerts the hotel staff and when should they take action?

For example, a hotel front desk manager might sense that something is not quite right, because a name doesn’t match the credit card and there are four people crammed into

one room. Trusting their instincts, they called the police, and when the

police showed up they netted 45 charges, one Mafia-type and three escorts, cheques, plastic and 15 or 16 different IDs. They made that phone call to ask for advice following a presentation by Constable Birks. Before that, they would not have contacted the police when they saw an anomaly in guest information.

Front line and housekeeping your eyes and ears When Birks gives his presentations, he aims them at housekeepers and front-line employees, “the eyes

and ears needed to operate safely.”

The housekeeping department often has the only employee who has been around for years, and they see things in rooms that would otherwise never come to the attention of other hotel staff.

Birks talked about a thirdperson authorization scam, where a person walked in with a reservation, charged everything to a card, and scammed $100,000 in two months. The person was interviewed but no charges were laid.

In another situation, there was a different address, different card number, but the same phone and email address. The e-mail should have tipped them off, said Birks. It was “realman69@gmail.com”.

The hotel suspected the girl in the room was working as an escort, but they didn’t do that extra check, that extra door-knock, that look in the eye to a guest that was suspicious.

Do that little bit extra, Birks stressed. In this case, they could have simply checked the e-mail address on Google.

There was lots of traffic to the

room, lots of men but no food to go with that traffic. The hotel wondered if they should deal with the girl for being an escort since the credit card seemed legitimate. Three weeks later, they got a chargeback of $22,000 but of course, the girl was long gone.

Fake drivers’ licences There are many fake drivers’ licenses going around, but real drivers licenses are made of polymer plastic that pings when you drop it on a hard surface.

Look at the totality of the situation, advised Birks. If someone balks at the usual hotel check-in procedure requiring a piece of photo ID and a credit card, you should be suspicious, especially if there is a sketchy guy with five girls in tow. On the other hand, if the guests are an old farming couple, of course you could accept cash from them.

If your housekeeper sees an embosser that produces raised letter on plastic, there’s usually no logical reason for this to be in a hotel room. And if they see holograms as well, “it’s not RBC sitting in the hotel room making credit cards.”

With any suspected criminal activity, the hotelier has to make a judgment call as to whether to challenge the guest or call the police.

But as Birks noted, “the underworld know where it’s easy to go.”

Mary the Water Spiller or how to save over $64,000 BANFF, AB—Mary the Water Spiller is the name of a one-minute video that Erica Blewett, membership consultant at Alberta Hotel Safety Association, shows at the beginning of a presentation titled, “Safety is the Bottom Line.”

The humourous video is actually part of AHSA’s Safety in a Minute series of 20 cute, short videos available online at www.safetyinaminute.com.

But while the video itself is comical, the potential results of a simple accident involving slipping on spilled water are not.

Blewett gave an actual case study from an Alberta hotel, where a server in the hotel restaurant slipped on water and had a non-displaced knee fracture, i.e., she broke her knee.

Scenario 1 In what Blewett labelled Scenario 1, the hotel did not investigate, provided no modified duties to help the employee return to work earlier, and did not manage their WCB claim. In this case, the incident itself cost $380, property damage cost $200, clean up time amounted to $20 and replacement costs for someone to fill in for the server were $1,260. There were no investigation costs, and the total was $3,120.

That amount didn’t seem too onerous, but soon other costs became evident. Costs to replace the server’s wages amounted to $25,974, medical costs amounted to $16,395 and vocational costs were $9,033.

In addition, because of all the WCB claims, the hotel faced an increase in WCB premiums of more than $3,000 each year for three years.

The grand total of all the costs related to the server’s accident was $64,522.

Scenario 2 In Scenario 2, AHSA looked at what would have happened if the hotel had investigated the incident, and provided the server with modified duties. In this scenario, the incident costs still would have been $380, but there would have been investigation costs of $2,175. Property damage, clean up time and replacement costs would have remained the same for a total of $5,295.

But when the tally of the later costs came in, there was a difference.

There was no wage replacement cost, medical costs were halved to $8,471 because the server came back to work earlier on modified duties; and the WCB premiums were much lower, ranging from $1,400 in year one to $1,800 in year three. When all these costs were added together, the grand total was $18,566, a much more palatable bottom line.

Scenario 3 But Blewett was not finished. In Scenario 3, she described what would have happened if the hotel had taken steps to mitigate the cost of the incident further.

In this scenario, the hotel inves-

tigated the incident and provided modified duties, as they did in Scenario 2. In addition, they also trained staff in job safety procedures, implemented a system of near miss reports, and an enforcement system if people failed to follow procedures.

In this case, the server slipped, but caught herself in time. She put up a wet floor sign, mopped up the water and filled in a near miss form.

Upon investigation, the hotel found it had a few near miss reports on the same subject. They discovered that there was a leaky pipe.

In Scenario 3, it cost $275 to repair the pipe.

Which scenario would you prefer?

Blewett asked.

and that you are constantly talking, retraining and checking up on employees.

Modified duties crucial AHSA has a frightening statistic— that 50 per cent of employees who stay off work for more than three months will never work again.

Blewett—with audience input— gave examples of modified duties for a housekeeper with a sprained ankle.

That person could do filing, admin, fold towels in the laundry, do some online training, dust and clean plants, or answer the phone. Even an old fashioned job jar could provide a repository for modified work ideas.

Saving thousands per year Blewett has an answer to those who think that safety is something that should be cut from the budget.

As demonstrated in Scenarios 1, 2 and 3, proper safety procedures can save hotels thousands per year.

Some of the keys to success are the following. o Ensure orientation and training in safety procedures for staff. You even need to train experienced employees because the procedures in the place they worked before may have been different. o Have the proper forms readily available, including near miss and unsafe conditions forms, and the WCB package. o Make sure training is ongoing,

Erica Blewett (left) with Barbara Malacko, executive director, Alberta Hotel Safety Association.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Wildfire goes Cosmopolitan in downtown Toronto hotel

By Colleen Isherwood, editor

TORONTO­—Wildfire­ Steakhouse­ and­ Wine­ Bar­ has­ been­ a­ neighbourhood­ fixture­ on­Yonge­ Street­ between­ Lawrence­ and­ York­ Mills­ for­ 12­ years,­ and­ now­ owner­ Jody­ Ness­ has­ brought­ his­ well-known­ eatery­ ­ to­ the­ downtown­ Cosmopolitan­ Hotel­ on­ Colborne­ Street.­­ Next­on­his­agenda­is­to­spread­Wildfire­to­Oshawa,­ON,­­ this­summer,­and­Barrie­by­the­end­of­the­year.

Wildfire­Cosmopolitan­took­shape­quickly,­Sarah­Lieberman,­Ness’­executive­assistant,­told­CLN. “The­restaurant­used­to­be­called­Eight.­We­took­over­ ownership­in­January,­and­had­a­fast­turnaround­including­everything­from­floors­to­walls.­The­renovations­were­ done­ in­ 12­ days—the­ only­ thing­ that­ wasn’t­ renovated­ was­the­bartop,”­she­said.­ The­ restaurant­ had­ its­ soft­ opening­ on­ Feb.­ 2,­ and­ grand­opening­on­April­3.

There­are­many­similarities­ between­the­ North­York­ and­downtown­locations—both­serve­steak­and­lobster,­ signature­ribs­and­piri­piri­Portuguese­inspired­chicken.

But,­ Lieberman­ pointed­ out,­ the­ original­ location­ is­ much­larger,­with­220­seats­as­opposed­to­just­90­at­the­ Cosmopolitan.­ “It­ has­ a­ different­ feel,”­ she­ said­ of­ the­ Cosmopolitan­location.­“At­the­original­location­there­is­more­dark­ cherry­wood;­it’s­more­traditional.­This­one­is­more­rustic­urban­chic­with­barnboard.”

While­ there­ is­ a­ live­ lobster­ tank­ at­ the­ North­ York­ location,­there’s­no­space­for­one­at­the­smaller­Cosmopolitan­location.

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Lobster, ribs and piri piri chicken Specialities­ at­ both­ places­ include­ double­ bacon­ wrapped­filet­with­Cuban­lobster­tail­for­$64­(8­oz.)­or­ $69­(10­oz.),­and­Wildfire­back­ribs­with­hand­cut­fries­ and­seasonal­vegetables­($34).­Another­favourite,­piri­piri­ half­chicken­churrasco­with­garlic­mashed­potatoes­and­ seasonal­vegetables,­costs­$27.

Ness­is­the­executive­chef­for­Wildfire,­coming­up­with­ the­original­recipes.­He­has­hired­Josh­Lauder­as­kitchen­ manager­at­the­Cosmopolitan­location.­ Asked­ about­ the­ most­ popular­ dishes,­ Lauder­ mentions­the­top­cut­sirloin,­short­ribs­and­rib-eye.­“We­have­ the­ability­to­bring­in­a­tomahawk—a­rib­steak­up­to­56­ oz.­with­a­giant­bone­attached.­It’s­a­showpiece—generally­you­share­it.­There’s­more­demand­than­you’d­think,”­ he­added.

After-work nibbles Lauder­has­come­up­with­seven­different­items­as­bar­ nibbles­ for­ the­ after-work­ crowd­ at­ Wildfire’s­ Cosmopolitan­location.­ One­of­the­most­notable­is­his­meat­loaf­cupcakes—a­ grilled­vegetable­and­ground­tenderloin­meatball­served­ with­ a­ chipotle­ carrot­ puree.­ Lauder­ dabs­ a­ little­ lime­ chipotle­ ketchup­ on­ top­ of­ the­ meatball­ and­ finishes­ it­ off­ with­ piped­ cumin­ mashed­ potato,­ beef­ demi-glaze­ and­bacon­bits.

“They’re­ adorable—they­ look­ like­ little­ cupcakes­ when­they’re­done,”­says­Lieberman.

Designer Farshad Mohammadi gave Wildfire in the Cosmopolitan a rustic urban look complete with barnboard.

Josh Lauder, kitchen manager

Another­ favourite­ is­ mushroom­ ragout—a­ mushroom­combination­done­with­fine­herbs­and­garlic­and­ reduced­ in­ whipping­ cream.­ Lauder­ uses­ sweet­ hen-ofthe-wood­mushrooms­and­oyster­shiitake­mushrooms.

Ness,­who­hosts­and­produces­Wine Portfolio,­a­wine,­ food­ and­ lifestyle­ show­ on­ CNBC World,­ has­ a­ passion­ for­ wine.­At­ the­ North­York­ location,­ he­ has­ 900­ selections­on­the­wine­list­and­6,000­bottles­in­stock.

“Here,­there’s­a­selection­of­about­100­wines,­including­wines­by­the­glass,”­said­Lieberman.­“There­are­more­ beer­drinkers­here.”

A­look­at­the­wine­list­shows­seven­whites,­10­reds­and­ one­ sparkling­ wine­ by­ the­ glass,­ at­ prices­ ranging­ from­ $9­to­$19.

Mixed­ drinks­ include­ the­ Five­ Star­ Cosmo,­ consisting­of­Pravda­Vodka,­Grand­Marnier,­cranberry­juice­and­ lime­for­$12;­and­Toronto­Vice­which­includes­Ice­Vodka,­ icewine,­ginger­and­mango­nectar.­A­Wildfire­Signature­ Caesar­contains­spices,­steakhouse­sauce,­garlic,­clamato,­ tiger­shrimp,­olive,­hot­pepper­and­a­pearl­onion.

Working with Cosmo “Working­here­in­the­financial­district,­we’re­looking­ to­build­our­lunch­business—to­have­guests­bring­clients­ here­to­stop­in­for­a­brief­lunch,”­ noted­Lieberman.

The­Cosmopolitan­Hotel­and­ Wildfire­Steakhouse­and­Bar­are­ two­ completely­ separate­ businesses,­ but­ they­ work­ together­ well,­she­adds.

“If­ we­ grow,­ they­ grow.­ We­ work­ together­ to­ market­ each­ other—we’re­ both­ on­ each­ other’s­ websites,­ and­ we’re­ included­in­a­lot­of­e-blasts.­There­ are­joint­VIP­specials­at­the­hotel­ and­ restaurant,”­ Lieberman­ noted.

8 Colborne St., Toronto, 416-3508188, www.wildfiresteakhouse. com, @wildfiretoronto.

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SHHA seminar outlines self-defence for hoteliers

Brad Hutchinson

SASKATOON—You never think it could happen in your establishment until it actually occurs.

Maybe the oil boom has a rough side, and gangland-style activity has come to your bar.

The locals and out-of-towners clash. Maybe someone gets stabbed and dies right outside your hotel, and you walk out and inadvertently confront the perpetrator. Or maybe the women in your bar start punching and kicking each other.

Each of these situations has happened in Saskatchewan establishments, and Brad Hutchinson of International Academy of Tactical Training Systems was on hand at the SHHA to offer self-defence as a way to defuse and deal with such stressful situations.

Specifically, Hutchinson offers training courses for hospitality staff, with an initial fee of $125-$150 per person. “I’ve dealt with hotel and bar owners in Northern Saskatchewan— Debden, Canwood, Big River and Shell Lake,” he said.

“When you’re working in this business, you can become first responders.” Areas vary from larger cities like Saskatoon or Regina where help is more readily available, to smaller communities that have no local RCMP.

Hone communication skills “Knowledge increases your communication skills with the public. Everyone has their own way of responding to a situation. How can you add, change or make that better—to be more professional in your business,” said Hutchinson.

“I’m giving you information like I’d give to the police or military personnel—there’s very little difference.

“The program is based on how you deal

with stress. For example, if there are many patrons on a Friday night, your patience wears thin. What happens to your body, your tone of voice—how do you react to clues and cues that there may be trouble?”

Hutchinson notes that there are also legalities regarding the use of force continuum. “You have to think of liability, prove your actions to law enforcement.”

Media in Saskatchewan are talking about mandatory training for doormen and security personnel, a move Hutchinson thinks is long overdue.

“Make sure your staff are educated regarding rules, guidelines and liability. If they don’t know how to talk to people properly, things could go sideways real quick,” he advised.

Hutchinson worked with Conrad Bendig at his six Saskatchewan hotel/bar locations, and received a 95 per cent positive response, he says.

They put people through a six-hour course, with four groups for 25 employees.

“At some point, something could happen, but everybody waits until there is a problem.”

Hutchinson asks clients questions such as how many employees they have, and how many servers are on at one time.

Body language and tone of voice can make a huge difference. “When people have problems, there are words you shouldn’t use as they create negative aspects. Feed off the positive climate of patrons having fun—all by verbal communication and body language.”

If there’s a conflict between locals and nonlocals—something that happens frequently in resource-rich Saskatchewan—don’t offend or choose sides, Hutchinson said.

Real estate example Hutchinson gave the example of the real estate industry, where a woman was raped in a basement in Saskatoon a number of years ago.

“She went into the situation blind. The perpetrator was from Edmonton and had it all planned.”

“Now [the real estate agents] really pay attention to where each agent is, they have beepers and pagers, and they know awareness and self-defence tactics. Know where you are, who is in communication with you, where the client is from. This particular client was from Edmonton and requested a female agent—that alone should have set off warning bells, but all an agent would be thinking about is the next sale.

She wasn’t found until hours later when another agent came to show the house.

“You don’t want danger to happen. Do things feel right? Are you aware of your surroundings?

“If staff are trained properly, then they can stay calm. A little bit of information can help put them at ease.”

For information contact Brad Hutchinson, International Academy of Tactical Training Systems, ntc@sasktel.net.

SLGA’s new distribution warehouse SASKATOON—The steel skeleton of Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority’s new distribution warehouse is now rising at the Global Transportation Hub (GTH) in Regina.

Construction of the 150,000 square foot building began in November 2013, and should be completed by summer 2015.

“It’s 50 per cent larger than the current facility, and twice as high,” Barry Lacey, president and CEO of SLGA said at the SHHA conference last month.

The new warehouse will have bottle-pick

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capability, meaning that hoteliers will have the ability to pick single bottles. At the new facility, commercial permittees and franchisees will be able to order directly, and the online ordering system will be phased in.

“The bottle-pick area will take up 6,000 square feet, and we will be expanding our SKU assortment slightly as well,” Lacey said.

With the new liquor distribution centre, SLGA will join the growing list of rail, trucking, distribution and manufacturing facilities that are setting up shop at the 1,700-acre GTH site.

Tom Mullin to retire from SHHA as of November 30

By Colleen Isherwood SASKATOON—“It’s been a great run for me,” said an emotional Tom Mullin as he announced at the association’s AGM that he would be stepping down as president and CEO of the Saskatchewan Hotel & Hospitality Association on Nov. 30.

“There have been a lot of changes in the Saskatchewan hotel business over the last 14 years,” Mullin told conference delegates, citing the changes in liquor retailing and the record number of accommodation properties being built in the province. “I believe that new energy is required to lead the association through the coming years.

“I’ve worked with seven chairs and numerous directors, and have always cherished those relationships,” he added.

His speech was met by a standing ovation.

At the end of the meeting, several SHHA members paid tribute to Mullin, with one member noting that he seemed to know everyone in government and how to get inside the door, and that it’s not an easy task to bring urban and rural association members together.

Lance Grosco of Duck Lake Hotel, who served as chair for three years noted that “it was my greatest pleasure driving around the country with Tom. He taught me how to act and what to say. I’d be giving a speech—a greeting from the province. If he raised one eyebrow at me, it meant be quiet and sit down. If he raised two eyebrows, it meant ‘Shut up, Lance’.”

Tom Mullin

Tony Pollard, president and CEO of the Hotel Association of Canada, said that Mullin had made a difference across Canada.

Five or six years ago, an individual in Quebec wanted to eliminate VLCs from hotels and only have them in casinos and racetracks.

“Tom came to Ottawa and met with a variety of people from right across the country. He did the work that saved a heck of a lot of our business in Saskatchewan.

“Tom, you’ll always have a hotel room to stay in and a cold beer.”

More news from SHHA Gary Hoffert (left), Regional VP, Canalta is incoming SHHA chair.

Outgoing chair Mike Billard was unable to attend due to illness, but he was praised for accomplishments during his two year term.

SASKATOON—Lance and Joy Grosco of Duck Lake Hotel (above right) were among the five Life Members named at the Saskatchewan Hotel and Hospitality Association Awards Luncheon April 14 at the Sheraton Cavalier Hotel. Lance was chair of SHHA for three years.

The other Life Members were Lou and Donna Dupuis, who have owned the Shellbrook Hotel since 1978. Their son, Brad, who now operates the hotel, was on hand to accept the award.

Larry Bozak of the Southshore Motor Lodge, Wynyard, who has been in the hotel business for 25 years and plans many more, was the fifth Life Membership recipient.

Other noteworthy awards: o All of d3h’s properties in Saskatchewan received Employer of Choice awards. o Dan Cardinal had the longest career of any of the long-service award winners, with 45 years at the Sheraton Cavalier, Saskatoon.

Check In Canada comes to Saskatchewan Check In Canada, the online hotel reservation platform piloted in Alberta was introduced to Saskatchewan at the SHHA conference.

Dave Kaiser of the Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association stressed the need for hoteliers to “take back your guests” from the online travel agencies (OTAs).

Noting that there are different technologies and that marketing agencies across Canada control $530 million in marketing dollars across the

country, Kaiser said Check In Canada is working with provincial marketing agencies and DMOs to converge traffic to one platform.

“We can slice and dice information for any province, region, town or event,” he told the SHHA delegates. “The best part is that travellers can book their reservations directly with the hotel—so [hotels] are not losing 15 to 18 per cent to an OTA.” Kaiser guided delegates through the booking process, which includes other programs such as HAC Green Key and Canada Star Quality Ratings. He said they are looking at Planat, founded

by Man in Motion Rick Hansen to provide consumers with accessibility information.

Another idea is to include government procurement information.

Alberta’s long-running and popular Housekeeping Award winner program could also be included in the ratings.

Check In Canada is powered by JackRabbit—technology used by 250-plus DMOs and accessible to even the smallest property.

They also use TrustYou, which provides aggregate ratings of hotels including information from Yelp, TripAdvisor, Kayak and Travelocity.

“There is a good chance you are going to book the guest because of the process they have already gone through,” Kaiser said. “It’s presented in the way that consumers shop.”

Jim Baker, president and CEO of the Manitoba Hotel Association, says his province is interested in Check In Canada as well.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

SoHo Metropolitan’s Ottawa extended stay residences

Suite at SoHo Metropolitan Residences Ottawa

OTTAWA, ON—With one successful luxury long-term-stay property under its belt in Toronto, SoHo Metropolitan Hotel has launched residences in downtown Ottawa targeting the upscale extended-stay market.

Located on the top two floors of the SoHo Lisgar Condominiums, a 12-storey building in downtown Ottawa, SoHo Metropolitan Residences Ottawa features 25 luxury suites with boutique-hotel amenities. The rest of the building houses 169 condominium units.

The extended-stay suites have

floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows and spa-inspired bathrooms offering rain shower heads and Aveda amenities. Gluckstein-designed kitchens feature quartz countertops, glass-tiled backsplashes, European appliances and concealed fridges. They are also equipped with WiFi and Samsung LED 3D smart televisions.

The Ottawa property also offers SoHo Water Gardens, which has a trellised exterior, outdoor designer kitchens and barbecues; a hot tub and lap pool; private movie screening room; and a gym designed and man-

aged by two-time heavyweight champion Dalton Brown.

SoHo Metropolitan Residences Toronto, features 53 luxury suites, and extended-stay guests enjoy the amenities of the attached 92-room SoHo Met Hotel. These include concierge service, car-rental office and onsite dining at Luckee, the contemporary Chinese restaurant launched April 4 by superstar chef Susur Lee (see below). In addition, the Toronto complex features 369 condominium units.

“Residents like the sense of belonging and treat [the extended-stay

suites] much like an apartment — they act like locals,” David Kelley, general manager of SoHo Metropolitan Hotel and Residences, told CLN. In Toronto, film and television producers, directors and cast members account for more than half of the extended-stay clientele, with residencies lasting as long as eight months, said Kelley. The rest of the Toronto client base are corporate customers doing project work lasting, typically, six months to one year, and shortterm transitional clients (divorcees; those who’ve sold their home and are looking for a new one or those in town looking for a permanent home; people displaced by power outages) whose stays average one to three months.

The diverse client base, and the combination of luxurious suite appointment and onsite services and amenities, are driving the Toronto property’s success, said Kelley.

On the other hand, the Ottawa residences’ clientele consists of government employees, transitional and corporate residents and staff from the city’s embassies.

Going forward, SoHo Met will continue to target those demographic groups, as well as sitting members of Parliament, for the Ottawa property.

Its positioning as a luxury, serviceoriented residence is an advantage in nation’s capital, where multi-person extended-stay properties geared towards families and travelling sports teams are the norm, said Kelley.

He acknowledges, however, that cultivating an extended-stay client base takes time, since it’s a cyclical

business dependent on unpredictable schedules. “It’s a market you need to build,” he said.

To that end, SoHo Met Residences is working to establish relationships with Ottawa restaurants and dry cleaners. Similarly, the Toronto extended-stay property has established a relationship with a nearby grocery store. Recognizing a captive audience, the grocery retailer provides a complimentary litre of fruit juice in the refrigerators of newly arrived residents as a way to promote itself to this potential customer base, said Kelley.

As befits their exclusive, upscale status, the Toronto and Ottawa suites typically accommodate one to two people and consequently, in almost all cases, feature one bedroom outfitted with a king bed.

Looking ahead, Kelley said additional extended-stay properties are in the cards for Ottawa. One upcoming project includes SoHo Champagne, scheduled to open in summer, 2015, at Champagne and Hickory Streets and expected to include about 30 extended-stay suites and a condominium component whose size has yet to be determined. Another project, SoHo Italia, will be located on Preston Street, but details have not been finalized, said Kelley. SoHo Parkway, a condominium-only project housing over 100 units, opened two years ago.

The company would also consider Montreal for an extended-stay property and would consider that city and Ottawa for a hotel. In addition, “we’ve poked around in Calgary, where it’s a question of finding the right deal,” said Kelley.

of creativity”—it’s not the same har gow, siu mai (open-faced dumplings) and cha siu boa.

“I want to raise it to another bar— I want to raise the identity of Chinese cooking in North America or even in the world,” said Lee, who wants to lift the stigma surrounding Chinese food, ensure the menu is easy to understand and serve good wine, cocktails and tea.

Lee’s son Kai designed the beverage menu, which includes an eclectic and extensive wine list, nearly 30

scotches and about a dozen tequila and whisky choices. Kai Lee brought over the popular Ricky Rosé Sangria from Lee and Bent, which he operates with his brother Levi. Available during patio season, the drink uses a French rose and fresh fruit, including mango, strawberries and pineapple.

Ontario-native Adam Ashukian is the general manager, bringing with him experience from Vancouver’s C Restaurant, and Four Seasons’ restaurants in Palo Alto, Calif., and in Vancouver at YEW seafood + bar.

Susur Lee brings Luckee Restaurant to SoHo Toronto

By Kristen Smith TORONTO—Chef Susur Lee opened his newest concept Luckee Restaurant and Bar in early April at 328 Wellington St. West on the ground floor of Toronto’s SoHo Metropolitan Hotel.

Lee told CLN he has known Metropolitan Hotels president and restaurateur Henry Wu for about 20 years. A year and a half ago, when Wu asked if Lee wanted to move into the former Senses restaurant space, he rounded up the team—a.k.a. his wife and sons—and got moving.

Having had quite a bit of practice opening restaurants together, Lee and his family created Luckee rather quickly while ensuring everything was ready and in place from the food to the light bulbs. “I’m very particular about those small details,” Lee said.

Designed by his wife Brenda Bent and her partner Karen Gable, the 2,000-square-foot dining area and the 600-square-foot bar features the colour red with large panels and art.

The space has tiled floors, wood slat banquet seats and a large windowed kitchen.

Lee said he wants Luckee’s chefs to feel proud and show off what they do. The kitchen team includes chef John Kwan, former executive chef of Toronto’s Lai Toh Heen, chef Vincent Leung, former executive chef of Senses, and chef Raymond Fung, who has more than 30 years experience making dim sum.

With 120 seats and a private dining area for 18, the menu features what Lee calls “nouvelle Chinoise” fare, which Lee began creating about 15 years ago at his Club Chinois in Singapore.

The main menu features seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes and dim sum can be ordered by menu card.

The bar area has its own menu, featuring items such as salt and pepper crispy squid and curry shrimp rolls.

Luckee’s entrée menu, inspired by Lee’s travels in Asia, transforms traditional Chinese food with a modern touch.

“I’ve always loved the culture of where I am, who I am, where I’ve come from,” said Lee. He said he wants Luckee to “speak the international language” while raising the bar

Luckee Restaurant

for Chinese food.

“Chinese food is not just cheap and cheerful and not greasy and unhealthy,” said Lee, noting it can be creative and complex.

“We have a great history,” he said, adding he aimed to merge that foundation with modern innovation.

“Of course, the food is still very based in traditional tastes of Chinese, but has a little bit of a twist,” he said.

He said Chinese patrons will feel the food is in line with traditional cuisine, but the menu “adds a little bit

M AY 2 01 4

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www.canadianlodgingnews.com

Peak Performance

By Don Douloff SUN PEAKS, BC—May 1, 2014, marked a watershed moment in the history of BC’s Sun Peaks Resort, since that was the day its parent company assumed management of the luxury hotel and made a strong commitment to strengthen its market position.

To date, Delta Hotels and Resorts had operated both the 12-year-old hotel, and more recently the adjacent Delta Residences at Sun Peaks, under a management agreement with the property’s developer and owner SP Hotel Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sun Peaks Resort Corp.

With the current management contract set to end on April 30, 2014, both Sun Peaks Resort and Delta Hotels and Resorts agreed to end their joint agreement, paving the way for Sun Peaks Resort Corp. to assume management of the property. The hotel’s existing ownership, management personnel and employees remain in place.

With the management change also came a May 1 name change to Sun Peaks Grand Hotel & Conference Centre, chosen to reflect the property’s first-rate guest facilities, amenities and services and its landmark position within the resort village, which debuted half a century ago and is located in BC’s interior, 45 minutes northeast of Kamloops.

In addition to the hotel name change and a move to locally-based management, Sun Peaks Resort Corp. is undertaking the first steps in the resort’s development plan, which includes creating additional trails for both winter and summer activities (for example, there will be an extra

500 acres available for downhill skiing).

This spring, work starts on new trails in the West Morrisey and Gil’s area. For the 2014/2015 winter season, skiable terrain will grow to 4,200 acres, making Sun Peaks Canada’s second-largest ski resort, according to Darcy Alexander, vice president and general manager of Sun Peaks Resort Corp.

Furthermore, the development project will add about three km of new village trails in the valley and will improve walking and bike-riding trails near the top of the mountain at about the 7,000-foot level, he said.

In addition to enhancing the resort’s natural assets, the development project will refurbish Sun Peaks Grand itself, by refreshing the health club and sauna; public-area furniture; and carpets and flooring throughout.

All of these planned improvements set the stage for a major push to market the resort more intensively to regional markets (B.C., Alberta and Washington State) and longhaul markets—Ontario, Quebec, the Greater U.S. and, overseas, Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., Germanspeaking Europe, China and Japan, Alexander told CLN. For long-haul markets, for instance, Sun Peaks will work with tour wholesalers to target the skier base.

“We need to make sure that everything in the resort gets packaged from A to Z for our guests—‘pick what you want and you’ll have exceptional experiences,’” he said.

Certainly, there’s plenty to package. For outdoor enthusiasts, winter activities include skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobile tours, ice skating

With its parent company recently assuming management of Sun Peaks Resort, the hotel has a new name and a mandate to strengthen its market position.

Photo: Adam Stein.

and bungee trampoline. In summer, there’s hiking, mountain bike riding, canoeing and Nordic pole walking, to name only a few.

For the culturally and gastronomically inclined, there are outdoor summer concerts (everything from pop, country and tribute bands to Doodlebops musical playdates for children), June-to-September farmers markets and a winter wine festival.

Winter accounts for 75 per cent of the village’s business, with summer making up the balance, said Alexander. In percentage terms, however, summer is growing at a faster rate, he noted.

Complementing the plethora of four-season outdoor activities are the village’s accommodation options—1,700 rooms, including seven hotels offering a combined 900 guestrooms (222 rooms at Sun Peaks alone) and the balance offered at condos and single-family dwellings. The Residences at Sun Peaks offers another 41 rooms.

On the meetings side, Sun Peaks Grand offers a 12,000-square-foot conference centre accommodating groups of up to 500.

To further bolster its next phase of development, Sun Peaks Grand will work closely with the Tourism

Sun Peaks destination marketing organization and Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality.

“Local management [of Sun Peaks Grand] allows for closer integration with the tourism marketing organization and municipality, making for easier, more seamless marketing efforts,” said Alexander.

To that end, everyone in the resort’s business community is a member of Tourism Sun Peaks. “We will be taking a major step to take things to the next level,” he said. “When individual businesses thrive, then the resort as a whole thrives. A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Hilton’s Homewood is a “home run”

Bill Duncan

CALGARY, AB and MCLEAN, VA— Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hilton Worldwide’s international brand of upscale, all-suite, extended-stay hotels has been opening a property a month.

The brand’s eleventh Canadian property in Hamilton, Ontario, opened on February 21.

Homewood Suites Winnipeg Airport-Polo Park opened March 12, and is the brand’s twelfth property in Canada and first hotel in the Mani-

toba market.

Homewood Suites by Hilton Calgary-Airport, Alberta featuring 122 suites, opened April 15, and is owned by Prestige Hospitality HW. The hotel will be Homewood’s first in Alberta.

Bill Duncan, global head, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton, told CLN the brand is “a home run.”

“Canadians have really embraced the extended stay all suite concept, and they are underserved in the upscale segment. Homewood’s performance has been really strong. It’s opened eyes and doors of development for this brand.”

“We’re looking all over the country where there is the right kind of demand for the upscale Homewood Suites and the midscale Home2 Suites. The biggest demand generators for extended stay are medical, university, strong business centres and military bases. We are looking for those types of demand generators and an understanding of the local landscape.”

Additional Canada property openings this year include the following hotels, all slated to open in

Q2 2014. o Homewood Suites by Hilton Ajax, ON, featuring 104 suites is slated to open in April 2014 and is owned by Wella Investments Inc. o Homewood Suites by Hilton Halifax-Downtown, featuring 135 suites is slated to open in this month and is owned by SilverBirch No. 15 Operations LP. The hotel will be Homewood Suites’ first in Nova Scotia. o Homewood Suites by Hilton Waterloo/St. Jacobs, ON featuring 97 suites is slated to open in June 2014 and is owned by Benjamin Hotel Inc. The first Canadian Home2 Suites is underway in West Edmonton.

Lewis flies around the world Duncan is also working with his son, Christian, to write another book titled Lewis the Duck flies around the world. The stories feature Lewis, who likes to travel with his family and stay at Homewood Suites hotels (including Canadian ones). There are also colouring and activity books about Lewis.

Homewood Suites Calgary Airport (above) and Winnipeg Airport-Polo Park.

INNOVATING. GROWING. LEADING.

THE POWER OF STARWOOD PARTNERSHIP. With a portfolio of 65 hotels and strong growth momentum, Starwood Hotels & Resorts continues to expand its presence in Canada. With nine distinct lifestyle brands and the award-winning Starwood Preferred Guest® loyalty program, Starwood is well positioned to drive results for our partners.

LE WESTIN MONTRÉAL

STARWOODHOTELS.COM/DEVELOPMENT 203 964 4468

Philippe J. Gadbois

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS ATLIFIC HOTELS & RESORTS

“With Starwood’s proven track record of brand innovation and forward-thinking strategies, Atlific partnered with Starwood to reinvent the historic former Montréal Gazette building, making it one of the city’s top Four Diamond hotels. Together, we also brought the first Element hotel to Canada, further highlighting SHERATON RED DEER HOTEL

our joint ability to introduce brands and products while exceeding the needs and expectations of the communities we serve. Starwood’s solid global sales and marketing network, combined with proactive communication channels, is a key reason for our success, and we look to continue this upward momentum with projects already in the pipeline.”

ELEMENT VAUGHAN SOUTHWEST

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON HALIFAX

Nora M. Duke

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FORTIS PROPERTIES CORPORATION

“Fortis Properties has had tremendous success working with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Both the Four Points by Sheraton Halifax and Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland have proven to be strong performers in their respective markets and provide wonderful guest experiences. The Starwood team has been a great partner, offering ongoing brand and operations

SHERATON HOTEL NEWFOUNDLAND

support, and the Starwood Preferred Guest® loyalty program has been a definite asset. We are pleased with Starwood’s continued commitment to their brands, and we look forward to continuing our positive relationship with Starwood for many years to come.”

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON KELOWNA AIRPORT

Thom Killingsworth

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS PACRIM HOSPITALITY SERVICES INC.

“When our Ownership Group, Argus Properties, was ready to make the brand decision for their first new-build hotel in the Okanagan Valley, we knew Four Points by Sheraton would be a great choice. After only eight months of operation, we are seeing great results in employee, guest and shareholder satisfaction. It was also obvious from opening day how loyal Starwood Preferred Guest® members are to the brand, as the property quickly became a market leader and ranked #1 on TripAdvisor. With over 45 hotels in our portfolio and multiple brands, Pacrim Hospitality is excited to have partnered with Starwood.”

©2014 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Aloft, Element, Four Points, Le Méridien, Sheraton, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.

By Kristen Smith

I

magine a couple heading to their favourite hotel for their 10-year anniversary. Not only do they book the weekend getaway on their smartphone, but they use it to check in on the drive into the city. When they arrive, a concierge meets them at the door, greets them by name and hands them room keys. Upon settling in, they check out local attractions on an in-room tablet, make a dinner reservation for the following evening, book an afternoon massage and order a room service feast and a bottle of red wine with the push of a button.

The next evening, the host wishes them a happy anniversary at the door of the upscale hotel restaurant and their favourite drinks are waiting at the table. The server describes the specials, but not the bisque, because he knows they are both allergic to shellfish—that information is saved in a customer database. They make their dessert decision based on the nutritional information on a tablet menu and place the order directly to the kitchen.

Nothing seems forced or contrived—it’s seamless and it could be the future of hotel restaurants and reservations.

Don Smith, sales manager for POS Canada, says more and more new generation restaurateurs are embracing mobile technology.

“If you had walked into the CRFA Show never having been before … you would think that the whole industry has gone mobile; that tablets and handhelds are the way to go,” says Smith.

Stuart Smith, Micros Western Canada general manager, says hotel

foodservice operations were early adopters of mobile ordering. Hotels with large patios or pool space may want to utilize more mobile ordering devices to increase food and beverage sales in those key guest areas.

“I think that mobility is so much a part of everyone’s thinking these days, I would say that almost everybody is thinking about it in some way, shape or form,” says Dan Schachtler, Micros Eastern Canada general manager.

He suggests pre-ordering and prepaying will be a large trend going forward and as e-wallets and Paypal use become more commonplace, customers will demand they be accepted as payment.

In hotels, Micros Western Canada sales manager Wes Peters says this applies more to restaurants with a large outside client base, noting

that many hotel restaurants focus on guests who will want to charge to their room.

“Depending on the hotel, the size, the sprawling facilities, they may have a need in the banquets department to have POS technology in remote, offsite or unique locations,” says Don Smith.

Shannon Arnold, director of marketing for Posera Software, which makes Maitre’D POS, says tableside ordering has been around for quite a while, “But the adoption rate had been quite low until the past year or two.”

This has largely been attributed to the price of hardware coming down.

Arnold sat down with the Posera management team at the end of last year and discussed the state of the POS industry. “We haven’t seen this

much movement in the point of sale industry since touch screen solutions were introduced 20 years ago,” says Arnold. “It’s going to be interesting to see where the next 12 to 24 months are going to lead us.”

Maris Berzins, Agilysys vicepresident of product engineering for POS, inventory and procurement, workforce management, document management and analysis, says the company sees mobile taking over more and more of the overall POS footprint.

“The whole point being: how do we detach people from this large, bulky sales terminal and allow them to get out in front of the guest or allow a manager to get out on the floor with their staff and de-shackle them from their desks,” says Berzins.

“Many of our hotel customers are luxury or resort destinations—they

often have large pool areas or patios, where the guests are spread out.

There might be obstacles that keep the wait staff from readily being able to get back to a fixed terminal and, historically, running back and forth with a notepad has led to long delays and customers not getting their food or drink in a timely fashion,” Berzins says. He says Agilsys customers have been using tablets as ordering devices and having runners bring out food and beverage.

In some cases, he says, properties have seen strong double-digit revenue growth and an increase in tips, covers and staff.

Micros chief technology officer Mike Russo notes POS tablets can also be used as an engagement tools to display the special of the day, for example.

www.canadianlodgingnews.com

M AY 2 01 4

| 15

In the 20 years Peter Abel has owned Five Star Hotel Systems—which provides PMS for independent hotels and has more than 400 Canadian customers—he has seen huge changes.

The world wants to travel using the Internet to book, notes Abel.

One of the most effective ways for independents to compete against branded properties is by attacking the Internet and getting the most from it, he adds.

He also recommends being aware of what your guests think of you in online satisfaction surveys. “The property management system can be set to e-mail the manager on his smartphone as soon as a guest does a survey and, what’s really cool, is you can then send those feedback comments to the guest testimonials section of your website instantaneously,” says Abel. “When you get some good feedback, off it goes to your website and when you get some bad feedback, you’ve got all the informa-

tion about the guest in the property management system.”

If you score above 80 per cent on a guest satisfaction survey, the property management system sends a follow up e-mail asking whether the guest would consider reviewing on TripAdvisor.

The online tools have to work on smartphones. “I’ve actually booked hotel rooms sitting in my car in the parking lot of the hotel I’m booking,” says Abel. “If I book it online, I have a sense that I’m going to get the better price.”

He says in order for mobile check in to work, a hotel must have cell phone enabled door locks. “If I walk into a hotel and check myself in on

my cell phone, I have to get a key somehow. The only effective way to do that is to use a door lock where the cell phone is actually the key.”

Rehan Jaddi, Agilysys vice-president of property management systems, says PMS technology has four different trends: mobile devices, data integration, social networks and cloud services. He says data needs to be available everywhere on the property and envisions a future in which housekeepers check off when rooms are clean on a discreet device and are able to see guest preferences stored in the PMS. Di Davillas, vice-president of Micros hotel strategies accounts, says mobility encompasses the entire ho-

tel, whether it be in the hands of the guest, in the room for self-service.

“That may well be ordering room service through in-room technology, or that may be ordering additional housekeeping requirements, it might be a pillows menu,” says Davillas.

“We’re seeing more and more resort-style, campus style hotels that are trying to put the ownership back to the guest and allow them to ask for what they need instead of being questioned constantly about what they need,” Davillas says.

Much of the movement can be attributed to changing demographics and millennials with disposable income. “For them, spending comes with technology,” she says.

While the concept of self-service isn’t new, especially in quick service, tablets and POS systems have recently earned a place at the table at full service establishments.

Russo says he has seen a trend to mobile menus and mobile kiosks in hotel F&B in the forms of wine lists or allowing guests to order wine or appetizers from a tablet menu.

“I would say that the menu in question has to be very simple,” says Don Smith. He adds that customers shouldn’t have to go through more than one level of modifiers.

Airport food and beverage operator OTG is in the process of installing 2,500 iPads at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.

OTG is working with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority to roll out about a dozen eateries in waiting areas in terminals one and three.

“We feel like the order-taking experience itself should be replaced with tablets. It gets rid of a lot of the wasted time that we see,” Lee says, noting the order might not get to the kitchen for five minutes if a server is visiting more than one table.

“By giving the consumer the ability to place their order on a tablet and send it directly to the kitchen, that accelerates the time,” says Lee, adding that the actual dining experience is the same.

He says there hasn’t been a problem with people walking off with the iPads—they are kept clean and well maintained, and customers, in turn, treat them with respect.

Co-founder of Toronto startup MenYou Thaves Ponnampalam was inspired by a restaurant experience in Singapore about two years ago.

The server punched in the order on a palm pilot and it was sent to the kitchen.

“That’s when I realized that we’re in a day and age when technology has somewhat evolved in our daily lives. Why not bring that whole experience to the customer themselves,” says Ponnampalam. He says it doesn’t replace the waiter, but enhances the relationship between the serving staff and customers by allowing them to build a rapport rather than be an order taker.

Ponnampalam sees tablets replacing the traditional hotel welcome binder in rooms. Not only can guests order room service without picking up the phone or book an appointment for a spa treatment, but the tablet could be a source of revenue for local advertising.

Russo says many hotels are starting to market their restaurants as destination eateries to the local community, whether offering fine dining or delivery. “Then, of course, [there is] integration with the hotel’s loyalty system, where you don’t necessarily have to be a guest at the hotel to earn points to use at that restaurant,” adds Russo.

He says the same tablet might run the POS software during peak dining hours and be used at other times for checking in guests.

Stuart Smith says an enhanced interface allows a lot of information to pass between POS and PMS systems, allowing the guest’s folio to display individual items, and it also gives the hotels better reporting capabilities.

Jaddi says when it comes to POS and PMS integration, basic integration shows a room charge, while rich integration ties in all the data both systems have learned about the cus-

tomer during their stay: for example, they enjoyed the wine, but INTEGRATION didn’t like the fish.

Berzins says rich and broad integration is critical between POS and PMS. “For the longest time, point of sale was viewed as purely a cost of doing business,” he says. Conversations about establishing guest relationships and creating loyalty are changing the perception of POS as a simple commodity.

“We’re seeing those kinds of conversations drive a lot of the upgrades and here’s the kicker: that nudge is coming from the marketing department of those organizations driving the upgrade cycle,” he says.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Berzins says boutique and luxury clients seem less interested in mobile ordering and guest-facing technology. “To them, the guest experience is what’s most critical and there is still some reluctance to insert a device between them and their guest,” he says.

Don Smith says some restaurant operators are worried tableside ordering will result in losing that personal touch if the main goal is to get the order in and out.

“Some restaurateurs, if the menu is complicated and has a lot of modifiers, they fear [staff] will be punching in [rather] than engag-

Photo courtesy of Agilsys.

ing,” says Smith.

Smith recommends operators consider how POS technology complements their vision of the food, customers and décor: should it be at the table or behind the scenes?

Stuart Smith, Micros Western Canada general manager says, in the past, a fear that a personal connection would be lost led to limited acceptance of table-side tablet ordering.

A server should be making eye

contact with the guest, “if you’re looking at your screen then you can’t do that,” he explains.

He credits widespread consumer acceptance of tablets with paving the way for tablet ordering.

Arnold sees benefit to adding self-service to the mix as it increases productivity, but she doesn’t see a fully self-service establishment as a possibility.

“The foodservice industry is about food and service,” she notes.

“The adoption of technology is like a bell curve. There is a bunch of people who are on the bleeding edge, and that is all very exciting.

“These people are paving the way for the rest of the industry—figuring out what’s really going to work and what isn’t,” says Schachtler.

“There are a lot of other proven technologies that aren’t necessarily fully deployed yet,’’ says Schachtler, pointing to kitchen display systems, which present to each station what they need to prepare on a screen.

“It has a lot of advantages. It improves kitchen operations at one end of the spectrum and saves you paper at the other,” he adds, noting he is

surprised at how few restaurants take advantage of this technology.

Don Smith says kitchen video has been in quick service for some time, but more sophisticated versions are only recently gaining ground in full service operations.

The systems time the meals so dishes come to the pass at the same time, they calculate how many you have all day and can alert the expeditor what station is getting slammed.

He says he hasn’t seen many hotel restaurants install a system.

“Hotel restaurants [typically] don’t have the volume that the early adopters of kitchen video in table service have,” says Smith.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Turning bad online reviews into good decisions

T HE

guest experience Jeff Quipp

With sites like TripAdvisor gaining popularity, online review and recommendation sites have become increasingly important for businesses in the hospitality and lodging industry.

Even before these platforms existed, people put a lot of weight in the opinions of friends and families to influence their decisions on where to go and stay, but nowadays, this word-of-mouth system has moved online.

And if you can’t manage the perception of your business on these recommendation and review websites, the results can be very harmful to your bottom line.

Online reviews are critical People don’t often pay much attention to the ratings and reviews their businesses receive online, but they

should – they can make or break a business.

TripAdvisor, Orbitz and similar sites are increasingly becoming the source people turn to when looking for hotels or other lodging options, and ratings are a critical factor influencing the decision process.

The statistics speak for themselves: 90 per cent of consumers claim that online reviews influence their buying decisions. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. People want to mitigate the risks associated with booking somewhere to stay. They want to make sure that they are getting the best value for the money they put forth, and reading about the experiences of others who have stayed at the same establishment is a great way to accomplish this.

But what if your reviews aren’t as favourable as you would like them to be?

Below are some tips on how to approach online reviews in a way that can improve the perception of your business and ultimately benefit your bottom line.

Here is the smart way to approach online reviews

1. Respond positively to negative reviews The reality is your business won’t always receive positive reviews. In fact, some will be downright atrocious (rude, even).

But, you should look at these instances as opportunities, because people are more likely to make judgments on how a company responds to a negative review, rather than the review or

Celebrating Simcoe hospitality

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.

ALLISTON, ON—The Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association and ORHMA Simcoe Region celebrated the hospitality and tourism members in the county at an annual gala, fundraiser and awards ceremony on April 24 at Nottawasaga Resort.

ORHMA president and chief executive officer Tony Elenis noted that the 160 people in attendance all work in some sort of building, but it’s the people who work there that drive its success. “People behind the scenes and people on stage drive the magic formula of today’s success, which is about customer experiences and points of difference,” said Elenis.

Hospitality award winners included: Local Chef of the Year Award, Rudy Albunag of Nottawasaga Resort; Don Buckle, of Cranberry Resort, Hospitality Manager of the Year; Flying Monkey’s Brewery in Barrie, ON, Foodservice and Hospitality of the Year; and Steve Jones, Nottawasaga Resort, ORHMA Simcoe Region Heart of the House Award.

Lou Biffis, Nottawasaga Resort

founder, was recognized with the region’s Industry Recognition Award.

Six area chefs faced off for the Silver Plate Award. Nottawasaga Resort chef James Day took home the honours receiving the most votes for his dish.

People’s Choice Awards winners included: favourite server Adriana Medeiros, Nottawasaga Resort; favourite bartender Ryan Zaroski, The Ranch, Barrie, ON; Barrie’s Jack Astor’s picked up favourite restaurant; Hanna Milne, Snow Valley Ski Resort, received the Hospitality and Tourism Ambassador Award; and Casino Rama won for favourite accommodations facility and favourite recreation and tourism facility.

“We hope to continue running this event annually … in support and recognition of our industry’s best and brightest stars,” said ORHMA Simcoe Region founding chair John Cunningham.

The event raised more than its $15,000 goal, which will go to help students in the hospitality program at Georgian College.

866-483-7822 • guestsupply.ca Left to right, John Cunningham, Don Buckle and Tony Elenis.

complaint itself.

The worst way to respond is with aggression or sarcasm unless you are actively trying to drive customers away. Instead, try to spin it positively.

Make apologies when necessary, and get the reviews input on how you can improve or resolve the situation.

This gives you the opportunity to not only win over the reviewer, but also show other potential customers that customer service is a top priority for your business – something that goes a long way in the hotel industry.

2. Don’t create or solicit fake reviews Getting reviewed negatively may be detrimental, but it is not nearly as bad for your business as creating or soliciting fake reviews. Not only is this practice disingenuous, it also comes with a price. Online review sites and search engines don’t like when people try to game the system, and they are getting much better at identifying it.

The popular online review site Yelp, for example, has cracked down on businesses who are paying for positive reviews by issuing consumer alerts (285 businesses have been hit), and other sites like TripAdvisor publish similar notices. Getting hit with one of these will destroy any credibility your business has built up. It’s simply not worth it. You would be better served responding positively to negative reviews, or encouraging more legitimate, genuine reviews.

3. How to encourage more legitimate online reviews When people have a positive experience with your business, they will often talk about it with friends and family. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll share it online; sometimes, you need to give them a push.

Any time you get a thank you from a customer, ask if they would be willing to provide a testimonial or review.

Be proactive and follow up with clients; it’s a great way to solicit positive reviews, and even if you receive negative feedback, it gives you the opportunity to address and fix the problem.

You could also incentivize customers with promotional discounts, but be careful: You have to ensure that you are encouraging customers to write a review (negative or positive), not paying for a positive review, which violates the terms of service of any respectable review site.

Online reviews are paramount to success, particularly for businesses that are in the lodging industry. The better the perception of your business online, the better it is for your bottom line, plain and simple. While not every review is going to be positive, if you take the right approach, online reviews can help attract more customers and ultimately increase your sales.

Jeff Quipp is an expert on digital marketing. He is the founder and CEO of Search Engine People Inc. (SEP), Canada’s largest digital marketing firm, which has been on the PROFIT 100 ranking of Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies for the past five consecutive years and named one of PROFIT Magazine’s 50 Fastest Growing.

M AY 2 01 4

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QDOS offers one-stop telecom and IT services for hotels MISSISSAUGA, ON/LONDON, UK—Gone are the days when hoteliers had to rely on five or six tech suppliers, when each supplier would interpret things their way and blame other suppliers when things went wrong.

QDOS Communications, based in London, UK, set up a Mississauga office about a year ago, and offers telecom, IT and guestroom entertainment solutions from one provider.

Simon Catterick, managing director, says they have over 130 IHG hotels as clients, serving hotels that range from small Holiday Inn Expresses to large flagship InterContinental hotels. He notes that QDOS is working more and more with resorts and small boutique properties.

QDOS works with long-established clients and new owner operators for the provision of total technology solutions, to include telephone system, IT Systems, hospitality software, off premises hosting, surveillance solutions, and in-room entertainment including guestroom TV solutions and tiered HSIA Internet services.

“We’ve been in business for 21 years, starting in 1993 in the U.K.,” Catterick told CLN. “Our core business is to supply, install, and maintain total technology solutions to international hospitality brand standards.

“We bundle up a total technology solution, i.e., PBX plus servers and TV and guest Internet—all of them from a single provider at a package price,” Catterick said.

S U P P LY

| 1

LI NE S Right, Simon Catterick

pensive to maintain.

IHG approached Avaya to review options to migrate to the latest voice technology, with a flexible, cost-effective upgrade path for future development.

With QDOS Communications providing Avaya Telephony to other global InterContinental hotels, Avaya approached QDOS’ Washington DC office to propose a total solution, to meet IHG brand standards, under a framework pricing model.

QDOS and Avaya won the contract to supply and install an Avaya Server Edition telephone system to support the 335 guestrooms, 41 Suites, 15 meeting rooms, and Café du Parc Restaurant, which is overseen by one of Europe’s top Michelin-starred chefs.

The solution delivers dual server technology, and supports in more than 1,000 new Cotell Fuego SmartStation analogue bedroom handsets, and 100 new Avaya IP backoffice handsets.

The Avaya Server Edition provides effective call handling for switchboard operators and guest services and is fully integrated with the MICROS Opera Property Management System (PMS), using TigerTMS/Innovations PMS interface, guest voicemail, call accounting and wake up call software. In addition, QDOS has been awarded a long-term maintenance service and support contract that will see The Willard make significant annual operational savings.

Canadian office “We have grown our business in the UK and Europe in recent years, but we’ve always kept one eye on North America. There was a real opportunity in Canada, especially when our founding partner, Matthew Lidbetter, immigrated in 2009. A number of our clients were looking to move into Canada, and the brands were asking us to widen our field operations. If you take a Holiday Inn in Montreal or Toronto or Ottawa, the chances are the requirements are the same as in London or Edinburgh.”

Lidbetter now heads up the Mississauga office.

Case Study: The Willard Hotel QDOS provides Avaya Telephony for IHG U.S. flagship hotel, The Willard InterContinental, located on Washington DC’s Pennsylvania Avenue, just two blocks from the White House.

Since reopening in 1986 The Willard had used a Nortel Meridian 61C Telephone System, integrated with core hospitality software. When Nortel was acquired by Avaya in 2009, the system was no longer manufactured and ex-

GOT newS? Contact Canadian Lodging news’ editorial team if you have stories about people, openings,sales and renovations, or interesting promotional ideas.

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*Numbers are approximate and may fluctuate. Each Best Western® branded hotel is independently owned and operated.

Best Western and Best Western marks are service marks or registered service marks of Best Western International, Inc. ©2014 Best Western International, Inc. All rights reserved.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

A Couple of Chicks: Changing the game for grads

Alicia Whalen (right) of A Couple of Chicks talks to students about their goals.

By Kristen Smith, assistant editor digital content TORONTO—Recent and upcoming graduates were shown the breadth of opportunity in the hospitality industry at the inaugural Game Changer event on April 7 at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel and Suites.

To coincide with the annual Online Revealed conference, A Couple of Chicks paired students with mentors to foster connections and allow upcoming grads the chance to ask questions about what the future might hold for them.

About 30 mentors stepped up to share some words to the wise to future industry members from companies ranging from Google, TripAdvisor and Expedia to Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), Caesars Entertainment and Marriott International.

Chiel Hendriks, agency business developer at Google, encouraged students to go for what

Chiel Hendriks, Google.

he referred to as “moonshot” goals and ideas.

“Set ambitious goals and if you fail, that’s fine,” he said.

Hendriks noted it is important to be ready for the conversations about why someone should hire you. ,

Shelley Williams, director of sales, Caesars Entertainment told attendees to act on their decisions, work hard, avoid drama and ask the hard questions. “For goodness sake, be nice—this is the hospitality industry after all.”

“You can’t control whether you’re the smartest person in the room, but you can control whether you’re the most prepared,” he said.

Shelley Williams, director of sales, Eastern region, Caesars Entertainment, is not only a mentor, but also a mentee. “Some days you just don’t know it all,” she said.

Throughout her career, Williams has been a brand ambassador. “Whatever I believe in, I’ve always worn it on my sleeve,” she said.

She told attendees to act on their decisions, work hard, avoid drama and ask the hard questions. “For goodness sake, be nice—this is the hospitality industry after all,” said Williams.

Chris Gibbs, assistant professor at the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Ryerson University, told attendees that nobody’s career travels in a straight line.

Hotel Association of Canada president Tony Pollard told attendees that “a career in hospitality is like a fast-track career”—someone can go from the ground floor to general manager in seven years. He left attendees with this advice: “Work hard, smile a lot, we’ll train you.”

Kärcher Commercial Sweepers

Shelley Williams, Caesars Entertainment.

Jeff Dickstein, XBox.

E-mail Marketing Top 10 Jason Sarracini, Canadian vice-president and general manager for Travelzoo, shared e-mail marketing top 10 tips.

1. Listen to your audience.

2. Understand the difference between push and pull marketing. Deal-based marketing should stimulate new and incremental business, while traditional channels should capture demand.

3. Target a high-quality audience.

S we e p in g So lut ions Indoor s or O ut door s

4. Define what sets you apart from competitors.

5. Keep it relevant. Do the homework, include relevant content, make the call to action clear and make it easy to book.

6. Get the buyer in the store. (Or on the plane.) Use a captivating headline, target key needs periods and upsell packages.

7. Promote an experience. “It’s not just about a head in a bed anymore,” said Sarracini.

The choice of EXECUTIVE HOUSEKEEPERS and housekeeping s t a f f f r o m N e w f o u n d l a n d t o Va n c o u v e r I s l a n d .

8. Attribution. He said having a strategy to measure attribution is difficult.

Av a i l a b l e a t K ä r c h e r S a l e s d e a l e r s c o a s t t o c o a s t

9. Focus on conversion. Make it easy for users to book on both desktops and mobile.

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Revealing online marketing

By Kristen Smith TORONTO—A Canadian Olympian address, a La-Z Boy lounge and a boy band were all part of this year’s Online Revealed lineup. Tourism and hospitality experts speaking about online marketing rounded out the ninth annual A Couple of Chicks’ conference held April 7-9 at Hilton Toronto Airport and Suites.

Keynote speaker Jon Montgomery, Canadian Olympic Skeleton gold medalist and host of The Amazing Race Canada, shared his journey to the podium at the Vancouver 2010 Games and spoke of his travels across the country for the filming of the CTV show.

“When I found out that a couple of chicks wanted to talk to me, I was pretty pumped,” joked Montgomery, adding he was thrilled when he found out he would be speaking with the Canadian tourism industry.

“Travelling is the best part of my post-Olympic journey,” he said.

“How do you attract people to your destination?” he asked. It’s a question operators, destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and provincial tourism organizations ask regularly.

Montgomery didn’t purport to have the answer. He noted that it must be tough in Canada, since there are so many wonderful attractions, national parks and unique destinations.

“I had a great amount of national pride, even when it wasn’t cool to do so,” said Montgomery, who told delegates about the maple leaf he got tattooed on his chest at the age of 17.

During his time with the Amazing Race, Montgomery has had the chance to see more of the Great White North and his national pride has grown still. “There is so much more than I ever expected to be proud of in this country,” he said.

He told the audience of the first time he tried Skeleton racing (he was hooked) and his road to the Olympics.

He spoke of self-efficacy and how important it is to celebrate small victories while showing training videos of wipeouts at breakneck speeds.

“In those early days, I was forced into savouring those small victories—just getting a corner right,” he said.

should be developed to maintain standards.

“Never, never create content for the sake of creating content,” Brace advised.

He encouraged operators to consistently reassess content and workflow, ensuring it is credible, informative and useful, easy to understand and “exceptionally awesome.”

The death of average “We no longer have to market to averages,” said Josh Yonushonis, Sojern. Instead, we can have one-on-one conversations with customers.

He noted that marketers have more data (big data) and it’s in real time.

He used the example of he and his brother as an example of the pitfalls of traditional marketing. While the both may live in the same areas, be in the same age demographic and both enjoy sports, the Yonushonis brothers travel completely differently.

Yonushonis outlined four ‘Vs’ of big data: volume, velocity, variety and veracity.

“Advertising firms can get in front of individuals in milliseconds,” said Yonushonis.

“We no longer have to geo-target; let the data tell you where they’re coming from,” he said.

Cultivate enduring customer loyalty Noah Fleming, Fleming Consulting and Co., noted while it is commonly accepted that tourism operators are selling experiences, research suggests people buy based on anticipated memories.

He pointed to Newfoundland and Labrador’s current tourism marketing as a successful example. “They’re showing you the memories you are going to make,” he said.

Fleming said that when it comes to experience, the way a vacation starts and ends are critical and it’s memories that are key to creating loyalty.

“If something happens on the last day, it can ruin the whole experience,” he said. “You want to

Jon Montgomery, The Amazing Race

start thinking about how your experiences end.”

When it comes to memories, Fleming suggested integrating experiences that have what he calls trophy value, the things that people will share when regaling tales of their trip, for example a personal butler or a Bentley pick-up service.

Driving bookings through OTAs Expedia Canada director of market management Jennifer Drew encouraged delegates to take advantage of the company’s 11 Canadian market managers.

She said 61 per cent of potential customers are looking at an online travel agency (OTA) first and it’s important to have your best foot forward on those listings.

She said it is important to have pictures of the property, especially of the bathrooms, and list the full breadth of rates and services.

Drew said to treat OTA listings as an extension of their brand and product mix.

“The key is having the right photos,” said Drew, adding there should be one for every room type so a potential customer can tell why a suite might be worth an up-sell.

Jennifer Drew, Expedia

She left the conference delegates with some tips to make full use of their OTS listings: play to the booking curve, utilize promotions to target need and collaborate with your marketing manager.

She said the marketing managers are there to help customize promotions and they aim to understand a hotelier’s goals to target them with the most efficient and effective plan.

Drew noted that hoteliers have come to Expedia representatives in the past wanting to run “wild and crazy” deals, for example 50 per cent off a particular weekend, in an attempt to fill rooms.

“We’ll work with them and say maybe you don’t have to run that 50 per cent off to everyone on the site,” said Drew. “Maybe that’s something that we help you work with the Hotwire market manager and target that just for the Hotwire customer or just put that out there on [mobile] so that you’re not influencing all of the customers that are already shopping, you’re only influencing the ones that are already in that key decisionmaking booking window using that OTA channel or using the mobile channel.”

A BETTER PROPERTY. AN EVEN BETTER OPPORTUNITY.

Content is still definitely king “The audience, these days, are the ones in control,” said Jeff Riddall, gShift Labs.

He said SoLoMo (social-local-mobile) has changed the way people purchase and said brands are becoming publishers.

“Mobile is the most valuable real estate because it’s in the now,” he said, noting that more than 25 per cent of website traffic comes from mobile devices.

“Brands are having to become content marketing experts,” said Riddall.

When it comes to proving to Google that your website deserves to show up in a search, Riddall suggested picking between 10 or 20 keywords for which the site already has relatively good momentum, and focus on those words when creating content. “Organically, it’s going to take time,” he said.

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Developing a strategy/workflow Sam Brace is a training manager for Simpleview who works with DMOs. He acknowledged the idiom “content is king,” but asked: “Do you have a process for actually creating it and sustaining it?”

Brace said he thinks DMOs should be doing a lot of publishing.

“Content professionals are often overworked,” he said. “It’s way too complex to be somebody’s sometimes job.”

He stressed there should be multiple content creators, more accountability and less ambiguity and a content management system workflow

©2014 Choice Hotels Canada Inc. All rights reserved.

ChoiceHotelsFranchise.ca

Open for Opportunity

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

PE OPLE

Zito Kare, industry health and safety specialist, go2hr.

Nigel Lucas, franchise development, Choice Hotels Canada.

Dorothy Dowling, Best Western, named to Marketing Hall of Femme.

Eric Danziger, president and CEO, Hampshire Hotels Management.

Brian Munson, GM, Radisson Plaza Hotel Saskatchewan.

Marilyn Carlson Nelson, won the Oslo Business for Peace Award.

Christopher Norton, executive VP, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

Jayne O’Brien, senior vice president global brands for IHG.

Steve Joyce, chair, International Franchise Association.

Robert Warman, CEO, Langham Hospitality Group.

Andrew Gibson, VP spas and wellness, FRHI Hotels & Resorts.

Connell A. Kennedy, account director, Immedia PR, Vancouver.

BC’s tourism industry human resource association, go2hr, has announced the appointment of Zito Kare to the position of industry health and safety specialist. Kare joins go2hr with more than eight years of health and safety experience and more than 20 years in the hospitality industry. He was most recently with the Hyatt Regency Vancouver in a variety of positions, including occupational safety and compliance manager, engineering building manager and executive steward, food and beverage. Working in partnership with WorkSafeBC, go2hr is the health and safety resource for BC’s tourism and hospitality industry, and the certifying partner for the Certificate of Recognition Program.

2001. With a career in the lodging industry spanning more than three decades, Joyce took the helm of Choice Hotels International in 2008.

Brian Munson has been named general manager of the Radisson Plaza Hotel Saskatchewan, Regina. Munson has 33 years of hotel experience, including progressively senior roles with Fairmont Hotels, The Algonquin in St. Andrews, NB, Jasper Park Lodge, Fairmont Winnipeg, Casino Rama and Casino Windsor.

Marilyn Carlson Nelson, former Carlson CEO and chairman emeritus, has been selected as one of the 2014 Oslo Business for Peace Award honourees. The award is the highest form of recognition given to individual business leaders for fostering peace and stability through creating shared value between business and society.

Carlson Nelson was nominated by the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) for her leadership in promoting responsible business practices ranging from advocacy for the abolition of sexual exploitation of children to guidance of the UNGC as an active board member.

Steve Joyce, president and CEO of Choice Hotels International, Inc., in Rockville, MD, has assumed chairmanship of the International Franchise Association (IFA). A long-standing IFA member, Joyce has held many leadership roles, including serving in the leadership chairs since 2011 and acting as a board member since

Nigel Lucas has joined Choice Hotels Canada as franchise development director, Ontario, replacing Paul Rice, who is retiring after eight years with the company. Lucas comes to Choice Hotels Canada with significant experience in the hotel and real estate development industry.

Prior to joining Choice, he held various roles, including senior analyst, development at Delta Hotels and Resorts; project manager at Thomas Consultants Inc. and consultant at PKF Consulting Inc.

ecutive officer, Langham Hospitality Group, succeeding Brett Butcher, who is retiring. Warman has more than 33 years experience in the hospitality industry. Most recently, he served as president and chief operating officer of Capella Hotel Group, as well as co-chairman of the Capella Asia board, providing strategic guidance in the operations and property acquisition activities.

Prior to that, Warman had served for 18 years in various operational and executive roles at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Langham owns and manages the Eaton Chelsea in Toronto, Canada’s largest hotel.

Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Best Western International, has been named to the 2014 Direct Marketing News Marketing Hall of Femme, joining an exclusive group of the marketing industry’s most powerful leaders. Dowling is a widely respected travel industry leader known for her breadth of experience, boundless energy and passion for all things marketing. For nine years, she has been a driving force in modernizing the 68-year-old Best Western brand.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has promoted Christopher Norton to the newly created role of executive vice president, global product and operations. The appointment builds on Norton’s extensive industry experience, including 25 years with Four Seasons, most recently as president, hotel operations, Europe, Middle East and Africa, a role that included the operational oversight of all Four Seasons properties in the region.

FRHI Hotels & Resorts, the parent company of Raffles Hotels & Resorts, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Swissotel Hotels & Resorts, has announced a number of additions to its international team.

Andrew Gibson has been named vice president of spas and wellness. Gibson brings more than 25 years of experience in the spa, leisure and wellness business, including his most recent posting with Mandarin Oriental Hotels Group.

Brett Patterson is FRHI’s new vice president of food and beverage, Americas. Patterson has extensive experience as an executive chef and most recently was vice president of food and beverage, Asia Pacific for Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

Gary Graham is the newest addition to the Green Key Global team at the Hotel Association of Canada and joins the organization as manager, program operations. Graham brings to the position nearly 10 years of experience in communications and market development. After working several years in the public sector as a communications and marketing consultant, he has returned to the sustainable building industry where he began his career. In addition to communication and member services, Graham also manages the Green Key audit process and is certified as a lead auditor for the ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Systems certification standard.

Eric Danziger has been named president and chief executive officer of Hampshire Hotels Management, LLC. In his new role, Danziger will focus on growing the group’s third-party management and asset management portfolios, in addition to expanding the firm’s proprietary Dream and Night lifestyle brands. Danziger, Robert Warman has been named chief ex- who has more than 40 years experience in the

hotel business, assumed his first executive role with Doubletree Hotels in 1984 and has since been instrumental in the growth of Wyndham International, where he recently served as president and CEO, Wyndham Hotel Group.

InterContinental Hotels Group has named Jayne O’Brien senior vice president of global brands, responsible for overseeing strategy across IHG’s global portfolio of nine brands.

O’Brien’s travel industry background includes an 18-year stint at British Airways, where she served in a number of senior brand marketing and commercial roles. Prior to joining IHG, O’Brien served as chief marketing officer for Dubai Properties Group, a master developer of destinations and districts across Dubai. Previous to moving to Dubai, she was chief marketing officer at the Regus Group, an international workplace solutions provider.

Vancouver-based public relations company Immedia has appointed Connell A. Kennedy to the position of account director. Kennedy brings more than 10 years of experience in media relations, strategic communications, event management and community relations to Immedia.

Most recently, he worked at Vancouver PR agency Talk Shop Media on a variety of accounts, including the BC Innovation Council, Wavefront, and the Taste of Yaletown festival. Previously, he was a senior account manager at Core Communications in Auckland, NZ, for three years. Prior to that, he held agency and in-house positions in Dublin, in his native Ireland.

CTHRC congratulates Jacques Arnal, GM of the Travelodge Winnipeg East, on becoming the first in Manitoba to earn the emerit Certified Hotel General Manager designation. Arnal noted that, “Many Certified Hotel Administrators (CHA) have found that the certification for emerit Hotel General Manager (CHGM) is more comprehensive. I would recommend this certification program to any Hotel GM because they will be able to apply what they have learned in their property’s day-to-day operations.”

Michael Palmeri is now vice president, acquisitions and development for Loews Hotels.

Palmeri joins Loews Hotels with extensive ownership experience, having previously worked for lodging real estate, private equity platforms, including Chicago-based Abacus Lodging Investors and San Francisco-based Chartres Lodging Group. Most recently with Abacus, he served as vice president and principal, and was responsible for leading both acquisition and asset management efforts.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has named Achim Lenders vice president, global food and beverage. Lenders, who most recently served as corporate senior vice president of food and beverage for Hyatt Hotels Corp., will oversee the alignment and development of Starwood’s global F&B strategy, reporting to John Peyton, senior VP of global initiatives. In his new role, Lenders will lead the creation and execution of strategies to enhance Starwood’s restaurant, bar and banquet operations across nearly 1,300 restaurants and 930 bars in 100 countries. After holding various executive chef positions for Hyatt properties in Brazil, China, Japan, and the Philippines, Lenders joined Hyatt’s corporate team in 2005 as director of food and beverage, and rose through the ranks to hold increasingly senior management positions.

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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 Left: Motel 6 guestroom

Motel 6 opens first Canadian conversion in Regina TORONTO—Realstar Hospitality has opened its first Canadian Motel 6 conversion, in Regina, SK. The 65-room hotel has updated its look to that of the contemporary Motel 6 Phoenix design and offers extended-stay rooms with kitchenettes. In addition, the hotel features free wireless Internet access, an expanded cable channel lineup, complimentary morning coffee and an expanded vending area in the lobby.

Owned by Victoria Park Motor Inn Ltd., the property is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, across from Victoria Square Shopping Centre and a short distance from Casino Regina, Saskatchewan Science Centre and Royal Saskatchewan Museum.

Travelodge Chatham & London South sold by CBRE Hotels TORONTO—CBRE Hotels acted as exclusive advisor to Royal Host Inc. in its sale of two Ontario properties, the Travelodge Chatham and Travelodge London South. Both hotels are limited-service operations located on main Highway 401 exits that lead into their respective communities.

The Chatham property features 103 guestrooms, meeting room, breakfast area, business centre and gift shop, while the London South property features 126 guestrooms, two meeting rooms, breakfast area and lounge.

CBRE Hotels did not disclose the sale price for either property.

Manga Hotels opens Hampton Inn near St. John’s Airport ST. JOHN’S—Manga Hotels has opened the 129room Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton St. John’s Airport.

Located in the Stavanger Drive shopping district, five minutes from the airport, the property features amenities such as a free hot breakfast, fitness facility, indoor saltwater pool and 2,500 square feet of flexible meeting space that can accommodate up to 170 people, banquet-style.

Guestrooms are equipped with the Clean and Fresh Hampton bed, free WiFi, 42-inch flat-screen HD TV, mini-fridge and microwave.

Hampton’s signature Perfect Mix lobby offers coffee and tea around the clock.

A Mississauga, ON-based private company, Manga Hotels operates 10 properties under the Marriott, Hilton, Carlson and IHG brands and has multiple projects in the works in Canada and in the U.S.

Delta Whistler Village launches $7M guestroom renovation WHISTLER, BC—In early April, Delta Whistler Village launched a $7 million refresh that will renovate all 225 guestrooms and is set for a midNovember completion.

The investment will include a new guestroom design, ModeRoom, inspired by the Canadian landscape, featuring a contemporary colour palette and focusing on maximizing natural light.

Guestrooms will feature SmartDesk, a fully wired, multi-purpose area that provides a builtin power and connectivity dock and links from laptops and mobile devices to the flat-screen high-definition TV. Additionally, all renovated rooms will include free high-speed Internet.

Delta’s ModeRoom design also offers pinpoint reading lights in the headboard; custom bathroom vanities that leave ample space for guest belongings; and bedside plug-ins for smartphone devices.

Moreover, the hotel will also be home to Brickworks Public House, a new 75-person neighbourhood pub opening this spring. Brickworks Public House will offer Whistler’s first après karaoke provided through an Internet jukebox stocked with an extensive collection of music.

Knights Inn Lagoon City.

Holiday Inn opens Sherwood Park hotel after $6M reno SHERWOOD PARK, AB—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has launched the new 258room Holiday Inn Sherwood Park – Conference Centre, in Sherwood Park, AB, following a $6 million renovation.

Located in the heart of Sherwood Park’s business district and attached to the Millennium Place Sportsplex, the hotel features all elements of the brand’s relaunch, including an emphasis on arrival and welcome services and guestroom and guest bath comfort.

Guestrooms feature queen- or king-sized beds and updated decor, including new carpets, bathroom countertops and furniture. Jacuzzi Suites and the Presidential Suite feature a fireplace in the sitting area. On the meetings and events side, the 195,000-square-foot property offers 17 conference rooms, encompassing over 22,000 square feet, and a ballroom with two balconies and a private outdoor terrace. Bistrou 2100 restaurant, bar and patio provides casual dining at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Owned by Prem Singhmar and operated by AUM Hotels Group, the hotel is franchised by an affiliate of IHG.

A renovated room, Delta Whistler.

in Canada. Owned by MLS Management, Ltd. and managed by Atlific Hotels, the four-storey, 113-suite Homewood Suites by Hilton Winnipeg Airport – Polo Park offers studio and one-bedroom suites. Guest amenities include

a full evening meal with drinks in the hotel’s hospitality centre; 24-hour on-site pantry; complimentary grocery shopping service; fullyequipped fitness centre; indoor saltwater pool and whirlpool and an executive business centre.

THEY CAN FORGIVE

AN OVERCOOKED STEAK,

Knights Inn opens in Southern Ontario’s Lagoon City Oakville, ON—The Knights Inn flag will now be flying in Southern Ontario’s Lagoon City with the signing of the Harbour Inn and Resort, in Brechin, ON, on Lake Simcoe.

“The property is currently closed and is completing some required upgrades for Knights Inn Canada,” Glen Blake, president and CEO, Full House Franchise Systems Ltd., told CLN. “Target opening date will be June 1, with a soft opening perhaps by the May long weekend.” Full House Franchise Systems owns and operates Knights Inn Canada Franchise Systems Ltd. Featuring 43 guestrooms, Knights Inn Harbour Resort offers studio suite rental vacations.

Amenities include indoor swimming pool, sauna, hot tub, whirlpool and casual fine dining at Lakeview restaurant. Boat tours, paddleboats, bicycles and barbecues are available in conjunction with special packages.

Known as Canada’s Little Venice, Lagoon City is an official Canadian resort located on Lake Simcoe’s eastern shores. All residences front onto a series of canals that are approximately 15 km and lead directly into Lake Simcoe and connect to the Trent Severn waterways.

There is one public sandy beach and two private beaches, fishing and golf courses.

Homewood Suites No. 12 opens in Winnipeg WINNIPEG—Homewood Suites by Hilton has opened in Winnipeg, the brand’s 12th property

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DESIGN

TOp

F EAT U R E

Courtyard St. John’s gets a nautical twist LOBBY

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

BAR

SI x

lI ST

Ice equals profit: six tips on how to manage your ice Scott DeShetler, director of marketing for Ice-O-Matic says there are many factors operators should take into consideration when it comes to ice production and offered the following tips:

RESTAURANT

1. Cube size matters.

Most high-volume establishments that serve as many nonalcoholic beverages as they do cocktails will typically use what DeShetler calls a half-cube. Fine dining restaurants or scotch bars might want to consider a full-cube, he says, because “it’s a more refined application and ice cubes melt slower so there’s less dilution in the drink.”

KING ROOM

2. Sizing the machine.

Most machine manufacturers, DeShetler says, will have sizing wizards to help determine the best size for an establishment. Too much ice and it may sit in the bin unused; too little ice will send operators running to convenience stores to pick up bags of ice, which drastically increases cost. “Always err on the size of a larger machine rather than a smaller machine because very few people complain about having too much ice,” he says.

ST. JOHN’S—The 86-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel located at 131 Duckworth St. in St. John’s, NL is preparing to begin a substantial renovation of its public space and guestrooms.

This Urgo Hotels-managed property will feature the brand’s intuitive Refreshing Business lobby concept, where guests can enjoy an open and flexible space. With media pods, WiFi and a variety of seating zones, this redefined space will be ideal for everything from pop-up meetings to social gatherings.

The lobby and restaurant, in particular, will showcase an international modern flare with a nautical twist, in keeping with the oceanic surroundings of the harbour front hotel and the passions of hotel owner Jean Pierre Andrieux, who is a marine author.

Andrieux is the writer of The White Fleet and The Grand Banks.

The open, bright and contemporary Courtyard hotel lobby will welcome guests with vivid, contrasting colors as vibrant as historic down-

town St. John’s where KING ROOM DESK AND WARDROBE this hotel is nestled.

The meeting spaces will also be redesigned and will be equipped with contemporary furniture and audiovisual components.

With the relaunch scheduled for July 2014, the 86-room Courtyard by Marriott St. John’s will also offer a comfortable and stylish room commodate the guests’ desire to stay connected, design. productive and refreshed during their stay.

Each room features plush bedding, a funcAll designs for this refresh have been comtional work space, a spacious bathroom, a sepa- pleted by Moureaux Hauspy Design Inc., a rate seating area and complimentary in-room Montreal based architectural and interior dehigh-speed WiFi. Providing a warm, sophisti- sign firm which recently designed the Ritz-Carlcated environment, the hotel’s rooms will ac- ton Montreal.

COM I NG

May 29: The 24th Annual We Care Golf Classic, Cardinal Golf Club, Newmarket, ON. In support of Easter Seals Kids. Contact: Tiana Rodrigue. Tel.: 905-841-1223. Fax: 905-841-1175.

E-mail: Trodrigue@friendsofwecare.org. Website: www.friendsofwecare.org.

June 2: ORHMA’s 15th Annual General Meeting at 3:45 p.m., SW Hotel Toronto Airport, Ojibwa/Iroquois room, 5400 Dixie Road, Mississauga. Website: www.orhma.ca.

June 4: Choice Hotels Canada Foundation’s first charity golf tournament, Piper’s Heath Golf Course, Hornby, ON. E-mail: CHC_Foundation@ChoiceHotels.ca.

July 10: Coast Hotels 12 Annual Golf Classic, Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club, Co-

E V E N T S

quitlam, BC. Contact: Mark Hope, Coast Hotels.

Tel.: 604-642-4104. Fax: 604-598-1509. E-mail: M.hope@coasthotels.com. Website: www.coast hotels.com.

Sept. 4-5: Hotel Data Conference, Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, Nashville, TN. Latest industry trends, market performance and forecasts. Tel.: 615-824-8664. Fax: 615-824-3848. E-mail: hdc@ str.com. Website: www.hoteldataconference. com.

Sept. 23-24: Canadian Resort Conference, Pantages Hotel Toronto Centre. Speakers include Jim Madrid, Advance Sports Technology Inc., and Jon Zwickel, president and CEO of the Canadian Resort Development Association. Tel.: 407-730-3565. Website: www.canadianresort-

conference.com.

Oct. 5-7: Atlantic Canada Showcase, Delta Prince Edward and PEI Convention Centre, Charlottetown, PEI. Contact: Debbie Mol. Tel.: 902-566-5008. E-mail: Dmol@tiapei.pe.ca.

Website: www.atlanticcanadashowcase.com.

Oct. 7: MHA 14 Tradeshow, Victoria Inn Hotel, Winnipeg. E-mail: info@centrex.ca.

Nov. 3-4: Connect — BC’s Food, Drink and Lodging Expo, Vancouver Convention Centre West. Includes BC Local Food Pavilion; BC Local Beverage Pavilion; BC Drinks Feature Area; and the Energy and Sustainability Pavilion. Contact: Nora Cumming, Chemistry Consulting Group.

Tel.: 604-628-5655. E-mail: Nora@connectshow. com. Website: www.connectshow.com.

3. Footprint.

The ice machine should take up an appropriate amount of space. Some locations with limited space may want to purchase high-capacity machines that are narrow and can produce large amounts of ice. DeShetler says that in some cases two high-capacity machines can be placed over one large bin to reduce the footprint. “And if one of them breaks, you’ve still got a backup.”

4. Saving energy.

According to DeShetler, there is a growing demand for energy-efficient machines.

It makes sense, he says—not just for ice machines, but for all of the machines in an operation—to reduce the amount of energy used to help save money. The problem, DeShetler says, is that older facilities cannot handle the higher voltage required to run new energy efficient machines and suggests new restaurants may want to consider this when building.

5. Filtration.

Adding a filtration system will reduce calcium build up and grime within the machine, adding to its longevity. A proper filtration system will also create a cleaner cube with greater clarity. “Filtration is extremely important for a good high quality ice cube,” DeShetler says.

6. Clean the machine.

“An ice machine creates food—ice is a food and therefore cleanliness and sanitation are extremely critical,” DeShetler says. Operators should consult their machine’s manual and follow proper cleaning methods regularly. Bins should be emptied of ice regularly and be properly sized so ice does not sit unused for long periods.

DESIGNED FOR A BETTER HOTEL STAY

®

Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham, Estevan, Saskatchewan

We invite you to join our award-winning chain of more than 300 hotels as we accelerate our growth across Canada.

Microtel is the only prototypical, all new-construction brand in the economy segment. This provides developers and owners low cost of construction combined with expert support from ground break to grand-opening all backed by the revenue-generating and cost-savings services of the world’s largest* hotel company, Wyndham Hotel Group.

Join us as we enter a second decade of excellence and you can see for yourself why Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham is truly Designed for a Better Hotel Stay ®.

To learn more, call 888-223-4680 or visit whgdevelopment.com

*Based on number of hotels.

Offering by prospectus only. Wyndham Hotel Group, LLC., 22 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ. 07054, 973-753-6600. ©2014 Wyndham Hotel Group, LLC. All rights reserved. All hotels are either franchised by the company, or owned and/or managed by Wyndham Hotel Management, Inc. or one of its affiliates.

STAYING AGILE IS CRITICAL. FORTUNATELY, OPENING MORE THAN 1,100 NEW* HOTELS HAS KEPT US IN SHAPE. In the past five years, Hilton Worldwide has opened more than 1,100 new hotels around the world, bringing us to more than 3,900 hotels in 90 countries today.* In Canada, we have 86 hotels open from coast to coast with a growing pipeline of over 40 signed projects. Impressive growth, made possible by our ability to adapt to the world’s increasingly complex business environments. As a result, we’ve developed a wealth of experience creating and operating the most award-winning portfolio of hotels in the industry. Not a bad workout for a 93-year-old.

For development opportunities in Canada, please contact Tom Lorenzo, Vice President and Managing Director of Development (+1-203-463-3407, thomas.lorenzo@hilton.com), and Jeff Cury, Director of Development (+1-514-695-6798, jeff.cury@hilton.com).

STAY AHEAD

hiltonworldwide.com

*From January 2008 to January 2013

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© 2013 Hilton Worldwide

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