Canadian Lodging News - October 2014

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LodgingNews October 2014 Vol. 11 No. 8

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l o d g i n g

BRING ON THE BUTLERS

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

Story on page 14

While Starwood’s Aloft hotels experiment with robotic butlers, the former head of Fairmont’s Gold Floor program is conducting courses for butlers (and nannies) of the more traditional type. Clarence McLeod, right, now GM of Azuridge Estate Hotel, works out of the 13-room property set in the foothills of the Rockies not far from Calgary. His market is wealthy clients from around the world and, of course, upscale and boutique hotels. With him, l to r, are Kathryn Boyle, Julie Williamson and Jimmy-Lee Vennard.

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More Microtels coming from MasterBUILT

By Colleen Isherwood, editor CALGARY, AB — When MasterBUILT was founded in April 2011 by Superior Lodging Corp. and Jayman MasterBUILT/JWI Investments, their mandate was to develop and open 75 Microtel by Wyndham hotels by 2036.

MasterBUILT COO Eric Watson has a more immediate goal. He has made a wager with Mark Sparrow of CBRE that MasterBUILT will have 22 Microtels by the end of 2016.

So far, they seem to be on track.

There are seven Microtels open in Canada—in Blackfalds (Red Deer), AB, Estevan, SK, Lloydminster, SK, Parry Sound, ON, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Timmins, ON and Weyburn, SK, for a total of 536 rooms.

Last month, they broke ground for an 87-room Microtel in Bonnyville, AB. “It’s a good market, and we have land for another hotel that will probably be built in 2016,” Watson told CLN. “It’s a boom town that needs a few more hotels,” he said. The Bonnyville property, plus the existing Microtel in Lloydminster and one planned for next spring in Cold Lake, AB, will provide a hub of properties all in one area, which makes sense from a management viewpoint.

Seven new Microtels are planned for 2015, with an additional 10 construction starts for 2016. “The permitting and planning is taking longer than it used to, but we’re planning for that,” Watson added.

MasterBUILT is focusing on ownership, construction and opportunities in Western Canada, with an eye on management hubs like the afore-

mentioned trio of hotels in the Northeastern Alberta oil patch.

“We are looking for management partners in the East, as we like to have someone more local in the market,” Watson said.

“We are actively developing in Ontario, working with other builders. In Southern and Central Ontario, the economies for any new construction are a bit stressed, but there are pockets of opportunity. We would like to have something in the GTA, but we’re in no rush,” he added.

MasterBUILT is also looking at opportunities in Quebec, starting in secondary and tertiary markets, through a partnership agreement.

Restaurant synergies “Everyone in Weyburn, SK is excited about the Brown’s Social House beside the Microtel in Weyburn,” Watson said, describing the rapidly-expanding restaurant chain as ‘a scaleddown version of Cactus Club.’ The restaurant should be open by next summer. “We have a mutual interest in working together where we can. We see them as very synergistic with our brands,” Watson said.

In cases where there is no nearby restaurant, MasterBUILT will consider developing one. “We have a strong preference for franchise restaurants —we don’t want to manage them,” Watson said.

This is Economy Lodging.

This is Motel 6.

M688_FranchiseDevelopmentAd_CLN.indd 1

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Connecting Food + Drink + Lodging

The BC Connect conference and tradeshow returns to the Vancouver Convention Centre Nov. 3-4 along with the BC Tourism and Hospitality Summit.

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PKF: A tale of 13 Canadian Cities

The PKF Outlook Forum predicted positive numbers for 2015, although outlooks varied in major Canadian markets.

Breakfast programs are growing & innovating

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When it comes to breakfast, hotel guests are seeking healthier, more varied and creative options—while still indulging themselves.

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1/11/13 4:54:12 PM

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Connecting food and lodging

The BC Connect show will return to the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Chef Garley Leung.

Kevin Wall from Joey Group.

tured more than 350 exhibit booths and 4,000 attendees.

“We are pleased to announce that show management will be handled by Samantha Scholefield and Nora Cumming (Chemistry Consulting Group),” show director James Chase of the BCHA said in a release.

Chase noted the two event professionals bring a combined 35 years of event experience to the Connect Show, with backgrounds in the management of hospitality events including the BC Foodservice Expo, the Vancouver International Wine Festival and the BC Hospitality Conference & Expo.

“We are constantly striving to improve the show and deliver an event that is not only better than the previous year, but also better than the competition,” said Mark von Schellwitz, Western Canada vice president of Restaurants Canada.

Tourism and Hospitality Summit

VANCOUVER—British Columbia’s Connect Food+Drink+Lodging Show will return to the Vancouver Convention Centre West on Nov. 3 and 4, with new show management.

Hospitality industry association partners include Restaurants Canada, the British Columbia Hotel Association (BCHA) and the Alliance of Beverage Licensees of British Columbia.

In addition to hundreds of exhibitors, Connect will host educational seminars and networking events for delegates.

In-depth sessions on key topics will be offered Monday and Tuesday afternoons. Registration for these sessions will be limited and the events will be ticketed.

On Monday afternoon, Deirdre Campbell of Tartan Group will moderate a panel discussion on Crisis Communications for Tourism and Hospitality Businesses and Destinations.

It seems a day does not go by without

hearing or reading about a crisis situation somewhere in the world. Epidemics, natural disaster, fire, riots, threats of terrorism, plane and train crashes…the list keeps growing.

This session will explore the shift from traditional media to new media, and how it is changing crisis communication. Delegates will also hear about best practices from people who are the key communicators when a crisis hits a destination.

The educational program also includes a trends breakfast; beverage seminars; tastings and cocktail demos by the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association at its beverage pavilion; featured speaker chef Vikram Vij; a session on 15 common marketing mistakes in the restaurant industry; and RestaurantMarketing.com’s Joel Cohen on websites, e-mail and social media—what’s going to increase sales and not waste time.

The inaugural 2013 Connect Show fea-

The BC Tourism and Hospitality Summit will also be held at the Vancouver Convention Centre at the same time. It will kick off on Monday morning with a pre-summit session titled, TourismU—Big Ideas for Big Success in Tourism and Hospitality, presented by Royal Roads University. Other sessions will deal with Top 10 Canadian destinations, Destination BC, the Canadian Tourism Commission, labour shortages and YVR—Vancouver’s International Airport.

Gala Awards cancelled Last month, the Tourism Industry Association of BC said that due to low industry participation and insufficient sponsor support, the BC Tourism & Hospitality Industry Awards program and gala evening are officially cancelled.

“We extend our apologies to all of you who have invested time and energy in coordinating and submitting your nominations.

The decision to cancel the event is very disappointing for everyone,” TIABC chair Christine Willow said in a release.

Doctor’s House B&B gets Square for payments

TARA, ON—The Doctor’s House B and B is now taking credit cards thanks to Square, a card reading device users plug into the headphone jack of their smartphone.

Along with a free downloadable application, users can swipe credit cards anywhere to collect fees.

“It blows my mind how it actually works,” owner John Horton told CLN. “You plug something into the headphone jack and it actually scans.”

Horton—who owns the Tara, ON, bed and breakfast alongside his wife Miriam—said the biggest advantage was that the couple is now able to take deposits.

Horton said prior to July the business only accepted cash and had no way to secure payments from reservations who cancelled last minute.

“That’s really where it’s made the difference,” Horton said, adding there hasn’t been a cancellation since.

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Square Register, the name of the app users download to use the card reader, is free for download from the App Store or Google Play.

“It takes care of payments, tipping, analytics and more so operations can focus on their clients and their craft,” Square spokesman Khobi Brooklyn said in an e-mail.

The cost of each transaction is 2.75 per cent with an additional charge of 15 cents if users manually enter the card number.

“If a business swipes $100, they will see $97.25 in their bank account in one to two business days,” Brooklyn said.

The application also keeps track of transaction analytics. Operators can see their complete sales history, view scheduled deposits and issue refunds.

“Simple charts and reports show sellers

what’s popular with their clients,” Brooklyn said, noting the application tracks hourly, daily and monthly sales.

According to Brooklyn, Square is also working on a debit reader.

“We are aggressively working to build a debit reader that is both simple to use and affordable,” Brooklyn said.

Horton said he would like to see a device that could accommodate chip reading.

“Some Europeans don’t have cards with the stripe,” Horton noted, adding he appreciates the fixed rate on each transaction no matter which type of card is being used.

According to Horton, setting up the card reader and application is easy and anyone who can follow basic directions can do it.

“It works great,” Horton said.

MasterBUILT’s Microtels Continued from page 1

Extended stay brand coming In other news, MasterBUILT plans to launch a new extended stay brand in Canada in 2015.

“We see a gap in the market—it would be a mid-market product for secondary and tertiary markets, though we also have our eyes on major markets.

“We have identified five sites for rollout, and plan to develop 10 to 15 over the next three or four years.

“We’re well-financed and deploying our capital well, and 2015 will be our busiest year to

date by a long shot,” Watson said.

More details on the brand and MasterBUILT’s vision are coming in early 2015. Stay tuned.

New websites In other news, MasterBUILT launched a new corporate website, www.masterbuilthotels. com, in August.

They are also launching a new site, http:// microtelcanada.com, this month, to tell the story of Microtel in this country. The site includes full motion video tours of Microtel properties.

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Carlson Rezidor suspends Radisson NFL sponsorship MINNEAPOLIS, MN—Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has suspended the corporate sponsorship of its Radisson brand with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings stemming from the news that running back Adrian Peterson has been brought up on charges of child abuse.

Peterson was arrested and accused of abusing his four-year-old son and faces a criminal trial.

Carlson noted the company was suspending its limited sponsorship to evaluate the facts and circumstances. Meanwhile, the company issued the following statement on its website: “Radisson takes this matter very seriously, particularly in light of our long-standing commitment to the protection of children.”

HomeAway listing vacation rentals on Expedia.com AUSTIN, TX—HomeAway, Inc., an online marketplace for vacation rentals, and Expedia, Inc. have announced the distribution of more than 115,000 vacation rental listings on the U.S. version of Expedia.com.

The expanded listings continue the partnership between HomeAway and Expedia, announced in October 2013, which added approximately 10,000 vacation rentals to Expedia.com as part of a pilot distribution strategy.

The expanded relationship enables vacation rentals listed on HomeAway sites to increase exposure to the more than 13.4 million visitors searching for accommodations on Expedia.com each month. In turn, families and groups searching for accommodations on Expedia.com will be introduced to more choice and variety by having vacation rentals to consider for their next trip.

Holiday Inn Express partners with comedians for Stay Smart ATLANTA—IHG has partnered with comedian and author Jim Gaffigan and comedy video website Funny or Die to promote the Holiday Inn Express Stay Smart campaign.

To run exclusively on digital channels, this year’s campaign will feature Gaffigan, Funny Or Die and Funny Or Die’s Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Festival bringing to life, in a humourous way, how smart it feels to stay in a Holiday Inn Express hotel.

Gaffigan, one of the featured comedians on the Oddball Comedy Festival tour, collaborated with Holiday Inn Express to create original content playing up the Stay Smart campaign tagline, “Did anyone stay at a Holiday Inn Express hotel last night?”

STR’s F&B benchmarking HENDERSONVILLE, TN—STR and STR Global are bringing detailed food and beverage benchmarking to the hotel industry through their new report, F&B STAR. This report complements the existing STAR report, which focuses on room revenue performance.

F&B STAR provides a detailed look at a property’s key performance indicators, including revenue per available square foot/ metre, revenue per available seat and revenue per occupied room, against a chosen competitive set as well as the local market.

STR and STR Global plan to launch the reports globally in fourth quarter 2014.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

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LodgingNews

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By Colleen Isherwood, editor

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 Larry Mogelonsky · larry@lma.com Don Douloff ext. 232 · ddouloff@canadianrestaurantnews.com Jonathan Zettel ext. 226 · jzettel@canadianlodgingnews.com Kristen Smith ext. 238 · ksmith@canadianlodgingnews.com SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

Debbie McGilvray ext. 233 · dmcgilvray@canadianlodgingnews.com ACCOUNT MANAGER

Kim Kerr ext. 229 · kkerr@canadianlodgingnews.com PRODUCTION

Stephanie Giammarco ext. 0 · sgiammarco@canadianlodgingnews.com CIRCULATION MANAGER

Don Trimm ext. 228 · dtrimm@canadianlodgingnews.com CONTROLLER

Tammy Turgeon ext. 237 · tammy@canadianlodgingnews.com

How to reach us: Tel. (905) 206-0150

Attracting new resort club members Six years ago, I attended what was then called the Vacation Ownership Investment Conference in Orlando, listening to a panel of Canadians discuss shared ownership. One panellist spoke of the decline of the stock market that was taking place as we sat in that room.

At that time, the vacation ownership industry seemed durable and recessionproof—after all, it dealt largely with prepaid vacations, and studies showed that consumers value their travel.

Like many sectors, timeshare was adversely affected by the recession—and also by changing demographics and aging facilities.

The industry’s problems seem to be a magnified version of those of the lodging industry as a whole. Facilities are aging. Marketing and sales costs are going through the roof. Owners are aging too—someone whose spouse passed away has no desire to use their club member-

ship any more. They just want to sell.

As Michael Burns, president of Vacatia, told the recent Canadian Resort Conference in Toronto, “the backlog of resales is a tsunami that could crash the industry.”

The idea of a vacation ownership program that could go on in perpetuity seems outdated and silly to the new generation of buyers, who want variety and exotic locations. The telephone sales and minivacation sales pitch has no appeal for younger potential buyers, who want a low price point and maximum flexibility—a true value product.

The Canadian Resort Conference, the new incarnation of last year’s VO-Con and previous Canadian Resort Development Conferences, provided a valuable forum for key players in the resort industry to air ideas on how to deal with the changing face of the industry.

Here are some of their ideas.

o Generation X and millennials are fine with purchasing things online—why can’t they buy a timeshare online? o Why not have a condo rental program as a first introduction to the younger generation—if they enjoy their experience, then that’s a potential sale. o Similarly, use hotel rental programs as a bridge to vacation ownership. o How about a 12-year product with a guaranteed buy-back program? o Align your product with celebrities. o Measure satisfaction costs of potential buyers going through a sales presentation—to get a handle on what they think. o Get rid of the ridiculous qualifications for potential buyers—age requirements, no gay men, etc. These make timeshare companies look foolish. o Make sure resale companies disclose restrictions placed on new resale buyers.

As conference moderator Jim Madrid, CEO of Advance Corporate Technology, told delegates in his closing remarks at the conference, “These are changing times, and for those of you who don’t change, these are challenging times.”

The next Canadian Resort Conference will be held in 2015 at the Pan Pacific hotel in Vancouver, dates to be determined.

PUBLISHER

Steven Isherwood ext. 236 sisherwood@canadianlodgingnews.com

spot lig ht

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. Robin McLuskie Colliers International Hotels Brian Stanford PKF Dr. David Martin Ted Rogers School of Hospitality Christine Pella Serta Mattress Company Tony Pollard Hotel Association of Canada Andrew Chlebus LG Electronics Canadian Lodging News Volume 11 · No. 8 · October 2014 Canadian Lodging News (www.canadianlodgingnews.com) is published 10 times a year by Ishcom Publications Ltd., 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ont. L4X 2W1 T: (905) 206-0150 · F: (905) 206-9972 · Toll Free: 1(800)201-8596 Other publications include the Canadian Chains and Buyers’ Directory as well as:

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

Meeting channel strategies for the digital space The Internet and all its iterations have forever changed how we do business and how we reach out to customers. A foremost example in the hospitality industry has been the OTAs and their impact on revenue management and consumer behaviour. One part of the hotel space that has yet to feel the full brunt of this evolution is the meeting and conference business. But that’s soon about to permanently change.

This is not to say that the group business has been entirely ignored by Internet startups to date. The opposite, in fact, only they are just warming up in terms of how much these new channels will influence the way hotels acquire their meetings revenues. Websites like Hotel Planner, Group Hotels, Groople and meetings.com are all viable candidates. Two that I am quite familiar with are Cvent (www.cvent. com) and eVenues (www.evenues.com). The former, which I’m sure many of you already know, is a publicly traded company specializing in facilitating large meeting RFPs and registration. Still in the gestation phase, the latter allows any venue provider to post their space for private rental.

eVenues not Airbnb for meetings

Subscriptions: Canada & U.S.A.: $39.57/year or $63.43/2 years.

Single copy: $5.00 (Plus taxes where applicable) Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to circulation department, 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40010152 ISSN 1710-145X GST number R102533890

The word I want to focus on from that last sentence is ‘any’—on eVenues, it’s not just hotel spaces proffered to customers, but also less conventional venues like theatres, bars, churches, town halls and barbershops. Unlike Cvent, where the target audience is primarily meeting planners, at eVenues it’s the “everyday” meeting/event organizer—or the attendees. Your first gut reaction may be to liken this to Airbnb for meetings. But it’s not, it’s simply another channel for hotels to compete in, only now the playing field has been widened to include many other contestants.

Developments like eVenues raise a confounding dilemma for hoteliers: how does one compete? The first step must be the opposite

“

The OTAs have had a huge impact on revenue management and consumer behavior. One part of the hotel space that has yet to feel the full brunt of this evolution is the meeting and conference business. But that’s soon about to permanently change.

—Larry Mogelonsky

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of denial—acceptance. You must acknowledge that these technological ideations have and will continue to occur. Just like with the nowaccepted practice of extensive Cvent usage, you must go where your customers are searching.

But simply meeting consumers and displaying your wares in an arena where they happen to already be browsing isn’t enough. Just look at how this played out with the OTAs. If we all just start posting our products to a website with a standardized layout, then, outside of location and proximity to a desired site, price becomes the number one point of differentiation. This leads to commoditization, which inevitably drives product price down.

For a channel like eVenues, where you will be cross-compared by consumers with other such venues as loft studio spaces and community centres, you simply cannot compete solely on price. Hence, you must fall back on your brand’s reputation and your ‘quality guarantee.’ That is, only you can guarantee that the power and Internet will work, whereas a bar or restaurant might not necessarily have enough power outlets near the arranged tables. And if the Internet isn’t up and running, only you, the hotel, will have a qualified technician on standby. Additionally, unlike a church basement or an empty office on a weekend, you can cater

vastly superior F&B for your attendees with a far greater selection.

Offer service quality, not price Facilitating a quality and productive meeting requires more than just space; it needs the care and the diligence that only an experienced operator such as a hotel can provide. The bottom line: compete on service quality, not on price. (And this motto extends to all other digital hotel channels, whether they are for leisure, business or both.)

The next dilemma, then, is how you go about communicating these values to the average modern consumer who might not read too far into each choice’s description or features list. Essentially, you must convey this guarantee of service instantaneously in order to properly entice those who aren’t already acquainted with your product. The first solution I employ to this end is some clever copywriting—concise descriptions with all the fat trimmed and the most pertinent information on display at the top. The next one requires a bit more work upfront but pays off tenfold—YouTube video tours of your various meeting space offerings.

In this way, you are literally showing them your guarantee of service.

Beyond these two sample methods of enticing new consumers to favor your hotel meeting space over some other low-cost entrant, it all comes down to reaffirming the value of your services during the time attendees spend with you. Basically: customer loyalty. Strive to always deliver your best and consumers will recognize this, then stay with you rather than whatever new competitor or bargain basement offer comes their way.

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

THE ULTIMATE IMMERSIVE VIEWING EXPERIENCE. Samsung introduces the Curved Hotel TV in Canada.

Samsung continues to take the guest experience to a whole new level with the game-changing curved hotel TV, which offers: • An innovative design that creates a truly immersive viewing experience

• Easy TV-mobile interaction feature for all mobile devices

• Powerful performance with a quad-core processor

• Simple content sharing through AllShare and Screen Mirroring

All TVs are equipped with Samsung LYNK™ DRM technology and are REACH 3.0 compatible, making the Samsung Curved TV easy for property managers to install, customize, and control.

samsung.com/hospitality Samsung Hospitality Sales: 1-855-678-9245

© 2014 Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. All rights reserved. Samsung is a registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., used with permission.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Colliers: $570M in hotel transactions in first half 2014 TORONTO—In the first half of 2014, there were 64 hotel transactions reported across Canada, compared to 56 trades in the same period in 2013, with transaction volume totalling about $570 million, according to the mid-year industry transaction report issued by Colliers International Hotels.

While transaction volume totalling approximately $570 million is below the pace of $840 million recorded mid-year 2013, there are, noted the report, a number of significant offerings which were brought to market throughout the first half of this year, many of which should materialize into substantial trades in the back end of 2014 and into 2015.

“Overall, we continue to see increased momentum in the market as there is a broad appetite for ho-

tels across all segments by a variety of capital sources,” noted the report.

“Investors are looking at the hotel sector with a sense of optimism and quality offerings are being met with a competitive landscape of both private and public sources.”

Highlights of investment activity for the first half of 2014 include: o 19 transactions over the $10 million threshold year to date (YTD) 2014, amounting to about $397 million or 69 per cent of total first-half volume. o Top transactions included historic properties such as the 477-room Fairmont Empress Hotel, shown at right, in Victoria, BC, which sold to Bosa Developments in June (sales details confidential) and the 224-room Radisson Plaza Hotel Saskatchewan, in Regina,

SK, which sold to Temple Hotels Inc. in April for $32.8 million ($146,000 per room). o YTD transaction volume was weighted more heavily in Western Canada, comprising 60 per cent of volume, with an average price per room of $107,400. Western Canada’s volume was largely driven by substantial trades in British Columbia, which alone accounted for 29 per cent of total volume. o Trades in Eastern Canada reached approximately $231 million, with an average price per room of $42,200, led primarily by Quebec and Ontario. The lower price perroom metrics in Eastern Canada are largely a reflection of the product that came to market, namely smaller limited-service assets in secondary and tertiary markets.

PKF Outlook: A tale of 13 cities

Top left to right, Bill Stone, CBRE, David Larone, Fran Hohol, David Ferguson, all from PKF. Bottom row, left to right, Brian Stanford and Nicole Nguyen, PKF.

TORONTO—The global hotel industry is in “a very good space with exciting opportunities in the next three to four years,” and Canada is no exception, Nicole Nguyen told delegates to the PKF Outlook Forum last month.

The supply side of the equation has been muted since 2008, with about 3,000 rooms being added each year, but even that small number still affects certain markets. Next year should see more activity than usual on the supply side, with 5,800 new rooms projected for 2015.

The good news is that demand growth exceeds supply, with 2014 demand forecast to rise by 2.7 per cent and 2015 on track for the same growth.

At 65 per cent occupancy, Canada is back to record levels and has increased steadily since 2012.

In 2014 ADR increased by 2.5 per cent—and it is projected to continue that growth in 2015.

Major markets are driving RevPAR and Canada is looking at strong performance and significant growth,

Nguyen said.

Here’s a look at the outlook for 13 top Canadian cities from east to west.

St. John’s is a small, 2,000-room market where the addition of even one new property can make a big difference. It is tied with Vancouver for second place among Canadian cities, with an RevPAR of $107 anticipated for 2015 (see table). St. John’s expects less than 2 per cent RevPAR growth in 2015. Demand has been flat in St. John’s because the Long Harbour construction project has ramped down.

Halifax is a 5,000-room market, which will see a 7 per cent increase in supply in 2015. Shipbuilding contracts will start to have an impact, and the Convention Centre is under construction. At $81 RevPAR, it ranks lowest of any major Canadian city except of Winnipeg.

Niagara Falls shows strong demand and RevPAR growth, partly because there is no new supply.

Quebec City is looking at 3 to 4 per cent RevPAR increase next year.

It has had limited supply since Loews

is expanding as an independent; the Courtyard by Marriott is undergoing renovations and the Chateau Frontenac underwent some significant renovations, but is now back in service. The Chateau helps the overall market, and Quebec City had a decent performance over the summer.

Oversupply is not bad, and taking out product to invest in renovations is a good thing, PKF’s Brian Stanford said.

Montreal’s outlook is positive because of subtraction—in the past three years, the city has lost 2,200 hotel rooms including a Holiday Inn and a Delta. In 2015, Montreal expects RevPAR to increase by 4 per cent. Within the downtown hotel sector, the Ritz-Carlton is back in the market after a significant investment in

the property. But even in 2017, Montreal is still expected to have 400 fewer rooms than in 2013.

Ottawa can anticipate a RevPAR increase of 4 per cent next year, and the fourth highest RevPAR at $103.

A large Courtyard by Marriott is planned for Ottawa East.

Toronto’s RevPAR is $100, but PKF Toronto stats blend information from 70 per cent suburban hotels and just 30 per cent downtown properties. “Downtown Toronto RevPAR outperforms every city but Calgary,” said Stanford. He added that the suburban markets are finally gaining traction, with an uptick in the level of commercial traffic. While the Pan Am Games in 2015 will have a huge impact on tourism with 1.4 million attendees, Stanford does not expect that to translate into hotel nights since the vast majority of attendees will be local or regional. “This means that 2016 isn’t going to have the same shadow impact that Vancouver had after the Winter Olympics,” he added.

Winnipeg’s 2015 RevPAR projection is the lowest among major Canadian centres, at $76, and 2 per cent RevPAR growth is expected for 2015.

Saskatoon had 4 per cent increase in RevPAR in 2014, but is expected to have a 4 per cent drop in 2015. This is because the city will have seen seven new properties come onstream, including suburban Martensville, in the

past year. Saskatoon is also the potash capital, and potash prices are not as strong as they were, said David Ferguson of PKF’s Vancouver office.

Regina is not as dependent on potash, Ferguson added. An oversupply of hotels contributed to a forecast of negative RevPAR growth for 2015, and a relatively low RevPAR of $87.

Edmonton and Calgary should have very good room demand in 2015, despite more than 5 per cent supply growth.

Calgary has the highest RevPAR at $119, but RevPAR growth hovers around 1 per cent for 2015.

Vancouver is tied with St. John’s with the second highest RevPAR among major cities, at $107. The city expects 4 per cent RevPAR growth next year. The Vancouver market has been in decline since 2010, and the more positive 2014 results were a surprise for everyone. Occupancy was 69 per cent in 2013, 72 per cent in 2014 and 72 per cent projected for 2015. The city has not seen such good growth since 2005/06—at the property level, in terms of convention activity and in leisure travel. Operators are asking for higher rates, leading to growth in ADR as well, Ferguson noted.

For more information go to http://pkfcanada.com/docs/2014/ PKF_2014.2015_Canadian_Accommodation_Outlook.pdf.

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Green Revolution: Grand Villa Casino’s biogas project BURNABY, BC—Grand Villa Casino in Burnaby, BC is the first casino in Canada to switch to purchasing and using renewable biogas with FortisBC. To support the development of sustainable energy, Grand Villa Casino is in partnership with FortisBC and the Fraser Valley Biogas Plant in Abbotsford, BC, where renewable natural gas (RNG) is produced via anaerobic digestion—a naturally occurring chemical reaction—of organic wastes from local farms.

The biogas is virtually identical to the traditional fossil-based natural gas. The byproduct of RNG is a clean, rich fertilizer that has been proven to increase harvest. The switch to RNG is a simple one because it allows all natural gas equipment to meet demands as necessary.

This switch will save an annual 1,500 gigajoules (GJ) worth (75 metric tons) of CO2; that’s equivalent to the annual carbon emissions from 10 homes’ electricity use, or greenhouse gases from 16 cars for an entire year.

“It’s a leap forward for us to be part of it,” said Jeff Lee, energy operations manager for Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited.

“We are a big believer in environmental sustainability. Grand Villa is known for gaming and entertainment, but we also want to be known as leaders in sustainability.”

Grand Villa is a 680,000-squarefoot casino which runs 24-7, and includes a 200-room hotel.

Next year, Gateway Casinos is planning to roll out the biogas project at its Starlight Casino in New Westminster and Cascades Casino in Langley, BC. “The big three total more than

two million square feet,” said Lee. “Their gas bills are hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.”

Lee told CLN that Grand Villa is adding a second cooling tower to provide free cooling to the gaming floors.

This heat recovery system captures the heat rejected by the building and redirects it to the hot water supply, reducing the strain on boilers and water heaters.

“Normally when we think of adding equipment we think of increased greenhouse gas and energy use,” said Lee. “Well not at Grand Villa Casino.

Waste heat from the new cooling tower will be redirected to preheat the site’s domestic hot water supply. This new tower is the heart of a project slated to save 3,600 GJ of natural gas and 1.1 gigawatt hour of electricity” “Grand Villa has saved over $75,000 cumulatively over the past 5 years. Our cooling tower/heat recovery project, which is slated for completion next month, is estimated to save over $100,000 annually, in 5 years,” said Lee. This project alone would have saved over $500,000.”

He added that Grand Villa’s parent company Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Ltd., has saved over $300,000 cumulatively over the past 5 years) by implementing sustainability measures across their sites.

Over the past three years, Gateway has implemented the following “green” initiatives at Grand Villa: o Installing four charging stations for patrons with electric vehicles —resulting in savings of 1,673 gallons of gasoline or 1,349 kg of greenhouse gas emissions; o Installing low-flow aerators for automated faucets;

Top: Grand Villa Casino. Photo: Evan Beer. Above: Part of the new cooling tower installation at Grand Villa. Left: Jeff Lee.

o Installation of day light harvesting lighting control; o Replacing light bulbs, appliances, and other equipment with energy

efficient models; and o Implementing single-stream recycling and composting.

These practices also earned Gate-

way Casino & Entertainment a City of Burnaby Environment Award for Business Stewardship this past summer.

Patricia Brusha joins CheckMate—but is still a Chick

MISSISSAUGA, ON—Patricia Brusha, best known as co-founder and principal of the A Couple Chicks duo, has a new role at CheckMate.io, but she’s still a Chick, still working with partner Alicia Whalen, and Online Revealed will go ahead as usual next Spring.

Brusha got to know Drew Patterson, CEO and co-founder of the online and mobile check in company, at the Online Revealed conference last April. “When I found out about it, I was so excited. I thought, ‘this is the next big thing.’ I asked Drew if he needed a representative in Canada,

and he said he’d rather make me an employee, so now I have a new job,” Brusha told CLN. San Francisco-based CheckMate powers online and mobile check-in for hotels and their guests. As a business-to-business software company, CheckMate makes it easy for hotels of any size to implement mobile services under their own brand. Their advanced messaging platform is designed to exceed guests expectations and empower staff to provide better service.

Guest communications are sent out with the hotel’s logo and branding. Hoteliers can control their own look and feel of the guest pre-arrival experience with options to upload logos, photos, room preferences, and more.

Not a download It’s a mobile check-in platform, not a download, Brusha noted. “A few years from now, kids will be saying, ‘you mean you actually had to stand in line to check in?’ It’s a guest experience management tool, or a GEM. Every hotel will want to have a GEM,” she said.

CheckMate integrates with the hotel property management system.

Twenty-four hours before the guest’s arrival, their reservation is confirmed using a branded e-mail message.

Guests can state their preferences, noting whether they are arriving early, want a high floor, or are interested in upgrading from their original room choice. The hotel can also offer ancillary services such as golf or spa bookings. There’s an opportunity for the hotel to offer the guest special perks if they are a loyalty club member, and the opportunity to join if they are not a loyalty member.

From the guest’s point of view, they are controlling their guest experience before, during and after their stay. If there’s a priority line or concierge desk, they can go directly there, show their ID and get their key. They are also able to keep in touch with a guest experience manager during their stay.

While some major hotel chains offer an app with some of the same services, CheckMate’s advantage is that it can communicate with third party online travel agencies (OTAs). Normally, the OTAs do not share e-mail addresses with hotels.

Guest intelligence Not only can CheckMate connect

with the OTAs, but they can share useful information about the guest and their preferences. On the hotel side, CheckMate offers profiles of the guest who is arriving, their photo from Facebook and their TripAdvisor reviews. CheckMate.io integrates with Orbitz, TripCentral.ca and other OTAs, and is just rolling out Hotels. com. They are starting to integrate Room77.com room selection technology as well.

The return on investment? CheckMate estimates that guests who use it average $7 to $20 per room in upgrades, and that there is a 30 per cent adoption rate among eligible guests.

“On the hotel side, there’s a whole missed opportunity,” said Brusha.

“People are getting used to what the airlines are have done—they are getting used to paying extra.”

First Big Idea inductee In other news, Brusha, co-founder and principal of A Couple of Chicks and Online Revealed, was inducted into Meetings + Incentive Travel’s Hall of Fame at a special live presentation on August 19 during IncentiveWorks, a leading Canadian meetings, events and incentive travel trade show and conference.

Brusha is the first inductee in the program’s new Big Idea category, which was created to honor an individual supplier or planner who has come up with and implemented an idea that has significantly improved the productivity, profitability, culture and/or operational systems of the specific company/business they work for or own and/or the industry.

For more information, contact patricia@checkmate.io.

When it comes to breakfast, hotel guests are seeking healthier, more varied and creative options—while still indulging themselves.

By Don Douloff

I

t is said that plentiful, top-quality food is so important to armies’ success that they ‘march on their stomachs.’ The same holds true for leisure and business travellers, who rely on breakfast to jump-start their morning and fuel their day.

Intriguingly, guests’ expectations for breakfast are changing in fundamental ways, even as they continue to embrace traditional morning-meal patterns.

“Guests are looking for variety and innovative food products,” says Rob Hood, corporate food and beverage manager, Atlific Hotels. He says guests are seeking healthy breakfast options as “people are cutting back on fat.”

Yet traditional eggs-bacon-toast remains a staple for people on the road and are “still as popular as ever, even if yogurt and granolas are offered,” notes Hood, who says breakfast, with its low costs and quick turnover, is hoteliers’ most profitable meal.

Rick Szurkowski, national account manager, Global Egg Corp./ EggSolutions, says guest demand is “picking up” for the company’s zero-cholesterol, yolk-free pre-made frozen omelette. As another healthier option, the company offers pre-cooked frozen French toast made from whole-grain bread. Hard-boiled eggs—protein-rich, with no added fat—are also popular, he says.

For a host of reasons—consistency of product; ease of use; minimizing waste; alleviation of food-safety concerns; lowering labour costs—pasteurized, value-added egg products, which are pre-made, flash-frozen and then reheated and served onsite at hotels, are resonating with hoteliers, says Szurkowski. Plus, these items provide breakfast options that guests can “dress up themselves,” notes Szurkowski, who adds that demand for these value-added products is “growing modestly.”

Global/EggSolutions’ value-added products include scrambled eggs; folded omelettes (in addition to zero-cholesterol, there’s plain, cheddar cheese, garden veggie and western); egg-white and scrambled-egg patties; and breakfast wraps (a western omelette stuffed into a flour tortilla).

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EGGS’ VERSATILITY “Eggs are so versatile that we are asked for many dietary suggestions and recipes—gluten free, cholesterol free (using egg whites) and vegetarian,” says Karen Maguire, national account manager, Burnbrae Farms Ltd., Food Service Division. “Eggs are the leading low-cost protein.”

Big sellers among Burnbrae Farms’ hotel clients include shell eggs—“popular for eggs benedict and sunny-side-up servings, as well as dessert items if they have a pastry chef on staff ”—and, for buffet breakfasts, pre-made, frozen omelettes, and scrambled eggs from either liquid or boil-in-a-bag formats.

Yogurt, too, is popular because

of its healthy qualities. “In the past two years, we’ve seen a significant shift towards the growing Greek yogurt segment with our Oikos Greek and Activia Greek offerings,” says Jamie Millette, business development manager, national accounts, at Danone Inc. in Canada. More often than not, consumers are looking for more natural, wholesome products and Greek yogurt—a “healthy indulgence” with a “rich taste and mouth feel”—meets that need, says Millette.

Trending among the Elite Meat Company’s hotel clients, says director of sales Peter Daly, are peameal bacon, both traditional and peppercorn—which is lower in fat, cooks

SEGMENT GROWTH Also growing quickly in the segment are Jimmy Dean Fully Cooked Breakfast Sausages and Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sandwiches, according to Tom Hatges, vice-president of Canada, Sara Lee Foodservice.

Ease of preparation (versus raw) is driving the growth of fully cooked sausages, he says, while the Jimmy Dean Delights Turkey, Egg White, and Cheese on a Whole Wheat Grain English Muffin was recently introduced as a healthy grab-andgo breakfast sandwich option for hotel guests.

On the baked-goods front, healthier options such as Nutrifrance nutritional bars (cranberry lemon; chocolate hazelnut; date

almond) and gluten-free muffins (lemon almond; chocolate orange) are showing up on hotel breakfast tables, says John Valsamis, managing director of Toronto-based Uniidirect Sales & Marketing, a broker representing Nutrifrance to foodservice clients in the Ontario market.

Also popular are Nutrifrance gourmet muffins (apricot and five grain; bran honey raisin; lemon poppyseed; banana chocolate), typically eaten with fruit and providing a quick breakfast, and pudding cake (white; chocolate). The company makes and freezes its baked-goods batters, then ships them to hoteliers, who thaw and bake as needed.

Elite Meat Company’s peameal bacon.

as fast as an egg and holds well in a steamtable—and three varieties of pork-based breakfast sausage (traditional, bacon and gluten free) unveiled within the past 15 months.

Elite Meat Company introduced the gluten-free version in answer to that growing Canadian foodservice trend and brought the baconstudded version on stream to give consumers the option of having both sausage and bacon in a single breakfast meat, says Daly.

“The growth in the (breakfast) channel is reported to be coming from a trade-off by consumers who are opting for a lower-cost dine-out experience versus a higher-cost dinner,” he says.

LOCAL INGREDIENTS “Overall we see guests consciously choosing healthier options and they are often drawn to dishes with ingredients that can be tied back to the local community,” says Mairead Murray, manager, food and beverage, Americas, FRHI Hotels & Resorts. “We have seen a more healthconscious market trending for quite some time in the restaurant industry and now more than ever, consumers have a clear understanding of what is and is not good for them. We find business travellers making more health-conscious choices, trying to maintain the balance of home when they are away, although the tradi-

tional breakfast items still remain the top sellers. Guests know what they are going to get when they order traditional bacon-and-eggs, and the value proposition seems much higher. Additionally, we see people choosing to order something they don’t usually make at home every day, such as bacon and eggs, eggs benedict and omelettes.”

Each property, says Murray, offers an à la carte breakfast menu as well as a deluxe breakfast buffet with a variety of items inspired by their location. At the Fairmont Royal York, in Toronto, for example, there is a full à la carte menu available as

well as a full hot buffet and cold buffet, and the hotel “has a good mix of local and in-house capture ratios for breakfast, which utilizes both options. The local business mix mostly joins for breakfast meetings and almost exclusively will order from the à la carte menu. The in-house business mix includes single travellers, breakfast-inclusive package purchasers, leisure travellers and tour groups who will almost exclusively utilize the buffet, while the business travellers that are staying in-house will also join for breakfast meetings and will prefer to utilize the à la carte menus.”

Holiday Inn Express’ express start breakfast bar.

HEALTHY/INDULGENT That healthy/indulgent yin/yang also holds true at the Super 8 and Microtel brands, which offer a hotand-cold buffet breakfast. “Some (guests) go totally healthy and some go on the other spectrum, depending on why they are staying in the hotel,” says Lorna Knoll, director of operations, MasterBUILT Hotel Management Ltd. “If travelling for business, (guests are) more health conscious, and some leisure traffic on the weekends (is) going the lessthan-healthy route. If it’s the weekend or guests are travelling with their kids, it’s nice to indulge.”

Workers who stay at Microtel properties—most of which are located in resource markets—favour healthy eating, says Knoll. “Oil-

patch workers still want to look after themselves even though they’re working 12-hour days.”

Yogurt, sometimes mixed with muesli, is a popular healthy choice.

In response to client demand, MasterBUILT expects to introduce Greek yogurt in Microtel properties (and likely in Super 8 as well) by the end of this year, says Knoll.

She adds that in Canada, “breakfast has always been a huge focal point of client expectations.”

Breakfast buffet tables also offer two types of bread and bagels, along with muffins, and “have moved totally away from breakfast pastries” because “people aren’t eating them—possibly because of health concerns,” she says.

Nutrifrance’s raspberry yogurt muffin.

CORPORATE TRAVELLERS “When you look at item sales reports, it is evident that our Monday-to-Friday corporate traveller is choosing healthier breakfast items and eating less,” reports Andrew Simmers, outlets manager, Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites.

“Our leisure guests, or guests flying out for vacations, tend to gravitate to the heavier menu items. The volumes of food consumed on our Saturday and Sunday buffets are significantly higher—it seems guests also take more time to eat and relax, treating themselves to richer and

larger quantities of food.”

In April, Holiday Inn Express updated its breakfast offering to include healthy options at its hotels throughout the U.S. and Canada.

New items on the Express Start Breakfast Bar include Greek yogurt; whole wheat English muffins; Special K cereal with red berries; readyto-eat oatmeal in apple/cinnamon and maple/brown flavours available in cups as a grab-and-go option; and a bar offering toppings such as walnut pieces, raisins, ground cinnamon and honey for yogurt, cereal

and pancakes.

“Our guest insights research pointed to a desire for a wider variety of options, including healthier selections,” says Jennifer Gribble, vice-president, Holiday Inn Express brand, Americas, IHG. Now, “travellers have the option to eat healthy, indulge or do a little bit of both, and guests really appreciate having that choice of balance,” she says. Since the introduction, “we have seen strong improvement on breakfast appeal in our internal brand tracking study.”

HILTON HITS 100 Advertorial

The Hilton Canadian History TORONTO—Hilton Worldwide recently reached the 100-hotel milestone for Canada with the opening of dual-branded Hampton and Homewood Suites hotels near Halifax’s historic Citadel Hill. Hilton has come a long way since 1925, when the Dallas Hilton was the first hotel to carry the Hilton name.

Or from 1963, when the first Canadian Hilton opened at Montreal Airport.

Founder Conrad Hilton truly revolutionized the hotel industry, by providing unobtrusive comfort, air conditioning, entrance doors with automatic control, alarm clocks, and direct-dial telephones, and locations close to airports and seaports. Today, Hilton continues to innovate and grow. Here in Canada, Hilton Worldwide operates hotels coast-to-coast in urban and suburban markets, supplying nearly 16,000 rooms across seven brands: Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton. Innovations include dual-and triple-branded hotels, often teamed with conference centres. With more than 40 hotels currently in the development pipeline, Hilton Worldwide will further bolster Canada’s tourism industry for years to come.

100-PLUS HOTEL TALLY DoubleTree by Hilton

6

Embassy Suites Hotels

2

Hampton Hotels

42

Hilton Hotels & Resorts

14

Hilton Garden Inn

21

Home2 Suites by Hilton

1

Homewood Suites by Hilton

16

GRAND TOTAL*

102

Your Canadian Team “Hilton’s growth has been great from a sales perspective. We continue to offer more choice of brands across Canada for customers in Canada and around the world. Many of these brands are world-renowned and that makes it easier for our customers to identify with these new hotels.” Vito Curalli, Executive Director, Canada, Latin America & International Sales.

Curalli oversees more than 30 sales and marketing professionals across 20 countries in the Americas on behalf of over 4,100 Hilton Worldwide hotels. Jeff Cury, Senior Director Franchise Development, Eastern Canada is responsible for the development of all Hilton brand hotels across the country. Thomas Lorenzo is Vice President and Managing Director Development for Hilton Worldwide.

*40 more in the pipeline

First Canadian Hilton Hotel, Montreal, QC.

VITO CURALLI Executive Director Canada, Latin America & International Sales Hilton Worldwide. +1.905.678.5434 vito.curalli@hilton.com

THOMAS LORENZO Vice President & Managing Director Development Hilton Worldwide +1.203.463.3407 thomas.lorenzo@hilton.com

JEFF CURY Senior Director Development | Eastern Canada Hilton Worldwide +1-514-695-6798 jeff.cury@hilton.com

THE BRANDS Dual & Triple Brands In today’s pricey real estate market, Hilton has found its franchisees can benefit from dual or even triple branding on one site. At Calgary Airport, for example, Hilton will soon have three hotels—a Hampton, a Homewood Suites and a Hilton, along with a conference centre, all joined together. While Homewood Suites caters to an extended stay market, Hampton is suitable for transient clientele, and the Hilton, to be built over the next year or so, offers full-service amenities.

Sysco Guest Supply congratulates Hilton on the opening of their 100th Canadian property.

Typically, the check in and lobby include the signature features of each brand, but the hotels require just one pool, one health club, and one set of meeting rooms. The hotels can share the parking lot, and developers don’t require as much land. Normally the brands are side by side, but they can also be vertically configured in urban centres to save space.

Over a period of 20 to 30 years, from an Homewood Suites, Halifax Guestroom operations standpoint the efficiencies are significant, and the footprint required is much smaller than would be required for two or three separate hotels.

Seventh Canadian Brand Home2 Suites has been described as the “hip and humble” little sister of Hilton’s Homewood Suites extended stay brand.

Now Home2 Suites has come to Canada as part of a dual branded campus near West Edmonton Mall. Home2 Suites is Hilton’s seventh brand in Canada.

The dual-branded campus also includes the DoubleTree, which opened at the end of January, and the Mayfield Dinner Theatre.

Home2 Suites, West Edmonton Lobby Grant McCurdy, general manager for both hotels, says the new limited service, extended stay hotel is very efficient from both a guest and operations point of view. While the full-service DoubleTree and its restaurants requires 350 staff members, Home2 Suites adds just 25 more.

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“The DoubleTree is the mother ship for finance, sales and human resources, and there’s a designated sales person for Home2 Suites at the DoubleTree,” McCurdy says. The design is

modern, uptempo and eclectic. The Oasis, the interactive lobby, includes a breakfast area with an upgraded continental breakfast, and a business centre. There’s an outdoor patio with a firepit and a barbecue near the indoor pool.

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Doubletree Is On A Roll It’s raining DoubleTrees! Over the past year, Hilton has opened a number of DoubleTree properties. DoubleTrees are upscale, full-service hotels that offer unique, contemporary accommodation, restaurants and lounges, room service, health clubs, business centres and meeting and banquet space.

Recent openings include: • DoubleTree by Hilton Toronto, Spring 2014 26-storey, 486-room property • DoubleTree West Edmonton in January 2014 238-room hotel that features designs inspired by the city of Edmonton and Alberta • DoubleTree by Hilton Regina in November 2013 235 guest rooms, 18,000 ft 2 of conference space and a new full-service restaurant • DoubleTree by Hilton Gatineau-Ottawa 125 rooms, the first DoubleTree in Quebec, in October 2013, following a $3 million renovation.

DoubleTree, Regina Lobby

Hilton also recently announced the signing of a new hotel in Halifax, Nova Scotia: The Hollis Halifax – A DoubleTree Suites by Hilton. The 120-room all-suite hotel is currently undergoing renovation and is expected to be fully converted this fall.

Alberta/Vancouver Graham Hall 604-765-9813 ghall@sertanational.com

Winnipeg Brent Barkman 204-667-3782 brent.barkman@serta-wpg.com

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12 |

Converted Ronald McDonald House now Saint James Hotel

TORONTO—A building converted from a Ronald McDonald House reopened Sept. 12 as the 36-room Saint James Hotel in downtown Toronto, the latest addition to the Ascend Hotel Collection.

The property had been a Ronald McDonald house since 1993.

Owners Sterling Group Inc., a Kassam Family Company, converted the building to a hotel after Ronald McDonald House moved to a newer, bigger facility, according to Sterling CEO Sam Kassam. Sterling chose the property because of its location and spacious guestrooms featuring good views of downtown and the surrounding greenery, he said.

Convenient for both business and leisure travellers, the hotel features a central location in downtown Toronto that’s within walking distance of the Toronto Eaton Centre, Dundas Square, the Financial District and Ryerson Uni-

versity.

On the renovation side, guestrooms feature new flooring, wall treatments, door locks, TVs, furniture, soft goods, window treatments, seating and appliances, including coffee makers, microwaves and fridges. New bathrooms feature hand-held showers and rain heads. The wiring, too, was updated in all rooms, to accommodate the appliances and 42-inch TVs. At press time, renovations had been finished on 28 guestrooms, with the remaining eight rooms expected to be completed within 18 months.

Plans call for the opening, in the lobby, of a quick-serve Freshii restaurant specializing in salads, wraps, bowls and fresh juices.

A network of historic, boutique and unique properties that offer guests an authentic, local experience, Choice’s Ascend Hotel Collection now numbers eight hotels in Canada.

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Choice survey: Canadian business travellers relish freedom of the road

TORONTO—Canadian business travellers secretly relish their trips and take advantage of the freedom of the road to engage in self-indulgent behaviour, according to the findings exploring Canadian travel habits in a recent national survey spearheaded by Choice Hotels Canada.

Almost one in four (23 per cent) respondents said they would not pursue a new job opportunity if it didn’t include travel—not surprising, considering 75 per cent of business travellers admitted they “enjoy travelling for work” and 55 per cent said they “secretly enjoy the break from family.”

With just under one half (46 per cent) of survey respondents having stayed in a hotel in the past six months, it’s clear that travel affects a lot of Canadians.

Although male business travellers are more likely than female business travellers to travel for business than pleasure (23 per cent vs. 10 per cent), women in general take greater advantage of the freedoms of hotel stays, helping themselves to the toiletries (57 per cent vs. 44

per cent), eating in bed (32 per cent vs. 27 per cent) and lounging in bathrobes (25 per cent vs.

17 per cent).

Although four in five Canadians who have stayed in a hotel engage in at least one guilty pleasure, in general, business travellers are less tidy than leisure travellers and are more likely to engage in behaviour such as leaving towels on the floor (34 per cent vs. 27 per cent); eating in bed (34 per cent vs. 26 per cent); leaving clothes strewn about (26 per cent vs. 19 per cent) and keeping the lights and TV turned on (23 per cent vs. 15 per cent) “Whether it’s for work or leisure, Canadians value travel,” says Tim Oldfield, managing director at Choice Hotels Canada. “What’s interesting to see are the differences in habits among those on the road—both between women and men, and those on vacation compared to business travellers.”

The survey was completed online by 1,503 Canadians between June 30 and July 3rd, 2014, using Leger’s online panel, LegerWeb.

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Putting the craft in Smith

The Ruby at Hotel Zed

By Jonathan Zettel, assistant editor

By Kristen Smith, assistant editor WINNIPEG—Inn at the Forks opened its completely revamped restaurant Smith on Sept. 13 in the space previously occupied by The Current Restaurant and Lounge.

“The restaurant is essentially a celebration of crafted food and the name Smith is a nod to artisanal producers in Canada,” Ben Sparrow, Inn at the Forks general manager, told CLN. “We could have called the restaurant ‘Craftsmith,’ but we called it Smith for short.”

Alex Svenne is the new executive chef at Winnipeg’s Inn at The Forks, where he will be responsible for all culinary operations including banquet and catering, room service and a new casual fine dining restaurant.

Sparrow said Svenne is very involved in the local food movement and an avid supporter of the area’s producers.

“Alex’s food style is simple, luxurious food and big flavours from local suppliers; basically, food that makes you feel good,” said Sparrow.

Smith—which has 170 seats and another 100 seats on a patio—is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as late night dining. Live music will be offered every Friday and Saturday evening.

The dinner menu includes a bison flat iron with a whisky glaze, homemade kubasa with sauerkraut, pan-fried pickerel with scallions, ginger and lemon and roasted rack of lamb with jus and herbes de Provence.

“It is a celebration of honest crafted food created from the diversity of the land and waters of Canada,” said Svenne in a release.

Bar manager Jason Colatruglio designed Smith’s 24-cocktail menu, which features housemade syrups, infusions, bitter and sodas.

“We’re looking to really build on that and we’re looking to really be the leading cocktail bar in the city,” said Sparrow.

The bar menu also includes more than 20 wines available by the glass and a dozen Canadian craft beers on tap.

Sparrow estimated average check to be more than $50.

“We were looking to create a restaurant that was a fine dining restaurant, but a restaurant which you felt very comfortable in,” Sparrow said.

Designed by Calgary-based McKinley Burkart, the décor of the 7,900-square-foot space features what Sparrow called “a mixture of highs and lows, a mixture of modern items and retro accents; things that invoke a simple, but luxurious interpretation of Canadian culture and Canadian artisanal food.”

Smith has hardwood floors throughout, a living room-style lounge with leather and wool

chairs, a mix of wood-top and marble-top tables, an 18-seat harvest table in front of the open kitchen, a private dining room with a marble table seating 12, and a banquette running the length of the lounge upholstered with the Hudson’s Bay Company stripes.

The new restaurant represents an investment of about $2.5 million.

As Svenne takes over operations at Smith, Barry Saunders moves to the executive chef position of foodservice operations for Era Bistro & Catering at the adjacent Canadian Museum for Human Rights, where he will oversee a 70-seat restaurant with a 100-seat patio, which opened Sept. 27, and catering facilities that can accommodate 400 seated or 1,000 reception guests.

The 1,400-square-foot restaurant is dedicated to serving local foods and following human rights principles, such as fair trade sourcing and sustainability.

VICTORIA—With a strict vinyl-only music program, The Ruby restaurant is set to open in Victoria near the end of October alongside the newly renovated Hotel Zed. The Ruby owner-operator Chris Jones (right) said the space is geared toward the local market but will provide foodservice for the hotel and incorporate some of the 60s and 70s design of the hotel.

“There will just be an emphasis on cool; not pretentious,” said Jones, who has teamed up with owner-operator Josh Goyert (left).

The interior will consist of repurposed wood and other items to create what Jones calls a “distressed, contemporary, black and white feel.”

A collection of records from several genres including folk, country, indie rock and hip-hop will be incorporated into the design.

“The thing I love about vinyl is that it’s not a playlist and if you come in at two o’clock each day, you’re not going to hear the same music,” Jones said.

The restaurant will focus on a daily breakfast from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a traditional rotisserie chicken program starting at 11 a.m., which Jones said takes three to four days to prepare.

The Ruby teamed up with local roaster Discovery Coffee to produce a house blend created to pair with hash browns. The restaurant will also serve doughnut holes—produced by Discovery—on locally-crafted boards with each bill as a twist on the traditional mints.

Jones, who has a 10-year history as food and beverage director at two luxury properties in Victoria, said the restaurant will serve his favourite BC wines and offer on tap several selections from the Phillips Brewing Company alongside the local brewery’s craft ginger ale and root beer in bottles.

Hotel Zed is a one-off concept produced by the team behind Accent Inns.

“They are going to make sure it is such a hit with the locals that we get it packed in there, so that will create a vibe for the whole property,” Accent Inns president and chief executive officer Mandy Farmer said.

The 62-room Hotel Zed opened for business in May as a property stamped with the vibrant colours and “retro-chic” of the 1960s and 70s.

According to Jones, the 50-seat, 2,000-squarefoot restaurant will also provide foodservice for the hotel lobby and room service.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Super 8 turns 40

Left: A Canadian Super 8 hotel. It’s been 40 years since the first Super 8 hotel opened in Aberdeen, SD. Superior Lodging brought the chain to Canada in 1992.

Right: Marc Staniloff. Far right: John Valletta.

PARSIPPANY, NJ/CALGARY—It’s been 40 years since Ron Rivett and Dennis Brown created the Super 8 Motel Corporation. The first Super 8, with 60 rooms, opened in 1974 in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

The original room rate was just $8.88— hence the name of the chain.

While the room rate has definitely increased, the chain continues to thrive. Now part of the Wyndham Hotel Group, Super 8 has over 2,400 locations around the world, more than any other economy lodging provider.

Consistency, simplicity, value “After two or three years, the founder had half a dozen hotels, and quickly realized he was on to something,” John Valletta, president Super 8 Worldwide, told CLN. “It really took off because of its consistency, simplicity and the fact that it stood for good value in an economy hotel.”

After 20 years, when the chain had about 1,000 hotels, they started to expand in Canada.

The Staniloff family had an independent property in Calgary that became a Super 8. In what Valletta describes as a “marvellous relationship,” the Staniloffs have played a pivotal role in the growth of the chain in Canada. Today, through Superior Lodging Corp. headed by

Marc Staniloff, the chain has grown to 135 Super 8s nationwide.

“Our success is in partnering with good, strong partners,” Valletta said.

Staniloff remembers his introduction to Super 8 very well. “We owned a small Calgary hotel that my brothers ran. One day, a representative from Super 8 from Aberdeen walked in and tried to sell them on Super 8. They phoned me up—I was then in real estate development.”

And the rest is history.

Recognizing the opportunity to introduce the Super 8 concept to the Canadian marketplace, in 1992 Staniloff and Superior Lodging Corp. acquired the master territorial development rights in Canada from Hospitality Franchise Systems, Inc. They transformed the fledgling brand in Canada from a modest five hotels to one of the largest and most recognizable hotel chains in the country.

Evolution of a chain Some things change and some things remain the same. Super 8 has always stood behind its original motto— “Clean and Friendly,” said Valletta. “There have been more contemporary mottos in recent years, but we have never wan-

dered away from that one. The level of quality and consistency resounded well with consumers.”

“It’s clean, comfortable and consistent, and in Canada it’s about exceeding customer expectations every time they walk in the door,” said Staniloff.

He said the chain is more mid-market in Canada, catering to kids’ hockey and baseball tournaments and the leisure market with pools and waterslides. The oil and gas sector accounts for about 50 per cent of the Canadian business.

SuperStart breakfast Over the years, Super 8 has evolved to meet guest expectations. Breakfast became a staple in the economy sector as a whole in the mid-to-late 1990s.

“SuperStart breakfast is well defined based on consumer research showing what guests want and expect, but mindful of what franchisees need to spend,” Valletta said.

Super 8 was one of the first brands to recognized its loyal customers in 1976, offering a 10 per cent discount to members of the VIP club— a club that grew to include more than 7.6 million members.

“That was when there was only one rate,” said

Valletta, adding that members paid $2 to $3 to join.

Today, Super 8 customers are part of the Wyndham Rewards program.

Biggest change is cost to build “The biggest change is the cost to build,” said Staniloff. “It’s gone from $25,000 to $100,000 a room in the last 22 years.

“We never used to have hair dryers or flat screen TVs,” he noted. “[These amenities] drive our costs and room rates, but they do make us better.

“We used to be an economy sector chain, but now guests expect high-speed Internet, self-serve breakfast, exercise rooms, pools, waterslides and restaurants nearby,” Staniloff said.

“From its humble beginnings as a single hotel in Aberdeen, South Dakota to what is now, Super 8 has spent the last 40 years earning an enviable place in the hearts of travellers,” said Valletta.

“Now Super 8 is in China, Brazil and Germany—and one just opened in Saudi Arabia. A Chinese developer has modelled itself on Super 8 U.S. and Super 8 Canada.”

Staniloff said he expects the total build-out for Canada will be about 200 Super 8s.

Bring on the butlers—real, not robotic

By Colleen Isherwood, editor

Left to right, Clarence McLeod, Kathryn Boyle, Julie Williamson and Jimmy-Lee Vennard.

PRIDDIS, AB—On a September day with a hint of fall in the air, in a tranquil setting that’s home to bears and “deer with attitude,” Clarence McLeod was eager to talk about the new Butler and Nanny courses at the 13-room Azuridge Estate Hotel starting in November.

He has been at the Azuridge since April 15th. Before that, his background was with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, where he worked for 25 years.

McLeod was there when the Fairmont Gold Floor was in its preliminary stages in 1989, and when Fairmont moved forward with the idea in 1996.

The Gold Floor is a hotel within a hotel where the art of exceptional service is elevated through exclusive personal service, in properties such as Savoy London, Peace Shanghai and Royal York Toronto.

McLeod is credited as the only Guilded Butler in Canada. He describes this designation as “a Downton Abbey type of butler.”

Indeed, the popularity of the show, Downton Abbey, has been credited for a recent upsurge in demand for butlers.

McLeod was in charge of the Gold Floor at the Fairmont Winnipeg dur-

ing the Queen’s Jubilee and has served as butler to Ariel Sharon, former prime minister of Israel.

cost in London. This includes accommodation, meals and course materials.

Estates looking for a butler

“When putting the butler program together, I thought, ‘I would like a program like this for my nanny.’ There are lots of nannies in Calgary,” McLeod said.

The focus of the Nanny program is largely about communication.

“Some nannies are afraid to communicate—to ask the teacher what time the school trip is, for example,” McLeod said.

“They’re just being shy—they assume you have to be servile, when you’re actually there to represent the parents.”

The chef at Azuridge works with the nannies on meals, especially on how to prepare nutritional meals in a short time.

Then there’s the polish piece, where nannies learn how to present themselves via e-mail and telephone.

“The course is just for the weekend,” McLeod explained. “It uses the exact same principles as the Butler course—this translates into making effective communicators. This course costs $1,000—or $750 for those sharing accommodations.”

Asked who would be interested in taking the courses, McLeod replied that he has already had interest from different hotels around the world and is hoping many will enroll from the Calgary area, which has many newly affluent people. He has also had enquiries from sales people in high end car companies, who want to make a polished impression on their clients.

Butler’s course of study The Butler course at Azuridge is a week long. During that time, students learn about history, protocol, wardrobe organization, flower arrangement and basic wine knowledge.

They learn how to be the head of the household—if there is fish for dinner, they learn to gently suggest a Pinot Grigio to go with it.

It’s the same with cigars—matching cigars to a meal. For example, a heavy bodied cigar goes well with spicy steak.

They learn to keep the cigars hydrated and how to match cigars and liquor.

The cost of this course is $3,999— much less than the $10,000 it would

Nanny program

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Skyline Update

Skyline’s chairman and president Gil Blutrich (fourth from the left) celebrated the official groundbreaking of Horseshoe Copeland House with (L-R) Horseshoe Valley Property Owners Association (HVPOA) director Barb Coutanche, Oro Medonte Ward 1 councillor Mel Coutanche, MPP Garfield Dunlop’s wife Jane Dunlop, mayor Harry Hughes and Skyline principals including CEO Michael Sneyd, president and COO Kevin Toth, VP of sales and marketing John Giffen and VP of development Dan Piggott. Photo: Arthur Mola.

TORONTO—Skyline International Development is taking steps to fulfill its vision of world-class resort communities at Horseshoe Resort near Barrie, ON; at Deerhurst near Huntsville, ON and through the purchase of Bear Valley Mountain Resort in California.

The big news at Horseshoe Resort Village is that Skyline has started construction on Building One of Copeland House condominiums.

The suites are now 80 per cent sold.

Skyline’s chairman and president Gil Blutrich and CEO Michael Sneyd recently welcomed local dignitaries to the official groundbreaking of Copeland House.

Skyline Resort Communities has also constructed an 843-square-foot furnished model showing a suite at Lakeside Lodge, the new condomin-

ium residence coming this summer to the Peninsula Lake waterfront. The first new whole-ownership condominiums to be offered at Deerhurst Resort since the late 1980s, these suites range in price from $169,900 to over $550,000.

Skyline. has also announced that it has entered into a binding agreement of purchase and sale to acquire Bear Valley Mountain Resort in northern California. The agreement came after several weeks of discussion with the current ownership and local community leaders that had formed the Bear Valley Mountain Cooperative and who were also in the process of purchasing the resort. Closing is subject to the U.S. Forest Service issuance of a permit to operate the resort.

Located in the Sierra mountain range between Lake Tahoe and Yo-

semite, Bear Valley Mountain Resort is known as a year-round, less congested, family-friendly option for skiing and other recreational activities like water sports, biking, music festivals and golf. With the purchase of the ski area, Skyline has an option to purchase development land in Bear Valley Village for 350 residential units and add a 40,000-square-foot village centre which includes a 53room lodge and a 17,000-square-foot commercial complex.

One of the big attractions was the fact that the previous owner had spent the time and money to get approval for the residential units and the village centre at the base of the mountain, Skyline CEO Michael Sneyd told CLN in an interview. Another selling feature was the existing lodge, built in 1970 with a unique

post-and-beam structure—the posts are tree trunks. All the guestrooms look down on the lodge’s indoor atrium.

Skyline recently held a meeting with about 200 Bear Valley Mountain Cooperative members in the atrium of the existing lodge (above).

Cdn. Resort Conference considers timeshare reboot TORONTO—The Canadian Resort Conference (CRC 2014), which took place at the Pantages Hotel in downtown Toronto on Sept. 23-24, broadened its focus beyond Canada this year.

Now produced by Perspective Group on behalf of Canadian Resort Development Association (CRDA), this annual event expanded its reach to the wider resort community

throughout Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Caribbean and beyond.

The content looked at the Canadian marketplace, and how to attract Canadians to international destinations.

As promised, the conference delivered debates with energetic interaction from attendees on pertinent issues affecting the industry ranging from new entrants to the industry as

Jon Zwickel, right, president and CEO of CRDA, presented the Cornerstone Award to Fermin Cruz of DAE at the conference.

See editorial, page 4 for more CRC coverage.

well as veterans.

The discussions dealt frankly with the changes facing the evolving timeshare industry. John Small, chairman of ResortCon International summed it up in his opening remarks to a panel titled, “There’s no escaping getting old.” The industry is now dealing with aging buildings, an aging customer base, and aging homeowners associations (HOAs).

“Timeshare is losing steam,” Small said. “We are having trouble with our existing client base; emerging markets are not interested; the field is changing for all players, and the biggest challenge is a shrinking number of owners.”

The panel noted that it’s important to analyze inventory, improve the experience at the property level and develop a financial plan to build revenues and lift fees.

“But without sales, there is no future unless we want to sell off units as condos, or turn them into a limited service hotel—and still beat the bottom line,” said David Waller, founder of Waller Law and Legal Aspirin, the only lawyer on the panel.

Robert McGrath, vice president of business development for RCI echoed Waller’s sentiments about sales. “If there is no sales solution, you will not be there long,” he said. “We have to get new blood coming in. The legacy customer tends to transact more than the new customer, and the club business has been impacted.

“Grandma went to the same place at the same time of year; I don’t travel like that,” is the attitude of new customers, he noted.

Some of the solutions suggested by the panel were: o Supporting homeowners associations with video products, rental support, and looking at ways to maintain the value of the property. o Looking at ways to legally restructure to survive an aging membership. Most of the time they are talking bankruptcy or a high voting threshold to change. o Look at what it’s going to cost to sell a property, and address problems so that you can sell with a clear title.

Tara Kreuz, regional vice presi-

dent, northeast for Wyndham Vacation Ownership gave an example of a new resort aimed at aging owners and boomers. The Jimmy-Buffett-themed resort called Margaritaville is located in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

Another panel member, Blake Plumley, president and CEO of Heirloom Resorts, said he has been onsite at Margaritaville and that it will be “one of the most phenomenal resorts in the Caribbean.

“Our view is that business is not what it has always been. The business model of the last 20 years is evolving and dying,” Plumley said.

Cornerstone Award winner This year, the CRDA Cornerstone Award went to Fermin Cruz, vice president of marketing for DAE (Dial an Exchange), a worldwide vacation ownership exchange service.

Now, DAE is working on a product that is specially targeted to legacy homeowners associations—a fresh approach to exchanges with a simple one-fee product. Jon Zwickel, president and CEO of CRDA presented the award to Cruz.

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lead the regional sales team and assist in the development of sales support tools for Choice properties.

Rounding out the regional team are Dean Banister, regional sales manager, Alberta and Saskatchewan; Kathrin Jin, regional sales manager, Ontario; Nick Kammermayer, regional sales manager, British Columbia and Manitoba; and Sylvie LaFrance, regional sales manager, Atlantic Canada.

PEOPL E

Fairmont Raffles Hotels International (FRHI) Hotels & Resorts announced in September the appointment of Martin Kandrac as executive vice-president, real estate and development.

Based in Zurich, Kandrac will be responsible for all aspects of FRHI’s real estate and development activity worldwide, including regional offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. As part of those responsibilities, Kandrac will have oversight of FRHI’s residential and design and construction teams.

Kandrac brings to his new role over 17 years of international hospitality real estate experience in the U.S., Asia and Europe. He joins FRHI from his most recent position as managing director, real estate in the London office of Mount Kellett Capital Management.

Martin Kandrac, executive VP, real estate/development, FRHI.

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group on Sept. 3 appointed Brad Beakley senior vice-president of commercial operations, reporting directly to Suzanne Riesterer, chief commercial and financial officer.

“Brad is responsible for defining and implementing the commercial delivery strategy for our brands globally,” said Riesterer in a release. “As part of his responsibilities, Brad will lead revenue management, distribution, contact centre services and strategic sourcing for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.”

Most recently, Beakley served as vicepresident of pricing and revenue management solutions at Sabre Corp. in Southlake, TX. Toronto’s Westin Harbour Castle in August named chef Corbin Tomaszeski to

Brad Beakley, senior VP, commercial operations, Carlson Rezidor.

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

its kitchen team. Branded as Chef Corbin at The Westin Harbour Castle, Tomaszeski will work with the culinary team to elevate the food and beverage experience throughout the entire hotel and the Conference Centre.

“Chef Corbin’s passion for bringing back meaning to the world of food and eating well align perfectly with Westin’s pillars of well-being,” hotel general manager Tim Reardon said in a release.

Choice Hotels Canada announced in September the expansion of its sales team to include a five-person regional sales force, which will focus primarily on developing the mid-market corporate transient segment for its franchisees.

Industry veteran Vince Ambrico joins Choice as national sales manager and will

Chef Corbin Tomaszeski, Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, Toronto.

Vince Ambrico, national sales manager, Choice Hotels Canada.

Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador announced in August the appointment of Jane Pardy as one of its industry representatives on the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Board.

President of Stellar Properties Inc. and Flow Consulting, Pardy has more than 15 years experience in the tourism industry (Stellar Properties Inc. are the owner/operators of Clarenville Inn in Clarenville, NL.) She is a longstanding member of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador and consistently demonstrates the importance of stakeholder collaboration as a means to further industry development.

Ryan McRae joined Marriott Hotels of Canada as vice-president, hotel development, effective Sept. 15. He is based in Vancouver and is responsible for the growth of Marriott’s full-service, selectservice and extended-stay hotel brands in Western Canada.

McRae joins Marriott with more than 16 years of commercial real estate experience, including eight years focusing on hospitality acquisitions and development. Most recently, he was vicepresident, acquisitions and development for SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts, where he was responsible for Canada-wide hotel development and acquisition.

Vantage Hospitality Group in August tapped Mark Williams to serve as new group president.

Williams, based in the company’s Coral Springs, FL, headquarters, will lead Vantage’s midscale to upscale brands, which include Lexington Inns, Lexington Hotels, Lexington Legacy, Jameson Inns & Suites and 3 Palms Hotels & Resorts. Vantage recently entered into an agreement to acquire the America’s Best Franchising brands, which include America’s Best Inns & Suites, Country Hearth Inn & Suites, Jameson Inns & Suites, Signature Inn and 3 Palms Hotels & Resorts.

Most recently, Williams was the director of business development for G6 Hospitality, where he was responsible for the development in major markets of the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands.

On Sept. 1, Warren Janes joined Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa in Osoyoos, BC, as general manager.

Janes will oversee all aspects of the property, including dayto-day operations, owner relations, directing and developing staff, and maximizing guest satisfaction.

He brings with him more than 30 years of extensive hotel and property management experience, including stints renovating and restoring a 200-year old bed and breakfast, and as general manager of a resort in Nova Scotia and operating director of a property management company in Alberta.

Dean Banister, regional sales manager AB/SK, Choice Hotels Canada.

Jane Pardy, industry representative, Hospitality Nfld. & Labrador.

Thomas B. Mangas, executive VP/ CFO, Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Kathrin Jin, regional sales manager, Ontario, Choice Hotels Canada.

Ryan McCrae, VP, hotel development, Marriott Hotels of Canada.

Angie Ryan, pastry chef, Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland.

Nick Kammermayer, regional sales manager BC/MB Choice Hotels.

Mark Williams, group president, Vantage Hospitality Group.

Roary MacPherson, exec. chef, Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland.

Sylvie LaFrance, regional sales manager, Atlantic, Choice Hotels.

Warren Janes, general manager, Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa.

Shaun Hussey, owner and chef, Chinched Bistro, St. John’s, NL.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide in August named Thomas B. Mangas executive vice-president and chief financial officer. A member of Starwood’s senior leadership team, Mangas reports to president and chief executive officer Frits van Paasschen.

Most recently, Mangas served as executive vice-president and chief executive officer of Armstrong Floor Products, a division of Armstrong World Industries, Inc. Two kitchen staff from the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland, in St. John’s—executive chef Roary MacPherson and pastry chef Angie Ryan—and five other Atlantic Canada culinarians were invited to prepare a special dinner July 30 at James Beard House, in New York.

Joining MacPherson and Ryan, and also from St. John’s, were Andrew Hodge, then-executive chef, Holiday Inn; Adam Blanchard, Five Brothers Artisan Cheese; Shaun Hussey, Chinched Bistro; and Roger Andrews, Relish Gourmet Burgers.

Peter Dewar, Nova Scotia Community College Kingstec Campus, Kentville, NS, also participated.

In September, SkyTouch Technology welcomed Steve Randle as its new vice-president of technology delivery.

In this role, Randle will use his expertise to lead advancements in the SkyTouch Hotel OS platform, while delivering business solutions to customers.

Randle has over 30 years of experience in systems architectural design, product development and infrastructure operations, including experience applying innovation with a strong business sense and delivering top-notch business solutions.

SkyTouch provides a cloud-based property and rate management platform.

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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

Best Western PLUS opens in Lethbridge, AB LETHBRIDGE, AB—Best Western International announced in August that it has launched a Best Western PLUS Service Inn & Suites in Lethbridge, AB. Located at 209 41st Street South, the smoke-free hotel features 113 guestrooms and 37 suites.

Hotel amenities include a full complimentary breakfast, an indoor heated pool with two-storey waterslide, hot tub and a 24-hour fitness centre. Each room is equipped with a 40-inch flat-screen television, microwave, mini-refrigerator and free wireless Internet access.

In addition, the hotel offers a 24-hour business centre with complimentary printing and copy services. Free Internet access is included in all public areas and there are two meeting rooms accommodating 60 people.

Owned by 1717317 Alberta Ltd., the property provides easy access to a variety of attractions, including Casino Lethbridge, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park and Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden.

Colliers brokers sales of four Ontario hotels TORONTO—Colliers International Hotels had a busy August as the company brokered the sale of four Ontario hotels.

The 446-room Holiday Inn TorontoInternational Airport was sold to Easton’s Group of Hotels on behalf of Felcor Lodging Trust Inc. The purchase price was $16 million.

Easton’s plans a significant renovation and will reposition the hotel as a dual branded 130-unit Staybridge Suites and 300-room Holiday Inn. Located on Dixon Road at Highway 427, next to Pearson International Airport, the property features more than 20,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, indoor/outdoor saltwater swimming pools and all-day restaurants.

In addition, Colliers sold the 152room Hilton Garden Inn Toronto Airport West and 105-suite TownePlace Suites Sudbury to Temple Hotels Inc. In another transaction, the company sold the 159room Courtyard by Marriott Toronto Brampton to a private investor.

The combined purchase price of those three properties was approximately $70 million.

Easton’s sells condo site to Greenland Holding TORONTO—Easton’s Group of Hotels and The Remington Group announced in September that they have sold their interest in the proposed two-tower King Blue Condominium project, in downtown Toronto, to Shanghai-based Greenland Holding Group Co. for an undisclosed sum.

“We believe this transaction will help launch us forward as we identify new investment and development opportuni-

ties allowing us to focus on key strategic priorities as we continue to transform Toronto’s skyline with dynamic new projects,” Steve Gupta, president and CEO of Toronto-based Easton’s Group, said in a release. Construction is expected to begin next spring, according to Gupta, quoted in media reports.

The purchase marks the entry into the Canadian real estate market for Greenland Holding, a multinational company with operations across real estate development, commercial and hotel operations, energy, finance and the sports industry. Recently, the company opened a Toronto office.

Renamed King Blue by Greenland, the project is located at the corner of King Street and Blue Jays Way. It consists of a 44- and 48-storey tower and incorporates the historic Westinghouse factory building, which will also be converted into loft condos.

Thompson Toronto completes financing TORONTO—In September, Cushman & Wakefield’s Global Hospitality Group announced the successful financing of the Thompson Toronto Hotel, in downtown Toronto’s King West neighbourhood, for an undisclosed sum.

Through a competitive process involving a wide range of global lenders, Cushman Wakefield provided the borrower with a number of suitable financing options. A European bank active in global hotel financing was the successful lender.

Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort adds Don Cherry’s OAKVILLE, ON—The Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort in Cranbrook, BC, plans to open a Don Cherry’s Sports Grill in the fall, it was announced in August.

Scheduled to open in October, the Cranbrook location is undergoing renovations designed to create an ambience highlighting national and local sports memorabilia. This will be the most westerly location in the Don Cherry’s Sports Grill system.

Located at 209 Van Horne Street South, the resort is close to downtown and adjacent to the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel. The property is owned by Huber Developments Ltd. and operated by Prestige Hotels & Resorts of Kelowna, BC. Based in Parry Sound, ON, Don Cherry’s Sports Grill has been expanding through conversions in hotels and inns across the country.

include a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, outdoor whirlpool bath (open year round), fitness room, sauna, complimentary high-speed Internet access and complimentary Express Start breakfast bar.

Guestrooms will feature queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair and an in-room coffee machine.

Best Western PLUS Lethbridge bedroom.

Holiday Inn & Suites Ottawa sold, rebranding as student residence TORONTO—The 220-room Holiday Inn & Suites Ottawa long-term stay hotel has been sold on behalf of a private investor to an affiliate of Campus Suites and will be rebranded as a university student residence and renamed 1eleven Cooper. The purchase price wasn’t disclosed. Handling the sale was Cushman & Wakefield Ltd. Brokerage.

Plans call for an update of bedrooms— replacing carpet with hardwood floors, painting walls, modernizing fixtures and adding privacy partitions, where warranted. There will also be an update of the fitness room, business centre and communal spaces with new furniture throughout; and the addition of a coffee shop operated by a third party, Henry Morton, president of Campus Suites, told CLN. In addition, three hotel rooms that had been converted to conference rooms will be converted back to student rooms, bringing the eventual room count to 223, he said.

Morton expects the refresh to be completed by March, 2015, targeting a May, 2015 occupancy.

Courtyard by Marriott Toronto Brampton.

Thompson Toronto lobby.

Intrawest buys other 50% of Blue Mountain Resort DENVER—Intrawest Resort Holdings announced in September that it has agreed to buy the 50-per-cent interest in Blue Mountain Ski Resort that it does not already own from Blue Mountain Resorts Holdings Inc. for $58 million.

Located about 90 miles northwest of the Greater Toronto Area, Blue Mountain services about 360 skiable acres with 14 lifts and snowmaking on 93 per cent of trails, and also offers summer amenities such as an 18-hole golf course, mountain coaster and waterfront park.

In 1999, Intrawest acquired a 50 per cent interest in Blue Mountain Ski Resort and since that time, the resort has been operated as a joint venture between the company and Blue Mountain Resorts Holdings Inc.

Holiday Inn opening in Mont-Tremblant in 2015

Staybridge Suites opens 200th property

MONT-TREMBLANT, QC—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced in September the launch of a 141-room Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites in Mont-Tremblant, QC, expected to open in early 2015 after a $3.2 million investment by the ownership.

Amenities at the four-storey hotel will

ATLANTA—InterContinental Hotels Group opened the Staybridge Suites Denver-Stapleton hotel, in Denver in August, the 200th property for the upscale extended-stay brand.

The opening of the 102-room hotel expands the brand’s Denver portfolio to five properties.

Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort.

King Blue by Greenland.

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DE SIGN

TOp

F EAT U R E

DesignAgency hostels are Gold Key Awards finalists

By Don Douloff, assistant editor TORONTO—Two European hostel projects by Toronto-based DesignAgency are finalists for the Gold Key Awards for Excellence in Hospitality Design. Now in their 34th year, the awards will be handed out at a Nov. 10 gala at the Mandarin Oriental in New York City, during the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show.

Both finalists in the Best Hotel Budget/Focused Service category are DesignAgency projects. They include the 241-room Generator

Venice that was converted from a former granary warehouse and features a lighthearted design exemplified by mismatched furniture, oversized mirrors, playful neon signs and whimsical chandeliers.

The other finalist in that category is DesignAgency’s Generator Berlin Mitte. For that property, chief designer Anwar Mekhayech, DesignAgency’s principal and founding partner, worked with Mark Asipowicz from WAF Architects. Ester Bruzkus from Ester Bruzkus Architekten was brought in as consultant.

GENERATOR BERLIN MITTE

Mekhayech told CLN that DesignAgency’s success in designing hostels “has a lot to do with the emphasis on budget-conscious travelling but expecting more, and having great design in cool urban locations has really pushed the market to adapt. Working as a foreigner in these cities has allowed our team to explore the design possibilities, researching on the ground what is happening in each city and then even collaborating with local designers, suppliers and artists to make it a holistic approach as much as possible.”

GENERATOR VENICE All photos by Nikolas Koenig.

Oct. 23-24: Travel Gay Canada Annual LGBT Tourism Conference, Caesars Windsor. Tel.: 416-761-5151. Website: www.travelgaycanada. com.

Oct. 28-30: Lodging Green Sustainability Conference + Expo, Aria Las Vegas. Contact: Tanya Kenevich. Tel. 215-321-9662, ext. 62. Email: Tkenevich@lodgingmagazine.com. Website: www.lodgingmagazine.com.

Nov. 3-4: Connect — BC’s Food, Drink and Lodging Expo, Vancouver Convention Centre West. Contact: Nora Cumming. Tel.: 604-6285655. E-mail: Nora@connectshow.com. Website: www.connectshow.com.

Nov. 9-11: International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NY. Contact: Lee Arevian. Tel.: 703-398-1185. E-mail: Lee.arevian@stmediagroup.com. Website: www.ihmrs.com.

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

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Nov. 12-13: TIAO Ontario Tourism Summit, Blue Mountain Resort, Blue Mountains, ON. Contact: Beth Potter. Tel.: 888-436-6441. Fax: 416-792-4669. E-mail: info@tiaontario.ca. Website: www.ontariotourismsummit.com.

Nov. 13-14: HVS Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference and Operations Summit, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Contact: Nicole Roantree. Tel. 303263-7313. E-mail: info@hvscicos.com. Website: www.chicos.hvsconferences.com.

Nov. 25-26: TIAC 2014 Tourism Congress,

Westin Ottawa. Tel.: 613-238-3883. E-mail: info@tiac.travel. Website: www.tiac.travel.

Dec. 3-4: IIDEXCanada, Metro Toronto Convention Centre North. E-mail: news@iidexcanada.com. Tel.: 416-944-3350. Fax: 416-9212707. Website: iidexcanada.com.

Feb. 24-26, 2015: Hospitality NL’s 2015 Conference and Trade Show, Gander Community Centre/Arts & Culture Centre, Gander, NL Contact: Melissa Ennis. Tel.: 800-563-0700, ext.

231. Fax: 709-722-8104. E-mail: Mennis@hnl.ca.

Website: www.hnl.ca/conference.

10

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Top 10 green pest management tips 1. Be proactive.

The key to an effective pest management program is preventing pests before they become a problem. Work with your pest management provider to establish an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, which focuses on proactive sanitation and facility maintenance measures to keep pests in their place. If you prevent an infestation, there’s less need to use or consider chemical treatments.

2. Make pest management part of the daily routine.

Simple maintenance and cleaning steps can make a big difference. Regularly inspect the exterior of your property for cracks and crevices, unscreened vents and gaps under exterior exit doors due to missing or worn out door seals. These all serve as entry points for pests. Clean and rotate trash cans and dumpsters; frequently inspect for leaks and standing water; and regularly check all common areas for food debris and spills.

3. Know what to look for.

Be on the lookout for droppings, urine stains, gnaw marks and rub markings along walls and baseboards. These are telltale signs of rodents. Bed bug skins, reddish-black spots on linens and mattresses, and seeing live or dead bed bugs are all indications of an infestation.

4. Create deep-cleaning schedule.

A regular deep clean is important for areas that are not cleaned thoroughly on a daily basis. Create a schedule for cleaning these areas and hard-to-reach places that are prone to accumulate dirt and grime.

5. Use organic cleaners.

Organic cleaners use naturally occurring enzymes and beneficial micro-organisms to break down dirt and grime that can attract pests. Consider using an organic, professional cleaning solution on floors, around and in drains, and on sinks and garbage disposals to limit the sludge that can attract a variety of fly species.

6. Work from the outside in.

Pest management starts on the exterior of your facility and lighting is often overlooked. As fluorescent lights are bright and produce heat, they should be placed at least four to five metres from any entrance. Consider placing them around the perimeter of your building (at least 75 metres) to draw pests away.

7. Stay committed during colder months.

When cold weather rolls in, pests like rodents, spiders, cluster flies, boxelder bugs, stink bugs and squash bugs look for warm spots to overwinter. Work with your pest provider to pest-proof your facility for the winter and keep an eye out for cracks in window frames, damaged door sweeps and leaky pipes.

8. Educate and engage staff.

Early detection can make a difference, so make sure employees are informed on what to look for and what to do if they suspect an issue. Many pest control providers offer staff training.

9. Use pest management tools.

Your pest control provider can help implement environmentally friendly tools such as UV lights with adhesive trapping boards to subtly capture flies, and pheromone traps and rodent monitors to capture pests and help monitor infestations.

10. Pest management is a process.

Work with your pest management provider to establish an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, which focuses on proactive sanitation and facility maintenance measures to keep pests in their place.

Alice Sinia, Ph.D., is a resident entomologist – Regulatory/Lab Services for Orkin Canada.

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