Hotel Owner May

MAY 2014 | ÂŁ5.95

For the independent hotelier who means business

Front of

house Neil Kedward and Zoe Agar reveal more about the Grove, their luxury hotel in Pembrokeshire

Coming out in the

The latest laundry solutions

meets

contemporary CURRENT TRENDS IN FURNITURE DESIGN www.hotelowner.co.uk

Hotel Owner | 1

CONTENTS

MAY 2014

30

5 TRADE TALK

News and views from the hospitality industry

14 FRONT OF HOUSE

Neil Kedward and Zoe Agar reveal more about how they established their luxury hotel in Pembrokeshire and their exciting new venture on the coast

18 LAUNCH PAD

Innovative products and services for the hospitality sector

23 TREND TALK

Ideas from the design sector to inspire

26 AN ELEGANT AND CLASSICAL INTERPRETATION WITH A MODERN TWIST

Suna Interior Design reveals its redesign for boutique hotel Flemings Mayfair

30 THE GREAT OUTDOORS We look at how you can create your own outside rooms

42

34 CLASSIC MEETS CONTEMPORARY The latest trends in furniture design

36 TECH TALK

Innovations giving today’s guests tomorrow’s technology

42 COMING OUT IN THE WASH

The latest laundry solutions to help you manage this costly commodity effectively

48 THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS

Leading suppliers of desserts can help you boost your F&B offering

26

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Hotel Owner | 3

Editor Sam Guiry

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Editorial Assistant Lauren Morton

laurenmorton@hotelowner.co.uk

Production Assistant/Design Maddison Mears copy@hotelowner.co.uk

Advertising Manager Natallie Sexton

natallie@hotelowner.co.uk

Account Manager Hayley Pett

hayley@hotelowner.co.uk

Accounts Sammie-Jo Watts

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4 | Hotel Owner

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TRADE TALK

TRADE TALK Top Story

Retaining women in the workforce

Women 1st has warned that hospitality businesses need to do more to retain and attract female workers if the industry is to avoid the UK’s impending ‘workforce cliff’.

Women 1st is run by People 1st, the sector skills council for hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism. The aim is to increase the number of women in senior roles across the tourism and visitor economy sector, in response to recent European Commission figures that have shown the European workforce will begin to shrink by approximately 0.5 percent per year from 2021 onwards.

Director of Women 1st Simone Roche said: “In hospitality in particular, we know that attracting and retaining women can make a huge difference to the workforce challenges we face.

She added: “Our research shows that 310,000 women leave the hospitality industry each year. If they stayed, it would save the industry approximately £2.8 billion in replacement recruitment and training, and there’s no doubt that it would go a long way towards addressing this rapidly approaching ‘workforce cliff’.

Women 1st believes that there are a number of practical actions businesses can take to help stem the flow of women leaving the workforce.

One of the biggest barriers is the difficulty in balancing work with caring responsibilities, so offering flexible working options can have a huge impact. Lack of visible female role models is another barrier, so running mentoring schemes with senior women can be a good way to make sure women feel supported and aspire to stay in the industry.

Liberis allocates £30 million new lending for hospitality sector Alternative finance provider Liberis has allocated £30 million of new lending for the hospitality sector to meet demand.

As banks continue to restrict funding for small businesses, Liberis has seen a 300 per cent increase in demand from hospitality companies over the last two years requiring funding for new stock, new equipment, refurbishments and to plug seasonal cash flow gaps.

The Bank of England’s latest Trends in Lending report published recently said the stock of lending by banks to small firms www.hotelowner.co.uk

has continued its four-year decline. Liberis CEO Paul Mildenstein said: “The economy is picking up and these businesses need capital to finance projects for improvement and growth which will make them more successful. Yet the funding is still so hard to get because they don’t fit the banks’ outdated lending models. Our lending criteria is based on future card sales, which is much more pertinent to a hospitality business and we say yes to 90 per cent of businesses who apply.”

Liberis’ business cash advance provides

companies with an unsecured cash injection of between, £2,500 to £300,000 with repayments based on a set percentage of the business’s future credit and debit card takings until the amount is paid back. This means that the money is only paid back as the business earns, so it’s completely linked to cashflow.

“Hospitality businesses tell us our funding suits them because it’s so flexible. There’s one cost agreed at the outset, with no time limit on repayment so it fits with the seasonal highs and lows, added Paul. ” Hotel Owner | 5

TRADE TALK

Disciplining and dismissing employees Business advisor at the Forum of Private Business Jo Eccles advises on the essential Dos and Don’ts of disciplinary and dismissal procedures For a small business owner, being an employer and managing a team of staff can be thoroughly rewarding, but the job is not without its troubles, particularly when it comes to the difficult task of disciplining or dismissing a member of staff.

No one likes having to discipline a member of staff, but disciplinary and dismissal issues are some of the most frequent enquiries we receive. A common example is where an employer has taken on a new member of staff and they are underperforming and they are unsure how to proceed, thinking all they need to do is have an informal chat to discuss that it simply isn’t working out.

As an employer it’s your job to ensure that you set and uphold standards of work and behaviour that are good for your business and the other members of your team, but it is also essential that you follow the correct procedures for what can be a very difficult issue to tackle. Here, are some of the key Dos and Don’ts to make sure you follow the right steps when it comes to managing the process:

Disciplinary Dealing with potential disciplinary issues in a timely and effective manner can often nip bad behaviour in the bud and reassure other members of staff before things become a major issue. However, if dealt with in the wrong way this can not only have a demotivating effect but also result in legal action. The costs can be significant, with the average tribunal award for unfair dismissal in 2012/13 at £10,127, so it pays to get it right.

Do

Don’t • Bury your head in the sand and hope that the problem will go away. Deal with performance or conduct issues as soon as they arise and don’t wait until they become critical.

• Fail to follow the correct procedures set out in the ACAS code of practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures as a minimum requirement. In the case of disciplinary procedures, should it develop to a tribunal situation, evidence that these have been followed will be required and if you fail to follow these, a tribunal could increase any resulting compensation to an employee by up to 25 per cent.

Dismissal In some instances, where the employees’ performance or conduct does not improve, or where their actions constitute gross misconduct, then you may be faced with the decision to dismiss them. This is not a decision to take lightly and without careful consideration.

Do • Ensure if you do have to resort to dismissing a member of staff that this is done ‘fairly’, this means that you have a fair reason for doing so. Common reasons can include, but are not limited to, capability, conduct, illegality or redundancy.

• Remember that you don’t have to take employees with less than 24 months service through a full disciplinary process in order to be dismissed, but you should seek specialist advice to ensure that you are not in breach or employment law.

• In most dismissal situations, employees are

entitled to notice either under their contract of employment or to statutory notice depending on the length of service.

• If you need to make staff cuts due to changes in the way in which your business operates, or due to a reduction in demand of your products, you can consider redundancy as an option.

• Ensure that you pay employees what they’re entitled to including pay up to the date of termination of employment, pay for any unused accrued holidays, pay in lieu of notice and any other contractual benefits after going through the correct redundancy process. It is also worth noting that any redundancy process, cannot include the ‘first in last out’ option.

Don’t • Feel pressured to give a reference to an employee who has had their employment terminated. There is no legal obligation to do so. If you do, you should ensure that it is true, accurate and fair and based on documentary evidence to avoid any potential legal action.

• Refuse a request for written reasons for dismissal from an employee with two year’s continuous service as they have a right to written reasons within 14 days if requested.

Disciplinary issues are one of the most common areas that businesses will face and ensuring you have the correct procedures in place from the start can avoid any problems later. These issues are complex and it’s essential that you act carefully and seek specialist advice before dismissing somebody.

The Forum of Private Business provides members with a legal advice line providing advice on all employment and HR issues for further information visit www.fpb.org

• Make your policy clear from the start. Tell employees as soon as possible and definitely within two months of them starting work about your disciplinary procedures and who they can appeal to. These procedures should also be included in your staff handbook.

• Follow different processes depending on the severity of the employee’s actions and whether the discipline is a performance issue, or due to behaviour or misconduct.

• You need to allow an employee going through the disciplinary process to be accompanied to any disciplinary meetings by either a work colleague or a trade union representative.

6 | Hotel Owner

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TRADE TALK

Snoozebox makes debut at Glastonbury

Festival goers attending this year’s Glastonbury now have the option of sleeping in their own private Snoozebox hotel room, with all the facilities they would want, close to the action at Glastonbury.

Each Snoozebox hotel room sleeps

two people either in a double or a twin. The cleverly designed, compact and comfortable Snoozebox hotel room is self-contained and features free Wi-Fi, an LCD TV, air conditioning/ heating, an en-suite wet room and power sockets to keep all devices charged, key card entry and a personal safe. To complete the hotel experiences, every room has crisp linens and towels with complimentary toiletries and daily housekeeping.

Snoozebox CEO Lorcán Ó Murchú, said: “A Snoozebox hotel puts our guests at the heart of the action, creating the ultimate event experience. We take care of everything else, from a hot shower to a good night’s sleep, making sure our guests are ready for another day of partying”.

International Recognition for SenSpa in World Luxury Spa Awards

David versus Goliath in national competition English country hotel the Arundell Arms at Lifton is celebrating after being short-listed for the National Tourism Awards in the ‘Venue & Business Tourism Award category.

In a David and Goliath story, this traditional family-run hotel is up against Old Trafford to win this prestigious award alongside Lowry and Keele University Conferences and Events.

This is the second consecutive year that the Arundell Arms has been successful in this award – it won Bronze in last year’s competition and is looking forward to being judged alongside these huge contenders in this race to the top.

The Arundell Arms’ managing director Adam Fox-Edwards said: “I am absolutely delighted

that we have been short listed for a national award which really does reflect well on the whole team at the hotel and recognises what they do throughout the year and on a national scale.”

“To be a finalist in a national competition for the Best Business Hotel in England for the second time is a remarkable achievement for a small hotel in West Devon. To be competing as a finalist among the best and some of the largest household names in the country, is a remarkable achievement for a small family owned business,” he added.

The Visit England Awards have 79 finalists in total and, of these finalists, 16 venues have been from the South West.

Deal smarter with “little black book” An online community has been created for hospitality professionals in the form of a website that directly connects chefs with recommended suppliers and provides an opportunity to share culinary tips and relevant industry news. i-Chef.biz is a “little black book” of quality products and services and an invaluable resource for chefs and caterers at all levels looking to connect, network or share news, views and useful information. Whether searching for the freshest fish, interesting cuts of meat, exotic fruits and ingredients, seeking recommendations from respected peers or simply looking for inspiration, i-Chef.biz provides reliable, up-to-date information. The i-Chef.biz panel – a group of highly regarded industry leaders – endorses the quality www.hotelowner.co.uk

credentials of all providers and shares some of its own secrets. The panel includes Mark Hix, Giorgio Locatelli, Terry Laybourne, Mark Edwards, Duncan Palmer and Brian Mills.

It has been created by leading hospitality professionals David Dorricott and Anton Edelmann, who both recognise the importance of having access to valuable information from trustworthy sources.

David said: “There’s nothing like i-Chef. biz available for people working in our industry. What we are creating is an essential resource that saves time and money, but most importantly provides an all-encompassing platform of information that is trusted.”

To be on the inside track for the latest information from the hospitality world go to www.i-Chef.biz and join the community.

Having recently been awarded the prestigious title of ‘Best Spa in the South East’ by the Good Spa Guide for the second consecutive year, the team at SenSpa have now received international recognition in the World Luxury Spa Awards 2014.

The award aims to recognise the best hotels and spas offering world class facilities and continuous exceptional levels of service from around the globe. Voted by guests who have been lucky enough to experience the wonderful offering, the shortlisting provides a true reflection of the continually outstanding facilities available at SenSpa. Spa director at SenSpa Lina Lotto said: “Operating in such a competitive industry where the highest standards of excellence are imperative to continued success, being nominated as a finalist in an award with such international recognition as the World Luxury Spa Awards 2014 is a true testament to the dedication of all involved.”

The award-winning facilities at SenSpa include a large hydrotherapy pool, ozone swimming pool, herbal sauna, crystal steam room, ice room, experience showers, tepidarium, and laconicum all inspired by traditional Thai relaxation methods.

Hotel Owner | 7

TRADE TALK

Student hospitality management team takes top spot

A decidedly English decorative approach With a renewed emphasis on comfort and simplicity, Morgans Hotel Group will redefine its iconic London hotels; Sanderson and St Martins Lane, with the unveiling of newlyredesigned guestrooms.

Interior designer Tim Andreas of Banjo Ad Inc pays homage to the original ethos of both hotels by blurring the lines between baroque and minimalist, extravagance and simplicity.

The new rooms epitomise high-concept design while enhancing the guest experience through comfort and functionality.

Tim has a long history with Morgans Hotel Group, working on numerous projects for the company including Sky Bar at Mondrian Los Angeles and Shore Club South Beach, the Penthouse at Mondrian Los Angeles and

the renovation of the guestrooms at Delano South Beach.

He commented: “This design of Sanderson’s rooms distills a decidedly English decorative approach to modern luxury and comfort.

St Martins Lane sets a tranquil stage for a London adventure.”

Sanderson’s redesigned rooms will exude a feeling of residential comfort with custom additions like the new, built-in banquette offering an area to work, relax or dine. Tailormade additions will be seen throughout the rooms including the “Chin Chin” chair (named after Tim’s dog) in the banquette area, while custom rugs and blackout shades further elevate the room’s aesthetic, featuring Tim’s hand painted designs on each.

Aurora Hotel Collection wins further awards The Aurora Hotel Collection bagged another haul of trophies at the prestigious Scottish Hotel Awards at a ceremony at the Sheraton in Edinburgh.

The group’s flagship hotel, Airth Castle Hotel & Spa in Stirlingshire, collected the top award for ‘Spa Team of the Year’, as well as ‘Business Hotel of the Year: Central & Fife region’ and long standing general manager, Jerry Foster received recognition for his hard work with a ‘Management Gold Medal’.

The Group’s Cairn Lodge & Hotel in Auchterarder near Gleneagles also added 8 | Hotel Owner

another accolade to its growing list of awards when it picked up the prestigious ‘Boutique Hotel of the Year’ title and the Kenmore Luxury Lodges in Perthshire bagged the ‘Rising Star’ award for serviced accommodation.

Commenting on the awards, Steven McLeod, founder and chief Executive of the Aurora Hotel Collection said: “I’m so delighted that, once again, we managed to beat off stiff competition to scoop some of the country’s top industry awards and it really is testament to the hard work, commitment and enthusiasm of my team. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Hospitality management students from Bournemouth University’s School of Tourism have won the very first international ‘Passion4Hospitality Management Business Game 2014’.

In the final – held at University College Birmingham – the Bournemouth University team beat off the fierce challenge of hospitality management student teams from runnerup Lucerne-based IMI University Centre Switzerland; and joint third-placed University College Birmingham and Ipswich-based University Campus Suffolk.

In total, eight international student teams competed for the coveted Passion4HospitalityBusiness Management Game 2014 delivered by the Total Simulator Company (HOTS); and arena4finance, in partnership with the Institute of Hospitality, HOSPA (Hospitality Professionals Association for Finance, Revenue Management and IT) and CHME (Council for Hospitality Management Education).

Guests complain beds were too comfy A holiday home insurance provider based in the UK has revealed the funniest complaints made

by Britons following their stays at holiday homes in the UK and overseas, ranging from beds being too comfortable and décor being too attractive.

The complaints, as rated and released by the team at www.schofields.ltd.uk, were uncovered as part of the company’s ongoing research into guest satisfaction when visiting a holiday home.

Respondents were asked to comment on their last holiday home stay, including any complaints they may have had, and the company sifted through the feedback to uncover the funniest and more bizarre bugbears. The top complaints included beds being so comfortable that guests didn’t want to get out of them; a ski chalet located “too high” at the top of a mountain; and a well-stocked kitchen of local cheese, jam and bread that caused a guest to gain ten pounds.

Other causes for complaint were moonlight glinting on the sea and sand on the pavements of a beachhouse. www.hotelowner.co.uk

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TRADE TALK

Peter DUCKER The jobs paradox If there are large numbers of young people out of work, then why are major employees struggling to fill positions?

Peter Ducker FIH, chief executive, Institute of Hospitality, reports In a recent Financial Times article, David Fairhurst, chief people officer at McDonald’s Europe, warned that we face a future of stunted growth unless employers do more to bring marginalised groups such as young people and older workers into the labour force. Fairhurst said McDonald’s is already starting to feel the effects of what he called the ‘workforce cliff.’

“The workforce is shrinking at both ends of the spectrum,” he told the FT. “There aren’t enough young people coming into the labour market and too many older people are leaving it.” His comments coincide with a report by the European Commission that says that after 2021 the European workforce is set to shrink by about 0.5 per cent each year.

This represents a serious threat to economic recovery and in particular the labour-intensive travel and tourism sector, which is forecast to continue growing in the coming years.

This raises the question – why is McDonald’s unable to attract the necessary staff when there is high unemployment across Europe, particularly among the young? In the UK, for example, 14.2 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds are known as

10 | Hotel Owner

NEETs (not in employment, education or training). One answer may be that people, whatever their age, simply do not want to work for McDonald’s. Recruitment problems are reported by companies of all types – in London, for example, there has been an explosion of new luxury hotel openings in the last few months, requiring hundreds of new personnel and creating staff shortages for existing businesses.

So where does the problem lie? Many in

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE MUCH “ BETTER AT INJECTING NEW

AND FRESH THINKING INTO BUSINESS ACTIVITIES AND ARE THEREFORE VITAL TO PROGRESS AND THE CREATION OF ECONOMIC VALUE our industry think it lies with young people themselves because they don’t have the same work ethic as previous generations. In a survey on the Big Hospitality website, the largest number of respondents

(41 per cent) placed the blame with young people, compared to 20 per cent who thought business owners needed to be more proactive in attracting young talent and 17 per cent who thought that our education system was to blame.

The contributing factors to our skills shortages and high youth unemployment are various and complex. One factor is that vocational jobs continue to be seen as lower in status in rich economies but blaming young people is not going to help.

Some even argue that youth unemployment shouldn’t be singled out for special attention. This is wrong as young people are much better at injecting new and fresh thinking into business activities and are therefore vital to progress and the creation of economic value – they just need to be given the chance to excel. Too often it is overlooked that our industry needs not just chefs, waiters and receptionists, but a wide range of professionally-qualified personnel in areas such as general management, IT, sales and marketing, human resources, revenue management, and real estate.

Hospitality is predominantly made up of small and medium-sized enterprises, which offer local jobs for local people and contribute to the wealth of every single local authority in the UK. At the same time, there are major global companies which offer exciting opportunities across the world. Kristian Nenchev’s career illustrates the opportunities for travel and hospitality’s propensity to give young people management responsibility very early on.

His talent for mathematics and IT was recognised in his home country Bulgaria.

He studied hospitality management in the Netherlands, completed a year-long internship in Dubai and now works at Marriott’s corporate HQ in the US with responsibility for the revenue management of 12 hotels in Memphis. Still only 22 years old and the winner of an Institute of Hospitality Student award, Kristian says his talent could have taken him into any sector, but he chose the hotel sector because it offered more human interaction and a more balanced working life than becoming a pure IT programmer.

From primary-school age onwards, we need to communicate clearly the exciting benefits and huge variety of career paths that our industry offers. We need to make sure our colleges and universities are turning out graduates with the skills sets that business owners require today and we need to look to the best practice examples of economies like Germany and Singapore, where youth unemployment is low.

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TRADE TALK

Angie PETKOVIC My recently appointed hotel manager has asked for a new website which is also mobile phone friendly. I only had the website created two years ago and this seems an extravagance. What do you think?

Your hotel manager is quite right; you do need your website to be mobile friendly. Technology is moving fast and more people rely on their mobile phone as an information source, therefore it is important to ensure that you have dynamic content that responds well to mobile. However, you do not necessarily need a new website.

The first question I would ask is whether the existing website has a content management system (CMS) and do you use it to update the website regularly? I rather suspect that this is not the case and that the content is probably the same as when it was first built - so many hospitality businesses treat their website like a brochure.

The second question is do you have a relationship with the web development company and have you asked if they can upgrade it and/or adapt it to mobile? If they

can upgrade it, work out which would be cheaper; to build from scratch or pay to upgrade, then you’ll know whether a new one is more cost-effective. If the web developer isn’t around, you’ll need to find out if anyone else works with the platform, as this will dictate whether or not you can upgrade.

Looking at your address, I see you have a lot of competition in that area and a quick check on my phone revealed that quite a few of your competitors are mobile friendly, which is much easier to book with. I suggest that you view this as a sales investment and ensure that you work with a company that has done other hotel websites. Can the company give you some customers to contact for a reference and once you find the right one, you and your manager can sit down and actively plan what you want and what resource you have for maintaining it after. Good luck, I think it will be an excellent investment for the business.

Top hotels in Yorkshire to join forces for the first time

It has been announced that some of the finest hotels in Yorkshire are to join forces in a new marketing initiative to capitalise on the opportunities that the Tour de France and other events will give them this year.

The aim is to promote the best accommodation in Yorkshire to a worldwide audience and the initiative is the brainchild of York-based tourism experts John Gallery and Martin Evans. It is expected to include more than 20 4-and-5-star hotels across north, south, east and west Yorkshire in a series of holiday packages, business and conference programmes, and creative marketing campaigns.

As well as the region’s leading hotels and inns, founders John Gallery and Martin Evans have also challenged some of Yorkshire’s leading companies and associations to come forward and join the Yorkshire Hotels Collection in joint marketing initiatives later this year, which will help increase tourism to Yorkshire, and leave a lasting legacy on the region from the Tour de France.

Companies who wish to contact the collection should call Martin Evans on 01904 438100.

Win a memorable hotel make-over with P&G Professional P&G Professional is giving one lucky business the chance to transform its front of house with a £3,000 “memorable makeover.”

Fronted by celebrity interior designer and former BBC Changing Rooms presenter Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, the competition is designed to help the winning business owner make the perfect first impression on their guests.

To be in with a chance of winning this prize, businesses visit www.pgpro.co.uk/makeover and explain what one change they would make to their business if money was no obstacle. Once all entries are in, the celebrity designer will shortlist the most innovative and memorable ideas to win the £3,000 prize, while two lucky runners-up will also receive £250 cash.

Laurence will use soft furnishings from his own collection to transform the lucky winner’s front of house, while the P&G Professional 12 | Hotel Owner

cleaning and disinfecting range will provide the sparkling finish.

Jayne Clark, P&G professional sales director, UK and Ireland, commented: “P&G Professional is excited to be giving one lucky business the chance to experience a new level of clean that guests will really notice from the moment they walk through the door. Laurence is a fantastic designer and most importantly, understands the importance of making a powerful first impression.”

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen said: “The industry is full of hard working and passionate individuals, so I am delighted to be able to work with P&G Professional to help give something back to the sector. As an interior designer, I believe in the power of first impressions and this starts with your front of house. A refreshed look can have a huge impact on people’s perceptions and ensures

your guests and residents will keep coming back for more. My simple rule is never underestimate the power of a memorable first impression.”

The closing date for entries is 23 May and more details can be found at www.pgpro.co.uk/makeover.

www.hotelowner.co.uk

trade talk

NEWS IN BRIEF

What a week!

Hospitality Action will celebrate its sixth annual Hospitality Action Week from May 12 to 18. This seven-day period will see everyone from hoteliers to chefs and restaurateurs pull together to support those in serious need. Here, Penny Moore, chief executive of Hospitality Action, reveals more.

As we draw near to Hospitality Action Week – your big fundraising event of the year – what are your hopes and expectations? How do you think 2014 will compare to the week in 2013?

We are all very excited for HA Week 2014!

Since 2009 each sector of our industry has pulled together to support those in serious need and has raised in excess of £170,000 in the process. We’re hoping to engage even more supporters this year and to smash the £200,000 barrier. Hospitality is full of resourceful and imaginative people and we are anticipating lots of inventive fundraising from across the UK. What level of support do you normally receive from the hotel sector during HA Week? What were the highlights from 2013 and are you hoping that will continue in 2014?

The hotel sector has always been a great supporter of our fundraising week. Red Carnation Hotels were the first to sign up this year and we expect many others to follow suit.

Key highlights from 2013 were a fantastic staff cook-off hosted by the Chesterfield Mayfair in London and a competitive static cycle challenge between the Holiday Inn Express Winchester and Manchester. The Cavendish in London also pulled out all the stops with a range of engaging activities including an Australian-themed lunch, ice cream van sales, bake sale and pub quiz.

Many hotels also took part in our weeklong ‘At your discretion’ appeal, which encouraged restaurants to add a discretionary £1 to diners’ bills during the seven days. www.hotelowner.co.uk

ABode Hotels, Brown’s, Lime Wood Group and Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London all raised impressive sums.

To learn more about the charity and how you can help visit www.hospitalityaction.org.uk

Tennis star Andy Murray’s hotel in Dunblane has reopened to reveal a striking contemporary restaurant overseen by Albert Roux and 15 lavish bedrooms and a gate lodge named after famous Scots including poet Robert Burns, Robert the Bruce and Olympic cyclist Chris Hoy. Consultancy Inverlochy Castle Management will oversee the running of the property and the hotel will boost interest in Murray’s home town of Dunblane.

Under its Eden Hotel Collection brand, the Rigby Hotel Group has announced plans to open a waterfront hotel that will feature 50 bedrooms, a spa, private beach, dining space and terrace with sea views. The company will invest £12 million developing the Tides Reach Hotel in Devon to create the first boutique new build in the area for some years.

Staff at the Roxburghe Hotel teamed up with local businesses to raise funds for Sports Relief. From egg and spoon races and a tug-of-war to a 874-mile night and day marathon on spinning bikes, the participants showed their support for the biennial charity event that helps vulnerable people both in the UK and the world’s poorest countries.

The husband and wife couple that once said “hotels should be living things not stuffy institutions” have announced plans for an eighth hotel. Owners of Firmdale Hotels Tim and Kit Kemp have designed a hotel with an urban village feel in Soho – the Ham Yard will have 90 bedrooms and 24 residential apartments.

The writing team behind Men Behaving Badly are currently working on a new sitcom that will be set in a hotel. Simon Nye and Beryl Vertue have submitted the script for Private Parts to the BBC and are awaiting a commission. Simon commented: “Serious actors are desperate to do the comedy, so we’ve got some good people lined up.”

Not content with a string of international businesses, Richard Branson now has plans to open a hotel on the moon. The English business magnate said: “We’re looking at being the first company in the world to have a building on the moon and we thought if we’re going to try and pay for it by making it a hotel, and of course a goodlooking hotel.”

Hotel Owner | 13

FRONT OF HOUSE

Front of

house Owners of the Grove in Narberth reveal more about their luxury hotel and restaurant in Pembrokeshire and their exciting new venture on the coast

14 | Hotel Owner

www.hotelowner.co.uk

FRONT OF HOUSE

Neil Kedward admits that he and his partner Zoe got into the hotel trade “by mistake”. Looking to escape London life, they stumbled across the Grove while in Wales visiting family for the weekend.

They discovered what Neil describes as a “rather tired old house with an odd set of outbuildings situated in a small hollow on a hillside overlooking the bustling market town of Narberth and the stunning Pembrokeshire countryside.” It was at that point that the couple decided to change their plans and made an offer on the spot for this derelict residential property that was to present them with one of the biggest challenges of their lives. Neil says: “Originally, we planned to run the venue as six self-catering cottages because at the time we had no interest or ambition to run a hotel, as we knew nothing about the hospitality sector.” He continues: “The project slowly morphed into a bed and breakfast and soon after – following lots of encouragement from friends, family and guests alike – we opened a restaurant, making us a restaurant with rooms.” www.hotelowner.co.uk

Today, the Grove has become renowned as a luxurious country house hotel with one of Wales’ finest restaurants and has earned both critical acclaim and a clutch of awards including AA rosettes, Wales Tourism Awards and listings in the Michelin and Good Food Guides.

“

OUR NAIVETY AT THE TIME WAS PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST STRENGTH BECAUSE WE WERE NOT INTIMIDATED

BY THE CHALLENGE OF THE RESTORATION PROJECT For the two newcomers to the industry, it has been a baptism of fire taking on a derelict property just after the banking crisis and building the business through a recession. When they purchased the Grove in September 2007, the roof leaked, the windows were rotten and the grounds were overgrown. Neil says: “Our naivety at the time was probably our biggest strength because we were not intimidated by the challenge of the restoration project. We

couldn’t have chosen a worse time and everything seemed stacked against us.”

Neil says that trying to grow a quality, luxury hotel business in the south west of Wales has undoubtedly been a formidable challenge and the geographic location also made it difficult for the bank to accept that this could be a viable business. Thankfully, the bank continued to support the couple and the location has now become a key attraction of the property. Surrounded by manicured lawns, flower borders and mature trees, the 18th century hotel has scenic views of the Preseli Mountains and is just a short distance from the stunning Pembrokeshire National Park.

The Georgian walled garden was transformed with the help of acclaimed architect Peter Holden and garden designer Cheryl Cummings. An ever changing palette of colours brings a new vista each season, from the carpet of bluebells in the spring, and the summer house surrounded by fragrant lavender and roses, to the copperhued leaves of the beech trees in autumn.

Neil says: “The estate is a little off the beaten Hotel Owner | 15

FrOnt OF HOUSe

track and surrounded by large beech trees which makes it feel very secluded. The old house has a quirky mix of early arts and Crafts and Jacobean details, which make it quite unique. It has a real warmth which is hard to put your finger on.”

The hotel has 14 spacious bedrooms and six suites and all have been individually designed with furnishings that stay true to the original character of the house. Features such as super-king size four poster beds, Georgian fireplaces, cast-iron baths and Zoffany wallpapers are complemented by modern comforts such as underfloor heating, flat screen TVs and DVD players and walk-in showers. The hotel has also formed strong ties with local artists, galleries and antique specialists and the result is an eclectic mix of Welsh art, sculptures and furnishings. Neil describes the feel of the hotel as “easy going country traditional style with a few modern touches.”

He says that guests generally come to the hotel to relax and recharge their batteries, to enjoy the coastal walks and beaches, and for the food. as a restaurant-led hotel, the focus is very much on the modern British menu created by head chef Duncan Barham, who has earned three aa rosettes for his inventive cooking.

Neil believes that Pembrokeshire has a growing reputation for outstanding local produce and hopes this reputation will be further enhanced by the couple’s latest venture – Coast. This brand new restaurant

16 | Hotel Owner

will be led by head chef Will Holland and is located at Coppet Hall Beach near Saundersfoot, just five miles from the Grove.

Neil says: “Will is a fabulous chef and we are pleased that Pembrokeshire will have such an exceptional talent working in the county.

The Coast is in an incredible location, overlooking the beach and Carmarthen Bay in an exciting new build cedar-clad restaurant.” It will seat up to 80 diners in the spacious front terrace, 55 inside and an additional 12 diners in the small bar area. Neil adds: “Will plans to build on his previous reputation for delivering exciting food. Coast will be a restaurant that shouts simplicity delivered with plenty of imagination. Having started looking at the impressive list of local Pembrokeshire producers, Will is looking forward to creating a unique restaurant destination for the county. His lobster and line-caught sea bass will be landed just 500 yards from Saundersfoot Harbour.”

The decision to branch out in a new direction has been made possible by the strong management team that Neil and Zoe have around them. Many of the employees are also new to the hospitality sector and have come from the local area. Neil explains: “Whether it’s in the

kitchen, front of house and now even in the management team, you will find local staff who have been trained and grown with the business. They are proud of what we are achieving in Pembrokeshire and hopefully excited about the future with us because we have so much yet to do.”

“

WHETHER IT’S IN THE KITCHEN, FRONT OF HOUSE AND NOW EVEN IN THE MANAGEMENT TEAM, YOU WILL FIND LOCAL STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED AND GROWN WITHIN THE BUSINESS Looking back on their bold decision to enter an area of business they knew nothing about, neither Neil nor Zoe has any regrets.

He concludes: “We had no ambitions to want to run a hotel for lots of reasons but now we are in it, we feel it’s a hugely challenging, dynamic and exciting sector of industry to work in.”

www.hotelowner.co.uk

LAUnCH PAd

Innovative products and services for the hospitality sector

With the British hospitality industry gearing up for its new summer season, Sealy will launch what it describes as a revolutionary new bed into the contract market that is completely different from anything else currently available. Sealy is known for its supportive and comfortable beds, not just for consumers but also as a specialist provider of beds and mattresses for the hospitality industry. The company has supplied the Cunard and P&O fleet and the Savoy in London, through to the smallest country village B&B. all Sealy Contract beds are guaranteed Crib 5 compliant and treated with BugShield to kill bed bugs.

Company contracts sales director Graham Carberry said: “Sealy are on a mission to help everyone in Britain become a deeper sleeper whether they are in their own bed, on holiday, a business trip or travelling for any reason.

The company has always prided itself with leading from the front in terms of developing the latest in bed technology and our new bed is simply out of this world – so if Sealy can do our bit for the British tourism industry by offering a great service to visitors to the Uk, it’s a win-win situation for hoteliers, the economy and everyone.”

Information: www.sealy.co.uk

a new online system aimed at making it easier to find venues for conferences and meetings has gone live and is inviting suppliers in the Uk to list their venues in anticipation of the full launch.

Created by the team behind The Event Wall, wefindvenues.com aims to make enquiring and booking a venue in the Uk a quicker and easier process, by using upto-date technology with a personal touch.

Clients enquiring on the site can expect a range of useful, relevant proposals from

matching venues sometimes within minutes.

Clients can reject, confirm, or enquire further about proposals directly from within their account. Venues can make proposals quickly and easily, and correspond directly with clients to take bookings online.

CTO Ralph king said: “This new system has been developed to enhance the venue’s experience, as well as that of the client.

We appreciate that online RFP tools have previously had issues with filtering suitable venues, lengthy proposal forms and a lack of feedback. Our system is designed to mitigate these problems through improved tech and a proactive customer service team” COO Paul Moynihan added: “We’ve been delighted with the response from venues so far, with over 300 signing up in a matter of weeks including a number of chains, such as accor, the Dorchester Collection and De Vere Venues.”

Venues wishing to register can do so for free at wefindvenues.com

18 | Hotel Owner

a new range of luxury bathroom essentials and washroom products has launched across the Uk. Pasture naturals offers a four-strong product collection to the market, which the company says is a first of its kind, made using naturally sourced plant extracts and essences used in ancient medicines. The range is completely paraben-free and the pump doses at 0.5 millilitres, compared to the industry standard of one millilitre,delivering twice the usage – and half the waste – without compromising on quality. The four products, all rich in vitamins and natural essences, include Neem Tree Handwash; Indian Mulberry Hand Lotion; Olive kernel Hairwash; and Chinese Ginger Bath & Shower Gel. The ingredients include high concentrations of plant, root and fruit extracts, such as margosa, Chinese ginger, olive kernel and Indian, which have a range of beneficial effects such as anti-bacterial and antiinflammatory properties.

Information: www.pasturenaturals.com The importance of hand washing is well documented throughout almost all industries; however where food preparation and consumption are concerned, effective hand washing is vital. The new Burco Commercial Mobile Handwash, allows caterers to provide comprehensive hand hygiene on a mobile and flexible basis. It is designed to be self-contained, requiring no mains water supply, just an electricity source, optimising its use for festivals, temporary events or exhibitions.

Operators simply fill the well with clean, cold water, before plugging in to the electricity point and leaving to heat up. The water is then maintained at a temperature of 42°C for continued user safety and comfort. It contains enough water for over 85 handwashes and with the addition of large, heavy duty wheels, the appliance is easy to transport.

Information: 0844 815 3742 or www.gdpacatering.com

www.hotelowner.co.uk

It happens.

www.karcher.co.uk

LAUnCH PAd

Leading hotels the world over rely on Kärcher to ensure cleanliness is the all-important first impression for their guests. Both front and back of house, indoors and out, hotels have a complex array of cleaning needs. Matching these needs, kärcher’s range includes discrete but thorough cleaning machines for car parks, foyers, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, bars and restaurants, gym and leisure facilities, whether for routine maintenance, deep cleans, quick touch ups or a rapid response to accidental spills. Scrubber Driers such as the award-winning new BR 35/12 C amply address the challenges of the hospitality arena by providing new levels of productivity and convenience. The company says: “It introduces

Recent official figures confirmed that the uptake of full electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles increased by 63.8 per cent year-onyear during March 2013, with a total number of new EV registrations reaching 8,713 for the month of March alone. Bianca alsop, rolec eV’s corporate business development manager, commented “While early demand for EV’s started slowly, the recent introduction by many of the world’s leading motor manufacturers of new competitively priced models, with extended battery range, has resulted in a huge demand, which in many cases, has exceeded expectations and manufacturing capability.”

20 | Hotel Owner

an entirely new steering concept kaRT (kärcher advanced Response Technology) to achieve outstanding manoeuvrability and intuitive control. a rechargeable lithium ion battery keeps it lightweight and its agility makes it perfect for use in narrow or awkward spaces such as among furniture or kitchen equipment.

In eco!efficiency mode, water and power consumption is reduced, as is the noise level of the machine, making it ideal for daytime cleaning. also featuring eco!efficiency, the company also offers the new, high-capacity T 17/1, a17 litre machine designed specifically to provide optimum suction performance despite using only a 750W motor. The result is a machine that is extremely quiet (only 56

dB(a)), uses 40 per cent less energy than a standard 1250W tub vac and yet offers excellent cleaning performance for daily use. Finally, the EB 30/1 electric broom is ideal for daytime use, quickly, quietly and easily picking up loose dirt from hard and carpeted floors. To find out more about how kärcher can make a difference to your business, call 01295 752142 or go to www.karcher.co.uk

Rolec EV has invested heavily in the design and manufacture of Europe’s largest range of Electric Vehicle Charging Points, ranging from a simple domestic HomeCharge Unit through to the Uk’s first Bank Secure, Chip, Pin and Contactless public charging station. Having manufactured, supplied and installed over 8,000 charging points throughout the Uk, many of which have been installed into the car parks of some of the country’s leading hotel chains, Rolec EV is well placed to deliver an EV charging solution to suit every budget and application.”

Information: 01205 724 754 or rolec@rolecserv.co.uk

Filmbank, a leading supplier of premiere films to hotels, has trialled a ‘pop up’ cinema concept across five Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, part of the InterContinental Hotels Group.

Complimentary screenings of The Lego Movie and Hop, an animated film about the Easter Bunny, were made available to young audiences checking in to Holiday Inn Guildford, Holiday Inn Southampton, Holiday Inn Fareham, Holiday Inn Maidenhead and Holiday Inn London Heathrow during the Easter weekend break.

Majella Griffin, Filmbank’s general manager said: “This is the first time we’ve worked with a hotel group to deliver a ‘pop up’ cinema. Showing movies at the weekend is a great way for hotels to use meeting or conference room space and can help to increase sales of food & beverage.” adrian White, director of partnerships, IHG says: “at Holiday Inn we are always looking for new products that appeal to our guests travelling with their families. The Lego Movie is this year’s must-see movie for kids and adults alike. We’re excited about this trial and if successful, you could see Holiday Inn ‘pop up’ cinemas in more of our hotels.”

a BMW-backed website which allows drivers to book parking online, is working with hotels across the Uk to help them make money from their unused parking spaces. among its 25,000 partners, ParkatmyHouse. com counts dozens of hotel groups, regional chains, and independents and many earn £5,000 a year per parking space, while some central London hotels are making £75,000 annually from their spaces. Through the ParkatmyHouse.com booking platform, a hotel can rent out its parking spaces, while ensuring there is always room for guests. The easy online management tool allows the front office to adjust parking availability in real time and manage the cars parked on any given

day. Hotels typically adjust the number of spaces they rent based on their occupancy rates, with additional places becoming available at quieter times and fewer when hotels are busy. This allows hotels to maximise the revenue generated from their parking spaces, while ensuring that there is sufficient parking for guests. With thousands of underused hotel car parks in high demand locations, the growth opportunities promised by these collaborations are vast. anthony Eskinazi, founder of the company, says, “a hotel’s first priority is its guests. But if there are even a few empty parking spaces at quiet times, it’s money down the drain not to rent these out.” www.hotelowner.co.uk

It happened?

From muddy footprints in your foyer to drink spills in your bedrooms or food splatters in your restaurant; accidents are inevitable. And when unsightly mess is created, it’s important that you respond quickly to prevent staining and preserve the appearance of your hotel. Kärcher’s range of professional cleaning machines includes scrubbers driers, vacuum and carpet cleaners, sweepers, steam cleaners and pressure washers, to help you clean up after an accident – whenever and wherever it happens..

For more information on how Kärcher can make a difference, call 01295 752 142, email cleaning@karcher.co.uk or visit www.karcher.co.uk

www.karcher.co.uk

TREND TALK

Trend talk

At the cutting Edge

Ideas from the design sector to inspire

Brilliant backdrop for spa serenity space A Lancashire health club has added the finishing touch to its spa’s Serenity Room after fireplace design experts Brilliant Fires came up with a bespoke backdrop.

Last year, Crow Wood Fitness and Leisure Club in Burnley began redeveloping and expanding its Woodland Spa facility as part of a £4.5 million investment. However, when it came to sourcing a suitable backdrop for the spa’s Serenity Room, they struggled to find a solution that would complement the tranquil atmosphere of the room.

Lancashire-based Brilliant Fires designed an electric fire effect to run along the Serenity Room’s pool with a gentle flame effect and white, translucent pebbles to allow a subtle light to emanate across the low-lit room.

Managing director Jim Wright said: “The challenge for us was to create an electric fire in a water-based environment that provided the desired flame effect yet was safe and cool to the touch. The end result suits the space perfectly.”

For more information go to www.brilliantfires.co.uk

Bathroom retailer sells to hospitality sector sanitary fittings and custom sized shower curtains. In contrast to household bathrooms, products used in commercial premises must be capable of withstanding substantially higher levels of sustained use and wear.

Products may be ordered online seven days per week or via the sales team who can be contacted by telephone during normal business hours on 01923 268849. For more information go to www.ziggiziggi.com

Leading Hertfordshire based online bathroom retailer Ziggiziggi has established a dedicated division for the supply of bathroom and shower fittings specifically for the hotel, restaurant and architect specification markets.

The company is committed to providing customers with a complete range of hotelier fittings including rust-free accessories, 22 | Hotel Owner

With a synthesis of mould-breaking contemporary design, advanced materials technology and the latest mid-power LEDs, Astro has created The Edge, a striking sculptural form with a halo of light.

Its pure white panels appear to float on nothing but a mesmerising glow and clean, contemporary lines characterise a design, which is imposing in its effect yet disarming in its simplicity. Conceived to suffuse light into darkness through the subtle interplay of brightness and shadow, The Edge will enhance lighting schemes for domestic or contract interiors.

The Edge owes its form to the use of the latest in mid-power LED technology.

Relatively new on the market, mid-power LEDs provide a very good light output ratio but require minimal heatsinking. This allows the use of a lighter, more delicate structure.

The Edge is formed from layers of laser-cut acrylic, with an etched finish to the edges through which the light from the body of the product diffuses. Interleaved between the acrylic panels, layers of white painted metal enhance the effect of radiance.

The Edge uses a 12.5w array of mid-power LEDs and is available with a range of drivers including DALI, phase or 1-10v dimming. It can be mounted horizontally or vertically. www.astrolighting.co.uk www.hotelowner.co.uk

We have over 25 years of specialist experience in the manufacture and supply of high quality contract beds and furnishings to the hotel, leisure, local authority, care and educational institutions.

• NO MINIMUM ORDER • FREE DELIVERY • QUICK DELIVERY • CONFORMS TO FIRE REGULATIONS • IHG SPECIFICATION • MATTRESS ONLY OR FULL BED

Marl Road, Knowsley Industrial Park, Merseyside L33 7UH

Tel: 0800 917 6518 www.bedfactorycontracts.co.uk

QUALITY TOWELS, ALWAYS FLUFFY & CLEAN NO CAPITAL EXPENDITURE – START SAVING MONEY TODAY ENHANCE YOUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE INCREASE YOUR PROFIT

ADD A TOUCH OF LUXURY SAVE 30% Towels hard and rough to touch? Discoloured and turning grey? Struggling to keep them smelling fresh?

A Girbau Fluffy Towel Laundry gives you high quality, fluffy, absorbent and fresh smelling towels time after time.

Lower energy bills and reduced carbon emissions. Complete Laundry Care rental and rapid-response service and maintenance.

CONTACT US TODAY FOR DETAILS OF A FLUFFY TOWEL LAUNDRY PACKAGE FOR YOU.

01462 427780 sales@girbau.co.uk www.completelaundrycare.co.uk

TREND TALK

Holiday Inn reveals its vision of the hotel room of the future

Holiday Inn London Heathrow has invested in cutting-edge new look guest bedrooms.

One of Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG)’s Company Managed Hotels, it has undergone a complete refurbishment of 280 of its rooms, designed to suit the needs of the modern business traveller. The refurbishment reflects pioneering design based on industry insight, leading trends, technology and guest feedback.

Five concept rooms were originally refurbished and opened up to customer feedback, with the best elements of each room then being integrated into the final design, offering guests a state-of-the-art experience with bright and more spacious rooms.

Combining functionality with

contemporary style, the double standard bedrooms have had a full revamp, including new furniture, leather club chairs and completely new bathrooms.

The rooms also boast 32-inch HD TVs and modern work spaces.

Holiday Inn London Heathrow’s general manager Lissy Thornquist said: “With the hotel industry constantly developing, we want to make sure our guests receive the highest quality. We’ve recently invested in our meetings and events facilities and welcome a lot of business travellers from around the world. We’re always looking for ways to surpass expectations, make stays memorable and offer comfortable resolutions to busy lifestyles.”

Shower screen design made simple by Roman’s new bespoke service Leading UK shower manufacturer and designer, Roman, has launched two impressive new Bespoke Guides.

The Showroom Bespoke Service and the Decem Bespoke Service have been created to transform the company’s comprehensive range of shower enclosures to suit your specification requirements. The Showroom Bespoke Service and the Decem Bespoke Service are presented in guides, which can be easily downloaded from the ‘Downloads and Guides’ section on the Roman website.

The Showroom Bespoke Service provides the specifier with various design options for shower enclosures, such as reduced height and reduced width. The company can also design the enclosure with the glass cut at an angle and shaped or created with frosted glass.

Their Decem Bespoke Guide includes the latest Decem range of minimalistic enclosures which have been created with bespoke design flexibility in mind. All products from 24 | Hotel Owner

the Decem range can be created to suit your particular specifications, whether you are looking for an increased over-height product up to 2.7 metres, through to reduced height products. Frosted glass and the glass cut at an angle is also available to design your tailor made Shower Enclosure and there is a choice of curved or square hardware options, along with an optional bracing arm system.

David Osborne, Roman’s managing director, says: “We have found that there is an increasing demand from customers in the UK looking to create something completely bespoke. We decided to make the process of requesting quotes and ordering these bespoke products as straight forward for our customers as possible. This unique service provides a rapid turnaround of 10 millimetres bespoke products - from the date ordered it will take between seven to 10 days to be manufactured and delivered.”

For more information go to www.roman-showers.com www.hotelowner.co.uk

INSPIRING IDEAS

An elegant and

classical interpretation

with a modern twist Suna Interior Design was commissioned to completely redesign an apartment for boutique hotel Flemings Mayfair that encompassed everything from the interior fittings, bathrooms and kitchens to the fabrics and soft furnishings and here we look at the stunning result

T

he brief was to completely redesign the apartment, keeping in mind that guests will most probably be staying for longer periods of time. The design continues on from the themes of the rooms in the hotel, but is a far more elegant and classical interpretation. Rebecca Tucker, designer and co-director at Suna Interior Design, said: “We moved walls and doorways to make rooms work better, improved the bathroom – it was a complete redesign. We re-specified the kitchen and flooring, in fact everything down to the door handles, light switches, covings – it all has had our input.”

The interior design scheme drew inspiration from the locality, with Green Park being a main point of reference. The colour palette of the design reflects this, with soft greens and blues and abundant references to the varied ornithological selection of wildlife that flutter among the branches of the ancient, nearby trees. t As guests enter the apartment, away from the bustle of the city and sirens of the 26 | Hotel Owner

streets, they step into a world of tranquillity where the birds branch over to twitter their tales and luxury tends to their every need.

The upper half of the captivating entrance hall is lined with an attractive wallpaper by Cole & Son, while the lower half of the walls are lined with a blue-grey-silver wallpaper, cleverly creating an internal/external play and reiterating the park theme. The entrance hall is opulently furnished with a stylish silver www.hotelowner.co.uk

INSPIRING IDEAS

A large flat screen TV is framed and hangs above the ornate detailed white mantlepiece. The remaining furniture in this room comprises a selection of dark wood and glass surfaces, creating a sleek and stylish design effect. An oval dark wood and glass topped dining table sits at one of the windows, comfortably seating four. The coffee table, made from dark wood with a glass top, houses two ottomans in the same fabric with the same white piping finish as the sofas, maximising seating and storage space at the same time. For those guests who need to answer an email, a dark wood and glass-topped writing desk sits against the inspirational feature wall, furnished with an anglepoise lamp. q

Pelmetted velvet curtains fall from the high ceilings, adding warmth and opulence to the room, finished off by regal white roped tie-backs. q

chest, a large circular metallic mirror and an oversized lantern light.

The calm and sophisticated living room radiates serenity, greeting guests as they enter with a rich colour palette of green-greys and refreshing touches of white. The oversized, plush deep grey velvety sofas are accented with white piping. At the centre of each sofa sits a bespoke Flemings Mayfair cushion, further emphasising the subtle Flemings www.hotelowner.co.uk

Mayfair branding. The bespoke wallpaper features a floral scene with butterflies – creating a spring theme in the room. This feature wall is reflected in the mirrored enclaves that house matching chests of drawers and stylish horn lamps. The wallpaper lining the remainder of the walls in the room is a subtle teal-green. The contemporary ceiling light adds to the distinguishing and unique design in this room.

The master bedroom is rich and warm with a tartan green-grey and teal colour palette.

A velvety textured cloud wallpaper lines the wall behind the bespoke velvet punch button headboard. A linear dusty teal-green with textured subtle white lines paper covers the remainder of the walls in the room, focusing the eye towards the feature in the room – the bed. Two teardrop chandeliers hang from the Hotel Owner | 27

INSPIRING IDEAS

ceiling adding to the opulence of the room and quirky bedside lamps with turquoise cabling flank the bed in this boutique hotel room. p Continuing to build the Flemings Mayfair brand, bespoke-made cushions feature bespoke Flemings Mayfair labels. The heavy curtains in the master bedroom are warm and comprise a palette of teal green and gold with a very subtle teal stripe running through. q

bespoke cabinetry to create a sophisticated and clean design. q

The en-suite bathroom is furnished with a stylish Hans Grohe large rounded showerhead, an under-mounted Duravit Foster basin and a Crosswater Kai lever wall mounted basin tap, large format tiles and 28 | Hotel Owner

www.hotelowner.co.uk

INSPIRING IDEAS

p The parquet style flooring in the hall is created using Amtico, a practical alternative to high maintenance wood flooring, while the bedrooms and living areas have softer, carpeted areas. The detail on the door knobs adds to the sense of elegance and opulence with a beautiful ridge detail and the brushed metallic toggle light switches complete the classical contemporary design.q

Continuing with the theme of nature, the second bedroom features an ornate horticultural scene of birds and butterflies frolicking on golden branches. This wallpaper is delicate and intricate comprising a palette of baby blue, green, teal and lemon yellow with gold. The large bed is headed with a bespoke button detailed tweed textured headboard. Dressing the bed are further bespoke Flemings Mayfair branded cushions, continuing the subtle branding through the apartment. The bed is flanked by the two ‘tree-styled’ bedside lights.

The colour palette in this room comprises teal, dusty greens, yellows and gold. The walls in the remainder of the room are lined with linear pastel teal with white detail wallpaper. p t A stylish and contemporary mirrored dressing table with a French ornate chair provides the ideal dressing space, and pairs with the mirrored bedside tables. The opulence in this room is further enhanced through bespoke luxurious velvet curtains which fall from the high volume ceilings, and a contemporary glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling. www.hotelowner.co.uk

Rebecca concludes: “Ultimately we wanted to maximise what could be achieved within the space. In the master bedroom we took some of the bathroom and gave it to the bedroom, while introducing a cloakroom.

Optimising the apartment by moving doorways – big structural changes, but all ones which improved the design.” This bespoke apartment reflects the unique design that Suna Interior Design created – a classical affair in a contemporary world.

Hotel Owner | 29

LINEN AND LAUNDRY

Coming out in the

Key commodities in the hospitality sector, linen and laundry represent a substantial cost each year and here we look at some of the companies offering cost saving solutions Armstrong Commercial Laundry Systems advises that as a hotelier, owning and operating your own laundry can give you numerous benefits whether you go the whole way and install a full on-premises laundry with washers, dryers and ironers to handle all the linen from the hotel, or keep it simple and only wash towels on site.

Towels tend to be large, bulky and heavy and, in many cases, are changed more frequently than bed linen, so being able to wash and dry them quickly on site eliminates expensive transport costs. Towel quality can be particularly important and noticeable to guests – soft, fluffy towels definitely contribute to a luxury image.

Laundering towels on site means that you can keep a close eye on them and replace them as soon as they no longer reflect the image you wish to maintain.

If you decide to go for a full on-premises laundry, you gain complete control over the processing of the linen and you take fewer risks with the service your guests expect – you are not reliant on an outside company’s workload, a vehicle breaking down, or being unable to reach you because of bad weather.

You control the standard of the finished

30 | Hotel Owner

linen to reflect the standard of your hotel, and the linen remains yours and can be replaced when you think it needs it.

At Armstrong, the company offers a range of finance options including leasing and the increasingly popular fixed price rental. The company also has a unique mix of directly employed service engineers and an approved network of dealers covering the whole of the UK and Ireland to ensure laundry equipment disruptions in the event of breakdowns are minimised.

The 4-star Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott Hotel has an extensive fitness and leisure club comprising indoor and outdoor swimming pools, gym, sauna, solarium, tennis courts and a spa offering a variety of beauty treatments. Up until 2012, all the towels from the leisure club were sent out for washing, but then it was decided to bring the service back in house to ensure better control and quality. The hotel’s main laundry was already operating at full capacity, so the hotel went out to tender for some additional equipment to handle the leisure club laundry.

An order was placed with Armstrong who supplied a 22 kilogramme washer extractor

and a 25 kilogramme tumble dryer which were fitted into the hotel’s main laundry.

Assistant chief engineer at the hotel Andy Barnes commented: “The club is open from 6.00 am to 10.30 pm and is very busy, so that generates a lot of towels. The leisure club staff bring the towels over to the laundry at intervals throughout the day, and the machines are operated by our regular laundry staff.”

Girbau UK has established a dedicated Hotel Laundry Design and Advice Service to assist hoteliers with how best to establish and run their own in-house laundry. The move comes at a time when hotels are increasingly questioning the quality and economic benefits of linen hire. Managing director of Girbau UK Peter Marsh says: “Investing in an on premise laundry offers hotels much greater control over the quality and supply of the fresh linens required every day. Our new on premise Hotel Laundry Design and Advice Service will help hoteliers to make the best choices to achieve

www.hotelowner.co.uk

LINEN AND LAUNDRY

cost savings of 30 per cent or more, while wresting back quality control.”

Girbau UK recently recruited a team of laundry professionals with hospitalityspecific experience to run the new advisory service for hoteliers and the company has also expanded its team of regional OPL laundry consultants. Together, the team has many years’ experience in laundry equipment and will be helping hotels, spas and leisure enterprises to choose high productivity, energy efficient washers, dryers and ironers, while also advising on running costs and Girbau UK’s all-inclusive Complete Laundry Care service.

Miele Professional says that having an on premise laundry can be a key way for hotel staff to oversee the laundry process and ensure it is completed to the highest standard. Quality is crucial and customers often measure hotels and guesthouses by how soft the towels are and the cleanliness of the linen. Many hotels are limited on space and, as such, may not feel that they have the space required to accommodate an in-house laundry; however, bringing laundries in-house can make a huge difference to costs. In response to this, Miele Professional’s Little Giants and the washer-dryer PWT 6089 are machines that offer highperformance laundry on the smallest of footprints.

The PWT 6089 is a stackable unit that stands less than two meters tall and has a 1m2 footprint. The company adds: “If the machines were in use every day with cycles running continuously, it would take just one hour a day to load and unload.”

The machines easily fit through a standard www.hotelowner.co.uk

doorway, making them easy to install in the most challenging of spaces.

Miele’s PT 8257 WP heat pump has a drum volume of 250 and a load capacity of between 10 and 13 kilogrammes of laundry and the company says this model excels in terms of short cycle times: 10 kilogrammes of laundry is completely dried in only 44 minutes (reduction in residual moisture level from 50 per cent to 0 per cent). The high volume, fast rotation demands of this industry are perfectly accommodated through the heat pump machine.

Miele Professional’s ethos is ‘Forever Better’ and all products have a proven life of at least 20 years and the company is constantly innovating and developing its range. At the end of 2012, the company launched its new commercial tumble dryers, called H2O dryers, which are heated using only hot water. This water can come from a variety of sources – for example from solar-thermal energy, district heating, an on-premise co-generation plant or residual heat from a laundry. The hot water is used to heat process air in a heat exchanger in a H2O dryer with programmes specially designed to take gentle care of laundry at lower air temperatures. This new type of heating is available on tumble dryers with various load capacities, ranging from 325l to 800l models for 10 kilogrammes to 32 kilogrammes of laundry. All models also feature Miele’s patented honeycomb drum. The Hotel Holtje in Germany is already effectively using this process. Since 1998, the laundry has relied exclusively on Miele technology and currently uses two washer-extractors with load capacities of 14 and 7.5 kilogrammes and a new flatwork ironer. For senior boss Anolda Glander, there is no alternative to an on-premise laundry: ‘We tried outsourcing years ago, but were continually beset by mixups and plagued by laundry damage. Besides

that, turnaround times were simply too long.

Today, guests value being able to hand in their own personal laundry and getting it back within 12 hours.”

Michael Williams, segment manager for the laundry division of Electrolux Professional believes that the hospitality sector can make dramatic financial savings by investing in an on premises laundry.

He says: “OPLs represent new business opportunities as the costs of outsourcing are removed, so items such as bed linen and uniforms can be processed in house and additionally, hotel owners can also profit from valet laundries and cleaning guest’s clothes. As items are no longer taken away from the hotel premises, the chance of items becoming lost in the laundry process is significantly reduced and accountability is increased which represent significant gains for hotel owners and managers.”

Many hotels currently outsource laundry to dry cleaning facilities and this is historically the most well-known form of commercial cleaning equipment. As a consequence for a hotel owner, the thought of investing in an OPL can be intimidating as dry cleaning can be a lengthy, complicated and hazardous procedure. However this no longer needs to be the case as alternative OPL solutions are now available, that don’t need any environmental permits to start-up.

Michael adds: “Hotels can now look towards wet-cleaning for a profitable and safe, long-term business investment that removes harsh chemicals from the cleaning process and produces outstanding wash results time after time.”

Laundry is an ongoing feature of the hospitality setting. As clothes are cleaned, new washing comes in and commercial laundry managers need to invest in a long-term sustainable business. Old technology dry cleaning procedures lead to the inevitable use of petroleum cleaning solvents which are harmful if not used properly. Additionally, biodegradation is an issue that can occur during dry-cleaning, Hotel Owner | 31

LINEN AND LAUNDRY

as bacteria entered into the system through clothing often produces sour smells and, to counteract this, bactericides and antioxidants are added.

He continues: “The initial base of chemicals is often accompanied by detergent, optical brighteners, bactericides, fabric conditioners, pre-cleaning/spotting agents and anti-stint agents which amount to create a complicated and hazardous procedure. So, although more recently the dry cleaning industry has tried to take a step away from perchloroethylene and towards more sustainable solvents, with use of copious amounts of chemicals, it is still a long way from achieving environmental sustainability.

The Electrolux Professional wet-cleaning system combines natural elements, such as water and biodegradable detergents, to produce a safe and efficient wash that is fully compliant with the international environmental standards EC 91/155.

The company says it’s the first and only professional wet-cleaning system approved by the Woolmark Company. Dedicated programs assure superior cleaning results for the most delicate garments, even those that are labelled “dry clean only”. Specific programs can also be individually designed to clean items such as wedding dresses or leather garments, without leaving hazardous chemicals behind.

Michael concludes: “Clothing can be a sensitive subject and when it leaves a guest’s sight, hotel owners need to be sure that it comes back in the same shape, and looking sharper than when they requested for it to be cleaned. Often, I find that if people knew the chemical transactions that were going to be carried out on their garments, they may think twice before entering it into the dry cleaning process. With that said, as awareness of wet-cleaning grows, it should be a key area of investment for the hospitality sector.”

For some hoteliers the prospect of managing vast quantities of linen can prove daunting and this together with the cost and continued maintenance of the equipment; associated staff and water costs; and the practicalities of allocating space for an on premise facility can mean that a laundry and linen supply service is the more convenient option.

Johnson’s Stalbridge Linen Services has taken 32 | Hotel Owner

what it calls a fresh approach to linen hire.

It offers a high quality range of bed linen, towels, table linen and chef’s wear and unlike other companies offers its “no contract” policy.

The company will not tie its customers into a contract but rather relies on its quality service and reputation to ensure customers remain with the company on a long term basis. It offers quality assured stock, the flexibility to

increase and decrease stock levels and free exchange of garments. Recently, the company acquired Bourne Services Group, a hotel linen provider based in Lincolnshire whose operations are focused on the hotel linen rental market supplying some 350 hotels. With the provision of linen a growing part of the textile services market, this partnership will strengthen Johnsons’s position in the industry.

Top quality towels from BC Softwear Barbara Cooke is the managing director and founder of BC Softwear Ltd which was started in 2002. Since this time the company has built a reputation for its expertise in supplying towels, bathrobes and slippers to the UK’s finest boutique and luxury 5-star hotels.

Barbara emphasises how towels and bathrobes are undoubtedly one of the key commodities for hoteliers who are aiming to deliver a high level of comfort and luxury to their guests. She says: “Many guests may use the bathroom and shower facilities of a guest bedroom on arrival and so the touch of a soft and fluffy towel on their skin may be their first and lasting sensory experience of the hotel.” BC Softwear is renowned for providing towels and bathrobes that have been specially designed for a commercial environment and for high laundry usage. The company entirely focuses on bath linen and is an expert in this field and has invested heavily in research and development to improve its towels ensuring they will outlast any other towelling product of comparable thickness in the market. Barbara continues: “It is the unique weave, the specialised dying process and the towel structure of BC Softwear towels that makes them so long lasting.”

She feels that it is a common error is to assume that a non-commercial towelling product will suffice for a boutique hotel and on first glance the look may be similar. After a few washes, however, the differences will become very apparent. A non-commercial towel will start to harden and the weave will become more dense and tight. The header bar may start to pucker making the towel look untidy. BC Softwear use mercerised cotton in all the header bars that means the cotton has been pre-shrunk to retain its smooth shape wash after wash. The company regularly offers advice to hotels on the decisions for their laundry processes and has a range of 100 per cent pure Egyptian cotton white and colourfast coloured towelling products that are mainstay of many laundries stock.

Supplier listing Armstrong Commercial Laundry Systems: 01635 263 410 or www.armstrong-laundry.co.uk BC Softwear: 045 210 4000 or www.bcsoftwear.co.uk Electrolux Professional: 844 375 3444 or www.electrolux-professional.co.uk Girbau UK: 01462 427 780 or www.girbau.co.uk Johnson’s Stalbridge Linen Services: 0800 093 9933 or www.stalbridge-linen.com Miele Professional: 0845 365 6636 or www.miele-professional.co.uk

www.hotelowner.co.uk

Electrolux Professional Food Service and Laundry Solutions

Calling all hotel, restaurant and catering professionals

You’re Invited to the Electrolux Open Day at Middlethorpe Hall Food Services

The First, and currently Only, HACCP International CertiďŹ ed Laundry Manufacturer

Location

Middlethorpe Hall -

30 th

May

Find out why Middlethore Hall chose Electrolux and how, by bringing their laundry in-house, it has made a real difference to customers and the management of the Hotel. There will also be an informative presentation

by HACCP and the opportunity to see the laundry facilities up close.

Lunch will be provided by award winning head chef Nicholas Evans.

Laundry Solutions

Date

To find out more about this event and unique opportunity or

Bishopthorpe Road, York, YO23 2GB

to reserve your place, contact the sales office on 08444 631 271

www.middlethorpe.com

or email epr.info@electrolux.co.uk

FURNITURE

Classic contemporary meets

Some key trends emerged at the recent Milan Furniture Fair from a fascination with metallics to the prevalence of the colour blue

A

centre for innovation and ideas, the Milan Furniture Fair stretches over 230,000 square metres attracting some of the most dynamic companies in the furniture sector. The largest trade show of its kind, the show provides an important insight into the hot trends for the coming year.

One of the key buzzwords is metallics with copper, bronze and pewter shining out at the Milan show venue. Copper and brass were used on tables, as wall cladding or on accessories such as vases and lampshades.

Brushed gold work and striking silver on furniture pieces can also 34 | Hotel Owner

make them the focal point of the room.

Pretty pastels were very much the trend for upholstery and one colour that seemed to dominate this year’s show was blue from hues of cobalt and peacock blue, to cooler aqua and turquoise shades.

Wooden furniture remains a timeless trend and this year sees an emphasis on recycled timber and a fashion for staining to allow the grain of the wood to show through.

Antique or vintage furniture also continues to be popular and will give your hotel a highly

individual look. A vintage chair or table can also be mixed with more modern materials such as acrylic or aluminium to create an eclectic look.

The heavy fabrics of last year such as velvet and chenille have given way to drapings of corduroy as this durable textile enjoys a revival.

Cubbins has introduced a new range of luxury interior accessories for bathrooms, bedrooms and public areas of hotels. All of the products are available in a choice of

www.hotelowner.co.uk

FURNITURE

wood finish including iroko, sapelle, wenge, walnut, pine and oak or can be painted to match a client’s colour scheme. Products in the range include tissue box covers, waste paper bins, laundry bins and amenities trays.

Cubbins owner Emma Middleton says: “Since the launch of our new range and website, we have been working non-stop on projects both large and small, from a small boutique hotel in London to a chain of hotels in the Caribbean.” Accessories covered in clients own fabrics are proving a hit with interior designers, while the larger 5-star luxury hotels are preferring to design their own range of wooden accessories, complete with their own branding.

Information: studio1@cubbins.co.uk or www.cubbins.co.uk

Meeting the growing demand for custom made furniture Louis Henri Buhrmann furniture designs express originality, imagination and his devotion to high quality bespoke craftsmanship. Most of the furniture is custom made to his own specifications and he has recently launched a collection of furniture, lighting and carpets. He says he has chosen pieces that have universal appeal and each item has a distinctive character with undertones of humour and occasional eccentricity as seen in the Gazelle Desk, the Herd of Tables, the Pelican Floor Lamp and the extraordinary Shongololo (or Millipede) – all taking their inspiration from Africa.

Information: interiors@louishenri.com or www.louishenri.com

UK furniture manufacturer Forbes Group worked closely with managers from the conference and banqueting sector in the creation of its Alu-Lite folding table. As a result, practicality, durability, storage constraints, and health and safety issues have all been incorporated in the new design. The resulting Alu-Lite range weighs less than half a standard banqueting table, so conforms to the recommended EU guidelines for lifting weights within the work place. Its 100 per cent aluminium frame can also be recovered and recycled to minimise waste and impact on the environment. The range has been used in the Marriott Hotel Rome where 1,700 are in use; the Shangri-La in London; Thistle Hotels; and it has even proved robust enough to be the choice of the US Air Force in Afghanistan, of NATO, and the Paris-Dakar rally. Despite these rugged credentials, when combined with Forbes’ range of table or conference cloths, banquet chairs, chair covers, table skirting or simple-fit covers, the Alu-Lite is transformed into the elegant centre-piece of any setting and Forbes’ range of colours takes into consideration current colour trends. The sueded cloths reduce noise in meetings and personalisation with logos is also available. Forbes’ fabrics are every bit as practical as its furniture, being both hard-wearing and machine washable. The EcoFab, used to make buffet skirting, dining table covers, and chair covers, is made from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles, confirming Forbes’ commitment to environmental considerations. The company is constantly expanding its range, which now incorporates cocktail tables, catering trolleys, housekeeping carts and mobile bars. It is the European distributor of the birdcage luggage cart for Forbes Inc, currently starring with Celine Dion in the latest Caesar’s Palace commercial.

Information: 01568 616 638 or www.forbesgroup.eu www.hotelowner.co.uk

for every occasion www.diningchairsuk.com

diningchairsuk Contract Furniture Solutions

Contract Furniture Solutions

t: 0115 965 9030 f: 0115 965 9039 e: info@diningchairsuk.com Unit 7c, Pintail House, Pintail Close, Netherfield, Nottingham NG4 2SG

Hotel Owner | 35

TECH TALK

Tech talk

News and views from the hospitality sector

MerlinMobile provides magic touch for golf clubs

High Level Software scores top in survey

High Level Software describes its online booking management system as the complete hotel solution.

A bold claim, but one that appears backed up by a recent survey where consumers were asked questions about their online hotel booking form completion experiences over the past 12 months.

It qualified those interviewed by year of birth, their propensity to book UK hotels, and their thoughts and views on the online hotel booking forms presented to them. Topics in the questionnaire included the visual appeal of the online hotel booking form, the interviewee’s ease of completing customer information sections of the forms and the overall preference to using an online hotel booking site, versus making a booking directly with the hotel.

The overall survey results revealed that 75 per cent of the interviewees preferred to use High Level Software’s online booking pages. Reasons for this included ease of use, clean and simple

design, less busy than its rivals and less cluttered than a lot of other booking forms. Interviewees commentary included: “Its more attractive, less busy than the others, easier to follow, clearer, you know what you’re getting, clean and simple, you get a good impression of what you’re going to get when you arrive at the hotel, makes you feel confident, looks professional.”

The key objective of the survey was to uncover how High Level Software could further improve their online booking forms. It understands that it is critical that consumers engage with the forms and transact. The survey results were a plus for High Level Software, but the real positive, was that all the survey output has meant that it can further improve and develop its hotel management system. High Level Software’s ethos is to provide hotel management software that drives bookings, and help’s their customers compete.

For more information go to www.high-level-software.com

Pegasus and Availpro form partnership Online hotel booking specialists Availpro and Pegasus Solutions have joined forces to deliver improved GDS connectivity for hotel owners.

This new partnership will help hotel owners boost their online sales and GDS visibility, as well as saving them time. Availpro continues to expand its network of partners and gain new certifications. As a result of these efforts,

it is able to provide its customers with the connectivities they need to drive their revenue.

They can select the channel most suited to their needs and sell their rooms through more than 600,000 online travel agencies worldwide. This represents a major advantage for customers looking to increase their online room bookings and their visibility among travel agencies.

Club Systems International, the UK and Ireland’s leading producer of golf club IT systems, has added a mobile hand-held device to its market-leading MerlinTouch EPoS loyalty card system, the MerlinMobile.

Since its launch in 2005, MerlinTouch – designed and developed in-house by Club Systems – has become the most successful EPoS loyalty card system in UK and Irish sports and membership clubs.

Now, the introduction of the simple-to-use MerlinMobile hand-held device offers the ability to achieve additional sales on the move.

Using the new MerlinMobile, orders can now be taken quickly and efficiently from tables in the bar or restaurant and, if connection allows, from a terrace or patio area, using a simple touch-screen process.

The MerlinMobile can even be used as an additional till, and provides multiple pop-up windows for menu options and cooking instructions; quick card balance and productprice interrogation; and allows ‘table tracking’ so members can run a tab in comfort.

Club Systems International’s sales manager, Hilary Clamp, said: “The introduction of MerlinMobile is the natural, organic progression of the widely-used MerlinTouch system. It’s been designed to bring together two ideals: increased simplicity for staff users, and increased comfort for customers and members.”

Touch table technology tailored for the hospitality sector Leading manufacturer of rugged, scalable touch sensing technology for self service systems, Zytronic has announced that its latest multi-touch product has been chosen by Italian touch interactivity innovator Touchwindow.

Initiated through longstanding distributor CAMAX, Zytronic’s multi-touch projected capacitive touch sensors (MPCT) are now being incorporated into an elegant, lowprofile touch table solution.

The Touchwindow interactive table is

36 | Hotel Owner

aimed at use in hotel lobbies, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, waiting rooms and airport VIP lounges. It supports a wide variety of both entertainment and business-related activities, such as watching film clips, exploring interactive maps, annotating documents, reading newspapers/magazines, making video calls or browsing the internet via the multi-touch enabled interface.

The table is compatible with Windows operating systems, with users able to plug in USB memory sticks, so they can use

the table’s large HD display to work on files and documents without the need for laptops or tablets.

For more information, visit www.zytronic.co.uk

www.hotelowner.co.uk

TECH TALK

Hotel TV’s Sky research sheds light on revenuedriving opportunities for hoteliers Sky has commissioned independent consumer and hotelier research revealing what customers expect when it comes to in-room entertainment and the associated revenue-driving opportunity for hotels.

Unveiled at Hotelympia, the research will prove a valuable tool for hoteliers when considering their in-room entertainment options. Deputy MD for Sky Business Alison Dolan commented: “Guests’ expectations of in-room entertainment have changed a lot; they now expect a lot more from television in their hotel room. Our Sky In-Room product allows hotels to meet these expectations, to help boost their room and beverage sales, attract positive reviews, drive increased repeat visits and improve

38 | Hotel Owner

customer loyalty.” Sky In-Room delivers award-winning TV to guests to create the Sky experience they enjoy at home. It operates like an in-home Sky service – a Sky box is fitted into the hotel room to give guests full control over what they watch across a wide choice of HD channels including sports, movies and entertainment.

Hotels can choose between a number of channel packs, allowing access to more than 300 channels via digital satellite. This provides hotels with the flexibility to either offer Sky’s full range of content, including six dedicated Sky Sports channels, a range of award-winning entertainment, news and music channels, or to tailor it accordingly to their guests’ needs.

www.hotelowner.co.uk

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Hotel Owner | 39

25/04/2014 08:20

Quadriga launches SmartQubeTV

Quadriga has announced the launch of its latest guest technology and entertainment solution for the global hospitality industry.

SmartQubeTV enables a hotel to simply and cost-effectively upgrade any hotel TV (with a HDMI port) to the latest Smart TV to provide guests with the type of home-fromhome experience they demand and expect, without having to invest in the latest, most expensive range of Smart TVs. SmartQubeTV is a small box, no more than 10 centimetres square, which enables hoteliers to immediately transform the guest TV experience consistently in every room throughout their property, or their entire estate, irrespective of the mix of TVs installed. It also delivers the option to create individual in-room Wi-Fi access points.

SmartQubeTV has been designed specifically for the hospitality sector and unlike a standard consumer set-top box, it enables hotels to incorporate and promote hotel-specific content. It features a single, easy-to-use gyroscopic remote control with an integrated QWERTY keyboard, and importantly, guest personal data is automatically erased.

The company says that its SmartQubeTV responds to the entertainment expectations of today’s guest, with Smart TV features providing easy access to a great range of entertainment content including catchup TV and the latest Android apps via an engaging and easy-to use interface. It also offer internet access and web-browsing via

the TV and the option to stream personal content from the mobile device.

Quadriga will configure and design a customised SmartQubeTV solution for each hotel, in the cloud, featuring selected content and apps in up to six different languages, and designed to reflect their brand. This is then published to each inroom box and TV.

As well as offering a simple solution for hoteliers to boost guest satisfaction, SmartQubeTV offers a compelling commercial proposition, with no expensive head-end required, a one-time install and minimal resource to install, remotely configure and update.

Quadriga’s partnership and product director Paul Wilson says: “SmartQubeTV provides a simple and cost-effective way for our customers to deliver the kind of experience guests now expect from a hotel.

In line with our core principles, it provides simple but clever technology, specifically designed for hospitality to drive guest satisfaction as well as new revenue and brand possibilities.”

Talisyn enhances the guest room experience Talisyn says its ‘Ophelia’ is truly the most customisable and cost-effective interactive information channel solution in the UK to date.

The system offers you the opportunity to use your in-room TVs to both enhance the guest experience, and also boost your Green Credentials by eliminating the need for printed material in your rooms. Updates to your Guest Directory are also mouse click away, so there is no more reprinting costs and no need to visit every room.

With many hoteliers having already upgraded their TV sets for the digital switchover, the appetite for the large capital expense of upgrading to new TV sets to improve the guest offering is often minimal.

However, Ophelia has proven to be a highly adaptable solution for the company’s existing customers, and with Ophelia’s advertising and promotions platform, you have the added capability to generate additional revenue.

As Ophelia uses the existing co-axial cable infrastructure, and requires no additional inroom hardware, Talisyn says it can offer the system at an unprecedented price point, and with flexible finance options.

The company is also able to install and configure the latest interactive Smart TV systems from Philips, Samsung and LG, as well as supplying the latest Freeview hospitality TVs, to suit any budget and any specific requirements you may have.

It can also offer technical consultancy and free of charge site surveys to ascertain whether your hotel will have enough bandwidth to support the installation of Smart TVs, and how best to work with your existing infrastructure. As well as this we Talisyn offers Sky In-Room and additional services which can all combine to improve your hotel’s guest experience.

Information: 0845 643 2879, info@talisyn.co.uk or www.talisyn.co.uk

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OUTDOOR FURNITURE

THE GREAT

outdoors With more hoteliers utilising outdoor spaces, the demand for outdoor furniture has grown and we look at the latest styles gracing patios, balconies and terraces

Furniture designer Mark Gabbertas who has put his highly individual stamp on boutique hotels such as the luxury eco hideaway, the Scarlet says: “Outdoor space has never been more in demand, particularly in built-up environments where rooftops or private patios are now so sought after. From Brazilian beach chic, to a more Bohemian Hamptons take, the secret is to let the space flow. Outdoor seating should effortlessly complement the outdoor space, not detract from it.”

Increasingly hoteliers are adopting the European trend for al fresco dining and putting tables and chairs outside not only allows guests to enjoy the sunshine, it also extends the space that hoteliers have available to guests, effectively creating an outdoor room. In the past the options were limited 42 | Hotel Owner

with white resin and teak among the most popular options from a very limited selection of outdoor furniture. Today, the market has grown to include a wide range of innovative designs and sleek styles as Jan Dammis of hospitality furniture supplier GO IN explains: “There are many suitable materials to choose from – aluminium chairs are lightweight, robust and will withstand any weather conditions, while stainless steel options are equally resilient. Plastic chairs are available in eye-catching designs and colours, and chairs from woven materials based on polyethylene can look similar to cane

or rattan and create a sophisticated style.”

Other options include traditional wood to create warmth or resysta, a low maintenance alternative to wood that’s environmentallyfriendly and 100 per cent recyclable.

Whichever style you prefer, Jan advises opting for ranges that can cope with the weather, otherwise they will quickly look shabby and uninviting for guests. They should be fully waterproof, UV-and heat-resistant and as this type of furniture may need to be cleared away at certain times of the day, or stored in winter, should be foldable or stackable. He also adds: “Outdoor furniture needs to strike a balance between the ambience and www.hotelowner.co.uk

OUTDOOR FURNITURE

Located in Cornwall, the Scarlet is a luxury hotel that makes the most of its enviable location perched high above the Atlantic and all of its 37 rooms have their own private outdoor spaces from balconies to courtyard terraces complete with customised furniture and sculptures made from recycled glass and paper. design statement you’re trying to achieve for your outdoor area, perhaps carrying a theme from your interior design, and the practicality of the furniture itself.”

Bolero brand manager for Nisbets Heather Beattie says: “While the British weather often leaves guests confined to indoor dining, when the sun does make an appearance it’s important that hoteliers maximise their outdoor space to offer a relaxing ‘al fresco’ dining experience, be it drinks on the terrace or breakfast on the balcony.” The Bolero range from Nisbets is a new range of pavement-style furniture that has been created specifically www.hotelowner.co.uk

for modern outdoor dining. Bold, vibrant colour options of red, green and purple are available, as well as more understated colourways such as grey or black.

Ideal for areas where tough, stylish chairs are required, the range is built to withstand daily use, and as with all Bolero furniture, is tested to withstand the commercial environment. The tables and chairs can also be folded away quickly and easily, taking up very little storage space.

Heather advises: “Why not mix and match colours or combine with other outdoor furniture from the Bolero range for a striking visual display? With a number of different styles and designs there is something to

suit every establishment.” Also, adding a splash of colour to the Bolero range is the new polypropylene furniture. Available in orange and green (alongside the more muted white and grey), this attractive and practical range is both on-trend and weather resistant, ideal for brightening up any outside space. The table requires only simple self-assembly, while the chairs require none at all and can conveniently be folded away when not in use.

For hotels with a covered outdoor bar, the Bolero steel bistro stools and tables are essential for creating a modern and trendy look. Available in black, white, red or gun-metal grey the range comes fully assembled and can be mixed and matched to create a bespoke feel. Side, arm, and stools with Hotel Owner | 43

OUTDOOR FURNITURE

and without a back rest are available; - all with rubber feet to reduce the risk of slippage should the rain try to dampen spirits.

Inside Out Contracts has recently returned from the Milan Furniture Fair, one of the largest of its kind in Europe, and has picked up on some key trends for the summer. The company advises that this summer will be “bright, colourful and hot” with innovative ranges such as the Twinkle Table and Sparkle Stool adding style to any exterior area. When the sun catches the table and stools’ transparent finish, it allows a colourful cast to radiate across the ground.

The aptly-named, the Flower Table and Chair epitomise French design and style and this retro look combined with function allows the table and chair to “blossom” creating a chic and bohemian environment. Delicate in shape, it is manufactured with commercialgrade strength and the pieces are available in a wide spectrum of colour choices to suit different locations.

Other new additions include the Dune Folding Chair and Table in a wide choice of colours from the muted pastels so favoured this year, to a range of fruit colours and the Grace Chairs and Folding Table.

One of award winning designer Samuel Wilkinson’s creations, the Grace collection

features a clean, minimalistic design and is available as a side chair, armchair and folding table, powder-coated in either a bright red or lichen green. This range has desirable characteristics of being both light and stackable/folding and is a perfect choice for any café restaurant or bistro environment where furniture is constantly moved around as space is limited.

There is a strong trend for mix and match furniture by pairing opposing styles from rattan couches, to sleek steel and aluminium chairs – it’s all about opting for an eclectic and highly individual style

Hoteliers are increasingly discovering the advantages of outdoor spaces with patios, terraces and balconies becoming extensions of the hotel and offering additional room for dining and entertaining.

44 | Hotel Owner

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MARKETING

SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT Luxury bathroom specialist VitrA has combined the latest technological advancements with its knowledge of creating ceramic sanitaryware to expand its portfolio, with its most recent addition incorporating the modern and innovative material, mineralcast. The company hails from Turkey and is part of the Eczacibasi Building Products Division, operating globally with 15 facilities in Germany, England, France and Turkey. Producing an average of five million ceramics sanitaryware, 36 million square metres of ceramic and wall tiles and 2.5 million bathroom accessories, to name a few.

VitrA’s team of designers has been experimenting with mineralcast and has created two new designs for the System Infinit range and a new basin for the Istanbul range. The System Infinit range, characterised by its sleek clean lines and restrained detailing, welcomes two new mineralcast washbasins, both have a very distinctive look, to its line. The first uses the expanse of the basin and simply dips in the middle to offer a very subtle look.

While the other is much more geometric and features a wedge cut out from the central area of the basin with a wide border emphasising the edges, made possible by the use of mineralcast.

The Istanbul range which features flowing lines and an organic feel, now includes the mineralcast washbasin, unusual design modelled on the mark made by a splash of water. The mineralcast extends the width and depth of the basin and an off-centre, raised, round rim creates the central basin and feature area.

Darren Paxford, national sales manager at VitrA said: “This material opens up new possibilities for designers as it is much more flexible than traditional materials. This lets designers create products with fluid shapes with no joins that would not have previously been possible with ceramic. It also has many other great benefits such as its brilliant white colour and that it is warm and velvety to the touch. It is also practical, durable and easy to clean and repair”.

Information: 01235 750 990 or www.vitra.co.uk 46 | Hotel Owner

www.hotelowner.co.uk

Gas Barbecues and Accessories for the Professional Caterer

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Caterer TG160

Weather proof covers

Universal Griddle Pan Support (pans not included)

See our cooking demonstrations at www.cindersbarbecues.co.uk

DESSERTS

The sweet smell of success A chef’s time is precious and sometimes a little helping hand from an outside source can be the difference between a good dessert and great one, Lauren Morton investigates the options Pudding, afters, desserts or sweet courses – whatever you call it, if your guests have a sweet tooth they will be thrilled at the promise of a creamy, spongy, mousse-like or crumbly bowl of their favourite post-dinner treat.

A recent study into flavour preferences for desserts by Technomic has revealed that 81 per cent of consumers gravitate towards trying new favours, while the other 19 per cent would rather stick to traditional ones such as chocolate and vanilla. Interestingly, more flavours and styles seem to be leaning towards a quirkier and unique spin on traditional desserts. The research, accumulated from the UK Flavour Consumer Trend Report 2013, indicated that the sweeter options were favoured over a slightly bitter or citrusy taste, with only a quarter of those surveyed choosing citrus-flavoured desserts

48 | Hotel Owner

over a classic.

Surprisingly, almost a third of those aged between 25 and 34 were drawn more towards alcohol-based desserts when picking an after dinner delight, a fact that could be attributed to the growing number of the population who drink throughout the week. A report by the Health and Social Care Information Centre states that 16 per cent of men and nine per cent of women drink on five or more nights of the week, so alcoholic-based desserts could be a growing market. This coincides with recent trends for dessert-style cocktails with sorbet-style frozen daiquiris and tiramisu cocktails being touted as one of the afters of the year.

Coming out of its shell Merangz products are handmade by a team of bakers in Shropshire, who use the best ingredients available, including free-range egg whites and an array of flavours and essences.

Each Merangz is made to a traditional Swiss recipe and has a crisp shell with a mallowy centre, which the company states is “just the way they should be.” The company first

launched its Giant Swiss Merangz with great response and has now launched Merangz Bites and Merangz Nests. They come topped with chopped pistachios or drizzled with Belgian white chocolate or even a touch of praline. Flavours include strawberry, lemon, passion fruit, Belgian chocolate, pecan, mocha and praline to name a few.

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DESSERTS

Finishing touches The premium range of freeze dried chefs ingredients, Fresh As has launched new and exciting flavours for summer 2014.

Originating from New Zealand, these intensely flavoured, crunchy dried fruits pack a real punch. Distributed by Cheese Cellar, the Fresh As range continues to expand with new flavours added to its collection including liquorice, whole black cherries, golden kiwi, sliced red grapes and yuzu - an Oriental sour Mandarin. The company describes the new additions as great for finishing desserts or for using as an ingredient for cocktails.

Whip something up Catering equipment specialist Bonzer has launched the Kisag HotWhip blender to help assist busy chefs in the kitchen. Designed to save time when preparing sauces, mousses and desserts by eliminating the need to stand over a pan and constantly stir, the Kisag HotWhip both heats and blends liquids while keeping them warm until service. Built with a busy kitchen in mind, the HotWhip maintains the texture, temperature and consistency of freshly-prepared sauces, mousses and desserts. By simply adding up to one litre of produce, it can provide up to two litres of delicate sauce; all without a skin forming on the recipe thanks to a gentle stirring motion. Manufactured from high quality stainless steel and featuring a continuous run time of up to three hours and a wide temperature range of between 40 to 90ºC, the blender has the flexibility to

Traditional family recipes Eliza Pepperpot Fine Foods offers a range of preserves, jams, chutneys, traditional biscuits and crackers from family recipes handed down through the generations which company founder Liz Harding-Massey has adapted to appeal to the modern palate.

She has also added a luxury range of chocolates after training at Slattery’s the master chocolatiers based in Manchester. Recently, the artisan food producer from Blaydon celebrated after winning its first supply contract with the 4-star Newcastle Gateshead Marriott Hotel MetroCentre. Liz launched her own food business based on her own passion for cooking and uses the traditional family recipes she learned from her mother. The products she will be supplying to the hotel include lemon curd to be used as a guest preserve at breakfast and also in the lemon sponge pudding on the local dinner menu; raspberry and strawberry jam to be served with afternoon tea; and handmade salted caramel chocolates for use at culinary events.

prepare a wide selection of dishes.

Managing director at Bonzer Guy Cooper explains how the HotWhip blender will soon become an integral part of any busy kitchen. He says: “The Kisag HotWhip can revolutionise many of the processes undertaken in a range of kitchens thanks to its high efficiency and precise temperature control. Giving a high-quality output and time-saving benefits, we believe that it will be like another pair of hands in the kitchen for busy chefs.”

Supplier Information Bonzer: www.bonzer.co.uk Eliza Pepperpot Fine Foods: www.elizapepperpotfinefoods.co.uk

Cheese Cellar: www.cheesecellar.co.uk Merangz: www.thelittleroundcakecompany.co.uk

TempTest ® 1

with 360° rotating display

‘The manufacturers of the Thermapen® bring you another totally innovative product that can be read from any angle, in either hand - making temperature readings that much easier!’

l three second readings l waterproof to IP67

Made in Britain

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cotel Ltd

HOTEL PRODUCTS

INSURANCE

LASER CUTTING & ENGRAVING

Stainless Steel Cordless Kettle 1 litre capacity Low wattage - 1200w Reliable Strix control Boil-dry protection Concealed element Removable filter

Part of our extensive Hospitality range call 01509 264422 or email sales @ decotel.co.uk

mberland Rd ughborough cestershire LE11 5DE

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Bring your towel laundry in-house...

• Immediate and long term cost savings • Easy to use equipment • Full service rental requires no capital expenditure • No hidden costs with all maintenance, parts and labour included • 7 day service support available • Greater control over your linen stocks & wash quality • Remove the hassle of late linen deliveries

...and cut your laundry costs by up to 40% For more details, or to request your FREE, no obligation laundry feasibility study call us on

0800 7311 399 (quote ref S1450) or visit

www.laundryserv.co.uk/hotel

Purchase a PG 8058 Brilliant dishwasher and receive 24 FREE Riedel wine glasses!

• Perfect results - no streaks, no smears, no manual polishing* • Fast 5 minute wash cycles • Two intakes of fresh water per cycle • Touchscreen controls with AutoClose door • Recommended by Riedel for their ‘on-premise’ glasses To launch our all new freshwater dishwasher range, Miele Professional and Riedel are giving 24 Riedel Restaurant wine glasses away 12 Riesling and 12 Cabernet - with every purchase of one of our PG 8058 BRILLIANT dishwashers before the 30th September 2014.

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With the power to clean cutlery and glasses in just 5 minutes with no manual polishing required*, the PG 8058 BRILLIANT offers outstanding performance with sparkling results. It’s no wonder Riedel, one of the finest glass manufactures in the world, recommends a Miele for their ‘on-premise’ glasses. *When used with a reverse osmosis water system

18/04/2014 12:09