HM Magazine Oct 09

Page 1

THE BUSINESS OF ACCOMMODATION

Vol 13. No.5

Bi-monthly October 2009

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WINNERS ANNOUNCED Over 26-pages, HM showcases the hotel industry’s event of the year.

Simon Bryant, Ashley Spencer and Luke Mangan at Hilton Sydney

HILTON’S

CREATIVE HOSPITALITY

Print Post approved PP255003/07998

HILTON HOTELS IS AGAIN TOP OF THE LIST AS A LEADING HOTEL BRAND IN AUSTRALIA.

IN THIS ISSUE Accor’s Simon McGrath, Star City’s Richard Munro, Crown Hotels’ Peter Crinis, qualia’s Jason Friedman, Hayman’s Glenn Bacon, Hilton Sydney’s Grant Collins, franchising, IPTV and hot products. A U S T R A L I A

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N E W

Z E A L A N D

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S O U T H

PA C I F I C 29/9/09 2:22:31 PM

A special congratulations to all the award winners and nominees!

As a service provider to the hospitality, tourism and leisure industries for over 20 years we understand the industry you operate in, and we appreciate that good service is a combined effort. It was great to see people from all facets of the businesses receive recognition for their outstanding achievements.

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A big thank you to all attendees and organisers who made the event a great success!

Proud co-host of the 2009 HM Awards

Ph 132 467 www.intrust.com.au

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Bi-Monthly – October 2009

contents

COVER STORY

BUYERS GUIDE

52 Hilton Hotels Australasia

68 HOT products

A Hilton Hotels Australasia promotion.

A focus on the sponsors of the 2009 HM Awards.

SPECIAL FEATURES

REGULARS

08 HM Awards

06 Editor’s Letter

The finalists, winners and faces in the crowd at the 2009 HM Awards.

Welcome to the issue by Managing Editor James Wilkinson, plus credits.

48 Franchising Report

34 Check-In

Roderick Eime reports on the latest signings and developments with franchising.

In-depth news from hotels across the globe, plus exclusive columns.

64 Hotel Technology

Hotel openings, closings, sales, refurbishments and change of management.

HM looks at the latest in-room technology.

EXECUTIVE FEATURES 40 In Focus James Wilkinson reports on Pacific Blue’s new Queenstown flights.

54 General Managers Interviews with Star City’s Richard Munro and Holiday Inn Wellington’s Heather Idoine-Riley.

58 Property Profile HM checks-in to qualia, a dual-winner at the 2009 HM Awards.

60 Room Key An exclusive column from the 2009 HM magazine Hotelier of the Year, Simon McGrath, Accor’s Vice President for Australia.

42 Property

66 The Insider The products featured inside the rooms at Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront.

70 Food & Beverage Interviews with Glenn Bacon from Hayman and Zeta Bar’s Grant Collins.

72 Human Resources An exclusive column from Jean-Marc Busato, Managing Director of Asia Pacific, Carlson Hotels Worldwide.

73 People Profiles, events and who’s moving where in the hotel industry.

74 Stop Press The latest news from hotels across the globe.

Crown Towers Melbourne

p30

PROPERTY PROFILE ILE 30 Crown Towers

HM takes a look inside the new w look Crown own Towers Towers, named 5-star Hotel of the Year at the 2009 HM Awards.

Crown Hotels Melbourne

Hotel & Accommodation Management

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editorial A great night’s sleep makes all the difference

ON THE COVER A Hilton Hotels Australasia promotion.

Take a look in the Guinness World Records list and the oldest hotel still in operation is the Hoshi Ryokan, in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture, which dates back to the year 718 AD. Of course, hotels have changed dramatically since then, particularly when it comes to design, technology and amenities, but one thing has remained the same – a hotel is an establishment where you want a great night’s sleep. While I’m yet to stay at the world’s oldest ryokan (Japanese for a ‘traditional inn’), I have had the opportunity to stay at some leading hotels over the past 12 months, both in Australia and abroad, and am happy to report that I have had a great night’s sleep at each at them. From the Emporium Hotel to Hayman, qualia, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Quay West Bunker Bay, Le Meridien Bangkok, Likuliku Lagoon Resort, Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali, Crown Towers Melbourne, The Mondrian on Sunset, The Westin Auckland and Sofitel Queenstown amongst others, the bed at each establishment has been the difference So it really is no wonder that hotel companies and suppliers are seeing beds running out the door by the truckload. Interestingly, August marked the 10th anniversary of the Westin Heavenly bed - one of the highest rating hotel beds on both guest satisfaction and guest purchases. Australian-based suppliers such as Sealy are also seeing high-demand for beds being made to hotel specifications for the home – particularly from hotels such as the Emporium Hotel and Palazzo Versace in Queensland. On the theme of beds, Sealy was the presentation partner of the 2009 HM Awards, held in Sydney

PUBLISHER Simon Grover ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER James Wells MANAGING EDITOR James Wilkinson jwilkinson@intermedia.com.au NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Adam Daff adaff@intermedia.com.au CONTRIBUTORS Chris Brown, Jean-Marc Busato, Roderick Eime, Patrick Griffin, Jennie Langley, Peter McBrearty, Simon McGrath GRAPHIC DESIGN Ben Akhurst PRODUCTION MANAGER Jill Lehmann jill@intermedia.com.au

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James Wilkinson and Accor’s Simon McGrath at the 2009 HM Awards

on August 14. All of the winners, highly commended recipients and finalists are at the top of the industry and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone. Our complete coverage of the 2009 HM Awards starts on page 8 and as always, I trust you will enjoy this issue. Yours in hospitality,

James Wilkinson Managing Editor

CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Chris Blacklock cblacklock@intermedia.com.au SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES 1800 651 422 Subscribe to Hotel & Accommodation Management magazine - 6 issues for $88 (inc. GST) subscriptions@intermedia.com.au PUBLISHED BY

Unit 39/100 Harris Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009 (PO Box 55, Glebe NSW 2037) Tel: 02 9660 2113 Fax: 02 9660 4419 ABN 940 025 836 82

DISCLAIMER This publication is published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication. Copyright © 2009 - The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd.

Hotel & Accommodation Management

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HMawards

ACCOMMODATION

EXCELLENCE WORDS

JAMES WILKINSON

PHOTOGRAPHY

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ROSS & MICHAEL WILLIS

THE LEADING HOTELS IN AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC HAVE BEEN RECOGNISED FOR ACCOMMODATION EXCELLENCE AT THE 2009 HM AWARDS, HELD IN FRONT OF 440 GUESTS IN SYDNEY ON AUGUST 14.

T

he 2009 HM Awards, presented by Sealy, awarded people, departments, properties and chains across 40 categories in front of the industry’s leading hoteliers, staff, key suppliers and dignitaries. Once again, the HM Awards were a fantastic showcase of the best the industry has to offer. We have some of the most amazing staff and stunning hotels the world has to offer and it has once more been a privilege to recognise excellence across the entire accommodation industry here in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Like 2008, this year’s HM Awards again eclipsed the last, being the most successful ever held. Everything about the awards was bigger and better, from the record 450 guests, to the incredible amount of entries we received in 2009, which exceeded 1200 – more than double last year. The Awards have become the pinnacle for excellence in this part of the world and HM Magazine is proud to recognize excellence in every corner – from front office managers to GMs and boutique hotels to accommodation chains. Simon McGrath, Accor’s Vice President – Australia took home the most prestigious award on the night, the 2009 HM Magazine Hotelier of the Year. The award was voted on by the leading regional directors of hotel chains, as were the other three top awards on the night – Hotel Brand, Overall Hotel and Accommodation Chain.

Presented by 8

Hosted by

The HM magazine Hotelier of the Year recognition has become one of the most sought after awards in the Australian accommodation industry – and once again like Keith Barr in 2008 and Andrew Turner in 2007, we again had one of the finest hoteliers in this country taking out the award this year. InterContinental Hotels Group’s Crowne Plaza was awarded Hotel Brand of the Year, while qualia on Hamilton Island was named Hotel of the Year and Mirvac Hotels & Resorts, led by CEO Andrew Turner, took out Accommodation Chain of the Year. Other Major Awards saw Amanda Silk from Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa win the South Pacific Hotel Manager category, Holiday Inn Wellington’s Heather Idoine-Riley take out the New Zealand Hotel Manager award and Small Luxury Hotels win Hotel Brand Management Company. Nominations in the HM Awards were open to hotel staff across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Over 20 leading travel writers and industry leaders decided on the property categories, while a special HM Magazine team decided on the people awards in conjunction with Hostec. The judging results were again audited by Ernst & Young in 2009. HM Magazine is the host of the annual HM Awards, which were presented by Sealy. Co-hosts of the event in 2009 were Intrust Super and ISIS Hotel Projects. A complete list of winners can be found over the next 25 pages.

Co-hosted by

Hotel & Accommodation Management

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0

Dynasty Series &OR EXCELLENCE IN LUXURY BEDDING SOLUTIONS

Australia’s most preferred bedding brand*and the product of choice at leading Hotels and Resorts. Proud sponsor of the

Phone: 1300 780 150 sealy.com.au Quantum Market Research April 2009

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HMawards

2009 HM AWARDS WINNERS

PROPERTY AWARDS – AUSTRALIA Travelzoo’s Brad Gurrie presents the award to Fraser Suites

Brendan O’Farrell (Intrust), left, presents the award to Jon Ackary (Thredbo Alpine Hotel)

Antony Raiteri (Sealy) presents the award to Holly Galbraith (The Byron at Byron)

1. SERVICED APARTMENT PROPERTY Presented by

2. ACCOMMODATION PROPERTY – 3- TO 3.5-STAR

3. ACCOMMODATION PROPERTY – 4- TO 4.5-STAR

Presented by

Presented by

Finalists:

Finalists: ■

Angsana Resort & Spa Great Barrier Reef, Palm Cove, QLD

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Diamant Hotel Canberra, ACT

■

Fraser Suites Sydney, NSW

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Medina Grand Adelaide Treasury, SA

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Medina on Crown, Surry Hills, NSW

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Pullman Reef Casino, Cairns, QLD

■

Quay Grand Suites Sydney, NSW

■

Shoal Bay Resort & Spa, Port Stephens, NSW

■

The Lyall Hotel, South Yarra, VIC

■

The Observatory Resort Port Macquarie, NSW

Winner: Fraser Suites Sydney

■

Best Western Sanctuary Inn, Tamworth, NSW

Finalists: ■ Crown Promenade Hotel, Melbourne, VIC

■

Clare Motel, Adelaide, SA

■

Crowne Plaza Canberra, ACT

■

Hotel Ibis Darling Harbour, NSW

■

Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, NSW

■

Hotel Ibis King Street Wharf, NSW

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Crowne Plaza Newcastle, NSW

■

Novotel Barossa Valley Resort, SA

■

Q Station Retreat, Manly, NSW

■

Radisson on Flagstaff Gardens Melbourne, VIC

■

Hotel Ibis Melbourne, VIC

■

Hotel Ibis Melbourne Glen Waverley, VIC

■

Hotel Ibis World Square, NSW

■

Richmond Henty Motor Inn, Portland, VIC

■

The Byron at Byron Resort and Spa, NSW

■

Thredbo Alpine Hotel, NSW

■

The Grace Hotel, Sydney, NSW

Winner: Thredbo Alpine Hotel

■

Vibe Hotel Rushcutters Bay, NSW

Highly commended: Best Western Sanctuary Inn

Winner: The Byron at Byron Resort & Spa

Highly commended: Quay Grand Suites Sydney

Presented by 10

Highly commended: Q Station Retreat

Hosted by

Co-hosted by

Hotel & Accommodation Management

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John Bryant (Dyson), left, presents the award to Crown Towers

Gerard Pattinather from interTouch, left, presents the award to Hilton Sydney’s Paul Hutton

4. ACCOMMODATION PROPERTY – 5-STAR

Mark Greedy (Elite), left, presents the award to Glenn Bourke (Hamilton Island)

5. BUSINESS HOTEL

6. RESORT

Presented by

Presented by

Finalists: â– Crown Towers, Melbourne, VIC

Presented by

Finalists: â– Crown Towers, Melbourne, VIC â–

Emporium Hotel Brisbane, QLD

â–

Diamant Hotel Canberra, ACT

Finalists: â– Angsana Resort & Spa Great Barrier Reef, Palm Cove, QLD

â–

Hilton Melbourne Airport, VIC

â–

Hayman, QLD Hyatt Regency Coolum, QLD

â–

Hyatt Hotel Canberra, ACT

â–

Hilton Sydney, NSW

â–

â–

InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto, VIC

â–

Pullman Sydney Olympic Park, NSW

â–

Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort and Spa, NSW

â–

Palazzo Versace, Gold Coast, QLD

â–

â–

â–

Park Hyatt Sydney, NSW

Radisson on Flagstaff Gardens Melbourne, VIC

Peppers Salt Resort & Spa, Kingscliff, NSW

â–

qualia, QLD

â–

Sheraton on the Park, Sydney, NSW

â–

qualia, QLD

â–

Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney, NSW

â–

SoďŹ tel Sydney Wentworth, NSW

â–

â–

The Langham, Melbourne, VIC

â–

â–

Sheraton Noosa, QLD

â–

The Observatory Hotel, Sydney, NSW

Stamford Grand North Ryde, NSW

Sea Temple Resort & Spa Palm Cove, QLD

The Westin Sydney, NSW

â–

The Byron at Byron Resort and Spa, NSW

â–

The Elandra Mission Beach, QLD

Winner: Crown Towers, Melbourne Highly commended: The Observatory Hotel, Sydney

â–

Winner: Hilton Sydney Highly commended: Crown Towers, Melbourne

Winner: qualia Highly commended: The Byron at Byron Resort & Spa

Presented by

Hosted by

Co-hosted by Hotel & Accommodation Management

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HMawards

2009 HM AWARDS WINNERS

PROPERTY AWARDS – AUSTRALIA Brett Patterson (ISIS), left, presents the award to Bruce McKenzie (IHG)

7. HOTEL REFURBISHMENT

Antony Raiteri (Sealy), left, presents the award to Peter Savoff (Emporium Hotel)

8. BOUTIQUE HOTEL Presented by

Presented by

Finalists: ■ Crown Towers, Melbourne, VIC ■ ■ ■ ■

■

Crowne Plaza Terrigal, NSW Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, NSW Grand Hyatt Melbourne, VIC InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto, VIC Medina on Crown, Surry Hills, NSW

■

Novotel Barossa Valley Resort, SA

■

The Sebel and Citigate Albert Park, VIC

■

The Sebel Surry Hills, NSW

■

Urban Brisbane, QLD

9. UNIQUE ACCOMMODATION Presented by

Finalists: ■ Cape Lodge Margaret River, WA ■

Diamant Hotel Canberra, ACT

Finalists: ■ Bay of Fires Lodge, Mt William National Park, TAS

■

Emporium Hotel, Brisbane, QLD

■

Injidup Spa Retreat, WA

■

Lake House, Daylesford, VIC

■

■

Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa, NSW

Peppers Palm Bay, Whitsundays, QLD

■

■

Sir Stamford Circular Quay, NSW

Peppers Seven Spirit Bay, Coburg Peninsula, NT

■

Q Station Retreat, Manly, NSW

■

The Islington, Hobart, TAS

■

■

The Louise, Marananga, SA

Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island, SA

■

The Lyall Hotel, South Yarra, VIC

■

Thorngrove Manor Hotel, Adelaide, SA

■

Victoria’s at Wategos, Byron Bay, NSW

■

Wilpena Pound Resort, Flinders Rangers, SA

Winner: InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto

Winner: Emporium Hotel, Brisbane

Highly commended: Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

Highly commended: Cape Lodge, Margaret River

Presented by

Grant Hunt (Anthology) accepts the award from Melissa Starbuck (Sealy)

Hosted by

Winner: Bay of Fires Lodge, Mt William National Park Highly commended: Q Station Retreat, Manly

Co-hosted by

12 Hotel & Accommodation Management

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TRAVELLERS TRUST STAR RATINGS When selecting accommodation travellers trust the unbiased and independent quality assurance that STAR Ratings offer. Who says? Travellers do. AAA Tourism commissioned independent research to get an understanding of how travellers perceive STAR Ratings as opposed to self ratings. The results were promising for STAR Rated properties. Over 87% of respondents consider STAR Ratings to be useful, with the majority (75%) regarding them very useful to extremely useful. Just over a half (53%) are aware of self rated dots (as seen on some websites), with less than 30% of total respondents considering self ratings useful. Research Now 2009. STAR Ratings really do drive customers to your door and can help your business keep that ‘No Vacancy’ sign well lit up! For more information about STAR Rating Membership contact AAA Tourism (03) 8601 2274 or visit aaatourism.com.au

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HMawards

2009 HM AWARDS WINNERS

PROPERTY AWARDS – AUSTRALIA Brendan O’Farrell (Intrust), left, presents the award to Toga Hospitality

Andrew Turner (Mirvac), left, receives the award from Travis Anderson (Philips)

10. NEW HOTEL

11. ALPINE ACCOMMODATION

Presented by

Gwen O’Toole (Spice Magazine) presents the award to Max Player (Q Station)

12. MICE HOTEL Presented by

Presented by

Finalists: ■ Chifley Eastern Creek, NSW ■

Clarion Hotel Soho, Adelaide, SA

Finalists: ■ Grand Mercure Mt Buller Chalet, VIC

■

Hilton Melbourne South Wharf, VIC

■

■

Hotel Ibis King Street Wharf, NSW

Finalists: ■ Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, NSW ■

Emporium Hotel, Brisbane, QLD

■

Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, NSW

Huski, Falls Creek, VIC

■

Hilton Sydney, NSW

■

Novotel Lake Crackenback Resort, NSW

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Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa, NSW

Quay West Resort & Spa, Falls Creek, VIC

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Q Station Retreat, Manly, NSW

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Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, NSW

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Hotel Pension Grimus, Mt Buller, VIC

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Mantra Tullamarine, VIC

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Medina Grand Darwin Waterfront, NT

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Pullman Sydney Olympic Park, NSW

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Quay West Resort & Spa Falls Creek, VIC

■

The Denman, Thredbo, NSW

■

Stamford Plaza Adelaide, SA

■

Thredbo Alpine Hotel, NSW

■

The Langham, Melbourne, VIC

■

Rydges Brighton, VIC

■

Zirky’s, Mount Hotham, NSW

■

■

Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront, NT

The Sebel and Citigate Albert Park, VIC

Winner: Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront

Winner: Quay West Resort & Spa Falls Creek

Highly commended: Pullman Sydney Olympic Park

Highly commended: Novotel Lake Crackenback Resort

■

Presented by 14

Hosted by

Winner: Q Station Retreat, Manly Highly commended: Hilton Sydney

Co-hosted by

Hotel & Accommodation Management

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Brett Patterson (ISIS), centre, presents the award to Mirvac

Brendan O’Farrell (Intrust), left, presents the award to Grant Raubenheimer Lilianfels

13. REGIONAL PROPERTY

14. HOTEL DAY SPA

Presented by

Presented by

Finalists: â– Craigieburn, Bowral, NSW â–

Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, NSW

Finalists: â– Angsana Spa, Angsana Resort & Spa Great Barrier Reef, QLD

â–

Crowne Plaza Newcastle, NSW

â–

Chuan Spa, The Langham, Melbourne, VIC

Kim’s Beach Hideaway, Toowoon Bay, NSW

â–

Daintree Spa, Daintree Eco Lodge, Mossman, QLD

â–

Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa, NSW

â–

â–

Peppers Seven Spirit Bay, Coburg Peninsula, NT

Day Spa at The Observatory, The Observatory Hotel, Sydney, NSW

â–

SoďŹ tel Werribee Park Mansion Hotel & Spa, VIC

â–

Injidup Spa, Injidup Spa Retreat, WA

â–

The Byron at Byron Resort & Spa, NSW

â–

Le Spa, SoďŹ tel Werribee Park Mansion Hotel & Spa, VIC

â–

The Louise, Marananga, SA

â–

The Spa at Four Seasons, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, NSW

â–

Victoria’s at Wategos, Byron Bay, NSW

â–

Villa Thalgo Day Spa, The Sebel Resort & Spa Hawkesbury Valley, NSW

â–

Spa qualia, qualia, QLD

â–

Endota Spa, Huski, Falls Creek, VIC

â–

Winner: Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa Highly commended: Kim’s Beach Hideaway, Toowoon Bay

Winner: Villa Thalgo Day Spa, Highly commended: Angsana Spa

Dynasty Series

Australia’s most preferred bedding brand* and the product of choice at leading Hotels and Resorts. Phone: 1300 780 150

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sealy.com.au Hotel & Accommodation Management

15

Quantum Market Research April 2009

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HMawards

2009 HM AWARDS WINNERS

PROPERTY AWARDS – AUSTRALIA 15. HOTEL BAR Presented by

Finalists: â– Aria Bar & Lounge, The Langham, Melbourne, VIC â–

Astral Bar, Star City, Sydney, NSW

â–

Blue Horizon, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, NSW

â–

ECQ Bar, Quay Grand Suites, Sydney, NSW

â–

Emporium Hotel Bar, Emporium Hotel, Brisbane, QLD

â–

Globe Bar, The Observatory Hotel, Sydney, NSW

â–

harbourbar, Park Hyatt Sydney, NSW

â–

Oceans Bar, Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach, NSW

â–

Room 81, SoďŹ tel Gold Coast, QLD

â–

Zeta Bar, Hilton Sydney, NSW

Winner: Zeta Bar, Hilton Sydney Highly commended: Astral Bar, Star City

Joe Thorp (Hoshizaki Lancer), left, presents the award to Brett Clarke (Zeta)

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16. HOTEL RESTAURANT Presented by

Finalists: â– Altitude, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, NSW â–

Astral Restaurant, Star City, Sydney, NSW

â–

Bilson’s, Radisson Plaza Hotel Sydney, NSW

â–

Darley’s, Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa, NSW

â–

Galileo, The Observatory Hotel, Sydney, NSW

â–

glass Brasserie, Hilton Sydney, NSW

â–

Kable’s, Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney, NSW

â–

Lake House Restaurant, Lake House, Daylesford, VIC

â–

Sean’s Kitchen, Star City, Sydney, NSW

â–

The Brasserie, Hilton Adelaide, SA

Tony Muratore (S.Pellegrino), left, presents the award to Tony Bilson (Bilson’s)

Winner: Bilson’s, Radisson Plaza Hotel Sydney Highly commended: Altitude, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney

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Hotel & Accommodation Management

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HMawards

2009 HM AWARDS WINNERS

PROPERTY AWARDS – AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND Iain Nelson (Foxtel), left, presents the award to Alison Boyd (Starwood)

Michael Benikos (Vingcard Elsafe), left, presents the award to Marcus Reinders (The Westin Auckland)

James Wilkinson (HM mag), left, presents the award to Bryony Gammon (SLH) and Richard Rosebery, on behalf of Blanket Bay

17. HI-TECH HOTEL

18. NEW ZEALAND HOTEL

Presented by

Presented by

19. NEW ZEALAND REGIONAL PROPERTY Presented by

Finalists: ■ Eichardt’s Private Hotel, Queenstown

Finalists:

■

Hilton Auckland

Finalists: ■ Blanket Bay, Glenorchy

■

Hyatt Regency Auckland

■

Grasmere Lodge, Christchurch

■

InterContinental Wellington

■

Huka Lodge, Lake Taupo

■

SKYCITY Grand Hotel, Auckland

■

Kauri Cliffs, Kerikeri

■

Sofitel Queenstown

■

Millbrook Resort, Queenstown

Park Hyatt Sydney, NSW

■

Stamford Plaza Auckland

■

■

Pullman Sydney Olympic Park, NSW

■

The George, Christchurch

Peppers Clearwater Resort, Christchurch

■

The Langham, Auckland

■

Solitaire Lodge, Rotorua

■

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, NSW

■

The Westin Auckland Lighter Quay

■

■

The Como Melbourne, VIC

■

The Westin Sydney, NSW

Winner: The Westin Auckland, Lighter Quay

The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, Hawkes Bay

■

Treetops Lodge, Rotorua

■

Wharekauhau Country Estate, Palliser Bay

■

BLUE Sydney, NSW

■

Crown Towers, Melbourne, VIC

■

Emporium Hotel, Brisbane, QLD

■

Hilton Sydney, NSW

■

InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto, VIC

■

Winner: The Westin Sydney Highly commended: InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto

Highly commended: Sofitel Queenstown

Winner: Blanket Bay Highly commended: Huka Lodge

Transforming great Australian Hotels, Casinos and Resorts. 18

Hotel & Accommodation Management Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney

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isis.com.au

29/9/09 2:23:54 PM

FOR THE ELITE WORLD

Join at join@eliteresortsofasiapacific.com

Launch October ‘09

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HMawards

2009 HM AWARDS WINNERS

PROPERTY AWARDS – SOUTH PACIFIC Steve Anstey (Likuliku), left, receives the award from Brett Patterson (ISIS)

Mark Greedy (Elite), left, presents the award to Bruce McKenzie (IHG)

20. FIJIAN PROPERTY

21. SOUTH PACIFIC PROPERTY

Presented by

Presented by

Finalists: ■ Fiji Beach Resort & Spa Managed by Hilton

Finalists: ■ Bora Bora Lagoon Resort & Spa, French Polynesia

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InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa

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Likuliku Lagoon Resort

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InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, French Polynesia

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Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji

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Iririki Island Resort & Spa, Vanuatu

Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa

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Le Méridien Ile des Pins, New Caledonia

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Sheraton Fiji Resort

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Pacific Resort Aitutaki, Cook Islands

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Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa

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Royale Takitumu Villas, Cook Islands

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Taunovo Bay Resort & Spa

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Sofitel Motu Bora Bora, French Polynesia

The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa

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The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa, Cook Islands

Yasawa Island Resort

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The Sebel Vanuatu, Vanuatu

Winner: Likuliku Lagoon Resort

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The St Regis Bora Bora Resort, French Polynesia

Highly commended: Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa

Winner: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa

■

■ ■

Highly commended: Bora Bora Lagoon Resort & Spa

Your 100% Industry Super Fund!

Ph 132 467 www.intrust.com.au HMStripOctNov09 v1 02 09 09 indd 1 HM Oct 09 p1-47.indd 20

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PROPERTY AWARDS – ALL COUNTRIES Marcuas Hanna (Pullman), left receives the award from George Campbell (AAA Tourism)

Ali Turner (spicenews.com.au) presents the award to Ken Minnikin (Mantra)

Adam Daff (HM mag) presents the award to Marriott

22. ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM

23. MARKETING CAMPAIGN

24. SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

Presented by

Presented by

Presented by

Finalists: â– Crowne Plaza Alice Springs, NT

Finalists: â– Accor Hotels (Australasia)

Finalists: â– Brisbane Marriott Hotel, QLD

â–

Crowne Plaza Melbourne, VIC

â–

Hilton Adelaide, SA

â–

Holiday Inn Brisbane, QLD

â–

InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto, VIC

â–

Novotel Barossa Valley Resort, SA

â–

PaciďŹ c Resort Rarotonga, Cook Islands

â–

Pullman Sydney Olympic Park, NSW

â–

Radisson on Flagstaff Gardens Melbourne, VIC

â–

The Langham, Melbourne, VIC

Winner: Pullman Sydney Olympic Park, NSW

Constellation Hotels (Australia)

â–

Crowne Plaza Canberra, ACT

Crowne Plaza Terrigal, NSW

â–

Holiday Inn Esplanade Darwin, NT

Hilton Sydney, NSW

â–

Holiday Inn Wellington, New Zealand

â–

Mantra Hotels (Australia)

â–

Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji

â–

Rydges Hotels (Australasia)

â–

â–

SoďŹ tel Luxury Hotels (Australasia)

Quest Serviced Apartments (Australia)

â–

The Observatory Hotel, Sydney, NSW

â–

Vibe Hotels (Australia)

â–

Treetops Lodge, Rotorua, New Zealand

â–

Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel, NSW

â–

Vibe Hotels (Australia)

â– â– â–

Winner: Sydney Harbour Marriott

Winner: ‘Personal mantras’, Mantra

Highly commended: Holiday Inn Wellington

Highly commended: ‘100 Reasons Why’, SoďŹ tel Luxury Hotels

Highly commended: Crowne Plaza Alice Springs

Presented by

Hosted by

Co-hosted by Hotel & Accommodation Management

21

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HMawards

2009 HM AWARDS WINNERS

PEOPLE AWARDS Darren Jahn (Oatley), left, presents the award to Glenn Bacon (Hayman)

Lucy George (Emporium) receives the award from Angus Fontaine (Time Out)

Justin Etheridge (Time Out), left, presents the award to Chris Traill (Hyatt)

25. CONCIERGE

26. HOTEL EXECUTIVE CHEF

27. HOTEL BARTENDER

Presented by

Presented by

Presented by

Finalists: ■ Andrew Austen, The Menzies Sydney, NSW

Finalists: ■ Glenn Bacon, Hayman, QLD

Finalists: ■ Tim Browne, Novotel Barossa Valley Resort, SA

■

Simon Bryant, Hilton Adelaide, SA

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David Board, Quay Grand Suites Sydney, NSW

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Martin Horsley, Sofitel Werribee Park Mansion Hotel & Spa, VIC

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Lucy George, Emporium Hotel, Brisbane, QLD

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Martin Bray, The Observatory Hotel Sydney, NSW

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Mark McNamara, The Louise, Marananga, SA

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Chris Hickson, The Menzies Sydney, NSW

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Aaron Ellis, Star City, Sydney, NSW

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Glenn Lacey, The Langham, Melbourne, VIC

Carl Middleton, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, NSW

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■

Brigitte McKenna, Quay Grand Suites Sydney, NSW

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Iferemi Nuku, Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, Fiji

Shailesh Naidu, Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji

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Katie Montgomery, Crowne Plaza Terrigal, NSW

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Alessandro Pavoni, Park Hyatt Sydney, NSW

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Tony Mosca, InterContinental Sydney, NSW

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Anthony Ross, The Langham Melbourne, VIC

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Jean Munos, Hilton Sydney, NSW

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Stuart Reeves, Park Hyatt Sydney, NSW

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James Ridenour, InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto, VIC

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Jorge Sousa, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, NSW

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Chris Traill, Park Hyatt Sydney, NSW

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Bryan Wilkinson, Sofitel Queenstown, NZ

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Andrew Saville, Crowne Plaza Alice Springs, NT

■

■

Hugh Whitehouse, Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa, NSW

Nik Stakes, Eichardt’s Private Hotel, Queenstown, NZ

■

Bing Zhang, Brisbane Marriott, QLD

Winner: Chris Traill, Park Hyatt Sydney

Winner: Glenn Bacon, Hayman

Highly commended: Glenn Lacey, The Langham Melbourne

Highly commended: Hugh Whitehouse, Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa

Presented by

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Hosted by

Winner: Lucy George, Emporium Hotel, Brisbane Highly commended: Stuart Reeves, Park Hyatt Sydney

Co-hosted by

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Annie Lyons (Travmedia), left, presents the award to Gaynor Reid (Accor)

Brendan O’Farrell (Intrust) presents the award to Evelina Conti (Orient-Express) on behalf of Chriscelle

Andrew Morley (Hostec), left, presents the award to Marriott (on behalf of Jayne)

28. HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT MEMBER

29. SALES & MARKETING DEPARTMENT MEMBER

30. PR/COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT MEMBER

Presented by

Presented by

Presented by

Finalists: â– Paul Amos, Novotel Barossa Valley Resort, SA

Finalists: â– Kate Atkinson, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts

Finalists: â– Jill Collins, Hamilton Island, QLD

â–

Michael Bedros, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, NSW

â–

Kelly Habermann, The Menzies Sydney, NSW

â–

Ursula Henderson, Brisbane Marriott, QLD

â–

â–

Chantal Jackson, Hilton Sydney, NSW Naveen Lakshmaiya, Tanoa Group of Hotels, Fiji

â–

Mandy Richardson, Crowne Plaza Alice Springs, NT

â–

Debbie Simister, Accor Hospitality

â–

Jayne Webb, Brisbane Marriott, QLD

â–

Kathy York, Crowne Plaza Newcastle, NSW

â–

Bryony Gammon, Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Chriscelle Capito, The Observatory Hotel Sydney, NSW

â–

Wendy Hill, Radisson Plaza Hotel Sydney, NSW

Andrew Gee, Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji

â–

Emma Kearns, Toga Hospitality

â–

Sally McCann, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, NSW

â–

Laura Bogunia, Hilton Sydney, NSW

â–

â–

â–

Chris Lane, Constellation Hotels Group

â–

Sally Morgan, Hayman, QLD

â–

Tomoko Sakurai, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, NSW

â–

Gaynor Reid, Accor Hospitality

Joy Solomano, SoďŹ tel Werribee Park Mansion Hotel & Spa, VIC

Kimberly Salt, Orient-Express Hotels

â–

â– â–

â–

Jennifer Tyrrell, Brisbane Marriott, QLD

Charlotte Seymour, Hilton Hotels Australasia

â–

Julius Ungar, Fraser Suites Sydney, NSW

â–

Konstanze Werhahn-Mees, Eight Hotels Australia

â–

Michelle Vague, The Langham, Melbourne, VIC

Winner: Jayne Webb, Brisbane Marriott

Winner: Chriscelle Capito, The Observatory Hotel Sydney

Highly commended: Chantal Jackson, Hilton Sydney

Highly commended: Tomoko Sakurai, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

Presented by

Hosted by

Winner: Gaynor Reid, Accor Hospitality Highly commended: Jill Collins, Hamilton Island (representation)

Co-hosted by Hotel & Accommodation Management

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HMawards

2009 HM AWARDS WINNERS

PEOPLE AWARDS + MAJOR AWARDS Brett Patterson (ISIS), left, presents the award to Simon Ruri (Peppers)

Melissa Starbuck (Sealy) presents the award to Accor on behalf of Donna

Amanda Silk (Accor) receives the award from Adam Daff (HM magazine)

31. FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT MEMBER

32. ROOMS DIVISION DEPARTMENT MEMBER

33. SOUTH PACIFIC HOTEL MANAGER

Presented by

Presented by

Presented by

Finalists: ■ Wayne Arthur, Radisson Plaza Hotel Sydney, NSW

Finalists: ■ Kathleen Counsel, Brisbane Marriott, QLD

Finalists: ■ Steve Anstey, Ahura Resorts, Fiji ■

Shane Cunning, Sheraton and Westin Resorts Fiji

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Neil Houghton, InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa

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Bernard Isautier, Vahine Island, Tahaa, French Polynesia

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Brice Pean, Fiji Beach Resort and Spa Managed by Hilton

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Justin Phillips, Radisson Resort Fiji Denarau Island

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Arthur Reed, Navini Island Resort, Fiji

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Darren Shaw, Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji

Sarah Young, Rydges World Square Sydney, NSW

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Amanda Silk, Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, Fiji

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Grace Esogon, Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel, NSW

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Greg Stanaway, Pacific Resort Rarotonga, Cook Islands

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Assumpta McDonald, The Westin Auckland Lighter Quay, NZ

Winner: Amanda Silk, Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa

Gemini Brown, Crowne Plaza Terrigal, NSW

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Teneale Guarrera, Holiday Inn Darwin, NT

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Jamila El Allam, Langham Melbourne, VIC

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Michelle Dower, Hotel Ibis Glen Waverly, VIC

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Mitch Gawthorn, Holiday Inn Esplanade Darwin, NT

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Andy Goonesekera, InterContinental Sydney, NSW

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Cameron Griffiths, Park Hyatt Sydney, NSW

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Donna Gribble, Novotel Barossa Valley, SA

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Karen Koelewyn, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, NSW

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Leon Pink, Outrigger on the Lagoon, Fiji

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Rebecca Latemore, The Elandra Mission Beach, QLD

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Dianne Logan, Quay Grand Suites Sydney, NSW

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Simon Ruri, Peppers Clearwater Resort, Christchurch, NZ

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Rob Unson, Sofitel Werribee Park Mansion Hotel & Spa, VIC

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Sae Yi Oh, Hilton Sydney, NSW

■

Winner: Simon Ruri, Peppers Clearwater Resort Highly commended: Jamila El Allam, The Langham Melbourne

Presented by 24

Winner: Donna Gribble, Novotel Barossa Valley, SA

Highly commended: Greg Stanaway, Pacific Resort Rarotonga

Highly commended: Grace Esogon, Sydney Harbour Marriott, NSW

Hosted by

Co-hosted by

Hotel & Accommodation Management

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International Academy of Hospitality

Our 2010 Scholarship Program is now accepting applications

Hostec scholarships are aimed at assisting high achieving young australians gain nationally recognised qualifications, as well as industry experience, to ensure they achieve their potential. One and two year scholarships are available for Commercial Cookery and Advanced Diploma of Hotel Management: Up to two years tuition and career management support, including part time employment at Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach. Valued at over $24,000. For more information talk to Tina Sofroniou, Student Solutions Consultant on 61 2 8002 0235 t.sofroniou@hostec.com or visit hostec.com Provider code: 02831M RTO Registration: 314397

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HMawards

2009 HM AWARDS WINNERS

MAJOR AWARDS Alison Roberts-Brown (SLH), left, receives the award from Melissa Starbuck (Sealy)

Heather Idoine-Riley (IHG) receives the award from Adam Daff (HM)

Brett Patterson (ISIS), left, presents the award to Richard Munro (Star City)

34. NEW ZEALAND HOTEL MANAGER

35. AUSTRALIAN HOTEL MANAGER

Presented by

Presented by

36. HOTEL BRAND MANAGEMENT COMPANY Presented by

Finalists: ■ Peter Gee, Stamford Plaza Auckland ■

Heather Idoine-Riley, Holiday Inn Wellington

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Philip Jenkins, Blanket Bay

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Heiko Kaiser, Treetops Lodge. Rotorua

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Gregory Keating, Duxton Hotel Wellington

■

Finalists: ■ Michael Bourne, Hilton Melbourne South Wharf, VIC ■

■

Finalists: ■ Design Hotels

David Brown, Crowne Plaza Surfers Paradise, QLD

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Preferred Hotel Group

Marc Cherrier, Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, NSW

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Select Hotels & Resorts International

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Small Luxury Hotels of the World

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The Leading Hotels of the World

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Chris Ehmann, Hilton Adelaide, SA

Carey Norton, The Heritage Queenstown

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Steve Finlayson, Radisson on Flagstaff Gardens Melbourne, VIC

Winner: Small Luxury Hotels of the World

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Lee Pearce, Novotel Capital Wellington

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Adam Glass, Crowne Plaza Alice Springs, NT

Highly commended: The Leading Hotels of the World

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Marcus Reinders, The Westin Auckland Lighter Quay

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Richard Munro, Star City, Sydney, NSW

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Victoria Shaw, Eichardt’s Private Hotel, Queenstown

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Ruwan Peiris, Sydney Marriott Hotel, NSW

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Jeffrey von Vorsselen, The Langham, Auckland

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Peter Savoff, Emporium Hotel, Brisbane, QLD

Winner: Heather Idoine-Riley, Holiday Inn Wellington

■

Ben Sington, The Langham, Melbourne, VIC

Highly commended: Victoria Shaw, Eichardt’s Private Hotel Queenstown

Winner: Richard Munro, Star City, Sydney

Presented by 26

Highly commended: Peter Savoff, Emporium Hotel, Brisbane

Hosted by

Co-hosted by

Hotel & Accommodation Management

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Antony Raiteri (Sealy), left, presents the award to Bruce McKenzie (IHG)

37. HOTEL BRAND Presented by

Brendan O’Farrell (Intrust), left, presents the award to Andrew Turner (Mirvac)

Antony Raiteri (Sealy), left, presents the award to Glenn Bourke (Hamilton Island)

38. ACCOMMODATION CHAIN

39. HOTEL OF THE YEAR Presented by

Presented by

Finalists: â– Crowne Plaza

Finalists: â– Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, NSW

Finalists: â– Accor Hospitality

â–

Diamant Hotels

â–

Hilton

â–

Grand Hyatt Melbourne, VIC

Eight Hotels

â–

â–

Hayman, QLD

â–

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts

â–

Mantra

â–

Hilton

â–

â–

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts

InterContiental Melbourne The Rialto, VIC

â–

Marriott

â–

InterContinental Hotels Group

â–

Lizard Island, QLD

â–

Novotel

â–

Marriott International

â–

Park Hyatt Melbourne, VIC

â–

Quest Serviced Apartments

â–

Park Hyatt Sydney, NSW

â–

qualia, QLD

â–

SoďŹ tel Gold Coast, QLD

â–

The Observatory Hotel, Sydney, NSW

â–

The Westin Sydney, NSW

â– â–

The Langham The Westin

Winner: Crowne Plaza (InterContinental Hotels Group) Highly commended: Diamant (Eight Hotels Australia)

â– â– â– â–

Mirvac Hotels & Resorts Quest Serviced Apartments Rydges Hotels & Resorts Starwood PaciďŹ c Hotels

Winner: Mirvac Hotels & Resorts Highly commended: InterContinental Hotels Group

Winner: qualia Highly commended: The Observatory Hotel, Sydney Highly commended: Park Hyatt Melbourne

Presented by

Hosted by

Co-hosted by Hotel & Accommodation Management

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HMawards

2009 HM AWARDS WINNERS

MAJOR AWARDS

“Anyone can build a hotel room, but it’s the people that really make Accor such a successful group.” SIMON McGRATH, Vice President Australia, Accor Hospitality

Hotelier of the Year: Simon McGrath

40.HM MAGAZINE HOTELIER OF THE YEAR

■

Bruce McKenzie, InterContinental Hotels Group

■

Chris Tallent, Voyages

Presented by

■

David Bayes, Choice Hotels Australia

■

Jonathan Wooller, Constellation Hotels Group

■

Norman Arundel, Rydges Hotels & Resorts

■

Patrick Griffin, Orient-Express Hotels

■

Paul Constantinou, Quest Serviced Apartments

Finalists: ■ Andrew Turner, Mirvac

■

Paul Fischmann, Eight Hotels Australia

■

Rachel Argaman, Toga Hospitality

■

Ashley Spencer, Hilton

■

Simon McGrath, Accor Hospitality

■

Bob East, Mantra Group

Winner: Simon McGrath, Accor Hospitality

Presented by 28

Hosted by

Co-hosted by

Hotel & Accommodation Management

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Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney

Transforming great Australian Hotels, Casinos and Resorts. The Four Seasons Hotel Sydney project marks another success story for ISIS Hotel Projects and further displays their relentless focus on client service and project excellence. Visit isis.com.au

ISIS FOUR SEASONS AD A4 V1 indd 1 HM Oct 09 p1-47.indd 29

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HMawards

PRESENTATION PARTNER MESSAGE The 2009 HM Awards were a fantastic showcase of the best the hospitality industry has to offer, including bedding, with the luxurious Sealy Posturepedic Dynasty Series bed on display for event attendees to revel on. This feature packed bed, is a handcrafted sleep system that delivers the ultimate in luxury commercial bedding, an expectation that is fast becoming a pre-requisite for hotel guests. It’s been well documented that hotels that make a commitment to guest service and comfort through luxury bedding programs have experienced higher guest satisfaction scores, market share and business growth. A memorable sleep experience provides an additional reason for the guest to select and return to the hotel. Part of the increased focus on better hotel bedding is that consumers have been buying better quality bedding for their homes. They expect as good, if not better, comfort and quality when travelling. Higher disposable incomes combined with stressful current events have created an environment where personal comfort is a desirable and justifiable indulgence. The more upscale the hotel, the higher the expectations of its guests. The bed is an important element in the delivery of the hotel’s promise of comfort and caring to its guests. A

comfortable night’s sleep can go a long way toward reinforcing the hotel’s position and creating satisfied guests who will recommend the property to others and return as loyal customers. When marketed by a hotel property, a highly recognizable brand name bed serves as a reassurance to guests of a comfortable night’s sleep. The higher the awareness and brand preference of the bed, the greater the impact that the marketing effort can have on guests. In addition, the current interest in bedding has created many opportunities for a hotel to leverage its bedding upgrades or premium bedding brands to promote the hotel and differentiate it from its competition. A trend in the hospitality industry, especially in the upscale and luxury segments, is the request by satisfied guests to purchase hotel products that they have enjoyed. This is a powerful commentary on how well the hotel has met guest expectations, and it creates a lasting connection that reinforces a loyalty to the property. In addition, the royalties received from a guest purchase program can be used to offset the capital expenditure for the beds themselves. For more information on how your property can benefit from this growing trend contact Sealy Posturepedic – the sleep solution specialists in your state.

HALL OF FAME TWO PROMINENT HOTELIERS WERE THE INAUGURAL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES AT THE 2009 HM AWARDS. WORDS

JAMES WILKINSON

At the 2009 HM Awards, HM magazine had the honour of inducting not one but two Australian hotel industry legends into the HM Awards Hall of Fame. These two gentlemen are the first ever inductees into the HM Awards Hall of Fame and the HM magazine judging panel could not think of a more fitting year to do so. The first inductee was born in 1941 and educated at Sydney Grammar School. A graduate in law from the University of Sydney, he was the founder and until January 1991, a senior partner of a Sydney legal firm which specialised in commercial and fiscal law. In 1986 he was appointed Chairman of Citistate Corporation Limited, an Australian public company specialising in property development and corporate investment. Citistate’s more visible developments in Australia have included the Novotel Hotel Sydney on Darling Harbour – the adjoining Ibis Hotel and Grand Mercure Apartment developments and the Novotel Hotel Melbourne on Collins. In 1993, he became the Chairman of Accor Asia Pacific, and in 2001 he was made an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO). In April 2003, he was awarded the Centenary Medal for Service to Australian Society through Business Indigenous Affairs and the Arts. He remained Chairman of Accor Asia Pacific until 2008, when he relinquished his position to become Honorary Chairman of the group. The first inductee is David Baffsky AO.

Presented by 30

Hosted by

Patrick Griffin

David Baffsky

The second inductee is one of Australia’s most esteemed and wellknown hoteliers. Born in the UK, he has provided an incredible 46 years of service to the industry, including 22 years here in Australia. He has shown a tremendous amount of leadership within not just his hotel chain Orient-Express, but through his work with the Australian Hotels Association of which, he is currently National President of the Accommodation Division. He was honoured in June with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the general division for service to the tourism and hospitality industries. He is someone who many call a friend and a leader that so many young hoteliers aspire to follow in the footsteps of. The second inductee is Patrick Griffin OAM.

Co-hosted by

Hotel & Accommodation Management

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The 2009 sponsors of Sala Bai students

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CO-HOST MESSAGE

ALMOST $40,000 RAISED FOR SALA BAI At the 2009 HM Awards, the Sala Bai Hotel School in Siem Reap, Cambodia was again preferred charity and HM is proud to announce that on the night, $39,000 raised in the way of student sponsorship. In conjunction with Mawland Group, HM Magazine helped to raise funds and the 2009 total is the highest ever in a single year. To aid the sponsorship, a number of prizes were donated by HM Awards sponsors and supporters, including: two cases of San Pellegrino and Aqua Panna; two cases of beer - St Arnou Pale Ale and St Arnou Premium Blonde; a mixed dozen Robert Oatley Wines comprising Chardonnay and Shiraz; Pravda vodka courtesy of Moda Beverages; Courtesy of Foxtel two reserved tickets to one home game for the Hyundai A League in each venue across Australia – being Sydney Melbourne, Central Coast, Adelaide, Perth, Gold Coast and Newcastle – and a total of 14 tickets; three nights at any Small Luxury Hotels of the World property in the world; a 42-inch LCD Hotel TV from Philips; a $3500 ice machine from Hoshizaki Lancer that features the latest in ice technology; and a Posturepedic bed worth over $5000 from Sealy. Several hoteliers have also offered to send senior staff over to Cambodia to help train up students – and HM will keep you entirely updated on this, and how the AUD$39,000 going to help educate the world’s future hoteliers.

THE JUDGING PROCESS Nominations for the 2009 HM Awards came from employees of and suppliers to the hotel industry in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Nomination forms were available to download from a dedicated website (www.hmawards. com), one which also hosted online nominations. The nominations were then split into three areas for judging: Property and Brand Management categories (1-21 and 36); People, selected Major and Environmental categories (22-35); and the Top Four Major awards (37-40). In summary: • The Property categories were judged by a panel of over 20 industry identities and awardwinning travel writers (all of whom are listed below); • People, selected Major and Environmental categories were judged by James Wilkinson from HM Magazine and consultants from leading hotel executive recruitment and training company Hostec; and • The Top Four Major Awards – Hotel Brand, Accommodation Chain, Hotel of the Year and the HM Magazine Hotelier of the Year – were decided by 15 regional CEOs, Managing Directors and Vice-Presidents of the leading hotel chains in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. • The results of the 2009 HM Awards were audited by Ernst&Young. The 2009 HM Awards judging panel James Wilkinson (Managing Editor, HM Magazine); Beverly Malzard (Editor, Get Up and Go Magazine); Gwen O’Toole (Editor, SPICE Magazine); Mike Smith (Travel Editor, The Daily Telegraph, Sydney); Lisa Ferrari (General Manager, Travel.com.au); Roderick Eime (HM contributing writer); David McGonigal (freelance travel writer); Rob McFarland (freelance travel writer); Lorraine Duffy (CEO, HMAA); Amanda Bolger (Virgin Blue Group of Airlines); Anthony Cassar (Breakaway Travelclub); Daisy Melwani (E Travel Blackboard); Jill Varley (freelance travel writer); Fritz Gubler (The Great Grand and Famous books); Ian Crawshaw (travel book author); Ian Wilson (Chief Executive Officer, Hostec); Jacqueline Taylor (travel TV producer); Rachael Oakes-Ash (freelance ski and travel writer); Mark Chipperfield (travel writer, the (sydney) magazine and The Daily Telegraph, London); Jayson Westbury (CEO, AFTA).

Presented by

Hosted by

Intrust Super was once again very pleased to co-host the annual HM Awards Gala Dinner for 2009, which was enjoyed by more than 440 guests in Sydney last month. The night was a huge success and as a major sponsor we were proud to be afďŹ liated with such an event. The HM Awards provide a platform not only for the winners but all nominees to be deservedly recognised. The expertise of all awarded individuals, departments, properties and chains across 40 categories showcased the best the industry has to offer. The evening provided a perfect public opportunity to congratulate individuals and organisations alike that have performed exceptionally well in the various award categories. The winners represented true excellence in their ďŹ eld. Their collective contributions to the industry help to ensure Australia, New Zealand and the South PaciďŹ c are placed at the forefront of hoteliers across the world. As a service provider to the hospitality, tourism and leisure industries for over 20 years we understand the industry you operate in, and we appreciate that good service is a combined effort. It was great to see people from all facets of the businesses receive recognition for their achievements. We were very impressed with the high calibre of talent represented on the night, reecting the strength of the industry. It was also great to witness the support and comradery shared by everyone on the night, despite the tough year experienced by all across the hospitality and tourism sectors. The increasingly optimistic outlook for consumers is encouraging and we anticipate next year being even better. On behalf of Intrust Super congratulations to all winners and nominees at the Awards and thank HM for the opportunity to be involved with such an outstanding event. We look forward to the 2010 Awards event, which will no doubt be even bigger and better.

Co-hosted by Hotel & Accommodation Management

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HMawards

CO-HOST MESSAGE ISIS Hotel Projects as one of this year’s co-hosts, is proud to be part of the 2009 HM AWARDS in recognising hotel and accommodation industry excellence. Special congratulations go to all the category winners and the highly commended and in particular: Best refurbishment winner InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto; Hotel Day Spa winner Villa Thalgo Day Spa, The Sebel Resort & Spa Hawkesbury Valley; Fijian Property winner Likuliku Lagoon Resort, Fiji; Front Office Department winner Simon Ruri, Peppers Clearwater Resort, Christchurch, New Zealand; and Australian Hotel Manager Winner Richard Munro, Star City, Sydney, NSW. The HM Awards this year has once again drawn the best in the industry, of which can only be described as world class. ISIS Hotel Projects a wholly owned subsidiary of ISIS Group Holdings continues to deliver industry leading outcomes through a commitment to excellence, customer service, transparency and collaboration across all project stakeholders. 2009 has been a highly successful year with a number of reputable projects completed across their national portfolio. Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Crowne Plaza Melbourne, Citigate Perth, Novotel Canberra, Holiday Inn Townsville, Hilton Brisbane

Executive Suites, Crowne Plaza Terrigal just to name a few. Already in the 2010 FY, ISIS Hotel Projects has several high profile fit-out and refurbishments underway across the country including the major refurbishment of Star City Casino. This financial year ISIS Hotel Projects and the whole ISIS Group begin a review of the entire operation, with the major focus being the establishment of a competitive market position in order to improve the delivery of market leading commercial interior projects. In the forever changing world of interior contracting, property and construction, ISIS will challenge every paradigm, examine client expectations and formulate an infrastructure to deliver further exceptional client service and best of class outcomes. ISIS Hotel Projects looks forwarded to being part of the 2010 HM Awards and continues to recognise hotel and accommodation industry excellence.

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AHA’s Bill Healey and Juliana Payne

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Brett and Franca Patterson

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Simon Ruri performs the Wero

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Andrew Turner (centre) tries out the new bed he won from Sealy in the Sala Bai sponsorship draw

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5-star entertainment

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The Accor tables produced several winners

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All smiles on the Mantra Group table

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HM MAGAZINE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE 2009 HM AWARDS SPONSORS Presented by

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checkIN Now open: Hamilton Island Yacht Club

OPENINGS HAMILTON ISLAND

Hamilton Island’s newest experiences unveiled Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has officially opened two new multi-million dollar venues on Hamilton Island. The opening of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club and Golf Course coincided with the beginning of the 26th Audi Hamilton Island Race Week and was attended by state dignitaries and some famous faces, ready to enjoy both the on and off-water festivities. The opening of these two major developments is part of an ongoing commitment by Hamilton Island owners, the Oatley family, who purchased the island in 2003. Since that time they have invested over AUD$200 million in the destination, including the development of qualia, the 60 pavilion luxury resort, recently awarded Best Resort and Best Hotel of the Year at the 2009 HM Awards. “It’s no wonder Hamilton Island is a

popular tourist destination with such a multitude of activities for visitors to participate in and today we see that list of attractions and experiences expand,”Bligh said. “Hamilton Island is now not only a popular domestic retreat, it has become increasingly renowned as a desirable holiday destination with international visitors,” she said. The Hamilton Island Yacht Club, due to open its doors to members in November, was designed by renowned Australian architect Walter Barda alongside famed yachtsman, Iain Murray. The venue, housed under an iconic starfish-shaped copper roof, promises to be a centre for lifestyle as well as boating, with first-class dining, wellness and pool facilities. As part of the complex, a luxury 35 villa residential development is being built adjacent to the marina.

GOVERNMENT CANBERRA

Trans-Tasman travel boost Travelling between Australia and New Zealand is set to become faster and easier, NZ Prime Minister John Key announced during his visit to Australia in August. Key unveiled the changes after meeting with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in Canberra and work will continue between the two countries to further streamline border processes. “Once the changes I have announced are in place, new passenger clearance systems for trans-Tasman flights mean low-risk New Zealand and Australian passengers will get a fast exit from border control at the airport,” Key said. “Significant progress has been made in this area since I met with Prime Minister Rudd in March and I am pleased that

both countries will continue to work on further streamlining the travel experience for our people.” Changes in New Zealand to transTasman passenger clearance includes the installation of SmartGate processing and changes to biosecurity screening. In addition to these changes, Key said the New Zealand and Australian governments are also looking at the feasibility of x-ray image transfer. This would see the transfer of x-ray images of bags, meaning inspectors would be able to assess and clear incoming passenger baggage during flight time. “These changes are not the end of the work programme, but as they are implemented they will help make trans-Tasman travel more convenient for passengers,”Key said.

INbrief SYDNEY Vibe Hotels is the official Sydney accommodation partner for hit musical Wicked - one of the most successful shows in theatre history and the winner of 20 major awards including a Grammy Award and three Tony Awards. Rachel Argaman, CEO, Toga Hospitality said: “We are delighted to be the official accommodation partner for the hit musical Wicked. Guests can purchase Wicked accommodation packages at Vibe Hotel Sydney including overnight accommodation and an ‘A’ reserve ticket starting from $217 per person through Showbiz.” A range of Stay & See accommodation and show packages are also available from Showbiz for Toga Hospitality properties including Vibe Hotels, Medina Apartment Hotels and Travelodge Hotels and include overnight accommodation and ‘A’ reserve tickets to Wicked. POKOLBIN It might be months away, but the most romantic Valentines 2010 weekend tickets have gone on sale already with American musician Rob Thomas finding perfect harmony in the Hunter Valley and Peppers Guest House providing the most lovely weekend package. Arguably the most accomplished singer/songwriter of his generation, Rob Thomas will rock the vineyards for one night only over the Valentines weekend on Saturday February 13, 2010, allowing couples to follow their hearts to a truly mesmerizing musical experience. Couples can enjoy romance, red roses and Rob Thomas in the Hunter Valley this Valentines Day with special packages to Peppers Guest House, located close to the concert venue at Hope Estate, and prices start from $699 per person. GOLD COAST Mantra Hotels, Resorts and Apartments has lifted the curtain on a range of crowd-pleasing accommodation and show deals for the 10th Anniversary Australian Tour of the global hit stage musical, Mamma Mia! As accommodation partners of the global smash hit, Mantra has teamed with Showbiz to set the stage for a memorable night, where visitors can enjoy the funny, sunny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible fathers with the story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs, and a premium hotel experience. Stay & See accommodation and show packages for the Sydney and Melbourne shows are on sale now. SYDNEY A survey of Australian business travellers has named Hilton the number one hotel brand in Australia and the leading choice hotel brand in Australia for the fifth consecutive year. Topping the list of 95 of the world’s leading hotel brands in the annual BDRC Asia Pacific Business Hotel Guest Survey, Hilton has once again shown it is a leading name in hospitality in Australia. The BDRC brand ranking index or brand performance is measured against overall scores for prompted and unprompted awareness, usage of a brand, preferred choice and loyalty ratios.

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checkIN PATRICK GRIFFIN OAM National Accommodation Div. President Australian Hotels Association (AHA) CORPORATE GOLD COAST

Following a restructure and recapitalisation Stella Hospitality has announced a new corporate identity that has resulted in the company changing name to the Mantra Group. The change of name to Mantra Group follows the recent announcement by owners CVC Asia Pacific that the Stella Group would be separated into two independently operating businesses. Mantra Group CEO Bob East said the rebranding would herald an exciting phase of growth and expansion for the company. “The separation of the two businesses means each can operate independently and focus on being the best in their respective fields,” he said. “The recapitalisation has given us a strong balance sheet and an injection of funds which allows us to forge ahead with our plans to expand our three consumer brands of Peppers, Mantra and Breakfree with confidence,” he said. East said the renaming to Mantra Group was part of a logical progression for the company. “Stella Hospitality Group was built on nine hotel brands amalgamated into three core brands of Peppers, Mantra and BreakFree,” he said. “Peppers and BreakFree were existing successful brands while the Mantra brand was developed by our team and is now the

Mantra Group

Stella Renamed Mantra Group

Stella Hospitality has been named Mantra Group. Pictured: Peppers Bale Salt

fastest growing hotel brand in Australia. “It is a name that has had great exposure. It represents the best in home-grown skills and service and is synonymous with integrity and professionalism which are the key values that our company is built on,” East said. Mantra Group currently operates 140 resorts, retreats, hotels and apartments throughout Australia and New Zealand and employs more than 3500 staff. East said there are more properties in the pipeline for all three brands, particularly Peppers. “In the future, we plan on increasing the size of the Peppers, Mantra and BreakFree portfolios as well as new initiatives like introducing the Peppers product into a CBD environment,” East said.

Much of what we’ve been doing in the last twelve months is finding that fine balance between maintaining our workforces, whilst keeping a close eye on the business bottom line. The immediate imperatives of falling revenues and occupancies are top of mind, and the days of skills and labour shortages may seem in the distant past, but inevitably these will become issues again. With falling birth rates in Australia, ready access to a skilled, high quality workforce will soon be a business imperative again. Traditionally, the labour pool comprised mainly younger people, but going forwards this simply will not be the case. So businesses and governments will need to think laterally, and look to other sources of labour than just home-grown. In fact, access to skilled labour will actually help our businesses to contribute to improving economic conditions.

EVENTS SYDNEY

Hilton chefs inspire events

What does the hospitality industry need? It is clearly spelled out in the Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Development Strategy, developed by the AHA. Instead of lurching from bust to boom with skilled and trained staff, the AHA advocates a long term sustainable approach. The four key areas are developing skills in the workforce, expanding the traditional workforce, creating quality workplaces and better forward planning for the workforce.

Celebrity chefs: Ramon Freixa, Simon Bryant and Luke Mangan

Hilton

Three celebrity chefs, three new celebrity inspired event menus. Hilton Hotels Australasia has launched the latest concept in event catering ‘Celebrity Inspired Events Menus’. The menus, which have been created by Hilton’s award winning chefs Luke Mangan (Hilton Sydney), Simon Bryant (Hilton Adelaide) and Ramon Freixa (Hilton Melbourne South Wharf), will establish a new standard in event catering by offering seasonal produce and seamless delivery, creating consistent event catering standards with celebrity chef designed event menus available at eight Hilton Hotels in Australia and New Zealand. Ashley Spencer, Vice President Hilton Hotels Australasia, was thrilled to launch the concept. “Hilton Hotels in Australasia are the only place in the region to have three celebrity chefs as the creative force behind their events menus. When we were developing the con-

cept we wanted a product that would give our clients the best possible opportunity to create unique and outstanding events,”he said. “Simon, Luke and Ramon are delighted to make their food concepts and favourite dishes available for Hilton’s events clients and they all consider this concept an innovative move in the right direction for catering – seasonal menus offering variety and creativity, exceeding a standard event menu,” Spencer said.

In the face of the unprecedented impacts of the GFC over the last twelve or so months, our industry has demonstrated yet again its resilience and resourcefulness in coping with some of the tougher negative impacts, and ensuring we hang on to our people in whom we have invested so much. This goes further than just clearing leave and recruitment freezes; hotels have been innovative in the workplace, working with staff to multi-skill and collaborate between departments, and looking at how they roster and control shifts, all the while ensuring their high quality standards are maintained. We’ve all been creative in our marketing and promotions, branching into new areas and seeking new revenue-generators while recycling and driving savings with gusto. Those fortunate to have access to funds have taken the opportunity to refurbish and re-create different aspects of their hotels, ensuring they have a new and quality offering for the market when the upturn comes.

On the ground, we need to think creatively: such as recruiting older people who may be happy with part time, flexible and seasonal work; training and encouraging employment for Indigenous workers, which has the added advantage of attracting overseas visitors. We should look at recruiting existing immigrants in Australia, tapping into their language and cultural skills, especially the countries from where we are seeing more visitors, such as China and India. As an industry we also need to keep our own house in order, and maintain our investment in traineeships, apprenticeships, and internships, the building blocks of our future workforce.

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checkIN JENNIE LANGLEY Chair, New Zealand Hotel Council CONFERENCES NADI

Of course it helps to have the country’s Prime Minister as the leading advocate in his role as Minister of Tourism but even the most powerful, committed supporter cannot raise the level of funding and strategic thinking needed to transform the sector’s performance on his own. The challenge largely lies with us to take greater cross-sector initiatives to engage with others who may not always share our commitment for change, but have the power and ability to address longstanding barriers to improving performance and profitability. Already there is evidence that this is starting to pay off. Whilst not industry specific examples, the recent Nine-day Fortnight and Job Ops schemes are two options the tourism industry has available to them, which could make all the difference to operators in such a tight market. Further evidence of industry partnering with government is a recent joint venture between the Ministry of Social Development, the Department of Labour and various industry representatives, to produce a guide for assisting tourism and hospitality employers through the minefield of renewing work permits for employees who make up nearly half of our workforce. Most recently, the Ministry of Social Development has been working with members of the tourism and hospitality sectors to strengthen relationships that have become close to dysfunctional in recent years. The current focus is on fostering the career development of NZ’s youth, which coincides nicely with a long term vision the NZ tourism industry has had to be seen as a profession, a rewarding career, and not just as a transient occupation. Soured relationships and low success rates of available employment schemes may have been justified in the past but this is a new era. A commitment from all parties to not only listen to what will work (and won’t) but equally to try new initiatives, is a refreshing approach and one which the New Zealand Hotel Council believes is a step in the right direction for all parties. This may be only one example but it’s critical if we are to lessen our dependence on immigrant staff and train our people to achieve sufficient levels of supervisory skills in time for the Rugby World Cup 2011.

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Fiji set to host 2010 travel writers conference Host property: Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa

Accor

Fiji is set to host the 2010 Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) Annual General Meeting, following the August 21 announcement it would be the only destination to bid for the yearly event, which attracts over 200 travel journalists and marketers. The ASTW’s Annual General Meeting and Awards night will be held at the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, and will be followed by hosted post tours to showcase Fiji as a destination. The 2010 bid was unveiled at the 2009 ASTW AGM in Bangkok on August 21, a conference and awards night - sponsored by Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thai Airways - that proved to be one of the most successful in the history of the Society. Fiji’s tourism minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the ASTW AGM - slated for November 2010 - would significantly help the country’s tourism industry, particularly on the back of the hundreds of stories penned by the society’s journalists at the event each year. “We see the opportunity to host the 2010 ASTW AGM as becoming a major component in helping us to achieve the targets set out in Tourism Fiji’s international marketing strategy,” Sayed-Khaiyum said.

“It goes without saying that this event and the opportunity it offers to host the biggest annual gathering of travel writers from our foremost source of international visitors represents a wonderful prospect for the local tourism industry and overall, the people of Fiji.” While Fiji is yet to be officially endorsed as the 2010 AGM, HM understands it is the only destination in the running, after bids from several Oceania countries fell over before the Bangkok AGM. The ASTW AGM program each year consists of the annual general meeting, along with the Travel Journalism Awards for Excellence, a gala dinner, and pre- and postAGM familiarisation trips.

AIRLINES BRISBANE

South Africa headlines V Australia expansion The highly anticipated expansion of V Australia’s route network has been announced, with the airline set to add flights to Phuket and Johannesburg in late 2009 and early 2010. The Thai and South African destinations are the second and third respectively, following the airline’s launch of flights to Los Angeles from both Brisbane and Sydney. Flights from Melbourne to Los Angeles will also commence later this year, with the first direct, twice-weekly flight to commence on December 1, a tick over two months later than the originally proposed. Even with the delay in the MelbourneLos Angeles flights, consumers are set to be the big winners as airfares are once again expected to drop on services from Australia’s second largest city to the US west coast. Melbourne is the biggest winner in the V Australia expansion, with direct flights to Phuket (once weekly) and Johannesburg (twice weekly) set to commence on December 3, 2009 and March 13, 2010 respectively. V Australia will also commence twiceweekly direct Brisbane-Phuket flights from

New routes: V Australia

V Australia

Much has been said in recent months about the need for industry stakeholders, both public and private, to work together more effectively. The New Zealand Government set the scene immediately following its election almost a year ago by directly seeking industry and individual input ahead of policy changes and by ensuring government departments were working cooperatively where appropriate to improve decisionmaking and reduce duplication. For tourism this challenge to improve the quality of engagement with key stakeholders has meant working more closely alongside central and local government to ensure the industry emerges from the current global financial crisis in the strongest position, poised and ready for the upturn when it comes. It’s not only good practice, but also good sense.

November 22, 2009. “We believe our new destinations offer very exciting opportunities,” said Virgin Blue Airlines Group CEO Brett Godfrey. The flights will also break the monopoly Qantas and South African Airways have had on the Australia-Johannesburg routes, which have proven to be highly successful for both carriers - particularly over the last decade out of Sydney and Perth respectively. Also set to launch before the end of 2009 for V Australia are daily Sydney-Nadi services replacing Pacific Blue flights. The airline has lodged an application with the International Air Services Commission for permission and slots to operate the flights and an outcome is yet to be determined.

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checkIN PETER MCBREARTY State Delegate – Victoria, Les Clefs d’Or MANAGEMENT ADELAIDE

InterContinental to replace Hyatt in Adelaide

It may not qualify as an exact science, but when the Concierge Desk registers an increase in restaurant reservations, day tour bookings, enquiries for high end jewellery and clothing outlets, and difficulty obtaining premium tickets to some theatrical productions it is often reasonably safe to assume guests are feeling a little more secure with the prospect of enjoying themselves again. In keeping with that early spring feeling of renewal and enjoyment, many of our members and their associates are once again preparing for their popular Les Clefs d’Or Concierge Balls. Our New Zealand brethren are first cab of the rank with their Casino Royale Hospitality Ball being held at Skycity in Auckland on Saturday October 3. Perth are next in line with their Ball being held at the Burswood Entertainment Complex on Sunday October 18. Melbourne then celebrates the conclusion of the busy Spring Racing season with their Ball to be held at Hilton on The Park on Sunday November 8, also with a Casino Royale theme and featuring special guest Tim Holding, Victoria’s Minister for Tourism. Finally our President Elvis Soiza will be hosting the 2009 Masquerade Ball on Saturday November 21 at Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast. Each of the Concierge Balls also functions to raise money for a number of designated charities and further details are available at www. lesclefsdoraustralia.org.au and www. hotelconciergesocietynz.org. We hope to see as many of our friends and associates from the hotel and tourism industry as possible joining us once again to celebrate a positive end to what has in some quarters at least been quite a challenging year. The Asia Congress in Kuala Lumpur early in August, which was kindly hosted by Les Clefs d’Or Malaysia, was attended by 3rd International Vice President Colin Toomey of the Shangri-La Sydney and Ronnie Chong from Bayview on The Park Melbourne. Subjects covered included issues such as ‘The Global Economic Crisis – The Effects and Challenges on the Hospitality and Tourism’ and delegates were in attendance from countries including Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, Chinese Taipei, Cambodia and India. The Asia Congress is a wonderful opportunity to foster ties and the exchange of information in our local region, and we hope to encourage members to attend future events in years to come. Peter McBrearty is Chief Concierge at the Langham Hotel, Melbourne

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Hyatt Regency Adelaide has become InterContinental Adelaide

IHG

As we enter spring, the green shoots of recovery seem to be affecting not only the business and financial sectors, but fortunately we are noticing a prevailing sense of optimism amongst many of our members, as their respective properties have been experiencing a resurgence in occupancy and activity.

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has signed a deal with leading Thai conglomerate TCC (Thai Chareon Corporation) to convert and rebrand four existing hotels, including Hyatt Regency Adelaide to InterContinental Adelaide, adding nearly 1500 rooms to IHG’s Asia-Pacific portfolio. The 367-room Adelaide property has become the fourth InterContinental in Australia - joining InterContinental Sydney, InterContinental Perth Burswood, and InterContinental Melbourne the Rialto - and was rebranded on September 24. The hotels other three hotels are located in China and Japan and will carry the InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, and Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts brands. “We are delighted to win TCC’s confidence in our brands. This partnership allows us to bring to bear the strength and scale of IHG brand and systems to drive opera-

tional performance of the hotels and deliver returns,” said Jan Smits, Managing Director, IHG Asia-Australasia. All hotel staff were expected to be retained in the management changeover and the hotel’s new General Manager, Stephen Floyd was expected to be in place from September 24. Floyd and the IHG team have also been working with TCC on the owner’s plans to upgrade the hotel, ensuring it retains its premier position in Adelaide. While TCC is yet to confirm actual amounts to be committed for refurbishment, the owner plans to upgrade the lobby and public areas, restaurants and the Club Lounge and all Club rooms – 82 rooms in total across levels 20-24 of the hotel – within the next twelve months. This will be followed by refurbishment of function spaces and all remaining guest rooms within the next two- to three-years.

PUBLISHING SYDNEY

Time Out joins our stable The Intermedia Group, publisher of HM magazine and 24 other leading titles, has acquired Print and Digital Publishing (PDP), the local owner of the Time Out brand of magazines and websites. This acquisition represents significant growth for the publishing, events and exhibitions company, with the Time Out titles complementing an existing stable of publications. PDP, which will continue to operate as a separate entity within Intermedia, has the distribution rights to the Time Out brand in Australia and New Zealand. Time Out Sydney, the flagship consumer publication, focuses on food, wine, entertainment, theatre, culture and travel. It is currently distributed through selected newsagencies, hotels and licensed venues. Most noticeably for Intermedia, this represents a substantial movement towards consumer publishing, with the majority of its current titles specialising in trade and industry content.

Intermedia Group Managing Director Simon Grover highlighted the confluence of synergies as a key factor in making this decision. “There are many synergies,” he said. “A number of existing Intermedia titles, websites and events already have extensive advertising and editorial contacts within the consumer lifestyle and hospitality categories as well as a strong database of readers for increasing subscription revenue and wider distribution.”

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checkIN CHRISTOPHER BROWN Group Managing Director Tourism & Transport Forum HOTELS HAYMAN ISLAND

Hayman is continuing to experience strong growth in the MICE segment, with conference, meeting and incentive bookings now outperforming all other sectors, both domestically and internationally. Speaking exclusively to HM during a site tour of the 5-star property in late July, Hayman General Manager Roger Wright said he remains positive for the year ahead and MICE market bookings in particular are exceeding expectations. “Current C&I booking are indicating a significant demand growth in this market,” he said. “We have experienced strong growth from short lead small and medium sized groups, so as we move back to more normal times, our lead-times are expected to expand. “We are also in the process of developing a new series of smaller executive style retreats and conferences targeted at business partnerships in the accounting, legal, financial services areas. “This usually means strategic planning retreats for busy partners in these firms with a chance to combine both strategic planning time with good food, wine, reef experiences and reconnecting time with accompanying loved ones. “This market has found its way to us over the past year or so and we are anticipating a further development of this market… this market is comfortable with having six or eight participants or partners join The Chef’s Table events and other culinary experiences on Hayman,” he said. Wright said the new daily Virgin Blue flights from Sydney, which launched on July 4, has provided a significant boost to business from all sectors

Hayman

Hayman recording strong MICE business

By next February, Australians will know just how their country will be positioned on the world stage with the unveiling of Brand Australia. The plan is to follow that with an international launch at the World Expo in Shanghai three months later. The federal government committed $20 million to the Building Brand Australia project in August, with engaging creative minds to create a new image of Australia the first step. So far so good, but it’s what happens next that really counts.

Hayman Island

“Anecdotal evidence supports the impression that load factors are probably stronger than Virgin may have expected at this early stage,”Wright said.“They have excellent connections with their international flights into both Sydney and Brisbane, and they appear to have managed this both out of the USA and New Zealand. “We believe their carefully crafted connectivity with incoming international flights will give Virgin a competitive advantage when dealing with the leisure market; especially since the often value conscious leisure traveller is not forced to book one night in a CBD hotel in Sydney or Brisbane if their interest is in the principle leisure destinations. “The increased competition has to be good for both the consumer and the small service operators in the region,” he said. Wright said Hayman has also “experienced strong levels of interest” in the new Hayman through-fares Virgin Blue launched in July and was confident this would continue to grow significantly over time. The new through-fares allow Virgin Blue guests to book Hayman transfers (to and from Hamilton Island) in their airline package, without having to arrange them with the hotel prior to their journey.

AIRLINES BRISBANE

Pacific Blue adds Phuket Virgin Blue Group’s expansion into Thailand is continuing to gain momentum at a rapid pace, with Pacific Blue announcing direct, twice-weekly Perth-Phuket flights from November 14 - the third route launched to the South-East Asian nation. Pacific Blue’s sister airline V Australia announced flights to Phuket from Brisbane and Melbourne on August 17, along with direct services from Melbourne to Johannesburg, South Africa. Phuket, a popular leisure, and conference and incentive market destination ex-Australia, is Pacific Blue’s second international

route from Perth and follows the successful launch of services to Bali late last year. “We are excited to be bringing Phuket, Thailand within easier reach for people in West Australia and as the only carrier operating non-stop return flights (in both directions) between Perth and Phuket, we are pleased to be making one of Thailand’s holiday hot spots a convenient destination and affordable option for West Australian travellers,” said Virgin Blue CEO, Brett Godfrey. To celebrate the launch of the new services, tickets are currently on-sale from $299 one-way on the net.

Australia consistently does well in brand indices. In fact, we’ve topped the FutureBrand country index for the past three years so you could be forgiven for asking why we need to build Brand Australia or for suggesting that we already have a brand, thank you very much. However, it’s not simply about a striking logo or a clever catchphrase – although both will be elements of the overall branding exercise. The trick is to come up with a brand which encapsulates the country, its people, its produce and products, its services, its natural environment, its resources, its skills and education, its arts and culture, its food and wine, its design flair, its business acumen, its spirit and its integrity, its love of a fair go. Tourism has been doing the ‘heavy lifting’ in terms of selling Australia to the world – there needs to be a coordinated, integrated approach which will see the marketing efforts of all Australian businesses, artists, musicians, actors sportspeople, designers and more leverage off each other, under a unified Australian brand. Australia has a much deeper and broader story to tell than can be, or should be, done in a 30 second tourism AD. This is isn’t about logos or commercials, it’s an integrated business development and public diplomacy initiative to coordinate and leverage the efforts of many public agencies and private corporations across the diverse range of Australia’s productive and creative capacity. Establishing and maintaining a strong brand doesn’t happen by accident. It takes dedication and hard work to come up with the right strategy and then to continue to massage it to ensure it’s telling the right story. Australia is one of the most recognisable country brands on Earth – and the brand has been valued at around $800 billion. To put it in context, Coca-Cola was the most valuable corporate brand in 2008 at $50 billion and corporations have teams of people looking after their brand image and awareness – it’s not left to chance or to develop organically as Australia’s brand has to date. Part of the vision should be to ensure trans-industry, nationwide participation and inclusion of anything Australian to consolidate the brand image and awareness of Australia and what we have to offer, both here and overseas. This could include food and wine, education, financial services, tourism, immigration, mineral resources and agricultural exports, film or fashion. Australia has a lot to offer – we need a united approach under a single brand to maximise the opportunities available to us.

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The 5-star Sofitel Queenstown (and right)

inFOCUS

Pacific Blue’s Queenstown boost WORDS

JAMES WILKINSON

QUEENSTOWN OPERATORS ARE HAILING PACIFIC BLUE’S NEW DIRECT SYDNEY AND AUCKLAND FLIGHTS A HUGE SUCCESS FOR THE REGION AFTER ONLY A HANDFUL OF SERVICES HAVE OPERATED. Pacific Blue inaugurated Sydney-Queenstown services on Saturday September 5 and the full flight was an indication of things to come for the adventure capital of New Zealand. Speaking exclusively to HM after DJ88 landed, Sofitel Queenstown Hotel and Spa General Manager Wouter De Graaf said the leisure and MICE market potential ex-Australia was huge at present, thanks to the new Pacific Blue flights. “We now have four airlines flying to Queenstown (Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Pacific Blue and Qantas), so the access has never been better,” De Graaf said. “There is so much here that holidaymakers and delegates can do, from visiting wineries to heli skiing and taking the TSS Earnslaw steamer across Lake Wakatipu,” he said. To coincide with the launch, Pacific Blue released another sale on Sydney-Queenstown flights the same day, with airfares dropping to AUD$209 each way including taxes. And that move has now put Queenstown on par with the Whitsundays for the cost of leisure, conference and incentive trips. Lead-in airfares on the route start at AUD$299 each way, still well below the cheapest prices between the two cities just 12 months ago. “Our guests lobbied us for some time to start direct flights from Sydney to Queenstown so we’re responding to them at last with the opening of the new route,” said Virgin Blue Group CEO Brett Godfrey. “It’s no secret Queenstown is one of New Zealand’s most popular year round destinations and we are excited to be bringing more choice and convenience for travellers wanting to fly direct, fly affordably and of course fly the fun way with Pacific Blue’s friendly crew,” he said. Godfrey said forward bookings for Queenstown are trending well with early indications showing group bookings are going gangbusters. Eichardts Private Hotel General Manager Victoria Shaw said with strong forward bookings, Queenstown could now work harder at attracting more Australians to the city over the summer period. 40

“Traditionally, summer has been busy with the northern hemisphere market, but with long-haul travel slowing down, we need more Aussies to start flying to Queenstown,” she told HM. “We haven’t had to reply on the Australian market over summer in recent years, but we will need more bums on seats this year, that’s for sure “The more cost-effective flights that we can have coming direct into Queenstown the better in this current economic environment. “The MICE market, in particular, will benefit not only from a cost perspective, but also time-wise as there will be no stopping in Auckland or Christchurch, and they will be able to move larger volumes of people with access to three airlines flying direct. “As time is valuable, this will make Queenstown a more viable option, we now just need the conferencing facilities to meet this new capacity,” said Shaw, who is also the Queenstown chair of the New Zealand Hotel Council. With a large spread of hotels in town – including Sofitel Queenstown, the M-Gallery-aligned Hotel St Moritz, Novotel Lakeside Queenstown and Mercure Resort Queenstown – Accor Vice President New Zealand and Fiji, Paul Richardson, is also upbeat about what the new flights can achieve. “We are already seeing the growth from Australia come through in occupancy figures in our hotels in Auckland, Wellington, Rotorua and Queenstown, and we think the new services will further stimulate a market that is very value driven at the moment,” Richardson told HM. “We particularly think it will benefit mid-market hotels such as our Novotel and Mercure hotels as the new flights and bargain prices are generating a new market of travellers who are coming to New Zealand because they perceive it as a really attractive short-break destination,” he said. Like Shaw, Richardson was also upbeat about the conference market picking up in Queenstown. “The MICE sector has been depressed for some time, but if the price is right and there is easy access, Queenstown is a destination that is really likely to benefit from new air services from Australia,” he said. “We are already seeing growth in sales-based incentives and this is a market that would be ideal for Queenstown,” he said. Queenstown has a number of large conferences set for late-2009, with the most popular summer conferencing spot being Coronet

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“We now have four airlines flying to Queenstown (Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Pacific Blue and Qantas), so the access has never been better… there is so much here that holidaymakers and delegates can do, from visiting wineries to heliskiing and taking the TSS Earnslaw steamer across Lake Wakatipu.” WOUTER DE GRAAF, General Manager, Sofitel Queenstown Hotel and Spa

Pacific Blue is now flying to Queenstown

Peak, the region’s leading ski resort which last year received a NZD$30 million makeover – including event space in the main building for 1000. Heritage Hotels Chief Operating Officer Jeff Shearer said the new flights - and upgraded conferencing facilities across the country now meant every major New Zealand destination could now compete with Australian states in terms of price and value per delegate. “The frequency, choice of carriers and competitive pricing opens up the chance for Australian businesses to consider us on a par with any interstate destination,” he told HM. “Like the hotel industry, competition is healthy between airlines and Pacific Blue’s new services will provide another option ensuring the expansion of the trans-Tasman market,” he said. In a domestic tourism boost, Pacific Blue has also launched direct Auckland-Queenstown services on weekends and more routes are expected to be announced in the coming months. InterContinental Hotels Group regional manager – New Zealand and South Pacific, David Shackleton said the increase of services into Queenstown from both Auckland and Sydney is very welcome news. “With a Crowne Plaza hotel in Queenstown and an InterContinental hotel on the way as part of the Karawau Falls development, we’re particularly pleased at the show of optimism from any carrier

adding Queenstown to its network, or increasing services to the destination,” he told HM. “This is also great news for New Zealand tourism as a whole… we know travellers to this country are more likely to move around, rather than restrict their visit to a single destination. “The greater the capacity to bring travellers from New Zealand’s biggest inbound market – regardless of where they disembark – the better it is for tourism,” he said. The launch flight on September 5 also marked the end of a big week for Pacific Blue, with the airline also launching services from Australia to Dunedin and Hamilton, New Zealand during the same week.

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propertyNEWS

INbrief

SALES SYDNEY

Voyages Hotels & Resorts’ parent company, The GPT Group, have entered into contracts to sell five resorts to Delaware North Companies Australia, an affiliate of the Delaware North Group of companies. Lizard Island Resort, Kings Canyon Resort, El Questro Wilderness Park, Heron Island Resort and Wilson Island Resort were all purchased by Delaware North Companies Australia, which has been established for more than 20 years and is one of the country’s leading hospitality companies. In addition to this transaction, contracts have also been exchanged on Alice Springs Resort with an Australian-based investment group who has other interests in tourism related assets in this country. While there are a number of regulatory approvals required to enable the transfer of all the above assets to their new owners, the formal completion of these sales is currently planned to take place towards the end of October. The GPT Group have also entered into a contract to sell Wrotham Park Lodge. It is understood that it is the intention of the purchasers to cease the operation of the Lodge in its current location at the completion of this year’s season and, at some

Sold: Delaware North has purchased five Voyages properties, including Lizard Island

future time, relocate its infrastructure to another destination within Australia. As with all prior sales, until the time of completion, Voyages will continue to operate all aspects of these resorts on a ‘business as usual’ basis. Voyages Hotels & Resorts CEO Chris Tallent said: “It has been a privilege to own and operate these unique properties that are located in some of the most spectacular and diverse regions in Australia. “We are proud of their achievements and know that they will remain among the most iconic and experiential resort destinations in Australia and will continue to deliver exceptional visitor experiences,” he said. GPT announced its decision to divest its hotel and resort portfolio, which includes Voyages Hotels & Resorts, in July 2008 after more than ten years of ownership and investment. The planned sale of the remainder of the Voyages portfolio, which includes Ayers Rock Resort, Longitude 131 and Brampton Island continues.

OPENINGS BATHURST

The 133-room Citigate Mount Panorama near Bathurst opened in September, right in time for the Bathurst 1000, Australia’s most famous endurance car race. Citigate Mount Panorama boasts a licensed bar and grill, along with 24-hour room service, a pool, gymnasium and tennis court.

42

Voyages

Delaware buys Voyages resorts

ADELAIDE In one of the few CBD hotel transactions to occur in 2009, the Holiday Inn Adelaide has sold to listed Malaysian group, Hotel Grand Chancellor, for approximately AUD$35 million. Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels’ Executive Vice President – Investment Sales, Mark Durran, negotiated the deal after an international expressions of interest campaign. The Holiday Inn Adelaide is a 4-star hotel that was built in 1990 and extensively refurbished in 2000. It features 181 guest rooms, a restaurant, bar, conference facilties and 90 bay car park. The hotel is located in the heart of the Adelaide central business district on Hindley Street. “Despite the current economic climate, the Adelaide hotel market has continued to perform well relative to other capital cities,” said Durran. “With these solid market fundamentals, the purchaser was attracted to the repositioning potential the hotel offered though a refurbishment and expansion of the guest room inventory.” HANOI Hanoi has welcomed its first new internationally-branded 4-star hotel for over a decade, when the Mercure Hanoi La Gare opened on September 1, 2009. Hanoi has had the reputation for being an expensive city to visit, with plentiful 5-star international accommodation, but very little quality mid-market accommodation. The opening of the Mercure will significantly redress that issue. The Mercure, which boasts a classical French-colonial style façade and a contemporary interior design, is located in the heart of the city center, close to the Old Quarter precinct and opposite Hanoi’s historic central railway station (‘la gare’ is French for train station), which links the city to other major cities in Vietnam including the popular northern destinations of Lao Cai and Sapa. The hotel is also within reach of other tourist attractions such the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu), Hoan Kiem lake, and Hanoi Opera House. Patrick Basset, Accor’s Vice President - Vietnam, said: “Vietnam has seen some phenomenal growth and development in the recent years it deserves a high quality mid scale accommodation like the Mercure Hanoi La Gare. We are proud to introduce the Mercure brand in Vietnam and show both leisure and business travelers why we are known globally for delivering comfort, service quality and hospitality.” The opening of the Mercure in Hanoi will be followed by the opening in October of Mercure Hue Gerbera in the UNESCO heritage city of Hue. POKOLBIN Consisting of 20 Spa Studio suites (each Studio suite over 55Sqm) and 10 Villas comprising 40 King Villa rooms, 40 One-Bedroom Spa Villas (a total of 100 rooms) and 18 Spa treatment rooms, the new 5-star Chateau Elan at the Vintage, Hunter Valley is due to open February 2010. The Vintage already features an 18-hole Greg Norman golf course.

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BRANDS THAT

MEAN BUSINESS With over 140 properties, we’ve literally got more rooms under management than almost any other hotel management company in Australia. Additionally, there are few brands that are as recognisable or desirable as our three consumer brands, Peppers, Mantra and BreakFree. Together, they cover the full spectrum of consumer demographics, as each has a distinct and different market positioning and product offering. As a business, we have strong systems and infrastructure in place; we have a lean management model, and we boast a highly experienced team of people. Mantra Group is also the largest marketer in the business – we continually outspend all our competitors in advertising and marketing communications. As a result, high occupancy rates are the norm, rather than the exception. So, as you can see, we have the operational expertise, and we have superior brands. It’s no wonder Mantra Group means business. If you’re looking for a franchise or management agreement, contact Bob East, CEO, on 07 5631 2500.

Right now, there is no force more dynamic in the hospitality industry than Mantra Group.

Ben’s mantra.

Find your your mant mantra ra at man mantra.com.au mantr ntraa.com a com.au c .au com .au or or cal calll 13 15 1 17

P Peppers eppers Retreats Retreats, Resorts Resor and Hotels

M Mantra antra Hotels Hotels, Resorts and Apartments

B BreakFree reakFree Hotels Hotels, Resor Resorts and Apartments

Positioned at the premium end of our product

Designed to appeal to the aspirational

BreakFree offers consumers great value,

range, Peppers’ marketing communications

consumer, Mantra’s marketing communications

great locations and great rates. BreakFree

are aimed at those customers who want to feel

are

visually

customers tend to be no-nonsense value

spoiled and respected. The campaign tagline

beautiful. A Mantra customer is confident

seekers, so the campaign theme - “Give Me a

is ‘We’re All About You’ - a reflection of Peppers’

and always working towards a better life. Our

Break” – was developed to talk directly to them

dedication to exceptional customer service.

campaign theme of “I will…” taps directly into

in their language. Communications are kept

This kind of service (along with stunning

these sentiments. Headlines such as ‘I will find

real, energetic and transparent, and feature

property imagery) has been showcased in

the perfect wave’ and ‘I will find the perfect

headlines such as “A Holiday That Blows The

our current TV commercial, print and online

escape’ typify the approach in television, print,

Budget? Give Me a Break.” and “Three Kids But

advertising and below-the-line communications.

online and below-the-line communications.

Only One Hotel Room? Give Me a Break.”

intentionally

emotional

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Winner Marketing Campaign for ‘Personal mantras’, Mantra, Mantra Group HM Awards 2009 for Hotel and Accommodation Excellence

THE CONFIDENCE TO LEAD

STE0330

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propertyNEWS

OPENINGS BROOME BRANDS MELBOURNE

Pinctada Cable Beach launched under a Broome full moon

Econo Lodge adds hotels

Government ministers, business leaders and celebrities gathered under Broome’s spectacular full moon on August 6 to celebrate the official opening of Pinctada Cable Beach, the flagship of Marilynne Paspaley AM’s Pinctada Hotels & Resorts. Pinctada Cable Beach, Broome’s new world class resort and spa, is the first full service hotel to be built in the famous Kimberley pearling town for two decades. The AUD$33 million development was officially opened by the Hon. Brendon John Grylls MLA, WA Minister for Regional Development, following a traditional welcome to Yawuru country by respected Elder Doris Edgar. Those in attendance included the Hon. Peter Garrett, Federal Minister for the Environment, who congratulated Marilynne on the best practice standards of environmental building and design that are a major feature of the resort. “This leadership in sustainability shows what’s possible when taking care of the environment is fully integrated into the design of tourism resorts and I hope many others will follow suit,” he said. Celebrated entertainer Barry Humphries, who was holidaying in the Kimberley, proposed the toast to Pinctada Cable Beach. “I want to congratulate Marilynne on this terrific achievement and raise a toast to this marvellous addition to Australian tourism,” he said. Minister Grylls acknowledged the growth of Australia’s North West as a tourist destination which attracts more than half a million visitors each year.

Choice Hotels Australasia (CHA) has announced the addition of seven Econo Lodge properties to its 280-strong Choice Hotels Comfort, Quality and Clarion portfolio in Australia. CHA Chief Executive Officer David Bayes said Econo Lodge was one of the leading value brands in North America, with almost 1000 properties open or under development. “We launched the Econo Lodge brand at our annual conference in Sydney last September and we are delighted to be able to announce the seven new sign-ups,” he said. “This is very timely for CHA because now more than ever we have customers looking for the confidence that comes with being part of a strong brand operating in the value accommodation sector. Our four brands now provide a solution for a wide range of travellers’ needs,” he said. Bayes said Econo Lodge hotels typically offered between 15 and 30 rooms at 3- to 3.5-star ratings, and did not directly compete with existing CHA brands for facilities, services and rates.

HM Oct 09 p1-47.indd 44

Pinctada Hotels & Resorts

Now open: Pinctada Cable Beach

“I am convinced that Pinctada Cable Beach now provides a significant boost to the region’s tourism offering,” he said. “I understand the resort has also provided a major lift to the town, providing additional employment and activity for the locals as well. The owner Marilynne Paspaley has made an extraordinary contribution to the North West with her investments here in Broome and also in Kununurra. The Kimberley Grande in Kununurra is regarded as the area’s premier resort and Pinctada Cable Beach builds on her marvellous accommodation portfolio. “Marilynne is a member of the Paspaley family which has a long and rich pearling history in the region and we are all pleased that she continues to play a major role in this community and is now spreading, through her tourism investments, her support to other parts of the community and sectors of the economy,”Grylls said. Marilynne remains a director of her family’s Paspaley Pearling Company, but Pinctada Hotels & Resorts is an independent venture.

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propertyNEWS

OPENINGS MACKAY

Quest Mackay opens for business DEVELOPMENTS BRISBANE

Novotel Brisbane Airport to debut on December 1 The expansion of the Brisbane Airport village has reached another milestone with the announcement by Accor Hotels of a December 1 opening date for Novotel Brisbane Airport, the city’s first airport hotel. Located just off Airport Drive in the Airport Village precinct at Brisbane Domestic and International Airport, the 157 room, 4.5star property is being developed by Kenlynn Properties Australia. The hotel can be accessed via road or by AirTrain utilising a complimentary bus transfer loop running between the domestic and international terminals and the hotel. It is opposite the Airport Village Complex and a short walk from the DFO retail hub which houses over 120 leading Australian and International brands. Designed to cater to a diverse range of short-term travelers, it includes conference facilities for small to medium groups, a restaurant serving contemporary Australian cuisine, stylish bar with separate lounge area, 24

Artists’ impression: Novotel Brisbane Airport

Accor

Quest Serviced Apartments has opened its doors in Mackay, generating approximately 15 local jobs and injecting an estimated AUD$6 million a year into the local economy. Quest, Chairman, Paul Constantinou, said that during construction, the project generated 300 jobs and brought an estimated AUD$22 million to the region, supporting local suppliers and providers in the process. The new property will service the accommodation needs of the local coal mining and agriculture sectors, as well as Mackay’s flourishing marine, fishing and tourism industries. “We understand just how important it is to contribute to the community, both in economic terms and providing the level of accommodation required to meet the growing needs of industry in the area,” Constantinou said. Quest Mackay is a modern property, featuring 97 studio, one- and twobedroom serviced apartments spread over four levels, with an anticipated 4.5 star AAA Tourism rating.

hour room service, two lane rooftop lap pool, gymnasium and sauna. Business facilities include six dedicated meeting rooms and an executive boardroom ranging in capacity from 12 persons to 120 persons theatre style or cocktails. All meeting rooms have natural light, state of the art audio visual equipment, broadband, WIFI, and offer easy access at ground floor level. The lobby level web corner features MAC computers enabling guests to access the internet and print their boarding pass.

VISIONLINE BY VINGCARD GET MORE WITH WIRELESS

PROVIDING GUESTROOM SECURITY WITH A TASTE OF REFRESHMENTS. VISIONLINE by VingCard provides a large selection of possibilities within hotel operations and guestroom security for the most demanding properties. Based on Zigbee high security open platform, you get stand alone electronic locks operating in online mode through Radio Frequency.

CLASSIC RFID BY VINGCARD GO CONTACTLESS IN 1 - 2 - 3!

Classic RFID by VingCard derives from the standard Classic lock and allows you to go contactless in a few short steps if you already have standard Classic installed. SENTINEL II by Elsafe goes beyond the ordinary. This is contemporary furntiture that is as functional as it is trendy.

SENTINEL II BY ELSAFE NOT ALL SAFES ARE CREATED EQUAL!

PolarBar by VingCard Elsafe provides refreshments to you guests in a simple and stylish design. With VingCard Elsafe, you get a true global security partner, with a wide range of product to complete your needs. POLARBAR BY VINGCARD ELSAFE AT YOUR SERVICE! ASSA ABLOY Hospitality OceaniaÊUÊ1 ÌÊ£]Ê{{Ê > LÀ `}iÊ-ÌÀiiÌÊUÊ, V i>ÊÊ{£äÈÊUÊ+Õii à > `Ê ÕÃÌÀ> > * iÊ Ê ÕÃÌÀ> >\Ê£ÎääÊÇ È ÓÎÎÊUÊ* iÊ"ÕÌà `iÊ ÕÃÌÀ> >ʳȣÊÇÊÎÓÇn Î {{ÊUÊ >Ý\ʳȣÊÓÊnÎÎÈÊÈÎääÊUÊ > \Ê>ÕÃÌÀ> >JÛVi}À Õ«°V v JÛVi}À Õ«°V ÊUÊÜÜÜ°ÛVi}À Õ«°V

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propertyNEWS

DEVELOPMENTS MELBOURNE

The Cullen to open in Melbourne this month Excitement is mounting on Commercial Road in Prahran (Melbourne), as The Cullen Hotel takes shape with only weeks until opening. The lime green facade is complete and two hot new dining spaces on the ground floor are well underway, while rooms are being fitted out and dressed with a visual feast of Cullen’s works across the six storey boutique hotel. Taking pride of place on The Cullen ground floor is the 140-seat Hutong. The sister restaurant of Hutong Dumpling Bar in Market Lane will boast a luxury cast of dumpling makers and a Roast Duck chef

from the most famous duck restaurant Quanjude in China. The Terrace, owned by established Melbourne restaurateur George Rizk will take poll position with a corner bar opening on to Commercial Road. The 115 room hotel interiors are in completion phase and are currently being curated with designer furniture and 450 pieces of Adam Cullen’s artwork. At the front of the hotel, two life sized fibreglass cows painted by Cullen will greet guests on entry to the foyer. Two penthouses with spectacular city skyline

views will open out on to enormous rooftop terraces and entertaining areas. The Art Series Hotel concept is the brainchild of Melburnian Will Deague. The Cullen is the first of a number of art hotels set to open around Australia over the next 18 months. The Olsen, the flagship hotel is due to open in South Yarra, Melbourne soon after in March 2010 while The Blackman on St Kilda Road is set to open in the middle of 2010. The Art Series Hotel Group is part of the Melbourne-based, Asian Pacific Building Corporation.

Craigieburn in Bowral has enhanced its position as one of the most sought after venues in the Southern Highlands for meetings and events with a major refurbishment of its conferencing facilities. Craigieburn Operations Manager Catherine Symes said she was delighted with the results and they greatly enhance the resort’s existing appeal as a conferencing venue. “Delegates are voting with their feet and conference business remains very strong at Craigieburn,” she said.

Mantra Group

REFURBISHMENTS BOWRAL

Craigieburn, Bowral

OPENINGS HONG KONG

Swire’s Upper level of Hong Kong luxury

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Stunning views: The Upper House

Swire Hotels

The Upper House, Swire Hotels’ highly anticipated first property in Hong Kong, is set to officially open on October 2, 2009. The Upper House has been designed by renowned Hong Kong architect Andre Fu of AFSO with the use of natural materials, distinctive sculptures and original artwork throughout to create the feel of a sophisticated and modern residence. The 117 spacious rooms, including 21 suites and two penthouses, are the largest in Hong Kong – starting at 730sq ft – and feature panoramic harbour or islands views. The bathrooms alone are all over 300 sq ft, with panoramic views and including walk-in rain showers, free-standing limestone clad

baths, double vanities and separate dressing areas. The hotel incorporates the latest in-room technology: interactive hotel information, music and games via iPod Touch, complimentary wired and wireless high speed internet, LCD TVs with 2.1 surround sound, and simple connectivity for PCs, camcorders and MP3s. Guestroom amenities also include complimentary refreshments from the in-room Maxi-Bar and espresso machine. “This highly individualised small hotel with a dynamic restaurant will help showcase the recent revitalisation of Pacific Place and provide a welcome retreat for both business and leisure guests,” said Dean Winter, General Manager, The Upper House.

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franchisingREPORT

Mercure Mildura

WORDS

RODERICK EIME

FRANCHISING

FOR THE

FUTURE

MAJOR PLAYERS PREDICT CONTINUING UNCERTAINTY WILL DRIVE MORE INDEPENDENT OPERATORS TO FRANCHISE, PARTICULARLY IN SERVICED APARTMENT SECTOR.

W

ers of several hotels who have tried Accor with one of their properties hen HM last surveyed the main players in the hotel franand then seen the success of this relationship and subsequently signed chise market earlier this year, there was still room for other up other properties to the network,” Mezzatesta said. models, but the lingering financial climate appears to be “This is a very close-knit industry so one of the fastest ways for us steering more toward a franchise. to grow is to prove ourselves to our existing network so they bring in Certainly Accor’s General Manager – Franchise Hotels, Dino Mezother hotels,” he said. zatesta, believes this is the case. Meanwhile Quest Serviced Apartments opened its fifth property “In some regions of Australia, especially those with high tourist numthis year and continues to expand despite today’s tough business conbers, we are seeing owners converting properties originally designed for strata residential into branded short-stay and serviced apartments in order to mainMercure Caroline Springs tain profitability,” Mezzatesta said. in Liverpool, NSW “Accor’s Grand Mercure brand for serviced apartments has seen new signings for eastern seaboard properties as far north as Port Douglas as well as regional signings for independent regional hotels for Mercure in Liverpool (NSW) and Mildura,” he said. Mezzatesta repeats the observation he Quest Shepparton interior made in our earlier report. “With business travel and meetings in ditions and predicted business travel to remain strong despite the ecodecline, prominent regional properties are benefiting from the wide nomic climate. distribution channels offered by aligning with major brands like those The $13.5 million Quest Shepparton is a modern property, featuroffered by Accor,” he said. ing 69 studio, one, two and three-bedroom serviced apartments spread Mezzatesta said he has had around 25% more properties contact over four levels, with an anticipated 4.5-star AAA Tourism rating. him about franchising compared to this time last year. In contrast to Accor’s reading, the Quest Serviced Apartments Business “One of the biggest ways of expanding the network has proven to Travel Survey indicates more than 70% of regular business travellers have be the morphing and developing of existing relationships, where own-

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franchisingREPORT

Quest Shepparton exterior

not cancelled any business trips due to the global financial downturn. Quest’s General Manager of Franchising, Nick Suriano, believes the serviced apartments sector is ideally placed to withstand the pressures of the so-called GFC, especially in relation to the hotel sector and appeals to companies who need to travel but want to cut costs. “The serviced apartment sector of the franchising industry will not only survive the GFC better than most but, once the crisis has ended, it will move immediately into a fresh period of exciting growth,” he said. “Over the last decade, there has been an undersupply of properties and is the main reason why Quest has grown so rapidly with its continual addition of new properties, particularly in regional areas. “Franchising is the ideal business system to fight recession and produce growth against the trend. While the crisis has been disastrous for many people, it can benefit others,” said Suriano. Quest clearly has targeted this new cost-conscious business traveller and is attracting new franchise signings based on their strength in this area and is the largest service apartment group in Australasia with more than 120 locations in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. Constellation Franchise Manager Linda Wells still believes the climate is right for franchise.

50

“For a hotel operator still going it alone, particularly in this climate, it makes sense to piggy-back onto the activities a group provides,”she said. “But old fashioned large franchisee fee structures probably have seen their day and hotels need to be smart about who they partner with.” Choice Hotels Australasia CEO David Bayes said the franchise model works well in both good times and bad. “Franchising is built around the concept of replicating excellence,”he said.“Taking the best systems, processes, marketing ideas, service levels and sharing them in a controlled way to achieve the best market penetration and outcomes is what franchising facilitates - in fact demands. “Our set of franchising principles and our model is as relevant today as it was 12 months ago, before the GFC. “Because we operate in the mid market segment (3- to 4.5-star) we find that when things are a bit tougher more independent operators want to talk to us to understand what we can offer. “We’re not interested in short term relationships – our model works best when our franchise partners work collaboratively with us over a period. “There is so much in the Choice ‘toolbox’ that franchisees can use to build their business, and that takes time and application – working together. When you do that you get results,” he said.

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AN ACCOR HOSPITALITY PROMOTION

FRANCHISING

WA LEADS THE WAY

FOR FRANCHISE EXPANSION ACCOR IS LOOKING TO EXPAND ITS FRANCHISE NETWORK IN THE SOUTH OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AFTER THE REGION PROVED ONE OF THE MOST RESILIENT IN RECENT MONTHS.

All Seasons Bunbury

All Seasons Bunbury and All Seasons Albany (right)

A

ccor now has 18 hotels in Western Australia, from Albany to Kununurra and everything in between. Two of its strongest franchise hotels are the four-star All Seasons Albany and the four-star All Seasons Sanctuary Golf Resort in Bunbury. All Seasons Albany joined the Accor network in June 2007 and owner Roger Foster says he has been able to increase both his rates and his occupancy, despite the current downturn in the industry. “I am very, very happy with the Accor relationship and definitely think it has allowed me to double rates, while maintaining and growing on what was already a high occupancy level,” Foster said. “I have been in this industry for 36 years and have worked for all the major corporations and I found that basically moving into Accor from being an independent hotel was like going back into a large corporation with the support, cost-savings and reach that offers. “At first it was a slight adjustment for the staff, who had to adhere to global Accor standards that were new to them, but with all the training and interaction with the company, they are now really happy to be part of a big network and to have the opportunities this presents. “There is no question in my mind that we have taken away from our competitors because people know the Accor name and the All Seasons brand so I am very pleased,” he said. Foster said the All Seasons Albany will finish up the year with occupancy levels averaging somewhere in the low nineties and rates that are twice what they were before Accor came onboard. Located in the centre of town, the 50-room All Seasons Albany is the gateway to such popular attractions as West Cape Howe National Park, Whale World and the Amity replica ship as well as several wineries. It has a strong food and beverage focus, with local wines and produce featured extensively. The All Seasons Sanctuary Golf Resort joined Accor’s franchise network in 2005 and has been ranked one of Western Australia’s leading resort courses. With a range of accommodation styles including luxury apartments and suites amongst beautifully landscaped gardens, lakes and fairways, the

hotel has gone from strength to strength since signing with Accor. General Manager Rob Miguel said the best thing about being part of the Accor franchise network is the sales support the network offers. “Bunbury is well known in Western Australia as“City of the South”and provides the ideal mix of a coastal getaway with all the facilities of a modern day major city, but being part of Accor gives the city global reach,”he said. “The alliance with Accor provides the best of both worlds for the hotel – combining local management expertise with Accor’s national and international branding, sales, marketing and reservations support,”he said. The hotel is a popular conference and function venue with a function centre capable of hosting banquets for up to 300 guests. Accor’s General Manager Franchise Hotels, Dino Mezzatesta said the company is seeking strategic additions to its Western Australia network and welcomes the opportunity to hear from independent hoteliers looking to boost their business. “Accor is continually looking to expand its presence in burgeoning areas of Western Australia as the state has typically performed well and is increasingly popular with tourists,” he said. All Seasons is one of Australia’s fastest-growing hotel brands, with 23 hotels currently operating in major city centre and regional areas. So successful has the Australian-born brand been that Accor has now exported it around the world, with the European network in a rapid expansion phase. The brand is currently undergoing a renaissance, with the aim being to create a brand that embodies simplicity, generosity, quality and conviviality. The All Seasons promise is ‘all inclusive’ with a package that includes the room plus all you can eat breakfast plus broadband internet connection. Each hotel should have its own personality, while sharing a common colourful, bright, energetic décor and humorous brand spirit. The network currently sits at around 70 hotels across France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Indonesia. For more information about Accor’s franchise network call Dino Mezzatesta, General Manager Franchise Hotels on +61 (0)2 9280 9832 or go to www. accorfranchise.com.au Hotel & Accommodation Management

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COVER STORY

HILTON’S CREATIVE HOSPITALITY

Simon Bryant, Ashley Spencer and Luke Mangan

HILTON HOTELS IS AGAIN TOP OF THE LIST AS A LEADING HOTEL BRAND IN AUSTRALIA. JUST HOW DOES HILTON KEEP ITS BRAND FRESH? VP OF OPERATIONS ASHLEY SPENCER AND TWO OF THE BRAND’S CELEBRITY CHEFS, LUKE MANGAN AND SIMON BRYANT, EXPLAIN.

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A HILTON AUSTRALASIA PROMOTION

F

or the fifth year running Hilton Hotels has proved itself as the leading name in Australia’s hospitality industry after topping the list of nearly 100 of the world’s leading hotel brands in the BDRC Asia Pacific Business Hotel Guest Survey. Winning “Number One Hotel Brand” and “Leading Choice Hotel Brand”in the BDRC brand ranking index, Hilton scored highest in the category of unaided brand awareness, with 56 per cent of those surveyed naming Hilton as the most well known hotel brand for business travellers in Australia. According to Hilton Hotels Australasia Vice President of Operations, Ashley Spencer, ongoing brand loyalty doesn’t come about by chance. “We’re focusing on innovation and constantly responding to our customers changing needs, this is achieved through creative product development, championed by some of the most passionate and imaginative team members in the business,” Spencer says. “We were the first international hotel brand in Australia and this can be a double-edged sword. While we have a rich history we’ve got to remain relevant and fresh; we can’t be perceived as an ‘old’ brand. Creativity and innovation are essential,” he says. Spencer says core investments in the Hilton portfolio in Australia are transforming the company’s brand. “The revamped Hilton Sydney changed the perception of Hilton across Australia; renovations at Hilton Cairns, Hilton Brisbane, Hilton Adelaide and Hilton on the Park, Melbourne have boosted the brand; and the opening of Hilton Melbourne South Wharf is a real milestone,” Spencer says.

HILTON MELBOURNE SOUTH WHARF Opened in April 2009, Hilton Melbourne South Wharf kicked off development at the AUD $1.4 billion South Wharf precinct that borders Docklands and Southbank, alongside the new Melbourne Convention Centre. “The property lives up to all that’s expected of the Hilton brand, yet is also a showcase development in an area that will help continue Melbourne’s growth as a waterfront city,” Spencer says.

CELEBRITY INSPIRED EVENTS MENUS This focus on creative catering has continued throughout 2009. In September, Hilton launched “Celebrity Inspired Events Menus”created by award winning chefs Luke Mangan, Simon Bryant and Ramon Freixa. Luke Mangan says the menus are sumptuous, seamless and seasonal. “We’re showcasing sustainable and healthy produce and display these in unique e-menus for event organisers,” Mangan says.“We’ll update the menus with each season using the freshest local produce. “Each menu reflects our own unique style of cooking. Mine is simple and elegant using classic French techniques. Simon’s menu reflects his passion for local produce. Ramon brings Catalan inspired cuisine to the offering,” he says.

WHY CREATIVE CATERING? Spencer says Hilton is the only hotel brand in Australia to use celebrity chefs as the creative force behind its event menus. “We wanted a product that gives our clients the best opportunity to create outstanding events… and realised we were overlooking something unique in our own backyard,” he says. “Our three celebrity chefs offer fabulous diversity - most

hotel catering food is generic, too scared to be anything not within the “hotel box”. Our catering isn’t like that.” Mangan adds: “We’re leading the way food and beverage wise. There is no other hotel chain doing something like Nuevo 37 with Ramon at South Wharf, for example. Hilton is the market leader.”

CREATIVE PEOPLE: SIMON BRYANT Simon Bryant is Executive Chef at Hilton Adelaide and star of ABC’s ‘The Cook and the Chef’. He is passionate about using local, sustainable produce. “My job is to live and breathe the Hilton ethos of creative catering, and then deliver that by being an ambassador for South Australian produce, exclusively using locally sourced food and wine,” he says. “This supports local industry and minimises carbon emissions. Our Brasserie menu is printed on recycled paper, Fair Trade Coffee is served and suppliers are selected for their organic and sustainable farming methods,” he says. Bryant and his team developed the Seriously South Australian restaurant concept. In order to showcase the true essence of South Australian flavour, Simon Bryant and his team source the very best range of local produce available in South Australia, from the vineyards of the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale to the olive groves and coastal regions of the Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. “Seasonality is big for me,” Bryant says. “I spend every weekend at a supplier or at a farmers market. It is a no brainer to cook seasonally. It is cost effective and it tastes better. Hilton Adelaide was also the first South Australian business to be registered as an RSPCA Choose Wisely advocate and Bryant is an ambassador for Animals Asia, a role that sees him fighting for the ethical treatment of animals throughout Asia. “For me it is a logical extension of what I do. I want to promote sustainable practices and the ethical treatment of animals is all part of ensuring future generations can continue to enjoy fresh, high quality, healthy produce,” he says.

THE NEXT FIVE YEARS: RETAINING BRAND STRENGTH Spencer says the Hilton portfolio will continue to grow over the next five years. “We’ll open a cutting edge product on the Gold Coast, the Hilton Surfers Paradise Hotel and Residences. This property will do for Queensland what Hilton Sydney did for NSW and what Hilton Melbourne South Wharf did for Victoria. It will enforce where we are as a brand in that destination,” he says. Spencer is also behind a strong drive to be innovative in the workplace. “We’re not going to get to where we want to be without a team that is encouraged, creative and developed to their full potential. Many initiatives have been hatched from our teams - so encouraging creativity and innovation is vital,” he says. “Hospitality is a competitive and fast-moving business; we’ve got to remain relevant and innovative in terms of service and products and the way we deliver them,” Spencer says. He says Hilton will continue to work with partners and suppliers and invest heavily in the region. “We constantly have to look at new ideas, market driven ideas, more cost effective ideas, areas where we can pass on benefits to our customers. We’ll continue to do this work with our team members and harness their creative power,” Spencer says. For more information, visit www.hilton.com Hotel & Accommodation Management

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generalMANAGER

WORDS

Astral Restaurant

JAMES WILKINSON

THIS MONTH, HM SPEAKS TO RICHARD MUNRO, WINNER OF AUSTRALIAN HOTEL MANAGER OF THE YEAR AT THE 2009 HM AWARDS.

STAR

OF THE

CITY

HM: Richard, congratulations on winning Australian Hotel Manager of the Year. How was the award received amongst your colleagues and what did the win mean personally? Richard Munro: Thanks James, I have to say out of our four finalist nominations that Star City was nominated for and being amongst such great hoteliers, I was very surprised and honoured to win. My team, colleagues and executives were very pleased to share this award with me. HM: How is Star City performing at present, given the economic downturn? RM: Like all of the hotels in Sydney, we are experiencing challenges that were simply not here this time last year and traditional corporate and meeting markets are soft. We are doing a lot of work with our existing database to communicate with them and they have shown great loyalty. HM: How is the Sydney 5-star market performing and how is the industry banding together to maintain strong visitor arrivals? RM: The 5-star market is down on PCP and there is some significant discounting going on in all categories of hotels. There are some unbelievable rates around at the moment, however I see that this will 54

only move the contracted market around to the cheapest rate hotel and consumers may end up in a product that does not really suit them, which in turn can hurt the industry. HM: What are you expecting for the remainder of 2009 across all segments? RM: Good question, I had the opportunity to talk to many great hoteliers on the night of the HM Awards and we all agreed, Hotels are the first to feel any downturn in the market and we are one of the last industries to recover from an event like the Global Financial Crisis and H1N1. Having said that I believe we are seeing signs of recovery and there will be a lot of demand given low activity for the past 12 months, we will have to watch what happens over the next few months. HM: How is the second hotel development coming along and what elements of the new property have you most excited? RM: The work is going to plan with excavation well advanced and the next stage will be the start of construction of the hotel and the demolition of the steps and the ‘Rock Bar’ at the front of Star City. We are about to open Australia’s largest bar and sports theatre which signals

Hotel & Accommodation Management

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SNAPSHOT

Star City, Sydney

“Like all of the hotels in Sydney, we are experiencing challenges that were simply not here this time last year and traditional corporate and meeting markets are soft.”

80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont, NSW, Australia

RICHARD MUNRO, General Manager, Star City

Owner Tabcorp Operator Tabcorp General Manager Richard Munro Opened 1997 Rooms & suites 480 (currently) F&B outlets 12 Conferencing up to 1200 cocktail style Recreation facilities Casino, pool deck and gym, Lyric Theatre, retail.

Sean’s Kitchen

Star Suite

the change in design of the actual Casino - it looks great and we are all very excited. The retail area will be the biggest change most people will notice with the building at the front of Star City extending to the road near the harbour incorporating a much larger offering of retail choice. HM: The Star Suites were launched recently after an extensive refurbishment. What are the key features that help make them so unique? RM: The Star Suites were launched with a very extravagant and decadent party, which reflects those suites very well. I have had so many guests talking about the features of the aqua TV over the new Spa with water proof remote controls and the connectivity of the large LCD to the desk for working through your holiday photos or getting a presentation ready for a large conference. HM: You have some excellent F&B on offer at the hotel, including Astral and Sean’s Kitchen. What are the highlights in your opinion? RM: We currently have six restaurants on the property that we manage and we will be adding many more in the next two years, which we are very excited about. Astral and Sean’s Kitchen are both run by award

winning Sean Connolly and he has managed to develop individual styles that offer a different experience in each restaurant. We have one of Australia’s busiest buffets with an average of 1600 covers every day and our Trophies restaurant can serve over 5000 covers in any one day, so these restaurants and Lotus Pond take a lot of effort by my fantastic team - seeing them performing every day is the highlight for me. HM: What does the hotel offer in the way of MICE facilities and what’s planned in the redevelopment? RM: Currently we offer the Grand harbour ballroom with smaller breakout rooms. We are looking at an extension program as part of the Project Star development and we will increase capacity while maintaing the natural advantages this ballroom has such as terraces, natural light and sweeping views of the Harbour and CBD. HM: How is the MICE market performing and what are you expecting for 09? RM: This is the toughest market our business is currently tackling and is the market that has been most affected by the latest macro impacts, I see it bouncing back in mid 2010 (fingers crossed). Hotel & Accommodation Management

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generalMANAGER

WORDS

Holiday Inn Wellington

JAMES WILKINSON

WINNING OVER WELLINGTON HOLIDAY INN WELLINGTON GENERAL MANAGER HEATHER IDOINE-RILEY WAS NAMED NEW ZEALAND HOTEL MANAGER AT THE 2009 HM AWARDS. HM CAUGHT UP WITH HER AFTER THE GALA DINNER ON AUGUST 14.

HM: Heather, congratulations on winning New Zealand Manager of the Year. How was the award received amongst your colleagues and what did the win mean personally? Heather Idoine-Riley: Wellington hotels and tourism colleagues were delighted, especially the five other female GMs (in town) and my office was filled with bouquets and champagne. It’s great to be recognised, as we all know from staff surveys. Nonetheless, I acknowledge that I manage one of the best new Holiday Inn hotels in the whole of the Asia-Pacifc region. I also share my recognition with the owners Melview and Galway Tourism who had the foresight to build the hotel and select IHG as the management company, who have supported my leadership development. Holiday Inn Wellington has an enviable hotel leadership team who continue to make me look good, so I’m happy to share this award with them. HM: How is Holiday Inn Wellington performing at present, given the economic downturn? HI-R: Like all hotels in the Australasia region we are vigorously defending our market share. The property has been received positively by the key Wellington market segments, government and corporate, so it’s not been too difficult to grow and retain business. Leisure business has grown, due to the hotel’s increasing profile within the domestic market as a leisure hotel on weekends and school holidays, reaping the benefits of two very successful strategic marketing campaigns in our regions. Across New Zealand internal leisure series business is down and Wellington too has felt this decline. Over all, Holiday Inn Wellington has not seen the declines that are reported across the city which is a great result for our dedicated team. 56

HM: What are you expecting for the remainder of 2009 across all segments? HI-R: I’m forecasting a positive end to the year, despite the fallout effects of the recession. We have a Bledisloe Cup match in Wellington, the twoweek WOW Festival that has already added an additional performance this year, the usual strong end to the corporate and government segments, and we finish the year in December with the world premiere of Peter Jackson’s latest film ‘Lovely Bones’. The conference and meeting segment is showing increased business confidence so we expect this segment to continue to improve across New Zealand. The only accommodation segment that may still be in doubt is international arrivals for the upcoming summer season. HM: Is the new global branding of Holiday Inn having an impact on the new hotel, given the strong marketing push? HI-R: The refresh for Holiday inn was absolutely vital and I really like the new concept, which covers lots of the areas of guests’ needs. It’s very well timed for our new hotel to benefit from. Primarily this is because travellers are surprised at the quality and design of our hotel and facilities. Raising the standards across all Holiday Inns globally to fulfill a new level of comfort and a consistency in the guest experience across the world will ensure the brand stays the most recognised hotel brand in the world. Even our hotel has to enhance and replace some features to comply with the update of hotel fixtures and fittings. With the fast changing market expectations we have to work that much harder to meet and exceed guest expectations, especially in the Guest Technology.

SNAPSHOT Holiday Inn, Wellington 75 Featherston Street, Lambton, Wellington, New Zealand Owner Melview and Galway Tourism Group Operator InterContinental Hotels Group General Manager Heather Idoine-Riley Opened January 2007 Rooms & suites 280 rooms (incl 19 suites) F&B outlets Plate restaurant and bar Conferencing Four conference rooms Recreation facilities Indoor lap pool, sauna, spa, pool and cardio room

Hotel & Accommodation Management

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29/9/09 2:39:41 PM

propertyPROFILE

Rooms with a view: qualia

WORDS

JAMES WILKINSON

QUALIA SNAPSHOT

qualia Hamilton Island, QLD, Australia Owner The Oatley Family Operator The Oatley Family General Manager Jason Friedman Opened Stage 1, October 2007; Stage 2, August 2008 Rooms & suites 33 Windward Pavilions; 27 Leeward Pavilions; 1 Beach House F&B outlets The Long Pavilion and Pebble Beach Conferencing Executive Board Meetings and small incentive groups Recreation facilities Two full length infinity pools, Spa qualia, watersports, heli flights to the Reef and Whitehaven Beach, 18 hole Hamilton Island Golf Club.

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AFTER WINNING RESORT AND OVERALL HOTEL OF THE YEAR AT THE 2009 HM AWARDS, IT’S NO WONDER QUALIA REMAINS IN HIGH DEMAND

IN HIGH DEMAND

D

espite the global economic downturn, uber-luxurious Hamilton Island resort qualia remains in high demand from both the leisure and group travel segments. “qualia is performing very well, considering the current climate,” qualia General Manager Jason Friedman told HM.“qualia has had a mixture of both Australian and international guests that have all enjoyed the ‘qualia effect’. During a site tour in late July, Friedman said the luxury market was holding up well, noting that six VIP aircraft had visited Hamilton Island during the week prior, with all guests staying at the exclusive property. On the MICE segment, the news is also good, with Friedman reporting strong return business – particularly from the United States. “Since opening in October 2007, we have welcomed both non-sole use and sole use groups from various industries including finance, pharmaceutical and auto,” he said. “We have had three groups form the USA and three return groups already within the two years that the resort has been opened. “A lot of these high end incentives are very well travelled and we have received great feedback from PCOs and their clients,” he said. Friedman said while there was an economic downturn at present, with companies tightening travel budgets, smaller incentive-based bookings were still in high demand.

“Obviously some corporates are pulling back, but they still need to incentivise and motivate staff so it may mean lower key options – yet still with ‘wow’ factor – closer to home, which makes our location ideal,” he said. Friedman said new direct Virgin Blue flights from Sydney, complete with premium economy, would help drive this sector, while there was also “endless potential”for luxury incentive trips from the United States, thanks to the one-stop Los Angeles-Brisbane-Hamilton Island flights on Virgin Blue and V Australia, which launched in April. Away from performance, at the 2009 HM Awards qualia was named Resort of theYear and Overall Hotel of the Year – two awards Friedman said were extremely well received by staff. “The HM awards are very important to us because it validates all of the hard work, passion and dedication that all of the qualia staff have put into the product over this past year,” he said. “It was very important to the whole team that we won this year and everyone committed themselves 100% to achieving this goal. “I was in the USA at a luxury travel conference when I found out the news and the congratulations from my peers in the business was overwhelming... it was not just the Australians that were congratulatory but, a large contingent of the international delegates were also aware of the award,” he said.

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propertyPROFILE

New look: Crown Towers

THE

HM TAKES A LOOK INSIDE THE NEW LOOK CROWN TOWERS, NAMED 5-STAR PROPERTY OF THE YEAR AT THE 2009 HM AWARDS.

CROWNING GLORY WORDS

F

ollowing a AUD$65 million refurbishment, Crown Towers Melbourne is once again at the top of the industry, offering arguably the finest room product in a city hotel in the country. In what proved to be impeccable timing for the property, Crown Towers was named 5-star property of the year at the 2009 HM Awards, just a month after the extensive works were completed. Crown Hotels Executive General Manager Peter Crinis said the award was received well amongst both staff and guests alike. “For us it was rewarding to have the hotel recognised as Australia’s best 5-star hotel,” he told HM. “We strive to deliver the best, most up to date product along with a professional, personalised service so to be acknowledged by our industry peers for our success is a significant achievement as we know our peers are discerning and have exacting standards, just like we do. “Personally, I am pleased for the team, because everyone is very committed to achieving excellence,” he said. The hotel’s extensive refurbishment was produced in conjunction with the property’s original designers, Bates Smart, and the execution of the project has produced dramatic results. The new-look rooms and suites feature superior craftsmanship from top to bottom. The

JAMES WILKINSON

contemporary colours and textures contrast well with the grass-weave natural fibre wallpaper, LED lighting and expertly-designed blackout curtains in bold, dramatic stripes. Technology is also at the forefront, with suites featuring 50-inch Panasonic screens and rooms 42-inch Panasonic screens, while an LCD screen is also set into the bathroom’s mirror above the deep soak bath. Panasonic LCD high-definition plasma televisions are also installed in the bedrooms, while all three screens feature iBahn video on demand and 56 free to air channels. “The feedback from guests has been extraordinary,” Crinis said. “Whether travelling for business or pleasure, our guests love the modern styling and attention to detail. “This also includes our technology upgrade which incorporates VoIP telephony, wireless internet and IP Television to each room. “As always, our guests also appreciate the personalised service offered to them,” he said. The new rooms and suites are helping Crown Towers perform well at present, despite the occupancy slump across the industry at present. “Crown Towers is performing well considering the present economy,” Crinis said. “We have a number of initiatives in the market which are proving attractive to our guests. “We have worked diligently to ensure that we have a range of offers to appeal to a number of markets including leisure, corpo-

SNAPSHOT Crown Towers Melbourne 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank, VIC, Australia Operator Crown Hotels Executive General Manager Peter Crinis General Manager Andrew Cairns Opened May 7, 1997 Rooms & suites 481 rooms in total (includes 82 suites and 31 villas) F&B Outlets Koko, Silks, Breezes and JJ’s Bar & Grill. Conferencing The Palladium at Crown, River Room, Drawing Room, Garden Room and five executive boardrooms. Recreation Facilities 25-metre heated swimming pool, state of the art gymnasium, sun deck, tennis courts and spa.

rate, wholesaler and groups market. For instance, some weekends you must book well in advance to secure a booking,” he said. Crinis remains confident the hotel will continue to perform well through the back end of 2009 and into 2010. “We are feeling positive about the remainder of 2009... one of Melbourne’s strengths is its strong calendar of major special events,”he said. “Equally, there are a number of conferences secured between now and the end of the year.” Crinis said the events and conferences segment is also “performing well considering the present climate”. Hotel & Accommodation Management

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roomKEY

INVESTMENT THE KEY TO TOURISM’S FUTURE

E

veryone in tourism is asking the million-dollar question: ‘When will the industry recover?’ The reality is that we still don’t know and even the stock market has experienced jitters of late. What we do know is that – like our overall economy – Australia’s tourism industry is in an excellent position to rebound strongly. Take a look at countries such as China, Thailand, Singapore and many others in Asia, and their collapse in demand has come at a time when supply has soared. A city like Shanghai, even with the 2010 World Expo will take years for the demand/supply equation to rectify itself. Australia on the other hand has the ingredients already in place for a strong and sustained recovery. Certainly REVPAR has been affected in 2008 and 2009 but already we are sensing a firming of rates in 2010. Even in Melbourne, one city where there has been an increase in room supply, our initial negotiations with major clients is reflecting a relatively healthy outlook. Companies are planning for growth in 2010 and that means higher levels of business travel and a revival in the MICE sector, which has really affected many of the city hotels over the past year. Interestingly, we have seen a steady pick-up in sales-related conferences recently. These are usually training sessions with the emphasis on driving revenue and increasing skills. There is a bottom line motive to this conferencing and it is a message that should be heeded more generally by the hospitality industry. This is the time to invest in training and development - not abandon it – as many hotels have done. Our sector faces many challenges and with all of our Asian neighbours hungry for business it is going to be essential that we provide the most professional tourism, conference and business travel experience possible. Speaking from an Accor perspective, we are very much focused on investing in our people and on developing our staff so they have the necessary skills to perform in any conditions. We recently held a nation-wide revenue management workshop to provide full resources to hotel-based sales staff and bring colleagues together to discuss with colleagues the best ways to maximize revenue across the full spectrum of market sectors. Accor is also investing in a new program to develop our Assistant Managers, who will be the future of our company. For our industry to succeed, first our people need to succeed in 60

their careers and know that Accor is supporting their progression and development. Meanwhile, our own Academie Accor continues to provide nationally accredited training to staff at all levels. Launched a decade ago, Academie Accor was Australia’s first nationally-based, in-hotel training establishment and provides a range of certificate-level courses and short programs with nationally recognised qualifications. These initiatives haven’t been suspended during the downturn; in fact in many cases we have stepped up training because we see it as an investment in the long-term health of our company. We want our people to be in the best possible position not only to retain market share in the current environment, but to rapidly build new business when conditions improve. It was interesting that in the 2009 HM Awards it was in the People Awards where Accor really triumphed, with the bulk of Accor’s wins going to individuals who have reached the pinnacle in their respective positions. These awards recognised what we always say – that it is the people who really make our industry, not just the bricks and mortar of a hotel room. Looking around at our hotel General Managers, it is good to see that many of them started off their careers as Accor National Management Trainees, which supports a strong investment in its people. Many have gone to outback areas to learn their trade and have used that experience to develop their careers. They have stayed with us when their careers have been fast-tracked and continue to be some of our most successful General Managers. Having recently visited our All Seasons hotels in places like Kalgoorlie and other areas in the north west of Western Australia and Mt Isa, it is great to see the energy of these young professionals. These are tough areas and the hotel manager has to become an integral part of the community and this is what they are doing. Recent conditions have forced us all to look at ways to do business smarter. One of the smartest ways to invest in the future of tourism is to invest in the people that really make this industry what it is. No one wants to pretend that the tourism and hospitality industry isn’t going through a very challenging period, but as long as we are still building for the future, looking for ways of doing things better, then we have every reason for optimism. Simon McGrath was named the HM Magazine Hotelier of the Year at the 2009 HM Awards.

SIMON McGRATH Vice President – Australia Accor Hospitality

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globalREPORT

WORDS

A leading suite at Ramada Plaza West Hollywood and the lobby (below)

JAMES WILKINSON

V AUSTRALIA HELPS LA SHINE V AUSTRALIA’S FLIGHTS FROM BRISBANE AND SYDNEY TO LOS ANGELES ARE PROVING TO BE A WINDFALL FOR HOTELIERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PACIFIC, WITH NEW SERVICES BOOSTING GUEST ARRIVALS – AND OPTIMISM.

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t the Australian-operated Ramada “Ramada Plaza is extremely popular with Plaza West Hollywood, guest numAussies and the addition of V Australia flights bers are climbing as seat numbers from Sydney and Melbourne to Los Angeles across the Pacific continue to increase, as a has helped ensure that the Australian market result of both V Australia’s new flights and has remained strong for us.” Qantas’ launch of A380 services. ALAN JOHNSON, President and CEO, Hoteliers International Corporation Hoteliers International Corporation President and CEO, Alan Johnson, said since Virgin Blue’s sister airline launched flights in late February guest numbers have continued to improve from Australia at Highlighting the hotel are contemporary two-level loft suites, which the company’s Ramada Plaza West Hollywood property. Johnson said are “particularly popular with the corporate market and “The Australian market continues to be a strong market for Los for leisure travelers who visit for weekend stays”. Angeles and West Hollywood and in fact, it is our second largest interHe said the conference and incentive market ex-Australia was also national market, only behind the UK,” he told HM magazine.. on the increase, following the drop in airfares on the trans-Pacific route, “Ramada Plaza is extremely popular with Aussies and the addithe excellent value of the dollar at present and the changes at the hotel. tion of V Australia flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Los An“With the addition of our new meeting space at Ramada Plaza the geles has helped ensure that the Australian market has remained meeting market has shown positive results for the hotel and we expect strong for us. this trend to continue throughout the year and into 2010,” he said. “We are also noticing a new trend with the increase in the number Although the global financial downturn continues to affect the hoof younger leisure travellers coming to stay and we look for this trend tel industry in the United States to a large degree, Johnson said he was to continue with V Australia, as they typically attract the younger genoptimistic about the remainder of 2009 and early 2010. eration-X travellers,” he said. “There is no question these are unprecedented times for the hospiThe property, which in late-August received the Ramada Worldtality industry in America and while we’ve been impacted as well, our wide President’s Award for being the ‘best of the best’ in service and occupancy continues to remain strong and consistent,” he said. quality from at the chain’s international conference, recently under“The current challenge is to maintain rate integrity… the hotel inwent a full-refurbishment. dustry is currently offering some of the most aggressive pricing, incen“We’ve received a huge amount of positive feedback regarding tives, package deals that have ever been seen,” he said. our recently completed hotel renovation – which included new 42”V Australia currently flies from Sydney and Brisbane to Los Angeles HDTVs and complete re-modelling of the existing décor and furniusing three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, with Melbourne-LA flights ture,” Johnson said. launching in December. The author recommends flying in International “All rooms also now offer complimentary wireless highBusiness Class, which features flatbed seats, an onboard bar and speed internet access, new beds and linen, in-room safes and hundreds of hours of entertainment on demand. bathroom amenity packages,” he said. For bookings, visit www.vaustralia.com.au 62 Hotel & Accommodation Management

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hotelTECHNOLOGY

WORDS

In-room technology has been taken to new levels over the last 12 months. Pictured: Le Meridien Cyberport, Hong Kong

JAMES WILKINSON

DIGITAL VIEWING PLEASURE AS NEW BENCHMARKS ARE SET FOR TECHNOLOGY IN HOMES, HOTEL GUESTS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY DISCERNING WITH IN-ROOM ENTERTAINMENT INCLUDING HDTV AND IPTVBASED MULTIMEDIA. Starwood

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t’s a well known fact that hotel guests are becoming increasingly discerning with in-room entertainment as the technology on offer for the home continues to reach a new benchmark every year. With companies such as Foxtel in Australia and Sky TV in New Zealand, along with free-to-air networks offering HDTV, hotels in the region are finding they need to be on par to satisfy guests’ needs when they travel. “The arrival of more and more content in HDTV format is very exciting as it offers guests a fantastic viewing experience,” says hotel industry IT consultant Ted Horner, from E Horner & Associates. “So, the increasing importance for 4- to 5-star hotels to offer an HDTV viewing experience to guests similar to what they have at home is one of the biggest trends we are seeing in the industry at present,” he told HM. While HDTV remains unavailable on a ‘pay-tv’ level at present for hotels (watch this space, however), the existing offering of 20-plus stations available to hotels continues to get better as technology improves from both TV suppliers and IPTV providers. Guests have never seen Fox Sports, Sky Sports or CNN in the quality they have now, thanks to the HD quality of Samsung, Philips and Panasonic televisions, and of course the digital signal being received by IPTV-based (Internet Protocol Television) platforms from DoCoMo interTouch and iBahn amongst others. “The move to IPTV for free-to-air and Foxtel provides guests with a better quality picture than that has been offered in the past with a traditional MATV system over co-axial cable,” Horner says. DoCoMo interTouch CEO, Charles Reed, says the move towards HDTV continues to gain momentum.

“The arrival of HDTV has been a strong jab in the arm for the inroom entertainment industry,” Reed told HM. “Today, high-definition is no longer a good-to-have in 4- and 5-star hotels – it is seen as a given, just like a hotel bed. “HDTV delivers richer and more stimulating content to guests and opens up greater possibilities for greater entertainment options such as IPTV, multimedia and interactive services. “As a result, it is one of the important offerings that DoCoMo interTouch provides. We see HDTV as an important in-room entertainment differentiator for hotels looking to distinguish themselves as premium brands,” he says. iBahn Asia South and India Managing Director, Alan Smith, says the purchasing of more HDTVs by hotels is one of the many drivers of HDTV in Australia and New Zealand. “With new HDTVs in most hotel rooms many hoteliers had thought they had fulfilled their guests’ expectations,”he says.“However HDTVs are no longer just TVs, they are becoming digital portals. “This has meant that the change to HDTV was just the beginning. Older analogue hotel systems have been exposed as not being able to make effective use of the better screen resolutions, in some instances resulting in guest dissatisfaction. “The additional features of newer TVs also open up the opportunity to provide additional services to the guest, either resulting in lower overall operating costs or increased guest satisfaction. “However, in order to make the most of these opportunities, hotel owners and operators are having to change the way that they regard the guest TV,” he says.

IT’S AN iGENERATION WORLD. BE SURE YOU STAY FULLY CONNECTED TO IT. As our world moves faster, as your information and digital content choices continue to expand, the need for secure and reliable high-speed Internet access wherever you travel only becomes more essential. Which is the very reason why iBAHN has grown to become the most trusted source for high-speed connectivity and best-of-class, breach-proof security – in 34 countries around the world, and at properties that insist on providing you the highest degree of service and convenience. For more information phone 02 9220 3530 or email aspacsales@ibahn.com

THE FUTURE OF IN-ROOM DIGITAL SOLUTIONS BEGINS WITH i Copyright © 2008 iBAHN Inc. All rights reserved. iBAHN and the iBAHN logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of iBAHN Inc. and its affiliates in the United States and other countries.

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www.iBAHN.com ETVi @ iBAHN.com

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Smith says in-room entertainment now does what was done before, but better. “Video is now truly digital, and truly on-demand. However, the industry is also finding new ways to provide additional services to the guest - internet access via a HDTV is now similar to using a PC, and there are several initiatives aimed at providing the guest with a much more personalised service. “This is a subtly different approach which will lead to the guest having an entertainment experience that they can tailor to suit their personal tastes,” he says. Horner says there are many ways hotels are providing additional services and the move towards a single infrastructure is helping the cause. “IP-converged systems where video on demand, free-to-air and cable, plus PABX, high speed internet is all provided on a single cable infrastructure - either Cat5e or Cat 6 - as has been done at Intercontinental Melbourne The Rialto,” he says. Reed agrees, saying it is certainly the way of the future - provided hotels invest in the backbone of the technology. “DoCoMo interTouch sees these evolving needs and demands of consumers as an opportunity to help hotels build a converged IT platform where various aspects of technology run on a single infrastructure,” he says. “From a guest pers pective, this provides them with wider in-room entertainment that completes the guest experience. Through network, media, application and mobile convergence, guests will greatly benefit through access to richer entertainment content, ease of application usage, affordability and flexibility of the options available to them. “For hotels, a converged environment will allow them to better deploy and deliver in-room entertainment solutions to their guests at the lowest costs and highest efficiency. “Our solutions are IP-based, where data, voice and video are transmitted via the same cable, making it cost-efficient and scalable and this is the basis behind DoCoMo interTouch’s vision to pursue ‘maximum convergence’ in hotels,” Reed says. “Progress has already been achieved in this area with our latest innovation - hYspace, the ultimate convergence solution that combines the capabilities of multiple gadgets into a single, sleek device that enables hotel guests to create their preferred environment and room ambience by intelligently controlling the functions and solutions available in a room. “Some examples include adjusting room temperature, lighting, selection of television channels, instant retrieval of the hotel directory or information, room service, events and conference planner, instant messaging and an electronic concierge,” Reed says. For iBahn, the latest product offering is also one of the industry’s most exciting at present. “iMedia is the revolutionary new feature of ETVi and is expected to be released in Australia in October 2009,” says Smith. “This guestpay extension of the ETVi solution enables the ability to view internet content in true digital, HD, live streaming, full screen format on a hotel guest room TV screen. “This solution provides access to online video, music, social networking, news, games, email, and more – basically, iMedia provides unlimited content at the guests’ fingertips. “It’s an iBahn innovation that lets the in-room experience exceed the guests at-home experience in order to increase in-room revenue and differentiate your properties. Together with the other proprietary features of the iBahn ETVi system, iMedia turns the guest room into a true media centre,” he says. The final word comes from Horner, who says the latest innovative in-room technology that’s now available in overseas markets will fuel improvements in this region. “In my opinion the most impressive and feature rich video on demand vendors are overseas boutique suppliers from either Europe or US – so watch this space,” he says. Hotel & Accommodation Management

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theINSIDER

VIBE HOTEL

DARWIN WATERFRONT VIBE HOTEL DARWIN WATERFRONT GENERAL FEATURES Hotel operator: Medina Property Services Interior design by: Andrew Parr from SJB Interiors Interior ďŹ t-out by: Toga FF&E PMS and RMS systems by: Protel

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GUEST ROOM

1

1 TV by Phillips 2 Surround-sound system by Panasonic* 3 In-room entertainment system by Movies on Demand* 4 Internet provided by Rooms Online* 5 Furniture by Winmost Pty. Ltd. 6 Door locking system by Saok* 7 Alarm clock by Lennox* 8 Safe by Vintech Pty. Ltd* 9 King size bed by Sleepmaker 10 Pillows supplied by Tontine 11 Minibar by LG* 12 Bathroom amenities by Bunzl* Pty Ltd. 13 Towels by Australian Weaving Mills* Pty. Ltd. * Not in picture

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buyersGUIDE

HOT PRODUCTS

THIS MONTH, WE PROFILE SEVERAL SPONSORS OF THE 2009 HM AWARDS

Sealy Posturepedic Dynasty Series The custom-made Sealy Posturepedic ‘Dynasty Series’ Spirit bed displayed at the entrance to the HM Awards showcased the pinnacle of hospitality beds available in Australia. The Dynasty Series represents a major advancement in comfort technology which Sealy have introduced throughout their entire commercial product range to ensure they have a quality offer at every price point. This collection delivers comfort, technology and design options that hotel guests expect in their homes – making it ideal for hotels. Tel: 1300 780 150 (within Australia) www.sealy.com.au

Touchcheck by Vingcard Dyson Airblade

With on-line flight bookings and unmanned kiosks providing check-in and seat allocation at airports all around the world, the travelling public have embraced the new, streamlined approach to these tedious tasks and grabbed the chance to avoid the queues and save the time. VingCard has joined the revolution by providing hotels and serviced apartments with the same opportunity, by launching the Touchcheck.

The Dyson Airblade hand dryer is a breakthrough in hand-dryer technology. Filtering incoming air to remove 99.9% of bacteria, the Dyson Airblade hand dryer creates a high speed sheet of unheated air that wipes water from hands in just 10 seconds. Powered by Dyson’s digital motor, this appliance uses up to 80% less energy than warm air hand dryers; offering significant savings - both in running costs and environmental impact. Tel: 1800 239 766 (within Australia) www.dyson.com.au

Tel: 1300 796 233 (within Australia) www.vingcard.com

Robert Oatley Wines “Our wines reflect both a proud winemaking heritage and contemporary, innovative Australian wine styles - crafted and bottled at the family estate in Mudgee, Australia. I hope you enjoy drinking these wines as much as we enjoyed making them,” says Robert Oatley. Current notable drops include the 2008 Robert Oatley Sauvignon Blanc from Margaret River and Pemberton; 2008 Robert Oatley Mudgee Chardonnay; and 2007 Robert Oatley Frankland River & Mudgee Shiraz. Tel: +61 2 9433 3255 www.robertoatley.com.au

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Pravda Vodka Pravda dates back to 1743 Poland, evidence of the passion of the world renowned Vodka producing heartland area of Southern Poland. Produced in small batches, Pravda is handcrafted utilising the finest ingredients, such as the purest spring water from the Carpathian Mountains and sweet late harvest rye from the Wielkopolska fields. Tel: +61 2 9264 3344 www.modabeverages.com

St Arnou beers St Arnou Premium Blonde is a European-style blonde beer which smacks of flavour. The addition of wheat malt and the subtle hop character define this beer. Pale in colour and cold filtered, this traditional European styled lager has a smooth, crisp finish that is beautifully balanced for an exceptional drinking experience. Tel: +61 2 9227 8503 www.st-arnou.com.au

Philips Pronto Philips, a world leader in remote controls, is again redefining wireless control with its latest and most dynamic entry yet - the Pronto TSU9300. Ideal for 5-star hotels, the slender and contemporary Pronto TSU9300 features a bright vivid flush-mounted 2.8inch QVGA (320x240) colour touch screen, ensuring easy readability with personalised backgrounds and graphics. Tel: +61 3 8542 1111 (Ralph Grundl) www.pronto.philips.com

L’Occitane Shea Butter Verbena Liquid Soap A number of L’Occitane products were featured at the HM Awards, including the L’Occitane Relaxing Candle on every table, plus the exquisite Shea Butter Verbena Liquid Soap in the bathrooms. Convenient in a large, handsome-looking pump, the Liquid Soap contains Shea Butter to ensure that frequently washed hands won’t get dry and flaky. Skin is left smooth, soft, comfortable and feeling refreshed. Tel: +61 2 8912 3060 (Rémi Duracher) www.loccitane.com.au

S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna S.Pellegrino natural sparkling mineral water flows from the thermal spring in the foothills of the Italian Alps. Delicate, refined and elegant, its image and taste have won over the entire world. Acqua Panna natural still mineral is from the famous Villa Panna in the hills of Tuscany. Its smooth and velvety taste leaves a sensation of lightness and softness. Acqua Panna is a completely balanced, refreshing water with the rare ability of enhancing the most subtle and refined flavours of fine food & wine. Tel: 1800 660 189 www.sanpellegrino.com

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food&BEVERAGE

news

PORT VILA Vanuatu’s annual barista competition will be held this year from November 12 -14 at Le Lagon Resort Port Vila. This year, baristas worldwide are invited to enter and compete for the title against Vanuatu’s best. The competition is part of the worldwide barista completion circuit and will follow international rules. International judge Robert Forsyth (Cafe Latte judge, World Coffee in Good Spirit judge, World Ibrik judge) will help to judge and oversee the competition, ensuring it meets world standards.

Kitchen star: Glenn Bacon

Hayman

MELBOURNE As part of the Melbourne Indonesian Food Festival, the Conservatory at Crown will host award winning Indonesian chefs Sujiko and Dodi Ahdiat from October 16-24. Sujiko and Dodi will be serving diners a vibrant and flavoursome range of Indonesian delicacies to add to the already brimming buffet. Both Sujiko and Dodi have extensive experience in the art of traditional Indonesian cuisine.

Star of the Whitsundays THE 2009 HM AWARDS PRODUCED ANOTHER OUTSTANDING LIST OF FINALISTS FOR THE EXECUTIVE CHEF OF THE YEAR, A CATEGORY WON BY HAYMAN’S GLENN BACON. Hayman’s Executive Chef Glenn Bacon has proven to be a star in the Whitsundays since his appointment and his recognition as Executive Chef of the Year at the HM Awards is a testament to the hard work and dedication he has to his craft. Bacon has headed a brigade of some 50 Australian and international chefs at the celebrated private island destination in the Great Barrier Reef since 2007, introducing his awardwinning light contemporary style of cuisine throughout the resort’s extensive dining operation including the five acclaimed restaurants, world-class meeting and wedding facilities and other beautiful island settings. This period has also seen the elevation of The Chef’s Table, the resort’s magnificent dining event hosted by Chef Bacon or one of his Master Chefs, to a Hayman Signature Experience, an exclusive selection – along with a stunning Ocean Massage and Night Dive - offering guests a special taste of this acclaimed destination’s unique island and reef surrounds. The Chef’s Table takes resort guests behind-the-scenes each week into the Main Kitchen for a magnificent six-course dinner 70

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with matching wines and includes a visit to the famous La Fontaine wine cellar and the Hayman Chocolate Room. Bacon also invites celebrated guest chefs and winemakers to join him in hosting these evenings throughout the year. Hayman General Manager, Roger Wright said the award was a tribute to the leadership and inspiration Chef Bacon has displayed in delivering a consistently high standard of dining throughout the resort, catering for a range of cultures and sensitivities regarding special dietary requirements and presenting memorable culinary experiences in an array of resort locations. “This is a wonderful tribute to Glenn and to his entire team, all of whom remain steadfast in their commitment to the high standards we strive always to present to our guests,”Wright said. Bacon said the award was a great honour being presented in his 25th year in the industry. “The award is also a reflection of the culture of a dedicated food and beverage team on Hayman in showcasing outstanding dining experiences,” he said.

CANBERRA The Promenade Cafe at Hyatt Hotel Canberra – A Park Hyatt Hotel, won the prestigious Restaurant and Catering Association Award for Best Restaurant in a Hotel at the recent award ceremony in Canberra. The Promenade Café is open daily offering a choice of buffet or seasonal a la carte menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The hotelÐs Assistant Manager, Food and Beverage, Henrik Iversen thanked the team members for the dedication to service and hospitality not only to the hotel guests but to the local Canberra community who support the Promenade Café. HOBART Country Club Tasmania’s Terrace Restaurant has emerged as the state’s leading purveyor of fine wines after it was named the Tasmanian winner of ‘Gourmet Traveller Wine’ magazine’s annual Wine List of the Year Awards. This is the second consecutive year the Terrace has secured the prestigious award. Food and Beverage Manager, Richard Pobitzer, welcomed the industry recognition, describing it as a great achievement for the Terrace team. SANCTUARY COVE After savoring the taste as hosts of the very successful Gordon Ramsay series of lunches and dinners in June, the team at Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove has announced the next Celebrity Chef event taking place in early October. In conjunction with the Good Food and Wine Show, the Hyatt is presenting a Chef’s Table with Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris. Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove General Manager Patrick Hardy is delighted to be hosting these MasterChef judges. “After the success of the Gordon Ramsay event and the popularity of MasterChef, we are looking forward to welcoming Gary and George to our hotel,” he said. “Just having these fellow MasterChef judges in the same room will be a tasty treat for all guests and our food and beverage team is relishing in the thought of working with these guys.”

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THE ZETA RULES JAMES WILKINSON STEPS BEHIND THE MAHOGANY AND SPEAKS TO MIXOLOGY GURU GRANT COLLINS.

Since Hilton Sydney opened in 2005, Zeta has been the pinnacle for hotel bars in Australia, thanks to its stylish design, hip crowd and ground-breaking cocktails. Most of the credit for the latter can be attributed to mixology consultant Grant Collins, who has been with the bar since the beginning, after having spent five years running Water Bar at W Sydney (now BLUE Sydney) and Zeta at Hilton London Park Lane prior to that. Collins, who also has his own consultancy Bar Solutions and counts hotel bars in Bali, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Japan

as clients, has once more transformed Zeta’s cocktails in recent months as he picks up trends from across the globe. “At Zeta I use emerging trends I find as an inspiration then put a Zeta twist on it,” Collins says.“Recently we have done some cool cocktail and food matching with Ben Mcpherson and Tobie Puttock where we used many experimental cooking techniques to match the food created. “We used LN2, dry ice, emulsions, foams and gels with some good results,” he says. At the 2009 HM Awards, Zeta Bar was responsible for the pre-dinner cocktails, where one of those trends was seen in the form of Pravda vodka tonic jellies served on a caramelized lime wheel with fizz powder. Jellies are rarely seen at bars in Australia and to a large degree, Collins is helping Zeta set many trends of its own. “At Zeta we don’t really like to follow trends but to lead and set trends with a mix of both approachable drinks, classics and some fun experimental drinks that are a nice fusion of approachable, old and new,” he says. “For instance, our sensory experiences (drinking a cocktail while hot-wired to an

iPod) have been hugely popular, as are our ‘deconstructed nights’ and ‘nitro nights’. “We also - as any good bar should - pay homage to the classics and our ‘vintage nights’, which are held once per month, are also proving hugely popular,” he says. Collins says there has been an amazing shift towards high-end cocktails at hotel bars since he first arrived in Sydney in 2001. “It’s quite astonishing really as it has changed without comprehension,” he says. “Back in 2001 when I arrived, the hotel cocktail scene was a little stagnant with only really Water Bar at the W really trying to offer a complete cocktail experience, thanks to great drinks, music, service and general vibe. “Now with the advent of many international bartenders on these shores plying their trade these has driven the standard of cocktails through the roof,” he says. The industry can expect that to continue with bars like Zeta setting the pace for some time to come. Bar Solutions offers bespoke and tailored consultancy for any venue, shape or size. For more information, visit www.barsolutions.com.au

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Carlson staff planting trees

Carlson Hotels Worldwide

humanRESOURCES

Staying sustainable MEETING INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND STAYING AHEAD OF RISING UTILITY COSTS ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES CONFRONTED BY THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY SAYS JEAN-MARC BUSATO, MANAGING DIRECTOR – ASIA PACIFIC, CARLSON HOTELS WORLDWIDE. According to experts, on average, hotels spend about US$2000 per available room each year on energy. And a 10% reduction in energy consumption would have the same financial effect as increasing the average daily room rate (ADR) by over a dollar. Apart from the financial implications, an increasing number of guests are also prioritising eco-friendly travel which presents hoteliers like us with tremendous opportunities to build and cement customer loyalty by being sustainable. At Carlson Hotels Worldwide, environmental sustainability programmes are part of our commitment to conducting responsible business. Earlier this year, we introduced a comprehensive ‘green guide’ outlining sustainability strategies and practical steps for environmental responsibility that will be applied across all of Carlson’s five hotel brands. Entitled ‘Practical Guide to Greening Your Hotel’, the green guide is part of our global

initiative to develop programmes, policies and partnerships based on responsible business practices. For example, to mark our 1000th property launch last year, Carlson partnered with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to plant 1,000 trees around the world. On a global scale, Carlson Hotels Worldwide is focusing on specific issues such as reducing, recycling and reusing solid waste, reducing the use of harmful chemicals, conserving energy and water, and improving indoor air quality that can have immediate impact on the environment and the communities where our hotels operate. Our properties in Australia have in fact been leading Carlson’s green revolution in the Asia Pacific region. The Radisson Plaza Hotel Sydney for example has clear environmental practices in place which include the use of micro-fibre for cleaning rooms which saves 1 million litres of water annually. Air conditions are turned off in all unoccupied rooms and energy efficient light-

ing is used throughout the hotel. The Radisson on Flagstaff Gardens Melbourne hotel participates in the ‘Savings in the City’ programme, which helps hotels make environmental improvements. Through the programme’s waste audit, the hotel identified a variety of ways in which it could reduce the amount of waste it sends to landfill. The hotel responded by increasing its capacity to recycle, particularly cardboard and paper which helped the hotel reduce disposal costs by around 20%. Radisson on Flagstaff Gardens Melbourne is currently working on the installation of solar panels or wind turbines to generate green power. Our corporate office in Singapore has also successfully benchmarked environmental and social responsibility indicators, and has recently achieved the silver certification by Green Globe – a global benchmarking and certification product for sustainable travel and tourism. And currently eight of our hotels across the region are also undergoing the Green Globe certification.

Your industry champion

For the third year running, HOSTPLUS has been awarded SuperRatings Fund of the Year 2009 and Money magazine’s Best of the Best award for Best Super Fund Manager 2009. But we’re not just super specialists, we’re hospitality specialists too. In fact, we’ve been working with the industry for over 20 years. Providing easy-to-manage super support for employers, like you. Delivering long-term benefits to workers,

like your staff. And preparing for the future by supporting training initiatives, such as our HOSTPLUS Indigenous Hotel Management Traineeship program. So while others think of us as industry champions, we prefer to think of ourselves as the champions of the industry. To find out more, simply visit hostplus.com.au or call 1300 HOSTPLUS (1300 467 875), 8am – 8pm, Monday to Friday.

The information contained in this document is general information only. This document does not and is not intended to contain any recommendations, statements of opinion or advice. In any event, the information in this document is general in nature and does not consider any one or more of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this information, you should consider obtaining advice from a licensed, financial product adviser and consider the appropriateness of this information, having regard to your particular investment needs, objectives and financial situation. You should obtain a copy of the HOSTPLUS Product Disclosure Statement and consider the information contained in the Statement before making any decision about whether to acquire an interest in HOSTPLUS. Issued by Host-Plus Pty Limited ABN 79 008 634 704, AFSL No. 244392, RSEL No. L0000093, RSE No. R1000054. tmDM HOST5077/HM

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onthemove PEOPLE

No stranger to airports, ALEX PENKLIS joins Novotel Brisbane Airport Hotel as General Manager having worked in Mexico, Fiji and landmark properties in Sydney, Gold Coast and Ayers Rock. Prior to joining Novotel Brisbane Airport, Brisbane’s first airport hotel and scheduled to open AP on November 15, Penklis was general manager of one of the Accor Group’s premier Australian properties, Sofitel Wentworth Sydney. Before moving to Sydney, he was general manager at Sofitel Gold Coast, having also spent four years as resort general manager of Ayers Rock Resort managed by Voyages Hotels and Resorts. His international experience includes running the acclaimed 5-star Sanoviv Health Retreat in Mexico and five years in Fiji where he operated the Mokusigas Resort, the Tanoa Group of six hotels and the exclusive Turtle Island resort. A native of Brisbane, Penklis said he was delighted to be returning home to be part of such a significant step in Brisbane’s development. “Novotel Brisbane Airport marks a milestone in the city’s progress and I feel fortunate to be involved”, he said.

Rydges Hotels and Resorts have reinforced its commitment to North Queensland with its most senior manager moving to the company’s flagship property at Port Douglas. Rydges Hotels Resorts North Queensland Area General Manager SIMON WHITE will take the helm of Rydges SW Sabaya Resort following its acquisition by parent company Amalgamated Holdings Limited (AHD) for AUD$20.55 million on June 30. The move is in line with the company policy of having the Area General Manager based at Rydges’ flagship hotel for each region and was effective from August 10. White has held the position of Area KE General Manager NQ for the past two and a half years and in that time has been based at Rydges Esplanade Resort in Cairns. In effect, he swapped places with Rydges Sabaya Resort’s General Manager KELLIE EUSTACE. This move signalled a return to Cairns for Eustace who was previously General Manager of Rydges Plaza Cairns before moving to Port Douglas to re -open Sabaya in July 2007 after it was closed for a two-year major refurbishment. White will oversee Rydges’ six North Queensland properties located between Port Douglas and Gladstone, spanning 950 rooms, 400 staff and with continuous redevelopment and improvements currently underway. “I’m looking forward to my role at Rydges Sabaya Resort which has gone from strength to strength in both the leisure and business markets under the expert guidance of Mrs Eustace,” White said.

people

Heavyweights join Tourism QLD board It’s the state with the Australia’s best marketing campaign and now Queensland is set to continue that tourism winning-streak, following the July 19 appointment of five heavyweights to the peak tourism body’s board. Appointed to the Tourism Queensland board were Carnival Australia CEO Ann Sherry, Quicksilver Group GM Tony Baker, Lillydale Host Farm director Pamela Hardgrave, Emporium Hotel general manager Peter Savoff and business consultant Peter Lynch “We need the best we have at the helm of this vital industry,” said Queensland premier Anna Bligh.“The calibre of these appointees speaks for itself and this completes the dream team for Tourism Queensland. “These are industry people, who understand the importance of creating and supporting tourism jobs during these tough financial times,” Bligh said. The new members have joined Tourism Queensland chairman Don Morris and deputy chair Julie McGlone on the board. Capricorn Tourism chairman and Central Queensland tourism and hospitality owner/operator Grant Cassidy and managing director of National Park Pty Ltd Shane O’Reilly were also reappointed to the board. “What these appointments show is just how determined the state government is to support this vital industry and protect the 119,000 jobs it provides in Queensland,” Bligh said. Bligh said the new members brought many years of outstanding business experience to the table. “We have cherry picked the best from different sectors,”she said. “That will ensure that Tourism Queensland continue to provide the high-profile creativity and leadership so essential for the well-being of the State’s tourism industry. Tourism Queensland continues to ride high on the back of the ‘Best Job in the World’ campaign, which two weeks ago won a record three grand prix awards at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival in France.

Emporium Hotel General Manager Peter Savoff

Seashells Hospitality Group has appointed JAMES HOPPER as general manager at its award-winning Mandurah property. Hopper comes to Seashells after more than three years at Mirvac Hotels and Resorts where he was most recently regional revenue manager. Hopper has more than 13 years JH of experience in the hospitality industry, having commenced his career in Sydney at The Grand Mercure with a University supported traineeship and then Chifley Hotels in a variety of management roles. After a period working for Mirvac Hotels in Sydney, Hopper transferred to WA in 2008 in the role of front office manager at Quay West Resort Bunker Bay. In his new role at Seashells, Hopper is responsible for the day-to-day management of Seashells Mandurah and is looking forward to having the oceanfront at Mandurah Ocean Marina as his base. Sheraton and Westin Resorts, Denarau Island, Fiji has announced the appointment of PAUL YUI as Director of Sales & Marketing based in Fiji. In his new role, Yui will lead the team in the areas of sales, marketing, and convention services for the three Starwood Resorts on Denarau Island PY in Fiji, which includes The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa, Sheraton Fiji Resort and Sheraton Denarau Villas. Commencing his Starwood journey in early 2000, Yui has held a number of key management roles within Starwood’s leading Sydney properties, most recently holding the position of Director of Sales for the multi-award winning Sheraton on the Park, in Sydney. Yui will assume the responsibility of STEVE MOLNAR, who has recently joined Four Points by Sheraton Darling Harbour as Executive Assistant Manager – Sales & Marketing.

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stopPRESS

briefs

CONFERENCES MELBOURNE

Hotels in Wodonga, Toowoomba, Melbourne and Paihia, New Zealand, were the big winners at Choice Hotels Australasia’s annual awards ceremony and dinner in Melbourne. Claiming Franchisee of the Year titles in their respective brand categories were Wodonga’s Comfort Inn & Suites Blazing Stump, Toowoomba’s Quality Hotel Platinum International, Melbourne’s Clarion Suites Gateway (for the second successive year) and Paihia’s Edgewater Palms - Clarion Collection. CHA Chief Executive Officer David Bayes presented the awards during a stylish gala dinner at the Plaza Ballroom on the final evening of the group’s 2009 annual conference.

Choice Hotels

Choice announces top franchisees

Choice Hotels’ top franchisees for 2009

He said more than 260 delegates from CHA’s 280 properties across Australia and New Zealand attended the awards and the winning hotels were selected from a short list of 30 CHA Gold Award winners across the group’s four brands – Comfort, Quality, Clarion and Clarion Collection.

Toga Hospitality

OPENINGS WELLINGTON

Travelodge Wellington has been officially opened by the Deputy Mayor of Wellington, Ian McKinnon. More than 100 guests attended the opening, including hotel owners Toga Hospitality and Eureka Funds Management, local Ian McKinnon, Toga CEO Rachel business representatives, tourism Argaman and Eureka’s Glen Boultwood industry leaders and media.The hotel reopened in June this year following an NZD$11 million total refurbishment and the transformation makes the property one of the best 3.5- to 4-star hotels in the city.

CONFERENCES GOLD COAST

Best Western conference wraps-up

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Best Western International CEO, David Kong

Best Western

Best Western Australasia’s national convention created a rousing reception this year with the announcement of two new programs designed to increase hotel owners’ profitability. The first of these was the Best Western Economic Recovery Plan – a comprehensive toolbox containing a complete set of business related software templates including stock inventories, expenditure sheets and profit forecasts, which provide a clear picture of how each business is performing and how to increase profits quickly. The Economic Recovery Plan is contained on CD–Rom and made available free-ofcharge to all Best Western members. The second announcement was launching the Property Revenue Management (PRM) program, which gives property owners an expert revenue manager who

generates an immediate boost in profits. While the service has been a runaway success in the US, this is the first time it has been released in Australia. Traditionally, the final day was highlighted with the Best Western Awards for Excellence, presented at the gala dinner and the introduction of a new award, Best Apartment Style Property, won by the Best Western Wollongong.

BONDI Plans to redevelop the SwissGrand Resort and Spa, Bondi Beach have been shelved due the global financial crisis which has seen Bondi Beachside Pty Ltd reassess its business plans. As a result, the popular beachside hotel will remain open for business as usual for at least the next three years, and continue under Accor management. The SwissGrand will undergo a soft refurbishment to its conference inventory and rooms, a project that was on hold while the hotel’s future being decided. Swiss-Grand Resort and Spa General Manager Richard Holt said he is thrilled that the hotel will continue to run for the foreseeable future. “I am delighted that we can now assure our guests that the Swiss-Grand will not be closing down,” he said. “It has been difficult to plan for the future while the hotel’s development was in limbo but now we can concentrate on building business and move forward with quotes for weddings, conferences and events for at least the next three years.” Bondi Beachside Pty Ltd has an approved development application with Waverley Council to renovate and upgrade the site of the Swiss-Grand Resort and Spa including the development of high quality residential apartments, a boutique hotel, restaurants, cafes and retail outlets.

MELBOURNE Aviation and tourism history will be made on New Year’s Eve when a Qantas Airbus A380 super jumbo operates a unique sightseeing flight to Antarctica – the first commercial flight by an A380 over the south polar region, and the only aircraft permitted to do so on New Year’s Eve. The flight, organised by Melbourne-based Antarctica Sightseeing Flights, will originate in Sydney and fly via Melbourne to reach Antarctica. Passengers will be over the “ice” at midnight and be the first in the world to see the light of the New Year. The chartered A380 will fly figureeight patterns above the breathtaking polar terrain for up to four hours before heading back to Melbourne and Sydney. Two other Antarctic flights are also planned for the southern summer – a second A380 service direct from Sydney on January 24 and a Boeing 747-400 from Melbourne on Valentine’s Day, February 14. All flights are operated by senior Qantas pilots, with the captain in command having previously operated Antarctica sightseeing flights. Pricing from Sydney and Melbourne for the New Year’s Eve flight ranges from $999 for an Economy Class centre cabin seat to $6,299 in First Class. For bookings, call 1800 633 449 or visit www. antarcticaflights.com.au. THREDBO Novotel Lake Crackenback has launched its new look Kosciuszko alpine guided walks with an even more exciting route along the spine of the main range coupled with a equally stunning new campsite location. Perfect for incentive trips, each overnight walk will be scheduled around a full moon offering six exclusive experiences throughout the summer season, discovering some of Australia’s most beautiful mountain terrain.

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Sydney’s most respected arts, entertainment, nightlife & food magazine Stock Time Out in your hotel If your hotel is in Sydney then we are interested in providing Time Out for your rooms. Time Out is published in 32 cities around the world – both Australian and international visitors will appreciate the magazine

Get our Sydney readers to visit you Advertise in our magazine and on our website – 63% of our readers earn over $100,000

Get into Time Out Go to timeout.com/sydney and check that we have listed your hotel, bar or restaurant. Let us know if we are missing your details, picture or need to make a correction

Contact julian.peterson@timeoutsydney.com.au 02 8239 5961 * Source: July 2009 Time Out readers survey

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