Canadian Lodging News - October 2013

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LodgingNews October 2013 Vol. 10 No. 8

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Wyndham plans Howard Johnson reinvigoration

By Colleen Isherwood, Editor LAS VEGAS—A massive ramp opened on the stage and Eric Danziger, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group, emerged as Iron Man.

Eric Danziger as Iron Man, Superman and himself.

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

WYNDHAM COVERAGE CONTINUES ON PAGE 6

The theatrics were not without precedent—at past conferences Danziger has landed in a space shuttle and climbed Mount Everest. Reaching into his extensive “Halloween closet,” Danziger appeared as characters from Superman, Spiderman, The Lone Ranger, Sherlock Holmes, Lincoln, and—in line with this year’s conference theme, Together 2013—some of The Avengers characters.

One of the highlights of the opening session of the conference, held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas last month and attracting 6,000 owners and GMs, was the announcement of a marketing campaign to be launched on U.S. television in 2014, that would encompass all 15 Wyndham brands.

The other highlight is what Wyndham calls the “reinvigoration” of Howard Johnson. When Danziger came to Wyndham four years ago, one of his priorities was improvement of the iconic HoJo brand.

“Howard Johnson is a brand that for millions of travellers conjures fond memories of ice cream cones and family vacations,” said Danziger.

“It’s a name that carries with it incredible equity. Reinvigoration is about growing the brand and restoring it to its rightful place within the industry by inspiring that same type of brand loyalty and affinity from a new generation of consumers.”

As part of the unveiling, the brand shared conceptual interior and exterior designs that will begin appearing at yet-to-be-announced test locations throughout the U.S. as early as the end of next year. Best described as clean, fresh, fun and timeless, the designs showcase a new Howard Johnson that, while modern in look and feel, offers a playful nod to its past.

As an example, HoJo used to be famous for its 28 flavours of ice cream, and the brand is looking at ways to bring select flavours of ice cream back as a signature offering at all of its hotels.

Also unveiled were early details around a new service training initiative that will launch as part of the larger project, an effort the brand believes will play an integral role shaping the overall guest experience at hotels.

“We want people to celebrate its rich history without becoming too retro,” said John Valletta, president, Howard Johnson. “We want to focus on memories—ice cream and the colour orange.” He also wants HoJo to compete in the midscale segment once again, as the brand has often been competing in the economy sector.

“It’s for kids at heart of every age.

The design is fun and shows we don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

Have you had your banana today?

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Fairmont Le Château Montebello has a unique program that encourages staff at all levels to put on a smile.

Spotlight on new convention centres

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It’s hard to remember a time when there has been so much building and revitalizing of convention space, with much of the focus on Atlantic Canada.

Fortis’s attention to health and safety pays off ST. JOHN’S, NL—Nora Duke, president and CEO, Fortis Properties, came to the hotel and commercial real estate company from Fortis’ parent, which is in the electrical utility business.

“Due to the nature of that business, there was a fair amount of safety, and I came from that background,” Duke told CLN. At Newfoundland Power, a utility company primarily

involved in power distribution, she was responsible for HR, safety and customer satisfaction.

While hotels and commercial buildings don’t have many of the obvious dangers of a utility company, there is certainly potential for risk, with plenty of trips, slips, falls and soft-tissue injuries, Duke noted.

When Duke came to Fortis Properties 10 years ago, she brought that

focus with her. “At that time, there was a growing concern about workers’ compensation claims, and we had to get our heads around that,” she said.

Fortis Properties started formally tracking health and safety just over a decade ago. The company has 23 hotels, 2.7 million square feet of commercial real estate and 2,400 employees spread over eight provincial jurisdictions. “When we realized we had an

issue with worker heath and safety, we had a big ship to turn,” said Duke.

“We realized it would not be a quick fix, but a shift in culture that would mature over time. We have to keep focusing on this, making it a priority every single day.”

Fortis’ goals are not financial targets, but expectations and responsibilities.

Continued on page 7

Four Seasons Pavilion comes to Canada

It’s a snow-covered ski canteen, a fruit market or a fine-dining restaurant. And Egon von Foidl seeks a demonstration site.

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Hotels push the tea envelope

Commins told CLN while there is some resistance to tea, there are foodservice professionals looking for inventive blends. She noted that while coffee has seen a revolution in quality, customers are hesitant to order tea because their experiences haven’t been particularly inspiring.

While crafted tea blends are more expensive—compared to a couple cents per bag— Commins notes foodservice operators can charge between $4 and $8 for a formal tea service. People will pay that much, she added, “if they know it’s done properly.” Commins offers complimentary tea service training sessions to clients.

Commins said tea could complement any style of cuisine. For a Thai restaurant, she sug-

TORONTO—As of September 9, Big Picture Productions, who manage a number of Canadian conferences and tradeshows, including the Hotel Association of Canada, Canadian Hotel Investment Conference, Western Canadian Hotel & Resort Investment Conference and VO-CON, has moved to 370 King Street W, Suite 604, Toronto, ON M5V 1J9. Their phone, fax and e-mail information remain the same.

Young cooks competition Jennifer Commins at the Shangri-La

gested a flower petal and jasmine green, for example, while for an Indian restaurant, a custom chai could be developed.

The self-described “entrepreneur by nature” studied cuisines of interest at George Brown College in Toronto. While in the design industry she would take clients to dinner. “It became glaringly obvious that tea was falling far behind,” said Commins.

She noted that Toronto has an “amazing restaurant culture. Why can’t tea catch up a bit?”

She pointed out that tea is often the last experience a diner encounters, which could leave a lasting impression.

Commins said tea has always been a calming influence in her life. “I always blended my own tea; it was just part of our family tradition,” said Commins, who completed the tea sommelier program at George Brown before getting her

business underway.

Commins looks for local ingredients and suppliers for ingredients as well as local areas for inspiration. Her Spadina Avenue Blend, a black tea, is inspired by Chinatown. She describes it as a fruit-forward lychee blend featuring the flavours of mango, lime, lemongrass and coconut. Prince Edward Lavender was Commins’ first terroir tea created for the Eastern Ontario county’s Terroir Run in May and was served over ice at the finish line.

Commins noted tea is not simply for drinking, but can be ground and used to flavour dishes. She suggests using Lapsang Souchong, a smoky flavoured, spring plucked tea, in shortbread cookies or barbecue sauce.

“I want to make tea accessible and modern and do it in the most sustainable way possible,” said Commins.

Westin’s first running concierge STAMFORD, CT—It’s the job runners have been training for all their lives and last month, Westin Hotels & Resorts announced that Christopher Heuisler, a veteran runner who has competed in 25 marathons in 20 states, was chosen as the winner of its nationwide search for the first-ever RunWESTIN Concierge.

Westin sought an experienced, passionate runner to join them on the road and serve as the on-site running expert for Westin VIPs participating in select Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series events. Heuisler beat more than 1,000 applicants to the finish line for the dream job after a month-long selection process.

On September 21-22, Westin guests participating in the Montreal Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon had the first opportunity to take part in the VIP Marathon Package, with Heuisler as the official on-site running expert.

Demaine & Collis splits into two companies OAKVILLE, ON—Partners Kevin Collis and Steve Demaine announced in September that the smallwares and furniture manufacturer’s agent and distributor Demaine & Collis was separating into two companies as of Oct. 1.

Demaine & Collis was founded in 2004 as a manufacturer’s agent, which expanded into distribution.

“Our company became very diversified,” Demaine told CLN. “It grew every year in the last 10 years, with a range from dishes to outdoor furniture. Moving forward, we wanted to concentrate on more specific market segments.”

Collis said the company split made sense because there were too many lines, so Demaine is going in one direction with furniture and he is heading in another with smallwares.

The split also made sense because the furniture side currently distributes across Canada, while

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Big Picture has moved

TORONTO—Tea sommelier Jennifer Commins wants to give tea its just desserts by bringing out local flavours and influences with bespoke blends through her Toronto-based Pluck Tea. Since launching in February, Commins has built a notable list of hotel and foodservice clients, including The Beverley Hotel, the Shangri-La, Note Bene, Soho House, Mark McEwan and Jamie Kennedy, all in Toronto.

Commins said she is working with Eric Woods, of The Beverley Hotel, to “push the tea envelope a bit” and potentially modernize the afternoon-tea finger sandwich.

The menu at Kennedy’s Gilead highlights the Pluck Tea brand and in mid-September, the Shangri-La rolled out a six-tea menu, complete with dessert pairings.

Seeking inspiring tea experiences

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the smallwares section focuses on Ontario and Quebec, said Demaine.

Collis’s new company will be called Total Tabletop Plus Inc. and will distribute Churchill and Bugambilia in Eastern Canada, Walco in Canada, Rosseto in Ontario and Quebec, Taylor, Riedel and John Boos in Ontario, and continue to represent Eurodib, KitchenAid and Winco for Ontario.

The team of employees and sales agents will include Marie Van Barneveld, Darlene Montgomery, Dejan Kriek, Tony Volpe, Dan George, Rob Weiss and Adam Butler. Collis said he is looking to grow the business in Ontario and has no plans to go national.

Demaine’s new company will be named Bum Contract Furniture Inc. and will continue to distribute Emu, Nardi and Tuuci in Canada, Forbes in Ontario and Mity-Lite and Grand

Rapids Chair Co. in Ontario and Quebec. Moving from Demaine & Collis to the new company as employees or sales agents are: Tammy Demaine, Tara Witt, Brad Webster, Tony Volpe, Dan George, Rob Weiss, Adam Butler and Mike Flanagan.

Both companies will continue to work out of the 20,000-square-foot-plus facility at 2150 Winston Park Dr. that houses the showroom, warehouse and office space until the location’s lease expires in 2014.

Collis said his company will most likely stay in the Winston Park unit, but that “it’s still up in the air.” Demaine will potentially be looking for a more streamlined, 15,000-square-foot space in Oakville, ON, after the lease expiry, he said.

“It’s definitely an amicable split,” said Collis.

“We’ll probably still work together in certain areas, we just won’t be at the same company.”

WINNIPEG—Chefs representing the Hotel Grand Pacific, Victoria and the Fairmont Chateau Montebello are among those facing off at Red River College’s Paterson GlobalFoods Institute on Oct. 25 for the chance to represent Canada at the 37th Concours International des Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs next September in South Africa.

The competing young chefs (under the age of 27) were chosen through regional selection competitions and will be given half an hour to compose a menu using all of the previously unidentified basic ingredients in a basket. Participants can draw on staples from a pantry to create a three-course meal for four in three and a half hours.

Participants and sponsoring establishments include: Jamie Kerr, Atlantica Hotel Halifax; Dominique Roy, Fairmont Château Montebello; Ben Lillico, Benchmark Restaurant Niagara College; Chinnie Ramos for Glendale Golf and Country Club in Winnipeg; Rupert Garcia, Calgary Golf and Country Club; Garrett Rotel, Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, Okanagan Valley, BC; Westley Feist, Vancouver Pinnacle Marriott Downtown; and Brent Lukon, Hotel Grand Pacific, Victoria, BC.

Kitchener’s landmark Walper Hotel sold, getting upgrades KITCHENER, ON—The Walper Hotel, a downtown Kitchener, ON landmark, has been sold. The deal, which had a price tag of $4.64 million, closed Aug. 30.

The new owners consist of the Zehr Group, the Perimeter Development Corporation, David Struck and hotel management company CK Atlantis Ltd. In a release, the Perimeter Development Group said the investor group is “committed to continuing the successful rejuvenation of the hotel and, in the near future, will begin work on formulating a design vision to continue the repositioning of the hotel to be a vibrant and exciting destination in the Waterloo Region.”

The 82-room hotel, located at 20 Queen St. South, was built in 1893 and was most recently renovated two years ago by previous owner Michael von Teichman.

According to the Waterloo Region Record, the new ownership group plans to invest as much as $3.5 million over the next few years to convert the historic, red brick property into an upscale boutique facility, which will retain its name.

CORRECTION In the September 2013 issue of Canadian Lodging News, the headline erroneously said that Coast Hotels & Resorts had raised more than $500 million with its Long Charity Drive golf classic. The actual number was $550,000. CLN apologizes for the error.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

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LodgingNews www.canadianlodgingnews.com Editor Colleen Isherwood ext. 231 cisherwood@canadianlodgingnews.com Senior Contributing Editor Leslie Wu ext. 227 lwu@canadianrestaurantnews.com Contributing Editors Marni Andrews marni@trolltales.com Larry Mogelonsky larry@lma.ca Kristen Smith ext. 238 ksmith@canadianlodgingnews.com Senior Account Manager Debbie McGilvray ext. 233 dmcgilvray@canadianlodgingnews.com Account Manager Kim Kerr ext. 229 kkerr@canadianlodgingnews.com Production Stephanie Giammarco sgiammarco@canadianlodgingnews.com Circulation Manager Don Trimm ext. 228 dtrimm@canadianrestaurantnews.com Controller Tammy Turgeon ext. 237 tammy@canadianlodgingnews.com How to reach us: Tel (905) 206-0150

Com m e n t

By Colleen Isherwood, Editor

Have you eaten your banana?

It’s like a secret code among management and staff at Fairmont Le Château Montebello: “Have you eaten your banana?” It’s a funny, non-threatening way to say to even the most senior manager, “Hey, put a smile on your face!”

It’s all part of the “Banana Culture” or “Attitude Program” implemented at the Château starting in January.

A year ago, Le Château Montebello’s JD Power scores indicated that employee attitude was among the 10 lowest ratings at the highend resort property located in Quebec halfway between Ottawa and Montreal. The hotel’s top management addressed the bottom 10 scores at a leadership retreat last fall. GM Genevieve Dumas assigned seven people including JeanFrancois Fortin, who was recently promoted to executive chef, to brainstorm solutions.

They came up with the idea of a banana as a symbol for a smile. At the resort’s annual general assembly in January, a committee (shown at right) was formed to meet every second week and implement the program.

That’s when the fun began.

The committee launched the program with

posters of bananas around the hotel, Fortin told CLN. “How many times does a room attendant pass six guests and stare down at the floor? It’s not what we want. We want them to smile and say good morning.”

The bananas reminded them to do just that.

“The chef created the program to remind colleagues that smiling is part of the job. If staff are satisfied in their work life, they will meet cli-

ent expectations,” added Amandine Martel, sales and marketing trainee.

Reminders are everywhere: the staff door is papered with banana photos; Banana Culture is part of employee orientation; people can get their pictures taken with the ambassador billboard, a huge cardboard banana with a hole for the face; and for the last three months there’s been an award for the Banana Personality of the Month.

“It’s had a big impact,” said Fortin. “Since February, attitude hasn’t shown up in the bottom 10 scores. And we hear comments saying our staff is ‘so welcoming’ and ‘smiling all the time.’”

Fortin even took photos of employees with banana smiles at Fairmont The Palm in Dubai, when he went there on a six-week assignment.

“You don’t see a lot of people coming to work [at the Château] with a bad attitude,” said Fortin.

“A smile is part of the uniform.”

Left to right: Marcel Mündel, Jean-Francois Fortin, Annie Piché, Sylvain Courcelle, Sylvie Legault, Nathalie Beauchamp and Marie-Helene David.

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

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

Halloween movie nights and beyond

Volume 10 No. 8 Canadian Lodging News is published 10 times a year by Ishcom Publications Ltd. which also publishes Atlantic Restaurant News, Ontario Restaurant News Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News, and Canadian Chains Directory and Canadian Lodging News Buyers’ Directory Address: 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201 Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Tel: (905) 206-0150 Fax: (905) 206-9972 In Canada (800) 201-8596 Subscriptions: Canada & USA: 1 year $39.57, 2 years $63.43 (PLUS APPLICABLE TAX) Single copy: $5.00 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Department, 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Jason Cheskes, Above The Line Solutions Vito Curalli, Hilton Worldwide Justin Friesen, Western Financial Group Philippe Gadbois, Atlific Hotels & Resorts Mark Hope, Coast Hotels & Resorts Elizabeth Hueston, Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc. Dave Kaiser, Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association Brian Leon, Choice Hotels Canada Inc. Chris Lund, Deerhurst Resort Dr. David Martin, Ted Rogers School of Hospitality Christine Pella, Serta Mattress Company Tony Pollard, Hotel Association of Canada Sarah Segal, Informa Canada Andrew Chlebus, LG Electronics Publication Mail Agreement No. 40010152 ISSN 1710-145X GST number R102533890

Hotels make for fantastic event venues. We all know this; we’re all proud of our facilities!

They’re flexible, spacious, beautifully decorated and chaperoned by attentive, qualified staff.

One of the simpler, yet quite effective, ways that we demonstrate this around this time of year is through a Halloween-themed movie night. Often held in a ballroom fashioned into a makeshift rear-projector theatre with freshly prepared snacks on the side, these events are great for bringing travellers and the community together for a night of spooks, thrills, chills, gasps and maybe even some laughs.

Certainly it helps build the Halloween buzz if your property is already whispered about in popular urban legends, or if it is indeed rife with paranormal activity. For these notorious properties, a movie night or a ghost tour is already a bona fide best seller. But such supernatural exploits are relevant for only an iota of the properties out there. For the rest of us, think of this as an event to celebrate and thank the community for the support.

By now the concept of the Halloween Movie Night or Scary Movie Marathon is de rigueur for hotel marketing teams. It’s a breeze to organize and far less burdensome than, say, craft-

ing a haunted house experience. If a movie night is so easy to put together for one commercial holiday, why not extend the concept for a few others?

How many movies can you think of that take place over Christmas, Thanksgiving or Valentine’s Day? Certainly there are enough to fill a four or five hour timeslot. Why not develop a movie night for all three holidays?

Start by browsing your options using a combination of Google searches, IMDB and Wikipedia to find a good mix of films as well as their content guidance and run times. Next, the most important aspect of this venture to investigate is film rights. As you are using the motion pictures for commercial gain there will be a licensing fee. Yes, even if you are charging no admission, it is still considered a commercial undertaking.

Contact major studios I would suggest contacting both the home entertainment division of a major studio as well as your local film society about this. Perhaps this is why I have chosen to broach this topic now, on All Hallows’ Eve, as both these entities may take a while to get back to you.

And there’s good reasoning behind each of these parleys. Every major studio owns a vast library of films for you to choose from, giving you the breadth to accurately pick enough content to fill an evening’s worth of appropriately themed, family friendly content, and maybe even a forgotten gem from the 30s or 40s. Fostering a healthy relationship with your film society is equally important. They can advise on legal issues, give recommendations and help promote your event within their circles of the community.

Get the kitchen involved Next, get your kitchen involved. The food for Halloween shouldn’t be the same as that for Christmas or Valentine’s Day. The more eccentric the screening’s theme, the more fun your creative culinary team will have conjuring up tasty goodies for game day. You could even use such a hypothetical event as a team-building exercise to see just how ingenious your chefs are. For instance, besides candy eggs and bunny-shaped chocolates or cookies, what other confectioneries would be synonymous for Easter?

Don’t think that the movie night is restricted to public holidays either. Consider making it a monthly or bimonthly gig. For instance, Ojai Valley Inn & Spa used to run an outdoor film classic series featuring Golden Age masterpieces followed by a Q&A with one of the actors. Unfortunately, the Q&A portion is a luxury that only Southern California can deliver with any consistency. Sadly, there are few independent theatres that screen movies from the 50s, 60s and 70s these days (especially with the mandatory shift towards digital projection), and yet there is still an audience for such fare. Given their relative scarcity, the classic film conceit from this example can easily be adapted for your property.

Perhaps this is a niche – and by niche I mean a crevice of a niche – where you can grow your local market, but it’s still a worthy action with no downside. Think about advertising a paltry $5 to $10 entry fee and a discount for loyalty club members. Films are fun for everyone, and you may just earn a buck while you’re at it.

Larry Mogelonsky (larry@lma.ca) is the president and founder of LMA Communications Inc. , an award-winning, full service communications agency focused on the hospitality industry (est.

1991). Larry’s latest book entitled “Are You an Ostrich or a Llama?” is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Danziger: Canadian initiatives to follow U.S. rollout PARSIPPANY, NJ—The initiatives announced at Wyndham Hotels Group’s Global Conference are sometimes rolled out first in the U.S., and will take time to come to Canada, Eric Danziger told CLN last month.

Danziger, president and CEO, gave as an example, the new marketing campaign, which will feature the stars of Wyndham Hotel Group (WHG)— its 15 iconic brands—together for the very first time.

“It’s an exciting time for our company and our owners. In launching the campaign in 2014, the goal is to do the right thing for our company— by balancing our brands with the strength of WHG. We’re in the preliminary stages of planning and will look to our franchisees for their input, guidance and support in further developing the campaign, which will roll out in the U.S. While our plans only include the U.S. right now, we’ll evaluate opportunities to bring it to other countries,” Danziger told CLN.

A multi-year process Danziger says the HoJo reinvigoration is “in the early stages of what will be a multi-year process. Now that we have conceptual designs, the next task will be to test the concept in various markets throughout the U.S. Test properties are expected to start appearing as early as next year and after testing, we’ll have a full understanding of which elements of the concept work and what, if anything, needs to be changed.

“Once that’s done, the design will be finalized and we’ll officially begin developing the new Howard Johnson

with prospective franchisees. Our intent is to start with development in the U.S. Other countries are still being evaluated,” he noted.

HoJo: tremendous heritage Danziger has made no secret of his desire to revitalize the Howard Johnson brand.

“Howard Johnson is an iconic brand with a tremendous heritage and incredible equity. It’s one of the great names in the industry. Unfortunately, over the years, its prominence has slipped and today, it’s not the juggernaut that it once was. But it could be. And why shouldn’t it be?

“When you say the name Howard Johnson to someone—particularly if they’re from my generation—you immediately see a smile and start hearing about memories of family vacations, ice cream cones and so on. There’s a fondness for Howard Johnson that’s extremely rare among brands these days. I don’t want that to go away or for us to be the ones who let it go away.

“Let’s restore the brand to where it belongs. Let’s acknowledge the loyalty and the memories of its most diehard fans and enable a new, younger generation of consumers to make that same kind of connection,” he said.

Brazil a key market It’s no accident that a large delegation of Brazilians sat in on the Superior Lodging Corp. Canadian session, representing the Super 8, Microtel and Wingate brands in Canada.

Danziger explained, “Last year, we signed an agreement with HotelPar to

introduce the Super 8 brand in Brazil, which will bring 200 properties to the country over the next 10 years—the first of which is scheduled to open later this year.

“Brazil is a key market for our expansion in Latin America, as there is significant growing demand for hotels and we see great opportunities for our diverse portfolio of brands to thrive there.”

Danziger also noted that Wyndham had recently signed an agreement with HotelPar to introduce Travelodge in Brazil.

“We’ve seen the greatest development opportunities of late in countries like China, Turkey, the Middle East, Colombia and Brazil, and expect continued growth in those countries going into 2014.

Over 500 Canadian hotels Wyndham has great presence in Canada – over 500 hotels across 11 brands. Super 8 is the largest brand with 135 hotels. “Days Inn and Travelodge are very well-established, with over 90 hotels each, and Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham is growing,” said Danziger. “Furthermore, we introduced the TRYP by Wyndham brand in late 2010 with TRYP Quebec Hotel PUR in Quebec City. We have great partners in the region and are confident that those relationships and the diversity of our brands will provide us with continued growth in Canada for many of our brands.”

Heroes of Hospitality Danziger also commented on this year’s convention theme, ‘Together.’

“It reflects our relationships with our over 7,000 owners. It also ties back to our previous Global Conferences: in 2010, where the theme was “Imagine,” we imagined the possibilities for our company; in 2012, we worked to “Achieve” what we imagined and now, in 2013, we’re achieving all we imagined together.

“I stressed at this year’s conference that we all should be heroes of hospitality—hence the integration of superheroes into the general session.

We can do this as individuals—like

many of the iconic superheroes we all know—by committing to service and to doing the right thing for our customers, our teams, our suppliers and WHG overall. We want to empower our people to be the super hoteliers we know they are—by delivering great hospitality every day. Even more, as part of the world’s largest hotel company, we can be more powerful and more heroic when we work together – like The Avengers.”

See page 8 for WHG awards.

A Superior approach to Super 8, Microtel and Wingate open in 25 years, but our stated goal is to have 75 open in 10 years,” Staniloff told CLN. “There is very strong interest and lots of excitement surrounding Microtel, and we have Canadianized the Microtel prototype.”

The Microtels have lots of flair and appeal, said Catherine Burdett, director of marketing for Superior.

She added that Superior’s partner, Jay Westman of Jayman MasterBUILT, one of Canada’s largest residential and multi-family builders, is on top of the latest trends and styles.

Westman also helps ensure Superior Lodging’s new-build Microtels are green, with energy bills that are 35 per cent below those of comparable hotels.

They are also planning four new Wingate by Wyndham hotels at Calgary Airport, Leduc (Edmonton Airport), St. Albert and Winnipeg. These are in addition to the three existing Wingates in Canada.

There was a large delegation of Brazilians at the Superior Lodging session.

“They want to develop out Brazil the way we have been doing in Canada. We have invited them to come up to Calgary to see our properties, and I will go to Brazil,” said Staniloff, adding that the Brazilian hotels will all be new properties.

One of the commonalities between the Brazilians and Superior is their love of rodeo. Each year leading up to the Calgary Stampede, Superior sponsors rodeo cowboys, and holds a Saddle-Up Sweepstakes with prize packages to key rodeo events.

WYNDHAM BRANDS IN CANADA as of June 30, 2013

Catherine Burdett and Marc Staniloff of Superior Lodging Corporation

LAS VEGAS—“Since its inception in 1992, privately-owned Superior Lodging Corporation has been responsible for developing 160 hotels worth over $1 billion,” said president and CEO Marc Staniloff, as he kicked off the Superior Lodging session at the recent Wyndham conference in Las Vegas.

Superior has grown the Super 8 brand so that it now stands at 135 hotels and counting.

Recently, they bought Super 8s in Calgary and Whitecourt, AB, Terrace, Fort St. John and Kitimat, BC, Regina,

SK, Ottawa and Kirkland Lake, ON. “We are looking at five to seven each year, both conversions and new builds,” Staniloff said. “We are firmly and solidly committed to Super 8 growth.”

Superior also controls the land for eight sites for potential Microtels.

They have opened two in Estevan, SK and Timmins, ON and hope to have three more by the end of the year in Weyburn, SK, Lloydminster, SK and Black Falls, AB. (Two Canadian Microtels are not Superior properties.)

“Our committed goal is to have 75

BRAND

#PROPERTIES

#ROOMS

Baymont Inn & Suites: Days Inn: Howard Johnson: Knights Inn: Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham: Ramada: Super 8: Travelodge: TRYP by Wyndham: Wingate by Wyndham: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts:

1 property 96 properties 60 properties 30 properties 4 properties 77 properties 135 properties 93 properties 1 property 3 properties 1 property

59 rooms 8,265 rooms 4,251 rooms 1,146 rooms 309 rooms 7,741 rooms 8,822 rooms 8,463 rooms 242 rooms 326 rooms 152 rooms

TOTAL

501 properties

39,776 rooms

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Making health and safety a priority every single day Continued from page 1

General managers at each Fortis property or head office are accountable for putting decisions in place, actively engaging their teams and setting goals. Members of the leadership team have incentive programs, with safety expectations written into Nora Duke, president and CEO Fortis Properties Corporation. their agreements.

Each property has an internal health and safety audit every year, said Katrina Hynes, Fortis Properties’ manager of health and safety, who has been with the company since 2006.

“Now we have added a scoring component, with a breakdown into areas such as health and safety training, disability management and contractor safety. Regional safety champions assist in getting the audit complete, and sometimes we have someone who is strong on safety at one property audit another hotel.”

Specific measures can be as simple and straightforward as encouraging room attendants to do some stretching before they start work. “It’ a good practice, and a team building exercise,” Duke explained.

Measures making a difference The company continues to experience significant improvements in its safety performance.

Year over year, lost-time incident rate decreased by 33 per cent and average weeks per claim decreased by 18 per cent, the company reported in its 2012 annual report. Fortis hotels Holiday Inn Windsor and Holiday Inn Lethbridge have won safety awards from InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). But perhaps the most telling reward is found in the employee surveys ranking Job # IW-0001 Client Imagewear - Magazine Ads Date SEP 15/13 Ver # various aspects of the organization.

“Safety is seen as a high priority. People get it Katrina Hynes, and 10.75x14" + bleed Job CDN. Specs 4C process FP manager, health now,” said Duke. “Five or sixLODGING years ago, itNEWS did not - LUGGAGE safety at Fortis Properties Corporation. rank as high.”

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Early and safe return to work Disability management and early and safe return to work are key priorities in 2013, along with an intensified approach to contractor safety and emergency preparedness.

The longer a person is off work, the longer it takes to reintegrate. “We try to get them to come back doing modified work,” said Duke. ‘For example, a room attendant might work on the front desk, or in the back office doing inventory—doing light or alternative work, and eventually returning to full-time duties.”

Keeping that focus could translate into reduced Workers’ Compensation Board premiums, especially if the property’s rates are on the high end of the scale.

Health and safety week During North American Occupational Health and Safety (NAOSH) week in May, Fortis Properties’ head office in St. John’s held a wellness fair in the banquet rooms at lunch, including a blood pressure check. The fire department demonstrated fire extinguisher use.

Employees responded to a challenge to celebrate safety with a poem, video or other creative means of expression. One of the poems appears below.

“The idea is to keep the momentum and visibility.

Every property constantly amazes me with their ideas,” said Duke.

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Are You as Safe as You Think?

Safety’s important and preparation’s the key So pay close attention and listen to me Every day you get ready and walk through the door But, are you as safe as you think for what’s in store?

Working outside, you’re trying to do your best You wear your safety goggles and florescent vest You think you’re ready for the dangers you meet But did you remember to put the right boots on your feet?

You’re cleaning up rooms each and every day You move tripping hazards out of the way Keeping things tidy, you’re on the right track But did you lift with your knees and not with your back?

Kitchens have dangers around all twists and turns You wear the proper items so you don’t get burns You don’t keep sharp objects just lying around But did you label chemicals that are easily found?

You should always have safety in the front of your mind And be prepared for any issues that you may find Do a safety checklist before you get on the go And you won’t have to think you’re safe, you’ll know Katie Fudge - Property Accountant Greenwood Inn & Suites Corner Brook

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

THE WINNERS’ CIRCLE enRoute publishes its hotel design awards The Four Seasons Hotel, Toronto

MONTREAL—enRoute magazine has published its second annual Hotel Design Awards in the September issue of the Air Canada publication.

The contest was open to Canadian-designed properties all over the world. Judges included restaurant and hotel designer Adam D. Tiffany, Canadian novelist and artist Douglas Coupland, French industrial designer Matali Crasset and Maxwell Ryan of Apartment Therapy.

Although the scope was international, the winning hotels were all located in Canada.

The Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, designed by Glenn Pushelberg and George Yabu of Yabu Pushelberg, won for Best Overall Interior Design.

The award for Best Overall Architecture went to Cabot Links Lodge, Inverness, NS, designed by Susan Fitzgerald of Fowler Bauld & Mitchell.

The James Hotel, Saskatoon, had the Best Lobby in the under 150 rooms category thanks to the work of Michael Shugarman of Shugarman Architecture + Design.

Ramada’s Canadian winners at Wyndham Global Conference Rather than “Property of the Year” and “GM of the Year,” Ramada has an annual award called “Best of 2013,” which distinguishes property teams that provide exceptional customer service, high quality accommodations and consistent brand performance. Winners from Canada include: o Ramada St. John’s in St. John’s, NL, accepted by Greg Fleming (GM), Diane Aylward (owner), Amy Tulk and Anne McGuirk (team). o Ramada Brooks in Brooks, AB, accepted by Cam and Brook Christiansen (owners). o Ramada Wainwright in Wainwright, AB, accepted by Cam and Brook Christiansen (owners) o Ramada Lac La Biche in Lac La Biche, AB, accepted by Albert Stratichuk (owner), shown above, second from left. With him are Caryl Porter, VP Operations for Ramada, Mark Young, SVP for Ramada and Keri Putera, VP marketing for Ramada. o Ramada Olds in Olds, Alberta, accepted by Cam and Brook Christiansen (owners).

Super 8 winners include Camrose and Peterborough

HoJo’s Canadian winners at Wyndham Global Conference Kevin Liddle, GM of Howard Johnson Niagara Falls, second from left, received the award for HoJo Property of the Year, Canada, from John Valletta, Phil Harvey and Kevin McCabe. For more Canadian Howard Johnson and Knight’s Inn winners go to www.canadianlodgingnews.com.

WE’RE LINKEDIN, ON FACEBOOK AND TWEETING DILIGENTLY.

Ken Kirkby, general manager Super 8 Peterborough, ON was on hand to accept the award for Best Performer North Region at the recent Wyndham Global Conference in Las Vegas. Shown above with Kirkby (right) is John Valletta, president Super 8.

Super 8 Camrose won as Best Performer West Region.

The award was accepted by Brooke Christianson, VP Hotel operations, CanAlta Hospitality based in Drumheller, AB. Superstar Awards went to Super 8 Sault Ste. Marie and Super 8 Port Elgin, ON. The awards were presented to Tom and Jennifer Evans, owners of the Super 8 Port Elgin; and Sault Ste. Marie owner Terry Wurdemann.

Travelodge Canadian winners at Wyndham Conference Geni Baskharion of Travelodge Calgary South, AB, centre, was Travelodge Canada’s Employee of the Year. Presenting her award are L to R: Adam Cannon, VP operations Travelodge U.S., Steven Robinson—president, Travelodge Canada, Mark Young SVP Travelodge U.S., Kevin McCabe—senior director, brand marketing Travelodge U.S. Lakis Zakos, owner of Travelodge Strathmore, won Property of the Year, Housekeeping Team of the Year and Highest Guest Satisfaction Score. Also presented at the conference were: Wyndham Rewards Leader—Travelodge Drumheller; Highest positive Rev/ PAR variance—Travelodge Simcoe; and Sales Team of the Year—Travelodge Hotel Toronto Airport.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Conventional wisdom Recently opened, expanding and new-build conference facilities are attracting, or poised to attract, increased group business to their destination cities.

P.E.I. Convention Centre

By Don Douloff

to open in 2015, he says.

It’s hard to remember a time when there was so much Canadian convention centre activity, with new facilities opened and expansions and a new-build underway.

All of this activity is welcome news for hoteliers, since these bigger and better conference centres are either attracting more group business or poised to do so.

OCC means capital gains

Case in point: Charlottetown Fredericton Convention Centre

Ottawa Convention Centre

Nova Centre, Halifax

Charlottetown, where a new convention centre opened in August 2013, is a case in point.

Indeed, the new conference facility “has positively affected business for future years,” Betty Anne Morrison, director of sales and marketing at the Delta Prince Edward and the adjacent Prince Edward Island Convention Centre (PEICC), told CLN. Delta Prince Edward manages, markets, sells and operates the PEICC, which features 50,000 square feet of usable space.

Next year is looking strong, says Morrison. Twelve city-wides have been booked for 2014 — up from a norm of four per year — and half of those would not have been possible without the new convention facility, she says. “The increased square footage adjoined to the Delta Prince Edward has elevated P.E.I. to a tier-three destination.”

Key to the PEICC’s attractiveness to groups is its ability to “host as many as 1,500 delegates under one roof, which gives the destination access to a whole new set of customers we’ve never been able to accommodate in the past,” says Michael Matthews, executive director of Meetings & Conventions Prince Edward Island. The PEICC, he says, has several larger groups on the books for 2015 and 2016, and a large 2017 group.

To help meet that need, Delta Prince Edward has room to expand, since PEICC was designed to allow for the addition of more than 80 guestrooms. Joining the city’s hotel lineup in 2012 was the Holman Grand, an 80-room boutique property and Charlottetown’s first new hotel build in 20 years.

Fredericton facility boosts meetings business

St. John’s Convention Centre

Also seeing increased group business is Fredericton, where a new convention facility, offering 36,000 square feet of meeting space, launched in January 2011.

Since the Fredericton Conference Centre (FCC) opened, it has hosted “larger, more regional and national events,” according to Walther Lauffer, vice-president and general manager of the Crowne Plaza Fredericton and interim chair of the Fredericton Hotel Association.

In 2012, the FCC hosted approximately 30,000 delegates, an increase of 21 per cent over 2011 and an increase of 28 per cent of new events to the city, according to Lauffer.

In 2013, 10 national conventions have been booked; six nationals are confirmed for 2014, with four in both 2015 and 2016—“business that [Fredericton] would not have been able to attract without that facility,” he notes.

Boosting guestroom capacity will be a Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton, expected

In the nation’s capital, “hotel business has increased” since the Ottawa Convention Centre (OCC) opened in April 2011, Dick Brown, president of the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association, told CLN. Featuring 192,000 square feet of useable space, the OCC, says Brown, has “enhanced the city’s ability to attract major events,” citing the 2012 NHL All Star Game and the 2012 Liberal Convention, among others.

Events hosted by the facility in its first two years generated an estimated total of almost 97,000 room-nights, an OCC spokesperson told CLN. For the next five years, the OCC has booked 61 conventions, with more likely, says the spokesperson.

Accommodating those inbound groups shouldn’t be a problem. Three Ottawa hotels opened in 2011/2012, including the 395-room Courtyard by Marriott East, launched in 2012. Ground has been broken on two more properties, including a 200room Residence Inn by Marriott Wakely, and another six have been announced.

Nova Centre underway In addition to the convention facilities opened in recent years, construction continues on a new-build and an expansion.

The new-build, the 1-million-square foot, $500-million Nova Centre, in Halifax, will feature a convention centre (120,000 square feet of rentable space), hotel and residences, office tower, retail, parking and public plaza, and is slated to open in 2016.

Six conference centre events, including four for the launch year and each bringing 500 to 1,500 attendees, are confirmed.

“The Nova Centre is a significant economic development project that will further position Halifax as a leading destination,” says Phyllis Stephenson, general manager of the Best Western PLUS Chocolate Lake Hotel and president of the Hotel Association of Nova Scotia.

Additional convention space will arrive via a two-hotel complex slated to open in downtown Halifax in April 2014.

The development will include a 135-room Homewood Suites and a 181-room Hampton Inn, joined by a shared conference centre offering 10,000 square feet of meeting space.

Meetings and conventions, along with business and leisure travel, have driven strong growth, even during the 2008/2009 recession, when hotel business increased by 2 to 5 per cent per year, she says.

Conventions have been booked for 2016 and beyond, with 2016 bookings pacing ahead of typical years, says Krista Cameron, director of sales for Destination St. John’s.

“The announcement of the [convention centre expansion] was a key criterion in the strategic decision-making for most of the developers of each of the respective new hotels either under construction now or due to start within the next couple of years,” says Greg Fleming, general manager of the Ramada St. John’s and president of the Hotel/Motel Association of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Upcoming openings include a Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton, launching in November 2013, and an 89-room boutique property owned by the Steele Group expected to debut in May 2014. Five building applications are at various stages of approval by the city, but no announcements have been made as to when construction will begin.

Michael Matthews

Krista Cameron

Booming St. John’s to double convention centre size In booming St. John’s, NL construction continues on a $60-million conventioncentre expansion that will double capacity to 47,000 square feet of divisible function and meeting space, and create a direct link to the Delta St. John’s.

When the expanded St. John’s Convention Centre (SJCC) opens in 2016, it will bring 100,000 square feet of function and exhibit space under one roof: joining the SJCC’s 47,000 square feet will be 20,000 square feet (Delta St. John’s) and 33,000 square feet (Mile One Centre, linked to the convention facility via pedway).

“We needed the convention centre expansion in order to grow convention business and it helps to attract investment in new hotels,” says Rhonda Hutton, director of marketing at Destination St. John’s.

Greg Fleming

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Enticing group business

Ritz and Carlton Rooms

Convention centres aren’t the only Canadian venues going the extra mile to boost group business. Hotels are entering the market or sprucing themselves up and getting creative in trying to catch the eye of meeting and event planners.

Rugged but luxe retreat Brand new to the scene is Fogo Island Inn. Opened May 15, the high-end property, located on an island off the northeastern coast of Newfoundland, features 29 rooms and amenities such as a 42-seat cinema opened in partnership with the National Film Board, and rooftop sauna and hot tubs.

Capitalizing on its rugged North Atlantic locale and natural bounty, the property offers unique group-focused programs ideal for small conferences and corporate retreats. For example, a two-day S e p -

Cinema at Fogo Island Inn. Photo: Alex Fradkin

tember weekend event featured Great Big Sea musician Alan Doyle, who, along with the hotel’s executive chef, Murray McDonald, led an expedition foraging for wild mushrooms and berries. Saturday night’s gourmet supper was followed by an unplugged performance of music and stories by Doyle. Other programs highlight cuisine, wooden-rowboat racing and storm-watching.

Group-ready areas include a 1,300-squarefoot contemporary art gallery; 1,400-squarefoot meeting space; and rooftop options offering 380 square feet of covered space and 570 square feet of uncovered cocktail/function space.

While the Inn’s room rates — $500 to $3,000 per night — may seem high, they include full board: a daybreak tray with coffee, croissants, yogurt or fruit; breakfast, dinner (lunch), afternoon tea, supper and snacks. Gratuities are included gate-togate.

Occupancy has been very strong, according to Melanie Coates, the hotel’s director of marketing and business development.

Reopened Ritz

Melanie Coates.

Photo: Alex Fradkin

Reopened in May 2012 following a $200-million renovation, the Ritz-Carlton Montreal is rolling out the red carpet for groups with promotional perks that include

one complimentary room per 40 rooms paid (or one per 25, during low season); one upgrade to a suite per 40 rooms paid (or one per 25, in low season); two complimentary VIP amenities per 40 rooms paid (or two per 25, in low season); complimentary Wi-Fi in guestrooms and meeting rooms; and complimentary access to the pool and fitness centre.

Catering to groups are the hotel’s 12,000 square feet of flexible meeting space equipped with LCD screens and projectors.

Moreover, the renovation installed the city’s most advanced HACCP-certified banquet kitchen capable of feeding 1,000 people at a time.

Opus is bolder, brighter On the West Coast, OPUS Vancouver boutique hotel, in April, 2013, unveiled its new look that revamped all 96 guestrooms in a bolder, brighter mode.

On the meetings side, the hotel’s conference space, renovated in 2010, accommodates 70, theatrestyle and 22, boardroomstyle. Meeting rooms are wired with high-speed Internet access, LCD projec-

Opus meeting room

Perks, points and charitable donations Looking to gain an edge in a crowded and hyper-competitive market, major hotel chains are offering creative incentives to attract groups.

Perks of being a planner Starwood Hotels and Resorts’ “Perks of Being a Planner” promotion, for example, offers meeting organizers a two per cent rebate on master-billed guestrooms; the planner’s choice of one of the following: a complimentary welcome reception, an accelerated room upgrade offer or an accelerated complimentary room policy; and a Starwood Preferred Planner Starpoints signing bonus.

More than 470 hotels and resorts throughout North and Latin America are participating in this promotion targeting meetings and events “customized to [planners’] specific needs and goals,” says Christie Hicks, senior vice-president, Starwood Sales Organization, in a release.

Meetings that matter Bringing corporate social responsibility (CSR) to the table is Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ “Meetings That Matter.” Under the program, planners booking a new meeting with a minimum of 50 room nights may donate 10 per cent of the room revenue generated by the event to a

charity of choice.

Alternatively, planners can book teambuilding activities that involve their attendees in the local community. Groups could volunteer to clean up waterways, lend a helping hand to local school children or support local craftspeople.

At its Canadian properties, Fairmont is “pacing double-digit growth for 2014,” says Jeff Doane, vice-president, sales and marketing, Americas Region.

Ten eco-friendly steps Also taking a CSR-themed approach is Hyatt’s “Meet and Be Green” program, offering a three per cent savings off the master bill to groups who follow Hyatt’s 10 eco-friendly steps.

Those 10 steps include limiting shipped meetings materials to one pallet going in and half a pallet going out, and replacing bottled water with reusable bottles refilled at filtered-water stations.

With respect to Hyatt’s meetings business, “we are seeing a healthy increase across the board,” says Trina Camacho-London, regional vice-president, sales, Americas.

Rewarding loyalty Over at InterContinental Hotels Group

tion screen and video-conferencing.

Until March 31, 2014, groups of six or more pay $199 per-room per-night and receive perks that include complimentary Internet access, welcome beverage upon arrival and complimentary iPad for each guest to use on- and offproperty.

In fact, iPads, equipped with complimentary Internet access on- and off-property, are provided in every guestroom, with Samsung phones offered in over one-third of guestrooms.

“Our group business has increased in 2013 and we are ahead of booking pace for 2014,” says general manager Nicholas Gandossi.

Christie Hicks

(IHG), the Meeting Rewards loyalty program, available across all brands, rewards planners for every qualified meeting they hold at 4,500plus IHG-branded properties. Planners earn three points for every $1 USD spent on qualified meetings, with points potentially redeemed for stays at IHG hotels or retail gift cards or certificates; or points (or points plus cash) put towards flights anywhere on more than 400 airlines. Planners can also accumulate credits, ranging from $250 to $1,000 USD, towards future meetings.

Upgrades, technology, transfers Upscale brand Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts rewards planners for event group bookings of 25 guestrooms or above and 40 guestrooms or above. For a booking of 25 guestrooms or more, planners can select three of the following: one complimentary guestroom upgrade for the event organizer; one complimentary round-trip airport transfer; or complimentary LCD projector with two wireless microphones; complimentary coffee, tea and soft drinks for up to 40 people throughout the main event dates.

Shangri-La’s Bonus Miles Rewards program lets planners earn 100 miles for every room booked (with a 10-room minimum). Planners

can keep the miles for personal use or deposit them into an account for their group.

e-tools for meeting planners Hilton has introduced the Connect at Hilton Worldwide search engine, giving planners access to event-management tools such as Meetings Simplified, featuring facilities and services suited for smaller groups and offering bundled packages with per-person pricing.

Don Douloff is a freelance writer living in Toronto.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Starwood’s Paige Francis: “An elevated experience”

By Kristen Smith, Assistant Editor, Digital Content VAUGHAN, ON—Starwood Hotels and Resorts celebrated the opening of its first international Element property on Sept. 11 at the Element Vaughan Southwest. The property, located near the corner of Highways 27 and 7 north of Toronto, opened for business on June 27. (See CLN September 2013.) The opening celebrations featured a bicycle-powered “ribbon cutting” in alignment with the brand’s green attributes.

Launched in 2008, Element is the youngest brand under Starwood’s specialty select brands portfolio.

Toronto native heads three brands Paige Francis, vice-president, global brand management, specialty select brands, Starwood Hotels and Resorts worldwide, joined the Element team to help launch the brand.

The Toronto native started with Starwood about a decade ago with the St. Regis and luxury collection in a marketing role and has had her newest title for about three years. The brands in her portfolio include Element, Aloft and Four Points. Prior to Starwood, Francis worked in brand and project management at Nestlé Canada and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

She led the effort to create a distinct brand identity for Element Hotels, while also leading the marketing team for Aloft.

“We are working very closely with our partners and developers to find the right locations that make sense for each of these brands; there’s definitely tremendous growth opportunity for both of these brands in Canada,” Francis told CLN.

Element an “elevated experience” The new 152-room Element joins 10 U.S. properties; a second Canadian Element is planned in Burnaby, BC next year; and another

in Calgary for July 2016. Other international ventures are in the works for Germany (2014) and China (2015).

Focused on the extended-stay market, the mid-market brand offers common areas, inroom kitchens, ready-to-cook meals and a food pantry, a fitness centre with stationary bikes that also charge personal electronics, daily breakfast and complimentary evening receptions. It’s what Francis calls an elevated experience with “all the services the guest needs and wants but not all the bells and whistles of the high-end brands.

“For Element, we took our cues from the Westin,” said Francis, pointing to its clean, contemporary design and light-filled spaces. “It’s hard not to notice how the light floods through the space.”

While there isn’t a lobby bar—as is found in Aloft hotels—Starwood created spaces there for working, socializing and being outside.

“People want to get out of their room and they might want to be alone, but they don’t want to be lonely,” said Francis.

Element, said Francis, caters to the healthy, active traveller who is looking to maintain routines while on the road. “Sometimes I joke that Element is almost the life I wish I could live at home, while on the road,” she said.

Starwood has mandated the Element hotels achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification and the Vaughan location is aiming for silver.

“People experience the hotel, then they discover it’s green. Somehow they have this great green experience that hasn’t compromised any of the things that are sacred to the traveller, for example, a great shower,” said Francis, noting the rainfall shower still is low-flow, but maintains great pressure.

Aloft suits trend-focused traveller She said depending on why people are travelling, they tend to choose different brands, and

Paige Francis, VP global brand management for Starwood’s Element, Aloft and Four Points brands, was on hand at the opening celebrations for the first Canadian Element property last month. She spoke to CLN’s Kristen Smith about plans for the three dynamic flags.

Aloft is geared toward a more trend-focused traveller or social trip.

Francis noted that in Lexington, KY, Starwood has two properties across from one another and if she is travelling alone, she chooses the Element, but if meeting colleagues, she opts for Aloft.

The first Aloft opened in June 2008 and Starwood opened a total of 18 locations that year, including Beijing, China.

“It was the fastest brand launch in the history of brand launches,” said Francis, noting Aloft is approaching 75 locations in 13 countries. There are two in Canada and another is scheduled to open in July 2016 near Calgary University.

“As a company, Starwood saw there was a very clear opportunity in the mid-market segment to really offer something different and that travellers were really seeking more of an experience, a design-led offering,” said Francis.

She said, traditionally, competing in the mid-

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market segment means great beds, free Wi-Fi, free bottled water, “some of those more rational attributes.” She added that Starwood is known for “creating an experience.” Taking cues from W Hotels, Aloft brings that experience to the mid-market segment by creating a social experience in the lobby.

She said Aloft has catered to the next generation of traveller and has “resonated beautifully.”

Also in Francis’ domain is the quickly growing Four Points brand, with more than 175 locations in 30 countries. With 21 global openings this year and 21 more in 2014, it has the second largest Starwood pipeline behind the Sheraton brand.

Francis said the brand, with its full foodservice, best brews program, and recently launched complimentary Wednesday barbecue, allows each hotel to showcase its region and appeals to the “self-sufficient traveller who is still looking for a very stylish experience.”

Luxurious Brentwood Bay sold to Chinese firm VICTORIA—The luxurious Brentwood Bay Resort and Spa is being purchased by Forebase International Holdings Ltd. for nearly $14 million. The agreed-upon selling price is $13.998 million for the 33-room, three-story property, which opened in 2004 at 849 Verdier Ave. and the deal is expected to close Oct. 31.

Brentwood managing director Dan Behune told CLN 100 per cent of the employees and managers will stay on with the hotel and resort.

The 33,000-square-foot Brentwood Bay Resort is the first North American acquisition of the Chongqing, China-based company, which was founded in 1996 with a focus on hotel real estate.

Tofino resort up for bid TOFINO, BC—The Pettinger family of Victoria, BC put the Pacific Sands Beach Resort near Tofino, on the west coast on Vancouver Island, up for sale. The resort grew from 17 rustic cabins in the 1970s to a 77-unit resort on 41 acres.

According to the Victoria Times Colonist, about half the property is zoned for further development.

“We could easily double the size of the place, but it’s just not up to the three brothers to do that anymore,” Pettinger said. “We need someone with development and resort experience to do that and new energy after 40 years.”

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Painted Turtle Guesthouse’s focus on international students NA NA I M O, BC—Ask coowner Angie Barnard to describe her 20-unit guesthouse in downtown Nanaimo, and she’ll say it’s a mixture— Angie Barnard part boutique hotel, part urban B&B, and part international hostel.

From May to September, the Painted Turtle Guesthouse—which has operated as a hotel since 1875— caters to a traditional leisure tourist market.

But starting in September, with an intake for ESL students in October, the core clientele is international students from Vancouver Island University, a 10-minute bus ride away.

The guesthouse, which Barnard and her husband purchased in 2004, offers rooms with queen or single beds, cooking facilities and shared bathrooms for $3,200 per term (four months) or $2,550 (three months).

But the guesthouse offers far more than just a place to sleep, eat and study.

One of Barnard’s goals is to help international students at Vancouver Island University connect with the local business community. The guesthouse has begun a series of

extra-curricular programs targeting international students—including skills training, workshops, networking events, destination tours—to help foreign business and other students gain exposure to Nanaimo’s vibrant economic landscape, as well as the many amenities the city has to offer.

There are in-house Canadian cultural activities such as pumpkin carving and an ‘Orphan’s Christmas.’

The guesthouse also features an online job board, which will post internships and select jobs for international students wanting to gain experience with Canadian businesses, says Barnard.

International and MBA students have indicated a desire to practice their English in a professional business environment. The Painted Turtle meeting room is the setting for meetings where local businesses, such as manufacturing and export companies, send executives to talk to groups of 12 to 15 students.

They also charter buses for on-site tours of facilities such as Nanaimo’s world-class methane plant.

“I’m wearing my ‘destination development’ hat in that I want students to fully experience the city and to help

them make the contacts they need in Nanaimo’s business community,” Barnard notes. “So far, we have had incredibly positive feedback from students and the business community.”

The Painted Turtle essentially operates as a tour booking agency, with activities such as kayaking and dive training available year round. These activities suit the international students, people visiting the students, and businesses that want an urban retreat facility for team building.

Gold Eagle: North Battleford’s secret to a good night’s sleep Extras make a difference

By Katherine McIntyre NORTH BATTLEFORD, SK—From the big easy leather couches beside a welcoming stone fireplace in the reception area to the extra-large guest rooms, North Battleford’s Gold Eagle Lodge is designed for comfort.

Located with its front door facing Highway #6 and the back door overlooking the vast prairie and with its immediate neighbour the Gold Eagle Casino, it is typical Saskatchewan, a rural and urban mix in the land of ‘the living sky.’

Since 1991, the lodge has been independently managed by Battleford’s Tribal Council Management, which includes Sweetgrass First Nation, Little Pine First Nation, Mosquito, Lucky Man Cree, Moosomin, Red Pheasant and Poundmaker. It is famous for its long-serving, friendly staff, comfortable rooms and extras.

The entrance way draws guests in with a garden, a covered canopy and reflecting pool. For those cold winter days when cars won’t start, free jumper cables keep guests’ cars running. The lobby, with its friendly receptionist, big leather couches beside a stone fireplace and green plants, assures guests, that right from the word ‘go,’ they will receive western hospitality.

As they discover more amenities, they will find three Jacuzzi tubs, a bright indoor salt-water swimming pool with large windows overlooking the endless prairie, an exercise room with fitness machines, a steam room and a sauna. Planters full of greenery bring the outdoors inside.

A friendly breakfast room has a self-service bar with bagels and muffins fresh every morning from the local bakery just a couple of blocks away. Coffee is available all day.

Bedrooms are ample, pleasant and comfortably furnished. Guests, some of whom are contract workers

in North Battleford and stay for extended periods of time, welcome the friendly atmosphere. Spacious suites are furnished with full-size chesterfields, coffee tables and extra chairs.

And as an added extra, there is free shuttle service from and to the local airport.

Awards and certificates of excellence are ample proof that the chiefs and management, using hands-on experience, make this a successful hotel in a small city. Profits from the hotel are used for a school run by the First Nation bands.

Nearby attractions North Battleford has a unique collection of farm implements in the Western Development Museum known locally as the WDM. The museum developed when a forwardthinking group of locals realized that most of their historical agricultural pieces were being donated for scrap metal to be used for weapons in World War II. Unique pieces were saved and formed the basis of a collection which has kept on growing.

Another attraction is the living sky, the aurora borealis that illuminates the northern sky in the winter months and brings a sense of wonder to both locals and visitors.

Gold Eagle Lodge, 12004 Railway Ave. E, North Battleford, SK S9A 3W3, Tel: 306-446-8877.

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14 | Front desk with pods at Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Chicago

By Colleen Isherwood, Editor

The $110 million reno...

Dining options—Eaton Chelsea’s new Market Garden Restaurant

Comfortable, flexible seating at Eaton Chelsea

Digby Pines—balancing the historic and the modern

Imagine having $110 million to spend to make your hotel look absolutely amazing. That’s how much the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place’s recent expansion and renovation cost. Mind you, it’s now Hyatt’s fourth largest hotel in the world and the fourth largest hotel in Chicago, and that amount provided a new guestroom tower and renovated outlets, meetings and public space.

Here’s what they did...

Located next to McCormick Place Convention Centre, the hotel was originally built 15 years ago.

The owners, Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) were forward thinking, and put in an elevator shaft back then for what would one day become the new tower.

Their mandate revolves around constantly attracting and bringing business to the McCormick Place Convention Center. And for many years, the show management has wanted a true flagship property at the Center to help make it the premier meetings destination of choice in North America.

In December 2011, they started to build the 459-guestroom North Tower. Then they expanded and renovated the hotel lobby, including a brand new front desk area. They they renovated all 800 guestrooms in the existing South Tower. These received new soft and hard goods, designed in the same modern, yet residential style including the same furniture, fixtures, design and inclusions of the new tower.

Hyatt Regency’s McCormick Place outlets were also renovated, including Shor restaurant and M/X lounge, which underwent a seating and buffet expansion and added a second private dining room.

The hotel’s coffee shop, the Daily Grind, has been expanded and now features a new “fresh market” concept, which offers homemade breakfast and lunch items, using ingredients that are sourced locally. Daily Grind continues to serve a variety of coffee drinks, along with specialty snacks both healthy and indulgent.

“Involve the stakeholders” And what’s GM Paul Daly’s advice for a successful renovation?

“Involve the stakeholders,” Daly advises. “The first step we did was really brilliant—we involved stakeholders in the design process. It wasn’t just the Hyatt design team; we turned our guests into planners. We got that feedback, gathering and listening to see what they want in the public spaces. Overwhelmingly, since we are North America’s largest Convention Center, hosting people from all over the world, the primary goal is networking. When we thought about the public area, we included varied seating options and communal tables—it’s an environment people are comfortable meeting in.”

New look for Canada’s largest hotel Delta Prince Edward— creating a sense of place

Canada’s largest hotel, the Eaton Chelsea (formerly Delta Chelsea) in Toronto, is larger in size than the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place (1,590 rooms vs. 1,259). And while the Chelsea didn’t have a $110 million budget, they have made some dramatic changes to the newly-rebranded property.

The Eaton Chelsea is one of four Eaton hotels falling under the umbrella of Langham Hospitality Group. They encompasses a family of distinctive hospitality brands which include hotels, residential serviced apartments, restaurants and spas, located on four continents. The Group currently owns and/or manages 17 hotels under The Langham, Langham Place, Eaton and 88 Xintiandi brands with more than 20 hotel projects currently either confirmed or under development.

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

The Eaton Chelsea’s recent renovations included a bright, welcoming lobby, Market Garden Restaurant and several new Eaton brand signature features, at a cost of $7 million. GM Ron Pellerine says the renovation incorporates the Eaton brand’s key features—comfortable living, connectivity, sustainability and affordability.

One of the Eaton signature features is a vertical garden, located just inside the hotel’s main entrance. The designers took the signature wall concept further, adding a rippled wave effect behind the front desk, “very art deco, modern and trendy,” Pellerine says. Those renovations took just two months, starting in May, 2013 and finishing by July 1 in time for the summer rush and official opening as the Eaton Chelsea.

Like the Daily Grind at the Hyatt Regency, the Market Garden Restaurant offers a variety of dining options—it’s quick, convenient and comfortable with grab-and-go options. It features an Eaton brand signature, the “Express O” Coffee Kiosk, offering patrons a ‘plug n play’ option while enjoying a beverage on comfortable and modern high-level seating.

Tracy Ford, director of public relations, says it is a modern take on the 1980s Marché concept. “It’s what you are seeing in restaurants like Bymark— it’s bright and spacious, whereas it used to be dark.

There are different seating areas, from a travellers table for four, to high seating with bar stools, where guests can plug in and charge their computers.

“And,” she adds, “we are the only downtown Toronto property in the 3.5 to 4-star category that offers free WiFi.” The T|Bar (formerly the Elm Street Lounge), another Eaton brand signature, was also included in the lobby renovation. This vibrant and visible hot spot offers a lively location for friends and business colleagues to enjoy a well-known Canadian cocktail— the Caesar. James Cushinan, bars and lounges manager, has launched an Eaton ‘spin’ on this popular mixed drink, including clamato juice made in house.

Further renovations include extensive interior upgrades to all function and meeting areas.

Exterior changes include a roof renovation and changing concrete balconies to railings on the original 1975 building at a cost of $9 million.

“Communication is essential” “Communication is essential to making it all happen,” say Pellerine and Ford, especially since the Eaton Chelsea underwent not only a renovation, but a change of ownership and brand culture.

For the 800 full- and part-time staff—essentially unchanged from Delta Chelsea days—the key was a “fun team” chaired by Ford, which staged events that included even those people not connected on e-mail, making sure everyone was part of the branding and physical changes taking place in the hotel.

Fun team events included constructing Canada’s largest birthday cake (4,000 pieces!) and a Langham Fair with food from every country where Langham has hotels. There was a carnival with games and cotton candy, and a contest where people earned points by correctly answering questions about Langham and the Eaton brand.

“Everyone felt like they were in the loop,” says Ford. “We haven’t had a flash mob yet, but it might happen!” she adds.

Pellerine says there were bi-weekly calls with Langham head office, and weekly meetings with PowerPoint presentations they could share with their team.

Communication with guests was also key.

“We had to section off areas—drape them and then work behind the drape. We had team mem-

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bers in the lobby 24/7 to direct and help guests—especially when we had to cut the front desk area in half or move the airline check-in.”

Historic resort’s $1.3 million makeover The Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa is one of Canada’s treasures—a 145-room, elegant, historic golf course property with a main lodge and cabins overlooking the dramatic tides of the Bay of Fundy.

The golf course is a mirror image of Muirfield, the course used for the British Open.

The hotel, which was established in the late 1800s, has a storied history that includes its use as a WWI officer’s training facility, a fire in 1928-29 and a visit from Babe Ruth in 1942.

It was one of the great CP hotels until 1965, when the railway left and the government of Nova Scotia took over. The government owned and operated the hotel up until 2001, when it decided to have New Castle Hotels & Resorts take over the management.

Over the past few years, GM Rene LeBlanc was charged with a $1.3 million renovation.

LeBlanc had a huge wish list—he wanted to add an indoor recreation area with a waterslide, for example—but in the end, spent much of the money on furniture, fixtures and equipment, bedding, carpets and TVs to accommodate the clientele. The dining and lounge areas also got a facelift.

“Balance the historic and modern” At a property such as the Digby Pines, the main challenge is “to try to balance the historic and the modern,” says LeBlanc. The renovations included adding new furniture in the lounge. They created the 100-seat Churchills Restaurant and Lounge in place of the former Annapolis Dining Room. The floor was redone with ceramic tile that has the feel of wood.

Upstairs, an area called the Veranda was totally redone with new flooring, mirrors and fixtures.

And, like the Hyatt Place and Eaton Chelsea, the Digby Pines is constantly working to upgrade its wireless. “We have fibre-optic service, and we use Solutions IP to manage the signal,” LeBlanc said.

“Four years ago, we spent $10,000 on a system.

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www.canadianlodgingnews.com People crashed the system, so we pulled it out. This new system cost $70,000. There are challenges with some phones and iPads, but in most cases, the front desk can fix the problems.”

One of LeBlanc’s pet projects is the public space washrooms. “I’m a carpenter by trade and one by one, we’re trying to redo them.”

They also doubled the size of the gift shop.

LeBlanc credits success of not just the renovations, but the Digby Pines as a whole to a loyal staff who have come back each season year after year. The are only four all-year, full time positions at the resort.

“We are very fortunate to have 10 people on our management team with a combined 120 years of experience. This is their place—they own this place—they own it, live it and breathe it.”

Delta PEI’s huge transformation Zubair Siddiqi, GM of the Delta Prince Edward hotel adjoining the PEI Convention Centre in Charlottetown, is proud of the huge transformation of the hotel’s lobby and restaurant, designed by Kara MacGregor of MAC Interior Design, Halilfax.

“Our ownership group, InnVest REIT, wanted the lobby and restaurant done in time for the [adjacent PEI] Convention Centre opening Aug. 1,” Siddiqi notes. Instead of a formal front desk, they installed a pod system that is more user friendly. The bar, which was tucked away before, is now the lobby’s showpiece.

“It’s amazing that people on their way to a gala stop by and have a drink. Or they can sit at a table and have a meal. It’s a very friendly space that transitions from lobby to lounge.” There are 168 seats in the lobby space.

“Create a sense of place” The Delta Prince Edward has completely changed to local and regionalized bar and culinary offerings.

At the bar, seven out of eight beers are regional, with five from PEI. “There’s a sense of place,” said Siddiqi, adding that there are far more guests and locals driving afternoon traffic at the bar.

makingit work... “ I n v o lv e th e sta k e h o l d e rs” says Paul Daly, GM of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place.

“The first step we’ve done was really brilliant—we involved stakeholders in the design process. It wasn’t just the Hyatt design team; we turned our guests into planners. We got that feedback, gathering and listening to see what they want in the public spaces.

“CommunICatIon is essential to making it all happen,” say Ron Pellerine, GM and Tracy Ford, director of public relations at the Eaton Chelsea, which underwent not only a renovation, but a change of ownership and brand culture.

“ B a l a n Ce th e hI sto rI C a n d m o d e rn ” At a property such as the Digby Pines, the main challenge is “to try to balance the historic and the modern,” says GM Rene LeBlanc.

“ C r e ate a se n se o f p l a C e ” The Delta Prince Edward has completely changed to local and regionalized bar and culinary offerings, says GM Zubair Siddiqi.

Keep pests off the guest list when you renovate and leave you more vulnerable to infestation.

Knowing which pests may make an appearance during renovations is important to the success of your project. Cockroaches reproduce quickly, can spread disease, contaminate food and even cause allergies. Then there are ants, which target wood in structural timbers and hardwood flooring.

Rats and mice can carry several diseases and also cause structural damage within a Rats and mice can cause structural facility, gnawing on wood, padamage per, drywall and wiring. They frequently mistake the wirBy Dan Dawson ing on electrical equipment for plant roots, and No matter if you’re renovating a hotel, motel or chewing on them creates a major fire hazard. resort, your goal is likely the same: to offer a betThe task of managing pest issues before they ter stay for your guests in order to attract more start hurting your facility is often left to your of them. contractor. Work with your contractor before When you renovate or construct a building, the project begins to implement a proactive apthe new changes can often lead to larger occu- proach to pest prevention using Integrated Pest pancy rates and create new customers. But while Management (IPM). A successful IPM program welcoming in new patrons, the new additions or limits access to the resources pests need to surrenovations can also attract unwelcome guests— vive, with preventive measures like sanitation and pests. facility maintenance.

Pests like cockroaches, rodents and ants can Here are a few tips to get builders, contracsee a renovation or construction site as an oppor- tors and staff on the same pest management page tunity to make a new home. Construction can throughout the entire renovation or building uproot pests, disturbing their habitat and forc- process. ing them to search for what they need to survive: water, food and shelter. Even if you already have Plan with pests in mind Survey your site with your contractor and a a robust sanitation and maintenance program in place to deter pests, renovations can disrupt these licensed pest management professional to help

create a blueprint for prevention. Your pest management professional can use pest monitors to assess pest populations in the area and take note of your surroundings and how they can affect your property. Certain geographic and climatic conditions around your facility might create additional pest pressure.

Inspect all incoming building materials for signs of pests before bringing them onto the site.

Contractors can literally build pests into a building by using infested materials, which can lead to expensive structural damage and costly infestations down the road. To deter ants, use non-cellulose building materials.

Don’t give pests a place to rest A renovation project can be exciting and stirring for a general manager, but the new activity can cause pests to stir as well. When construction disrupts pests’ habitats, they may infest other parts of your property as well as neighbouring buildings.

To keep your property and your neighbours from becoming victims of your renovation pro-

Cockroaches can spread disease, contaminate food and cause allergies.

cess, have your pest management professional set out bait traps around building materials and the exterior of your facility.

It’s also important to keep your site as clean as possible throughout the renovation process. Ask workers to dispose of all trash so that left-behind food and drinks don’t provide pests with a late night meal.

Take steps beyond your renovation While you are renovating your property, it’s a good time to think about pest prevention when making decisions on landscaping and maintenance strategies.

If you haven’t done so yet, install air curtains at entrances to prevent flying insects from entering. Consult an HVAC professional to ensure you have positive airflow in the building so that air blows out, not in. Make sure that all doors and windows are flush against frames and sealed with weather stripping.

Keep plants and flowerbeds at least two feet away from the building, as they can promote excessive moisture and hide pest activity. Also, trim back branches from trees or shrubs that touch the side of your building so they don’t create a bridge for pests to gain access.

Once you complete your renovation, carry your foundation for pest management and prevention into your refreshed property. With pest management as a top priority, you can protect your investment from pests and build a solid reputation with customers for years to come.

Dan Dawson, national marketing manager for Orkin Canada, has more than 25 years of pest control experience. For information, e-mail ddawson@ orkincanada.com or visit www.orkincanada.ca.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Comfort Inn Midtown Kingston

O p e n i n g s , s a l e s a n d r e n O vat i O n s

Aloft reaches 75 hotels; to open in Calgary this year PHOENIX, AZ—At the Lodging Conference held in Phoenix last month, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced its Aloft brand has reached the 75th hotel milestone with the opening of Aloft Panama, the brand’s fourth hotel in Latin America.

Aloft is already operating in 14 countries and is set to debut in another 10 countries by 2016. In the past six months alone, the Aloft brand has opened hotels in Miami, Chicago, Cleveland, Tulsa, Cancun, Bursa, Kuala Lumpur and Ahmedabad.

The brand’s momentum continues unabated and the company expects to open a total of 17 hotels by year’s end, including Aloft Calgary University, more than tripling the number of rooms opened in 2012, with another 19 hotels to come by the end of 2014.

Stage West to become a Sandman with Shark Club and Denny’s restaurants MISSISSAUGA, ON—Colliers International Hotels recently sold the 224-room Stage West All-Suite Hotel & Theatre Restaurant on behalf of Mayfield Suites Hotel Mississauga Limited Partnership to Northland Properties Corporation. The property represented a strategic opportunity for an investor to acquire a diverse asset in the Greater Toronto Area with excellent accessibility and exposure to other areas of the City. The HOTEL will undergo extensive renovations to become a Sandman branded property, with two food and beverage outlets featuring a Denny’s Restaurant, as well as a Shark Club Sports Bar and Grill. In the interim the property will operate as the SW Hotel Toronto Airport.

In July, Colliers also announced the sale of the 170-room Fairfield Inn & Suites

by Marriott Toronto Airport on behalf of Easton’s Group of Hotels Inc. The hotel is close to Toronto Pearson International Airport, as well as several major demand generators and Fortune 500 companies in the vicinity. Built to exceptional standards, the property was Marriott’s first Fairfield Inn & Suites in Canada, and offers extensive amenities and spacious guestrooms and suites.

The Hotel was sold to a private investor.

HoJo adds Golden, BC and Strathmore Don Cherry’s OAKVILLE, ON—Howard Johnson Canada has signed a deal with the Golden Village

Super 8 Abbotsford

Best Days Hotel Niagara Falls

Inn, as it continues to expand the brand across Canada. The Inn is located at 1439 Lafontaine Road and is situated on the east entrance of Golden, BC, in the Kicking Horse Canyon, nestled between the Rocky and Purcell Mountain ranges. The property is owned and operated by Pavi Khunkhun, and is currently undergoing an extensive renovation program to meet Howard Johnson brand standards, with plans to start operating as a HoJo by November 2013.

The Howard Johnson Hotel Strathmore, AB has opened their new Don Cherry’s Sports Grill, the most westerly location in the Don Cherry’s Sports Grill system.

This marks the opening of the 16th Don Cherry’s as it continues its expansion program across Canada. Don Cherry’s is 100 per cent Canadian-owned and is based in Parry Sound, ON. Chris and Darrel Painter have been expanding the brand through a program which focuses on converting space in hotels and inns across the country.

Moe and Paul Gill, owners and operators of the Strathmore HoJo said, “We are very excited about the opening of our Don Cherry’s Sports Grill. We were looking for something that would complement our HoJo, a concept that was family friendly, had great food, and was recognizable.”

CBRE sales: Kingston, Niagara Falls, Abbotsford CBRE Hotels announced a number of hotel sales during the past few months.

CBRE acted as exclusive advisor in the sale of the 57-room Comfort Inn Midtown in Kingston, ON in July. Opened in 1979, this 57-room limited service hotel is located midway between downtown Kingston and Highway 401. The hotel has excellent visibility from Princess Street, one of Kingston’s main thoroughfares leading to the City’s historic downtown waterfront with numerous shops, restaurants, cafes and entertainment venues. The Hotel will continue to

Stage West lobby (left) and suite.

operate under the Comfort Inn brand and will be independently managed by the new owner.

In August, the company acted as exclusive advisor to KPMG Inc. in its capacity as court-appointed receiver in the sale of the former Best Days Hotel in Niagara Falls, ON. Opened in the mid-1960s, this 94-room limited service hotel is strategically located facing the Niagara River less than 10 minutes drive from the Fallsview District. The 94-room hotel has a restaurant and lounge with approximate seating for 170 people and interior and exterior entrances for increased versatility, an indoor swimming pool, sauna and hot tub, as well as ample surface parking The hotel was closed at the time of sale and was sold unencumbered of brand and management.

CBRE also acted as exclusive advisor to

Campbell Saunders Ltd., in its capacity as court-appointed receiver-manager of Bullet Enterprises Ltd., in the sale of the Super 8 Abbotsford for $12.5 million. The 99-room hotel is located just off the Trans-Canada Highway on Sumas Way, five minutes from Abbotsford’s city centre to the north and the Canada-U.S. border to the south. The property includes meeting space, a breakfast room, fitness centre, swimming pool and waterslide, and extensive parking.

The property also includes three free-standing retail units which were fully leased at the time of sale.

Hotel part of Burlington’s waterfront development BURLINGTON, ON– Mayrose-Tycon Limited principal Matt Jaecklein recently introduced MADY Development Corporation as the builder of Burlington’s new mixed-use waterfront development, which will include condo, retail and hotel components..

The ambitious development at the prime Bridgewater site—the downtown waterfront location owned by Mayrose-Tycon for more than two decades—is predicted to inject new life into Burlington’s waterfront across a range of residential and commercial uses.

Upon its completion, the 1.68 acre, 340,000-square-foot mixed-use development will consist of an eight-storey, 152-unit top brand four-star hotel, 170 luxury condominium units across two towers— expected to sell between $500,000 and $3 million, and all featuring lake views—as well as ground-level commercial retail space. It will also include three levels of underground parking. The project includes a central public square with direct access to the Waterfront Trail and Lake Ontario.

The development is expected to deliver $250 million in total financial benefits to the local community over 20 years, including 600 man-years of work and 200 full-time jobs. Approximately 300 new residents will occupy the two residential towers.

MADY Development Corporation was selected by Mayrose-Tycon Limited to build the long-awaited Burlington waterfront mixed-use development. Shown (L-R): Mayrose-Tycon Limited principal Matt Jaecklein, MADY Development Corporation senior vice president and chief financial officer Greg Puklicz, Burlington Ward 4 councillor Jack Dennison, Ward 5 councillor Paul Sharman, Ward 1 councillor Rick Craven, Ward 2 councillor Marianne Meed Ward, Burlington mayor Rick Goldring and MADY CEO Charles Mady. Photographer Nicola Betts.

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PE OPLE

Jennifer Fox is president FRHI International and Fairmont Brand.

Kevin Frid is president, Americas, FRHI, a newly created position.

Jeff Senior is executive VP and chief marketing officer, FRHI.

William (Bill) Brown, GM, Delta St. John’s Hotel & Convention Centre.

Former Four Seasons CEO Kathleen Taylor is now chair of RBC

David Auer (left), former GM at Le Gavroche is manager MARKET by JeanGeorges. With him is Montgomery Lau, the restaurant’s chef de cuisine.

FRHI, the parent company of luxury and upper upscale hotel brands Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Raffles Hotels & Resorts and Swissotel Hotels & Resorts, has announced several appointments to its senior leadership team. The management changes, which include executive appointments and newly created roles in the areas of operations, sales and marketing and human resources, are also aligned with the company’s move to a new divisional structure.

Jennifer Fox has been promoted to president, International, while also maintaining her position as president, Fair-

mont Brand. In this newly created role, Fox will relocate to Zurich and lead hotel operations for FRHI’s International division, which includes the sub regions of Europe, Middle East, Africa & India and Asia Pacific. With the company projecting 50 per cent growth over the next five years, much of it internationally, Fox will also oversee the company’s Hotel Openings & Integration team.

Kevin Frid has been promoted to president, Americas.

In this newly created role, Frid will be based in Toronto and will oversee hotel operations for FRHI in the Americas, the

Rob Latter, corporate VP, AFH division, for Kruger Products L.P.

company’s single largest region, with more than 45 hotels under management. Prior to his appointment, Frid served as the company’s executive vice president, operations, Americas and Europe.

There were also some changes to the brand management team.

Peter French continues in his role as president, Raffles Brand. In addition to his positioning and strategy functions, French will retain operations responsibility for Raffles’ luxury portfolio of hotels and resorts, an esteemed brand with a celebrated past and dramatic growth pipeline.

Meinhard Huck continues in his role as president, Swissotel Brand. Huck will continue to guide and provide ongoing direction to the Swissotel Hotels & Resorts collection, an award-winning and distinctive portfolio of deluxe hotels renowned for their fresh and contemporary design.

FRHI also created new positions in the company’s corporate centre.

Jeff Senior has been promoted to executive vice president and chief marketing officer. In this newly created role, Senior will be responsible for all FRHI sales and marketing activity. Most recently, Senior was FRHI’s executive vice president, marketing and sales.

Michelle Crosby joined the company earlier this year and has been named executive vice president and chief human resources officer. Based in Toronto, Crosby brings over 25 years of experience in human resources consulting and corporate HR leadership to the position.

Fortis Properties Corporation recently announced the appointment of William (Bill) Brown as general manager with the Delta St. John’s Hotel and Convention Centre.

Brown has over 30 years experience in the hospitality industry, having managed properties under several different brands in various cities across Canada. Prior to his recent appointment, he was the general manager of the Four Points by Sheraton in Halifax, another Fortis Properties hotel.

Karen J. Gosse is the new chief financial officer for Fortis Properties Corp. She was previously manager of finance with Fortis Inc., its parent

company.

Deerhurst, a Skyline Resort has promoted Sandi Goodman to account director, corporate sales. Goodman joins the iconic Muskoka resort following a summer filled with announcements from the property, including newly renovated lakeside accommodations and revamped restaurant offerings. Prior to joining Skyline Hotels & Resorts, she spent 18 years at Delta Hotels and Resorts in the role of national account director. At Delta, Goodman was responsible for developing association, corporate and third party group business. Before joining Delta she worked for Four Seasons as well as independent hotels in both sales and food and beverage.

Kathleen (Katie) Taylor has become the first woman to head a major bank, with her appointment as chair of RBC in late August, replacing outgoing chair David O’Brien.

Taylor previously spent approximately two decades with Four Seasons, starting in a legal role and working her way up to the position of CEO, which she held for three years. ending in Feb. 2013.

MARKET by Jean-Georges at Vancouver’s Shangri-La hotel has announced changes to its team. Montgomery Lau, former senior sous chef at MARKET, has been promoted to chef de cuisine, and David Auer, former general manager at Le Gavroche, has been named MARKET’s new restaurant manager.

Lau’s first culinary job was at French restaurant L’Emotion. Lau joined the

The Marketplace Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate Centre, Brokerage.

THRIVING MOTEL The owners of this profitable “destination motel” are ready to retire, creating a rare opportunity for someone wishing to invest in the lucrative hospitality business. “The Inn at Lock 7” in Thorold, Ontario feels more like a “B and B” than a motel, and more than 50% of its guests are repeat customers. Every one of its 24 rooms overlooks Lock 7 of the Welland Canal, and shipwatchers visit year after year to watch ships climb the mountain! Conveniently close to the many exciting tourist venues of the Niagara Region, this business will undoubtedly continue to thrive for many more years. Asking $899,000. For more information, visit the website at www.innatlock7.com, then call Wilf Wallace, Broker at 905-945-1234.

opening team for the MARKET by Jean-Georges after completing his apprenticeship. While preparing for the Winter Olympics of 2010, Lau was recruited for the opening of the new Westin Wall Centre at the Vancouver Airport and in 2011, Lau was chosen to represent BC and contend for the title of ‘Canada’s Chef of the Year’ at the National Chefs’ Conference. Lau returned to MARKET as senior sous chef in 2012.

Auer has taken the helm as restaurant manager, bringing with him a depth of industry experience and education.

After graduating from the Gastronomic Catering Business School in Vienna, Auer worked at top restaurants in Austria and Switzerland. He followed his future wife to a job in Vancouver as GM at the Divino Wine Bar and later moved to Uva Winebar & Cibo Trattoria.

Rob Latter is now corporate vice president, Away From Home (AFH) division and strategic planning for Kruger Products L.P. In his new role, Latter is responsible for maintaining the company’s dominance in the Canadian marketplace as well as strategically growing its presence in the U.S. Latter first joined Kruger Inc. in 1997 as sales manager for the Kruger Packaging Division. Over the next number of years, he proved invaluable to the company and in 2001, Latter assumed the role of vice president, AFH Division, where he drove his team to bolster its market dominance in Canada. He remained in this role before returning to the packaging business as vice president in 2007.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

top photo

s tory

Demo site sought for Four Seasons Pavilion TORONTO—The Four Seasons Pavilion (FSP) is far more durable than a marquee tent and far less costly than a custom-designed structure. It’s been used in cold countries like Germany and hot countries like Spain. Current installations permanently or temporarily cater to restaurants, hotels, resorts, golf clubs, special events, spas or trade shows. It is used in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Australia as cafes, ice cream parlors, bars, stores or exhibition space for promotional purposes.

Egon von Foidl (pictured above left), president and CEO of HRG International, has now brought it to the North American and Caribbean markets. He’s also looking for a place to demonstrate the Four Seasons Pavilion at no cost to the site owner.

“The pavilion is so applicable to the multiple facets of the industry because it is mobile as well as permanent,” said von Foidl, a hotel veteran who has managed and developed Taboo Resort in Muskoka and The Aerie on Vancouver Island.

“It allows people who do not have a lot of capital to open a restaurant or an ice cream store.

It is perfect for wine tastings or delis. There is even a pavilion in Switzerland 3,000 metres above sea level on top of a mountain, where skiers can have a beer before they ski down the hill.”

Launched a decade ago and manufactured in Poland, the pre-fabricated architectural structure is designed to be either permanent or temporary. It only takes about four working days to set up the 12 metre diameter pavilions, and less than four days to set up the nine metre diameter panoramic pavilion.

FSP meets all codes for Spain’s hot terrains, Germany’s Structural Codes, and requirements for cold climates in the Swiss Alps, as well as Korea and Australia’s outback.

FSP applications include VIP lounge areas, beachfront pavilions, rooftop gazebos, golf club ninth hole F&B facilities, product showrooms and entertainment hubs.

The net price of the nine-metre pavilion is $85,549, and includes the wooden frame with curved glue-laminated arches, the main entry, the emergency exit, windows, gas springs in each window, window handles, the multi-wall polycarbonate ceiling, the PCV tarpaulin roof and the floor.

The net price for the 12-metre pavilion is $105,549.

Contact Egon von Foidl, egon@hrginternational.com.

CoMi NG

Oct. 21-23: Boutique Lifestyle International Leadership Symposium (BLLA), Hollywood Roosevelt, Los Angeles, CA. Contact: Frances Kiradjian. Website: www.boutiqueleadershipconference.com.

Oct. 22-23: VO-CON resort development and vacation ownership conference, Fairmont Waterfront Centre Hotel, Vancouver, BC. Website: www.vocon.ca.

Oct. 23-24: Western Hotel & Resort Investment Conference, Fairmont Waterfront Centre Hotel, Vancouver. Contact: Orie Berlasso. Phone: 416-924-2002 or 866-887-4453.

E-mail: orieberlasso@bigpictureconferences. ca.

E V E N t s

Oct. 27-28: Connect, BC’s first food, drink and lodging expo, Vancouver Convention Centre West. Contact: Cailey Murphy, director of communications, British Columbia Hotel Association. Tel: 604-443-4751. E-mail: cailey@ bchotelassociation.com. Website: http://www. crfa.ca.

Oct. 28-29: Shared Ownership Investment Conference, Eden Roc Renaissance, Miami Beach, FL. Phone: 305-668-3495. Website: http://www.regonline.com/2013SharedOwner shipInvestmentConference.

Nov. 9-12: International Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Show, Javits Convention Center, New York, NY. Contact: Phil Robinson. Phone:

513-263-9331. E-mail: phil.robinson@stmediagroup.com. Website: www.ihmrs.com.

November 13-14: 2013 Ontario Tourism Summit, presented by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building, 222 Bremner Blvd, Toronto. Information and registration: ontariotourismsummit.com.

Dec. 4-7: Vantage Hospitality Group’s annual International Educational Conference and Trade Show. Co-hosted by the D Las Vegas Casino Hotel and Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino. Contact: Al Cohen, Vantage Hospitality Group. Phone: 888-316-2378. Fax: 440-2472294.

5

li st s

OTEC’s Top 5 tips on coaching and working with Gen Y Top 5 coaching Tips Here are OTEC’s top 5 reasons to coach your employees: 1. increase ownership. Coaching increases employee ownership and engagement in your organization.

2. increase engagement. By increasing employee engagement, both customers and co-workers alike will have a better experience when interacting with your business.

3. professional development. Employees respond positively to professional development which reduces costly turnover expenses.

4. inspiration and innovation.

Coaching can inspire new and innovative ways of thinking which will benefit your business.

5. Build future leaders. You can build the future leaders of your organization.

Top 5 Tips on working wiTh generaTion Y Whether you call them Generation Y or Millennials, chances are your organization or destination is hiring them. Here are OTEC’s top five tips for working with Gen Y: 1. Live and Learn. Gen Y expects onthe-job training; provide opportunities and workshops to keep them engaged.

2. The more the merrier. Gen Y loves to work in teams; don’t be afraid to throw them together in a group and see the amazing results.

3. get a life. Gen Y wants a work-life balance. When they have it, you’ll find they will work hard and your organization will see the benefits.

4. put me in, coach! Take the time now to polish up your coaching skills and you will see the results when you coach your Gen Y workforce.

5. i believe... Gen Y thrives in an environment with a robust corporate culture.

Get your team together and establish a corporate culture that rocks and watch your Gen Y workers thrive.

A leader in Ontario Tourism Education Training, OTEC is an Ontario based independent, not-for-profit Training & HR Solutions organization that delivers high quality, creative solutions for the development and growth of a professional, skilled workforce.

OTEC offers many scheduled workshops, and on-site, customized training is available for any of OTEC’s workshops. Contact: Claire Sullivan, project manager, client services, 416-622-1975 or toll free 1-800-557-6832 ext. 240. E-mail: csullivan@otec.org. Website: www.otec.org.

www.samsung.com

Home

Suite Home

We’re passionate about helping your guests feel at home.

Since over 50% of Canadians own Samsung TVs, using them in your hotel will help guests feel an extra level of comfort, no matter how far they’ve travelled. For more information, contact Samsung at 905-817-6453.

©2013 Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. All Rights Reserved. Samsung is a registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., used with permission.

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