The Hotel Magazine April 2022

APRIL 2022

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EDITOR’S NOTE

APRIL 2022

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inding the time to relax and unwind can be difficult for many consumers as they get wrapped up in the continuous cycle of a busy day-to-day routine. After the many obstacles which have been thrown at us over the last couple of years it comes as no surprise that people are pining for some well-deserved down time, so, are you missing a trick? Are you offering guests the luxury of enjoying spa facilities at your venue? In our lengthy Spa and Wellness feature this month we are exploring how a spa feature can contribute to the wellness of your guests, in turn providing an enhanced atmosphere, increased footfall as well as – where to start, if this isn’t something you currently offer.

Now, can you hear that? The sound of wedding bells in the distance?

Or perhaps it’s the echo of raucous guests in celebration of newlyweds. As wedding season creeps up on us, we pose the question of ‘how can adding wedding packages to a venue boost a business?’ Allow the experts to take the reins as they reveal all…

Ultimately, we want to ensure that as professionals, you are gaining the maximum benefits from your overnight stay venues and guest houses which is why along with our two main focuses on Spa and Wellness and Weddings, we’ve got advice and tips in abundance. We hope you enjoy the April issue of Hotel Magazine!

JADE EVANS, EDITOR

© 2022 CIM Online Limited, 1st Floor, Saphir House, 5 Jubilee Way, Faversham, Kent, ME13 8GD. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form – electronic, mechanical or physical – without express prior permission and written consent of the publisher. Contributions are invited and when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and addressed envelope. Manuscripts should be type written. No responsibility can be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission or in the editor’s hands. In the absence of an agreement the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographic or artistic, belongs to CIM Online Limited. The publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the Publisher. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the late appearance or non publication of any advertisement.

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CONTENTS

12 VENUE PROFILE MIDDLE EIGHT HOTEL

After our Editor had the pleasure of visiting Holborn’s luxury Middle Eight Hotel, we interviewed the General Manager, Christian Graf, to talk over some of the features which left a lasting impression.

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17 SPA & WELLNESS

With the help of some experts, we explore how a spa feature can contribute to the wellness of your guests, in turn providing an enhanced atmosphere and increased footfall.

28 HOTELS AROUND THE WORLD

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A venue which isn’t short of attention is Eden Locke, situated in the bustling city of Edinburgh. In our Hotels Around the World piece we find out what has worked well for the business and how other hotels can make it translatable to their venue in order to succeed.

30 HM PICKS

One of our three featured picks from the Hotel realm showcases some exquisite interior inspiration.

33 WEDDINGS

In our extensive feature this month, we are detailing how to level up your revenue by adding wedding packages to your repertoire and why this should be a staple in your offerings as an overnight stay venue.

28 EDITOR

Jade Evans jevans@cimltd.co.uk

PUBLICATION MANAGER Declan Wale dec@cimltd.co.uk Tel: 01795 509 112

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Grant Waters grant@cimltd.co.uk

34 James Taylor james@cimltd.co.uk

CREDIT FACILITIES MANAGER

MARKETING MANAGER Paris Kennelly paris@cimltd.co.uk

Lauren Sharpe creditcontrol@cimltd.co.uk Tel: 01795 509 103

SALES DIRECTOR

ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Natalie Murray admin@cimltd.co.uk Tel: 01795 509 103

Tom Woollin tom@cimltd.co.uk

John Denning

www.thehotelmagazine.co.uk

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INDUSTRY NEWS

New hotel manager’s focus on his ‘greatest assets’

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he new General Manager of the Oxford Witney Hotel plans to empower his staff in the same way his employers empower him to provide the best possible service to guests.

Madhu Balakrishnan is bringing nearly three decades of experience to his new role at the 115-room property, which is managed by Focus Hotels.

He said: “Focus Hotels is a forward-thinking, supportive company that realises that employees are their greatest asset”.

“I am working with professionals I can learn from and who will push me to take on new and challenging opportunities. I am treated with respect, given daily encouragement and feel valued for what I bring to the business.”

These are values that Madhu plans to pass on to his new colleagues at the Oxford Witney Hotel.

He said: “I have a great young and positive, thriving team in place here, and plan to move forward by creating clear goals, achievable targets and empowering every member of staff to provide a superior service.”

Focus Hotels adds to its growing portfolio

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ocus Hotels has been awarded the contract to convert and operate Cheshunt Marriott Hotel to join Delta Hotels by Marriott. This transformation of one of the brands most popular hotels will commence later this month with a full refurbishment of the bedrooms, meeting rooms and public areas.

Focus Hotels will manage a multi-million-pound investment in this 140-bedroom hotel to offer elegantly appointed bedrooms, stylish public areas, well-appointed meeting and events facilities and a hotel gymnasium.

Focus is due to start the refurbishment this month with reopening scheduled for late Spring 2022.

Lynn Hood, Chief Operating Officer for Focus Hotels, said: “We are delighted to welcome Delta Hotels by Marriott to our portfolio of hotels alongside our Hilton and Mercure estate and independent hotels portfolio.”

With easy access to the M25 and rail links to London the hotel is in the perfect position to further increase the profile of Focus Hotels and put it firmly on the map as a leading multi-brand management company in the UK. Peter Cashman, Chief Executive Officer of Focus Hotels, added: “This is a significant step in our post-pandemic plans for future growth and expansion.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Cameron House nurtures future talent

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uxury five-star resort Cameron House Hotel is showing its support for Scottish Apprenticeship Week’s ‘Apprenticeships Work’ initiative, revealing it has already recruited five new apprentices since the resort reopened last September.

Among the recruits is Jodie Cochrane, 18 from Glasgow, who joined the food and beverage team in July 2021 as part of the hotel’s new Chef Apprenticeship Programme.

Before joining Clan Cameron, the talented young chef was crowned ‘Springboard Future Chef’ in 2020, a nationwide cookery contest with over 15,000 entries, having been mentored through the process by Cameron House’s Executive Chef Zoltan Szabo.

Cameron House’s Chef Apprenticeship programme launched in January 2020 and provides paid training for those interested in pursuing a career in food service. Over 18-months, up to eight young chefs gain experience in the resort’s busy kitchens including The Boat House, The Café Spa and The Clubhouse, developing their skills in food preparation, food service, and health and safety. To apply: careers.cameronhouse.co.uk

The George marked International Women’s Day with new partnership

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nterContinental Edinburgh The George is celebrating Women’s History Month by launching a new partnership on International Women’s Day (IWD) with female-owned bookstore, Rare Birds Book Shop, to encourage guests to explore Scotland’s female literary greats.

The partnership will pay homage to the hotel’s impressive literary ties and its most-famous former guest, writer Susan Ferrier, with a new experience: ‘Scotland’s Inspiring Females Package’. The package offers guests, who book a stay from 8th March 2022 (IWD), the chance to add an accompanying book bundle from trailblazing Scottish female authors, hand-selected by Rare Birds Books.

Books will be beautifully packaged and ready for guests in their room on arrival alongside a charming booklet with insider information on each book and its author. The package includes room, bed and breakfast and prices start from £289. www.thehotelmagazine.co.uk

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VENUE PROFILE

THE MIDDLE EIGHT HOTEL, HOLBORN Though positioned in a popular location for hotels in Covent Garden, what makes Middle Eight stand out from the crowd?

Our Editor took a trip to this uniquely luxurious venue and revealed which key features left a lasting impression in an exclusive interview with Christian Graf, General Manager.

Personal touches throughout a guest’s stay make a huge lasting impression, and this is one of the key factors that stuck with me after my visit. Is this something you consider, as a venue, in order to stand out?

We aim to make our guests’ stay as personal as possible.

Ideally our guests book directly with the hotel so that from a very early stage we can discuss the requirements and preferences for the stay in detail. For online reservations, the journey will also begin pre-arrival and as a matter of principle, we send pre-arrival questionnaires and see a

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very high return on these. This helps us to understand what the guests’ prefer-ences are and we can set-up their rooms accordingly. In addition, we research the guests’ online profiles for additional information. All our rooms also feature a welcome pastry item and complimentary water in sustainable sugarcane bottles.

Through our research based on the individual, we often know things which allow us to personalize their arrival and greet them with a surprise. Our check-in procedure usually permits the guest to sit and relax; we offer a welcome beverage such as a glass of Prosecco or a cocktail, and

VENUE PROFILE

“We believe in responsible business and aim to increase our positive social impacts.” this helps to convey that they are special and that we’re delighted for them to be here. Naturally, if we know they are in a rush, the process will be much quicker: we try to find a thoughtful gift that reflects that we think of them as a VIP. Recently, we had a little boy staying who was a huge Batman fan, so one of our hosts (a fan himself) do-nated an item from his own collection of memorabilia, an antique figurine.

Middle Eight’s Sycamore Restaurant is labelled as a separate entity and has its own individual branding. How does this work with the marketing of the hotel?

The excitement in opening a new hotel is placing all the personalities of the different parts of the hotel together, to create an experience for guests so that they feel able to spend the whole day in the ho-tel. Sycamore Vino Cucina is like the heart of any house… The ‘Cucina’ (kitchen) brings its souls and ‘amore’ (love) into the operation, and the ‘Vino’ gets the party started with friends and family. It’s im-portant that

this is welcoming to all and does not feel like a hotel guest only experience, but one that en-courages its own guests to share and celebrate with those staying at the hotel. Having its own branding and voice means that we start to become a neighborhood restaurant with the buzz and energy that the locals bring to it as their restaurant of choice.

An authentic, Italian-inspired menu sets Middle Eight apart from other venues with a more typical food offering; what was the idea behind the Italian notion?

Italian cooking is ubiquitous with passion, comfort, flavour, indulgence. It is crucial that this flows from Sycamore Vino Cucina. Our team were selected because they exude the hospitable and welcoming traits that an authentic Italian experience offers so effortlessly. This is not just about flavour, it’s also about feeling. That feeling is the connection we have with our guests and being able to share this beautifully designed space with them for any occasion.

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VENUE PROFILE

I noticed during my stay that there is a sustainable aspect throughout Middle Eight, can you tell us about this and how it contributes to reaching a broader audience?

Environmental and social sustainability is a key aspect of our brand strategy, running from the corporate level at Shiva Hotels through to our operations at Middle Eight.

We believe in responsible business and aim to increase our positive social impacts, whilst at the same time keeping our environmental footprint small.

At Middle Eight we aim to ensure that we buy responsible products, eliminating single-use plastics wher-ever possible and minimizing the use of environmentally harmful chemicals, whether in our in-room amenities or the cleaning products housekeeping use. We are a zero to landfill business, ensuring that we maximise recycling opportunities and divert all our waste from landfill. These small indications of our re-sponsibility are there for guests to enjoy and take notice of should they choose to. We also work in close partnership with the Shiva Foundation, implementing the Stop Slavery Blueprint to identify and prevent trafficking in our hotel.

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Over the course of the next year we will be developing our strategic priorities and targets related to envi-ronmental and social responsibility and will be communicating these more broadly once finalised.

In order to stand out in such an incredibly popular location, a signature element could be pivotal. Is the Sycamore cocktail your signature? I would return specifically for the drink!

Our team of bartenders and baristas are very passionate about creating new ways to enjoy classic Italian alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Our regular cocktail tastings with the team will always have some-one converted into loving a drink with a product they just discovered, such as masala wine in the Zaba-glione Martini. When it comes to our love affair with Prosecco, we feel like we are the champions of mak-ing sure our guests know we are choosing that particular sparkling wine not as a secondclass citizen to the big guns in Champagne, but because its light freshness and elegant flavour embodies the feel of a convertible Italian sports car. @middle_eight_hotel www.middleeight.com

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HOTEL OF THE MONTH

ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY Hawkstone Hall and Gardens, Shrewsbury

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HOTEL OF THE MONTH

“We feel this will offer a strong contribution to increasing revenue during our quieter periods.”

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estled within the hills of the rolling Shropshire countryside is Hawkstone Hall, a magnificent Grade I listed estate. The 18th-century mansion is a breathtakingly beautiful hotel, wedding and events venue, with a chiefly British restaurant serving afternoon tea and evening a la carte dining daily, along with a delicious Sunday lunch menu. As a venue which appears to have it all, Hawkstone Hall is broadening horizons as they are currently in the process of adding a spa to their extensive repertoire.

As an overnight stay site, they are working on growing their reputation as a world-renowned getaway destination.

Hannah Petrouis, Business Development Director at Hawkstone Hall, said: “Whilst the nearby golf course and manicured gardens already set the standard for this, we feel the spa will be the icing on the cake.”

The team are looking forward to offering mid-week spa breaks for both overnight and daytime packages: “We feel this will offer a strong contribution to increasing revenue during our quieter periods in the early days of the week.”

Hannah added.

Like with any added features at a guesthouse, offering

a spa is automatically a tool which will contribute to reaching a broader audience. Hawkstone Hall currently offer in-room Elemis treatments, which have proven very popular amongst guests as they have served well as an add-on to a booking, but Hannah believes the spa facilities alone will offer a wider reason to book in the first place.

In such a competitive industry, Hawkstone Hall see the importance of standing out which is why their spa will be one of the most sustainably built spas in the UK, in the grounds of Shropshire’s only grade I listed building.

Hannah believes that this is a way of appealing to the general public and not only the guests who have booked to stay on site. The sustainability aspect offers an intriguing factor, meaning consumers will be excited to visit and experience it.

“We’d like to think we are trailblazing in the area as far as sustainable practices are concerned, and we’d welcome our cohorts in the industry to look further into what they’re doing to meet this new generation of standards.”

Hannah commented.

Stay tuned for the launch of Hawkstone Hall’s spa which will be opening later this year. For updates follow @hawkstone_hall www.thehotelmagazine.co.uk

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SPA AND WELLNESS

A SPA IS BORN In a time where wellbeing is essential, we explore how a spa feature can contribute to the wellness of your guests, in turn providing an enhanced atmosphere and increased footfall.

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s a hotel manager, your primary concern is your guests. During an overnight stay, whether it’s a flying visit for a business trip, a romantic couple’s getaway or simply a pit stop, it’s important to ensure a level of relaxation is achieved amongst your customers.

The atmosphere of an overnight stay venue is attained through a number of things including staff demeanour, lighting, background music, the interior, as well as which amenities you have to offer. Most hotels offer a bar and/ or a restaurant, which is seen as pretty standard amongst consumers; but a great way to elevate a guest’s experience is by introducing spa or wellness treatments, packages or retreats. Going the extra mile and introducing an extra feature like this instantly sets you apart from competition on the market as you’re offering something more than just first-class accommodation, it provides a unique selling point which will give you the competitive edge over other venues.

Spa Director at Ye Olde Bell Hotel and Spa, Lizzie Bath, sees that guests come to hotels for multiple reasons:

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weekend breaks, weddings, conferences, sightseeing and so on. Depending on the needs of the guests staying at your venue, the facilities, size and style of the spa would need to reflect the hotel’s ethos.

Lizzie believes that adding a spa creates a whole host of unique experiences for guests to immerse themselves into.

“Through detailed market research you can identify which audience and amenities will best support your venue. Consider looking at the wider picture - is there is a demand locally to support a day spa? Could the spa support itself during the periods of low demand by residential guests, as well as appealing to the spa leisure market, boosting room occupancy?”

There are so many different avenues you can choose to go down, from a yoga retreat, fitness, wellness, Medi spa, mindfulness, or just sheer indulgence - there is something for everyone – meaning you will appeal to broader audiences.

Lizzie explained that a spa is very inclusive in the demographics it can attract, which could widen the audience for your hotel: “You can attract all ages by being

SPA AND WELLNESS P20: Ye Old Bell Spa P21: Carden Park P22: Carden Park

“Adding wellness experiences therefore raises the value of a property.” creative in your events and offerings. A built-in spa facility enhances the desirability of your property, it offers that extra USP beyond your average overnight stay.”

Spas should be inclusive to all and could attract everyone if you hit the right note with the right packages.

Lizzie revealed that a lot of spas are often underutilized by hotels, so often they are empty in the day and not managed strategically. If they are overlooked and only used to sell bedrooms, this leaves the hotel viewing them as a cost rather than adding value.

“By treating the spa in a different way, as its own entity, it can raise the value of the overall property by working in tandem with the hotel. As with bedrooms, there will be periods of low demand. This is where you can create great value packages to drive guests to your property. This can be achieved by promoting and opening up to nonresidents, driving up the ADR, giving you a chance to upsell your other facilities; perhaps book a table in the restaurant or even just stay for a drink,” Lizzie added.

The world wellness economy in 2017, according to the global wellness institute, was US $3.7 trillion. Despite the pandemic, in 2020 the wellness economy was still growing

and is currently valued at $4.4 trillion; wellness and tourism alone is worth $436 billion.

Lizzie said: “To tap into this growing market, enabling a spa to achieve its potential as a tangible asset, hoteliers must commit to marketing and integrating the spa into the core business. This way, you can actively grow revenue drivers keeping costs under control.”

Sales follow-ups are another huge way to boost footfall, but what kind of products can be factored into retailing post-spa treatment and how well does it work?

Everything from face creams, body scrubs and candles, to scent sticks and bathrobes. The list is endless, but Lizzie explained: “It’s important to have an appealing, highly visible outlet incorporating tester stations encouraging guests to interact and engage with the experience and products. Retail sales can be anywhere between 5% and 30% of spa revenue. What is crucial, is partnering with a product house that appropriately reflects your hotel’s ethos and vision. Great quality products and highly trained staff, that are able to deliver tailored advice to guests, will boost sales, maximise revenue, and naturally encourage repeat business.” www.thehotelmagazine.co.uk

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SPA AND WELLNESS P24: Horwood House

At Horwood House, they welcome visitors from near and far for countryside escapes, sometimes for a single day, but often for overnight midweek or weekend stays.

As a hotel, they are constantly looking for ways to extend their revenue streams and appeal to new audiences, and by adding a built-in spa, they have been able to expand into the premium leisure market.

Caroline Morrone, General Manager at Horwood House sees that adding a spa to a hotel creates an entirely different guest experience and often attracts a diverse clientele: “In our opinion, we feel it changes the hotel atmosphere to create a more relaxed feel - particularly with spa robes and casual dress - however, we have found that it also has the ability to change guests’ service expectations which are often raised.”

By having a built-in spa, it also attracts visitors for the day and not just overnight. Caroline notices that the spa, which is used predominantly by women and couples, can help to extend guest’s length of stay as it increases the purpose of their visit.

Today, spas now offer real leverage points for attendance from consumers and hotel activity, which enables us to improve occupancy rates as well as client satisfaction, which in time increases overall profitability.

Caroline said: “At the spa we sell Caudalie natural beauty skincare products, which are used by our therapists for

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all face and body treatments. We have found post-spa treatment to be very successful due to the customer journey provided by our therapists, who offer prescriptive advice and reference specific products that have been used and their benefits. We also find seasonality plays a big part and offers a great opportunity to increase sales, particularly when it comes to calendar events such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.” Spa Director at Carden Park, Emma Pridding, revealed that they have found there is a real advantage in the resort’s ability to give a ‘360’ offer to all guests as they have the hotel, spa and golf course.

So, does adding a spa to a hotel create a whole different guest experience? Emma answered with: “Absolutely! I think it brings a different type of guest, people who have wellbeing and relaxation at the top of their wish list.

“We have found that the pandemic has really brought wellbeing to the forefront and a spa offering in a hotel environment gives people the ability to tick the box of ‘total relaxation’ while on site.”

As we’ve established, adding a spa facility to a venue helps appeal to a broader audience – as a resort, the more offerings you’ve got, the more attractive it becomes.

“At Carden Park we have 197 bedrooms, so you need to have enough offerings on site (such as the golf course, pursuits and conference, as well as spa) to keep everyone

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SPA AND WELLNESS P26: Carden Park

entertained and to maintain bookings. By having a vast range, including the spa, it does appeal to more people.

With our families, we often find one parent takes the children to do the pursuits, while the other relaxes in the spa!”

It is well known now that exercise and prioritising our wellness decreases our stress and anxiety.

In 2021, Glenapp Castle introduced brand new wellness activities to their portfolio including yoga, digital detox and forest bathing.

What’s more, Glenapp Castle introduced a Woodland Wellness Retreat, partnering with Barbara Griffin of Transform Body and Mind. The hotel is also opening its new Azalea Glasshouse and Bothy Restaurant, located in the Walled Garden that will feature wonderfully healthy and delicious dishes, using the freshest ingredients from the gardens.

Wellness has always been important, however it has never been so paramount following the global pandemic.

Indeed, the pandemic left people yearning for the outdoors, wide-open spaces and remote destinations.

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Jill Chalmers, Managing Director at Glenapp Castle, said: “Adding wellness experiences therefore raises the value of a property, as individuals are seeking holiday destinations where they can escape everyday life, perhaps even the home office and totally relax. It also gives our guests the chance to get close to nature. At Glenapp Castle, we are hoping to further develop our wellness portfolio by introducing a new spa in 2024.

“Adding new wellness experiences and partnerships is beneficial to us as it brings us a new audience and offers us a different angle.

“It showcases that we, as a team, are passionate about our guests’ wellbeing. Glenapp Castle is the perfect setting to connect to the surrounding woodlands and nature.”

After hearing from some of the industry’s experts, it’s apparent that your venue should have a spa if you want its popularity to grow and guests to feel even more relaxed.

Adding a spa feature to your venue is definitely a way to take care of your guests and reach a wider audience through your offerings of escape and luxury.

Restore the Rhythm Your business may be back up and running, but understandably, it may not be quite back to normal just yet. Playing music is one way in which you could help get your business back to its best. Even small changes could make a big difference, and music could help enhance the atmosphere, lift the mood and create a more positive environment.

If you are going to introduce music, or if you are already using music in your business, you’ll usually need a music licence.

TheMusicLicence covers virtually all commercially released music available – millions of songs & recordings, including the most popular & well-loved music, not just from the UK, but globally.

So while you are making all of the arrangements to get your business back to its best, now is the perfect time to turn the music back on and ensure you that you are appropriately licensed, and set up TheMusicLicence for your business.

Music could help your business get back to its best.

0800 0868 801 pplprs.co.uk/restore-the-rhythm TML Full Page 2021.indd 1

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HOTELS AROUND THE WORLD

INSPIRED BY THE CITY Eden Locke, Edinburgh

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HOTELS AROUND THE WORLD

448 MILES FROM HOTEL HQ

“We wanted to celebrate the building’s heritage”

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dinburgh’s New Town – now more than 250 years old, and a UNESCO Heritage Site – is a beautiful collection of Georgian buildings, with rows of terraces and mansions clad in local grey sandstone. Eden Locke is a classic example of this type of architecture, with harmonious proportions and symmetry that often finds itself bathed in the long Scottish light. We wanted to celebrate the building’s heritage and regimented proportions, characterised by soft, warm textures in the interior that play with the tensions between new and old.

Eric Jafari, Chief Development Officer and Creative Director at Edyn Group, added: “Our inspiration for Eden Locke was the city of Edinburgh itself, its creative culture and rich history.

“We worked with Grzywinski+Pons on a unique concept that celebrates tensions between old and new, and emphasises Edinburgh’s heritage and charm. We aimed to portray the local area as a sanctuary, where visitors to the city and locals alike felt welcome. Throughout the building we crafted a palette of warm materials and textures, powdery tones and soft lighting that accentuate Scotland’s beautiful natural light. While we were respectful of the heritage of both historic George Street and our building, Eden Locke’s interiors have a bold perspective of its own.”

In terms of branding, each Locke has its own local property logo aside from the colourways, however the

philosophy and ethos are the same throughout all the properties.

Eric said: “We aim to champion local creative talent – providing a hub for both locals and guests – where they feel welcome to work and socialise.”

The interiors of Eden Locke are like no other in the city, which combine the design-led approach and lifestyle touches of a boutique hotel, with studio apartments that feature amenities of a studio – making it perfect for a weekend, a week or longer.

In addition, the venue’s partnership with local favourites Mayvn to establish a third wave coffee shop, wine and cocktail bar has proved a fantastic way to develop Eden Locke into a neighbourhood hub.

Eric explained that they design spaces that are made for living, not just sleeping, which means that each studio at Eden Locke features all the amenities that guests need to stay for a few days or a few months, resulting in a very flexible commercial model: “Each Locke – not just Eden Locke – includes chic co-working spaces, original food and drink concepts, plus an ever-evolving cultural event series, so there’s a lot guests can discover during their stay. In addition, all our properties are in excellent locations, so whether guests are travelling for business, for leisure, or in a group, we offer a variety of studios to suit all needs.” @lockehotels www.thehotelmagazine.co.uk

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WEDDINGS – ESSENTIAL 5

GETTING A GOOD RECEPTION As wedding season begins, here are our five reasons why an overnight stay venue should capitalise on festivities by offering wedding packages as part of their repertoire.

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EVERYTHING IS IN ONE PLACE A huge benefit to hosting a wedding at an overnight stay venue is that everything involved in the day is all in one place. As well as this being a huge relief for the staff, this will also be great peace of mind for the bride and groom to know that once they are at the location, they’re staying there in the hands of a well-trained team. This means the couple and their guests can relax and enjoy the day, increasing the likelihood of recommendations to friends and family.

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MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR UNIQUE SETTING As one of the biggest days in existence for many couples, the location is one of the most important elements of the ceremony.

An added benefit to hosting a wedding is that more often than not, there will be a professional photographer present, which means they’re building up marketing collateral at your disposal, paid for by the guests.

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A CHANCE TO SHOWCASE YOUR FOOD AND DRINK A wedding is an enormously important day for many and it is just as significant for the hosting venue too. It’s a perfect opportunity to showcase what you have on offer to what will more than likely be a large audience. Of course, it’s about providing a memorable experience for the couple who are tying the knot, but there’s no harm in using it as a free marketing opportunity. For many venues, a unique selling point can be achieved by sourcing food and drink from local suppliers or home-growing it in your very own kitchen/garden. A wedding is a great way to give people a taste of it in the hope they enjoy it so much they will come back for more.

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THE PARTY CAN CONTINUE The perks for the wedding party means that guests have the option of not worrying about transport home, as they can stay overnight on site. This means the celebrations can lead into the early hours, therefore amounting to greater profit margins as money will be spent on drinks for a longer period of time, past normal trading hours.

AN EXTENSION OF CELEBRATIONS The beauty of a wedding at an overnight stay venue is that guests can arrive prior to the wedding to get ready, enjoy the ceremony, the celebrations that follow and then relax and unwind at the resort the following day… or two! This means your venue will see an influx in custom, contributing to greater footfall and revenue combined, making wedding packages an undeniable benefit to your guesthouse or hotel.

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WEDDINGS – ESSENTIAL 5

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WEDDINGS

DOWN THE AISLE IN STYLE Whether or not you offer wedding packages already as a part of your repertoire, we are looking into how introducing them could place you in an entirely different category in the eyes of a consumer. This means reaching broader audiences and getting the most out of your offerings.

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he venue. Undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of any wedding day.

When searching for ‘the one’, hotels are an extremely appealing choice for a consumer.

Not only do they often have licensed spaces for a ceremony, they provide stunning backdrops for sentimental photos, they’re experienced in hosting events on a grand scale and guests don’t have to worry about finding their way home as there will be an array of beds on site for those who want to stay the night… bonus.

We believe it’s the offering of beautiful bedrooms with comfortable beds that really set hotel wedding venues

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apart from what else is on the market. For the couple in question and their friends and family, opting for a wedding at an overnight venue allows them to extend the celebrations for an extra day or two. You may even have extra features on site such as a spa or a quality restaurant which already makes you top of the hit-list for a first-class venue.

Yishay Malkov, Chief Executive Office of Coppa Club, sees that due to hotels being a perfect wedding venue because of the added benefit of accommodation on-site, this contributes hugely to the boosted footfall and revenue of a business.

WEDDINGS P36: The Lanesborough P37: The Churchill

“Tiering your packages does broaden the reach of potential wedding events.”

Yishay said: “While giving the couple the wedding day of their dreams, weddings are an excellent ‘showcase’ to introduce future customers to the property. Wedding guests can be from all over the country, sometimes the world – which opens up the property to new customer bases in the future.

“Guests will take a big portion of the accommodation, sometimes multiple nights, resulting in breakfasts and dinners being booked, increasing revenue in the restaurant around the wedding date.”

With that being said, combining the long lasting celebrations of a wedding, of course, makes them costly events. Hotels offering a range of packages at different price points could help to appeal to a wider audience and Yishay agrees: “Different packages are important, but the key is flexibility, the pandemic has highlighted the importance of this more than ever.

“Weddings are not ‘one size fits all’, and we aim to understand the needs of the couple and give them the best experience we can by working closely with them on this journey.”

Ensuring your venue is present across the leading wedding platforms – such as Hitched, Bridebook, Guides for Brides - in the opinion of Yishay, is crucial in driving traffic to your wedding packages: “Organising bi-annual wedding showcases alongside regional publications to promote your offerings to a wider, local audience is also important for attracting a wider range of people.

“Finally digital marketing tactics, such as promoting the property via seasonal and targeted PPC, SEO and social advertisements. This is especially key during the peak engagement season (Dec-Mar) and during the summer months.” Added Yishay.

Before introducing the wedding aspect to your business, understanding the market, both customer and competition, is important.

The Mitre’s Sales and Marketing Manager, Carolina Smith, agrees that hosting weddings are a great opportunity to showcase your wonderful hotel to a wider audience. The team at The Mitre have found this boosts the footfall and revenue of their business because wedding guests often end up extending their stay, returning to the hotel to stay and dine and enquiring about hosting their own private www.thehotelmagazine.co.uk

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WEDDINGS P38: Image courtesy of Coppa Club P39: The Mitre

“Venues should also look at securing key partnerships that will help put the space on couples’ radar.” party or events because they so enjoyed their initial experience at the wedding.

At The Mitre, they offer a range of packages for more intimate weddings (9 to 40 people), as well as bigger weddings (40 to 70 people), at different price points. Each package is tailored depending on the couple’s specific needs on their special day: “We think it is important for couples to be able to make their day bespoke no matter what their budget and we feel this does make The Mitre appeal to a wider audience.” Added Carolina.

The Mitre not only focuses on the wedding celebrations, but also making sure the couple and their guests have a great experience. For example, guests receive complimentary tickets to explore Hampton Court Palace and can book a boat trip upon the River Thames, capitalising upon their riverside location. The Mitre also offers a fabulous wedding package which includes added extras such as a stunning suite for the wedding couple for the night of the wedding and a complimentary overnight stay with dinner for the wedding couple on their first anniversary to name a few. These added ‘experience’ extras are what will make a venue a more attractive choice for couples.

We asked Carolina, from experience, for venues who

don’t currently offer weddings, are there any specific features they must have in order to qualify? She answered: “Location, location, location! Our hotel is located in a historical spot right next to Hampton Court Palace and the backdrop of Bushy Park and its herds of deer. The Mitre itself is housed in a Grade II-listed building dating back to 1665, it was originally used as accommodation for guests of King Charles II. The wedding couple can arrive by boat and be dropped off on our lower deck, have arrival drinks and canapés on our main terrace and have a magnificent meal in the Orangery which has glass ceiling and is a unique room with over 120 live plants.”

With the trend of micro-weddings and smaller scaled social events, The Lanesborough, London have benefited from their size as they have had an influx of more residential weddings due to the pandemic.

Antoinette Lettieri, Head of Events at The Lanesborough, sees that packages are an easy way for potential wedding couples to quickly calculate their wedding costs: “Tiering your packages does broaden the reach of potential wedding events, and our range of event spaces, from exclusive hire of our award-winning restaurant to the Grand Ballroom The Belgravia, or some of our smaller event spaces, means we can offer different price points based on which room www.thehotelmagazine.co.uk

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WEDDINGS P40 left: The Mitre P40 right: The Swan at Streatly © Amy Murrell P41 right: The Mitre

the event is held in to suit a range of budgets.

“However, while packages are very useful selling tools, they do not allow the client to tailor make their wedding day as they are ‘tied’ to the package. From experience, prospective clients tend to tweak the packages to suit their exact requirements.”

We asked Antoinette, in her opinion, for venues which don’t currently offer weddings, which specific features should they ensure they have in order to qualify, to which she added: “Becoming a licenced venue hugely helps, as a one-stop shop venue for ceremonies and wedding breakfasts is highly sought-after. Offering an on-site wedding specialist to assist with all of your planning needs is also very appealing to prospective clients, to aid them with all of the detailed wedding planning and just be there to mentally ‘hold their hand’.”

When wedding couples are booking a wedding venue, they look for a smooth and seamless experience for themselves, but also for their guests. By being able to offer somewhere to stay, this automatically eliminates a potential woe for the wedding party.

Aureline Thompson, Social Event Sales Manager at Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill, knows that when a venue enters the wedding market, showcasing its event space is the first step. Since it is at the centre of the couple’s celebrations, it must appeal to prospective clients. In terms

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of marketing your product successfully, Aureline believes that strong photography and a clear message about the versatility of the space will help the couples decide on the suitability of the venue, and potentially encourage them to book a site visit: “Venues should also look at securing key partnerships that will help put the space on couples’ radar and reach out to new audiences. Having a wedding planner on site is also a strong plus, as couples feel that they are in safe hands and that it will take the stress away from all the planning.”

Capitalising on wedding season and peak months is important for hotels, and Aureline notices that London is a highly competitive market: “In order to stand out, venues should highlight their unique selling points and what sets them apart from the competition.

“Whether it be an outdoor space or a unique backdrop for wedding photos, it is the perfect time to shout about it and become the venue of choice for the client. Equally, having a team who is recognised and known to deliver impeccable service is one of the best assets a venue has to set them apart from the competition.”

The average couple spends about half their wedding budget on their venue — and with good reason. For hoteliers, successfully hosting weddings can be a great avenue to drive footfall and revenue for the business due to a number of factors. Firstly, providing guests with

WEDDINGS

accommodation all in one venue adds up to a richer, more sociable experience. Secondly, hotels can offer in-house catering, not only for the wedding day itself, but also for the traditional next-day brunch or lunch, giving both the hosts and the guests a more relaxed and refreshing experience. These considerations also eliminate any potentially complicated logistical considerations for guests.

Lilly Krupa, Lead Events and Sales Executive at Burgh Island, agrees that hosting regular weddings can be a fantastic way to foster relationships and transform wedding parties into returning guests: “If the bride and groom have a truly memorable experience it will ensure that they come back to celebrate their anniversaries. For weddings, Burgh offers exclusive hire of the entire hotel and its private island to give a feeling of sanctuary and luxury laced with romance.”

From Lilly’s perspective, in such a competitive sector it’s vitally important to market your hotel’s assets as effectively as possible to help maximise bookings: “One of Burgh’s greatest assets is its one-of-a-kind location, secluded on its own tidal island and offering panoramic views of Bigbury-on-Sea and the Jurassic Coastline all year round. We have therefore made sure this is one of the focal points of both our marketing to wedding planners and the weddings we deliver – be proud of what you offer!

“It’s also very important to showcase on the hotel’s website, and in other marketing collateral, the extensive experience you have of both hosting and organising weddings, making sure the material is illustrated with

captivating images and glowing testimonials.”

With weddings, hotels have the opportunity to offer a broad variety of added extras. Some can be costed as part of the overall programme while others can be complementary, showcasing the hotel’s generosity on the bride and groom’s big day. Extras can range from a ‘signature cocktail’ on the wedding day, spa and beauty treatments, a bottle of chilled champagne in the room and personalised gifts from the hotel to the newlyweds.

Lilly explained: “This is one approach; however, we would also suggest that added extras can be a hindrance.

Indeed, at Burgh our weddings are all inclusive, including exclusive hire of the hotel and island, wedding breakfast, rooms, the wedding ceremony, and breakfast the following day. Many establishments require additional payment for chairs, tables, linen, etc. – we simply do not do this and it is a practice that has generated overwhelmingly positive reviews.”

To round off, Lilly added: “Assessing your establishment’s capabilities and suitability to host weddings should be the first consideration. The next priority should be to ensure that all the red tape (licenses, safety procedures, staff training, etc.) have been completed.”

We hope that you feel the experts have lent a hand in ironing out some of the finer details surrounding weddings at your venue. If you’ll excuse the pun, ultimately it all comes down to getting a good reception and we have no doubt that by taking this advice on board, your business will tie the knot with boosted profits by capitalising on wedding season. www.thehotelmagazine.co.uk

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TECHNOLOGY

THE HALLMARK OF A GREAT HOTEL Cheerful staff, top-notch service, cleanliness and high-quality design are the hallmarks of a great hotel — but property owners know that in order to pull off an unforgettable stay for guests, they need the right “behind the scenes” tools.

It’s why eviivo Suite, a leading booking and management platform for independent accommodation, including boutique hotels, has long been preferred by hoteliers across the globe.

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n the UK alone, eviivo works with thousands of accommodation providers to help them easily and conveniently sell their rooms online. The company’s award-winning booking and property management platform — eviivo Suite, the original all-in-one booking suite — allows hoteliers, owners and hosts to effortlessly manage availability, prices, bookings, deposits and all guest details in one perfectly synchronised platform. In fact, eviivo Suite, designed from the ground up, offers hoteliers and hosts every function and feature needed to run their business — whether a boutique hotel, B&B, guesthouse, cottage or vacation rental — and also exceeds expectations with its product range, including the brand-new eviivo Mobile, one of the first mobile apps for the hospitality tech industry.

What exactly makes eviivo Suite special? It’s the only booking platform that connects fully and seamlessly to all the major travel websites, and it also encourages valuable direct bookings with complete flexibility on prices, deposits, payments and cancellations. Every step of the guest journey — from when they first find the

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property online and check dates and rates, to when they checkout and pay for their stay — is taken care of (with all payments processed securely with Level 1 PCI compliance and full card validation and pre-authorisation). Guest communications are fully customisable for pre-arrival, welcome and departure emails, and the ability to set promos to encourage direct bookings and upsell extras are built in. With robust features (including free websites for hoteliers!) and simplicity of use, accommodation providers have more time to do what they do best – offering memorable experiences for their guests.

The power of the suite speaks for itself. In fact, boutique hoteliers compete on an even footing with larger hotels and chains, a tremendous benefit only eviivo Suite provides.

“I’ve been using eviivo Suite for many years and have seen it evolve to the feature-rich tool that it is today,” says Bradley Walker, owner of the award-winning Tavistock House Hotel in Tavistock, Devon. “We rely on eviivo to run our business and love the fact that we can use it to compete with hotel groups who have the scale and financial backing that we don’t. eviivo Suite allows us to be agile and make our size

TECHNOLOGY

“With robust features and simplicity of use, accommodation providers have more time to do what they do best – offering memorable experiences for their guests.”

our strength, helping us to position our uniqueness and personality and sell our rooms to the world.”

With years of experience honing its cutting-edge software to be best in class, eviivo particularly cost effective is always developing new functionality. As an example, the eviivo Mobile app offers instant notifications of new bookings, cancellations and modifications, right at your fingertips, allowing owners to fully manage their

business on the go, anytime, anywhere.

Additionally, “per room pricing” makes eviivo Suite particularly cost effective for smaller hotels, with package prices starting from just £20/month. It’s one more way eviivo are dedicated to making running an accommodation business better — and allowing independent properties to thrive into spring and beyond.

www.thehotelmagazine.co.uk

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NEWS

CARBON NEUTRAL ACCREDITATION Richmond Hill Hotel, situated atop the hill and only moments from the Royal Richmond Park, has been certified as Carbon Neutral.

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he accreditation is awarded by Carbon Neutral Britain, the organisation which created the UK’s carbon offsetting initiative.

The hotel has met and achieved all the initiative’s standards in measuring, calculating and carbon offsetting all organisational carbon emissions, with the long-term aim to be carbon zero in the future.

Carbon Neutral Britain was founded in 2020 and since has offset 500,000 tonnes of CO²e and planted over three million trees helping to stop climate change and provide essential habitats for endangered wildlife.

Richmond Hill currently has a Green Policy in place with a Green team that meet once a month to drive forward sustainability initiatives. The hotel is also a member of the Green Tourism Business Scheme, since 2014, and has a silver grading standard which demonstrates its

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commitment to sustainable environmental practices.

Diane Tapner-Evans, General Manager of Richmond Hill Hotel, said: “We are thrilled to have achieved this accreditation from Carbon Neutral Britain to highlight our efforts in driving forward green initiatives throughout the hotel.

“As a hotel, we continually aspire to achieve improvements in our environmental performance and lead the way locally however due to the age of the building, we have come across some obvious obstacles.

“However, this accreditation will help us to navigate the complexities of making a period hotel carbon zero, which is ultimately our long-term goal.

“I’m proud we have been able to reduce our carbon footprint by offsetting our carbon emissions, it’s a huge step in the right direction.”

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