Canadian Lodging News - January 2016

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C A N A D I A N

LodgingNews January 2016 | Vol. 12 | No. 10

N AT I O N A L

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MARRIOTTS TO DOMINATE HALIFAX

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C O V E R A G E

RAMADA EXPANDS IN EASTERN CANADA

R E G I O N A L

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F O C U S

FEATURE: CHANGES IN HOTEL PAYMENTS

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PULLOUT: CLN’S BUYERS’ GUIDE DIRECTORY OF INDUSTRY SUPPLIERS

Canada’s Vantage team LAS VEGAS — With an all-Canadian development team, Vantage Hospitality is gearing up to expand Canadas Best Value Inn and Lexington across the country.

“We realized that if we are going to sell development in Canada, we needed to do it with Canadians,” Bill Hanley, group president of international development for Vantage, told CLN at the Vantage Hospitality conference held last month at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas.

Realizing that “you can’t sell Western Canada out of Toronto,” Vantage hired Arun Deo, who owns a Canadas Best Value Inn in Kamloops, B.C. Deo and his son Anusheel, whose company is called South Pacific Management Marketing Services, are now authorized development directors for CBVI in the west.

“We signed the agreement in April, and

since that time we have added two properties, one in Castlegar, B.C., and one just signed in Calgary,” Hanley said.

In Eastern Canada, Vantage has hired hotel industry veterans Glen Blake and Rick Keene of Full House Hospitality Services to handle Canadas Best Value Inn in Eastern Canada and Vantage’s Lexington brand across the country.

“I have known Glen for close to 20 years,” said Hanley. “He knows just about everybody and was absolutely enthused about our business model and the opportunities for CBVI and Lexington across Canada.”

Hanley stressed Vantage’s long-term commitment to Canada.

“We are walking carefully, but we believe there is tremendous opportunity.”

Continued on page 3

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

From left, Bill Hanley, Anusheel Deo, Glen Blake and Rick Keene.

Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi with Diane von Furstenberg at the conference.

Expedia: news for hotels

By Colleen Isherwood, Editor LAS VEGAS — Expedia says it is listening to hotel partner feedback and has made several innovations this year that will help attract guests, boost ADR and improve hotel/guest communication.

The innovations were announced at the 16th annual Expedia Partner Conference held this week at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas and attracting 3,023 attendees from more than 60 countries.

Aman Bhutani, president of Brand Expedia Group, talked about changes to the Expedia. com home page, to better allow people to look at flight, hotel and car rental options without having to follow a certain path for each option.

“That’s not how shopping is done,” he said, giving the example of how his family bought a wide range of Halloween costumes on Amazon

by dropping items into a shopping cart and later deciding what to keep.

That approach can’t easily be transferred to travel because prices change and the inventory is super-perishable, Bhutani said, adding that they are working to leverage the power of realtime systems and inventory.

Expedia also announced an investment in ALICE, a software-as-a-service provider that enhances the hotel guest experience, and also gives hotels a workflow management tool to improve operations.

ALICE’s cloud-based workflow management platform allows hoteliers to deal with guest problems and requests in real time, keeps track of the progress of these requests and provides reports so that hoteliers can understand and optimize their operations.

“It addresses the little things, like the light Continued on page 3

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Marriott to dominate in Canadian cities

Marriott will own almost 75 per cent of branded hotel rooms in downtown Halifax.

TORONTO — Marriott’s $12.2 billion US takeover of Starwood will create an international behemoth of 1.1 million rooms in 5,500 hotels flying 30 different flags, according to a new report from HLT Advisory. Assuming the transaction closes in mid-2016 as suggested, Marriott will be almost 50 per cent larger (on a total room basis) than Hilton, the world’s next largest hotel chain.

In Canada, this means concentration. Of the 232,954 branded hotel rooms in Canada as of Dec. 31, 2014 (regional, national and international chains, excluding hotels of 30 rooms and less), a total of 45,954 or almost 20 per cent will be controlled by Marriott. This total includes 16,610 Marriott rooms, 18,474 Starwood rooms and 10,070 Delta rooms. Marriott’s almost 46,000 rooms will fly 17 different flags ranging from Ritz-Carlton and Meridien to Fairfield and Four Points.

These figures do not include hotels that have opened thus far in 2015 or the several Marriott projects in markets like Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Montreal expected to come on stream over the next few years.

At the city level, particularly in downtown submarkets, the concentration is much more pronounced. Marriott control ranges from less than 20 per cent in downtown Quebec City to almost 75 per cent in downtown Halifax. The city-wide figures reflect a greater dispersion but still significant control in markets like Ottawa/Gatineau, Halifax/Dartmouth and Montreal.

As the regulatory approval process gears up — creating a legion of delirious legal and tax advisors — it’s worth considering the perspective of various interested parties.

Owners: Will the “bigger is better” approach be seen as an advantage or disadvantage

on both the aggregate and individual market basis? What impact will the takeover have on potential development projects and brand decisions?

Guests: How will Marriott integrate two of the strongest loyalty programs in the hotel world?

(Owners will be interested in the cost and market implications of this process.)

Partners: How will relationships with airlines and other travel industry services be affected?

Meeting planners: How could Marriott influence destination selection decisions for national and international conventions?

OTAs: What impact will controlling large components of room inventory in specific markets do for Marriott’s negotiating power with these intermediaries?

Industry leaders: What influence will Marriott wield with local hotel associations and destination marketing organizations?

Competitors: The ball’s in their court.

How will Hilton, IHG and other hotel chains react to such a substantive change on the competitive landscape?

While these issues may be specific to the current Marriott and Starwood transaction, the reality is that further hotel consolidation is inevitable.

We are looking at interesting times ahead.

— Reprinted courtesy of HLT Advisory.

AccorHotels buys iconic FRHI brands PARIS — AccorHotels announced on Dec. 9 that it will acquire Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel hotel brands, which it called “a strategic deal to create a worldwide leader in the luxury segment.”

AccorHotels signed an agreement with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) of Saudi Arabia and Oxford Properties, an Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) company, for the acquisition of FRHI Holdings Ltd (FRHI).

FRHI is the parent company of three of the most prestigious global luxury hotel brands: Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel. It has 155 hotels and resorts (of which 40 are under develop-

ment), and more than 56,000 rooms (of which approximately 13,000 are under development).

Here in Canada, Fairmont is far bigger than AccorHotels. Accor has eight properties with 1,881 rooms, including seven Novotels and a lone Sofitel in Montreal. Fairmont has 19 hotels, including both historic icons and luxury newer-builds, with a total of 9,984 rooms.

This means that Canadian properties account for 23 per cent of FRHI’s portfolio by rooms.

AccorHotels will pay for the acquisition by issuing 46.7 million new Accor shares and a cash payment of $840 million (€768 million) – Qatar Investment Authority and Kingdom Holding Company of Saudi Arabia are to become ma-

jor shareholders, with 10.5 per cent and 5.8 per cent of the share capital respectively.

The transaction will be accretive to earnings per share from the second year with €65 million in revenue and cost synergies identified in the medium term.

“This is an outstanding opportunity to add three prestigious brands – Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel – to our portfolio, and a great step forward for AccorHotels,” said Sébastien Bazin, chairman and chief executive officer of AccorHotels in a release.

“It offers us robust and global leadership in luxury hotels, a key segment in terms of geographic reach, growth potential and profitability, for long-term value creation.”

Vantage team poised for development Continued from page 1 Not only has Vantage invested in Canadian development offices, but they have also formed an alliance with a research and development company that will track OTA business for Vantage’s existing Canadian properties. That way they can find out where the business is coming from and help Canadian hotels get more of that type of business by developing strong local area marketing programs, particularly for seasonal operations.

Mindful of the strength of the American greenback versus the Canadian dollar, Vantage is also offering to have Canadians pay for their membership fees at par for 2016, and will consider doing the same in 2017.

“Historically, we have done well in times of strife,” Hanley said. “Our business model is very impressive to properties paying six to eight per cent for a brand. When times are good, they are still paying six to eight per cent on a lot more dollars, and our fees still look attractive.”

Right now, Vantage has 30 CBVIs and one Lexington property. Another Canadian Lexington hotel project is in the works. Hanley said he expects to add eight to 10 more CBVIs and three or four Lexingtons in 2016.

Another Vantage brand, Country Hearth, “has legs when it is properly registered in Canada and we have a chance to evaluate the market. We have every intention of growing in that market.”

Vantage is also looking at Signature Inn as a boutique brand at the upper end of the select service segment.

Vantage founder, president and CEO Roger Bloss told CLN he got a call from some young Asian American Hotel Owners Association hoteliers who told him they wanted to take their parents’ properties and change the profile with renovations, and by redefining guest expectations — essentially taking the hotels into the boutique sector. Bloss discovered there were dozens of people who were interested in belonging

to a high-end economy brand with 60-80 rooms per property.

Vantage, which now has more than 1,200 hotels, had acquired the rights to the Signature Inn brand under its deal with America’s Best Franchising Inc. last year, even though there were no Signatures open. Vantage saw an opportunity to create a free-style lodging brand to fit the bill. But Bloss didn’t want the brand to be a catch-all. At the recent Vantage Hospitality conference in Las Vegas, he invited 100 hoteliers who loved Vantage, to create a new brand using a blank slate, with a set of standards, rules and marketing direction. The committee findings will be unveiled at AAHOA’s spring conference.

The name was perfect: “Signature plays to Marriott’s autograph,” Bloss told CLN. In the meantime, there are several Signatures under construction and opening in the spring.

Conversion Signatures will be considered after the AAHOA conference meeting.

“Canada was there full force,” Bloss noted.

BRIEFS Staffless hotel in Munich MUNICH — Guests at the new Hotel Buddy can manage everything, including booking a room, checking-in and out, and paying, from a mobile device. The brainchild of Munich hotelier Johannes Eckelmann, who runs the Cocoon Hotel brand, Hotel Buddy at Stachus Square is a low-budget property that is completely staffless, made possible by the cloudbased hotel management platform from hetras.

The 75 hotel rooms are located inside a large office complex and distributed over several floors. Guests can check-in early, even days in advance, and they just need to sign their name on the pad at the kiosk upon arrival. This signature is then saved together with their reservation. Once signed in, visitors collect, from a machine, a code-based key card that grants access to the guest elevator.

Thai tour operator named World Legacy Awards finalist SURATTHANI, THAILAND — Thailandbased tour operator Elephant Hills, which hosted CLN’s Steve and Colleen Isherwood on a glamping trip in Southern Thailand earlier this year, has been named one of three finalists in the 2016 National Geographic Traveler World Legacy Awards in the category Conserving the Natural World.

The awards honour companies, organizations and destinations, ranging from airlines to hotels, from communities to countries, in the categories Earth Changers; Sense of Place; Conserving the Natural World; Engaging Communities; and Destination Leadership.

The winners will be announced March 16 at a ceremony being held during ITB Berlin.

Bridal footwear booking incentive CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA — Rydges Hotels and Resorts in Cairns, Australia, has launched a novel incentive for brides-to-be that goes straight to the foot of the matter, with all bookings receiving a gift card up worth up to $1,000 to design made-to-measure wedding footwear at Shoes of Prey.

Rydges Hotels and Resorts Shoes of Prey wedding promotion is effective until Dec. 31, 2016. All bookings will receive a gift card of between $250 and $1,000 depending on the value of the wedding booked.

RBC partners with Airbnb for rewards program TORONTO — RBC Rewards is giving customers a chance to earn their way to their dream destinations even faster by teaming up with Airbnb Canada. For a limited time, RBC Rewards customers can earn two times the RBC Rewards points when they book an Airbnb stay anywhere in the world.

RBC Rewards clients who book an Airbnb stay until Feb. 29, 2016 using their RBC Rewards credit card will automatically earn twice the points for every $1 CAD in bookings. Those booking for the first time on Airbnb will receive an additional 7,000 welcome bonus points.

CORRECTION: In the October issue of CLN, the Days Inn openings in Saint-Leonard, Blainville and Terrace are attributed to Wyndham Hotel Group but should be credited to Realstar Hospitality.

CLN regrets the error.

January 2016 | 3

C A N A D I A N

EDITORIAL

Humour adds to hotel’s appeal When my husband Steve and I attended the Travelodge conference in Kelowna last fall, we registered too late to stay at the host hotel, the Coast Capri, and opted for the Accent Inn across the street.

Nothing fancy, nothing expensive. Just a well-kept hotel with exterior corridors — and proof that attitude is everything!

My first contact with the hotel was a phone call letting me know that I had accidentally booked a week earlier than I should have. No charge for the no-show. Just a cheerful offer to book my stay for the proper dates.

At the front desk, they remembered my call and laughed about it.

So far so good!

Then we went to the room — again, not fancy but very comfortable.

I smiled at our keycard — it said “All our key cards come with secret powers.”

Once in the room, I noticed the rubber duck sitting on the bathtub wearing a bicycle helmet. Over the next few days the duck migrated — it sat atop the towels one day. And yes, the duck was for guests to take home “Don’t forget to steal the pen,” read the notepad on our night table. Then in smaller print, “don’t worry, the pen is our gift to you.”

“Okay, who packed?” read a sign by the sink. “Or more accurately who didn’t pack?”

The sign went on to say that toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors and shaving cream were available at the front desk at no charge.

I laughed at the “do not disturb” sign.

“Don’t even think about it, I’m busy,” it read.

Instead of asking for the room to be made up, the flip side of the sign asks the housekeeper to keep an eye out for your lost sock.

I’ve met Accent Inns president Mandy Farmer, and know some of these comedic touches reflect her sense of humour.

Thanks, Accent Inn. We enjoyed our stay and the hotel signage provided great fodder for conversation during our stay in Kelowna.

LodgingNews PUBLISHER

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— Colleen Isherwood, Editor

JASON CHESKES Above The Line Solutions VITO CURALLI Hilton Worldwide

SPOTLIGHT

Improve your fitness facilities The modern traveler is an active traveler. This means that not only are they maximizing their itineraries with meetings, events, sightseeing or shopping, but they are also keen on exercise. When they visit a foreign city, they don’t want their workout regimens to suffer. Hence, it’s important that hotels capitalize on this movement in order to appeal to the increasing number of health-conscious individuals. A property’s gym and any other associated sports facilities are often neglected, so here are eight ways to give them a new burst of energy.

1. Great trainers. Just as your staff is the lifeblood of the hotel, your trainers form the core of your fitness operations. They must be attentive, knowledgeable and highly personable. They should make themselves available to everyone, not just those who have an appointment. They should remember names, past conversations and any particular concerns people have had.

2. Make the gym social. Yes, trainers play a large role in this by talking to people and connecting guests with one another. But it’s also a matter of arranging the space so that it encourages interactions. Think TVs, lounge areas with comfortable seating and a juice bar.

3. Sports training. The three most common – and therefore expected – forms of gym usage are weight loss, building mus-

4 | Canadian Lodging News

cle and toning. Designing a sports-specific program or two will differentiate your fitness product. Plus, these are typically fun and highly interactive. Obviously these are dependent on what specific facilities you have (tennis courts, pools, running tracks and so on) but there are still quite a few sports that can be covered on the gym floor.

4. Complex machines. Just as how hotels establish a strong sense of place with unique lobby and guestroom designs, so too can you elicit a similar feeling for your gymnasium by installing intricate and eye-catching machinery. Chest presses and lat pulldowns are in every club around the world (read: boring), but how many have spacious TRX setups or a FreeMotion Dual Cable Cross? There are also many new fascinating machines on the market nowadays; take for instance the recently patented Isophit from Striation 6 – a physiotherapy studio here in Toronto – which is an adjustable bench solely for isometric workouts.

5. Differentiated towel service.

Close your eyes and imagine your average gym towel: square, reasonably sized, offwhite color and probably not that soft on the skin. Given this as an expectation, there are several options to exceed. First, any fabric destined to touch a guest’s skin should be the pinnacle of soft. You can also make an impression by choosing a colour(s) for your towels to make those of your brand. Lastly, consider scenting them – for instance, with a zesty lemon smell.

6. Fact of the Day. Make your fitness room more interactive by posting helpful tips throughout. These can range from pictures outlining how to use multi-purpose machines to brief dietary pamphlets by the reception or juice bar. These tidbits will heighten the space’s interactivity if they aren’t totally overwhelming in their length.

7. Start the Day Strong. Many of us only have less than an hour in the wee hours of the morning allotted for a workout. Not only should your fitness room be open at this time to appease the early risers (5:30 a.m. preferably), but it should be as lively a space as it is later on in the day after everyone’s had their first coffee. This will elevate the moods of those guests exercising and thus heighten the overall experience.

8. Cleanliness. A dirty gym may be 99 per cent as functional as a spotless one, but it doesn’t inspire people to perform at their best. Yes, staff should be constantly roving the floors to tidy weights and remove garbage, but cleanliness goes beyond this. It involves hygienic aesthetics such as pleasant aromas to mask sweat and metallic odors, appealing music outside of the latest Top 40 pop singles and perhaps a few grander upgrades like small fountains at the entranceway.

Larry Mogelonsky is the founder of LMA Communications Inc. (www.lma.ca), an awardwinning, full-service hospitality consulting and communications agency. His work includes three books Are You an Ostrich or a Llama?, Llamas Rule and Hotel Llama. Contact: larry@lma.ca.

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Ramada looks Guild Inn to be restored to glory at expansion in Canada’s east restore The Guild Inn to its former splendour and glory to play host to the most important celebrations in the city,” D’Uva told the assembled guests and media on the gardens and grounds of the city’s east-side property.

“You have to be old to remember The Guild Inn,” said mayor Tory. He said that for years, councillor Ainslie had kept the dream of a restored inn alive, and at last, despite regulatory, environmental and historical obstacles, the project was going ahead. He added that it was “smart and sensible to get the best people from the private sector in-

TORONTO — First an artist’s colony and then a prestigious hotel, The Guild Inn in Scarborough, Ont. has been unoccupied since 2001. At a groundbreaking ceremony Nov. 26, Dynamic Hospitality said it would be restored to its former glory.

Against the backdrop of the now derelict building, Toronto mayor John Tory, Paul Ainslie, councillor for Ward 43, Sam D’Uva and Piero Suppa of Dynamic Hospitality Group, put shovels to dirt to officially kick off the $20 million restoration and renovation of the historic property.

“Dynamic and the city will renovate and

volved,” and that he was amazed at how fast it will now happen.

Dynamic Hospitality and Entertainment Group will head up the project, which is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2016.

The vision is for a 40,000-square-foot property located on 88 acres, with a multipurpose event space that can accommodate everything from intimate dinners for 10 to galas of up to 1,000. A green-certified building roof, collections of original art and historical artifacts, and restoration of the old Bickford House to house a restaurant to be named The Bickford Bistro, are all part of the plans.

Caryl Porter.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Ramada is always looking to grow, especially in Eastern Canada, said Caryl Porter, brand senior vice-president for Ramada Worldwide, adding that they plan to open three more Canadian Ramadas by Q2 2016. She added that while Ramada’s recent Canadian projects have been new builds, “in the future, we see lots of conversion opportunities.”

Ramada has 76 properties in Canada, concentrated in the three westernmost provinces. The latest new construction is in Grasslands retail complex near Regina airport, and two conversions in Ontario are underway.

Porter, who has been with Ramada for 20 years, said it is a truly global brand, with the largest global presence among Wyndham Hotel Group’s chains. “We are in 62 countries, including Thailand, Mexico and India, and global awareness is high because of the support, services and loyalty program,” she said. “Ramada also offers versatility.” The Ramada Plaza is at the upper end of the midscale segment, while Ramada is midscale.

Ramada actually has three tiers, Ramada Limited, Ramada Hotel and Ramada Plaza. The Ramada Limited tier was originally designed as a competitor to Holiday Inn Express and at its peak there were 350 of them in the system. The three tiers confused the customer, and in 2004, Ramada made the decision to stop selling that tier. Now there are only 45 Ramada Limiteds, with 11 in Canada.

Ramada is working with some of the owners to add a Ramada Mart grab-and-go, or breakfast, so they can fit the Ramada Hotel tier. For example, the Sherwood Park Ramada in the Edmonton area now offers breakfast and a Ramada Mart, changing from a Ramada Limited to a Ramada Hotel.

Ramada Limiteds that compete in the economy segment might convert to other Wyndham brands such as Travelodge or Knights Inn. “We want to find the right brand to compete,” said Porter.

Ramada Hotels are generally located in secondary or tertiary markets, average about 100 rooms in Canada, and are flexible regarding foodservice, requiring a minimum of a mini-mart.

Ramada Plazas are larger full-service hotels in city centres or near airports in major markets, and average 175 rooms.

Ramada rolled out design guides a couple of years ago, and they have now been made available throughout the world. The design consists of neutral colours, dark wood and a pop of red. “We own red,” Porter noted. “People in China and India love red. Even if owners don’t take our exact designs to a T, they can find something that has that pop of red — a pillow or planters in the lobby. The traction [for the design] has been amazing.”

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January 2016 | 5

BY THE NUMBERS

STR: Canadian economy’s worrisome signs

Roger Bloss of Vantage Hospitality with Jeff Higley of HNN/STR. LAS VEGAS — Jeff Higley, vicepresident digital media and communications at HotelNewsNow.com/ STR, told delegates at the Vantage Hospitality conference he sees signs another downturn could be coming.

Higley’s presentation included numbers from both the U.S. and Canada. Stateside, all the STR stats are in record territory — 67.4 per cent occupancy, ADR of $120.75 and RevPAR of $81.43 and total room revenue for the hotels they track at $1.22 billion, up 7.8 per cent from last year.

A healthy gap remains between supply and demand in the U.S., with demand exceeding supply growth for the foreseeable future. ADR has shown steady performance for four years, and rate has grown faster than occupancy since early 2011.

Occupancy is up from a 2009

low of 54 to 55 per cent to 67.5, and RevPAR keeps rolling along, Higley said. “We have now had 62 months of RevPAR growth.”

What worries him most about the U.S. economy is that if you look at trends since the early 1990s, the downturns have been deeper and more severe. “It’s important to have a plan, be ready, don’t be caught flatfooted when the downturn comes.”

Canada’s numbers are also “pretty healthy,” with occupancy at 66.5 per cent, down 0.5 per cent from last year. ADR stands at $145 ($Can), up 4.8 per cent, while RevPAR at $96 ($Can) rose by 4.5 per cent. Room revenue was $12.6 billion, an increase of 5.3 per cent.

Demand rates are slowing and supply could become an issue, Higley said, noting that for the first time in recent memory, demand levels are

dipping below supply. Room supply grew at 1.0 per cent, while demand rose by 0.6 per cent.

On the other hand, ADR is taking off, even though occupancy is easing, a situation he labelled as “great.”

Canada has also had 62 months of RevPAR increases on a 12-month revolving basis, mirroring the U.S. Even in the U.S., Higley said he was “starting to get a little bit worried about supply growth,” with 150,000 rooms under construction.

“New York is a bellwether — they have a lot of supply that will have to be absorbed over the next 24 months.

There are 6,245 rooms under construction in Houston. Houston, you

may have a problem!”

While openings have increased dramatically over the last four years, fewer hotels are being closed. In 2005, 833 hotels were closed in the U.S., partly due to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, while year to date, only 95 have closed.

Higley offered good news for Vantage hoteliers. “The chainscales are led by economy, mid and upper midscale. Next year should be a strong year as well.”

Vantage’s properties fit into those categories. In Canada, Canadas Best Value Inn is in the economy category, while Lexington is an upper midscale brand.

Top 10 hotel companies in the world The Marriott/Starwood deal realigned the list of the world’s top 10 hotel companies. Here is the current list by number of hotels and room count.

1. Marriott International/ Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide — 5,456 hotels. 1,071,096 rooms.

2. Hilton Worldwide Holdings: 4,480 hotels with 737,922 rooms.

3. InterContinental Hotels Group — 4,963 hotels.

726,876 rooms.

4. Wyndham Hotel Group — 7,760 hotels. 671,900 rooms.

5. Jin Jiang International/ Plateno Hotels Group — 6,000 hotels. 640,000 rooms.

6. Choice Hotels International — 6,379 hotels.

504,357 rooms.

7. AccorHotels — 3,815 hotels with 500,366 rooms.

FHRI deal will add 115 hotels and 43,000 rooms.

8. Best Western Hotels & Resorts — 3,903 hotels with 303,768 rooms.

9. Homeinns Hotel Group — 2,787 hotels with 311,608 rooms.

10. Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group — 1,092 hotels with 172,234 rooms.

Sources include companies’ reported data as of Sept. 30, 2015. Data compiled by STR for HotelNewsNow.com. Carlson Rezidor data as of Q4 2014.

Value engineering tips for hotel renovations Value engineering is the systematic process of attempting to reduce costs without compromising on quality. It Amir Anders is about looking at the selection of materials, equipment and processes to see if a more cost-effective solution exists that will achieve the same project objectives.

Hotel owners and operators look to this process when renovating or building so that they are able to get the most value out of their investment.

Unfortunately, value engineering in the construction industry is too often associated with quality compromise. Some owners skimp in their selection of architects, designers, engineers and general contractors, reducing their costs but throwing quality and the entire construction schedule into question.

6 | Canadian Lodging News

Being able to value engineer properly comes from experience. It is essential to work with architects and general contractors who have done this all before. Experienced contractors know how to orchestrate a hospitality project that is very different from standard construction due to the nature of a phased or rolling schedule. A hospitality-specific general contractor will know how to coordinate the construction processes to create a smoothly functioning project and ensure that the schedule is not delayed, that additional revenue is not lost, and that units can be sold sooner. The overall result will be quality work, faster trade turnaround times, and ultimately, a faster construction schedule.

Here are a few value engineering tips: 1. Build a ‘mock-up room’ before starting the renovations. Doing this will enable your team to fine-tune their processes and value-

engineer before the full-scale renovations begin.

2. Simple changes can make a big difference – like the showerhead. For owners who are extremely cash-strapped, you can buy a rain showerhead, massage showerhead and other models that will give your bathroom a modern spa look and feel as well as improve your guests’ shower experience.

This can be done in under 10 minutes and coupled with other small improvements, could make a big impact.

3. Choose premade case goods and be flexible with sizing; by suggesting an 84-inch hospitality unit instead of a 96-inch hospitality unit, the cost could be reduced by as much as 25 per cent due to the savings in materials.

4. When selecting fabrics

for upholstered items, such as sofas, chairs or pillows, try to use fabrics that do not have a “repeat” design, such as patterns or stripes.

This will require additional yardage and result in higher costs.

Local or national?

Another important tip, which also happens to be a common misconception, is about hiring a local general contractor as opposed to a national one. Some people will tell you that a local contractor would be the best option since they are located near the project and would probably be the least expensive. Clearly, their proximity to the project means that local crews could go home every night and that they would not have to stay at the site — meaning that there would be no housing costs. However, in most instances, roving crews work longer hours to finish the project so they can eventually get home. Doing

some quick calculations on the cost of lodging, travelling crews versus the number of days they can cut from the schedule (and the revenue potential for that time) can periodically be valuable. You’ll likely see that the lodging cost is a wash or better.

Remember that national hospitality-specific crews are accustomed to the operational needs and requirements of hotel operations. As well, a national contractor may have access to a wider variety of suppliers and manufacturers.

One cannot overemphasize the importance of working with experienced crews – local or national. By following these value engineering tips, you will help make the overall process run smoothly and be able to fully maximize your renovation budget.

Amir Anders is president of Jemlor Construction Inc., a general contracting firm specializing in the construction and renovation of commercial, industrial and hotel projects across Canada. You can reach him at amir@ jemlor.com

Canada’s first Canopy by Hilton

Reetu (left) and Steve Gupta.

TORONTO — Canada’s first Canopy by Hilton is located close to Yorkville, Rosedale and Yonge and Bloor, and will take its inspiration from elements of each neighbourhood, says Reetu Gupta, COO of Easton’s Group of Hotels and The Gupta Group, which are building the hotel as part of a complex that also includes retail and condos.

“We will pull elements from the city,” she said, including the local corner store bakery or up and coming restaurant. “It will include an open, airy lobby — boutique hotels

tend to be very dark. No other brand has a lifestyle boutique hotel similar to this.”

Steve Gupta, president and CEO, placed Canopy “between a full-service Hilton and a Conrad, smart casual but upscale,” aimed at Generations X and Y. “The food is the best of the best in its class, whether it’s breakfast or cheesecake, it’s triple-A quality. It will provide a unique opportunity to stay, work and play and enjoy fitness in a building that is state of the art.”

Orange is the colour theme, Reetu

added, because it’s springlike, fresh, feel-good and airy. “Orange is spiritually positive energy — every uniform and even running shoes will be orange. Toronto needs something like this,” she said. Unlike other brands that have smaller rooms, encouraging guests to migrate to the lobby, Canopy will have larger rooms with 9-ft. ceilings. Canopy is not a prototype design; every hotel is unique. Above each of the beds is a canopy.

“It’s top class, but not ultra expensive,” said Steve. “Everything is fresh and the best quality. The cheesecake is the best in the city; the fruit comes from a high-end store. There are some of the more exotic fruits — that’s the kind of clientele we are bringing in.”

The 188-room hotel will take up the first nine storeys of the 52-storey building, while the upper storeys will house 476 condos. “The hotel will have a totally independent entrance and elevator setup. The two properties will be distinctly different, with two different addresses,” Steve said.

Construction will begin at the end of 2016, and the hotel should open within 18 months to two years after construction, he added.

ALICE and other innovations Continued from page 1 bulb that’s burned out and gets into a review,” said Arthur Chapin, vicepresident global product at Expedia.

“With 30 million user reviews, a lot of these little negatives get through.”

ALICE also has a guest app that makes the experience of requesting services much easier. From the moment guests book to the moment they check out, they can use their mobile devices to manage their in-hotel experience including ordering spa treatments, room service, late check-outs, housekeeping, and concierge services.

Expedia is constantly testing and innovating, and it is looking for hotels of every segment and size to provide regular feedback via its Hotel Partner Panel. The hotels may be asked to evaluate a tool, and possibly pilot a project. When Expedia started the panel last year, Benoit Jolin, vicepresident global product was worried they would receive only six responses.

Instead, there are now more than 5,800 hotels participating. The panel helped make more than 540 enhancements to Expedia PartnerCentral (EPC), Expedia’s hotel interface, last year alone.

New innovations include:: 1. An EPC mobile app that gives hoteliers the power of EPC 24/7, so that they can manage properties on the website from their phone.

2. The EPC activity feed that uses thumb identification rather than a

Expedia’s John Kim (left) and Greg Schultze at the conference. user name and password. It can let the hotelier see how many bookings they lost, which hotels got the booking, and put those hotels on a market watch. It can also help hoteliers take action to improve their standing on the sort rate. The EPC Accelerator can increase visibility and raise the position in the sort.

3. Last year, EPC introduced Real Time Reviews. This has been refined over the past year to include specific items that guests can identify and hotels can act on — rather than general topics like “room,” a specific item might be “room temperature.” Hoteliers can send private replies to the guest only and make sure the problem is fixed. They can receive notifications via email or push notifications in their mobile app.

4. EPC Value Add Promotions make it easy for hotels to offer promotions that will make their listings stand out on factors other than price.

For example, the Bellagio hotel could offer a $50 discount on food and beverage, simply by clicking on a few buttons and a calendar. The promotion is showcased on a green bar that appears throughout the booking process.

5. Last year, EPC introduced the Expedia Content Score to show how complete a hotel’s listing is on Expedia. For example, 10 per cent of Expedia hotels have a pool but fail to mention it, and 40 per cent offer Internet at a surcharge but neglect to include the cost. Details like this can make a big difference in numbers of bookings.

Atlific_CanLodgAd_Jan2016_text_E01_final.indd 1

January 2016 | 7

2015-12-16 5:12 PM

MR MIKES plans include hotels BURNABY, B.C. — MR MIKES SteakhouseCasual (MMSC) has been keeping Sarah McPhee, real estate manager for RAMMP Hospitality Brands, very busy. Her main role is to identify potential markets and real estate opportunities for the MMSC brand — including partnerships with hotels.

The 55-year-old restaurant chain now has 25 locations in Western Canada, with 10 more in the pipeline. After 50-plus years, it is undergoing something of a revitalization, creating a new steakhouse category.

“SteakhouseCasual is about feeling like you belong, where everyone feels comfortable in his or her own way,” the company’s website says.

“It’s humble and modest and it’s your place — a place where you don’t have to be something you’re not, you can just be yourself. It means tasty and affordable creations from our signature steak and Mikeburgers to our homebranded wines and beers.”

McPhee has been with RAMMP for four years. Her job is to determine the markets they want to be in, do the due diligence and market research, looking at competition demographics. “Sometimes [potential franchisees] identify hot markets, and it’s up to us to find the real estate for them,” she told CLN. The ideal location for a MR

MIKES is a suburban or small town market, and they usually consist of free-standing buildings in main retail or commercial nodes, on the one or two main streets of the town.

“We need a strong daytime population, as we need a strong lunch trade,” McPhee said.

They are also interested in hotels that are located in those areas, rather than in residential communities.

They are looking for markets of all sizes that are not adequately served, and they provide an affordable alternative to a steakhouse.

“No other brand owns this category,” she said.

MR MIKES is a midscale casual concept that caters to multiple demographics with varied menus. “There are two experiences under one roof,” McPhee said. “Families feel comfortable there. And then we have the Urban Lodge, serving drinks, where the local business person can have drinks and appetizers.”

This flexibility makes it a good onsite food and beverage option for hotels, McPhee added.

“The restaurant can also provide room service or catering for events.

Our research shows that a freestanding restaurant onsite increases hotel occupancy,” she said. For example, there is a MR MIKES onsite at the Holiday Inn Lethbridge in Alberta.

Jonathan Lund.

Sarah McPhee.

“Guests who are directly onsite are looking for a place to eat, in addition to locals who drive business. If guests experience us in one market, they look for us in other markets.”

McPhee added that the hotel and restaurant would definitely be two separate organizations, but that they look at each potential opportunity on a case-by-case basis.

McPhee said the company’s goal is to double the number of MR MIKES to 50 or 60, to expand into Ontario, and to continue to develop Western Canadian opportunities.

API Development Consultants

From left: Artan and Eva Mataj and Linas Saplys of API. OAKVILLE, Ont. — API Development Consultants was formed in 2010 with the vision of becoming the hospitality industry’s leader in planning and development design of hotels throughout Canada. The API team offers fully integrated project delivery and management services from concept to occupancy.

Starting with three people and a couple of small hotel and retail projects, they have now grown to have 25 people and 40 hotels in the pipeline from St. John’s to Vancouver.

“We’ve been doing some DoubleTrees, and dealing with a lot of prime hoteliers in the GTA and across Canada,” principal architect and planner Linas (Lin) Saplys told CLN in a re-

8 | Canadian Lodging News

cent interview. “We’ve been dealing with Canalta, and some small developments with IHG, and also with Silver Hotels. We’ve been fairly active.”

In addition to hotels, the company has worked on retirement homes — a logical progression from hotels — condos, apartments, houses, office buildings and retail.

“API Development Consultants is a facilitator and co-ordinator of professionals that includes two architectural firms, Saplys Architects and Fabiani residential architects. Now we are doing construction projects to the tune of $500 million,” said Artan Mataj, senior architect.

The company planned to open six hotels between October and Janu-

New IHG Canada team members

ary. These include a Hampton Inn & Suites in Medicine Hat, Alta., another at Saskatoon Airport, a Canalta in Kindersley, Sask., a Home2 Suites in Milton, Ont., a TownePlace Suites in Kincardine, Ont. and a Holiday Inn Express and Conference Centre in Oshawa, Ont. This month, they plan to open another Hampton Inn in Sarnia, Ont. This coming year, they have conversions planned, including a Courtyard by Marriott in Oshawa, formerly a Holiday Inn Express; and a Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Halifax, formerly a Quality Inn. ‘We have an innovative design approach,” Saplys said. “We have strong ties with the brands, but we push the concepts.”

“We are striving for new materials and new methods of construction,” added Mataj, adding that while the firm does conversions, its main business is new builds.

For example, the Sarnia Hampton being built for Vrancor Hospitality uses modular construction.

“The hotel was totally built out of precast panels — floors, walls, stairs, elevator shafts and exterior skin. It was assembled, caulked and completed in six or seven months,” Saplys said. “We started on May 15 and expect to open in January.”

TORONTO — There are some new faces at the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) Canadian offices in Mississauga, Ont. IHG announced on Nov. 17 the appointment of Jonathan Lund as regional vice-president, Canada franchise performance support, and Michelle Dias is Canadian marketing manager, public relations and communications.

Jonathan Lund In his new role, Lund will oversee the operations of IHG’s 165 franchised hotels across Canada.

“With his 30-plus years of experience in the hospitality industry, including 20 years working at IHGmanaged hotels, Jonathan is well positioned to help our franchised hotels continue to succeed. He is a passionate hotelier and strong operator who has a track record of producing outstanding results,” said Jolyon Bulley, chief operating officer, The Americas, in a release.

Prior to his appointment, Lund worked for Fortis Properties as director of hospitality operations, where he oversaw hotel operations, sales and marketing, human resources and asset management, after serving as the regional general manager for its Ontario hotels. He also served as the 2015 chairman of the IHG Owners Association’s Canada and America’s People Committees.

Three months into the job, Lund told CLN that he had come in at a time of year when he was required to hit the ground running — travelling to Vancouver and Calgary, getting out and about to meet owners and working to look after their interests.

“Fortis was a Canadian company, with hotels from the east to the west coast, so things are very familiar. The difference is that instead of the owner-operator side, I am on the brand side of things. The goals are the same — just a different perspective of working to deliver service to owners and operators of hotels.

“I know the IHG owners, as I was right alongside them on those committees.”

Michelle Dias.

Lund resigned from the IHG Owners Association, handing over his responsibilities to Felix Seiler, COO of Holloway Lodging Real Estate.

“We have got a tremendous team in Canada, led in a collaborative way.

I would like to see IHG become the choice brand for owners in Canada — to grow the footprint.” IHG currently has about 165 hotels. There is a team of four franchise performance support managers who work directly with the owners.

In some ways, Lund feels that he has been preparing for this role for the past 30 years. “It’s a natural fit, with my experience with Fortis, the Owners Association, as a general manager, and representing an ownership company. It all led to this role.”

Lund intends to bring a Canadian perspective to IHG — a role he also assumed in his earlier work with the Owners Association. “We have a team in place with new team members, and a lot of energy, which is excellent. I’m proud to be leading this,” he said.

Michelle Dias Michelle Dias came to IHG fresh from a job doing public relations and marketing for the Pan Am Games in Toronto. “I love working with Canadian brands, and IHG has a great presence across Canada,” she said, adding that the Pan Am Games were very exciting.

“My role is taking care of all the public relations, social media and internal communications. I’m doing a lot of social media training at the hotel level on how to communicate and engage with guests and continue that relationship.”

The other part of her job deals with the IHG brand profile in the media.

Dias is originally from Kenya, but she has lived in Canada her whole life.

“Travel is one of my top passions,” she said, adding that she enjoys dealing with an international company and with PR people across the globe who share her passion.

2016 DIRECTORY

BUYERS’

Canadian

Lodging news

Research by Peter Elliott

Design elements by Freepik.com

of SCA

Amenities Appliances (Hairdryers, Irons, Clocks, Radios & Docking Stations)

Andis Company B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Calmek Equipment Inc., a div of Coinamatic Canada Classic Coffee Concepts Inc. Conair Hospitality/Cuisinart Canada Dynamic Digital Technologies Guest Supply Canada Inc. Hamilton Beach Commercial Hunter Amenities Int. Ltd. Jarden Consumer Solutions/Sunbeam Jerdon First Class/Focus Products Group, LLC JustSteph Sales Inc. KBC Specialty Products Inc. Minibar North America Inc. North American Hospitality Supply One Shop Hospitality Supply Preferred Alliance Group TAG Umbrellas True North Hospitality Unisource Canada Inc. Water Pik Canada Whirlpool Canada Winsham Fabrik Canada Ltd. Coffee/Tea Equipment & Accessories

BBC Sales & Service Ltd - Ontario Boyds Coffee Company Bunn-O-Matic Corporation of Canada Canterbury Coffee Corporation Classic Coffee Concepts Inc. Faema Canada GMCR Canada Guest Supply Canada Inc. JustSteph Sales Inc. Keurig Brewing Systems Kraft Foodservice Inc. Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee Inc. Nespresso Canada Recoplast Ltd. Seattle's Best Starbucks Coffee Canada Stir Sticks & Picks International Inc. Van Houtte Inc.

bAthrooms Bathroom Amenities

Cannon Hygiene Custom Amenities Dante Group International Ltd. Deb Canada Essential Amenities Inc. Great Lakes Design Guest Supply Canada Inc. Hunter Amenities Int. Ltd. Jerdon First Class/Focus Products Group, LLC JustSteph Sales Inc. Kruger Products Lather Inc. Lion Industries Marietta Corp.

Olivier Soaps Orkin Canada Purely Saltspring Sara Grace Products

Towels, Bathmats & Robes

American Hotel Register D.B.A. Canadian Hotel Supply Cantex Distribution Inc Diversey Care, a Division of Sealed Air Fisher Distributing George Courey Inc. Great Lakes Design Guest Supply Canada Inc. Image Distributors (Canada) Ltd. Jani-King Canada JRS Amenities Ltd. Lieberman Tranchemontagne Inc. Lubertex Inc Otelia inc.

Robe Works (The) Swisssol Creative Body Care Table Top Resources - Frette Tex-Pro Western Limited The Mansfield Robe Co. True North Hospitality Unisource Canada Inc. Winsham Fabrik Canada Ltd.

bedrooms True North Hospitality Tork Hygiene Products, division of SCA Unisource Canada Inc. Bathroom Fixtures

Bradley Corporation BrassCraft Canada Ltd. Cannon Hygiene Delta Faucet Canada Dessco Design Solid Surface Counters Dyson Canada Hansgrohe Inc. Kohler Co. (Destination Kohler) Masco Canada Limited, Plumbing Group Moen Faucets Inc. RONA Inc. Tissues & Paper Products

Cascades Tissue Group Guest Supply Canada Inc. Kruger Products Tork Hygiene Products, division

Beds, Bedding & Drapery

American Hotel Register D.B.A. Canadian Hotel Supply A-Z Foam B.C. Murphy Wall-Bed Ltd. B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Caber Sure Fit Daniadown Quilts Ltd. Eden Textile Encore Draperies Inc Foundations

Hamida Textiles Hospitality Contract Group Inc Hotel Specialty Designs Hypnos Canada / Araam Sleep Products Instant Bedrooms

Lieberman Tranchemontagne Inc. Lubertex Inc Lutex Design Inc. Marina Textiles Marshall Mattress Co. Ltd. North Star Bedding Ltd. Northern Feather Ltd. Park Avenue Furniture

Restwell Sleep Products/Restwell Mattress Co. Sealy Canada Ltd. Serta Mattress Co. Simmons Hospitality Bedding StaminaFibre, formerly FR Systems International Standard Textile T.S.I. Texstyles Tempur-Canada Therapedic/Sleepking/Crown Design Workroom by Design, formerly Famous Swiss Decor Blankets & Comforters, Duvets & Pillows

George Courey Inc. Guest Supply Canada Inc. Koni Hospitality Canada Les Textiles Patlin Inc. Lubertex Inc Northern Feather Ltd. Otelia inc.

Protect-A-Bed Standard Textile Table Top Resources - Frette True North Hospitality Winsham Fabrik Canada Ltd. Mattresses & Protectors

A-Z Foam B.C. Murphy Wall-Bed Ltd. B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Guest Supply Canada Inc. Hospitality Contract Group Inc Protect-A-Bed Restwell Sleep Products/Restwell Mattress Co. Sealy Canada Ltd. Serta Mattress Co. Springwall Sleep Products Tempur-Canada

Therapedic/Sleepking/Crown Design

energy Energy Management

AJM Solutions Group Inc BC Hydro/Power Smart Carrier Canada Inc. CuraFlo of BC Ltd. Direct Energy Enbridge Gas Distribution Energex Inc. Enerplace Inc. Gordon R. Williams Corporation HTS Engineering Ltd. LG Electronics Canada Lodging Technology Natural Resources Canada/Office of Energy Efficiency NRG Equipment Inc. Onity, a Division of United Technologies Power Save Solutions Inc. Rinnai SAFLOK, member of the Kaba Group Superior Energy Management Swiss Solar Tech. Ltd. Telkonet Inc. Union Gas Verdant Environmental Technologies York International Ltd., a Johnson Controls Co. HVAC

AJM Solutions Group Inc Belimo Aircontrols (Canada) Ltd. Gordon R. Williams Corporation LG Electronics Canada NRG Equipment Inc. Rinnai

equipment, supplies & uniforms

ATMS

ABM Canadian Automated Bank Machines Inc. Access Cash / Cash N' Go DC Payments, formerly Direct Cash Frisco ATMs

Carts

Architectural Brass Co. Calmek Equipment Inc., a div. of Coinamatic Canada Cambro Manufacturing Company Cari-All Products Inc. Forbes Industries Guest Supply Canada Inc. Image Distributors (Canada) Ltd. Johnson-Rose Inc. Rubbermaid Canada Commercial Products Shelby Williams Industries Inc. Techstar Plastics Inc. The Diamond Group Dishwashers/ Warewashers

Champion Industries

Garland Canada, a Division of Manitowoc Haddon Holdings Limited Dispensers (Beverage)

BBC Sales & Service Ltd - Ontario Dispense Rite Distex M & M Inc. Johnson-Rose Inc. KGB Marketing, Inc. Minibar North America Inc. Precision Pours Inc. Specialty Beverage Solutions SupraMatic Inc. Exercise Equipment

Health & Fitness Group International Hotel Fitness HydroTher Commercial Spa & Wellness Equipment Keystone Everything Sports Medical Inc. Life Fitness True Fitness Technology Kitchen Equipment

Alto-Shaam Canada Inc. American Range

Bakers Pride Oven Company, a Standex Company Best Manufacturers, Inc. Celco Inc. Chef Works Canada Inc Chesher Equipment Ltd. Cookshack Inc. Crown Verity Inc. Cuisinart Canada Earthstone Wood/Gas Fire Ovens G.S. Blodgett Inc. Garland Canada, a Division of Manitowoc GBS Foodservice Equipment Hanson Brass Hatco Corporation Henny Penny Corporation Hobart Food Equipment Group Canada Igloo Refrigeration Permul Limited Pitco Frialator Inc. Prince Castle Inc. Rational Canada Inc. Regal Ware Inc. Regethermic Canada SML Stainless Steel Group Specialty Beverage Solutions Star Manufacturing International Inc. The Diamond Group The Middleby Corporation Turbo Chef Zanduco Restaurant Equipment & Supplies Inc Ice Machines/ Makers/Refrigeration

B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Coldmatic Refrigeration Products Corp.

Cool King Refrigeration Ltd. Diamond Ice Systems Inc Distex M & M Inc. Garland Canada, a Division of Manitowoc Guest Supply Canada Inc. Hoshizaki America Inc. Ice-O-Matic/Mile High Equipment Co. Ltd. Kolpak Walk-in Refrigeration, a Manitowoc Company LG Electronics Canada Manitowoc Ice Inc. Master-Bilt MicroFridge, Division of Danby

January 2016 | 9

2016

Lodging news

Spa Supplies & Services

HydroTher Commercial Spa & Wellness Equipment Storage & Racking

Big Steel Box Carter - Hoffmann Chicago Metallic Bakeware Canada Johnson-Rose Inc. MKE Industries Rubbermaid Canada Commercial Products Specialty Beverage Solutions Swimming Pool & Accessories

Aquatics by Westwind Hayward Commercial Pool Products Superior Safe Spa & Pool Swimeeze Swim Suits, a Division of ESP Western Recreation & Development Inc. Uniforms & Protective Apparel

Blackwood Career Apparel & Essentials Canadian Linen and Uniform Service Chef Works Canada Inc Chef's Hat Inc. - La Toque Demagny Cintas - The Uniform People Executive Mat Service Forma Uniforms Hospitality Uniforms and Supplies Imagewear, division of Mark's Work Wearhouse Lieberman Tranchemontagne Inc. Noel Asmar Design/ Spa Uniforms Inc. San Jamar Shoes For Crews, LLC Showa-Best Glove Skechers Town & Country Uniforms Inc. VF Imagewear Vending Machines

Coca-Cola Beverages Ltd. The Playdium Store, formerly Starburst Coin Machines Inc.

Food & Beverage Products Beverages (Non-Alcoholic)

BBC Sales & Service Ltd - Ontario Canterbury Coffee Corporation Coca-Cola Beverages Ltd. Fisher Distributing Icelandic Glacial Inc. Kinetico Canada Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee Inc. Nestle Canada Inc. Pepsi Foods Canada Breakfast Foods

Basic American Foods

Burnbrae Farms Ltd. Cavendish Farms Danone Inc. EggSolutions General Mills Bakeries and Foodservice Godiva Chocolatier Inc. Heartland Food Products Kellogg Canada Inc. Kraft Foodservice Inc. Lamb Weston Canada Maple Leaf Foodservice McCain Foods Canada Natrel, a Division of Agropur Nespresso Canada Nestle Canada Inc. Pepsi Foods Canada Rich Products of Canada Ltd. Sara Lee Foodservice Ltd Smucker Foods of Canada TMF - The Meat Factory

Furnishings & decor Art & Wall Coverings

Crown Wallpaper & Fabrics Metro Wall Coverings One Shop Hospitality Supply PI Creative Art Tech Stone FIoor & Wall Coatings Inc. Banquet Tables & Chairs

Bum Contract Contract Supply Corp.

Davidson Furniture Specialties Ltd. Dor-Val Mfg. Ltd. Fort Marketing Ltd. Groupe Bermex Holsag Canada Jamco Wood Products Ltd. Maywood Furniture Corp.

Rodo Industries, aka The Table and Chair Co Schoolhouse Products Inc. Sico America Southern Aluminum Carpets & Flooring

4M Trading Company Altro Canada Inc. B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Bethel International Durkan Pattern Carpeting HD Supply Facilities Maintenance Intarsia Inlaid Inc. Milliken Carpet Odyssey Wallcoverings Universal Interiors Inc. Workroom by Design, formerly Famous Swiss Decor Chairs

Architectural Brass Co. B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Bethel International Bum Contract Contract Supply Corp.

1 0 | Canadian Lodging News

Dalfen Sales Agency Davidson Furniture Specialties Ltd. Decor-Resto Inc. Dor-Val Mfg. Ltd. Dumyat Fine Furniture Firma Bath Furniture, Div. of Carpano Int. Foliot Furniture Global Upholstery Co. Inc. Gozmo Enterprises Groupe Bermex Holsag Canada Homecrest Outdoor Living Hotel Concepts Ltd. Hotel Fun 4 Kids/Hotel & Leisure Living Iron Furniture Ltd. Jamco Wood Products Ltd. Jetco Mfg. Ltd. JSP Industries Keca International Inc. Noram Interiors Rodo Industries, aka The Table and Chair Co Russell Food Equipment Ltd. Schoolhouse Products Inc. Shelby Williams Industries Inc. Simmons Hospitality Bedding Sita Enterprises Ltd. Southern Aluminum Specialty Beverage Solutions The Robert Allen Group Guest Room Furniture (including Case Goods)

Advance Furniture Ltd B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Best Buy BSG Furniture Credible Upholstery Dalfen Sales Agency Decor-Rest Furniture Ltd. Dumyat Fine Furniture Emond Enterprises Foliot Furniture Gozmo Enterprises Groupe Bermex Hospitality Designs I.S.A.C. Hotelier Jamco Wood Products Ltd. JSP Industries Park Avenue Furniture RHB Enterprises Inc St-Damase Furniture The Robert Allen Group Lamps & Lighting

4M Trading Company Altro Canada Inc. B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Best Buy Bethel International Brite Lite Wholesale Lighting Distributors Decor-Rest Furniture Ltd. GE Lighting Hotelite Inc. Ideal Electric Mfg Co Intarsia Inlaid Inc. JSP Industries

BUYERS’ DIRECTORY

Lion Industries Litemode Limited Osram Sylvania Ltd. Panasonic Canada Inc. RHB Enterprises Inc Tai Pan Lighting Co. The LED Company True North Hospitality Unilight Universal Interiors Inc. Workroom by Design, formerly Famous Swiss Decor Outdoor Furniture

Andrew Richards Designs Architectural Brass Co. B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Bekke Systems Bethel International Bum Contract Contract Supply Corp.

Dalfen Sales Agency Davidson Furniture Specialties Ltd. Dor-Val Mfg. Ltd. Eagle One Products Eliason Corporation Firma Bath Furniture, Div. of Carpano Int. Fort Marketing Ltd. Grosfillex Homecrest Outdoor Living Iron Furniture Ltd. Jamco Wood Products Ltd. Patio Frontiers Russell Food Equipment Ltd. Schoolhouse Products Inc. Shelby Williams Industries Inc. Simmons Hospitality Bedding Sofas

Architectural Brass Co. B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Bethel International Contract Supply Corp.

Credible Upholstery Dalfen Sales Agency Dor-Val Mfg. Ltd. Firma Bath Furniture, Div. of Carpano Int. Iron Furniture Ltd. Jamco Wood Products Ltd. Park Avenue Furniture Schoolhouse Products Inc. Shelby Williams Industries Inc. Simmons Hospitality Bedding Stylus Sofas Inc. The Robert Allen Group

Laundry/cLeaning Products

Chemicals & Disinfectants

Abell Pest Control Inc. Avmor Ltd Cannon Hygiene Chix/Polymer Group Inc. (PGI) Clorox Professional Products Company

Diversey Care, a Division of Sealed Air

ECOLAB

5105 Tomken Rd. Mississauga, ON L4W 2X5 Tel: 1-800-352-5326 Fax: 1-800-665-5256 www.whycleanmatters.com marketing@ecolab.ca

Enerplace Inc. Haddon Holdings Limited Host/Racine Industries Jani-King Canada Nilfisk-Advance Canada Company Oreck Hospitality Canada Proctor Gamble Professional Rochester Midland Ltd Sexauer Ltd Source 1 Distributors Sparkle Solutions Swissh Commercial Equipment Inc Unisource Canada Inc. Winning Brands Corporation Cleaning Services

Clorox Professional Products Company Ecolab Co. Jani-King Canada

Milnor Corporation Ontario Laundry Systems Inc. Source 1 Distributors Stalwart Machinery & Supplies Wascomat Laundry Equipment / Distributed by LaundryLux Whirlpool Canada Ironing Equipment

Coinamatic Commercial Laundry Inc Continental Girbau Inc. Electrolux Professional Laundry / Distributed by LaundryLux Harco Co. Ltd. Image Distributors (Canada) Ltd. Wascomat Laundry Equipment / Distributed by LaundryLux Whirlpool Canada Pest & Odour Control

Abell Pest Control Inc. Alpine Pest Control Vancouver Canadian Pest Control Diversey Care, a Division of Sealed Air Jani-King Canada Nilfisk-Advance Canada Company Oreck Hospitality Canada Orkin Canada Poulin's Professional Pest Control Services Proctor Gamble Professional Protect-A-Bed Reckitt Benckiser Canada Inc. Rentokil Canada Inc Unisource Canada Inc. Vacuum Cleaners

PrOCtOr & GAmBLE PrOfEssiOnAL

4711 Yonge Street Toronto, ON M2N 6K8 Tel: 1-800-332-7787 www.pgpro.ca

Diversey Care, a Division of Sealed Air Dyson Canada Guest Supply Canada Inc. Host/Racine Industries Jani-King Canada

Pure Solutions, N.A. Dryers & Washers

Alberta Laundry Systems Alliance Laundry Systems LLC / Unimac Automated Laundry Systems Blakeslee, a Legacy Company Coinamatic Commercial Laundry Inc Coldstream Commercial Sales Inc. Continental Girbau Inc. Electrolux Professional Laundry / Distributed by LaundryLux G. A. Braun Inc. Haddon Holdings Limited

AJM Solutions Group Inc ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Ltd./VingCard Elsafe Dometic Canada Humans.ca Identicam Systems Impark Wireless Inncom by Honeywell Kaba Ilco Level It /Select Hospitality Systems LOC International Inc. Onity, a Division of United Technologies Salto Inspired Access Occupancy Sensors

ADT Security Services Canada Ltd. Apple Security ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Ltd./VingCard Elsafe Dometic Canada Identicam Systems Inncom by Honeywell Kaba Ilco Level It /Select Hospitality Systems LOC International Inc. Optima Systems Inc. SAFLOK, member of the Kaba Group Surveillance Equipment

ADT Security Services Canada Ltd. Apple Security ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Ltd./VingCard Elsafe Dometic Canada Identicam Systems Kaba Ilco LOC International Inc. Onity, a Division of United Technologies Optima Systems Inc. SAFLOK, member of the Kaba Group Vaults and Safes

Nilfisk-Advance Canada Company Oreck Hospitality Canada Swissh Commercial Equipment Inc TTI Canada (Hoover) Unisource Canada Inc. Windsor Industries, a Karcher Company Member

saFety/security Alarms

Hobart Food Equipment Group Canada Image Distributors (Canada) Ltd. Laundrylux LG Electronics Canada Maytag Commercial Laundry Miele Limited Milnor Laundry Systems/Pellerin

Key Cards/Locks

ADT Security Services Canada Ltd. Apple Security ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Ltd./VingCard Elsafe Dometic Canada Identicam Systems Level It /Select Hospitality Systems LOC International Inc.

AJM Solutions Group Inc Guardian Safe Company Kaba Ilco Knox Electronic Ltd. Level It /Select Hospitality Systems Minibar North America Inc. Safemark Systems Visual Planning Corp.

services & associations Accounting Services & Equipment

Grant Thornton LLP KPMG PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Architectural & Design

Chamberlain Architect Services Limited

CPNA Contract Partners of North America Emond Enterprises Hager Associates Hirschberg Design Group Inc. HOK Design Patricia McClintock & Associes Royal Design Inc. Consultants

Above the Line Solutions Altus Group Avendra Tourism HR Canada, formerly CTHRC Chemistry Business & Human Resources Consultants CHIC Hospitality Consulting Services CPNA Contract Partners of North America Creative Impressions Inc. Cushman Wakefield Grant Thornton LLP Hotel Fun 4 Kids/Hotel & Leisure Living HVS InnLink Central Reservation Services KPMG Ontario Tourism Education Corporation Pet on Vacation PKF Consulting Inc. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Renard International Hospitality Search Consultants Rescue 7 Sensors Quality Management Inc Smart Serve Ontario Sodexo Ontrak Purchasing Services STEM Consulting & Marketing Inc. Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) Thindata, a Transcontinental Company Tyne Hospitality Services Ltd. Vizergy Credit Cards, Processing & Money Handling

American Express (Amex Canada) Cummins Allison ULC DC Payments, formerly Direct Cash Diners Club International, a part of BMO Financial Group Discover Card Global Payments Canada Inc. Interac Master Card Moneris Solutions Passkey International Inc. VersaPay Corporation VISA Canada

Canadian Hotel Marketing & Sales Executives Canadian Resort Development Association Canadian Tourism Commission, formerly Destination Canada Greater Toronto Hotel Association Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador Hotel Association of Canada Hotel Association of Nova Scotia Hotel Association of PEI Manitoba Hotel Association Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association Ontario Tourism Education Corporation Ontario's Finest Inns & Spas Quebec Hotel Association Resorts of Ontario Restaurants Canada Saskatchewan Hotel & Hospitality Association Tourism HR Canada, formerly CTHRC Tourism Industry Association of PEI Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia Insurance

C G & B Group Group Lockhart Inc Western Financial Group Laundry Services

Alsco Canada Corp Apex Upholstery Coinamatic Commercial Laundry Inc Executive Mat Service Sparkle Solutions Parking

ParkSmart Inc, a Coinamatic Company Precise Parklink Real Estate

CB Richard Ellis Limited/CBRE Hotels Colliers International Hotels Cushman Wakefield DTZ, formerly J.J. Barnicke Limited IHA Inc.International Hotel Appraisers Interval International NAI Global PKF Consulting Inc. Royal LePage Tyne Hospitality Services Ltd.

Table Top

Financial & Leasing

CFO Group GE Capital Solutions Synergy Merchant Services Hotel Associations

Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association British Columbia Hotel Association

China

Browne + Co. Dudson (North America) Fortessa of Canada Globe Hotelware Agency Inc. Hall China, an HLC Company Homer Laughlin China Co.

Johnson-Rose Inc. Libbey Canada Inc. Mikasa Hotel & Restaurant Morton-Parker Ltd. Noritake Canada Limited Oneida Canada Ltd. Puddifoot Russell Food Equipment Ltd. Steelite International Canada Ltd. Syracuse China Company, A Libbey Foodservice Company Tableware Solutions Ltd. Trudeau Corporation Villeroy & Boch Tableware / Sirius Tabletop Corp World Tableware Inc., A Div of Libbey Foodservice Company WWRD Canada Inc Glassware

Browne + Co. Dudson (North America) Fortessa of Canada Globe Hotelware Agency Inc. Hall China, an HLC Company Mikasa Hotel & Restaurant Puddifoot Russell Food Equipment Ltd. Steelite International Canada Ltd. Syracuse China Company, A Libbey Foodservice Company Tableware Solutions Ltd. World Tableware Inc., A Div of Libbey Foodservice Company WWRD Canada Inc Holloware

EcoDays.ca Fortessa of Canada Globe Hotelware Agency Inc. Mikasa Hotel & Restaurant Morton-Parker Ltd. Oneida Canada Ltd. Puddifoot Russell Food Equipment Ltd. Syracuse China Company, A Libbey Foodservice Company Tableware Solutions Ltd. WWRD Canada Inc

Guest Supply Canada Inc. Hamida Textiles Hospitality Emporium Hospitality Uniforms and Supplies Kidzsmart North America Leader Laminators Limited Mikasa Hotel & Restaurant Milliken & Co. Napery Division Mor's Menu Cover Mfg. Tricific Enterprises Inc.

Technology Cash Registers & POS

Agilysys Inc Casio Canada Ltd. Diya Enterprises Ltd. (ACS Division) Dynamic Digital Technologies East Coast POS Global Payments Canada Inc. Maestro Property Management Solutions Micros Systems, an Oracle company Moneris Solutions MSI Solutions Optima Systems Inc. Panasonic Canada Inc. Passkey International Inc. PixelPoint Posera - HDX POSERA Inc./ Maitre'D Resortsuite Scannabar Silverware POS Inc. Squirrel Systems Technic POS Travel Click Electronics Games & Internet Access

Allstream Inc. / Zayo Group Bell Canada

Canopco, division of Globalive Communications, Corp.

Datavalet Technologies Inc. Guest-Tek Horizon Networks Group Instacomm Canada Mitel Networks Corp.

Motorola Canada Ltd. Panasonic Canada Inc. Rogers Comunications Inc. Sasktel Shaw Communications Inc. Sonifi, formerly Lodgenet Teledex Teliphone, formerly Navigata Communications Inc. Williams Telecommunications Corp.

In-Room Entertainment Systems

Bell TV Best Buy Captivate Network CES Distribution DMX Canada InnVue LG Electronics Canada National Entertainment Group Panasonic Canada Inc. PC Music Philips Electronics Ltd. Rogers Comunications Inc. Samsung Electronics Canada Sharp Electronics of Canada Shaw Communications Inc. Sonifi, formerly Lodgenet Technicolor Inc Visions Business Solutions Property Management Systems

Agilysys Inc Autoclerk HMS Infotech Pvt. Ltd.

Telecommunications, A/V, Video Conferencing & VOIP

InnSource Solutions Inc. IQWare Maestro Property Management Solutions Micros Systems, an Oracle company MSI Solutions RSI International SkyTouch Technology Smart Hotel Software Tier One Hospitality Solutions WebRezPro Property Management System Software (Front & Back of the House)

Cheftec / Culinary Software Services Dynamic Digital Technologies East Coast POS Global Payments Canada Inc. Infor Hospitality Systems LOC International Inc. Newmarket International/Newmarket Daylight Onity, a Division of United Technologies Passkey International Inc. PixelPoint Posera - HDX POSERA Inc./ Maitre'D Resortsuite RSI International Scannabar Silverware POS Inc. Squirrel Systems Tier One Hospitality Solutions Travel Click Virtual Visit Presentations Inc. WebRezPro Property Management System

Advanced Products Group Allstream Inc. / Zayo Group Avaya Canada Corp.

Bell TV Canopco, division of Globalive Communications, Corp.

Connex Telecommunications cStar Technologies Inc. Datavalet Technologies Inc. Dvise Telecom Solutions Guest-Tek Hanson Software Development Corporation Horizon Networks Group Instacomm Canada Lenbrook Industries Inc. Logiverbe Inc. Mitel Networks Corp.

Motorola Canada Ltd. PhoneSuite Promoware Corp.

Rogers Comunications Inc. Sasktel Scitec Inc. / Cetis Group Shaw Communications Inc. Sonifi, formerly Lodgenet Sound Products Limited Teledex Teliphone, formerly Navigata Communications Inc. Telus Corporation Virtual Visit Presentations Inc. Visual Planning Corp.

Williams Telecommunications Corp.

Wired & Wireless Networks

Agilysys Inc. Elfiq Networks FatPort, Div of Skyboard Corp Liveport

Silverware

Dudson (North America) Fortessa of Canada Globe Hotelware Agency Inc. Johnson-Rose Inc. Mikasa Hotel & Restaurant Morton-Parker Ltd. Oneida Canada Ltd. Puddifoot Regal Ware Inc. Russell Food Equipment Ltd. Steelite International Canada Ltd. Syracuse China Company, A Libbey Foodservice Company Tableware Solutions Ltd. WWRD Canada Inc

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SALES@CANADIANLODGINGNEWS.COM January 2016 | 1 1

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OINT OF ALE P S

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by Fr

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by Don Douloff

Increasingly sophisticated technology is helping hotel operators manage their guest payment and credit processes more securely and efficiently.

Managing guest-payment systems poses a host of challenges as hotels strive to operate efficiently while keeping guest information secure.

But an explosion of increasingly sophisticated technology — everything from contactless debit-card machines, mobile payment solutions, virtual credit cards and increasingly efficient POS systems, to management and booking systems — is giving hoteliers the tools to surmount these challenges, improve their operations and enhance the guest experience.

Interac.

The sophistication of point-of-sale (POS) systems, for instance, has grown by leaps and bounds. Mississauga-based POS Canada offers POSePAY, which facilitates the integration between the company’s POS systems and the payment processors with whom the company works (Moneris, Pivotal Payments, Chase Paymentech and First Data). With POSePAY, authorizations and approvals are fast, improving customer throughput and server efficiency. On those occasions when Internet service may be unavailable or temporarily interrupted, POSePAY switches over to backup dial mode, ensuring uninterrupted service until Internet connectivity is restored.

A payment method interfaced to the POS system translates to seamless reconciliation and helps properties reduce staff errors, increase customer service and provide accurate tip-outs to staff.

In partnership with Pivotal Payments and

1 2 | Canadian Lodging News

its dedicated integrated payments division, FlexPoint, POS Canada is bringing mobile wallet integration, including Apple Pay and Google’s Android Pay, to the hotel, restaurant and hospitality industries across North America, according to Louis Georgakakis, Pivotal Payments’ director of marketing. The addition of mobile wallet acceptance will help Canadian business owners in these industries streamline their transaction processing, enhance customer service, expand their payment capabilities and protect against payment fraud, said Georgakakis.

APPLE PAY Moreover, Global Payments Inc., a leading worldwide provider of payment technology services, announced in November that it is offering its Canadian merchants the ability to accept American Express mobile payments made with Apple Pay. Apple Pay uses highly secure fingerprint authentication technology, as well as a unique device account number that is assigned, encrypted and safely stored in the secure element of the Apple device, ensuring actual card numbers are not stored on the device or on Apple servers.

Each transaction is authorized with a one-time unique dynamic security code, instead of using the security code on the back of the payment card.

Raising the bar for safeguarding guests’ fi-

Apple Pay.

nancial information are payment solutions providers Elavon and Moneris. In June, Elavon announced a multi-year agreement with Wyndham Hotel Group to integrate secure payment technology for about 4,500 of the company’s hotels during the next 18 months. The integration leverages Elavon’s Fusebox gateway and Simplify payment security software application to remove cardholder data from each hotel’s property management system. Using Fusebox, Elavon’s proprietary gateway solution, hotels mitigate the risk of having cardholder data stolen, since they never have access to the data.

When a customer pays with a credit or debit card for accommodations, goods or services via Elavon’s Simplify payment software, Fusebox immediately creates a token (a randomized number) that replaces the actual cardholder data, essentially isolating the real information from the hotel’s systems.

This layered approach to security includes encryption, tokenization and EMV (major credit card) acceptance devices and helps hotels lessen the risk associated with PCI compliance and the EMV liability shift that occurred in autumn. (As of October, liability for counterfeit card fraud at the retail level will shift to the merchants in certain cases unless they have replaced or upgraded their card acceptance and processing systems to use chip-enabled devices and applications to process payment transactions.)

ORACLE OPERA In both the U.S. and Canadian markets, Moneris integrates the Oracle Opera property management system featuring secure back-end payment hosts, according to Jeff Guthrie, chief sales and relationship officer at Moneris.

A lodging-specific software, Oracle Opera helps hotels manage their day-to-day operations, including reservations, rooms, customer

profiles, reporting and cash registers. Moneris solutions offer top-up payment functionality and process accounting reconciliation, night audits and reservation transactions, and help to manage hotel rates. Additionally, Moneris works with electronic payment solutions provider ACI Worldwide to connect the Oracle Opera software with its payment terminals. This plugin enables hotels to conduct business efficiently through the communication between their business management software and payment processing systems.

Moneris’ back-end payment hosts help ho-

Moneris. tels accept at-the-counter/table, online and over-the-phone transactions. The company’s solutions support EMV chip and PIN, chip and signature, contactless and pay-at-table (in hotel restaurants) processes, which are encrypted based on the highest industry security standards, so that customer credit card data is virtually impossible to duplicate by fraudsters at the time of transaction.

Moneris deploys EMV chip and PIN/signature solutions with property management software like Oracle Opera to many Canadian hotels via the company’s eSelect Plus product and various payment terminals. The company’s technology supports contactless-tap card payments, tokenization encoding for enhanced

data security, supplemental lodging data and incremental authorization.

In addition, Moneris supports a number of hotels North America-wide to process transactions from China’s UnionPay credit card. According to statistics cited by Guthrie, total spending on UnionPay cards has increased by 30.23 per cent compared to the same period in 2014.

INTERAC FLASH On the debit-card front, hotel guests using Interac can take advantage of Interac Flash, which allows guests to pay for smaller point-of-sale purchases (for example, at a hotel’s business centre, restaurant, cafe or spa) by holding their card in front of a contactless POS reader. Instead of magnetic stripe data type processing, Interac Flash uses secure chip processing, which protects transactions against counterfeiting and transaction-replay forms of fraud, including electronic pickpocketing.

Further streamlining transactions is BooknPay, a realtime online reservation system that allows operators to accept bookings with instant payments directly through their website. Through BooknPay, guests benefit from instantly confirmed, credit card-guaranteed reservations at the best rates online, while hotels minimize no-show risk and increase occupancy.

BooknPay enables hotels to update their room allotment and room rates and view the reservation with the extranet to all the hotel’s customers 24/7. With the reservation system, operators avoid third-party commission fees and aren’t restricted to a manually controlled allocation of rooms to sell (via a third-party website). Security features control room availability, preventing overbooking, and protect guests’ financial information.

Gaining traction in recent years are virtual credit cards, commonly used by online travel agents to reimburse hotels for pre-paid or merchant bookings. Growing in popularity, virtual cards are also used by global distribution systems for corporate travel. A virtual card is issued for a specific purpose or reservation that functions similarly to a credit or debit card, but without the physical plastic typically associated with major card networks. Removing the physical nature of a traditional credit card, issuers can generate card numbers dynamically. Typically, a virtual card features a traditional credit card number, but without a physical card; a transaction-specific, one-to-one payment; is supported by existing payment technologies; and is usually single-use only, set to expire after a specific length of time, for a specific expenditure.

HANDLING TRANSACTIONS According to information provided by the Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) trade association, properties struggle to handle these virtual card transac-

tions properly because there is no systematic way to differentiate a virtual card from a standard card based on the information in the reservation, and there are specific business rules related to each payment that are currently being communicated through off-line faxes and emails.

This creates inefficiencies and confusion, resulting in guest service issues and declined payments.

To provide hoteliers best practices, HTNG, in association with the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDA), issued, in September, a virtual payments card handbook. Once the new Virtual Payment Cards Specification standards are implemented around the systems involved, “distributors will no longer have to send faxes or emails to hotels to communicate the business rules for each payment, and hotels will find it much simpler to accept this type of payment,” according to the handbook.

T HE

guest experience

VIRTUAL CREDIT CARD TIPS The handbook offers hoteliers the following tips to manage virtual cards: •

Generate daily or shift reports to identify newlybooked OTA reservations.

•

Establish proper authorization rules and procedures.

•

Collect a form of payment for incidental charges directly from the guest, if applicable.

•

When required, ensure the rate is suppressed for the guest folio and/or create two folios in order to separate the charges on the virtual card from those to be paid by the guest.

•

Upon check-out, provide the guest with only the folio for the incidental charges, if applicable.

•

If the guest calls after check-out to request a copy of the bill for the room and tax, advise the guest to contact the travel company that provided the card directly. Only the charges not included within the virtual card transaction can be shared with the guest.

•

If the hotel does not charge the virtual card within the validity period, the hotel should contact the travel company that provided the card to get a new virtual card, or at least a new validity period.

•

Amended bookings may be accompanied by a new virtual card. Hotels should be careful to use the current and correct virtual card.

Sysco Guest Supply is committed to maximizing the guest experience at your property by offering an extensive line of hospitality products that enable you to provide the ultimate in comfort and convenience.

866-483-7822 • guestsupply.ca Photo Credit: the Ingenico Group

January 2016 | 1 3

PEOPLE share in the spirit of the Society and who appreciate and enjoy wine and fine dining.

Michael Farquharson, hotel manager, Sheraton Centre.

Alexi McGreer, communications coordinator, go2HR.

Daniel Burke, GM, La Pentola Restaurant, OPUS Hotel.

Scott Jocelyn, president and CEO, Manitoba Hotel Assn.

Sheraton Centre Toronto announced on Nov. 5 the appointment of Michael Farquharson as hotel manager. This marks his return to Toronto and Sheraton Centre Toronto after a number of senior hotel leadership positions in North America with Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Farquharson joined Starwood in 2002 and has held a variety of leadership positions with the company in operations.

1 4 | Canadian Lodging News

Bart Carnahan, EVP global business dev., Four Seasons.

Bill Duncan, Hilton’s new global head all-suites brands.

Andrea Hinck, manager, industry HR development, go2HR.

David Han, director of F&B, The Omni King Edward Hotel.

L to R: Fairmont Winnipeg GM Drew Fisher; executive chef Eraj Jayawickreme; and director of F&B Andres Londono.

Elizabeth Randall-Winkle, chief strategy officer, STR.

Peter Nowlan, VP and CMO, Four Seasons Hotels/Resorts.

Fairmont Winnipeg general manager Drew Fisher and executive chef Eraj Jayawickreme were officially inducted into the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs during a special dinner held at the Fairmont Winnipeg on Nov. 8.

For the event, Jayawickreme created an innovative menu, with each dish inspired by “a day in Manitoba.” For instance, ‘dawn’ featured ‘edible stones’ (confit potatoes, hay

aioli and salmon caviar); ‘morning’ brought birch-cured arctic char; ‘afternoon’ served up lamb chop with charred aubergine purée, roasted radish and crispy garbonzo beans; and ‘evening’ featured black sesame cheesecake (black sesame fluid gel, white chocolate moss and white chocolate mousse).

The Chaîne brings together professional and non-professional members from around the world who

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has appointed Bart Carnahan executive vice-president, global business development. Carnahan oversees Four Seasons’ global development efforts. Carnahan joins Four Seasons from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, where he was senior vice-president, acquisitions and development, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Prior to Starwood, Bart spent 18 years with Marriott International in various roles, including his last position as senior vice-president, development.

BC’s tourism industry human resource association, go2HR, announced in mid-November the appointment of Andrea Hinck as manager of industry human resources development and Alexi McGreer, communications coordinator.

Hinck brings more than 25 years’ experience in the tourism and hospitality industry, 10 in human resource management at the operations and corporate levels. She is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) and holds a certificate in leadership coaching and a diploma as a provincial instructor in adult education.

In her role, McGreer coordinates the organization’s communication and marketing initiatives such as media relations, print and online communications, and corporate and program communications. For the past eight years, McGreer has been building her career as a communications and marketing professional. She has experience working in the not-forprofit sector and hospitality industry.

Hilton Worldwide announced on Dec. 11 that it is creating an all-suites brand category to include Embassy Suites by Hilton, Homewood Suites

by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton, and changing its brand leadership roster. Starting this month, Dianna Vaughan will become senior vice-president and global head, DoubleTree by Hilton and will also continue to oversee the Curio brand.

John Greenleaf will be appointed global head, Hilton Garden Inn. Adrian Kurre will be appointed global head, Homewood Suites and Home2 Suites.

Bill Duncan, the new global head, all-suites brands and Embassy Suites by Hilton, will oversee the newly created all-suites division encompassing Embassy Suites by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton. Duncan will also serve as brand manager

for Embassy Suites.

The Omni King Edward, in downtown Toronto, has appointed David Han as director of food and beverage. Han’s career began in Philadelphia at the Sofitel, after which he returned home the Park Hyatt Toronto. He then went with Hyatt to Hong Kong, where he was helped open the 567-room Hyatt Regency.

In 2009, Han returned to Canada to join Casino Rama, in Orillia, Ont., where he held a series of progressive roles during a six-year stint.

Vancouver’s OPUS Hotel has appointed Daniel Burke as general manager of the boutique hotel’s La Pentola Italian restaurant. Burke joins the La Pentola team from Chinatown’s Bao Bei Brasserie, where he served a six-year stint in various roles including general manager. Burke also worked many of restaurants during his travels and spent four years at Gastown’s Chill Winston.

Scott Jocelyn has joined the Manitoba Hotel Association as incoming president and CEO, replacing Jim Baker, who is retiring at the end of the year after serving in the position for 16 years. Jocelyn brings a combined 30 years hospitality industry experience to his new role. For the past 19 years, he served as executive director of the Manitoba Restaurant & Foodservices Association, and prior to that, was a hotel operator.

Hospitality research company STR announced on Nov. 19 that Elizabeth Randall-Winkle has been appointed chief strategy officer, effective Jan. 1, 2016. Replacing Randall-Winkle as managing director at STR Global is Robin Rossmann, formerly a senior director at Deloitte London. Prior to being appointed managing director at STR Global in 2009, Randall-Winkle served as the company’s director of operations.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts announced on Dec. 8 that Peter Nowlan will be vice-president and chief marketing officer, effective Jan. 20, 2016.

Nowlan succeeds Susan Helstab, who, after more than 28 years with Four Seasons, will be leaving at the end of 2015.

Nowlan most recently served as chief brand and marketing officer at Tim Hortons Inc. Prior to joining Tim Hortons, Nowlan was chief commercial officer for Molson Coors Canada.

He also spent 17 years with Kraft Foods, where he held senior leadership roles throughout Canada, the U.S. and the Asia Pacific region.

THE WINNERS’ CIRCLE

Sukhdev Toor, developer of the year.

Manga Hotels, Sukhdev Toor DoubleTree developer of the year HALIFAX, NS— Manga Hotels has earned the DoubleTree by Hilton Developer of the Year award for The Hollis, an all-suite hotel in the heart of Halifax, it was announced in late October. An extensive $8 million renovation transformed an 18-year-old downtown Halifax hotel space into The Hollis Halifax – a DoubleTree Suites by Hilton, an upscale, nine-storey, boutique-like property. The hotel is a first fullservice for the Hilton brand in Nova Scotia.

Formerly a Radisson property, The Hollis Halifax – a DoubleTree Suites by Hilton is owned and managed by Manga Hotels.

The renovation had its share of difficulties.

“We shut down the entire hotel and that helped us expedite the construction and renovation process,” Sukhdev Toor, president and CEO of Manga Hotels, said in a release. “The site was very tight and difficult and required exact maneuvering. Due to the intensity and extent of the renovations the project went over budget, but in the end the extra costs were worth it as the project turned out very successfully.” In October, the team received the award from Hilton.

The Hollis features 120 oversized suites, with many offering views of Halifax Harbour, just one block from the waterfront. Each room features a separate seating area, 42-inch HDTV, a spacious desk, a wet bar, and bathroom with rain shower and high-end toiletries. On-site dining options include the award-winning Ryan Duffy’s Steak & Seafood Restaurant, while on the beverage side, the lobby’s lounge offers cocktails, appetizers and local and international wines.

Westin Edmonton chef wins chowder chowdown CALGARY — Chef Ryan O’Flynn of Share Restaurant at the Westin Edmonton won the 2015 Vancouver Aquarium Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown at a mid-November battle between Alberta’s top Ocean Wise chefs held at the Hyatt Regency Calgary.

In the fierce but friendly battle, 13 partner restaurants competed to have their sustainable chowder recipe take home the top prize at the annual Vancouver Aquarium competition.

Taking first prize was O’Flynn’s West Coast Prairie Chowder, featuring sustainably farmed white sturgeon and locally foraged ingredients,

Dorothy Dowling, Best Western Int’l. which was also named People’s Choice winner by the roomful of more than 300 guests.

The award for Best Pairing of chowder and beer went to Chef Quinn Staple of Calgary’s Yellow Door Bistro for his Crab Coconut Corn Chowder matched with a session ale from The Grizzly Paw Brewing Company.

This year’s judging panel included Buzz Bishop, broadcaster and writer; Dan Clapson, food writer, EatNorth.com; chef Michael Allemeier; John Gilchrist, food writer; and David Crowfoot, Albion Fisheries.

Mandy Uppal (left) of CBVI Toronto receives his award from Vantage’s Roger Bloss. winning awards this year. It’s a credit to every member on staff, from the general manager to the housekeepers, that their dedication and hard work resulted in such prestigious awards,” said Roger Bloss, president & CEO of Vantage Hospitality, parent company of Canadas Best Value Inn and Americas Best Value Inn.

BW’s Dorothy Dowling among world’s most influential CMOs PHOENIX — Best Western International announced on Nov. 11 that Dorothy Dowling, senior vice-president of marketing and sales, for Best Western Hotels & Resorts, was named the 18th most influential chief marketing officer in the world, in the Forbes/ScribbleLive/LinkedIn’s 4th Annual CMO Influence Study.

Dowling, who has jumped to 18th in the rankings, from 27th (in 2014), is the third highest ranked female CMO on the list and is one of just two hotel marketing leaders on this year’s list. In addition, Dowling and Apple’s Phil Schiller were both named to the list of top 10 influencers on the subject of global marketing.

Canadas Best Value Inns winners — Toronto and St. Catharines LAS VEGAS — Canadas Best Value Inn properties in Toronto and St. Catharines, Ont. received awards last month during the gala dinner and awards banquet at Vantage Hospitality Group’s 16th annual International Educational Conference & Trade Show in Las Vegas.

The Canadas Best Value Inn in Toronto won a “Best of the Best” award for Overall Excellence for hotels with less than 60 rooms.

The CBVI in St. Catharines won a “Best of the Best” award for Best Lobby Presentation for hotels with less than 60 rooms.

The CBVI in Toronto was also a recipient of the prestigious “500 Club” award, which is presented each year to Canadas Best Value Inn, Americas Best Value Inn and Lexington hotels that achieve a perfect score in their quality assurance inspection, maintenance, appearance, life safety issues, lobby and marketing.

“I would like to commend the Canadas Best Value Inns in Toronto and St. Catharines for

Guide dog puppy in training, Miguel.

Super 8 Calgary sponsors three guide dogs in training CALGARY — The Super 8 Calgary Shawnessy announced in late November that it is participating in the BC & Alberta Guide Dogs Puppy Sponsorship Program, which breeds, raises and professionally trains guide dogs for the blind/ visually impaired as well as autism support dogs for children aged three to 10.

To that end, the hotel has sponsored three dogs: Spruce and Lucas, Golden Retriever Labrador crosses, both born in 2015 and living in Calgary with their puppy trainers for 16 months, and Miguel, born Oct. 14, who, in mid-December, was to be placed with his puppy trainers for 16 months. During the 16-month period, the three dogs will undergo extensive training to familiarize them to crowds, elevators, escalators, construction and public transit.

Dogs in the program wear a ‘puppy in training’ jacket giving them access to anywhere humans can go, and attend obedience classes every two weeks with other puppies in the training program, all designed to ensure each dog has the best opportunity for success.

Young Hoteliers Summit GUELPH, TORONTO, Ont. — Samir Dewji and Nicole Chan of Guelph’s School of Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management (HFTM), will be heading to Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland for the Young Hoteliers Summit.

Ryerson has decided to send two students, Jimmy Quach and Brenda Pais, to the YHS in March, Frederic Dimanche, director of the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management told CLN. The Young Hoteliers Summit – 7th edition will take place in 2016, keeping up to its mission of creating a communicative platform to bridge the gap between world leaders of hospitality and aspiring young talent while positively influencing recruitment and employment opportunities for the youth as it has every year at the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland.

The global summit is held over three days and is proudly organized by the students of the establishment. The delegates are students, nominated from top hospitality management schools spanning the globe.

Through creativity challenges, keynote speakers, panels, focus groups and workshops YHS seeks to provide a unique and profitable setting for all stakeholders in the hospitality industry.

Top: Ryerson’s Jimmy Quach and Brenda Pais. Bottom: Guelph competitors Elliot Rodger, Yonnie Wong, Seayunn Tan, Lauren Chan, Nicole Chan and Samir Dewji.

January 2016 | 1 5

First Delta outside Canada

Understanding clients

BETHESDA, Md. — The first Delta hotel outside Canada, located in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., takes Delta’s laser focus on what’s important to travellers and gives it a Disney flavour, according to Marriott’s Paul Cahill, global brand leader Delta Hotels & Resorts and area vice-president of operations, Canada.

This 241-room Delta Orlando Lake Buena Vista, located right next to Downtown Disney, was to open last month and will be operated under a franchise agreement by JHM Hotels. It’s going to be a business hotel but will also have a significant leisure component, including things not found in Canadian Deltas, such as a pirate ship and splash zone for kids.

“At the same time, we feel the

MONTREAL — Jacinthe Ladouceur is vice-president and general manager of American Express Global Business Travel (GBT), based in Montreal.

A 22-year veteran of American Express Global Business Travel, Ladouceur has held several senior and executive positions in Canada within the organization.

In recent months, GBT Canada recently launched an innovative traveller tracking tool as well as a unique unused ticket solution. The company was also selected as the official travel provider for the 2017 Canada Summer Games, assisting with end-toend booking and providing 24/7 support for travellers including thousands of athletes, coaches, officials, employees and volunteers.

American Express Global Business Travel provides end-to-end corporate travel and meetings program management – for companies of all sizes and across all industries – through best-in-class booking technology, smart analytics, worldwide strategic partnerships and exceptional care.

Paul Cahill.

Pirate ship at Delta Orlando Lake Buena Vista. warm, caring, genuine hospitality of Delta will play out well for us. We take that and ask what it would mean if a traveller is on business or leisure in Orlando.”

Cahill stressed that Delta is all about prioritizing and simplifying the customer experience, focusing on what the modern traveller needs and wants, and eliminating things that keep them from maintaining momentum when travelling. He calls the concept “smart value.”

“Most people are capable of managing their own luggage,” Cahill said.

“For the frequent business traveller, bellman service can be a distraction.”

Similarly, in-room food delivery can be a distraction if guests order room service and are forced to wait 30 min-

utes for it to arrive. They want their food in 10 or 15 minutes, and they want it the way they eat food on the road — not necessarily with fine china and clunky carts.

“We want to elevate what’s important, and we’re taking a real discerning approach,” Cahill said.

“The bar is critically important to business travellers’ rituals, whether they’re working in groups or by themselves. It needs to be dialled up and it needs to be table service.”

Marriott has two more Delta deals approved, including one in Dallas, Tex., and others in the pipeline. “Several are very near to completion,” said Cahill. “We bought the brand to grow it and we’re looking at multiple locations and lots of markets.”

Jacinthe Ladouceur.

“We provide great business insights on spending and travel behaviour for Canadian hotels. Hotels can explore our data to understand their clients,” Ladouceur said.

“We have access to all booking and geographical data that can help hotels gain a deeper understanding of their customers’ travel preferences and needs. They can see exactly how and when companies are spending their corporate dollars and come up with a pricing strategy to better serve their customers.”

TIAPEI Conference

Radisson development director

Phil Silberstein.

MINNEAPOLIS — Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has appointed Jolene Reid director of development for Canada. Reid is based in Halifax, N.S., and reports to Phil Silberstein, executive vice-president, development, Americas.

“Jolene brings an extensive background in franchising to Carlson Rezidor and a proven track record in business development,” said Silberstein. “We have aggressive goals for growth in Canada and Jolene will be an asset in allowing us to achieve those goals.”

“Canada is an extremely important market for us in the Americas,” Silberstein told CLN. “It makes a very significant difference to have a Canadian national within the market.”

Sean Shannon is still vice-president of development for Canada, and he and Reid will work in concert

1 6 | Canadian Lodging News

Jolene Reid. throughout the country, Silberstein said.

Reid will focus on the growth of all Carlson Rezidor brands, including Country Inns and Suites by Carlson in the upper midscale sector and Radisson Red, the lifestyle select brand that has “incredible opportunity to grow,” he added.

“We think we have a great vehicle for new construction with our new construction Generation 4 Country Inns and Suites prototype, which is a sleek take on our midscale offering,” said Reid, noting that the brand already has good penetration in Canada.

“It also serves well for conversion in that market segment.”

A Gen 4 Country Inn and Suites is currently under development in Belleville, Ont., and should be finished in the second quarter of 2016.

Silberstein added that the company still has great plans for other Carlson Rezidor brands, including Radisson Blu in the upper upscale category, Radisson in the upscale category and Park Inn in the midscale category.

Carlson Rezidor has 15 core Radisson brand properties in Canada. Reid says she is “very bullish” on the brand and that it lends itself to both new build and conversion.

Canada currently has three Park Inns, two in the Toronto area and one in Vancouver.

Silberstein noted that there are opportunities for Radisson Blu in urban centres such as Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton, but it takes a long time to secure those types of deals.

Prior to joining Carlson Rezidor, Reid launched a successful chain of spa franchises in Canada, and also retained a Canadian master territory license for a global automotive services franchise. She was previously director of development for Travelodge Canada, where she focused on growing the brand in Quebec and the Maritime provinces.

“My goal is to make Carlson brands top contenders for properties that are rebranding or building — to make sure we’re on their radar. I want to make sure we’re in every urban centre, with equal representation across the board nationally.”

Pam Mood delivered the keynote.

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI – The Tourism Industry Association of PEI hosted its annual general meeting on Nov. 27 at the Delta Prince Edward in Charlottetown.

The TIAPEI Annual Business Meeting included reports, presentation of audited financial statements and the election of three board members at large. The three new board members at large include: Corryn Morrissey from the Harbour Authority, Rose Dennis from TechnoMedia and Robert Jourdain, Little York B&B. Pam Mood, international speaker and mayor of Yarmouth, delivered the keynote presentation about engaging industry.

The event also featured a panel discussion about today’s changing business environment. The panel consisted of Kevin Murphy (president, Murphy Group), Mark MacDonald (president and chief executive officer of Bay Ferries Limited

& Northumberland Ferries Limited) and Perry Gotell (owner, Tranquility Cove Adventures).

There were presentations from Tourism PEI who unveiled the 2016 marketing plan, Tourism PEI also reviewed the 2014/15 tourism indicators, Charlottetown Harbour Authority presented about the cruise ship industry, and Minister of Economic Development and Tourism Heath MacDonald gave a luncheon presentation.

The 2015 TIAPEI Tourism & Hospitality scholarship was presented during the lunch to recipients Meaghan Arsenault and Laura MacEwen.

Tourism is a vital industry in Prince Edward Island that provides over 7,300 full-time equivalent jobs for Islanders. It accounts for approximately $401 million in economic activity each year and seven per cent of GDP, the highest percentage of any Canadian province.

OPENINGS, SALES AND RENOS Days Inn tally grows with openings in Winkler, Sherwood Pk. TORONTO — On Dec. 1, Realstar Hospitality officially opened Days Inn Conference Centre Winkler, Man., which has 81 rooms and suites plus 10,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space.

George Klassen of George K Catering will operate the facility and he noted that he and his team are available to assist event planners in organizing details, including accommodations at Days Inn Winkler, 100 km southwest of Winnipeg.

Realstar Hospitality also announced on Dec. 3 the opening of a Days Inn & Suites in Sherwood Park, Alta., just outside Edmonton.

Located at 201 Palisades Way, close to Millennium Place and Strathcona Science Provincial Park, the hotel features 118 suites in three different styles (queen, double-queen and one-bedroom). Each suite includes laminate flooring, granite countertops, living area with couch and sofa bed, flat-screen TVs, eating table, work desk and dressing area.

Under Realstar Hospitality’s leadership, the Days Inn portfolio continued to grow, with over 660 rooms added across Canada in 2015. Coupled with Sherwood Park, Realstar Hospitality openings include Days Inn - Whitehorse (99-room conversion); Days Inn & Suites – Lindsay, Ont. (73-room new build); Days inn – Vermilion, Alta. (42-room conversion); Days Inn Montreal East (81-room conversion); Days Inn – Terrace, B.C. (58-room conversion); Days Inn – Blainville, Que. (87-room conversion); Days inn - Sylvan Lake, Alta. (40room conversion); and Days Inn & Conference Centre – Renfrew, Ont. (65-room conversion).

Holiday Inn Halifax sold to Manga for $5.5 million TORONTO — Colliers International Hotels announced on Nov. 25 that the 196room Holiday Inn Halifax Harbourview, in Dartmouth, N.S., has been sold to Manga Hotels for $5.5 million on behalf of InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust.

Centrally situated at the base of the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge, the hotel provides convenient access to downtown Halifax. In addition, the property offers more than 14,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, and features a seasonal outdoor pool and courtyard area, full-service restaurant, fitness club and business centre.

According to published press reports, Manga has committed $6.5 million to upgrade the hotel’s guestrooms, lobby and meeting rooms and building exterior, with a projected renovation timeline of eight to 10 months.

Days Inn and Conference Centre, Winkler, Man.

(L-R): Joe Drummond, general manager, DoubleTree London; London Mayor Matt Brown; Michael Rapps, chairman of the board, Holloway Lodging Corp.

• •

Five Staybridge Suites, 480 rooms.

Two Candlewood Suites, 189 rooms.

DoubleTree London launches with Nov. 2 ribbon cutting LONDON, Ont. — About 40 people, including dignitaries, hotel industry executives and local business luminaries celebrated the launch of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London at a Nov. 2 ribbon cutting.

Among those attending the ribbon cutting, which began at 11:30 a.m. and lasted until after 1:30 p.m., were London Mayor Matt Brown; Michael Rapps, chairman of the board of Holloway Lodging Corp.; and

Kate Young, newly elected MP for London West. Following the ribbon cutting, the group convened in the hotel for a champagne toast, then retired to the Prime Minister’s suite for a light lunch.

The property rebranded as a DoubleTree after operating as a Hilton for 15 years. Prior to that, the hotel had operated under the Radisson and Westin banners after launching as a Holiday Inn almost 40 years ago.

Also heralding the rebranding was a 12-month renovation, of more than $10 million, that “completely repositioned the property, making it more contemporary,”

according to general manager Joe Drummond.

As Drummond noted, the refurbishment modernized the public areas and all 323 guestrooms, and installed a new restaurant, Blakes, that is “more contemporary and relaxed, yet elegant.”

The largest convention hotel in Ontario west of Mississauga, Ont., according to Drummond, the DoubleTree London, located downtown at King and Wellington Streets, features 30,000 square feet of meeting space and is connected by skywalk to the London Convention Centre.

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IHG’s Canadian pipeline The IHG pipeline in Canada totals 31 hotels and 3,677 rooms as of Sept. 30, 2015.

This includes the following: • One Crowne Plaza, 150 rooms.

• Five Holiday Inns, 881 rooms.

• 18 Holiday Inn Express, 1,977 rooms.

Holiday Inn Halifax, which was sold to Manga.

Whether the project calls for new construction or renovation, get fit or retrofit with Kaba.

January 2016 | 1 7

D E s i G N F E aT u r E

Revamped rooms of W Montreal MONTREAL — W Hotels Worldwide, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Worldwide, Inc., has unveiled the restyled rooms and suites of W Montréal. This marks the first full-scale renovation of the hotel’s 152 guestrooms and suites since W Montréal first burst onto the scene in 2004.

Reimagined by Starwood’s award-winning design team, the renovation reflects the duality of the iconic city, where historic culture is undercut by an edgy, cosmopolitan scene. The hotel itself stands between the city’s bustling financial district and historic Old Montréal, inviting double takes at every turn.

“W Montréal’s rooms and suites have been reimagined to reflect the iconic architecture and culture of Montréal, pulling further inspiration from the 24/7 energy of the W brand DNA,” said Anthony Ingham, global brand leader, W Hotels Worldwide.

“With head-turning new design and special touches at every turn, this renovation is the latest shining example of our strategy to ensure W Hotels around the world continue to deliver dynamic lifestyle experiences to our guests.”

Previously both a French trading post and an English colony, the island city of Montréal sits at the centre of what’s old and new. The renovation captures Montréal’s energy and its position as one of the most European cities in North America.

In addition, the design draws upon local insights, such as Montréal’s underground culture and the hotel’s proximity to Old Montreal. Together, these themes combine to create a guest experience that is uniquely W Montréal.

Guests are first greeted by gold accents in the corridors that speak to the building’s former life as a bank. This gilded story continues into the guestrooms and suites, which also feature stunning white murals that highlight the architecture of Old Port and give the space incredible light.

The bathrooms and fitting areas are designed to suit the needs of the fashionable jetsetter, with mirrored closet doors that open up to become tri-fold dressing mirrors and interiors that provide ample

TOP 6 LisT Amadeus lists top six future traveller tribes for 2030 By 2030, forecasts predict there will be an extra billion people in the world, of which 20 per cent will be travelling. So who will be the travellers of the future and what will they want and expect from their travel experiences?

Future Traveller Tribes 2030, a report commissioned by global travel technology company, Amadeus, and written by consumer trends consultancy The Future Foundation, reveals how the travel landscape is evolving and the types of travellers that are expected to rise in prominence during the next 15 years.

The free, downloadable report unveils six categories of “Traveller Tribes” that are set to emerge or grow based around traveller desires, needs and behaviours instead of traditional demographics such as gender or age:

space to organize and display one’s wardrobe. The closets stand adjacent to the open-concept bathrooms that provide stunning city views while in the soaking tub or glass shower.

The focal point of each room and suite is the cocktail corner and Mix Bar, a key design element and nod to W’s love and legacy of cocktail culture. Bathed in light, backed by mirrors and highlighted by a yellow accent, the bar is a freestanding focal point in many of the rooms and suites, lending a social vibe that brings the excitement of the hotel’s many lounges and bars up to the guestrooms. Low lounge seating, cocktail tables and W’s signature bed,

draped in black fur throws, framed with LED strip lights and floating on a mirrored base, comprise the rest of the space.

Other highlights include television units that are rendered in mirror and shaped like a fireplace mantel, as well as Artemide Tolomeo lamps that are framed in ceiling medallions and mounted vertically on mirrored surfaces to create nightstands and desk lamps.

Custom wall coverings with a faux marble print background and graphic representations of oversized architectural mouldings come together to blend Gothic, rococo and neoclassical influencers through the whimsical lens of W.

1. Social Capital Seekers: Structure their holidays almost exclusively with online audiences in mind, relying heavily on peer reviews and recommendations to validate their decisions.

2. Cultural Purists: Look at time away as a chance to immerse themselves in a different – even uncomfortably so – culture, where enjoyment of their break depends on the authenticity of the experience.

3. Ethical Travellers: Make travel plans based on moral grounds, for example, decreasing their carbon footprint or improving the lives of others.

4. Simplicity Searchers: Seek ease and transparency and enjoy their vacations without the stress of organizing them. These travellers are eager for restful vacations and are happy to take bundled offers rather than managing every detail themselves.

5. Obligation Meeters: Driven by a specific purpose for travel, whether business or leisure, and thus have constraints on time and budget.

6. Reward Hunters: Primarily interested in indulgent travel, craving something that represents an extraordinary reward or ‘must have’ premium experience.

These travellers seek a return on their hard-earned investment of time and energy in their working lives.

The comprehensive report findings are based on interviews with leading futurologists, travel industry experts and travellers around the world.

Travellers who want to find out what Tribe they most align with can take Amadeus’ short online quiz.

An Amadeus survey of 800 U.S. travellers revealed that most respondents (67 per cent) identified with Simplicity Searchers.

The online quiz can be found at www.amadeus.com

COMiNG EVENTs Feb. 28-March 1, 2016: Restaurants Canada Show, Enercare Centre, Toronto. Contact: Natalie Mestnik. Tel.: 416-649-4237. Email: Nmestnik@restaurantscanada.org. Website: restaurantscanada.org

taurant Operators Summit (CROS). Hockey Hall of Fame and Hilton Toronto Hotel. Contact: Orie Berlasso. Tel.: 866-887-4453. E-mail: Orieberlasso@bigpictureconferences.ca. Websites: restaurantinvest.ca, restaurantoperator.ca

Feb. 29-March 1, 2016: Hotel Association of Canada’s National Conference. Hilton Toronto Hotel. Contact: Orie Berlasso. Tel.: 866-887-4453. E-mail: Orieberlasso@bigpictureconferences.ca. Website: hacconference.ca

March 1-3, 2016: Hospitality Newfoundland & Labrador 2016 Conference & Trade Show. St. John’s, N.L. Contact: Tania Heath.

Tel. 709-722-2000, ext. 224. Website: hnl.ca

March 1-2, 2016: Canadian Restaurant Investment Summit (CRIS) and Canadian Res-

1 8 | Canadian Lodging News

April 17-19, 2016: Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association Convention and Tradeshow, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Contact: Jor-

dan Mckay. Tel.: 780-436-6112, E-mail: Jmckay@ahla.ca. Website: ahla.ca/convention-andtrade-show April 24-26, 2016: ApEx trade show, Cunard Centre, Halifax. Contact: Chuck Nervick. Tel. 416-512-8186, ext. 227. Fax: 416512-8344. E-mail: Chuckn@mediaedge.ca.

Website: apextradeshow.ca April 27-29, 2016: Travel Gay Canada LGBT Tourism Conference. Delta Winnipeg Hotel. Contact: Colin Sines. Tel. 866 300-7556.

Website: travelgaycanada.com

May 12-13, 2016: Saskatchewan Hotel & Hospitality Association Convention & Trade Show, Delta Bessborough, Saskatoon. Contact: Warren Nerby. Tel.: 306-522-1664, ext. 2.

Fax: 306-525-1944. E-mail: Wnerby@sasktel. net. Website: skhha.com May 16-17, 2016: Canadian Hotel Investment Conference. Fairmont Royal York & Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Contact: Orie Berlasso. Tel.: 866-887-4453. E-mail: Orieberlasso@bigpictureconference.ca. Website: hotelinvest.ca.

CONFERENCE FEB 29 + MARCH 1, 2016 Hilton Toronto Hotel The HAC Conference provides best practices for hotel leadership at the property level.

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AWARD RECIPIENTS

HAC HALL OF FAME AWARDS SPONSORS

✦ Humanitarian Award Winner: Scott Allison, Marriott Hotels of Canada ✦ Human Resources Award Winner: Carolyn J. Clark, FRHI Hotels & Resorts ✦ Green Key Energy & Environment Award Winner: The Pemberton Valley Hotel ✦ Green Key Meetings Award: The International Centre

2015-12-18 2:32 PM

WHY I CHOOSE WYNDHAM HOTEL GROUP TO BE MY PARTNER “My relationship with Wyndham Hotel Group began in 1992 with a single Super 8 in Calgary. Since then we have opened more than 150 Super 8 hotels and have recently added Microtel to our portfolio. We worked together to develop a prototype that was good for Canada, and Wyndham Hotel Group was very receptive to our input. Throughout this partnership they have been consistent, supportive and understanding of our goals. With plans to open 75 more Microtels in Canada over the next 25 years, our future is firmly with Wyndham Hotel Group.”

Marc Staniloff President and CEO Superior Lodging Corp.

Calgary, Canada

For further information call (888) 223-4680 or visit us at www.whgdevelopment.com This is not an offer. Federal and certain state laws regulate the offer and sale of franchises. An offer will only be made in compliance with those laws and regulations, which may require we provide you with a Franchise Disclosure Document, a copy of which can be obtained by contacting Wyndham Hotel Group at 22 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ 07054. All hotels are independently owned and operated with the exception of certain hotels managed or owned by an affiliate of the company. © 2016 Wyndham Hotel Group, LLC. All rights reserved.