Canadian Lodging News - September 2013

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LodgingNews

September 2013 Vol. 10 No. 7

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JOE BATT’S ARM, NL—On Fogo Island, there are seven seasons, says Zita Cobb, visionary behind the Fogo Island Inn, which opened May 15.

Summer, which consists of July and August, is in her opinion the least interesting season—it doesn’t have the same drama as the others.

September and October are berry season, with 16 kinds of edible berries available on the island.

November or fall is the time of the big gales, when the island experiences the full force of the North Atlantic.

December, January and February are winter.

Cobb’s favourite season is ice season in March, when pack ice comes down from Greenland, and behind it, icebergs which last until June.

April and May are spring, when plants come back to life and the snow retreats, and June is known as trap berth month, when locals traditionally drew lots for fishing berths. “It can be like spring or summer—it’s a very dramatic time,” Cobb notes.

“The local people think I’m nuts—they say there are way more than seven seasons.”

An Inn for seven seasons

Fogo Island’s seven seasons are the subject of a poem written by Fogo Island Inn visionary and Shorefast foundation president Zita Cobb. They are also commemorated in a detailed hooked rug made locally, which graces the entrance of the new Fogo Island Inn near Joe Batt’s Arm, NL.

Bar at the Inn

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Local crafts in each guestroom

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Is Canada ready for a Euro-style Marriott?

Marriott Canada‘s Michael Beckley says new brand will “blow the competition out of the water.”

Continued on page 8

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

Tim Oldfield: The new look of Comfort MISSISSAUGA, ON—It’s an important time for the Comfort brand as Choice Hotels Canada continues to execute its “improve or remove” strategy.

Over the next two years, Comfort will undergo a $65-million facelift at 85 properties, and it’s already underway.

It’s definitely the largest scale renovation program in the history of Choice Hotels Canada, Tim Oldfield, managing director franchise performance told CLN in an interview last month.

“We’re fortunate, owners of Comfort branded assets are engaged and see value in improving the guest experience,” said Oldfield. “Specifically our largest franchisee InnVest, by the end of 2014, expects to renovate

M688_FranchiseDevelopmentAd_CLN.indd 1

61 hotels—approximately 30 in 2013 and the balance in 2014—at a cost of about $45 million.”

That means that more than half— 58 per cent—of the 147 Comfort hotels open in Canada will be renovated by the end of 2014.

More than $750,000 will be put into each property that is scheduled for upgrades, Oldfield said.

These renovations are quite separate from the $40 million in funding Choice Hotels International president and CEO Steve Joyce announced at the brand conference in May. “That was an exciting announcement for U.S. franchisees but we’re starting from a different place in Can-

Tim Oldfield

ada,” said Oldfield. “And while the $40 million investment that Choice Hotels International is putting towards U.S. Comforts is not available to our properties, the investment that we’re talking about will significantly update the Comfort portfolio in Canada.”

By the numbers More than 8,000 rooms will be renovated over the two year period.

And while renovations have just started in earnest, the early results from the first few completions are encouraging. “We’re seeing a bump in occupancy and almost 10 per cent lift in rate,” Oldfield said.

Continued on page 14

This is Economy Lodging.

This is Motel 6.

Delta plans to own the 4-star full-service market

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Ken Greene speaks out on how extensive renovations are revitalizing what used to be a “dusty brand.”

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The Annu

2013 TOP 65 CHAINS REPORT

The Annual Report on Leading Hotel Companies

Pull-out guide to Canada’s hotels

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Choice has topped 300 hotels, Best Western opened its 200th property, and Days Inns plans its 100th unit it Calgary.

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Marriott imports European AC brand

By Colleen Isherwood, Editor MISSISSAUGA, ON—Marriott International is importing a brand from Europe that will “knock the socks off the competition, if there is any,” according to Michael Beckley, senior VP for Marriott Hotels in Canada.

Marriott introduced AC Hotels by Marriott at the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference last month, and since then the uptake has been enthusiastic. In the first month, eight U.S. locations have been approved in Chicago, Cincinnati, San Diego, Greenville, SC, San Francisco, Tucson, New Orleans and Raleigh, NC. “The level of interest has been phenomenally high,” says Manlio Marescotti, VP Marriott International. Beckley and Marescotti envision a dozen or more AC Hotels, one or more in each of Canada’s nine major urban centres.

“It’s a stylish hotel for urban spirits,” says Beckley, adding that it would fit perfectly in Vancouver’s Gastown or Toronto’s entertainment district. “Part of the concept is to have the hotel as a hub. We’re looking at beverage and food, not food and beverage. There’s a social bar

with tapas-type food, rather than a restaurant.

The idea is that guests would explore the area, but then come back into the same type of atmosphere that they experienced outside.”

Designed to compete in the upper midscale sector occupied by Courtyard by Marriott and SpringHill Suites by Marriott, AC hotels is nevertheless quite different from those brands.

“It’s European stylish, focused on gen Y and the millennials. There are a number of companies and a number of independents that have tried to do this, but they don’t have Marriott behind them,” says Beckley. “The interesting thing is that although the design is classic European with simple, clean lines, the operating model is more along the lines of a Courtyard than a fullservice hotel.”

Hotels range in size from 80 to 150 keys, at an estimated cost of $114,000-$150,000 per key.

Marriott International and AC Hotels formed a joint venture in 2011. Founded in 1998 by Antonio Catalán, AC Hotels has 79 properties located in Spain, Italy, France and Portugal.

Over the last two years, Marriott International has developed a more global focus.

John Caneco, general manager of Element Vaughan Southwest, demonstrates how to charge your iPhone while using the stationary bicycle in the hotel’s fitness centre. Right: Element guestroom showing bed and lounge areas.

There’s an electric vehicle charging station, which is available both to guests and non-guests who need to charge their cars.

Inside, floor to ceiling windows surround the building, letting in natural light. The lobby is residential in feel, with eating and lounging areas separated only by a low-slung wall. A courtyard with Napoleon barbecues, picnic areas, benches and a garden with grass and flowers are visible through the windows.

“When you’re sitting there, you forget where you are,” says general manager John Caneco, of Atlific. He moved across the parking lot to open

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Wahlberg brothers bring burger joint to SoHo Metropolitan Hotel

AC Hotel in Porto, Portugal

“There’s a opportunity to double or triple our size on a global basis,” said Beckley, adding that 70 per cent of hotels outside North America are unbranded. And while part of the global mandate is to export Marriott brands from North America to other countries, another part of the initiative is to import brands to North America.

First Starwood Element opens in Canada

VAUGHAN, ON—At Canada’s first Element hotel in Vaughan, ON, you can charge your iPhone by pedalling one of the stationary bikes in the fitness centre. It’s just one of the green features of the 152-suite, extended stay property, the first of this Starwood brand outside of the U.S. Element is the first chain to mandate LEED certification for its hotels.

The green focus is evident as you drive through the parking lot, where prime spots are reserved for wheelchairs, but also for lowemission, energy-efficient and carpool vehicles.

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the Element Vaughan Southwest, after opening and running the adjacent Holiday Inn Express, another Atlific-managed property for five years.

“It’s a retreat area, tranquil and relaxing.”

Caneco adds that Element targets the healthconscious extended stay guest, with a target demographic of 28 to 50-year-olds. Extended stay guests consist of people who have relocated not only to Vaughan, but also to surrounding areas.

On the weekends, the hotel caters to families visiting nearby attractions such as Canada’s Wonderland and Legoland.

“Vaughan is a great city for this hotel, not only because of the businesses at the heart of it, but also because it’s the fastest-growing city in Canada,” says Dan Young, public relations manager for Starwood. Vaughan’s population is more than 280,000.

Element Vaughan Southwest is just one of four Starwood openings this summer. Starwood also opened the Four Points by Sheraton Kelowna Airport, the Four Points Edmundston, NB and the Four Points Edmonton Airport.

“That brings us to 64 hotels in Canada,” said Young. “It’s a big growth year for us.” The other two hotels slated to open this year are the Aloft Calgary University and Four Points by Sheraton in Waterloo, ON.

TORONTO—A U.S. burger chain launched by the Wahlberg brothers: Mark, Donnie and Paul, has made the move into Canada, starting with Toronto’s SoHo Metropolitan Hotel. Wahlburgers Canada is a collaboration between the founding brothers—Mark and Donnie were members of 90s pop groups Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch and New Kids on the Block—and continued on to acting careers – and Starwood Group president Bruce Greenberg, executive chairman of Difference Capital Michael Wekerle and Henry Wu, president of Metropolitan Hotels.

“My brothers and I are thrilled to announce the opening of our Canadian location at the SoHo Metropolitan Hotel,” said Paul Wahlberg, executive chef of Wahlburgers in an Aug. 28 release. “Having spent a lot of time in the city, we have a strong connection to Toronto and appreciate the vibrant food culture. The Toronto Wahlburgers location will help build on that by using local purveyors to bring our menu to life.”

Wahlburgers first opened in 2011 in Hingham, MA, offering made-to-order burgers with a focus on local ingredients, which will continue in the Toronto location, according to the release. Similar to the restaurant’s menu in the U.S., specialty orders include a BBQ Bacon Burger, Thanksgiving Burger and Our Burger—a traditional burger topped with the brand’s signature Wahl sauce.

The Canadian location, the first expansion in North America, will house a sports bar, dining area and QSR station, within the 92-room luxury hotel in Toronto’s Entertainment District.

CORRECTION The statement “The iPads, from a company called GuestDriven, provide an interactive website,” which appeared in the article about the Grand Winnipeg Airport Hotel in June CLN, is incorrect. Apple owns and manufactures iPads, not Guest Driven.

GuestDriven will provide software on the iPads which guests can use to order services and amenities as well as explore the area surrounding the property. These iPads have security features which will prevent guests from taking them off property. CLN regrets the errors.

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LodgingNews www.canadianlodgingnews.com Editor Colleen Isherwood ext. 231 cisherwood@canadianlodgingnews.com Senior Contributing Editor Leslie Wu ext. 227 lwu@canadianrestaurantnews.com Contributing Editors Marni Andrews marni@trolltales.com Larry Mogelonsky larry@lma.ca Elaine Anselmi ext. 226 eanselmi@canadianlodgingnews.com Kristen Smith ext. 238 ksmith@canadianlodgingnews.com Senior Account Manager Debbie McGilvray ext. 233 dmcgilvray@canadianlodgingnews.com Account Manager Kim Kerr ext. 229 kkerr@canadianlodgingnews.com Production Stephanie Giammarco sgiammarco@canadianlodgingnews.com Circulation Manager Don Trimm ext. 228 dtrimm@canadianrestaurantnews.com Controller Tammy Turgeon ext. 237 tammy@canadianlodgingnews.com How to reach us: Tel (905) 206-0150

Com m e n t

By Colleen Isherwood, Editor

Staff solution: Train local talent JOE BATT’S ARM, NL—The Fogo Island Inn, which opened May 15, is a 29-room luxe establishment, with room rates starting at $500 per night. It is the brainchild of Zita Cobb, whose idea was to attract wealthy explorer travellers who want a travel experience that is unique and locally authentic (see story page 1).

The restaurant must be top notch to appeal to such clientele—and it is. It has made En Route magazine’s shortlist of 35 Top New Restaurants.

Over the next few months, that list will be whittled down to 10 and the winners honoured in the November, 2013 issue of the magazine.

The Inn is located a six hour drive plus an hour-long ferry trip from St. John’s. Fogo Island Inn could easily have experienced the problem of attracting qualified kitchen staff. So how did they get the cooking brigade that could produce world class fare that is also fresh and local?

Step 1: They hired key staff from other world-class establishments. In the case of Fogo Island, both executive chef Murray McDonald and F&B coordinator Jacob Lusik came from the award-winning Fairmont Pacific Rim.

Thanks in part to the buzz surrounding the opening of the Inn, they had no problem attracting and recruiting those two. As a bonus, McDonald is from Deer Lake on the west coast of Newfoundland. After travelling the world, he was ready to come back to his home province.

And after supervising a brigade of 72 at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, he was eager to return to hands-on cooking and a manageable staff of 12.

“When I was 18, I never wanted to see Newfoundland again,” McDonald said. He went to culinary school in P.E.I., then worked in Ontario at the Stratford Chef School and Vineland Estates Winery. Wanderlust took him to Bermuda, Grand Cayman, Cook Islands, China, New Zealand and Vancouver.

His job at Fogo Island was never posted. He talked to another Newfoundlander working in security at the Pacific Rim, heard there was a new, high-end hotel under construction on Fogo Island, applied and got the job four hours later.

Step 2: They made sure these key players were onsite long before the place opened. Mc-

Donald started working at the Inn on May 1, 2012 when the dining room was “just dirt”. It wasn’t built until October.

Step 3: They hired and trained local talent.

This approach fit well with Cobb’s main reason for establishing the Inn—to bring economic prosperity to Fogo Island, which is her home.

So they trained their own cooks, using a 23week emerit culinary training program. They started with 10 local residents, who had never worked as cooks before. At the end of the program, they had seven trained cooks. “For most, it was a second career,” McDonald noted.

Cooking fresh and indigenous meals is less challenging when you’re hiring people who know the island and its culinary fare.

Cobb told CLN that 95 per cent of the Inn’s staff are local. Fogo Island Inn has partnered with Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador to use emerit training products for their line cooks, housekeeping room attendants, food and beverage servers and front desk agents.

It’s an approach that works on Fogo, though it may not work in places like Fort McMurray, where there is strong competition from highpaying industries like oil and gas.

Certainly, it’s refreshing to visit the Inn and have someone local fill you in on the correct terminology for meals—supper for the main meal and dinner for the noon meal. Or to point out a whale off in the distance as you sit and dine at the Fogo Island restaurant. Or to explain that winters on Fogo are actually quite mild compared to the rest of the province.

Are You An Ostrich or a Llama?

Publisher Steven Isherwood ext. 236 sisherwood@canadianlodgingnews.com

Volume 10 No. 7 Canadian Lodging News is published 10 times a year by Ishcom Publications Ltd. which also publishes Atlantic Restaurant News, Ontario Restaurant News Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News, and Canadian Chains Directory and Canadian Lodging News Buyers’ Directory Address: 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201 Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Tel: (905) 206-0150 Fax: (905) 206-9972 In Canada (800) 201-8596 Subscriptions: Canada & USA: 1 year $39.57, 2 years $63.43 (PLUS APPLICABLE TAX) Single copy: $5.00 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Department, 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Jason Cheskes, Above The Line Solutions Vito Curalli, Hilton Worldwide Justin Friesen, Western Financial Group Philippe Gadbois, Atlific Hotels & Resorts Mark Hope, Coast Hotels & Resorts Elizabeth Hueston, Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc. Dave Kaiser, Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association Brian Leon, Choice Hotels Canada Inc. Chris Lund, Deerhurst Resort Dr. David Martin, Ted Rogers School of Hospitality Christine Pella, Serta Mattress Company Tony Pollard, Hotel Association of Canada Sarah Segal, Informa Canada Andrew Chlebus, LG Electronics Publication Mail Agreement No. 40010152 ISSN 1710-145X GST number R102533890

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

Resolved: Your competition is your inspiration Everyone loves New Year’s resolutions. They’re fun and they’re a promise for change (and nowadays they’re almost compulsory). But with summer winding down, perhaps there’s time to holistically reevaluate on a seasonal basis. September is the back to school month. Ergo, autumn resolutions make total sense. After all, real change happens in baby steps and a quarterly refresher can go miles towards maintaining the levity and practicality of the impending New Year’s wish list.

This year in particular, I’ve been blessed with the freedom and opportunity to travel all over the world for business, staying in accommodations both noble and no frills. One observation I’ve made is that despite all the resources and online media within arm’s reach, many managers have contracted an acute case of tunnel vision. People know their property or their chain, and that’s about it, something especially true for those curtailing holiday time or consistently vacationing close to home.

Examining the competition Examining how other hotels, including your competitors, work is a vital exercise towards self-improvement and, ultimately, ongoing success. And you can’t do it by just surfing the web and its abundance of multimedia. You have to get on property, view the operations in full and observe any intangibles. Here are a few options: 1. Go by yourself, unannounced. Check-in, eat, relax and be a fly on the wall. Don’t let your insider knowledge get the better of you. Try to think like a consumer, discerning yet hasslefree, and let the experience wash over you. What you’re looking for are all the minor touches that complete the narrative. And those minor touches are everywhere, from the décor and in-room amenities to the staff demeanor and attention to service.

2. Go as a couple. Treat your significant other to a weekend getaway. Do as you would if you were going solo but fill in the itinerary with a few activities. Above all, recognize that each person’s experience will be different and therefore each person’s inspiration will be different. Talk it through to see how your interpretations of events differ and where they coincide.

3. Comp a few other managers. Form a team from across multiple departments that you are confident all have expert and incisive opinions.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is purely reconnaissance. Send those managers and yourself into a competitor’s lair at various times during the week and see what you can dig up. Then have a meeting to compare and contrast.

Again, what you are looking for are the minor touches, not the broad strokes that require a full forearm into the budgetary cookie jar to make feasible. You want details where you can say to yourself, “Why aren’t we doing that? We should be doing that. We can do that!” Here are some inquisitive examples of the playing field we’re dealing with: o How does the hotel staff welcome new guests? How many people are outside and how many are inside? What’s the procession of events? o How are you treated by the front desk clerk?

Is there anything specific that he or she mentions or offers? What objects are present on the front desk countertop? o What’s the ambiance in the lobby? What extra décor items do they add to promote this feeling? How’s the general flow of people through the lobby? o What’s your first reaction to the guestroom?

Were there any notes or food items personally addressed to you? What features dominate the room?

o How’s the bed? Do you like the pattern on the linens? How many pillows do they provide? Any other comfort accessories? o How’s the washroom? What hygiene products do they provide? Is the shower easy to use? What extra features does the washroom have? o What was your initial impression of the restaurant? How were you greeted and seated?

What feeling does the menu exude, both in food offered and in format? Were there any exceptional cuisine items on the menu, ones that you had to try? o Remember to use your smartphone camera.

Take photos of everything. Transfer these photos to your tablet or laptop and project them at the next planning committee meeting. Share your insights visually; it’s a lot faster than writing a mega-report.

These questions obviously exclude dozens of other facets that go into the making of a successful hotel visit – ones you can only truly feel once you’re there. I stress the old adage that you’ll never know until you try. Get out there, experience your competition and let them inspire you with new ideas that you can act upon and act upon post haste. Make your autumn resolutions all about the smaller adjustments, leaving more wiggle room to accommodate the grander changes you’ll propose come January. Given that it is a budgeting time of year, this approach makes more sense than at any other time during the year.

Larry Mogelonsky (larry@lma.net) is the president and founder of LMA Communications Inc. (www.lma.ca), an award-winning, full service communications agency focused on the hospitality industry (est. 1991). Larry’s latest book entitled “Are You an Ostrich or a Llama?” is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Delta plans to own the full service four star market

By Colleen Isherwood, Editor TORONTO—There are very few opportunities for a brand to dominate a segment of the hotel industry, but Delta Hotels & Resorts has a chance to own the four star, full service market in Canada, according to Ken Greene, company president and CEO. “We have almost 9,000 employees, we’re Canadian owned and funded, and we only have properties in Canada today,” Greene told CLN in a wideranging interview Delta last month.

Kingston Waterfront While it might seem daunting to participate in an arena occupied by Sheraton and Marriott, Greene says Delta now has two and a half times as many Canadian properties and many more rooms than those two brands.

Right now, Delta has 41 properties, while Sheraton has 18 and Marriott 15. Delta has 10,990 rooms, compared to 7,969 for Sheraton and 5,465 for Marriott.

“We could have three to four times more than the competition as we continue to produce quality and solidify our position in the marketplace. We are quite a ways down that path.

“In the last decade, Delta was a bit of a dusty brand with inconsistent quality, but in the last few years, we have spent a lot of money on the brand,” Greene said.

DELTA HOTELS & RESORTS FRANCHISING INFORMATION

2300 - 77 King St W, TD North Tower, Toronto, ON M5K 1G8 www.deltahotels.com <http://www.deltahotels.com/> Year Established: 1962 Contact: Scott Richer C: 416-300-8215 T: 416-874-2059 scott.richer@deltahotels.com <http://scott.richer@ deltahotels.com/> Units (Atl): 7 Units (Que): 6 Units (Ont): 9 Units (West): 19 Total Units (Can): 41 Total Rooms (Can): 10,990 Franchise Fee: The greater of $50,000 or $300/door Royalty Fee: 5.00% of Room Revenue Marketing Fee: $45,000 per year plus 1.2% of Room Revenue Expansion Notes: The Unit Count in the West includes two residence properties, one in Sun Peaks, BC and the other in Kelowna, BC. Delta is opening a new 195 room hotel in Waterloo in early 2014 and a 150 room hotel in Thunder Bay in 2015. Set to open in late 2014, Delta Toronto at South Core Financial Center will boast 567 rooms.

Delta Hotels & Resorts was erroneously omitted from this year’s Franchise Report, which appeared in the July 2013 issue of the magazine. CLN regrets the error.

He pointed to renovations in Ottawa, Victoria, Kelowna, Quebec City, Montreal and at the Delta Bessborough in Saskatoon. “We will continue to invest along with our third party owners, and we are seeing very positive results,” Greene added.

The Delta Prince Edward in Charlottetown has recently completed extensive renovations to its lobby and restaurant.

“The Delta Prince Edward represents the renovations we are doing in other parts of the country. To date, close to 50 per cent of our portfolio has been renovated and the rest will be renovated over the next few years.

Stay tuned for renovations in every

native use by the new owner.

“Delta Hotels and At the Delta Prince Edward, l to r, Zubair Siddiqi, GM, Javier Alarco, executive chef, and Ben Tsang, director of Resorts has food and beverage. Above: Delta Prince Edward lobby bar. been managing the single Delta across Canada.”

Delta Centre-Ville hotel since 1999, and has not been involved in the Delta Centre-Ville to close In July, Delta Hotels and Resorts business decision to sell or close the was informed that InnVest REIT, property,” said David Bird, senior vice owner of the Delta Centre-Ville in president, operations for Delta, in a Montreal, had sold the hotel. Delta release.

“We empathize with the employwill continue to manage the hotel until October 31, 2013, at which point ees who are affected by this decision, the hotel is expected to be closed and and we will support them through the the property converted to an alter- transition period. They will be offered

career counselling services through global talent mobility firm Lee Hecht Harrison, and we will also look to help with relocations where possible.”

Guests with reservations and clients with business booked for the Delta Centre-Ville prior to October 31 will not be affected.

For business and rooms booked on and after October 31, Delta will examine the possibilities of transferring business and room reservations to its other property in downtown Montreal, the 456-room Delta Montreal that it has been managing since 1986.

The Centre-Ville property is iconic and, with 711 rooms, huge. Its closing will leave a big gap in the Montreal market.

“We are excited about the second property we own in Montreal,” said Greene. “Last year, we did a full renovation, and we are planning a little more renovation of the exterior and the lobby. It’s in a fabulous location, and it should do even better next year since it will be the only Delta in Montreal.”

Kingston’s $10 million reno The Delta Kingston Waterfront Hotel opened in July after an extensive $10 million renovation which made it the city’s first four-star upscale, full-service hotel.

The Kingston hotel has 126 ModeRoom guest rooms and suites; a completely redesigned lobby and an open space business area featuring a series of interactive, fully connected work hubs and lounge areas; and 5,000 square feet of newly revamped meeting and conference space. The onsite restaurant, AquaTerra by Clark was also fully renovated to include multifunctional and flexible spaces with panoramic waterfront views.

Toronto flagship At press time, the new Toronto Delta had just topped 38 floors, and is on track to open in late 2014.

The 46-storey, 567-room property will be a flagship for Delta. “It’s a cut above everything,” said Greene.

“We’ve been talking with local business drivers, owners, tourism and convention centre folks, and everybody is excited.”

For more information, please call 1888.824.6211 or visit LGcommercial.ca.

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Community owns the Inn

Survival Cooking

Continued from page 1

The Inn has been creating quite a buzz this summer, partly because of its appearance—a distinctive white frame wooden building that juts out over the rocks overlooking the North Atlantic perched on stilts reminiscent of the platforms the locals use to dry their fish.

Another reason for the buzz is the cost of the rooms, from $500 a night for the smallest room during low season, to $3,000 for the largest room in the peak summer season.

As Cobb points out, those rates are for two people, and include four meals a day at the Inn or at any restaurant on the island.

Weatherwise, it’s been a “magical summer”—the best Cobb has seen since she was eight years old.

And the Inn’s occupancy rates have been “quite good,” according to Cobb.

“It was always our intention to launch slowly since we have a new industry and new staff. The last thing we wanted was to be open and jam packed, but we’re doing much better than we thought we would be. “We’re growing and finding our legs, and we have reservations into next summer.”

Cobb adds that more than half of the summer guests “have left with an absolute passion to come back in winter. We’re sometimes called the Riviera of Newfoundland because we have such sunny winters. And we do offer a significant discount to returning guests who come back within 12 months.”

The Shorefast Foundation Cobb grew up on Fogo Island, did well in business ventures off island and came back with a vision that took the form of the Shorefast Foundation, which she operates along with her

CA AN NA AD D II A AN N LL O OD DG G II N NG G N N EE W W SS C

brother, Anthony (right). Funded by the Cobbs with help from government initiatives, its mission is to provide cultural and economic resilience for Fogo Island and the nearby Change Islands. It’s founded on the belief that geography has inherent value and we as human beings, Canadians and Newfoundlanders, need to maintain close, intimate relationships with the natural world.

Preserving people in their place “Rural people have a particular way of knowing that comes from the natural world, and the only way to preserve it is to preserve the people in their place.”

Shorefast’s goals are preservation of history, encouragement of contemporary art, microlending and the Inn. “The most important thing about the Inn is that it is owned by the Foundation, which is a charity, but it belongs to the community. Surpluses from its operations belong to the community. Nobody privately benefits. Certainly, it is Canada’s only community-owned Inn.”

Community relations The three-year, $35 million project was built with these values in mind—even when those values drove costs upward. Millions of dollars were spent to train local people and build up their skill sets. The Inn was built as much as possible with local labour.

There is a carpentry shop across from the front entrance to the Inn, where much of the structure and furniture were made.

One of the criteria was, wherever possible, to design and create the Inn using materials produced on Fogo Island, and failing that, Newfoundland, Canada or traditional trading partners.

If none of those options were available, the materials must be sourced from countries which have basic labour and environmental protection legislation. Nails were a particular problem—in the end they came from France, which drove up the costs.

The Inn is also leading edge when it comes to use of solar heat, rainwater and fresh air. There are wood-burning stoves in each room, along with windows that open. “It sounds simple, but it’s complex to implement,” says Cobb. “Buildings today are designed as closed boxes, where the windows don’t open. We want to give our guests the basic things a caveman had—fresh air, wood-burning radiant heat—something most properties can’t do. The only plastic in the Inn is telephones—everything else is made from natural materials.”

Cobb has invited every single household on the island to come to the Inn as a guest, including an overnight stay, supper, breakfast and lunch. “They need to know what it’s all about,” says Cobb, adding that there’s a bonus when islanders connect with guests from away.

“These exchanges are where the magic lies,” she says.

JOE BATT’S ARM, NL—Cooking fresh and indigenous meals is a challenge when your locale is a rocky island off the coast of Newfoundland— even for someone who has travelled the world and most recently helped open Murray McDonald the Fairmont Pacific Photo: Alex Fradkin Rim hotel restaurants.

Chef Murray McDonald of Fogo Island Inn calls it “survival food.” Diets for the early settlers in Newfoundland consisted of fish, salt fish, salt meat, the garden and the root cellar. If any of these elements were missing, they would starve.

“We don’t fly things in from all over the world—we make the menu as local as possible. Every single piece of protein on the menu is from Newfoundland except beef, which is from Prince Edward Island.”

Last year, he and his staff put up 900 bottles of preserves; they plan to preserve 1,200 bottles this year.

They serve cod tongues, scrunchions, salt cod and lobster. A sample dish might consist of smoked caplin (a local fish), crushed berries and toast. Pease pudding and cod are two traditional Newfoundland dishes.

McDonald grew up in Deer Lake on the west coast of Newfoundland, and he hearkens back to his grandfather’s diet as inspiration for authentic Newfoundland food.

“My grandfather ate fish and chips on Friday, pea soup on Saturday, and on Sunday it was Jiggs Dinner.” He describes the latter as salt beef, split peas and root vegetables all boiled together in the same pot, similar to a New England Boiled Supper.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

London Four Points hotelier beats those TripAdvisor blues

By Lauren Carter

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When Victor Hayter acquired London, ON’s Four Points Sheraton in March 2012, it was lagging in the TripAdvisor opinion polls.

Since then, the experienced hotelier and his staff have been so successful in improving guest reviews that the property was recognized last May with a 2013 Certificate of Excellence from the influential website.

The award is given to hotels that achieve consistent ratings of four out of five for at least a year, putting them in the top performing 10 per cent of businesses worldwide as represented on TripAdvisor.

The honour is a fitting tribute to the efforts of Hayter and his company, Sylvanacre Properties, to turn around a tired property with low ratings. “[When we purchased the hotel] we were something like 19 out of 42 London hotels and that wasn’t healthy,” says Hayter, company president. “It was mid-range and I didn’t buy [the property] to run a midrange hotel.”

An extensive facelift of the lobby and banquet and meeting rooms was 80 per cent finished upon acquisition and was completed under Hayter’s watch. The renovation expanded the lobby to include a second floor mezzanine. New floor to ceiling windows let in natural light on a common area which features a fireplace and flat

Pacific Rim offers graband-go option VANCOUVER—Giovane café + winebar has launched a grab-and-go gourmet market, which offers house cured meats, cheese, olives and imported olive oils, as well as a variety of prepared meals. Located inside the Fairmont Pacific Rim, the market opened in mid-July.

Customers can also eat-in with family-style sharing platters at a communal table.

To-go options include a “fake it so you don’t have to make it” dinner party option, a picnic basket, “candy bar”, and “meals on the fly” for airplane travellers.

ing bathrooms, taking out tubs, putting in showers, replacing furniture. Everything is brand new.”

While ongoing construction does result in some negative reviews, Hayter strongly believes that the inconvenience to guests represents “shortterm pain for long-term gain” and expects to see TripAdvisor ratings climb further in the long run. Appreciative comments about the renovations and ongoing changes to the property are already appearing in reviews on the site.

Currently rated at 14 out of the 42 area hotels, the property’s rank is improving. “We’re making headway,” says Hayter, who clearly recognizes the influence of TripAdvisor on potential and future guests.

The site has over 200 million visitors every month, Top: Vic Hayter. Bottom: Renovated lobby according to a TripAdvisor of Four Points By Sheraton London, ON Fact Sheet, and Hayter cites screen TV where guests can gather. an impressive statistic: “75 Four thousand square feet of meeting per cent of travellers make use of a space were also added, including an TripAdvisor endorsement.” entirely new ballroom.

The London Four Points has a staff The hotel then turned their refur- person assigned to respond to negative bishing focus to all 181 guest rooms, reviews. Starwood Hotels and Resorts addressing each of the property’s three Worldwide, parent company of Sherablocks of rooms one at a time. Two of ton, insists that comments are tracked, the blocks are expected to be finished says Hayter, and “any complaints must

by October 2013, and all of the room be addressed within 24 hours.” renovations should be done by FebruFocusing on what people have ary, according to Hayter, at a final cost to say about the property also makes of nearly $6 million. good business sense. “Once I know, I “These are extensive renovations,” can take action,” says Hayter. “But if no says Hayter, who owns two other ho- one says anything, I can’t do anything tels in Stratford, ON. “We’re lengthen- about it.”

I DE AS

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A chair designed with delegates in mind ST. JOHN’S, NL— When conference attendees sit down for a banquet lunch, they have to find a spot to stow their purses, conference notes and cameras.

Those items usually end up stashed helter-skelter under the table.

Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland held a contest to design a chair that is delegate-friendly. Their new banquet chairs feature a hook on the back for purses, and a tray underneath the seat for documents.

www.canadianlodgingnews.com

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Tobermory treetop pods

Laurie Adams, at her E’terra property on the shore of Georgian Bay.

By Elaine Anselmi TOBERMORY, ON—In suspending samara-shaped bedroom pods from trees, several factors are taken into consideration: weight—particularly when incorporating a fully functioning washroom, mitigating any impact or harm on the tree; and privacy–since the end of the pod is open, from the foot of the bed on. The latter concern is top-of-mind at E’terra, a luxury ecovilla down an unpaved road outside of Tobermory, ON, the directions to which are not given out until reservations are complete.

CLN toured the Harmony Acres and associated E’terra properties where owner Laurie Adams has designated portions of her land overlooking Lake Huron and a hardwood forest for bedroom pods. An old oak tree will host the treetop café, starting on the ground and

wrapping around the massive trunk with dining pods interwoven with branches.

“Each pod will be different because it has to fit into the tree. The café will be completely secured to the ground,” said Adams. For the café, the layers will wrap all the way around. “As you

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

come up, you’re almost in a spiral around the trees,” she said. “You’ll have sections that are sitting where the tree branches are.”

The Harmony Acres site, currently functioning as a 30-site campground, hosts the existing 60-seat restaurant facility that closed in 1999. Adams said it would operate as the production kitchen serving the treetop café, which will be open to the public as well as those staying on the grounds.

In her E’terra villa, Adams had professional chefs operate the kitchen beginning in 2007 and experimented with having the public in for dinner service in the 18-seat dining room.

She has been in talks with notable Toronto chef Brad Long, of Café Belong at the Evergreen Brickworks, on developing the treetop café concept and she said he will mentor the incoming chef.

The existing restaurant has been gutted for the project and Adams said she is aiming for a construction period beginning in 2014, with staggered openings over two years. Since the restaurant is fixed to the ground and presents less design obstacles than the bedrooms, it will most likely be the first to open. Offering appropriate accommodation for the chef brought in to operate the café will be another,

albeit necessary, challenge, she said.

For the bedroom pods, Adams is looking at sourcing an ultra lightweight nickel-based metal out of California to build the skeleton, which will be wrapped in a material, possibly made of a gortex-like fabric.

“We’re trying to see if we can move into that, to have at least one pod for next summer molded,” she said.

Building a lightweight pod that won’t harm the tree is the main challenge, said Adams. She and architect Tye Farrow, have considered cantilevering the pods off of a rocky cliff that lines the property.

“I just know the weight is horrendous for what any tree would hold,” said Adams. “I’m a little bit more diligent on that because I grew up with those trees.”

Adams is also considering the addition of luxury tents. She said both concepts came largely out of an interest in increasing E’terra’s capacity without significantly increasing its footprint.

“There are half a million people in three months, going through Tobermory,” said Adams. “Tobermory’s got lots of motels and the world’s got lots of hotels, but I thought ‘how do we go to the next level of luxury?’”

Ten-metre menu at Delta Beausejour MONCTON—Draw a circle one hundred miles around the Delta Beausejour hotel in Moncton, and it will encompass wine from Jost Vineyards in Malagash, NS, fresh oysters from Maison BeauSoleil in Neguac, NB, sturgeon and caviar from Breviro, Pennfield, NB, and fresh duck and foie gras from La Ferme du Diamant in Cormier Village, NB. Draw a circle just ten metres from the hotel’s Windjammer Restaurant, and it will include herbs and vegetables grown on the roof of the hotel, and honey from the Beausejour’s bees, says Raymond Roberge, hotel general manager.

The Windjammer’s 100-mile menu was introduced in

June and will run until the end of September. “Executive chef Stefan Mueller and his culinary team are passionate about working with the freshest products that are caught, raised and farmed close to home, supporting and celebrating our regional fishers, producers and farmers,” notes Roberge.

The Windjammer’s menu includes a number of wines from Jost Vineyards. Chris Frey, Jost’s winemaker, has experience in international wineries such as Rupert and Rothschild and Möet & Chandon. Working with grape varietals, Frey aims to produce a crisp, drier style of white wine and a silky, balanced red wine whose flavour profile highlights the fruitiness and structure of the vineyard. He

Maître d’ Frédéric Mazerolle (centre) and executive chef Stefan Mueller serve guests in the Windjammer Restaurant.

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wants Jost wines to be noticed in the international wine world. Frey says he wants people to say, “This is a good wine,” rather than, “This is a good wine for Nova Scotia.”

A winner of the AAA/CAA Four Diamond Award for its 21st consecutive year, the 42-seat Windjammer is a blend of old world service and newer trends such as the 100-mile focus and sensitivity to the food allergies and diets of its diners. Here, maître d’ Frédéric Mazerolle, who has worked at the hotel for 20 years, still prepares caesar salad tableside, and the menu also includes flambéed dishes.

The Windjammer Restaurant has changed little since the hotel was built in 1972, says Pat DesBrisay, hotel public relations manager. “We have tried to maintain the integrity of the restaurant to represent a sea captain’s dining room. We’ve changed the carpet, and the colours, but with the rest of it we wanted to keep the ambience and the quality of service.”

“That restaurant is beating the odds,” says Roberge. “That kind of service is a dying art, but the restaurant makes money. There are still people interested in that type of dining. It has the type of service you got in the ‘60s and ‘70s, plus menu items with a modern twist.”

Food and beverage is crucial to the Beausejour’s operations, accounting for 30 per cent of the hotel’s profit, says Roberge. In addition to the Windjammer, the hotel has Triiio, a restaurant, bar and lounge with 84 seats, and Le Café with 26. At Le Café, guests can order custom salads, pastas and stir-fries online, then pick them up at the café at a pre-arranged time.

Catering is also a huge money-maker. “Our biggest catering event was an AC/DC concert in 2009, where we made $980,000 in food and beverage revenue in one afternoon. We were so close to $1 million!” says Roberge.

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Château Montebello and The Ultimate Girls Getaway Nadja Piatka

For the past six years, Fairmont Le Château Montebello has hosted the Ultimate Girls Getaway. Here’s a guest’s-eye view of what was entailed and how this year’s event unfolded.

By Donna Messer MONTEBELLO, QC—Have you ever just wanted to get away? To spend time with a bunch of girls and just have fun? Well, I recently had the opportunity to attend what is called The Ultimate Girls Getaway at Château Montebello. The weekend began with the bus trip from Oakville. This was no ordinary bus trip – we were greeted with gift bags, hot towels, chocolate covered strawberries, champagne, and entertainment. I knew that this was going to be a weekend to remember.

The Ultimate Girls Getaway is the brainchild of Nadja Piatka, a successful entrepreneur who puts her money where her mouth is when it comes to the value of friendship and balance.

Piatka is the owner of Nadja Foods www.nadjafoods.com and is known for her delicious healthy desserts that she supplies internationally to restaurants and grocery stores. Her fat reduced brownies are found at Subway Restaurants throughout Canada and the U.S. Her life story was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show and The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch. Piatka tours internationally as a motivational speaker and her upcoming biography written by Nan O’Brien will be available soon.

Ultimate Pajama Party Piatka organized her first getaway for women 16 years ago. It was called The Ultimate Pajama Party. After years of gathering feedback from the thousands of happy women who have attended her events, she finally created the Ultimate Girls Getaway.

She wanted her friends to discover a bit of paradise, to enjoy a real pajama party one night, and an elegant cocktail dinner party another night. She envisioned fascinating presentations, being entertained by talented artists and enjoying delicious cuisine prepared by world class chefs. She wanted her friends to pamper themselves at a tranquil spa. Knowing the importance of friendship, she planned innovative ways to meet new friends encouraging them to join in on seminars and activities or to simply take time to relax.

Château Montebello partnership After doing her homework, Piatka decided on one of eastern Canada’s leading destinations, Fairmont Le Château Montebello. She began working with Fairmont Le Château Montebello and this year the Ultimate Girls Getaway celebrated the 6th year at this venue. For Piatka and her team, “the Montebello staff is attentive, creative and courteous, they make the event spectacular.”

“I have been hosting the Ultimate Girls Getaway weekend since 2008 and it has simply been a pleasure!

Working with Nadja and her team of professionals

makes our work at the hotel so easy. Every year we look forward to this special event,” said Nathalie Beauchamp, director of sales and marketing.

Anita from Montreal says, “The Ultimate Girls Getaway is a safe haven for women to come together, to share their dreams and help launch each other forward. It’s a wonderful time to recharge, relax and reward ourselves.”

“I loved meeting Monty, the hotel’s new Canine Ambassador,” said Tracy Hanes of Oshawa.

The next Ultimate Girls Getaway will be held April 4th – 6th http://www.ultimategirlsgetaway.com.

The Little Black Dress Event

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Comfort renos Continued from page 1

Deciding which properties should be renovated was a collaborative process and Choice has been talking to its independent owners about their long-range plans. “We used a lot of data to help guide the process but at the core of our business are guests and frankly, their Comfort Properties for Sale Comfort Inn, Burlington, ON o 3290 South Service Rd. o 98 rooms Comfort Inn, Chatham, ON o 1100 Richmond St. o 81 rooms Comfort Inn, Levis, QC o 10 Du Vallon E o 100 rooms Comfort Inn Airport, Sainte-Foy, QC o 7320 boul. Wilfred-Hamel o 78 rooms Comfort Inn, Saint John, NB o 1155 Fairville Blvd. o 59 rooms Comfort Inn, Dartmouth, NS o 456 Windmill Rd. o 80 rooms Comfort Inn, Bridgewater, NS o 49 North St. o 62 rooms

feedback set much of the course,” said Oldfield.

“On the public ownership side, InnVest undertook a comprehensive review of its portfolio to identify core long-term holdings in stable markets, which showed favourable growth opportunities from capital investments,” said Oldfield. “They shared their plans with us and with only minor tweaks, we were able to enthusiastically support the plan.”

About nine years ago, InnVest took over more than 100 former Journey’s End properties, and they still have almost 80. As part of the Comfort transformation, InnVest is looking to sell 15 or 16 hotels. A partial list of those properties appears at left.

Direction for the brand Development of what Choice calls the Truly Yours Design Package was based on in-depth feedback from more than 1,500 guests and developers. Consumer research already indicated overall intent to stay at Comfort hotels nearly doubles in response to the new look. Research also indicates guests are willing to pay more on average per night compared with the current design, Oldfield noted.

Changes to the free Your Morning Breakfast program, which was a major feature of the first phase of the refresh, were made in response to the comments of more than 10,000 respondents.

“Guest response has been overwhelmingly favourable of breakfast enhancements that are now available at most hotels, which include the ad-

dition of a flavoured waffle, and the new design concept’s warm and inviting look,” Oldfield said.

Types of changes depend on the hotel and at what stage they are at in the lifecycle.

For InnVest properties, this is a comprehensive makeover, with new carpeting and underpad, as well as updated wall vinyl and draperies.

Old sofas and mattresses will be replaced and beds will be refreshed with Truly Yours bedding, said Oldfield. Lighting and artwork is also set to be updated, case-good hardware is being replaced, and they’re adding clothing wardrobes and new ergonomic chairs.

Guest bathrooms will include granite top vanities with new sinks, faucets, mirrors and vanity lights will be installed. “Plus, as you’d expect, we’re addressing wall vinyl, and floor tiles will be replaced, as well as the shower heads and hair dryers,” said Oldfield.

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Optional exterior renovation shows Comfort Inn before (right) and after (above).

The breakfast rooms will also benefit COMFORT INN This optional renovation raises

BY CHOICE HOTELS CANADA from new flooring, wall vinyl, drapthe porte-cochere by four feet, adds A1 eries and lighting. And guests will be complementary stone cladding and able enjoy the table seating and new brightens the approach with new exLCD TVs. terior lighting.

Lobbies will see new flooring, Choice is also suggesting some wall vinyl, drapes, furniture and low-maintenance hardscaping for LCD TVs. Front desks are also be- visual appeal. ing refreshed to help make sure our At a minimum, the InnVest Comguests feel welcome as soon as they forts will see new outdoor lighting, step through the door. parking lot repairs and landscaping Corridors will be updated with upgrades. Some locations will also new carpeting, wall vinyl and light- receive new signage with electronic ing. reader boards.

“The renovations are transforSense of arrival Choice has worked with an archi- mational for the brand,” says Oldtect to develop a new sense of arrival field. “We’re seeing some very posifor those Comforts that started life tive early results and guest feedback is phenomenal.” as Journey’s Ends.

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Appealing public areas Oldfield is particularly excited about the addition of breakfast rooms to most hotels. “Typically, what you’ll see is two guest room bays knocked out to create a breakfast room adjacent to the lobby. This will be visually appealing on entry to the lobby, be a great spot for breakfast, but also have the capacity to serve as a lounge area for our guests at other times during their stay.”

The Comforts will be outfitted with the right equipment, including a breakfast counter and pantry, to provide guests with the brand’s complimentary Your Morning Breakfast.

ORIGINAL EXTERIOR Project number Date Scale Drawn by

112006 APR 5, 2012 N/A HC

Case study: Newmarket Comfort Inn’s $6 million reno—with more to come

General manager Michelle Weber and Melissa Keillor, front desk. They’re holding cards guests can pick to win prizes. The hotel lobby’s striking rock wall is behind them.

NEWMARKET, ON—Guests who call the Newmarket Comfort Inn get an enthusiastic message welcoming them to the newly-renovated property. When they arrive, they see a freshly-paved parking lot. And inside the front lobby, there’s a striking rock wall with recesses that hold candles and other decorative elements.

Tim Oldfield, managing partner at Choice Hotels Canada, sees the Newmarket property, at Highway 404 and David Drive, as a prototype—an example of what Comfort Inns will look like once the Canada-wide renovations are complete.

Michelle Weber, general manager, came to the hotel in January, after 20 years at the Comfort Inn Orillia. But

even in the few short months she has been there, the hotel has changed.

The renovations to the 100-room property began in July 2011, and included the lobby, breakfast room and hotel exterior—those renovations were done in four weeks. The results—particularly in the lobby— are stunning. The lobby was totally redone with new vinyl, lighting, flooring, furniture, a desk area with granite and the rock wall. Curtains, paint and pictures were all changed.

There is now a business area for guests, and a two-sided fireplace for what Weber calls “that warm, cozy stylish feeling.”

“Your Morning Breakfast is new.

We now have a full hot breakfast for

our guests to enjoy with eggs, bacon, noted. “The entire parking lot was fireplace sure makes it feel warm, cozy sausage, waffles, toast, cereal, tea, cof- ripped apart and repaved. We actually and so inviting.”

Weber says the renovations have fee, juices, and a selection of fresh did a section of the parking lot at a time. We are located on a side street, improved the hotel’s market share, fruits daily,” Weber said.

In March 2013, they started to which allowed our guests to park and there are other benefits as well.

“We have seen a huge increase in renovate the guestrooms, bathrooms curbside adjacent to the hotel.

Guests are enjoying the renova- our Choice Privileges loyalty program and corridors.

Renovations to date have cost $6 tions, Weber said. As one guest wrote: since we started the renovations. We million, and there are still some items “Wow, I wasn’t expecting a Comfort won $1,000 from Choice Hotels for Inn to look like this. Really love the being a top enroller and we donated it to complete.

“We will be building a barbecue feel of the lobby and the two-sided to the Special Olympics,” Weber said. and picnic area, along with a gazeCOMFORT INN BEFORE bo in the next year COMFORT INN AFTER or so,” said Weber.

“Some landscaping has started outside to beautify the hotel. We also built a horseshoe pit for our valued guests to enjoy.”

The hotel stayed open throughout the renovations.

The front desk operations moved to a guest room, and business went on as usual, Weber said.

Rooms were taken out of service 20 at a time, and fully renovated before they moved on to another part of the building.

The most challenging part of the Renovations at the Newmarket, ON Comfort renovations was the Inn included the breakfast area, guestrooms, parking lot, Weber bathrooms and lobby.

10/25/2011 4:20:59 PM

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Gravel family bids adieu after 28 years with OAA

By Colleen Isherwood PETERBOROUGH, ON—I posed the question delicately over lunch at a cosy pub in Peterborough earlier this summer.

“So what’s next for you two?”

Bruce and Frances Gravel were preparing to close up shop as the Ontario Accommodation Association (OAA), which they had run for 28 years, was joining its operations with those of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association. They met with my publisher/husband Steve and I before they left.

Bruce gave a hint of a smile as he said, “You mean what are we going to do when we grow up?”

“Yes.” He and Frances grinned at each other and said in unison, “We’re not going to grow up!”

That answer was totally in character.

Over their years with the OAA, the Gravels have brought a distinctive blend of humour, serious knowledge and family values to their management of the association. They have known each other since Frances poked Bruce in the back in Grade 10 in Dorval, QC, and have been married for nearly 40 years.

Bruce has been the president, CEO and public face of the OAA, dealing with ministry officials on pressing issues, dispensing professional advice, communicating with the board and individual members, selling the OAA’s various products, organizing conferences, speaking in public and writing prolifically.

Frances has worked behind the scenes growing her secretarial and accounting skills into management of projects such as the Traveller’s Companion, a print directory of accommodation listings in the province that ran from 1999 to 2012, and editing the Innkeeper’s Reference Book, which grew from 45 to 477 pages over the years.

“Frances is also extremely proud of her almost 28 years as OAA’s bookkeeper: her books were virtually perfect each year, according to our auditors,” Bruce noted. “In fact, they used OAA’s audit to train many new accountants, knowing her books were virtually perfect!”

Their son, Scott, has also contributed his computer expertise over the years.

of our industry.

“The TFO provided the financial and constitutional foundation for TIAO, the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, which replaced it as per our industry’s wishes and which has paid staff.”

Boom and bust When Bruce started with the OAA, the organization had 400 members. That number grew to over 1,000—1,200 counting allied, associate and eduction members—at the association’s peak in 2004.

Then the industry started to change, as old-time members sold their motels to condo developers. The rise of the hotel brands meant a further decline in membership, as mandatory brand conferences took the place of association conventions, and brands encouraged owners and managers to buy from the brand’s preferred suppliers.

The Gravels were always focused on their innkeeper members, and helped OAA weather the financial losses of the past few years. Bruce even took a 20 per cent pay cut two years ago.

Next steps

Left to right, Frances and Bruce Gravel with office manager Sandra Nadeau.

Sixty-four years of history The organization that eventually became known as the OAA was created in 1949, when its members split off from what was then known as the Ontario Hotel Association, which later became the ORHMA. Bruce started his career in Etobicoke, ON running the education program at the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating.

The offer from Ontario Accommodation Association meant he would hold the number one position in the organization. Bruce, Frances and Scott, then age two, moved to Peterborough for the job.

Six months later, they needed a part-time bookkeeper, and Frances came on board.

Looking back, Bruce sees SAXibition (aka,

the Super Accommodation eXhibition) show, as a true team effort and major accomplishment. “I organized and marketed it; Frances and I sold most booth spaces, Frances was floor manager for set-up and tear-down at the show itself, while son Scott was dock marshal outside for move-in and move-out, often in all kinds of bad weather. This went on for almost two decades, as before SAXibition our show was called ACCEX (Accommodation Exhibition).

“Another achievement I’m very proud of: serving as volunteer executive director of the Tourism Federation of Ontario (TFO) for 11.5 years, keeping a disparate, highly-independent group of 35 tourism associations together and working on common goals for the betterment

So, seriously, what does the future hold?

Both Bruce and Frances say they’re too young to retire. “We’ve got lots of energy. We like to work together, and we’re kicking around the idea of our own business,” said Bruce.

“We will not be starting a B&B.” Travelling is a priority. They are planning a trip to Hawaii for their 40th anniversary.

Bruce, author of four humourous books, will have lots of time to pursue that passion.

One project in the works includes a book set in a hotel with several collaborative authors.

“Thank you to everyone who contacted us expressing kind words and best wishes to Frances, Sandra, Scott, and myself. It is much appreciated,” said Bruce in an e-mail to members. “Frances and I feel that it has been an honour and a privilege to have served you for almost 28 years.”

Ironically, when Bruce was hired in 1985, the executive committee asked him for a fiveyear commitment.

To keep in touch, contact bruce@brucegravel.ca.

Worldhotels sees targeted growth in U.S. and Canada director of sales, overseeing all sales and marketing for five New York City hotels. Prior to that, she was director of sales and marketing at The St. Giles Hotel NY—The Court and The Tuscany. She has also served in that role at The Carlton Hotel and The Bryant Park Hotel.

Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal key

Bonnie Somerstein, senior director, hotel development, Worldhotels—The Americas

Thomas A. Griffiths, vice president, The Americas, Worldhotels

FRANKFURT, GERMANY—Worldhotels one of the leading groups for independent hotels, announced last month that Bonnie Somerstein is joining its New York office as senior director of hotel development for Worldhotels—The Americas. Her responsibilities include growing the company’s portfolio in the

Americas, as well as overseeing work associated with trade shows, promotions, collateral development, contract negotiations and key partner relationships.

Somerstein has spent nearly two decades in the hotel industry, most recently with Amsterdam Hospitality Group where she was regional

When they talk about growing in the Americas, that definitely includes Canada, Tom Griffiths, vice president, The Americas told CLN. “We’ve made several changes in our development team, bringing in new blood and fresh faces. We want to grow our North American footprint, specifically in the U.S. and Canada.”

Griffiths himself has more than 30 years experience in hospitality sales, marketing, franchise support services and development.

From the company’s regional headquarters in New York City, he is responsible for overseeing the management, operations and growth of Worldhotels throughout the U.S., Canada and Latin America.

He joined the company in 2002. Under his direction, the Americas region has realized great success, including the addition of more than 100 hotels since 2003.

Worldhotels is a global brand that brings together unique independent hotels. With the tagline “Where Discovery Starts” it targets savvy business and leisure travellers that seek an authentic and local experience when choosing a hotel. Worldhotels now offers 500 hotels in 250 destinations and 65 countries worldwide.

Griffiths describes Worldhotels as a soft brand, a membership affiliation rather than a franchise.

“We do have long-term contracts, we are performance based, and we produce revenue for our hotels,” he said. “Our members are only paying a percentage on the actual rooms we deliver to their properties. That makes us very motivated to engage hotels and customers.”

Worldhotels has more than 500 corporate RFPs, and those companies want to book properties in high-demand locations such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Right now, Worldhotels has no hotels in these markets.

“Bonnie will be targeting and inviting independent hotels in those key markets to join,” Griffiths explained.

“That way we can do two things: expand our soft brand into markets where we have no representation, and provide an option to our corporate clients.”

Steeped In HIStory RetuRning to PRime time

p r o u d ly o p e r at e d b y:

Two Corporate Drive • Shelton, CT 06484 • 203-925-8370 • www.newcastlehotels.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 013

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www.canadianlodgingnews.com

2013 TOP 65 CHAINS REPORT

The Annual Report on Leading Hotel Companies Research: Peter Elliott Design & Illustrations: Stephanie Giammarco

TOP 10

F

or the fifth year in a row, we have expanded our annual report to include the top 35 hotel brands in Canada with information such as gross sales, units by region, and rooms by region. The report also lists the top 20 developer/owners and management companies, providing similar information. New this year, is a breakdown of the top 10 Canadian hotel management firms. Regional breakdowns are tabulated as well.

Canadian hotel managers making news include Atlific Hotels, which has grown its management portfolio by a net of eight hotels in the past 12 months, and expects to manage another five hotels in the next year. The current tally for Atlific is 52 properties. SilverBirch is also on the move, opening an Eastern Office in Toronto this year, completing three Marriotts, and having five Hilton hotels in its construction pipeline.

InnVest REIT, the largest Canadian developer-owner is renovating 61 Comfort hotels by the end of 2014 at a cost of $45 million. InnVest is also selling some of its Comfort properties (see story on page 1).

Temple REIT bough five hotels in 2012 and six more in 2013 to date.

Sunray is also in acquisition mode, and has bought four hotels in the last 12 months (Quality Oshawa, Comfort Suites Windsor, Comfort Midland and Days Inn Leamington).

Brand news includes the previously mentioned Comfort renovations. Choice Hotels now has more than 300 properties, while Best Western topped 200 hotels with the opening of the Best Western Plus Hotel Levesque in Rivière-du-Loup, QC. Days Inn is planning hotel number 100 in Calgary. Holiday Inn Express has 20 hotels in its development pipeline, while Holiday Inn has seven.Four new Hampton Inns

by Hilton opened this year, along with four Four Points by Sheraton.

TOP 20

RANK 2013

CANADIAN HOTEL MANAGERS

COMPANY

UNITS (CAN)

ROOMS (CAN)

EXPANSION NOTES

1

Westmont Hospitality Group

139

17,946

Sixty-one Comfort hotels to be renovated by the end of 2014 at a cost of $45 million.

2

Atlific Hotels

52

8,160

Atlific has picked up a net of eight hotels in the last 12 months and is scheduled to manage another five new hotels in the next 12 months.

3

Pacrim Hospitality Services

39

3,812

Pacrim has added the Four Points Kelowna and the Holiday Inn Express Deer Lake to its portfolio within the last 12 months.

4

Lakeview Management

32

2,610

Lakeview is no longer managing any Travelodges in AB.

5

SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts

19

4,386

The Citadel Hotel in Halifax is being replaced by two Hilton hotels scheduled to open in 2014. SilverBirch also picked up the Saskatoon Inn in the last 12 months.

SilverBirch is also working on two more Hilton hotels in West Edmonton.

6

Crescent Hotels & Resorts

12

2,040

Added Four Points Edmonton Airport in July 2013. Staybridge in West Edmonton is scheduled to open in the spring of 2014.

7

Concord Hospitality Enterprises Co

12

1,689

8

Larco Hospitality

8

2,424

9

Bayview Hospitality Group

5

652

10

Legacy Hospitality

5

633

CANADIAN DEVELOPMENT/OWNERSHIP FIRMS

RANK COMPANY 2013

BY UNITS

UNITS (CAN)

ROOMS (CAN)

SALES $MILLIONS (CAN) $617.10

BY UNITS

EXPANSION NOTES

1

InnVest REIT

134

16,839

InnVest REIT sold the 711-bed Delta Montreal to an investment group in July, 2013. This hotel is going to be converted to an alternative use in October, 2013. InnVest will renovate 61 Comfort hotels by the end of 2014 at a cost of $45 million.

2

Superior Lodging Corp.

132

8,901

Currently there are 132 Canadian Super 8s from coast to coast along with three Wingate Inns and four Microtels.

3

Canalta Hotels

37

2,389

Latest hotel to open is Canalta Assiniboia, which opened July, 2013â&#x20AC;&#x201D;37 properties and growing.

4

bcIMC

29

7,259

5

Lakeview Hotel Management Inc.

25

1,844

$32.02

Grand Winnipeg Airport Hotel opened in 2013.

6

Fortis Properties Corporation

23

4,430

$178.00

Most recent purchase was the 2012 acquisition of Station Park All Suites Hotel in London, ON.

7

Temple Hotels

23

3,000

$99.80

Temple bought five hotels in 2012 and another six to date in 2013.

8

Royal Host

19

2,607

$76.20

Royal Host converted from a REIT to a Corporation and sold six hotels in 2011.

9

Silver Hotel Group

17

2,650

10

Holloway Lodging

17

1,684

$58.40

Holloway sold off three properties in 2011 and three in 2012. They bought a 90 per cent interest in the Holiday Inn Express in Stellarton, NS in late 2012.

11

Easton's Group of Hotels

15

2,688

12

Northampton Group Inc.

15

1,902

13

Sterling Group Inc

14

914

14

Vrancor Hospitality Corp.

13

1,951

15

Crescent Hotels & Resorts

12

2,040

Opening the Staybridge West Edmonton in the spring of 2014.

16

Mayfair Properties

12

1,137

Mayfair is working on a Hilton in North Vancouver.

17

d3h

11

919

18

Genesis Hospitality

10

1,416

19

Sunray Group of Hotels

10

979

Sunray has bought four hotels in the last 12 months (Quality Oshawa, Comfort Suites Windsor, Comfort Midland and Days Inn Leamington).

20

Bellstar Hotels & Resorts

10

920

Bellstar celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2013.

$29.60 Four hotels added in 2012/2013, two sold.

An 80-room Home Inn & Suites at the Regina Airport is scheduled to open in 2014.

Genesis bought four hotels in Ontario from Concord in November, 2011.

www.canadianlodgingnews.com

18 |

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

64 134 7,658 16,839

UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

13 13 1,951 1,951

UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

90 132 5,813 8,901

UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

17 35 1,396 2,923

UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

30 132 2,250 8,901

UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

10 12 1,799 2,040

UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

37 37 2,389 2,389

UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

13 17 1,292 1,684

8

8

UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

14 15 2,377 2,688

UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

10 17 1,378 2,650

UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

18 134 3,060 16,839

UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

12 12 1,137 1,137

UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

14 19 2,207 2,607

UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

10 10 979 979

UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

18 23 2,150 3,000

UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

11 11 919 919

UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

14 15 1,153 1,951

UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

10 14 567 914

UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

17 29 4,257 7,259

UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

10 10 923 923

UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

22 134 2,687 16,839

UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

7 7 631 631

UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

30 134 3,434 16,839

UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

4 4 1,220 1,220

UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

10 132 590 8,901

UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

4 29 625 7,259

UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

8 8 1,284 1,284

UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

4 4 549 549

8

8

UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

9 35 659 2,923

UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

4 17 392 1,684

UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

6 7 794 880

UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

3 3 898 898

UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

8 23 1,789 2,923

UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

4 19 271 2,607

UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

6 132 448 8,901

UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

3 14 180 914

UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

7 7 1,162 1,162

UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

4 4 188 188

UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

5 29 1,667 7,259

UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

2 8 224 3,151

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www.canadianlodgingnews.com

2013 TOP 65 CHAINS REPORT

The Annual Report on Leading Hotel Companies

TOP 35 RANK RANK 2013 2012

CANADIAN HOTEL BRANDS COMPANY

UNITS (2013)

UNITS (2012)

ROOMS (2013)

ROOMS (2012)

BY UNITS

EXPANSION NOTES

1

1

Best Western International Canada

200

194

18,093

18,548

Reached the 200-hotel mark with the opening of Best Western Plus Hotel Levesque in Rivière-du-Loup, QC.

2

2

Comfort (CHC)

147

148

12,278

12,530

Five properties under development across Canada. Eighty five undergoing $65 million in renovations.

3

3

Super 8 (WYN)

136

133

8,906

8,608

Hotels are planned for Fox Creek, AB, Peace River, AB and Kamloops, BC.

4

4

Days Inns - Canada (REA)

99

90

8,585

8,052

Opened locations in Stephenville, NL, Whitecourt, AB, Yorkton, SK and Winnipeg, MB in 2013. Two more planned for in Stouffville and North Bay in the fall of 2013. Plus, 100th hotel under construction in Calgary.

5

5

Travelodge (Canada)

84

84

7,995

7,940

Looking to expand across Canada.

6

6

Holiday Inn Express (IHG)

82

77

8,368

7,947

Has 20 hotels (2,001 rooms) in the developmental pipeline.

7

7

Quality (CHC)

82

76

7,926

7,590

Seven properties under development across Canada.

8

8

Ramada Worldwide (WYN)

76

67

7,670

6,991

Grew by nine properties since our last update.

9

9

Holiday Inn Hotel & Resorts (IHG)

65

64

11,865

11,591

Has 7 hotels (1,195 rooms) in the developmental pipeline.

10

10

Howard Johnson Canada (FUL)

60

64

4,230

4,618

The Howard Johnson Brand plans to continue with its aggressive expansion strategy.

11

11

Econo Lodge (CHC)

53

52

2,793

2,622

Grew by one unit in the past year.

12

12

Delta Hotels & Resorts

41

43

10,990

12,723

Opening a new Delta in Waterloo, ON in the fall of 2013 and opening a new 150-room hotel in Thunder Bay, ON in early 2014. Delta Chelsea in Toronto converted to Eaton Chelsea in 2013. Montreal Centre-Ville to close. Extensive brand renovations.

13

13

Sandman Hotel Group (SAN)

41

42

6,132

6,247

Sandman Hotel in Squamish opened in early 2011. Opened their first hotel in the UK in 2012. $150 million in sales 2013.

14

14

Hampton Inn/Hampton Inn & Suites (HIL)

37

35

4,044

3,817

2013 openings include Winnipeg Airport, Chilliwack, BC, St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Airport and Calgary Airport North.

15

18

Knights Inn Canada (FUL)

30

23

1,148

865

The Knights Inn brand has plans to expand its portfolio by five properties per year over the next five years.

16

15

Coast Hotels & Resorts

29

29

3,952

3,952

$150.6 million in sales in 2013.

17

16

Canada's Best Value Inn (VAN)

27

28

1,207

1,275

Expecting to add 25 new units in the next 24 months.

18

17

Four Points by Sheraton (STA)

26

24

3,866

3,532

Four Points openings for 2013 include Kelowna, BC, Edmundston,NB, Edmonton,AB, and Waterloo, ON. Regina property to open in January 2014.

19

23

Motel 6 (REA)

22

19

1,973

1,766

New hotels in Moosin, SK, and Swift Current, SK, opened in 2012. Plans to open a Motel 6 in Regina and the ground breaking recently took place for an 80-room Motel 6 in Airdrie, AB in 2014.

20

19

Lakeview Management Inc

22

21

1,604

1,539

21

21

Courtyard by Marriott (MAR)

21

19

3,734

3,495

Opening a Courtyard in Montreal in 2013.

22

22

Hilton Garden Inn (HIL)

21

19

3,260

3,095

Two more properties in the past year.

23

20

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

20

20

9,989

9,956

24

25

Residence Inn by Marriott (MAR)

19

18

2,808

2,598

25

26

Sheraton Hotels and Resorts (STA)

18

18

7,969

7,969

26

24

Radisson (CAR)

16

18

3,055

3,349

27

27

Westin Hotels & Resorts (STA)

15

15

5,671

5,671

28

28

Marriott Hotels & Resorts (MAR)

15

15

5,465

5,392

29

29

Hilton (HIL)

15

15

5,308

5,308

30

31

Executive Hotels & Resorts

14

12

2,080

1,914

31

N/A

Canalta Hotels [Brand]

12

N/A

725

N/A

Canalta is about to open its 12th Canalta Hotel in Assiniboia, SK.

32

N/A

Canad Inn

11

N/A

1,326

N/A

Canad Inns Health Science Centre opened April, 2013.

33

32

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott (MAR)

11

11

1,234

1,234

34

35

Pomeroy Inn & Suites Inc.

11

10

1,089

923

35

N/A

Prestige Hotels

11

N/A

1,009

N/A

Residence Inn Ottawa Airport opened 2013.

Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Calgary Airport East will open Q3 2013.

2013: Courtyard Quebec City converting to a Marriott.

Opened franchised locations in Lloydminster, AB, and Regina, SK.

New Fairfields are scheduled to open in Moncton, Vernon and St. John's in 2013.

The Prestige Oceanfront Resort & Convention Centre Sooke opened April, 2011.

www.canadianlodgingnews.com

20 |

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

RANK 2012: UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

1 67 146 5,889 12,278

RANK 2012: UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

6 31 136 2,066 8,906

RANK 2012: UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

1 110 200 9,744 18,093

RANK 2012: UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

6 39 41 5,662 6,132

RANK 2012: UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

2 63 200 5,633 18,093

RANK 2012: UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

5 29 60 2,081 4,230

RANK 2012: UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

2 90 136 5,801 8,906

RANK 2012: UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

7 36 82 3,601 8,368

8 RANK 2012: UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

4 34 84 3,411 7,995

RANK 2012: UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

7 27 65 5,539 11,865

RANK 2012: UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

3 34 99 3,287 8,585

RANK 2012: UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

RANK 2012: UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

8 33 82 3,270 8,368

RANK 2012: UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

RANK 2012: UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

8 RANK 2012: UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

3 60 76 5,688 7,670

RANK 2012: UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

8 31 146 2,602 12,278

9 26 82 2,864 7,926

RANK 2012: UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

5 52 99 4,189 8,585

RANK 2012: UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

9 29 29 3,952 3,952

RANK 2012: UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

11 19 30 716 1,148

RANK 2012: UNITS (ON): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ON): ROOMS (CAN):

4 44 84 3,883 7,995

RANK 2012: UNITS (WEST): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (WEST): ROOMS (CAN):

11 27 65 3,768 11,865

1 20 146 1,542 12,278

RANK 2012: UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

8 8 82 902 8,368

RANK 2012: UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

1 29 146 2,245 12,278

RANK 2012: UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

6 7 65 1,844 11,865

2 15 200 1,310 18,093

RANK 2012: UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

7 7 42 1,896 12,552

RANK 2012: UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

2 21 82 2,020 7,926

RANK 2012: UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

7 6 20 2,622 9,989

8

8

HOTELS & RESORTS

RANK 2012: UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

3 10 10 1,065 1,065

RANK 2012: UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

9 7 99 650 8,585

RANK 2012: UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

3 12 200 1,406 18,093

RANK 2012: UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

8 6 20 2,036 12,552

RANK 2012: UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

5 10 82 993 7,926

RANK 2012: UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

6 7 60 529 4,230

RANK 2012: UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

4 10 53 478 2,793

RANK 2012: UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

9 6 42 2,036 12,552

RANK 2012: UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

4 9 136 590 8,906

RANK 2012: UNITS (ATL): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (ATL): ROOMS (CAN):

10 5 22 383 1,604

RANK 2012: UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

5 9 9 1,339 1,339

RANK 2012: UNITS (QC): UNITS (CAN): ROOMS (QC): ROOMS (CAN):

10 6 136 449 8,906

S E P T E M B E R 2 013

| 21

www.canadianlodgingnews.com

Pine Bungalows receives LEED silver certification JASPER, AB—Michal Wasuita and his mother, Connie Bjorkquist, owner/operators of Pine Bungalows in Jasper National Park, have long been proponents of living lightly on the earth, implementing environmentally friendly measures on their property for decades.

Recently they decided to have an independent third party review their steps to make their accommodations more sustainable and walked away with certification and an award.

Pine Bungalows has been in service to the mountain traveller since the 1930s. The rustic individual bungalows are now historic. The owners aspire to retain the historic aesthetic and keep upgrading the bungalows to be more efficient.

In 2003, with only three years remaining on his lease with Parks Canada, Wasuita and Bjorkquist, who spent her lifetime working on the property and is still actively consulting with her son, had some serious decisions to make about the property.

“The cabins needed updating and the infrastructure was slowly failing,” Wasuita explained in an article in Perspectives, the newsletter of the Alberta Chapter of the Canada Green Building Council. He knew some of the cabins were prone

to flooding, conditions were right for mould in some of them, the interiors had used oil-based paints and the failing water, sewer and gas lines needed modernization.

irrigation to water the landscaping. I told them I had no plans to water the landscaping because I would use all native plants that would adapt to local water conditions.”

Seeking LEED certification

One bungalow for approval

Wasuita decided that, “Remodelling the existing cabins was just putting lipstick on a pig. Contractors and developers told me just to rip them down and start over.”

Rather than just replicating the old cabins, Wasuita did some research, and found EcoAMMO Sustainable Consulting Inc. in Edmonton to help secure LEED certification.

Since he was operating in a national park, Wasuita needed to submit a master plan to Parks Canada.

“I’m breaking new ground. I want to certify a residential building located on a commercial property inside a national park,” he said.

Wasuita says his research gave him the tools he needed to guide Parks Canada through the process.

“They developed an appreciation for the project and for LEED. For instance, they questioned the fact that I hadn’t included plans for

They chose one bungalow to put through the LEED for Homes certification system to confirm that the environmentally friendly initiatives they were implementing on all their bungalows would in fact meet this international standard for green building.

Pine Bungalows recently received a LEED Silver certification for their cabin upgrades and sustainability initiatives.

Initiatives included the following: o reaching an Energuide rating of 81 (Building Code is currently at 72); o recycling construction waste; o installing efficient plumbing and lighting fixtures; o creating a 100 per cent native plant species landscaping plan that requires zero potable water; and o reducing air leakage by 94 per cent.

The construction process is being phased and

HAC Hall of Fame entries due Oct. 28 OTTAWA—The Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) is now accepting entries for the 2013 Hall of Fame Awards of Excellence. In its tenth year, the Hall of Fame Awards program continues the association’s tradition of acknowledging the strong standards and values of those involved in and with the lodging industry.

The awards program proudly recognizes those individuals, companies or properties that have

demonstrated significant accomplishments, exemplary leadership and tireless commitment to our industry in the following divisions:

The Humanitarian Award Given for individuals/programs that demonstrate to residents that the individual property is responsive to the local community.

The Human Resources Award Given for programs/individuals that develop a climate conducive to new and/or repeat business, create goodwill among guests, provide special services, reverse negative public relations situations or effectively solve guest complaints.

The Energy & Environment Award Recognizes lodging properties that have developed a culture towards integrating environmental management practices that improve everyday operations and the bottom line, while maintaining quality service and meeting guest expectations.

The Stephen Phillips Bursary The Stephen Phillips Passion for Hospitality Bursary is dedicated to the memory of Stephen Phillips, former vice-chairman & CEO of AFM Hospitality Corporation Inc., who passed away from cancer in early 2007. The bursary will be awarded to the hospitality student who best represents the qualities that Stephen Phillips brought to the industry.

SilverBirch founding employer partner of diversity institute VANCOUVER—SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts is one of 25 founding employer partners of the Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion (CIDI), a not-forprofit organization that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace with the goal of increasing Christine Maassen competence and promoting excellence in diversity and inclusion in Canada.

“We value our employees based on their skills and abilities and encourage everyone to respect individual differences and similarities,” said Christine Maassen, senior vice president, human resources. “Partnering with CIDI will allow us to access tools and expertise that will help us formalize our diversity practices and help improve the overall inclusivity of our work place.”

As a founding employer partner of the CIDI, SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts will have access to diversity and inclusion research, data and leading practice information that will help the company develop programs that will allow employees to thrive within the work environment. The CIDI will also provide practical and credible consulting services to assist SilverBirch with policy and document development to illustrate the company’s diversity and inclusion efforts.

The Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion (CIDI) is a think-tank and research organization for issues related to diversity, inclusion, equity and human rights management. CIDI works with Canadian organizations to effectively manage issue diversity and inclusion in their workplace.

Wasuita says they will see additional LEED certifications as phases progress. Wasuita has just completed phase four of nine phases approved

by Parks Canada, with eight cabins completed.

“The toughest parts were the first couple of phases, replacing the infrastructure one section at a time. So far, I’ve invested over $4 million in capital, with another $2.5 million to go.”

And as he renovates, Wasuita is laying the groundwork to target LEED Gold certification.

For example, the cabins are solar ready, with the electrical panel ready for the change sometime in the future. Wasuita may also consider a hot water loop in future rather than the current central hot water system.

“I get a lot of satisfaction over what I’m doing,” Wasuita told Perspectives. “The Jasper town folks thought I was crazy at first. Now, people understand my motivations and have taken a real interest in the project. And education is an important part of LEED. The process is pretty cool. You get a point if you do an open house to educate your staff and the public.

“I like the LEED system. If you comply with all the categories, the points add up quickly. And you end up doing the right thing.”

A BETTER PROPERTY. AN EVEN BETTER OPPORTUNITY. WA K E U P R E F R E S H E D W I T H S L E E P I N N ® Savvy developers see a bright future in a low-cost design that’s high on style giving you the performance edge you need in today’s market. Incentives available for single and multi-unit development.

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22 |

the canadian resort Development Association presents…

Country Inns builds its library Country Inns & Suites lobby with library

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MINNEAPOLIS—The Country Inns & Suites Read It and Return lending library isn’t new to the midscale hotel category, but its recent partnership with Random House has expanded the program to include more genres and a supply of 30,000 books twice annually to U.S. and Canadian hotels.

“We started it in 2001 and at that time it was a small program; it was in the U.S. and Canada. It was about 10 books on a mantel,” Aurora Toth, vice-president of branding and marketing, Country Inns & Suites by Carlson, told CLN. She added that they tried multiple partnerships, testing magazines, games and types of books, “but now we’re at the point that this partnership with Random House allows us to expand our offering in different genres and have more best sellers.”

The program allows guests to borrow a book from the lobby library area and return it to another location.

“Our lobbies are pretty iconic in that we have more of a home-like feel,” said Toth, who described living room-style furniture gathered before a fireplace, with built in or freestanding bookshelves on either side.

“We are told by our guests that [the lobby] feels much less corporate and more like being in someone’s home,” said Toth.

She said the library program is equally appealing to leisure travellers, especially parents with children – and business guests who have wrapped up work for the day.

Toth said the brand receives a number of positive messages about the program through social media, pointing out a particular message on

Facebook from a family staying in a city without a Country Inns & Suites location. “Upon walking in the front door my four-year-said ‘where’s the library?’” the message read.

She said the program, coupled with the other unexpected touches of home the brand highlights, allows the hotels a point of differentiation from other midsize chains.

The hotels must stock a minimum of 50 books at all times and can choose genres and titles depending on clientele. When stock is turned over the older titles are donated.

She said while many people do return the books, many take them home. “We’ve decided that that’s OK, because we’re promoting reading and literacy. We budget for that knowing that we’re not going to get all [the books] back.”

Aurora Toth

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VICTORIA—Accent Inns has expanded its bicycle program to meet the needs of biker touring guests with a motorcycle-friendly program: “Bike Love … All Revved Up.” The chain-wide program caters to motorcyclists with improved overnight storage, bike wash stations and secure lock-ups.

“We are so stoked about this program because it’s a great fit between filling our customer’s need for safe secure motorcycle parking with our passion for getting people out and about in our beautiful province with the wind blowing through their hair,” Accent Inns president and CEO Mandy Farmer told CLN. This addition to the BC-based chain’s Bike Love program was suggested by avid rider and the Victo-

ria property general manager Chris Knight.

“Accent Inns already offers motorcycle-friendly accommodations such as suite-specific, ground floor parking,” said Knight. “My years of travelling with a motorcycle gave me the idea and Accent Inns’ management really blew me away with their support. Upon completing the development of the program, we then did some initial outreach and connected with the Westcoast Ride to Live folks who annually ride in support of prostate cancer awareness and research.”

Accent Inns hosted participants at its Victoria hotel. “Connecting with participants during the event showed me that expanding our popular bicycling-friendly program to motorcyclists is the right thing to do,” said Knight.

The free features added to meet motorcyclists’ needs at all Accent Inn locations—in Victoria, Vancouver, Burnaby, Kamloops and Kelowna— include: o secure parking for motorcycles by concrete eye bolt o heavy-duty, motorcycle friendly chains and locks o all-weather bike covers with antiscratch interior and heat resistant panels near exhaust o bike wash station and rags o on-site laundry rooms “It’s always nice to go someplace where you know your bike is going to be secure, and you have a hose, bucket and rags available to clean all the bugs off after a long day’s ride—it’s a real bonus,” said David Valentine, Ride to Live co-chair, in a release.

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Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland hosts Food Day Canada event of Chinched Bistro, Adam Blanchard of 5 Brothers Artisan Cheese, Andrea Maunder of Bacalao, Brian Piercey of Bridie Molloy’s and the Celtic Hearth, and Robert Piercey of Glendenning golf course.

Volunteers and sponsors included Thomas Canning, Angie Ryan, Nancy Brace, Steve Watson, Gord Chalker, John Scurrey, The Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland and Central Dairies.

Chef Roary MacPherson and friends.

ST. JOHN’S, NL—Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland welcomed 377 patrons to the hotel’s Fort William ballroom to meet some of Newfoundland and Labrador’s top chefs and taste their favorite deli creations at a Food Day Canada event on Aug. 3.

“The Pop up Deli on the Square was a smashing hit,” according to hotel executive chef Roary MacPherson.

“It was a great representation of chefs, farmers and producers,” MacPherson noted.

Proceeds of the event went to the St. John’s Branch of the Chef ’s association and to The Restaurant Association of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Participants included MacPherson, plus Hanns Uebel of Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland, Shaun Hussey

Sampling the food.

Insulin wins in Stay Smart Promo TORONTO—Holiday Inn Express has launched a new marketing campaign called Stay Smart, which pits Canadian innovation against Canadian innovation, and challenges us to choose which is “smarter.” Poutine or basketball? Paint rollers or being nice to strangers? Peanut butter or the rotary phone?

Canadians can vote for their favourite innovation on Facebook, and gain a chance to win a free stay at a Holiday Inn Express hotel anywhere in the world. They can also submit their own innovation challengers.

The site also makes available a Smart Saver rate, a discount off the Best Flex rate at Holiday Inn Express hotel locations.

As of Sept. 2, insulin was the clear front runner with 584 votes. Being nice to strangers came second with 501 votes, and Nanaimo bars third with 482.

“Canadians are responsible for many smart inventions, and SmartvsSmart.ca is a fun and humorous nod to how smart it feels to stay at a Holiday Inn Express hotel,” said Jo Allan, director of brands marketing in the Americas for IHG. “With free breakfast, a choice of pillows, WiFi and properties across the country, Holiday Inn Express hotels are a smart choice for leisure and business travellers alike.”

Allan told CLN that the contest was first held five years ago and it had a big following then. At that time, the contest medium was television, rather than Facebook. “Canadians are online more now, which is why we have a heavy digital bent.

“The contest still resonated, so we resurrected it. It’s still relevant in terms of humour. It’s different in

Canada and the U.S. “It enables consumers to interact with us as a brand, share their votes and enter the contest.”

The contest launched Aug. 5 and will continue until the end of November with 14 prizes—one for each week of the contest.

The StaySmart microsite also uses super-short Vine videos featuring Jason Jones, a Canadian actor and comedian best known as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Jones stars in humorous Holiday Inn Express videos on YouTube, and Facebook, etc. He offers photos and tweets in the name of the brand during the coming weeks as well. Viewers are encouraged to create and post a Vine—a 15-seconds-or-less YouTube video—an Instagram photo or a tweet.

Just for laughs partnership Holiday Inn Express also encourages Canadians to Stay Smart—and laugh. The brand has partnered with Just For Laughs to encourage Canadians to laugh during the JFL Canadian Comedy Tour and during Toronto’s JFL42 Festival.

Based in Montreal, Just for Laughs is a world leader in comedy dedicated to making people happy.

“We’re excited to partner with Just For Laughs to bring Canadians smart comedy,” said Allan. “As hospitality sponsor for the JFL Comedy Tour and a supporting sponsor of JFL42, we look forward to welcoming JFL guests to Holiday Inn Express hotels across the country during the tour and festival.”

Visit https://smartvssmart.ihg. com to vote for Canada’s Smartest.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Sequel hires McLaughlin to drive growth through acquisitions HUNTSVILLE, ON—Sequel Hotels and Resorts has been on the move this summer, with two big announcements.

In May, the company announced that it had hired Robert McLaughlin as the new president and chief operating officer of Sequel Hospitality Investments Inc. He was brought in to enhance the company’s growth and profitability for investments in hotel and resort acquisitions, and mixed use developments. Sequel Hospitality Investments is a private equity company that will grow through acquisitions. He will also guide the expansion of Sequel Hotels and Resorts, a hotel management com-

pany that was founded in 2005.

While hotels and resorts are a new industry for him, McLaughlin brings extensive creative, financial and executive experience to this new position. He is an entrepreneur and 25-year broadcast industry executive who specializes in startup and rebuilding operations, particularly growing emerging brands. In addition to his success at executive levels, he is an award-winning journalist and proven investor.

As senior vice president of production for CTV, McLaughlin was responsible for all production at CTVglobemedia (2009-

2011), overseeing the business development and strategic plan for production units of its networks. He was appointed executive producer of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games for CTV (Olympic Morning). He has also been VP and GM of Toronto’s CP24.

Touchstone purchase McLaughlin had been on the job less than two months when Sequel announced that it had purchased Touchstone on Lake Muskoka, a $35 million boutique Muskoka resort and condominium development in Bracebridge, Ontario.

Make An Entrance. Welcome to Best Western.

Bob McLaughlin, president and COO, and Anne Larcade, CEO, Sequel Hospitality Investments Inc.

Set on 22 waterfront acres, Touchstone on Lake Muskoka represents one of the most significant pieces of development property in the Canadian resort real estate market, the company said in a release. Touchstone is also one of the few Muskoka resorts that features entirely new build accommodation and amenities.

“Touchstone will compete internationally as a toptier resort project,” said McLaughlin. “Sequel Hospitality secured Touchstone Resort at well below replacement value which fits nicely with our investment criteria.”

Sequel’s expansion plans for Touchstone will focus on condominium development, presenting new layouts for an additional 56 lakeside, whole ownership condominiums priced from $229,000. Owners will have the option of placing their unit in the resort rental pool.

“Touchstone was originally developed as a fractional ownership project,” said Anne Larcade, president & CEO, Sequel Hotels and Resorts and CEO of Sequel Hospitality Investments, who compares the resort to Deerhurst, Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons.

“We’re selling out,” Larcade told CLN, adding that they can’t keep up with the demand for leisure travel, small group meetings and weddings. “Going forward, we are in a unique position to build out this resort.”

Prices at Touchstone range from $150 up to more than $1,000 per night.

Community, art and music “One of our goals is to weave in the local community, local artists, unique events, so that guests can experience what Muskoka has to offer in terms of art, music, wine and food,” said Larcade.

Sequel also focuses on these core values in its management of the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto, a boutique art hotel. “We’re very proud of the Gladstone,” said Larcade. “Year to date, we led our competitive set in the boutique luxury section of downtown Toronto in terms of RevPAR.”

Future growth

To build a rock-solid investment for your future, start with the bricks and mortar of a Best Western hotel today. No other hospitality brand delivers the world to your door like Best Western. With more than 4,000 hotels in over 100 countries and territories*, Best Western’s international footprint and powerful marketing engine give you the competitive advantage to dominate any market. Choose the hotel that’s

Larcade notes that Sequel is looking at three other acquisition and development projects, in Ontario, outside the province and outside Canada.

“Given our strategic locations, growing collection of hotel assets, existing pipeline and hospitality expertise, Sequel Hospitality Investments is ideally positioned to develop truly unique hotels and resorts,” noted McLaughlin. “We look forward to introducing several more developments over the coming months.”

right for your market – an upscale BEST WESTERN PREMIER®, an upper mid-scale BEST WESTERN PLUS®, or a mid-scale BEST WESTERN® hotel. Enter your market with the stability, strength and superior performance of

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*Numbers are approximate and may fluctuate. Each Best Western® branded hotel is independently owned and operated.

Best Western and Best Western marks are service marks or registered service marks of Best Western International, Inc. ©2013 Best Western International, Inc. All rights reserved.

Touchstone on Lake Muskoka.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

Travel-savvy kids share vision for hotels of the future

By Kristen Smith NEW YORK—A recent Marriott Kids Roundtable on Travel turned the spotlight on kids at the Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Midtown.

Residence Inns by Marriott was traditionally a business traveller brand. Realizing the same amenities—on-site laundry, hot breakfasts, in-suite kitchens, and grocery delivery—appeal to business travellers and families alike, they have expanded branding to highlight that, including celebrating mothers for the entire month of May. In an effort to continue enriching family travel, it seemed they should hear from the children, said Meredith Lovera, account supervisor at

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Laura Davidson Public Relations, who organized the roundtable.

About 10 well-travelled children, ranging in age from eight to 12, took part on Aug. 3 and shared their imaginative vision for hotels of the future: guest rooms that recognize your fingerprint for entry, alterable wall colours, design elements predetermined by guests and robot butlers, were some of the things dreamed up by the participants.

The key findings conveyed a need for hoteliers to focus on personalization and customization. Highlights include: o Customized experiences: kids want to be in control of their travel experiences, from pre-ordering inroom snacks to deciding hotel room amenities. o Technology is ingrained in children’s lives. o The emotional experience of time on the road and sharing memories is what children cited when asked about the best part of travelling with their families. o If parents let them pick the next family trip they would choose Colorado, Paris, Australia, Hawaii, Antarctica, Florida, the moon, Alaska, Spain, the Galapagos, Egypt and Canada. o Future transportation methods—teleports and flying or driverless cars, for example—will make getting there half the fun.

“These children have very different expectations, views and opinions of travel than our guests today.

Their world is technologically advanced and there is no limit to their imagination,” said Diane Mayer, vice president and global brand manager, Residence Inn, in a release. “We host a lot of families with children at Residence Inn. Who knows, we might test some of these out-of-the-box ideas in the near future.”

Niagara Innkeepers Association is born

By Elaine Anselmi

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

The Issues.

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The Straight Talk.

➤ HOTEL & RESORT ROUND-UP CBRE Hotels and HVS review operating and transaction highlights of both urban and resort markets. ➤ THE BIG PICTURE: HOW WESTERN CANADA’S ECONOMY IS STACKING UP Jason Clemens of the Fraser Institute returns and takes a look at the economic characteristics of the past year as well as providing insight into the future.

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NIAGARA FALLS, ON—In response to an influx of large chain hotel operations in tourism-heavy Niagara Falls, a collection of small innkeepers are banding together to have their voices heard. On June 12 the Niagara Innkeepers Association (NIA) was formed and its first appointments announced.

“The market is the big fish right now,” said Devanshu Narang, president of the NIA and owner of the Advantage Inn. “We’ll never be big fish but we can join together to be bigger.”

The organization already has 39 members, with a total of 1,780 rooms under its guard. Narang told CLN that motels like his own, with less than 100 rooms, are dying out in Niagara Falls because tourists are drawn to larger hotels downtown.

“Because of our small size, we don’t really get the benefits,” said Narang. “The goal of the association is to have a unified voice for all of the small innkeepers who are slowly being pushed out.”

Narang said bargaining and buying power is something that comes with the strength of numbers. The NIA is in the process of negotiating with Expedia for an equal fee for its members across the board.

Another factor that Narang said the NIA is diligently fighting for is revenue-based taxation. With all areas of Niagara Falls equally taxed, Narang said the small innkeepers outside of the highly-trafficked downtown area are at a disadvantage. “Our costs are similar, while our revenue is much less than what you can get at Fallsview,” he said.

He said now, with its membership and roomstrength growing, these issues are garnering some attention and the NIA has begun negotiating with suppliers.

“People should join together,” said Narang. “We have already started seeing results here. Nobody was willing to listen to us, now the MPP [Kim Craitor] has given us a chance to meet to talk about the problems.”

Since an article on the NIA came out in the Niagara Falls Review, the mayor of Niagara Falls, Jim Diodati has also contacted Narang for a meeting, he said. “As a group we definitely do get a stronger voice.”

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CALGARY—In spite of the heavy flooding in Calgary and area, Super 8 has bounced back to business as usual, spokesperson Catherine Burdett told CLN. Results are in from two of Super 8’s Stampede charitable events, indicating that the floods didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of event attendees.

For the 11th year in a row, Super 8 Calgary Shawnessy hosted a Stampede breakfast, complete with Calgary Stampede royalty, to raise money for the Learning Disability Society.

“Every year we raise monies for a charity, provide entertainment and serve up 2,400 pancakes and 3,000 sausages to 1,100 people,” said Burdett. “This year we invited the Learning Disability Society to conduct a 50/50 ticket sale with draws for prizes donated by Super 8 and other amazing vendors including family movie packages, gift certificates for FatBoy Burgers and gift certificates to the local Jazzersize organization—who also performed line dancing entertainment for our attending guests. A fun and successful day for all who participated!”

Super 8 SaddleUp Sweepstakes winners from Atlantic Canada also took in the Calgary Stampede. Super 8’s sponsored cowboys, Tyler Thompson, Canadian Bull Riding Champ and Gary Rempel, Rodeo PickUp Man, were on hand for autograph sessions and photos with fans.

Super 8 also provides SaddleUp Sweepstakes prize packages to key rodeo events in North America each year, including the Calgary Stampede, Saint-Tite rodeo in Quebec City and the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

This year’s Sweepstake winners to the 2013 Calgary Stampede hailed from Atlantic Canada. The winners also enjoyed roundtrip airfare, hotel accommodation, a rental vehicle, three days of access to Calgary Stampede, tickets to a concert and two days of rodeo finals, the chuckwagon and grandstand show and a $1,000 gift card at Lammle’s Western Wear.

Awards. The panel of judges praised Cascades for the product’s “outstanding features” and commitment to sustainability, as well as its low environment a l impact compared to similar, traditional products.

Coast Hotels’ Long Charity Drive tops $500 million VANCOUVER—The 11th Annual Coast Hotels Golf Classic held July 11 at Westwood Plateau raised a record $55,000 bringing the grand total raised for charity by the event to more than a half million dollars ($550,000) over the past decade.

This year, 136 hospitality industry suppliers, entrepreneurs, managers and supporters teed off to support a good cause.

The 2013 recipient was the Salvation Army.

Coast Hotels is proud to contribute to the Salvation Army because the brand believes that everyone deserves a good night’s sleep and everyone deserves a good meal. Accordingly, the hotel group supports the shelter and meal service programs run by the charity.

“Reaching this milestone of exceeding a half million dollars raised is so rewarding,” said Robert Pratt, president of Coast Hotels. “Coast believes in supporting the communities where we do business, and the Salvation Army gives us the ability to direct where funds will be spent,” added Pratt.

Green Manufacturerer’s innovation award for Moka CANDIAC, QC—Cascades Tissue Group today announced that the company’s first-of-its-kind Cascades Moka 100 per cent recycled unbleached bathroom tissue has been honoured with a first place finish in the Green Manufacturer magazine’s 2013 Green Manufacturer’s Innovation

L to r, lieutenant-colonel divisional commander Larry Martin and lieutenant-colonel Velma Martin of the Salvation Army BC, Shu Naito, senior vice president, Coast Hotels and Robert Pratt, president, Coast Hotels.

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PROD U CT S

Upscale Marine-Grade Umbrellas for Hospitality In hospitality, the moment a sidewalk café, patio deck, or poolside umbrella looks faded, worn, or broken, the image of the establishment instantly changes from warm and inviting to dilapidated and run-down. On the other hand, a commercial grade, upscale umbrella can deliver a powerful first impression of luxury, intimacy, and community.

Toward this end, many in hospitality are turning away from inexpensive metal or fiberglass pole umbrellas that fade, fray or break frequently, to upscale, marine-grade umbrellas from suppliers such as Greencorner that are made to last in a commercial service environment. Greencorner supplies many of the world’s most prominent hospitality venues including the Ritz-Carlton, and Grand Café Wolfgang Puck.

These umbrellas feature one-piece mahogany wood poles and stainless steel hardware. The marine-grade fabric, originally created for sailboats, is guaranteed to resist fading, moisture, rot, and mildew. By importing the mahogany from Tunisia, Greencorner is able to keep costs down while providing an upscale product.

Square and rectangular shaped umbrellas can be grouped to offer continuous shade over a large area. In addition, the larger umbrellas can effectively replace three or four standard umbrellas, eliminating the need for poles and bases at many tables.

This helps to maximize seating capacity, headroom, legroom, and freedom of servercustomer movement, as does compact ribbing

and low-profile bases.

The umbrellas have a modular design, enabling quick and easy part replacement. This minimizes cost, downtime, and keeps umbrellas looking fresh.

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Rubbermaid’s new look Rubbermaid has a new look for its housekeeping utilities such as carts, buckets and receptacles. “The overall picture is, there is a new trend in management moving away from the typical yellow colour, into a new look that blends in with the hotel décor,” said Numair Khan, senior manager, product marketing for Rubbermaid Commercial Products. “We’re going into grey, silver and black.”

Rubbermaid,www.rubbermaidcommercial.com.

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Toughpad available in Canada Panasonic Canada Inc. has introduced three enterprise-grade Toughpad tablets, including the FZ-G1, a 10-inch model using the Windows 8 Pro operating system (or Windows 7 Pro through downgrade rights), and two Android-based tablets; the seven-inch JT-B1 and the 10-inch FZA1. The tablets are designed for those who need mobile access to mission-critical data even when working in adverse conditions. They are also durable enough to be used in hotels.

Panasonic, https://panasonic. ca/media/english/toughbook/toughpad2013/ durablehospitalitytablet.asp

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30 |

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

Omni Hotels & Resorts to manage The King Edward TORONTO—Omni Hotels & Resorts is operating and managing the The King Edward Hotel (above) as of Aug. 1. The iconic hotel also wears the Omni name.

The company has joined the ownership group King Edward Realty Inc. Skyline InterCHF_2013_CLN:CHF_2013_CLN national Development retains its ownership position and continues its existing role as

asset manager of the Canadian-owned King Edward Realty Inc., along with partners Alex Shnaider, Serruya Realty Group, Dundee KE Limited Partnership and now Omni Hotels Corporation.

The venture continues Omni’s strategic expansion to own, operate and manage distinctive luxury hotels and resorts in North America.

8/13/13 4:24 PM “The King Edward Hotel is a very Page unique property with a rich history from more than

a century of hosting guests, as well as being a great source of pride for the city of Toronto,” said Mike Deitemeyer, president of Omni Hotels and Resorts, in a release.

Built in 1903, The King Edward is a Toronto landmark located within the city’s Financial District, and has hosted a number of dignitaries in its 110 years, including namesake King Edward VIII, former president 1Theodore Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway and Mark Twain.

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

International Plaza Hotel + Conference Centre opens in Toronto TORONTO—International Plaza Hotel + Conference Centre Toronto Airport, a member of Preferred Hotel Group’s Sterling Hotels brand, opened in late August.

The 433-room former Doubletree hotel is the newest addition to the collection’s global portfolio of independent luxury hotels.

Extensive renovations are planned to the building exterior, lobby and reception, guestrooms, bathrooms and meeting facilities. Located directly across from the Toronto Congress Centre, the International Plaza Hotel is centrally located near the major metropolitan crossroads of Highways 401, 427, 407 and 409, just 25 km from downtown Toronto and 3 km from Lester Pearson International Airport.

International Plaza Hotel will continue to be owned and managed by Keck Seng Group, under a license agreement with Sterling Hotels, a brand of Preferred Hotel Group.

Durham College extension includes a model hotel room

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WHITBY, ON—An apple orchard and extensive agricultural fields will surround Durham College’s Centre for Food, offering hands-on experience and an in-house food supply network for the school’s various culinary, agriculture and hospitality programs. Encompassing four production kitchens, a full-service restaurant and a model hotel room, the centre welcomed its first batch of students in early September.

In its first semester, the 36,000-square-foot building opened to 685 students, and will eventually expand to 900 students. As well as Durham’s Culinary Management, and Hospitality Management – Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism programs, the centre will house a new program for the college, Horticulture – Food and Farming.

“When you talk about hospitality, it’s such a broad term. Everything that we’re doing here is hospitality, from agri-tourism to foodservice,” said Lovisa.

Off of the main atrium, at ground level, a wine tasting lab will serve both students, for the wine and foodpairing component of their programs, as well as the public, in community education courses.

Down the hall, past a living wall of plants reaching up to the second floor, a fully-accessible model hotel room offers all of the amenities of a standard hotel. Lovisa joked that its purpose isn’t a refuge for the wearystudent, but a learning lab, giving Hospitality Management students an opportunity to familiarize themselves with that sort of space.

HLT Advisory is on the move... but just down the street TORONTO—HLT Advisory will now be located next to the Hyatt Regency Toronto Hotel, just down the street from its former offices. As of September 9, the company’s new address will be 370 King St. West, Box 24, Suite 604, Toronto, ON M5V 1J9. All other contact information will remain the same.

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Best Western Plus Toronto North York features onsite bakery TORONTO—The Best Western Plus Toronto North York Hotel and Suites, which opened last month, features an onsite restaurant and bakery, a heated indoor pool, hot tub and two meeting rooms accommodating up to 50 people. A variety of guest rooms are offered at this North York hotel including business class rooms with a large work desk, sofa bed, mini refrigerator and free high-speed Internet access. Within 12 kilometres of the Toronto Pearson International Airport, just off Highway 400 and close to 401 and 407, the Best Western Plus Toronto North York Hotel & Suites is easily accessible.

North York is considered uptown Toronto, also referred to as “The City with Heart”. The hotel is located close to Canada’s Wonderland, Woodbine Racetrack & Casino and Wild Water Kingdom. Also, it is the closest Best Western to Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre and Yorkdale Mall.

S E P T E M B E R 2 013

Beverley hotel blends boutique with business

By Elaine Anselmi TORONTO—Walk a few blocks east of the Beverley Hotel and you’re in Toronto’s booming financial district. Head the same distance west and you’re engulfed in the young and artsy Queen West neighbourhood. Executive chef Eric Wood (shown above) told CLN the unique positioning of the restaurant and boutique hotel is a key part of the concept.

“Geographically, we’re right in between, but philosophically we’re right in between, too,” said Wood.

Building the Beverley wasn’t a matter of finding the right space for the concept, rather finding the right concept to fit the space at 335 Queen St. West. “We’ve really harnessed the fact that we’re in the city’s cultural hub,” said Wood, who signed on to the project with owners Michael Homewood and Mike Strong in March.

Under one roof and one name, the multifaceted property houses: a 70-seat, main-floor restaurant; a rooftop patio with a capacity of 70; a second rooftop patio overlooking Queen Street seating another 20 to 25 people; and an 18-room boutique hotel. Wood noted that all aspects of the building are a part of the one concept, and staff will operate through the whole space, whether seating a guest in the restaurant or showing them to their room.

Catering to out-of-towners, the hotel was designed to show off the Queen West area.

“Boutique hotels are amazing because you’re staying in that neighbourhood and getting the cultural vibe of it.”

Starting on the second floor – where a grey felt wall reads STAY in black lettering – The Beverley has three rooming options: a 130-squarefoot studio for $140 per night, a standard room at $160 per night for 160 square feet and a 320-square-foot suite for $200. Despite its storefront location in a commercial row on the south side of Queen West, at the foot of Beverley St., every room in the hotel has natural light.

Rooms are minimalist, subscribing to an “everything you need and nothing you don’t” philosophy. Each room is different and decorated with a unique Queen West, black and white photo-mural. One room, Wood pointed out has a photograph of his bicycle that was parked outside on the day the photos were shot.

The menu on the main floor, clearly labelled: EAT, will rotate seasonally and bring in various international flavours. “We have a global palate, interpreted locally,” said Wood.

“We’re at a point now that New York Fries has a butter chicken poutine … we know fusion is irrelevant, it’s just our palate.”

One feature on the menu that Wood said has carried through the various kitchens he

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www.canadianlodgingnews.com has worked in, most recently as opening chef and operator at Hawthorne Food and Drink, is a compartmentalized meal. At Beverley, this bento box-style dish is the 4Play—four portions that change daily. “It’s what’s really, really, in season,” said Wood, noting it’s an opportunity for fun and creativity. “That’s why we call it the 4Play,” he said.

On the rooftop, a satellite kitchen consisting of a grill and fridge prepares the menu that Wood said is a lot more casual and share-focused. “We interpreted it as grill and chill,” he said.

Plans are also in the process for a 20-person bar in the basement that will open once the upstairs patio closes for the season. Wood said the basement bar is prohibition era speak-easy style, with a focus on cocktails. With four mixologists on staff, the beverage menu at the restaurant – also not so subtly labeled: DRINK – is a feature in all areas of the Beverley.

With an average check price of $50, Wood said the goal is to be a neighbourhood hub, something an establishment such as The Drake has done. Marrying the hotel and restaurant concepts, the Beverley has something on offer for both the local community and travellers looking for a taste of Toronto.

“Hotels are very complicated animals but we’re a small hotel,” said Wood. “Our mantra is really simple: Eat. Drink. Stay.”

Beverly Hotel, 335 Queen St. West, Toronto.

(416) 493-2786, thebeverleyhotel.ca, @beverleyhotelTO.

Cape Breton golf resort gets funds for expansion INVERNESS, NS—On Aug. 11, the provincial minister of economic and rural development announced an $8.25-million loan to Cabot Links golf resort to be repaid over 15 years.

Minister Graham Steele said the investment was about the town and people of Inverness. The golf course and resort already employs more than 120 and with the Cabot Cliffs 18-hole course and

an expansion of the resort, the $15-million expansion is expected to open up more employment opportunities.

“I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Cabot Links has transformed the town of Inverness,” said Steele, according to the Cape Breton Post.

Cabot Links opened two years ago with 10 holes and expanded to 18 in June 2012. The new course will overlook the coastline and is expected to open in 2015.

Construction of luxury Nanaimo hotel approved NANAIMO, BC—Nanaimo city council recently approved the sale of property at 100 Gordon St. for the construction of a 20-storey, 240-room hotel.

The city land, located next to next to the Vancouver Island Conference Centre, was sold to SSS Manhoa, a subsidiary of major Chinese tourism company Suzhou Youth Travel Services Co. Ltd. According to the Nanaimo News Bulletin, the architect’s plans are larger than originally proposed and include two top-floor restaurants, a pool, gym, spa and retail space. Suites will be available for two-week time shares. The company plans to invest $50 million, and expects to attract 70,000 tourists to the port city, create 500 jobs and earn $35 million annually.

According to the development covenant, the foundation must be poured within a year and a half and the hotel built within three years.

Two mixed-use hotels in Winnipeg downtown’s future WINNIPEG—Longboat Development Corp. and Groupe Germain Hospitality of Quebec announced plans in recently to develop a 200,000-square-foot, 20-storey mixed-use tower on Portage Avenue. The $75-million development will house Groupe Germain’s first Manitoba property, a 154-room ALT Hotel, on the upper

12 stories and be the headquarters for Stantec’s Winnipeg office. The main floor will be space for retailers and restaurants, according to the plan.

Construction is slated to start in November.

About a kilometre away, Creswin Properties has proposed a 28-storey skyscraper at Main Street and McDermot Avenue. Creswin’s proposal includes 239 hotel rooms (the brand has not been named), meeting and banquet space to hold 800 people, 30 condominium units on the top six floors, office space, a spa and restaurant. If approved, construction could start as early as this month for a 2015 opening.

Artist’s rendition of the new ALT Hotel, part of one of the two mixed-use developments slated for downtown Winnipeg.

Formal groundbreaking for Motel 6 in Airdrie, AB TORONTO, ON—Realstar Hospitality formally broke ground for Motel 6 - Airdrie in July, making this new location the sixth Motel 6 branded hotel in Alberta. Once open, the hotel is expected to create 20 full time jobs in Airdrie.

Located at 133 Gateway Drive N.E., the property owned by Miko Hotel Ventures Inc. is slated to open in 2014. Alnoor Nathoo is the owner of the 80-room hotel, which will boast the brands’ award-winning Phoenix design.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

PE OPLE

Craig Norris-Jones, general manager, Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver

Pradeep Batra, executive chef, The Westin Prince Hotel, Toronto

Jacques-Alexandre Paquet, GM, Hôtel Le Germain, Montreal

Leslie Steh, executive pastry chef, Trump International, Toronto

Kris Crundwell, VP sales at Trade Centre Limited, Halifax

Mike Bobbit, director distribution and revenue, Choice Hotels Canada

Laura Pallotta, executive director, sales, Delta Hotels & Resorts

Jagdish Nair, project director, design and construction, Delta

Liana Guiry, director, marketing, Delta Hotels & Resorts

Sandy Indig, formerly of Delta, has moved to Lowe’s Canada

Tim Tindle, vice president, operations, Atlific Hotels

Melissa Kenney, national director of marketing, Atlific Hotels

Monica Orr, director of sales and marketing and Naguib Orfali, catering director, for Hotel Omni Montreal, a newly renovated four-star hotel.

James Rilett, VP Ontario, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Assn.

Craig Norris-Jones has left his position as VP of operations at Coast Hotels & Resorts to become the new GM of the Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver. Norris-Jones spent more than 25 years with Coast Hotels & Resorts. He helped expand the company into Western Canada and the U.S. He’s also been the regional GM for Coast properties in British Columbia as well as GM of the Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites in Vancouver.

sible for the World Trade and Convention Centre (WTCC).

He comes to the Trade Centre from Pacrim Hospitality where he was vice president sales and marketing for almost six year.

Prior to that he was director of global sales for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).

Jacques-Alexandre Paquet is now general manager of Hôtel Le Germain Montréal. He has been a trusted member of the team for several years having gained experience within different departments at ALT Hôtel Québec City, Hôtel Le Germain-Dominion and at the corporate office in Montréal as part of the marketing team.

Kris Crundwell is now vice president sales at Trade Centre Limited, Halifax, respon-

Pradeep Batra was recently appointed executive chef at The Westin Prince Hotel in Toronto. Batra has more than 19 years of culinary management

experience in Canada, the U.S. and international markets. He also has significant experience with the Starwood and Westin brands, having served as the executive chef at The Westin Waltham-Boston for the past seven years and leading culinary teams as executive chef at the Sheraton Suites Eau Claire-Calgary. At The Westin Calgary, he worked under the chef Fred Zimmerman.

Leslie Steh is the new executive pastry chef of the Chocolate Lab at the Stock Restaurant Bar & Lounge at the Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto. The Cordon Bleu-trained chef opened Toronto’s Petit Four Bakery in 2007 and has worked at a number of French bakeries in the city, including Ma Maison and Senses at the SoHo Metropolitan Hotel.

Choice Hotels Canada has hired Mike Bobbitt as director, distribution and revenue.

The distribution and revenue department is newly created as part of an internal restructure, which includes a merger with the sales department. Bobbitt has more than 26 years of hospitality experience working as vice president of operations at Westmont Hospitality Group, general manager of sales and catering at World Trade and Convention Centre and regional director of sales and marketing at Atlific Hotels.

Most recently, he was COO at Royal Host Hotels, which is the master franchisor for Travelodge in Canada.

Laura Pallotta has been promoted to executive director, sales, Delta Hotels & Resorts. Pallotta is a seasoned sales professional with over 21 years of hotel experience, 10 of which were spent in rapidly progressive leadership positions at Delta. This includes her most recent role as corporate director of sales where Pallotta provided strategic support for sales distribution and partnerships and oversaw the national sales team.

Jagdish Nair has been appointed as project director, design and construction at Delta.

In this role, Nair is responsible for the successful delivery of all projects within Delta’s owned assets. Nair was most recently senior project manager at CB Richard Ellis Limited where he managed a large portfolio of capital projects. Nair has extensive international expe-

rience having managed both hospitality and commercial projects in Dubai, the Middle East and India.

Liana Guiry has been named director of marketing. She was most recently the vice president, marketing at the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation where she oversaw all marketing and research initiatives across its domestic and global markets. Guiry also worked as director, customer development for American Express where she successfully grew new business volume in partnership with sales teams.

Sandy Indig, who was director of public relations at Delta Hotels & Resorts, has started the next chapter of her career as corporate communications manager at Lowe’s Companies Canada.

A champion of the Ottawa Valley tourism industry has passed away. Marilyn Alexander died suddenly last month. She was general manager of the Comfort Inn in Pembroke and a director and past president of the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association. In an article in Pembroke Today, OVTA communications coordinator Lauren McIllfaterick described her as engaged and enthusiastic. She noted that Alexander reached out to other tourism operators and saw the value of working together instead of competing against each other.

Tim Tindle is now vice president, operations for Atlific Hotels. He has over 20 years’ experience in the hotel industry, most recently as general manager, Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver. His distinguished career throughout British Columbia, Fort McMurray and Toronto, includes local, national and international markets with Pan Pacific, Marriott International, Westin and New World Hotels. His role will see him focus on Atlific’s over 25 hotels across British Columbia and Alberta.

Melissa Kenney is the national director of marketing for Atlific Hotels. In this role, she leads the marketing efforts for the company’s 55 hotels across Canada. Kenney joins the company after eight years with Realstar Hospitality where she was senior director, marketing, responsible for three brands in Canada. Prior to that, she was manager, cor-

porate communications for Choice Hotels Canada for five years.

The Hotel Omni MontRoyal, a newly-renovated luxury four-star hotel located in the heart of downtown Montreal, is pleased to announce two strategic additions to its leadership team with the appointment of Monica Orr as director of sales and marketing and the promotion of Naguib Orfali to catering director.

In her role at the Omni, Orr will be responsible for developing and leading the hotel’s new marketing and communications strategy. She will supervise a staff of 12 sales and marketing professionals.

As catering director, Orfali will leverage his expertise to serve the hotel’s clients in the planning of their special events, corporate meetings, weddings and other occasions.

James Rilett is the new vice-president, Ontario of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA). Rilett took over on Aug. 13 from Stephanie Jones, who resigned to relocate to the West Coast, according to a release. Rilett was former chief of staff to several Ontario ministers, and also managed stakeholder relations for the premier’s office. Recently, he was vice-president at government relations consulting firm Pathway Group.

Marina Shcherbina has joined OTEC as its new director, learning and development. Shcherbina has over 10 years of training, facilitation, learning and development experience from a variety of organizations, including Deloitte, Loblaw Companies Limited and Fifth P Solutions. She holds a Masters of Education from the University of Toronto with a special focus in Workplace Learning & Change and a Bachelor of Arts in Education Psychology from Novgorod State University in Russia. At OTEC, Marina will lead the learning & development team and spearhead many projects, including the creation of OTEC’s new Service Excellence web-based learning program.

Jasmin Kobajica has left his position as director of food and beverage and executive chef at the Algonquin Hotel & Resort in St. Andrews By-theSea, NB.

S E P T E M B E R 2 013

Allen Smith, Four Seasons CEO hails from Prudential Real Estate Investors TORONTO—Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts announced last month that Allen Smith will become president and CEO of the hotel company as of Sept. 23.

The announcement follows an extensive global search by the private company’s longterm shareholders, Kingdom Holding Company,

| 33

www.canadianlodgingnews.com

Cascade Investment and Triples Holding.

Smith, 56, is currently CEO of Prudential Real Estate Investors. He joined Prudential in 1987, after obtaining his master’s degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, as a member of its hotel investors group.

Named CEO in 2008, Smith’s role at Prudential expanded to include all commercial property types, and all facets of the real estate business including strategic planning, organizational development, capital partner relations, portfolio management and corporate finance.

In a release, Smith said market demand for the Four Seasons brand is “enormous” around the world.

“This is a remarkable situation for me to leverage the complete range of skills developed over my career and it is an honour to take one of the world’s most admired companies and take it to even greater heights and more great places,” said Smith.

“We see great market opportunities to further expand the Four Seasons brand worldwide,” said Michael Larson, chief investment officer of Cascade Investment.

“Allen is a proven global growth leader and investor who fits well with our strong company culture and understands the value of preserving the quality of the existing brand.”

PE OPLE

Roy Clorey (left) with Glenn Bowie, area director, sales and marketing for New Castle Hotels & Resorts.

Westin Nova Scotian’s Roy Clorey celebrates 50 years with the hotel HALIFAX—If you work at the Westin Nova Scotian long enough, they’ll name the bar after you.

Roy’s Lounge, the hotel’s lobby bar, is named for Roy Clorey, a bartender who is celebrating his 50th year at the hotel.

Clorey says he has been there through many general managers and several name changes for the bar since he started in 1963. Former hotel bar names include The Griffin and The Eager Beaver.

“This is the ultimate for a bartender,” Clorey told the Halifax Chronicle Herald when New Castle Hotels & Resorts decided to recognize his years

of service by giving his name to the bar. “This is how a hockey player feels to have his sweater hoisted up to the rafters.”

A winning wine list at elements In related news, the Westin Nova Scotian’s restaurant, elements on hollis, was given the Wine Spectator’s 2013 Award of Excellence. The award, announced in early August is given to 3,800 restaurants in more than 70 countries.

The restaurant also received the Award of Excellence in 2011 and 2012.

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CANADIAN LODGING NEWS

top bEf orE

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a f t E r

Radisson Suite Halifax redefines luxury HALIFAX—Jamie Bolduc, general manager of the Radisson Suite Hotel Halifax, says the hotel’s $7-million renovation is more than a makeover.

He calls it a “total repositioning” that will make the city’s premier property. The hotel reopened in May after changes that encompassed the pool, fitness area, guestrooms, all case goods, meeting spaces and kitchens. The 120-suite property is located downtown, one block from the waterfront.

The suites include new plush linens, separate living rooms with pull-out sofas, up to three flat screen televisions per suite and updated bathrooms. One type of suite even has a television built into the bathroom mirror.

“The renovation of this fantastic hotel is another step in our objective to have 75 per cent of all Radisson hotels in North America completed renovations by year end,” said Radisson COO Javier Rosenberg, who was on hand to tour the Halifax property recently.

“The hotel has undergone a complete renovation and we are very proud of our new look.

The innovative design and stylish ambiance will enhance both the leisure and business traveller’s experience,” said Sukdev Toor, president and CEO Manga hotels, which acquired the property in 2011.

Manga has eight hotels – seven in Canada and one in the U.S. Canadian properties include Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Toronto Airport, Residence Inn by Marriott Whitby, Homewood Suites by Hilton London, Courtyard by Marriott London, Hilton Garden Inn Halifax Airport, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Halifax Airport and Radisson Suite Hotel Halifax. The U.S. property is the Best Western Plus in Lockport, NY. Hotels in the pipeline include Hampton Inn & Mirror with TV Suites by Hilton St. John’s, NL, which should open this month, the 154room Aloft Buffalo Airport, and a signed deal with Homewood Suites

by Hilton for the northeast corner of Shuter and Jarvis streets in downtown Toronto.

AFTER BEFORE

BEFORE

AFTER

AFTER

BEFORE

Radisson Suite Hotel Halifax staff, l to r, Jessica Makmillen, Jessica Conrad, Sukdev Toor, president and CEO Manga Hotels, Lynn Davis, Rachel Chupick, Jamie Bolduc, GM, and Trevor Proude. Before and after shots showing the Radisson Halifax lobby, king guestroom and pool. Mirror-mounted TVs let guests blow-dry their hair while watching TV.

CoMi NG

Oct. 8: The Manitoba Hotel Association Tradeshow, Victoria Inn Hotel, Winnipeg. Website: www.centrex.ca.

Oct. 10-12: Travel Gay Canada’s 4th Annual Conference, The White Oaks Resort & Spa, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Contact: Darrell Schuurman. Website: http://www.tgcconference.com.

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

Oct. 22-23: VO-CON resort development and vacation ownership conference, Fairmont

E V E N t s

Waterfront Centre Hotel, Vancouver, BC. Website: www.vocon.ca.

Oct. 23-24: Western Hotel & Resort Investment Conference, Fairmont Waterfront Centre Hotel, Vancouver. Contact: Orie Berlasso.

Phone: 416-924-2002 or 866-887-4453. E-mail: orieberlasso@bigpictureconferences.ca.

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

Oct. 28-29: Shared Ownership Invest-

ment Conference, Eden Roc Renaissance, Miami Beach, FL. Phone: 305-668-3495. Website: http://www.regonline.com/2013SharedOwner shipInvestmentConference.

Nov. 9-12: International Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Show, Javits Convention Center, New York, NY. Contact: Phil Robinson. Phone: 513-263-9331. E-mail: phil.robinson@stmediagroup.com. Website: www.ihmrs.com.

Dec. 4-7: Vantage Hospitality Group’s annual International Educational Conference and Trade Show. Co-hosted by the D Las Vegas Casino Hotel and Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino.

Contact: Al Cohen, Vantage Hospitality Group.

Phone: 888-316-2378. Fax: 440-247-2294.

3

li st

Three ways to boost Canadian tourism Canada’s reputation is tops in the world among consumers and frequent travellers.

Yet, the nation languishes when it comes to annual lists of most visited countries. And it’s not just because of price.

Canada years ago fell out of the top 10 in the United Nations’ World Tourism Organization rankings and in 2012 was down to 18th overall, despite a two per cent growth in arrivals. On the other hand, the Reputation Institute’s surveys show Canada leading the way when it comes to respectability.

How can this be?

Part of the answer, according to Canadian Tourism Commission CEO Michele McKenzie, is that the nation’s strengths also present challenges for the tourism industry.

“The marketing challenge is turning that intention to go here someday into the desire to come visit here now. People think Canada is always going to be there. That it’s a great stable country and they feel other destinations are changing more quickly and there’s a need to see them while they’re changing or before they change.”

1. Make people need you. The United States rocketed to No. 2 in global tourism rankings (behind France) during the 1980s and ‘90s because people felt they needed to know about the country. There was a sense that not “doing America” would limit you socially and perhaps professionally in your home nation. With the annual TED Conference shifting to Vancouver in 2014, Canada has a chance to create a need to visit. That need won’t be anywhere near the urgency travellers felt to see the world’s most powerful nation during the height of America’s influence, but there is still a tremendous opportunity to create demand in the marketplace.

2. Get people to look at you differently. The cinematic image of Canada and its landscape that was showcased to the world during the 2010 Winter Olympics did its job of countering the Great White North stereotype that had persisted for too long. A nation with magnificent scenery, rich with wildlife and aglow with smiling faces from an array of cultures is a good, safe, clean image to project to the world. But a little edginess doesn’t hurt and it can ratchet up the desire to visit. Whether it’s Toronto Pride or the Calgary Stampede, the nation’s festivals are rambunctious, even salacious, with less violence than similar gatherings in the US. An image makeover that shows Canada as intimate, energetic, and frenzied just might entice one or more of those armchair travellers who’ve been thinking about a visit to commit to one soon.

3. The 2017 Bash. Travel publications around the world are sure to list the nation at the top of their “must-see” lists for 2017. An epic bash for Canada’s 150th birthday would make the tourism windfall of the Olympics—which returned $40 for every $1 spent on marketing, according to the CTC—seem like a county fair. Creating that sense of urgency to visit is going to be handed to the tourism and hospitality industry through global media attention in 2017.

—Source: Canadian Tourism Commission

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