Join Small Luxury Hotels of the World™
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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF LUXURY Joinslh.com
Experience a Venetian palazzo of pure grandeur at Ca'Sagredo, Venice
WELCOME | DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE
A Warm Welcome to
Small Luxury Hotels of the World tm
Now in our 20th anniversary year, the Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ (SLH) brand is an unrivalled portfolio of some of the world’s finest small luxury independent hotels. Comprising over 500 hotels in more than 70 countries, the diversity of the individual hotels, and the experiences that they offer, is exceptional. From cutting-edge design hotels to palatial 17th century mansions, city centre sanctuaries to remote private islands, historic country houses to idyllic resorts - the breadth and depth of the brand is far reaching. While a hotel undoubtedly enjoys the benefits of being part of a global brand, SLH places enormous emphasis on celebrating the individuality of each hotel. This remains one of our core values and is central to the continued success of the brand. We strongly believe that the strength and credibility of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ brand is dependent on the quality of its individual hotels. Strict controls are applied to ensure that only the very best hotels with the highest standards are accepted into the brand, thus ensuring that the quality of the experience that guests receive is consistent across all SLH properties. To ensure that these exceptional standards of excellence are maintained, SLH has a carefully monitored ‘mystery guest’ programme which relies on valuable reviews from inspectors who importantly are also consumers. We encourage only the very best to apply to join the brand of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ . As soon as you join, you will benefit not only from a wealth of experience, but also from our partnerships with other luxury brands and established names. By being part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ your visibility and profile will be enhanced. Your revenue will be maximised and your independence preserved. Paul Kerr, Chief Executive Officer For Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ Managed by Hill,Goodridge & Assoc Ltd.
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WELCOME | DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE
The Benefits of Joining Small Luxury Hotels of the World tm
“To me, being a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ signifies being part of an international network with all the advantages that entails. A raised image for my hotel, professional performances, well tuned partnerships and inspiring, likeminded colleagues; these are the elements I can count on by belonging to this association. They are valuable assets which lift my business, motivate my employees and give us enormous pride to be a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™.” Daniela Sauter, Proprietor, Brandenburger Hof Berlin, Germany
1 - The number one luxury hotel brand offering the best customer experience 2 - Why join Small Luxury Hotels of the WorldTM? 3 - Worldwide presence and distribution of your hotel 4 - Dedicated support every step of the way 5 - Worldwide Exposure Through Marketing, Social Media And Public Relations 6 - Worldwide sales team support and opportunities 7 - Be part of a community of unique independent luxury hotels 8 - Achieve a high return on investment
LEFT: Experience Berlin’s beautiful Brandenburger Hof – right in the heart of the city
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Baros Maldives
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TH E NUMBER ONE LUXUR Y BRA ND OF F ER ING TH E BEST CUSTOMER EXPER IENCE
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“ A sample of wealthy consumers, the most discerning of all, rated Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ the luxury hotel brand that is most unique and exclusive… For a boutique luxury brand to earn the respect and admiration from the objective and independent voice of the wealthy consumer is truly priceless and a tremendous accolade.” Milton Pedraza, CEO, The Luxury Institute
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Coco Palm Bodu Hithi, Maldives
WELCOME | DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE
Naumi, Singapore
The Number One Luxury Brand offering the Best Customer Experience In a recent survey by the New York based Luxury Institute, Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ (SLH) has once again been named the number one luxury hotel brand, beating more traditional brands such as Peninsula and Ritz-Carlton. Adding to this accolade, is the top ranking for the first time for the luxury hotel brand that offers the “Best Customer Experience”, based on the views of actual customer experiences in Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ properties. In the Luxury Brand Status Index, Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ was named the luxury hotel brand most worthy of a price premium and also the brand that people would be most willing to recommend to someone they care about. SLH also scored the highest out of all hotels surveyed for providing consistently superior quality, for being unique and exclusive and for making customers feel special.
In the Luxury Customer Experience Index, Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ scored the highest out of all hotels surveyed for effectiveness in terms of meeting guests’ needs, for having staff who are enthusiastic, polite and knowledgeable and for having an environment that is well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing.
“We would estimate that upwards of 75% of our new business comes as a direct result of our association with Small Luxury Hotels of the World™. What’s more, price is rarely an issue with Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ guests. They seem to be far more concerned with the experience they will have.” Gertrud Schneider, Proprietor, Kristiana Lech, Austria
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Oberoi Udaivilas, Rajasthan, India
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WH Y SMALL LUXUR Y HOTELS OF THE WOR LD TM ?
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“Oberoi have been with SLH for many, many years. SLH hotels are distinctive with a sense of place and this is what appeals to the discerning luxury traveler. When visiting new destinations, we know many guests use SLH to help in their hotel selection. Often guests tell us that they first hear about our hotels through SLH. This is a great endorsement for the SLH brand.� Vikram Oberoi, Joint Managing Director, The Oberoi Group
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DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE | WHY SLH?
Grand Barrail Château Hotel & Spa, Saint-Emilion, France
Why Small Luxury Hotels of t he World tm ? Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ is at the forefront of the luxury travel market. We have the experience, resources and strategies to develop the true potential of your hotel. Becoming part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ delivers tangible business benefits and offers real return on investment. Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ has a unique management structure. It is a non-profit organisation – a mutual company, it has no assets and no employees. It is Hill Goodridge and Associates Limited, the UK based exclusive global management company for Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ with 65 employees based in their three offices in London, New York and Singapore, which formulates and executes the strategy that drives the brand forward. Whilst the elected board of directors of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ set the fees and are responsible for accepting and rejecting hotels, it is this unique structure that allows a simple focus on delivery, reservations and maintaining the quality of the brand at minimum cost to the hotels. By being part of the brand, your visibility and profile will be enhanced, your revenue will be maximised and your independence preserved. We are committed to serving the world’s finest small luxury independent hotels and resorts.
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FOCUSED NICHE BRAND We only market small independent hotels. We do not do large hotels or other accommodation types. The average size of hotels is 49 bedrooms. With SLH, you are never a small fish in a big pond.
LEAST EXPENSIVE CHANNEL Our fees are tailored to small independent hoteliers, and we are often the lowest cost of distribution. We do not deal with low tour operator rates nor merchant net rates. Our fees are no higher than glossy magazine advertising or employing an international sales manager.
S TAY I N D E P E N D E N T We have a ‘soft’ approach to branding. You can maintain your independent ownership but identify with one of the world’s top luxury hotel brands.
ALL INCLUSIVE FEES We include many activities within the annual fee, such an entry in the prestigious annual global directory or core marketing programmes, distributed to 100,000’s consumers worldwide.
SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL The brand positioning exactly matches what luxury consumers want nowadays – individuality, memorable experiences and a sense of self identity. Consumers do not want cookie-cutter hotels.
WHY SLH? | DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE
Hoshinoya Kyoto, Kyoto City, Japan
ONE STOP DISTRIBUTION
L O YA LT Y A N D R E C O G N I T I O N
Our reservation platform can handle all GDS, voice, website, mobile and third party website distribution. Your content, rates and inventory are distributed to the eyes of over 450,000 travel agents worldwide and millions of web users. Our web booking engine can also be used on your own individual website, at a much lower cost than other limited distribution suppliers.
Many SLH hotels have been part of the brand for over ten years. In terms of customers of the brand, Club SLH is one of the most powerful hotel recognition programmes, delivering repeat guests at higher ADRs.
T R AV E L A G E N C Y F O C U S We can offer unique access to luxury travel agencies worldwide. We have a strong sales team of actual employees, utilising the LX GDS code and one of the most powerful travel trade customer databases in the business and a dedicated website.
POWERFUL WEBSITE For direct bookings, our website offers hotels a substantial presence on the web, including multi-image photo tours, special offers, news, testimonials and one of the most powerful internet booking engines available.
BRAND RECOGNITION We have been consistently voted the number one luxury hotel brand by The Luxury Institute. Our corporate communication programmes and partnership marketing, provides global awareness for your hotel at no extra cost.
Q U A L I T Y, Q U A L I T Y, Q U A L I T Y Each of our hotels are subject to a vigorous inspection process, both before joining the brand and throughout membership.
D E D I C AT E D A C C O U N T M A N A G E M E N T Unlike pure distribution platforms, we have a global team of account managers to support you every step of the way.
TRAINED VOICE AGENTS
BY HOTELS FOR HOTELS
We have a team of reservation agents and VIP desks around the world, fully trained to only sell SLH hotels.
SLH is a mutual organisation with no debt and healthy reserves. It is managed professionally, with a board of hotel representatives elected every year by hotels.
D I F F E R E N T I AT E D M A R K E T I N G We recognise that every hotel is different. Every hotel is included in at least one marketing programme, targeted at different market segments such as Gastronomy or Spas or Weekend Country Retreats.
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San Antonio, Santorini, Greece
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WORLDWIDE PR ESENCE A ND DISTR IBUTION OF YOUR HOTEL
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“Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ offers its hotels global representation in key markets. For a small private luxury hotel there is a no more efficient and cost effective method of distribution of information. There is no doubt that being part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ has opened many doors for Blanket Bay and the other properties I have managed in New Zealand. Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ has been instrumental to our success.” Philip Jenkins, Managing Director of Blanket Bay, New Zealand
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DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE | DISTRIBUTION
Worldwide Presence and Distribution of Your Hotel Joining Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ can transform the electronic distribution strategy of your property. Annually over $80m in net room revenue is driven through our reservation system at an average net room rate of nearly $350. For some hotels, the Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ Reservations Systems contribute up to 40% of the hotel’s total room revenue. By joining SLH, you will benefit from one ‘command centre’ to manage all of your rates, across all booking channels. Once you have joined SLH, you will be given 24-hour access via Internet (no proprietary hardware to install) to one of the hospitality world’s most powerful Central Reservations Systems (CRS). The CRS grants you and your operational team extraordinary power and flexibility in managing everything related to onward distribution of your hotel rooms, from one system. The sophisticated CRS holds your property descriptions, images and all rates and availability, including any negotiated or consortia rates.
connectivity they claim is similar to us, but they cannot match the power of the strong SLH global brand. Travel agents genuinely recognise the LX code, while some other companies have generic two-letter codes.
INTERNET One of the most significant benefits of using the SLH CRS is that your team can be freed from the burden of manually maintaining multiple 3rd party extranets. The SLH CRS can connect you to a wide range of online travel agency websites, seamlessly.
SLH INTERNET BOOKING ENGINE (IBE) By using the SLH IBE (white label booking engine) to power reservations on your property website, you and your team can manage your inventory through just one system. Our IBE is currently one of the most cost-effective booking systems on the market.
MOBILE DEVICES M U LT I P L E D I S T R I B U T I O N C H A N N E L S SLH provides you with the capability to manage your rates across multiple channels. • Our award winning website – www.slh.com • All four (GDS) global distribution system’s (Sabre, Amadeus, Galileo & Worldspan) used by over 450,000 business and leisure travel agents in over 90,000 travel agencies worldwide • Internet sites powered by the GDS or internet third party sites • SLH voice reservation centres • SLH internet booking engine (white label service for your own website) • Mobile devices such as the iPhone Unlike some other distribution options, with SLH you retain control across all distribution channels. No allocation is required, and nothing contractual automatically locks you into supplying a certain number of pre-determined room nights. If you suddenly get a large direct booking, you and your team have the ability to close out your hotel for that night, in an instant.
To provide customers with as many choices as possible to look and book your hotel, SLH also provides content and reservations on mobile platforms. SLH was one of the first hotel companies to launch an iPhone® App and we are constantly developing our mobile strategy, with a new mobile optimised website and booking engine in the pipeline. Many of these advancements would not be possible for an individual hotel.
PEGASUS ONWARD DISTRIBUTION DATABASE (ODD) Alongside the Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ Reservations System, becoming a part of the brand means that you are automatically loaded into the Pegasus ODD. This is the system used by many top Internet websites such as Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz to provide content and availability. It provides full details of your hotel to these websites making you highly visible to an international audience.
S L H V O I C E R E S E R VAT I O N C E N T R E S Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ has dedicated reservation offices covering 18 countries, including China, Russia, UK and USA: offering local language, toll-free hotel information and bookings.
S L H O N L I N E D I G I TA L L I B R A R Y G L O B A L T R AV E L A G E N T S By joining SLH, you will become part of a prestigious global luxury brand, represented internationally to the travel industry by the GDS chain code LX, standing for LuXury. The importance of this immediately identifiable distribution brand, linking your property with a consistent group of luxury hotels to travel agents, cannot be underestimated. Compared to other distribution channels you might be using, global travel agents can be a very cost-effective distribution channel. Some other organisations may try to entice you with the offer of
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Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ provides its hotels with an online central point for maintaining and distributing highresolution digital images. This is an invaluable complimentary service which distributes images to the four GDS and the onward distribution channels. Each Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ property can load over 30 high-resolution photographs, providing journalists and other parties with immediate access to images of individual properties.
DISTRIBUTION | DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE
DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS The SLH Reservations System is central to distributing your hotel effectively. It feeds voice centres, travel agents, GDS (Global Distribution System) and internet sites worldwide and has the potential to reach millions of prospective guests. All SLH hotels use the code LX (for LuXury) in all GDS’s. The diagram below shows how the SLH Reservations System links your hotel to the world.
traditional travel agencies GDS L X online travel agencies
slh.com
mobile platforms customer
SLH Hotels hotels own web sites using slh ibe
slh reservations system
slh vip desks
slh call centres
online travel agencies
Pegasus
GDS-Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre, Worldspan (the systems used by travel agents to book travel arrangements) Pegasus/Online Distributions Database (ODD) (provides content to websites such as Orbitz.com)
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Pangkor Laut Resort, Pangkor, Malaysia
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DEDIC ATED SUPPOR T EVER Y STEP OF THE WA Y
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“Our Account Manager offers us an invaluable service – he is very much like a personal trainer helping us sweat the value of our membership with a view to having a healthy return on investment. Together we are focused on achieving the same thing – maximising the marketing opportunities to maximise revenue.” The Capital and Levin Hotels, London, England
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DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE | ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT
Brilliant Resort & Spa, Yunnan Province, China
Dedicated Support Every Step of the Way When you join Small Luxury Hotels of the World™, you will be introduced to your dedicated Account Manager, who will ensure you get the most from your investment. Your Account Manager can offer advice and assistance on new business opportunities, reservation systems, joint marketing activities and events.
MYSLH.COM Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ is far more than a simple reservation channel. We provide you with state of the art tools to help you run your business. When you join, you will be given access to MYSLH.com which is your one-stop shop for all your needs.
CONNECTING TO THE BRAND It is vitally important that your hotel is fully connected to the Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ brand. By actively engaging in the opportunities and initiatives that are offered to you, your hotel will maximise its potential to generate reservations. Hotels that work hard in developing their relationship with Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ do experience a greater return on their membership investment.
REVENUE MANAGEMENT In today’s increasingly competitive hotel industry, it is of critical importance to position your hotel appropriately within your market. SLH will provide you with a comprehensive guide to accurately assessing your hotel’s positioning, pricing and most effective strategies for maximising revenue, using best practice templates from peer hotels.
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MYSLH.com has been built to support the business requirements of individual hotels, and allows you to maximise your partnership with the Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ brand. MYSLH.com is the perfect platform to showcase ideas and initiatives that will help you generate reservations.
ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT | DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE
MYSLH.com is a resource centre that contains information about SLH accounts, distribution, marketing, PR and sales.
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Dedicated space for opportunities which invites you to participate in revenue-building initiatives.
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Detailed information about events and exhibitions with online registration functionality.
The Content Management System is an easy-to-use tool that has been created to enable you to manage your hotel’s information pages on slh.com. You are also able to add special promotional offers, add details about industry awards you may have won, or tell customers about your responsible tourism initiatives.
MYSLH.com is your only gateway to download and manage your SLH reservations.
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Fregate Island Private, Seychelles
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WORLDWIDE EXPOSUR E THR OUGH MA R KETING A ND PR
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“Of the best-known worldwide luxury brands, only one is truly suitable for fine, small luxurious resort hotels: Small Luxury Hotels of the World™. SLH not only offers ideal marketing platforms for small properties such as us, but also produced substantial reservation volume within the first year of membership already and its outstanding brand awareness manages instant market recognition.” Marc Aeberhard, Chairman, Fregate Island Private, Seychelles
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DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE | MARKETING & PR
Bovey Castle Hotel, Devon, England
Worldwide Exposure through Marketing and PR The marketing team at Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ is dedicated to driving reservations to your hotel, and increasing awareness of the brand throughout the world. Our marketing and PR activities put your hotel name in front of a global targeted audience of like-minded high net worth consumers, all wanting a unique experience at a small independent luxury hotel.
Features include: • Rich hotel content with strong photography including photo gallery
W O R L D W I D E E X P O S U R E T H R O U G H AW A R D WINNING WEBSITE SLH.COM
• Easy-to-use reservations tool with live prices and availability
At the Travolution Awards, www.slh.com won 'Best Hotel Website':
• Fully-optimised destination pages to drive traffic to hotel pages
“SLH.com has managed to integrate inspirational imagery with fantastic functionality and navigation across all its hotels. There is an incredible common theme running through the site which clearly motivates but does not damage the user experience.”
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SLH.com is one of the world's most powerful luxury hotel websites. With over 12,000 pages dedicated to promoting hotels, SLH.com showcases your property to luxury customers throughout the world.
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• Special offers functionality to promote tactical or seasonal rates • Downloadable hotel factsheets • Google Maps • Hotel news
MARKETING & PR | DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE
Sentosa Resort and Spa, Sentosa, Singapore
For your convenience, SLH.com is powered by a custom-built content management system which allows you to update information on your web pages as often as you like. You may wish to promote a seasonal package, add photos to your room categories, publish testimonials from satisfied guests or use the "news" section to announce important developments at your property. With thousands of pages dedicated to promoting hotels, and a prominent listing in Google for a 'luxury hotels' search, slh.com will allow you to easily promote your hotel to potential luxury customers worldwide.
GLOBAL DIRECTORY The Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ directory is one of the brand’s strongest marketing tools and it enables you to promote your hotel to a worldwide audience. These coffee table books are distributed to qualified travel agents, customers, luxury brand partners, journalists, global exhibitions, media and sales events, roadshows and all SLH properties throughout the world. Indeed, the directory sits in every bedroom of every one of the SLH hotels! You will receive a space dedicated to your hotel with a selection of your very best photographs. Copy for the individual hotels is stylishly and evocatively written by a professional copywriter to ensure that the very best characteristics of your hotel are included. Your individual SLH.com web address will be published in the directory as well as the unique ‘LX’ GDS codes for your property.
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DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE | MARKETING & PR
TA R G E T E D M A R K E T I N G P R O G R A M M E S
B R A N D & C O - O P E R AT I V E A D V E R T I S I N G
Take advantage of being part of a global community of hotels! With over 500 hotels in the collection, Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ is able to engage in a series of marketing programmes that promote hotels by their regional location or the experiences they can offer. All hotels, where appropriate, can participate in at least one themed programme without charge.
To complement the brand advertising, Small Luxury Hotels of the World has a co-operative advertising programme that allows hotels to pay for a share of advertising space with the brand (and other hotels). This initiative is a means for hotels to penetrate quality publications on a cost effective basis. Using the power of the brand, SLH is able to negotiate significant discounts on advertising space which is not available to nonaffiliated properties.
The principal objective of the marketing programmes is to generate reservations. Rates can be booked through a dedicated section of SLH.com, all of the GDS channels and the SLH voice centres. Beautifully designed over-sized A4 brochures are produced to accompany each programme, and they are distributed to a highly targeted audience including top producing travel agents, SLH Club members and luxury brand partners. The programmes are of particular interest to the media, and the SLH PR team is closely involved in their promotion. Marketing Programmes include ‘City Sanctuaries, Gourmet, Spa, Beach Escapes, Country Retreats, Golf, Ski and Families by SLH’.
G I F T C E R T I F I C AT E S Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ Gift Certificates are available in three denominations – 100, 500 and 1000 – and in 3 currencies (GBP, USD & EUR). Accepted at any Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ property, the certificates are the ideal way of introducing new customers to the brand as well as driving incremental revenue spend during redeemed stays. SLH is also set to add experience-based vouchers to the gift-certificate portfolio.
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THE CLUB OF SMALL LUXURY HOTELS OF THE WORLD Designed to build brand and hotel loyalty, The Club of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ is a guest recognition programme that now has over 90,000 customers in membership. It will help you identify guests who are loyal to the brand, and respond to their unique needs. By offering tangible benefits and a highly personalised standard of service to these guests, hotels and the brand are rewarded with increased repeat business. Participation is an obligation of your membership, and you will be contractually required to deliver the core benefits whenever a Club member books through the appropriate channels. There are no costly air miles or points to pay for, and you will be rewarded with high-value reservations. Other than voice reservations, bookings made through The Club generate the highest average room rate and length of stay. In addition, Club members spend more on spas, food and beverage and other incidentals than non-loyal guests.
MARKETING & PR | DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE
Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ uses Club member data to execute targeted marketing campaigns to promote the SLH properties and drive reservations. All hoteliers are extended an opportunity to promote their properties through regular e-newsletters and a dedicated Club section of the SLH.com website.
PLACE OF RESIDENCE: 43%: Americas 22%: Europe (excluding UK) 21%: United Kingdom 12%: Asia *Data based on the 90,000 members of The Club of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™, the brand’s guest recognition programme.
GUEST PROFILE One word describes the typical guest of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™: discerning. As you would expect of a global brand with a presence in over 70 countries, our customers are international and are distinguished by higher-than-average incomes. As experienced travellers, they have the means to afford the best, they expect the best and most importantly, they are prepared to pay for it – evidenced by the fact that 50% of them travel business class, first class or use a private jet for air travel. They value the unique character and charm of the SLH brand, choosing individuality over uniformity throughout their travels.
AGE: 22%: Up to 34 years of age 30%: 35 - 44 years of age 23%: 45 - 54 years of age 16%: 55 - 64 years of age 9%: 65 years +
HOUSEHOLD INCOME: 23%: up to $200,000 27%: $200 - $400,000 10%: $400 - $600,000 5%: $600 - $800,000 2%: $800 - $1,000,000
C L A S S O F A I R T R AV E L : 43%: Business class 6%: First class 1%: Private jet
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DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE | MARKETING & PR
Exposure through partnerships with famous luxury brands
PARTNERSHIP MARKETING Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ seeks to develop strong and meaningful marketing partnerships with like-minded brands and organisations around the world. Working closely with several luxury partners on a variety of marketing and promotional activities enables Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ to raise brand awareness, generate reservations and grow our customer database for The Club. Key joint marketing activity with brands such as Financial Times, Cunard, Montblanc, Porsche, HSBC Premier, Xexec, Samsonite Black Label, Singapore Airlines, Land Rover, Mercedez-Benz, Net Jets, Oyster Marine etc also helps to reinforce Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s luxury brand positioning.
AMERICAN EXPRESS Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ also has a long standing partnership with American Express which includes preferred partner status with the Platinum and Centurion programmes. ‘Platinum members are affluent high net worth professionals, decision-makers and frequent travellers, who are used to the finer things in life and enjoy treating themselves. American Express Platinum Card is more than just a card: it unites a community of cosmopolitan, family-orientated men and women, who travel widely for both business and pleasure’. (American Express)
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‘Centurion members are super-affluent high net worth individuals on a continual quest for the best and most exclusive. They own companies and frequently travel; they define success. Exceptionally discerning and style-conscious, Centurion readers are global players who gain truly worldwide access to the inaccessible. They do not compromise and expect only the highest level of personal commitment from those around them: individually tailored service, unlimited financial power, exclusive travel benefits, global access and influence. Centurion is a global community of the highest earners and spenders on the market’. (American Express) SLH has created dedicated websites for its Platinum and Centurion card members. The websites can be viewed at: www.slh.com/amexplatinum www.slh.com/amexcenturion The new websites showcase all hotels in the SLH portfolio. As part of this programme, SLH hotels are contractually obliged to promote a value-added offer to these customers – you will be rewarded with high-value reservations. Platinum and Centurion card members will spend significantly on food and beverage and spa treatments when they stay at your hotel. As an additional benefit of membership, SLH hotels also receive discounted American Express credit card fees – this represents a significant cost saving opportunity.
E-MARKETING | DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE
Residenza del Moro, Florence
“Small Luxury Hotels of the World provides its affiliates with a unique value proposition that helps to enhance the intrinsic qualities of each hotel. SLH is the best means a hotelier may have to express the potential of his or her hotel at the highest level. Belonging to SLH is, by itself, a tremendous marketing tool.” Barbara Pardini, General Manager of Residenza del Moro, Florence
E-Marketing CLUB NEWSLETTER & LUXURY ESCAPES At least every month, SLH sends a newsletter to over 80,000 Club members and 40,000 Luxury Escapes customers – these are SLH guests who have opted-in to receive an SLH newsletter from the SLH.com website. In each newsletter, we promote a number of special offers from different hotels around the world. We also give coverage to new hotels and highlight important news from the properties. The aim of this newsletter is to inform customers about hotels and the SLH brand to keep the SLH brand at the forefront of customers’ minds.
SOLUS NEWSLETTERS Hotels can also mail our databases on an individual basis. There is a small fee involved to cover the cost of production and distribution, but this channel offers you an excellent tactical opportunity to promote your property and a special rate to an exclusive audience. At your request, SLH can segment the database to produce a list that exactly matches your preferred target markets. This represents a good sales opportunity for you,
and could be a useful marketing tool to take advantage of if you are looking to generate sales perhaps during your off-season.
VOICE AND AMEX MTS NEWSLETTERS Bi- monthly, SLH creates a newsletter that is circulated to all the SLH Voice Centres (Frankfurt, Orlando and Singapore) as well as 50 American Express MTS offices that reaches 1,800 Amex MTS agents. The content of this newsletter is filtered to all call centre employees, and so there is significant distribution reach. The newsletter contains salient information about the ongoing activities at SLH hotels as well as new hotel openings and brand marketing programmes.
T R AV E L A G E N T S N E W S L E T T E R Should you offer either an agent rate or commission offer, SLH can include a mention in the travel agents news email that is sent bi-monthly to a database of 15,000 highly qualified highend luxury travel bookers such as agents within the Virtuoso and Signature networks.
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DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE | MARKETING & PR
SPREADING THE WORD – SOCIAL MEDIA
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU WITH SOCIAL MEDIA?
Social media has allowed SLH to reach wider audiences and increase transparency with its customers. It is now the place where people socialise with others online. We have thousands of Facebook fans and Twitter followers, and our blog is a great source of interest for customers around the world. As part of our social media strategy, we also promote through mobile devices allowing customers to make bookings and share the SLH collection in a more social and interactive way.
• We can promote news, special offers, incentives, interesting facts, videos and more through our social media channels and share this with our community
Social media allows SLH to communicate information instantly and have conversations with our community in an informal manner. Not only does it allow people to share real experiences and inspire others, it has also brought people together who share common interests. Increasingly customers now search through social networks for information, so as part of our communication mix it is important to ensure our customers receive the latest news from SLH. This helps raise awareness of the SLH brand, drives customers to www.slh.com, and ultimately, generates reservations for your hotel.
• We have social media guidelines which will help you create a presence for your hotel in the social networks • We can help you reach wider audiences and raise awareness of your hotel • Our platforms allow us to listen to what people have to say, which we will happily report back to you through your dedicated SLH Account Manager • We can reinforce key messages through our channels and compliment other communication channels Why not join us on: www.facebook.com/smallluxuryhotelsoftheworld www.twitter.com/slhluxuryhotels www.blog.slh.com We are expanding our social media presence in the Asia-Pacific, with the recent development of an SLH Twitter page targeted to the Japanese audience and three Chinese social networks (Youku, Kaixin001 and Sina Micro Blog).
THE SLH IPHONE APP The SLH iPhone App is free to download and has been designed to help drive reservations by making it easier and faster to search for and book SLH hotels. The App is also supported by rich imagery for each hotel and an 'augmented reality' function, which helps guests find nearby tourist attractions, shopping venues and restaurants close to our hotels.
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MARKETING & PR | DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE
Hacienda de San Antonio, Colima, Mexico
SPREADING THE WORD P R C O M M U N I C AT I O N S
• Strategic messaging in consumer and trade press through the regular creation and distribution of press releases to international media
Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ has a dedicated team of public relations professionals who, through an integrated global communications plan, are responsible for raising the awareness of the brand amongst high-end consumers and travel agents. With in-house PR teams in New York, London and Singapore as well as working with outsourced agencies in Japan, India and China, the geographic reach and exposure of the SLH brand is extensive.
• Pitching of story angles to key luxury high-end media, with the aim of communicating the diversity of the SLH brand and its individual properties
Having an experienced team of PR professionals in our key source markets is incredibly valuable as it means that as a brand Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ has a sound understanding of the local market and the media that operates within it. In addition to the benefit of local knowledge, Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s global PR network provides your hotel with the potential to be exposed to an extensive database of international media and PR opportunities, which you may not otherwise have access to.
• Provision of a dedicated press site (www.slh.com/news.html) which serves as a reliable resource centre for international media • Provision of downloadable high-resolution images via www.slhimages.com to ensure the media have immediate access to high quality images of individual properties • Distribution of a series of monthly electronic newsletters to a continually expanding database of consumers, travel trade and media • Organisation of a series of networking events in key cities around the world, which provide hotels with the opportunity to engage with prominent journalists • Building mutually beneficial relationships with luxury high end media through regular one-to-one meetings
Our global PR strategy includes a number of core activities that are designed to directly benefit SLH hotels:
• Creating a publicity buzz through compelling and exciting competition and campaigns designed to drive traffic to slh.com and your hotels pages
• Mini-press releases for new joiners featured on slh.com's media section on the slh.com homepage
• Quarterly brand news/updates include a feature on new hotels joining in that quarter
• Facilitation of journalist familiarisation trips to SLH hotels, resulting in editorial coverage in the respective publications
All PR activity that is undertaken by Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s public relations team is designed to strengthen the SLH brand and to drive reservations.
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Huvafen Fushi, Maldives
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WORLDWIDE SALES TEA M SUPPOR T A ND OPPOR TUNITIES
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“Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ is a preferred supplier of Valerie Wilson Travel because of its commitment to sales and representing a wonderful collection of hotels worldwide. In addition, it is their dedication to the Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ reservations centre, using an 800 number, which provides accurate information to our travel consultants.” Valerie Wilson, Valerie Wilson Travel, New York City, USA
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DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE | SALES
Experience sales opportunities in key markets
Worldwide Sales Team Support and Opportunities Our specialist sales professionals have developed close relationships with the travel trade to raise awareness of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ brand and reinforce the status of the exclusive LX GDS code.
C O N S O R T I A A N D T R AV E L T R A D E E X P O S U R E Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s partnerships with all major consortia, multiple-outlet agencies, business travel specialists and global corporations will drive further business to your property. As part of our corporate sales strategy, Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ works with the new online RFP submission tool, Lanyon, enabling hotels to submit consortia and corporate RFP’s at once. There are close to 20 consortia programmes to choose from including ABC, CCRA, Radius, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, BCD and HRG Worldwide.
The events and road shows are hosted worldwide and take place in key source cities including London, Paris, Milan, Los Angeles, New York, Mexico City, Moscow, Sydney, Shanghai, Hong Kong and many more. There is also the unique opportunity to participate in American Express Centurion showcases in England, Italy, Germany and Japan.
TRADE EXHIBITIONS In addition to our own events and road shows, you will also be invited to take part in a number of global trade and consumer events including ITB in Berlin, ILTM, Luxury Travel Expo in Las Vegas, ALTM in Japan and the Luxury Travel Mart. You will have the opportunity to participate on Small Luxury Hotels of the World's impressive corporate stand always located in premium positions. Collectively welcoming over 200,000 visitors per year, these events raise brand awareness and generate new business opportunities for your hotel.
SHOWCASE EVENTS AND ROADSHOWS As a Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ property, you will be invited to join us on a series of events and roadshows designed to give you the opportunity to meet some of the most influential luxury travel planners, bookers and key media partners globally. These agencies are not usually accessible to non-affiliated hotels. However, becoming part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ brand will unlock the doors to these highly productive suppliers.
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“We consider Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ to be one of the best sources of luxury hotels for our clients” Reed & Mackay, Prestigious Independent Business Travel Agency, London
SALES | DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE
An exclusive resource for Travel Agents – www.slh.com/travelagents
T R AV E L A G E N T W E B S I T E
• It provides access to all AMEX owned travel offices
SLH recognise that travel agents are critical to the success of the brand and we continue to identify and implement new initiatives that provide agents with the tools to sell the SLH brand as effectively and seamlessly as possible. SLH is proud to offer a dedicated website especially for these specialists in the luxury travel business. This new website provides travel agents with extensive travel and hotel information, as well as fantastic opportunities that will support their daily business activities.
• Access to Corporate Meetings Solutions for group and incentive business
A M E R I C A N E X P R E S S B U S I N E S S T R AV E L
Different to the Amex Platinum and Centurion leisure programme, the AMEX Preferred Supplier Status is for business travel. The focus is on educating AMEX Call Centre consultants and implants on SLH hotels, so they can sell better to their Corporate Clients. AMEX uses all the GDS systems and will favour participating SLH hotels in those channels. Currently AMEX agents only have the ability to book SLH hotels that participate in a corporate negotiated programmes run by AMEX i.e. Goldman Sachs, Bank of America etc. Participation in this programme may provide you with the opportunity to be selected in the AMEX Fine Hotels & Resorts programme as well by increasing the AMEX card spend at your property.
American Express Business Travel is the largest wholly owned global travel network with over 2,200 travel services locations in over 140 countries and manages the travel arrangements of 70% of Fortune 500 companies. SLH is extending you an opportunity to partner with Small Luxury Hotels of the World and American Express Business Travel Network globally, better known as the AMEX Preferred Supplier Programme. The partnership will include AMEX in the United States, Canada, Japan, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa. This opportunity is not available to individual hotels contracting with AMEX directly.
W H AT I S T H I S P R O G R A M M E ?
• Participation in incentives, familiarisation trips and miscellaneous promotions • AMEX Preferred Extras Hotel Programme • Client and employee business meetings and forums • Ongoing communications to the AMEX Network for new hotels, offers, service enhancements etc
N.B There is an annual fee to participate in this programme
• It provides hotels with AMEX Preferred Supplier Status globally, including premium exposure through GDS which preferences and highlights preferred AMEX suppliers
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BE PAR T OF A COMMUNITY OF UNIQUE INDEPENDENT LUXURY HOTELS
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Aleenta Resort & Spa, Phuket, Thailand
“Joining SLH has been rewarding for us as a small hotels owner, as the brand puts us on par with the world's largest brands. We view SLH as our approval stamp of quality as well as our international marketing arm, to provide the market reach where we cannot afford to go ourselves and as a booster to those markets where we are strong in. SLH also helps us keep ahead of competition in terms of technology and industry standards.� Anchalika Kijkanakorn, Managing Director, Aleenta Resort and Spa, Thailand
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DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE | JOINING SLH
Experience the perfect wine retreat at Les Sources de Caudalie in Bordeaux
Be Part of a Communit y of Unique Independent Luxury Hotels J O I N I N G C R I T E R I A & Q U A L I T Y S TA N D A R D S The strength and credibility of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ is dependent on the quality of its individual hotels. Strict controls are applied to ensure that only the very best hotels with the highest standards are accepted, and to ensure that Small Luxury Hotels of the World properties continue to uphold these standards. In assessing a hotel’s suitability for joining the brand, we believe that the totality of the guest experience is as important as anything else.
NEW BUILD HOTELS & REFURBISHMENTS OF EXISTING PROPERTY We also invite hotels to join us at any stage of the development process, whether it is a complete new-build on a green-field site or a conversion and remodelling of an old building. Hill, Goodridge & Associates Ltd is the home of the small independent hotelier operating both the global brand of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ and specialist luxury boutique operator, Luxury Hotel Partners Ltd.
INSPECTION PROGRAMME Maintaining the quality of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ properties by way of regular inspection is of paramount importance to the individual client, the travel trade, the media and most importantly to you, the hotelier. The integrity of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ must be preserved and maintained worldwide, because all our hotels will be judged on the quality of the others. Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ runs an invisible guest perception inspection programme at no cost to you other than accommodation, food and beverage charges incurred at your property by the inspector. These inspections are carried out at least once every two years, and after each visit you will receive a report outlining the results of the inspection. All inspectors are qualified luxury hotel guests who pay and stay at luxury hotels all over the world.
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As specialists in the international boutique hotel sector, providing a comprehensive range of hotel services, Luxury Hotel Partners can provide Technical and Pre-opening services during the process of development. Their input will ensure that the hotel is optimally designed and that the operation commences and flows efficiently with luxury standards of service from the outset. They will provide direction and advice on architectural plans and interior design to ensure the hotel will have the potential to be a financial success.
HOTEL MANAGEMENT Luxury Hotel Partners operates hotels that either are, or, will become part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™. LHP manages hotels for owners, investors and absentee landlords. Hotels range from the private paradise of Fregate Island in the Seychelles, to the award winning Chromata in Santorini, to Dorset Square, a classic London townhouse.
JOINING SLH | DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE
Alpaga, Megève, France
CRITERIA
C O N T R A C T U A L & O P E R AT I O N A L O B L I G AT I O N S
To be considered, applicants should meet the following broad criteria:
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• The hotel must be recognised as one of the best, if not the best, in the locality • The market positioning of the applicant should be consistent with the overall aims of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ • The hotel must move its GDS representation to LX • Operational management must be of the highest standard at all times • Service should be personal, efficient, prompt and friendly • Food and wine must be of the highest quality, properly presented and expertly served • The hotel must provide room service with limited items available, 24 hours a day • Decor must be of the very highest quality and well maintained with a good general ambience providing a feeling of comfort and attention to detail • The hotel must have access to e-mail and the internet, as the majority of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ communication is carried out by electronic means and all access to the reservations system is via the internet • The hotel will join for a compulsory minimum period of three years in order for its affiliation with Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ to fully permeate the market • The hotel must offer a luxury experience to its guests • The hotel must demonstrate a commitment to Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s Caring Luxury programme
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Implementation begins when the contract is signed and fees are paid Joining fee is due with the contract Terms of contract is a minimum of three years All contracts are standard and signed by each hotel, changes to the contract will not be made Annual fees are due by August 1st of each year Monthly reservations fees are due within 30 days Hotel must accept the American Express Card, participate in the American Express commission programme and American Express Platinum/Centurion benefits programmes Hotel must accept and agree Articles of Association GDS must transfer to LX within six months of signing the contract Hotel must accept Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ Gift Certificates and account for them in the correct manner Travel Agent’s commissions must be paid within 45 days of departure via the Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ Global Payment System or by the hotel directly Access to internet, and e-mail address for Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ communication Biennial inspection programme, reimbursed by the property Attendance at Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s International Conference is obligatory once every three years. Travel and accommodation costs are the responsibility of the hotel Hotel must vote for International Board of Directors Hotel must participate in regional meetings Immediate response to inquiries or requests from Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ offices is required Hotels must review www.myslh.com for pertinent information Immediate review and response to directory information requests A minimum of 16 hi-resolution photographs must be supplied for use by Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ with authorisation to publish
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DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE | JOINING SLH
B R A N D I N G O B L I G AT I O N S
R E S E R VAT I O N S A N D T H E I N T E R N E T
• Display Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ plaque prominently at entrance or front desk
• Attendance by two hotel staff for training on the reservations system
• Publish Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ logo, toll free number, GDS code LX for LuXury and www.slh.com on all hotel brochures • Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ directory to be placed in all guest rooms and public areas • The directory must be distributed by all hotel sales staff
• The hotel must have internet access for the Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ reservations system • Publish all rates offered at hotel on the reservations system • Availability and rates on the reservations system to match that of hotel • Reservations and communications downloaded daily • Rates and inventory maintained constantly and consistently • Property information reviewed and updated frequently
MARKETING PROGRAMMES • Participation in programmes introduced by Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ and acceptance of fees associated with these programmes
• Constant review and maintenance of information on slh.com
• The hotel must offer all benefits associated with The Club of Small Luxury Hotels of the World™
• The hotel must supply an active e-mail address for public inquiries from slh.com as well as RFP’s for group/meeting requests
• Hotel must load all rates and packages required of it to participate fully in any marketing programmes Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ undertakes
• Hotel must supply 16 colour photographs with captions for internet site
• The hotel must keep Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s PR department informed of all awards/new services
• Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ has the right to enter agreements with third party internet providers and publish hotel data
• Participation in on-going and current regional programmes as applicable • Response to individual hotel programmes as requested by partners and charities
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• Packages and promotions loaded into the reservations system and slh.com
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• All data published on slh.com can be distributed via broadcast e-mail. programmes implemented by Small Luxury Hotels of the World™
Correntoso Lake & River Hotel, Patagonia, Argentina
DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE | JOINING SLH
Experience Zen at the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, Arizona
T O A P P LY There are five stages in applying and the timing is critical: Stage 1 – A formal application letter together with the printed application forms for hotel and “Contracting Party Details” must be sent to the Development Director, Small Luxury Hotels of the World™, 3rd Floor, Portland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5BH, United Kingdom, enclosing copies of all brochures, marketing collateral and tariff sheet. Stage 2 – Once your application has been reviewed, successful hotels will be asked for a non-refundable deposit of GBP£1,000 which is required before the assessment visit. This amount is credited against the initial fee if the application is successful. Stage 3 – Upon receipt of the application form and deposit an initial visit and inspection will be arranged. The visit enables you to discuss the benefits of joining and determine the potential return on investment. It also enables Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ to assess whether the hotel meets the criteria and standards. Stage 4 – The report generated from the visit along with the application is reviewed by the joint Managing Directors of Hill Goodridge and Associates. If they consider the hotel will add value to Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ and Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ will add value to the hotel taking into account the location, standard and management of the hotel then they will be recommended to the Regional Director and then to the Chairman for it to be accepted. Stage 5 – Successful applicants will receive confirmation of acceptance, contract to sign and a secure login to our website content management system to supply all necessary information on the hotel. The contract is standard for all hotels and states all terms and conditions of joining SLH. The process is completed when the signed contract is returned together with the payment of the initial joining fee.
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La Sultana Marrakech Hotel & Spa
Experience another World
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HOTELS IN MORE THAN Contact us Daniel Luddington Director of Development For Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ Managed by Hill, Goodridge & Associates Ltd. 3rd Floor, Portland House Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5BH, United Kingdom Tel: Main ++ 44 (0) 207 802 3400 Direct ++ 44 (0) 207 802 3431 Fax: +44 207 828 0826 Email: Daniel.luddington@slh.com
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COUNTRIES