Category Archives: Hotels

Radisson Hotel Group has launched its new multi-brand and mobile-first global website, RadissonHotels.com, which also serves as a unique platform for Radisson Rewards members. Complementing the revamped site will be the Radisson Hotels App, available by the end of July 2019. This online landmark brings the group a step closer to becoming one of the industry’s digital leaders. The enhanced RadissonHotels.com allows guests and loyalty members to explore the group’s entire portfolio of more than 1,100 hotels worldwide – and to easily book a stay in just a few clicks. For both new and existing Radisson Rewards members, RadissonHotels.com and the Radisson Hotels App will deliver a personalised digital experience. Due to its intuitive user interface, the website and the App will be the main hubs for earning, viewing and redeeming points – as well as seeing all the benefits of Radisson Rewards in one place. Eric De Neef, Executive Vice President & Global Chief Commercial Officer for Radisson Hotel Group, said, “The launch of RadissonHotels.com is a key milestone on our journey towards the top. Having one single touchpoint for all our brands will strongly enhance the user experience and drive SEO value. RadissonHotels.com is a core commercial initiative of our five-year operating plan, which is transforming our business and aiming to make Radisson Hotel Group the company of choice for guests, owners and talent.” The full website will initially be available in English, Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish and Swedish. Additional language support will be brought online progressively – allowing as many guests and members as possible to access RadissonHotels.com in their native language.  

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is celebrating the more than 100 Hotel Indigo properties around the world with the launch of a shoppable hotel room that allows anyone to buy direct from the best artists and craftspeople from around the world, in one place, on social media. Inspiring us to be more curious and explore the stories of neighbourhoods we have yet to experience, Shop the Neighbourhood, with Hotel Indigo shines a spotlight on the local neighbourhood stories that inspire the distinctive designs of each property. Curated artisans and local makers are featured in the shoppable room, including hand-selected items from celebrity milliner Gladys Tamez (Hotel Indigo Los Angeles – Downtown), Trabi Safari (Hotel Indigo Berlin – East Side Gallery), Hilary Grant (Hotel Indigo Dundee), Les-Ottomans Home Design (Hotel Indigo Venice Sant’Elena), famed street artist Lee Quiñones (Hotel Indigo Lower East Side New York) and Muzen radio (Hotel Indigo Hotel Indigo – Bangkok Wireless Road). Jason Moskal, Vice President, Global Marketing, Hotel Indigo, commented, “We are excited to bring together the best of local design and for the first time ever, give consumers the chance to take a little piece of our incredible neighbourhoods home with them. It’s been such an adventure working with the local artisans to bring this concept to life.” Henry Reeve, IHG’s Director of Interior Design in Europe, said, “Each of the 100 or so hotels in the Hotel Indigo portfolio is completely different. We work tirelessly with local businesses and artisans to ensure that the heart and soul of each Hotel Indigo truly represents the neighbourhood in which it resides.”  

OYO Hotels & Homes has announced the launch of its premium offerings for business travellers, Capital O,  in the UAE. With this, OYO has further expanded its growing presence in the Emirates and is on track to achieve its target of offering 12,000 rooms in 150 hotels in all the 7 Emirates by 2020. The first Capital O 187 Action Hotel is located in Ras Al Khaimah and another one – Capital O 167 Moon Valley Hotel Apartment – is in Bur Dubai. Capital O is the ideal choice for new-age corporate travellers, as it offers the perfect amenities for business & leisure stays. These premium hotels are located in prime locations and specially curated to deliver OYO’s quality-assured experience at an affordable price. Capital O hotels are equipped with high-speed WiFi, 24*7 food and beverages with in-room services, buffet-style breakfast and premium amenities, including OYO branded toiletries. OYO has received an overwhelming response to the Capital O offering in India and currently it has 700 hotels in 200+ cities across the country as part of its growing portfolio. With this launch, discerning travels to the UAE can enjoy the same premium and elegant hospitality experience in Capital O hotels.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is continuing to expand its footprint across Saudi Arabia with the signing of voco Makkah in partnership with Maad International, among the Kingdom’s largest hospitality real estate development companies. The property will be the largest voco in the world, when operational in early 2020, and it will cater to the growing number of religious tourists in KSA. The 4,200-room hotel will take IHG’s portfolio in the country to over 19,500 rooms, solidifying IHG’s position as one of the largest hospitality players in Saudi Arabia. voco Makkah will occupy a premium location within the greater Maad Hospitality Towers Development, a mega mixed-used development that includes restaurants, lounge areas, event halls and separate male and female prayer halls. Situated in one of the most sought-after locations in the Holy City, the new hotel is within walking distance of Masjid Al Haram, and it will provide an ideal base for pilgrims along with an exceptional guest experience including over 20,000 sqm of dining and meeting facilities. Pascal Gauvin, Managing Director, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG, said, “We are honoured to enter into this agreement with Maad International, which is one of the most renowned hospitality development companies in the Kingdom. We look forward to catering to the influx of pilgrims at voco Makkah, which will provide a welcoming, comfortable and a reliably different experience during the Hajj and Umrah seasons.”

In keeping with the mid-market sector UAE’s homegrown brand Citymax launched its second hotel in the Al Barsha area and the fifth across the UAE on June 27, 2019. The opening follows the successful launch of Citymax Hotel Ras Al Khaimah in November 2018, and enhances the Citymax portfolio up to five hotels in operation across the GCC, as well as a sixth Citymax Hotel in Aswan, Egypt. Known for its personality of ‘vibrant simplicity’ and providing its guests with an unforgettable stay, Citymax Hotel Al Barsha will follow in the same steps, but with an added sense of appeal. This Citymax property is uniquely positioned to cater to business travellers looking for the comforts of a well-known brand, but the exclusivity and warmth of a boutique hotel. The hotel boasts 120 spacious rooms, including 24 twin rooms and 96 queen rooms. Each floor of the hotel has only 10 rooms, providing a sense of privacy in the heart of bustling ‘New Dubai’.  The property hosts a meeting room, with a capacity of 8-10 delegates. One of the most unique features in this property is the special floor dedicated to women travellers who would require a little more privacy, hence the whole floor with 10 rooms are dedicated only for women, catered by women. “The introduction of Citymax Al Barsha is a milestone for both Citymax Hotels and the UAE hospitality sector, as we’re now in a position to offer a niche audience quality accommodation that perfectly suits their business needs, whilst at the same time amplifying the unique warmth of a boutique-style hotel,” says Joanne Williams, General Manager of Citymax Al Barsha.

The award-winning Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is celebrating 10 years as a leader in wellness at its luxury spas worldwide. Over the past decade, the Group has launched a range of signature concepts, products, and treatments that have helped to establish the Group’s spas as some of the best in the world. Examples of innovation include a collaboration with global health and fitness platform Grokker to bring wellness into the guestroom with a range of complimentary in-room health and fitness videos; the launch of Mindful Meetings by Mandarin Oriental, designed to enhance and energise meetings and conferences with creative solutions that are based on five key elements of wellness: nourishment, movement, stillness, connections and wellbeing; and relaxing Digital Wellness treatments and practical tips that encourage guests to take a break from today’s ever-present technology. In addition, the Group has invested in a number of expertly trained Mandarin Oriental Specialists to provide guests with bespoke, specific treatments and experiences that can be hard to find elsewhere. These include podiatry specialists, TCM specialists, a Turkish Hammam Master, Shaolin Kung Fu Master and Thai massage therapists. The Group started their celebration of innovations achieved over 10 Years of Wellness on Global Wellness Day, June 8, 2019, with complimentary wellness activities at all hotels and resorts worldwide. For the rest of the year, guests are encouraged to rediscover some of the Group’s most popular, ground-breaking signature treatments and products. Those who book the Group’s signature Oriental Qi massage between Global Wellness Day and September 8, 2019 will receive tip sheets for exercise, balance and breathing together with a signature oil that relates to their own personalised element to use at home.

The third property in the portfolio of Hyatt properties in the Old Dubai area opened recently as Hyatt Place Wasl District joining the two other earlier properties, Hyatt Place Dubai/Al Rigga and Hyatt Place Dubai/Baniyas Square in increasing the number of contemporary yet affordable hospitality offerings in the city. The opening of the property brings Hyatt hotels in the UAE to 10 properties. Hyatt Place Dubai/Wasl District offers 202 guestrooms, including 10 suites, with separate spaces to sleep, work and play, as well as a Cozy Corner sofa-sleeper, 105 well-appointed apartments comprising of studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments that feature kitchenette, modern utility services and more. Meeting spaces amassing over 300 square metres, are designed for clients hosting stylish and flexible small-scale business meetings, conferences or celebrating special occasions. “We look forward to hosting guests both local and international alike as we introduce them to the modern comforts of a Hyatt Place property. The hotel will provide travellers with a unique stay through the design, amenities and warm hospitality offered by the entire team,” shared Fathi Khogaly, Cluster General Manager, Hyatt  Corporation. “The decision to introduce a third Hyatt Place property stems from its seamless integration into the city’s contemporary appeal, prioritising consistent development,” said Kurt Straub, Vice President of Operations, Middle East, Africa and South West Asia, Hyatt Hotels Corporation. “We’re seeing an increased guest demand for our select service portfolio and as such are meeting these demands across the UAE and KSA. We plan to continue to expand our brand presence across the Middle East, as part of our pipeline of development for the region.”

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) announced it will provide Dubai hotels with an individual Hotel Emission Analysis Report, offering an overview of each establishment’s emission performance in comparison to its peers using results from the Carbon Calculator software. Providing hotels with recommendations for improvement by referring them to the ‘12 Steps Towards Sustainability’ manual, which was launched by Dubai Tourism last year, the Hotel Emission Analysis Report has been launched in line with the UAE’s 2021 National Agenda to promote sustainable growth, reinforcing Dubai’s position as the smartest city in the world and role model in energy efficiency. In 2017, Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST), an initiative under Dubai Tourism, launched the Carbon Calculator software, a tool developed to measure the carbon footprint of Dubai’s hospitality sector. The emirate’s hotel establishments were mandated to record and submit their emission sources, across electricity, district cooling, water and waste, allowing the findings to be collated for valuable industry insights. Yousuf Lootah, Executive Director – Tourism Development & Investments, Dubai Tourism, commented, “In line with the vision of His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, to transform the emirate into one of the world’s leading sustainable tourism destinations, the Hotel Emission Analysis Report has been developed as a targeted manual to guide hotels on the sustainability performance of their properties. Furthermore, it will provide a cohesive understanding of where they stand comparatively amongst their industry peers on an annual basis, identifying where improvements can be made to facilitate further resource management, in turn reducing the industry’s collective carbon footprint.”  

Leading hospitality providers are implementing new and innovative ways to enhance guest and staff experiences with the help of unified communications and contact center solutions from Avaya Holdings Corp., a global leader in solutions, to enhance and simplify communications and collaboration for the global hospitality industry. According to IDG, 62% of businesses believe digital transformation success is defined by excellent customer experience as measured by customer satisfaction scores. “As a significant and growing global hospitality brand known for superior guest experiences across our 5,000 resorts and hotels worldwide, Accor chooses our vendors carefully,” said Denis Collette, Global Call Centre IT manager, Accor. “We have been an Avaya customer over the last 20 years and we look to Avaya for our continued growth in enhancing our guest journey. The Avaya IX Contact Centre solution is rock solid with a history of proven reliability and support.” Moxy Hotels, Marriott’s newest brand, focuses on providing fresh and innovative experiences to guests by combining stylish design and approachable service at an affordable price point. “To ensure we are giving our guests the finest experience we knew we needed a reliable, rich-feature solution that came in at a competitive price point,” said Lowell Beebe-Center, Director of Operations, Moxy Hotels. “Connectivity today is a critical aspect of the hospitality industry. It is essential to have proper infrastructure to provide the reliable services our guests need,” said Joseph Fayad, Corporate Director IT, TIME Hotels, a chain of four resort brands based in the UAE. “Our new Avaya contact centre and unified communications platform helps make it possible for the group to automate key guest services including wake-up calls, reservation reminders, and requests for information on hotel services …

Expedia Partner Solutions (EPS), the B2B brand within Expedia Group, is bringing its competitive rates and availability for more than 500,000 accommodations to technology specialist dcs plus and its travel partners. The new venture enabled through EPS’s newest hotel API, Rapid, will broaden and deepen dcs plus’s inventory offering, particularly in emerging markets in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America. With the implementation of EPS Rapid, dcs plus will be able to offer its partners access to 35 different accommodation types including hotels, resorts, treehouses and houseboats, across more than 25,000 global destinations. The API’s modular architecture also allows for versatility to meet partners’ varying needs. Fritz Oberhummer, Director of Account Management Platforms, EPS, EMEA says, “dcs plus’s reliable solutions have allowed us to expand our reach and provide travel agents and travel management companies across the world with access to EPS’s extensive accommodation portfolio, through EPS Rapid. dcs plus combines its accommodation offering from EPS with travel products, such as flights and car hire, to build dynamic packaging solutions for travel agents.” Andrei Savin, Alliances and Partners Senior Manager, dcs plus, says, “A key factor in our decision to work with EPS was the ability to further extend our existing partner base and give added value to the travel partners we share. We recognise the value of EPS’s cutting edge travel technology products and are excited to work with these to power our partners’ travel businesses.”