January 2008
The French are getting ready for one of the biggest changes in their country's history, with smoking banned in cafes, bars and restaurants from today.
Out of a population of 60 million, about 13.5 million French people smoke. Any smoker caught flouting the new ban faces a $750 fine and those who turn a blind eye to smokers on their premises can be fined up to $1,250. Last February smoking was outlawed in French airports, railway stations, hospitals, schools, shops and offices. The new ban is a big cultural change for the French, where for centuries smoky cafes have been the haunts of artists, writers and philosophers.
Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney was awarded one of the "Best Hotels in the World for Food" in the UK Conde Nast Traveller's annual Gold List 2008.
The UK Conde Nast Traveller's Gold List features the hotels that received the highest ratings in the Reader's Travel Awards 2007 survey based on service, rooms, food, ambience and design, and location and leisure facilities.Only three hotels in Australia received this prestigious accolade and Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney had a score of 94.7. Included in the readers' x-factor was signature Altitude Restaurant for its dramatic views and cuisine, and Café Mix for its diverse cuisine. "Winning ‘Best Hotel for Food' is an extremely rewarding accolade and demonstrates the high level of food quality and variety offered. It's a great testament to the highly skilled restaurateur's," said Mr. Michael Cottan, general manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney, commenting on the hotel's success.This award follows Blu Horizon Bar's recent crowning of Australia's Best Bar by the Australian Hotels Association 2007.
Regent Hotels & Resorts’ global expansion is continuing with the opening of its first hotel in France, The Regent Bordeaux, in early 2008.
Designed by interior designer Jacques Garcia, the 150-room property will be situated in the Golden Triangle shopping district, an area that has undergone extensive development in the last few years. Regent also will open several other hotels and resorts throughout 2008, including The Regent Bal Harbour in the village of Bal Harbour, Fla., to open in February; The Regent Boston at Battery Wharf on the Boston waterfront, to open in the second quarter of 2008; and The Regent Maldives resort on the island nation located in the Indian Ocean, to open in 2008. In 2009, Regent will expand in Asia and Europe with The Regent Bangkok and The Regent Dubrovnik in Croatia. Plans through 2010 include the opening of The Regent Papagayo, a resort property in Costa Rica, and Regent’s first property in the United Arab Emirates, The Regent Emirates Pearl. For more information visit www.regenthotels.com
London hotel guests not put off by high rates
Hotels in London were the second most profitable of ten European cities studied by TRI Hospitality Consulting in November 2007.
They reported income before fixed charges or profit per available room of €154.68 during the month. Occupancy was highest of the ten at 86.7% - despite declining by 1.8 percentage points year-on-year - and rates the highest at €219.11.
This resulted in revenue per available room of €189.98, best of the cities surveyed, while payroll costs as a proportion of total revenue were the second lowest overall at 21.7%.
Moscow hotels were once again the most profitable with profit per available room of €167.89, thanks to the city's low payroll costs of just 17.1%. RevPAR was second best at €159.64, despite the lowest occupancy of 68%, as rates were the highest at €234.62.
With profits of €94.13 Amsterdam's hotels ranked third, boosted by the second highest occupancy of 84.8%, fourth highest rates of €176.83 and fourth best revPAR of €150.02. Payroll costs were sixth highest at 27.5%.
Fourth most profitable were hotels in Paris (€93.48). They were let down by the second highest payroll costs of 38.2%, as the city ranked third by occupancy (83.8%), rates (€205.79) and revPAR (€172.42).
In fifth came Berlin with profit of €72.63 after the city's hotels reported rates of €145.05 (fifth), occupancy of 74.1% (seventh) and revPAR of €107.48 (sixth). Payroll costs were fourth highest at 29%.
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Fairmont Raffles Hotels International has named James Kaplan Senior Vice President, Development, for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, to be based in London. Prior to joining Fairmont, he was Vice President, Business Development & Planning - EAME, for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. He has previously held various posts with Kerzner International and Marriott International.
Jorge Perez has been promoted to Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at MGM Mirage’s Beau Rivage in Biloxi. Perez joined the company in 1995 and has served in several financial positions, including Hotel Controller at Bellagio and, most recently, Executive Director of Financial Projects for Mirage Resorts.
Fairmont Raffles Hotels International has named Francois Baudin Vice President, Development, for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, to be based in Barcelona. Prior to joining Fairmont, he was he was Director of Corporate Finance and Director of Development for IHG in UK.
Shawn Hauver has been promoted to Managing Director at the Loews Miami Beach. He had joined the property in 1999 as Director of Food and Beverage. He was most recently serving as Resident Manager for the hotel. Hauver played food and management roles previously at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis, the Hyatt Regency Greenville, the Hyatt Regency Hilton Head and the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress.
Fairmonthas appointed Heather McCrory Regional Vice President for Central Canada and General Manager of the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. She returns to hotel operations from her most recent position with the company as Vice President, Sales and Distribution. McCrory replaces Ian Wilson as General Manager at the hotel. Wilson has been promoted to a Regional Vice President position with Fairmont.
Abel Damergihas moved to Rome to oversee the Marriott Rome Park as General Manager. For the past year he served as General Manager of the Shangri-La Maldives Resort and Spa. Previously, he has held the post of General Manager for the Luna Hotel Baglioni in Venice.
The InterContinental Paris Le Grand has appointed Julien Debarle General Manager, taking over for Lars Wagner. Debarle has been with the company for eleven years and most recently served as General Manager of the InterContinental Miami for two years. He was previously the General Manager of the InterContinental Hotel & Conference Center Cleveland, Regional Director of Food and Beverage of InterContinental for the entire eastern region of the United States and Executive Assistant Manager of the InterContinental Mexico Presidente.
Iwan Dietschi has been promoted to opening General Manager at the Ritz-Carlton Shenzen. He was most recently serving as Hotel Manager at the soon-to-be-closed Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong and previously held the post of Executive Assistant Manager at the Portman Ritz-Carlton in Shanghai.
Jean-Philippe Beghin has been named General Manager at Le Grand Hotel in Siam Reap. He moves within Cambodia from his most recent position as General Manager of Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh. His successor at Le Royal is Riaz Mahmood.
Jacques Vitu joins the Hotel Amigo in Brussels as GeneralManager. He was most recently the City General Manager for Hotel Le Palace & Hotel Balmoral in Spa, Belgium. He previously served as General Manager of the Hotel Andrassy – Budapest and Resident Manager for Le Plaza Brussels.
The Hotel Metropole Brussels has promoted Rodolphe Van Weyenbergh to General Manager. A Lausanne graduate, he joined the hotel in 2004 as Food and Beverage Manager and was subsequently promoted to Director of Operations after two years. He previously held various positions at the Radisson SAS Montfleury Hotel in Cannes and at the Radisson SAS in Nice.
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