European Hotel Rates Average Highest Since 2008
In May, the average cost of a standard double room in one of Europe's 50 most popular cities is 117 pounds - the highest European average since October 2008.
Prices rose in 47 of the top 50 cities, and a weaker exchange rate makes travel to the rest of Europe even more expensive for British travellers.
In the UK, prices remained steady with the exception of Edinburgh, whose hotel rates rose 15%.
These are the findings of the trivago Hotel Price Index (tHPI) prepared each month by the hotel price comparison website www.trivago.co.uk
The European hotel industry has seen a sharp rise in overnight rates this month; with the average cost of a standard double room reaching an average of 117 pounds, travellers find themselves paying nine percent more than in April (107 pounds).
In addition, this is also the highest European average since October 2008.
In the United Kingdom, prices remained largely steady, with only three cities experiencing major upward or downward momentum.
Weak exchange rate further increases hotel costs for British travellers
An increase in hotel prices in May has been observed in 47 of the 50 cities listed in Hotel Price Index.
In Cannes, where the International Film Festival takes place, prices climbed 29 percent to 141 pounds. The neighboring city of Nice (118 pounds) similarly saw a price climb of 22 percent.
In Turin (119 pounds), travellers are paying 28 percent more than in April, while frequent visitors to Barcelona can expect hotel rates to rise by 21 percent to 136 pounds.
In the Scandinavian cities of Stockholm (165 pounds, up 24 percent), Copenhagen (136 pounds, plus 18 percent) and Oslo (152 pounds, plus 17 percent), visitors must also take rising hotel rates into account.
Geneva (224 pounds, plus 14 percent) and Venice (209 pounds, plus 15 percent) are May's most expensive European city destinations.
A particularly weak exchange rate has further impacted prices, however, meaning that British travellers are paying approximately 5% more than their European counterparts as a result of the GBP-EUR exchange rate.
UK: Minor fluctuations in hotel rates
Continuing last month's trend, UK prices have remained largely steady despite the significant changes in hotel rates experienced throughout the rest of Europe.
The cities of Blackpool (67 pounds), Glasgow (82 pounds), and Bristol (92 pounds) only rose one percent from last month. Cardiff rose four percent to 87 pounds, while Newcastle rates fell three percent to 96 pounds and Liverpool's hotel prices dropped 5 percent to 92 pounds.
The capital's rates only rose eight percent to 168 pounds per night - a modest increase compared to previous months. Edinburgh was the only city to experience any significant price climbs, registering at 125 pounds (+15 percent).
In contrast, Sheffield (68 pounds) fell 11% and Manchester (67 pounds) dropped 32 percent.
An overview of the average hotel prices in Europe, as well as several graphics and data charts can be found at: www.trivago.co.uk/hotelprices
Stop, Look & Listen
It's been an interesting past couple of weeks or so, depending on how you view the world and what is of utmost importance to you personally and professionally.
The usual "talking heads" are putting their spin on things; all coming up with excuses, new ideas and we should have done this and we should have done that.
Some people are so tuned into the events of the day it seems they start to think they invented a new way of critiquing and communicating to us their opinions and ideals.
Oh you thought I was going to opine about Donald Trump? Hardly, Seth Meyers said enough about that for all of us.
With the price of oil continuing to rise, consumers have decided to use less gasoline, which translates in some areas as less visits to restaurants and going out in general.
Plus with rising food costs as we are told due to increasing fuel costs, hang on to your whatever, we might be in for a bumpy ride all over again or should I say still?
I spoke this week to several operators who already told me their cover counts were off and even with the traditional nice weather in the country this time of the year (with the exception of the flooding areas), business in general is not in a significant upward trend, according to all the "experts" who predict what we are going to eat, spend and the like.
If all of the above is true, and who would doubt the prognosticators, then I guess we might as well close our doors and give up!
But hey I have an idea for you, why not have a staff meeting and ask your employees how they feel about things, what the guest is telling them about your food, portion sizes, prices and operations policies?
Maybe you should talk to the person(s) who answers the phone and see what he or she thinks and the questions customers are asking about.
How about calling your suppliers and talking to them about what is new in the meat, fish, dairy and produce marketplace versus what you're normally buying; along with speaking to them about upcoming seasonal items and of course pricing too.
Maybe even call up your two favorite beer, wine and liquor suppliers to talk about any specials or discounts that might be available and then call their competitors, the vendors you don't normally use and ask the same questions.
As an example, we recently introduced a client to an Argentinean wine, no not another Malbec but a wine varietal called Bonarda.
It's from the same region and because it's not as well known, the pricing on the wine was substantially less than the current selection on their wine list for Malbec, one of the restaurants most popular wines.
We told the operator to blind taste the wine with their staff and then ask for comments not just about the taste of the wine, but its potential for the restaurant, matching the wine with food, salability to guests and how much the staff thought they could charge for the wine.
First of all, the staff in the past was never asked to get involved in this way but rather lectured about wine and in no way asked for their true opinions, so this opportunity was a new way for management to get the team to buy into the concept.
Secondly, once the commentaries were done, the service team along with the kitchen staff who also tasted the wine came up with multiple ideas for what to serve the wine with and also helped in setting the price for the wine, both by the bottle and with the team's insistence and support, also offered by the glass.
The margin on the new wine are substantially better than then on the current Malbec offering, so it was definitely seen by management as a better profit for the operation.
In the meantime, the Chef was so enthused by the wine experience, he started contacting his existing suppliers and some new ones too, to get samples of new products and pricing, and now each week the entire team gets together to taste and vote on new menu items and wines that can complement each item.
The host and hostesses who answer the phone now also participate in tastings as well as give their input and share guest comments in daily pre-shift meetings.
All these simple implemented changes at the restaurant has not only lowered food and beverage costs but the entire staff is now involved in the day-to-day operation and by all measures made the place more profitable with rising guests counts and more unique offerings.
Pitted against the PT Barnum naysayers with their wild predictions and false statements, all the management team had to do was stop what they were continually doing, look at the position they were in and listen to the most important people in their operation, the ones who make the difference every single day.
Kempinski Target Fastest Growth in the Region
Over 16 properties will be added to the portfolio over the next three years
The ambitious yet selective expansion plan of Kempinski Hotels, Europe's longest-established luxury hotel chain, is cementing their position in the Middle East and Africa region as part of the overall strategy to double their portfolio to 121 hotels worldwide by 2015.
Hotels, Resorts and Residences in Middle East and Africa's Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria will come on stream over the next two years, while Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, the Seychelles and Namibia come on board earlier.
"The Middle East and Africa is an important area of expansion for us and we will continue our development strategy throughout the region.
There is a worldwide fascination for this region and our brand of luxury with European flair makes us a main player in the Middle East and Africa." Said Ulrich Eckhardt, Kempinski's President for Middle East, Africa and Indian Ocean.
This year (2011) sees four scheduled openings. The Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah is the group's first beach property in Dubai, a five-star all-suites hotel comprising between one and five bedrooms.
Kempinski adds another region to its list of beautiful destinations with the Seychelles Kempinski Resort at Baie Lazare on the island of Mahé, which will add value to the Kempinski portfolio by marking an entrance into this exclusive market and is scheduled to open in October.
A major project in Namibia sees the acquisition of the Midgard Country Estate, which is following the takeover of Kempinski Mokhuti Lodge in 2008, in addition to the Kempinski Hotel Bahrain which is scheduled to open in the September 2011.
In 2012 the Kempinski Al Othman Hotel – Al Khobar, in Saudi Arabia's oil-rich Eastern Province will open in the ideal location for business guests to be joined during the course of the year by the Kempinski Hotel, Burj Rafal in Riyadh and the Kempinski Hotel, Jeddah. Summerland Kempinski, Beirut, Lebanon and Kempinski Residences Alabadiyah Hills - Beirut, Lebanon will also open duirng 2012.
Scheduled for opening in 2013 are the Kempinski Hotel The Wave in Muscat, marking the group's entry into Oman, and a second hotel in Egypt's capital Cairo, the Kempinski Hotel, Royal Maxim to join the Kempinski Nile Hotel. Opening the Kempinski Hotel, Accra -Ghana in 2013 will further strengthen Kempinski's profile in the Africa region.
Further to these commitments, Kempinski have also entered into management agreements for the following properties: Kempinski Strand Hotel (Namibia); Kempinski Hotel, Marsa Malaz (Doha, Qatar), Kempinski Hotel Solaiman Basha Khan, a boutique hotel in the centre of authentic Omayad Damascus, Syria.
Kempinski's luxurious brand will also be seen in the future in the following locations: Nairobi, Madagascar, Hammamet (Tunisia), Mozambique, South Africa, Casablanca, Mauritius, The Congo, Comoros, Bangladesh, Senegal, and Nigeria.
Renaissance Paris Le Parc Trocadero Hotel : Announcement Anne Legrand as new GM
Anne Legrand new General Manager of the Renaissance Paris Le Parc Trocadero Hotel (effective May 16, 2011).
Anne has more than 25 years of experience in the Paris market including 9 years of Senior Sales positions with Hilton International. She holds a master's degree L.E.A. from La Sorbonne University and MBA from L'Institut Supérieur de gestion in Paris.
She opened the Paris Marriott Champs Elysées in Sales, progressing to Director of Sales and Marketing before crosstraining as Director of Operations.
Following to that, she held her first General Manager assignment at the Courtyard by Marriott Paris Neuilly from 2002 to 2006.
In July 2006, she took over the Renaissance Paris Vendôme Hotel and did an outstanding job in this upscale boutique hotel.
We have seen all aspects of the balance score card grow significantly.
Anne really excels in all areas which already resulted in a number of awards she received in the past both for her hotel and personally.
In 2006, the hotel received the award for GSS and in 2007 awards for GSS, Associate Excellence Most Improved and Sales Leadership.
In 2009, Anne was awarded the General Manager of the year for the Renaissance Brand (Europe Division).
Last year, the hotel was recognized as "France Leading Boutique Hotel" by World Travel Awards.
In addition to being General Manager, Anne also holds the French Business Council Chair since 2008 and is in charge of the council's Spirit to Serve activities.
On behalf of the Business Council she has been recognized for Spirit to Serve Awards in 2007 and 2008 and for the Community Engagement Award as well as the Overall Achievement Award in 2009.
Last year, they received the Quarterly Award for the second quarter for SOS Children's Villages "Help Haiti" action.
Spirit to Serve activities of the council – to name only a few ‐ range from preparing and serving meals in 3 Parisian "Restos du Coeur" centers over cleaning a river east of Paris in partnership with "Surfrider Foundation Europe" to fundraising events such as "French Téléthon", a fundraising event in favor of medical research on genetic diseases where Marriott Hotels were able to raise 13,000 Euro for.
With her extensive sales experience in Paris combined with her customer focus and guest relations skills, she is ideally suited to lead the Renaissance Paris Le Parc Trocadero Hotel which has recently reopened after going through a complete renovation.
I would like to wish her all the best for the new assignment.
(Until further notice, Anne will still oversee the Renaissance Paris Vendôme as well).
Anne has more than 25 years of experience in the Paris market including 9 years of Senior Sales positions with Hilton International. She holds a master's degree L.E.A. from La Sorbonne University and MBA from L'Institut Supérieur de gestion in Paris.
She opened the Paris Marriott Champs Elysées in Sales, progressing to Director of Sales and Marketing before crosstraining as Director of Operations.
Following to that, she held her first General Manager assignment at the Courtyard by Marriott Paris Neuilly from 2002 to 2006.
In July 2006, she took over the Renaissance Paris Vendôme Hotel and did an outstanding job in this upscale boutique hotel.
We have seen all aspects of the balance score card grow significantly.
Anne really excels in all areas which already resulted in a number of awards she received in the past both for her hotel and personally.
In 2006, the hotel received the award for GSS and in 2007 awards for GSS, Associate Excellence Most Improved and Sales Leadership.
In 2009, Anne was awarded the General Manager of the year for the Renaissance Brand (Europe Division).
Last year, the hotel was recognized as "France Leading Boutique Hotel" by World Travel Awards.
In addition to being General Manager, Anne also holds the French Business Council Chair since 2008 and is in charge of the council's Spirit to Serve activities.
On behalf of the Business Council she has been recognized for Spirit to Serve Awards in 2007 and 2008 and for the Community Engagement Award as well as the Overall Achievement Award in 2009.
Last year, they received the Quarterly Award for the second quarter for SOS Children's Villages "Help Haiti" action.
Spirit to Serve activities of the council – to name only a few ‐ range from preparing and serving meals in 3 Parisian "Restos du Coeur" centers over cleaning a river east of Paris in partnership with "Surfrider Foundation Europe" to fundraising events such as "French Téléthon", a fundraising event in favor of medical research on genetic diseases where Marriott Hotels were able to raise 13,000 Euro for.
With her extensive sales experience in Paris combined with her customer focus and guest relations skills, she is ideally suited to lead the Renaissance Paris Le Parc Trocadero Hotel which has recently reopened after going through a complete renovation.
I would like to wish her all the best for the new assignment.
(Until further notice, Anne will still oversee the Renaissance Paris Vendôme as well).
Corinthia Hotel London Opens Its Doors
Five Star Flagship Launches as a 21st Century Grand Hotel
Corinthia Hotel London today announced its doors are open to the public. Corinthia's new flagship is a landmark property and joins the ranks of London's finest 5-star luxury hotels.
Combining traditional grandeur with modern freshness, the luxuriously redesigned Victorian destination is ideally located in the heart of London, a short walk from many of the city's major attractions.
"The project marks the culmination of an exciting journey," says General Manager Matthew Dixon. "Corinthia Hotel London is an intricately restored grand hotel with a 21st century approach. Its modern elegance is defined by a blend of classic Victorian architecture with outstanding craftsmanship and contemporary art, mirroring the energy, style and history of the area.
Guests are offered all the modern luxuries whilst enjoying an authentic experience in a hotel and location with heritage."
Corinthia London has already established its name amongst a number of international celebrities and London influencers.
Some of the biggest names in cinema, art, culture, media, fashion and luxury have visited for a first look, and recent preview events have included parties in conjunction with the BAFTAs, Vanity Fair, GQ and Condé Nast Traveller.
The newly reconstructed flagship hotel features two world-class restaurants.
Garry Hollihead, winner of Michelin stars at three different establishments, is at the helm of The Northall. The restaurant celebrates the best of British artisanal produce, including Cumbrian short horn cattle, together with an extensive selection of organic and biodynamic wines by the glass and by the bottle.
The hotel's Mediterranean speciality seafood restaurant, Massimo Restaurant and Oyster Bar, is headed by the renowned Italian chef patron Massimo Riccioli.
Bassoon, the musically inspired bar designed by the award-winning David Collins Studio, serves both molecular cocktails and colonial inspired drinks from its boutique spirits library.
Elegantly discreet, it is expected to be a popular destination for Londoners as well as international guests.
The heartbeat of the hotel is its Lobby Lounge.
The space offers a residential feel enhanced by an eclectic mix of furniture and bespoke artworks.
The soaring dome in the centre is adorned with the pioneering Full Moon chandelier created by Parisian designer Chafik Gasmi and produced by Baccarat, the prestigious French crystal manufacturer.
The Full Moon, composed of 1,001 crystal baubles, is the grand focal point of the main hotel area. Lobby Lounge guests can take afternoon tea and indulge in innovative creations by celebrated Pastry Chef Claire Clark or enjoy an evening cocktail.
Corinthia Hotel London commissioned twin brothers Ian and Richard Abell, founders of Based Upon, to create a unique artwork piece for the hotel's reception and custom built doors for the lobby lifts.
The nine square metre bronze artwork in the reception area features the River Thames meandering through the city of London with a true replica of each building on its banks, with Corinthia at its centre.
Casts of leaves from Northumberland Avenue and St James's Park were taken to create the textural marks for the lift doors, adding a delicate touch.
Award-winning international spa company ESPA has partnered with the hotel to launch its flagship ESPA Life at Corinthia.
Spanning 3300m2 and on four floors, this magnificent spa features 17 treatment rooms, a private spa suite, nail studio, indoor pool, vitality pool, amphitheatre sauna, ice fountain, marble heated lounges, private sleep pods, a state-of-the-art gym and Daniel Galvin hair salon.
ESPA has enlisted exceptional therapists, naturopaths, acupuncturists, osteopaths and physiotherapists offering guests a new level of spa and wellness in a five-star luxury setting.
Located on the mezzanine floor are six private executive level meeting rooms, conveniently linked through to the mezzanine dining area of The Northall for a private lunch or dinner.
Five of the meeting rooms are fitted with a state-of-the-art high definition optical turnkey system that effortlessly allows total connectivity for media broadcasting, recording, editing and mixing.
The hotel features 294 guest rooms, including 43 suites.
The sumptuously appointed rooms, averaging 45m², are among the largest in their category in London's luxury hotel market.
With no restrictions on check-in and check-out times, Corinthia Hotel London has dedicated itself to providing guests ultimate flexibility, convenience and comfort during their stay.
About Corinthia Hotels
Corinthia Hotels is a collection of five-star hotels founded by the Pisani family of Malta.
The Corinthia brand remains true to its roots as a family business, fired by a passion for craftsmanship of care, devotion to detail and intuitive, warm services.
Each of our luxury hotels and resorts created in some of the most intriguing areas of the world is a unique tribute to local architecture and cultural traditions.
Members of Corinthia's extended family are committed to the values of honest and discreet service. Corinthia Hotels' portfolio includes the award-winning Corinthia Hotel Budapest in Hungary, Corinthia Hotel Prague in the Czech Republic, Corinthia Hotel St Petersburg in Russia and Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa in Malta.
The portfolio also features Corinthia Hotel St George's Bay in Malta, the superior five-star Corinthia Hotel Tripoli in Libya, and the modern Corinthia Hotel Lisbon in Portugal.
The latest addition to the portfolio is Corinthia Hotel London, which will soon be followed by Corinthia Taormina Golf Resort in Sicily, Italy, due to open in 2012.
Le Touessrok awarded 'Best Hotel in the Indian Ocean' at 2011 Daily Telegraph's Ultratravel awards (Maurice)
"We are extremely pleased to note that for the second consecutive year, the esteemed Ultratravel magazine has placed Le Touessrok as one of the best hotels in the world and the best in the Indian Ocean.
This commendation from the part of UK guests is a tribute to this wonderful hotel and its team," says Arnaud Martin, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer of Sun Resorts.
The '2011 Ultratravel Awards' ceremony took place at the prestigious Savoy in London and Jean Pierre Bosquet, Director of Sales & Marketing for Sun Resorts in the United Kingdom, was presented this award which stands as a recognition of the best brands in the luxury travel industry.
The award this year was presented by the 'Help for Heroes' charity, a very high profile UK charity helping servicemen and women who have been wounded during various conflicts around the world.
Le Touessrok won this year's award, topping the list in front of hotels like Banyan Tree and Huvafen Fushi in the Maldives; and Le Saint Géran and Oberoi in Mauritius.
In 2010, Le Touessrok had already won the much coveted 'Best Beach/Resort Hotel' award by Ultratravel.
As written by famous travel writer Victoria Mather: "Again, Le Touessrok is a favourite, the first hotel where I had my sunglasses cleaned by beach staff and was sprayed with iced Evian."
Sjefke Jansen, General Manager of Le Touessrok, commented on this award: "Yet another award for our hotel; nevertheless, we do not wish to remain idle in our permanent quest for quality and excellence to please our guests.
The Daily Telegraph Ultratravel award is an acknowledgement of our management's and team's commitment to ultimate guest satisfaction."
The award is decided by Ultratravel's readers, who are asked about their best experiences in luxury travel; they then vote for their favourite.
Ultratravel magazine has over a million readers with the Ultratravel awards running for four years.
Le Touessrok
Le Touessrok is the flagship of Sun Resorts and throughout the years, it has evolved into a leading hotel in its category, quickly becoming the quintessence of luxury and chic easy going beach living.
The hotel is a contemporary, chic and vibrant resort and boasts the true essence of cool, modern elegance imbued by the cultural warmth of tropical Mauritius.
Le Touessrok is the ultimate holiday spot for lovers of a unique tropical chic ambiance which best suits it today.
Sun Resorts
Sun Resorts Limited is a major Indian Ocean based hotel group that currently owns and manages four resorts in Mauritius – 5* Luxury Le Touessrok, 5* Long Beach, 5* Sugar Beach and 4* La Pirogue and one in the Maldives: 5* Kanuhura. Sun Resorts Limited has three offices in London, Paris and Frankfurt and representations in Milan, Madrid, Moscow, Japan and in the UAE.
The company also fully owns one Tour Operator in France – Soléa Vacances and one in South Africa – World Leisure Holidays.
