Hotel Management — March 2012
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Up Front
A collaborative relationship
I was fortunate enough to host a panel at the HOTEC Operations & Technology conference at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, in California last month, where we discussed trends in hotel development, purchasing and programming. I’ll have a full report in a future issue, but here are some excerpts from the discussion, which included Nicholas Clayton, president of Viceroy Hotel Group, John Washko, VP of operations for Auberge Resorts, and Igor Krnajski, SVP of design and construction for Denihan Hospitality Group.
The good news is that all three companies are bullish on expansion: Viceroy Hotel Group continues its plans for global growth (see the January 2012 issue of Hotel Management for our cover story on Clayton); Denihan Hospitality Group, which is concentrated on the East Coast, wants to grow on the West Coast very quickly; and Auberge Resorts, which is focused on the West Coast, is coming to the Dominican Republic.
While each of the hotel companies represented on the panel has a unique and distinguished personality, their common trait is a focus on the guest experience, particularly because many of their guests’ personalities have changed dramatically over the years.
Business travelers have become jaded and want to stay in establishments that have a unique draw, such as a great bar or just a significant reputation. They often bring family along, in an attempt to combine business and pleasure in their busy lives. They want to return home looking better than when they left, joked Clayton, instead of worse for the wear.
Leisure travelers want to return home having enjoyed a bit of culture and learned something they didn’t know before their vacation, said Washko. These travelers are still looking for value, but they’re willing to pay for it. They want unique surprises along the way that are cultivated by unique programming. Vendors who can bring unique, creative experiences to a hotel will be successful, said Krnajski.
The big takeaway from the panel was this: Products in a property should surprise and wow a guest, but have some practical use as well. The reality is that a hotel has to make money and those suppliers who can unite all of these requirements are those who will end up bringing the most value to the table at the end of the day.
Watch for more reporting on HOTEC Operations & Technology, which brings together buyers and sellers in one-on-one quality appointments, in our next issue.
I was fortunate enough to host a panel at the HOTEC Operations & Technology conference at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, in California last month, where we discussed trends in hotel development, purchasing and programming. I’ll have a full report in a future issue, but here are some excerpts from the discussion, which included Nicholas Clayton, president of Viceroy Hotel Group, John Washko, VP of operations for Auberge Resorts, and Igor Krnajski, SVP of design and construction for Denihan Hospitality Group.
The good news is that all three companies are bullish on expansion: Viceroy Hotel Group continues its plans for global growth (see the January 2012 issue of Hotel Management for our cover story on Clayton); Denihan Hospitality Group, which is concentrated on the East Coast, wants to grow on the West Coast very quickly; and Auberge Resorts, which is focused on the West Coast, is coming to the Dominican Republic.
While each of the hotel companies represented on the panel has a unique and distinguished personality, their common trait is a focus on the guest experience, particularly because many of their guests’ personalities have changed dramatically over the years.
Business travelers have become jaded and want to stay in establishments that have a unique draw, such as a great bar or just a significant reputation. They often bring family along, in an attempt to combine business and pleasure in their busy lives. They want to return home looking better than when they left, joked Clayton, instead of worse for the wear.
Leisure travelers want to return home having enjoyed a bit of culture and learned something they didn’t know before their vacation, said Washko. These travelers are still looking for value, but they’re willing to pay for it. They want unique surprises along the way that are cultivated by unique programming. Vendors who can bring unique, creative experiences to a hotel will be successful, said Krnajski.
The big takeaway from the panel was this: Products in a property should surprise and wow a guest, but have some practical use as well. The reality is that a hotel has to make money and those suppliers who can unite all of these requirements are those who will end up bringing the most value to the table at the end of the day.
Watch for more reporting on HOTEC Operations & Technology, which brings together buyers and sellers in one-on-one quality appointments, in our next issue.
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