THE ROOM REPORT ➔ Sandman debuts in Newcastle
CANADIAN hotel group Sandman opened its first UK property this autumn, in Newscastle. The Sandman Signature Hotel Newcastle is situated in the former headquarters of the Scottish and Newcastle Brewery in the city centre and was chosen for its strategic location for those visiting the city on business. The four-star, 175-room hotel incorporates two on-site conference rooms, a banqueting space, business services, fitness centre, and free, high-speed internet. There are a variety of room types on offer, including fully-furnished, self-catering suites. The UK’s first Shark Club Gastro Bar provides 24-hour room service to hotel residents. The Sandman Hotel Group owns
more than 40 hotels, resorts, inns and suites across Canada, and is the country's fastest-growing, privately-owned hospitality group. The Sandman Signature Hotel Newcastle is the group's first overseas property, but is now
TRAVELODGE SET FOR 2012
THE London Bank Travelodge opened in October, becoming the group's 486th hotel and the latest to open as part of a £223million expansion programme for the group. This latest property is a stone's throw from the Bank of England and located in a grade II listed building. The £7.5million investment in the 75-room hotel has already proven its worth, with record bookings at its opening, mainly from City workers seeking accommodation during the Christmas party season. A further 26 hotels are scheduled to open over the next 24 months, ten of which will open ahead of the Olympic Games taking place in the capital next summer. This includes a 188-room Travelodge in Stratford, close to the Olympic Park, and a 131-room hotel at by the Excel Centre.
ACTE UPDATE
RON DILEO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ASSOCIATION OF CORPORATE TRAVEL EXECUTIVES (ACTE)
actively looking for other sites across the country. The group's UK director, Mitchell Gaglardi, says, “Sandman Signature chose Newcastle for its first hotel in the UK for a number of reasons: not only for its legendary hospitality, but also because it benefits from superb transport links and, being the foremost city in the North of
England, is inevitably a big draw for businesses and tourists alike.“ Gaglardi adds, “We are confident that the Sandman Signature Hotel Newcastle will prove an ideal destination for both visitors and Newcastle residents who will now be able to see at first hand the high standard of care that has gone into creating this unique hotel.”
Z HOTELS DREAMS UP NEW CONCEPT
DURING our recent Global Education Conference in Paris we unveiled the ACTE Index – the world’s first index to measure the strength of the travel industry against general economic indicators such as CPI, GDP, stock prices and employment rates in regions around the world. It tells us that the travel industry in general is in a good place and that we should have confidence in the industry as a key driver of economies around the world. But we all know that economic certainty is a fragile mix and, what’s more, the pace of change is almost frightening. Game changing developments – of which there now seem to be so many, so often – normally turn out to be for the good of an industry and its people. But the pace and frequency of developments throws up a challenge to business travel professionals – how do we keep on top of it all? It can be hard for the average business travel professional to keep their finger on the pulse, to make informed decisions and take the correct actions. So while there may be a temptation
– from an economic and time management perspective – to ease back on attending seminars, conferences and networking events, now is exactly the right time to keep investing in staying in touch with developments in the industry. Organsiations such as ACTE are
NEW British hospitality group Z Hotels launched its first property in London's Soho this October. Billed as a 'new hotel concept
that reflects the needs of today’s traveller', Z Hotels intends to offer high-quality, short-stay accommo- dation at affordable prices in prime city centre locations. The new 85-room property,
just off Cambridge Circus, is a designer conversion of 12 Georgian townhouses. Its rooms feature the latest LED high definition televisions with channels like Sky Sports and Sky Movies available at no extra
cost, plus power showers, bespoke beds, iPod docking stations and free wifi internet access. The Z Café serves freshly-made food 'in a relaxed urban style'. Bev King, the brains behind the
new brand, says, “A central location and reasonable price point are the key factors in making a decision as to where to stay. But customers also want a stylish interior, flat screen TVs and free wifi access as standard. We believe you shouldn’t have to compromise on one to have the other, which is why we have launched Z Hotels.“
now more vital to the business travel industry than ever before. Dedicated to keeping members at the forefront of thought leadership, innovation and game changing trends, it made me feel good that even in these dark days there were a thousand business travel professionals together in Paris to swap ideas and stay informed. Over the next 12 months ACTE
will continue to draw together the leaders of this great industry to promote knowledge, networking and new ideas. And I would urge you to make sure that you keep your finger on the pulse by attending the education seminars and networking events that ACTE has planned over the next few months. The thought that dominated my
mind at our Paris Global Education Conference, as I surveyed the crowded conference hall, was simple but powerful – it pays to keep in touch with the game changers.
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