p30 hotels feb6 3/2/09 12:30 Page 30
Hotels & resorts
Rupert Murray
020 7921 8010
rmurray@ttglive.com
For the latest accommodation news, visit
ttglive.com/hotels
Interview Rezidor’s Jacques Dubois
of coffee at a table-for-four in the restaurant
while doing a bit of work, I should not get atti-
tude for it.”
‘The rebirth of the
Dubois has overseen the rise of the Park Inn
brand from zero hotels in 2003 to 81 today.
The midmarket Rezidor brand, which
stretches across Europe, the Middle East and
Africa, is growing fast – 39 more are in the
pipeline and the plan is to keep on growing.
midmarket hotel’
“In the current climate it is difficult to raise
finance for a new-build hotel but much easier
to acquire an existing concern and rebrand it,”
he says.
“Banks are looking for the reassurance of a
large brand to underwrite the risk.”
Despite the recession, the boss of Rezidor’s Park Inn and Country Inn Dubois does not believe the market will
brands has another 39 hotels in the pipeline, as well as a refreshingly
polarise, leaving midmarket hotels in trouble.
open attitude to customer complaints. Rupert Murray reports
He explains: “The current economy will usher
in the rebirth of the midmarket.
“For necessary meetings, companies will
“I need to know what they think, downgrade but they have to stop at midmarket
T
he internet has, says Jacques Dubios, irrespective of how unfair or inaccurate.” because the budget sector does not offer the
cured English guests’ tendency not to Dubois’s attitude to complaining probably facilities.”
complain and to habitually answer stems from his own no-nonsense approach to The future for Park Inn will focus on raising
the “how was your stay?” question hotel-keeping. standards. A fortune is being spent on bringing
with a “fine, thank you”. Rather then reeling off cliches about a uniform quality to all properties, including
“If the grouting in my showers is covered guests being at the heart of everything £45 million in the UK.
in mildew, someone will video it and stick it and the importance of wonderful staff, Eventually, every Park Inn will have an RGB
on YouTube tonight – and I’m pleased about he talks about plug sockets and a £9 Bar and Grill. Dubios wants one menu across
that,” he claims. steak. the group, better value food for customers, and
No, Park Inn and Country Inn Hotels’ senior “I don’t want to have to un- overall better quality control.
vice-president has not taken leave of his plug a lamp by the desk to Dubois’s last ambition is aimed at his travel
senses; he genuinely means this. plug in my laptop then run agent partners.
The potential for guests to leave the wire across the room to “It is more work for us to try and screw them
negative comments on the internet is a the bed so I can watch TV than make sure they get what we owe them on
good thing, he insists. while I type.” time,” he says.
“You cannot hide and I don’t want to. The French-Canadian “If they book any Rezidor hotel – and they
If there is something wrong with one of knows what guests want already do in great numbers – we will pay
my hotels, I want to know about it so I and what irritates them. them promptly and their clients will not be
can fix it,” he says. Jacques Dubois: wants closer ties with agents “If I want to have a cup disappointed.”
Rezidor aims to raise standards at all of its Park Inn Hotels, such as its Cardiff City Centre hotel (left), and eventually feature an RGB Bar and Grill in every property (right)
30 06.02.2009
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76