p26-27 hotels May1 28/4/09 14:45 Page 26
Hotels & resorts
Rupert Murray
020 7921 8010
rmurray@ttglive.com
For the latest accommodation news, visit ttglive.com/hotels
Holidayline to
Weak pound eases
start hotel site
HOLIDAYLINE, the company behind directline- London hotel woes
holidays.co.uk, is to launch a sixth travel website.
The accommodation-only website directline-
Martin Ferguson.
hotels.co.uk will allow users to book rooms THE UK hotel sector has continued to suffer during
in hundreds of destinations, from beach the first quarter of the year, according to Deloitte.
destinations such as Tenerife and Goa to city- But predictions that record numbers of Brits
break destinations such as Paris and Budapest. will holiday in the UK this year, coupled with the
Holidayline UK sales director Matthew Flint weak pound, were cause for optimism, said the
said: “Consumers have preferred ways of booking business advisory company.
their travel arrangements, with some booking Revenue per available room was down 9%
their flights weeks before their accommodation. year-on-year on average across the country,
“We wanted to facilitate that both online and though London and Glasgow fared a little better.
over the phone, and a new website offering Hotels in London brought up the average
accommodation separately seemed a natural slightly with a revenue per available room
addition to our group of websites.” (revpar) decline of 8.1%, falling to £82.
The site features hotels ranging from two to A 4.8% drop in occupancy was the main
five-star and a variety of board bases. culprit while average room rates were not far
Google maps are also included showing the behind – down 3.5% to £113.
location in the website’s search results. Marvin Rust, hospitality managing partner at
Flint added: “We plan to accommodate a range Deloitte, said: “The weak pound is one factor
of consumer preferences for a website that is helping London hotels perform better than other
simple and easy to use. After an initial period of UK destinations.
bedding-in we’re anticipating a great summer.” “For those who earn dollars or euros, London
is less expensive than it has been for several Marvin said: “Reduced consumer and business
■ Hot Property in Australia, p60 years, and therefore tourists are keen to take spending stemming from the downturn continues
advantage of this and are helping to fill hotels.” to challenge the hotel industry and this will be
Gatwick and Heathrow airports were among the story until at least the final quarter of 2009.
Starwood accuses
the worst affected areas, with revpar down “More Brits holidaying in the UK this summer
23.5% and 21.9% respectively. and American and European visitors taking
Hilton of ‘theft’
Liverpool has been unable to maintain the advantage of the weak pound will soften the
strong occupancy levels it enjoyed last year downturn for hoteliers to a degree.
as the European City of Culture, while Glasgow “However, we are still looking at considerable
HILTON’S latest brand Denizen has been put appeared to buck the trend, down only 1.7%. revpar declines in the UK for the rest of the year.”
on hold after Starwood Hotels filed a lawsuit
claiming two people who left Starwood for Hilton
stole confidential information.
The writ comes less than six weeks after former
Park Plaza celebrates Earth Day
Starwood staff Ross Klein and Amar Lalvani
unveiled Hilton’s Denizen brand. PARK Plaza County The hotel also blacked out public spaces from
Starwood claimed this was “the clearest imag- Hall in London used 6-10pm, it candles in the restaurant and brought
inable case of corporate espionage, theft of trade Earth Day this year to in an acoustic band for entertainment.
secrets, unfair competition and computer fraud”. promote a greener Employees biked or walked to work, while
It alleged that this information “was used to way of life. those living farther out used public transport.
expedite Hilton’s entry into the lifestyle hotel Staff from the four- On arrival at work they were provided with a
market, reposition its luxury brands and sub- star hotel near Water- healthy and locally sourced breakfast.
stantially reduce its costs and risks of doing so”. loo offered free Organic smoothies were also available and
A Hilton spokesman said: “This lawsuit is with- bicycle taxis while the guest relations manager dressed as a tree
out merit and will vigorously defend itself. We sporting hemp Earth to entertain and educate children on the
fully intend to move forward with Denizen Hotels.” Day T-shirts. environment.
26 01.05.2009
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