This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
hotels


Supporting you professionally


PhiLiPPe ROssiteR is chief executive of the institute of hospitality


Malmaison Aberdeen hotel sold


Malmaison Aberdeen has been acquired by CIP Property in a sale and leaseback deal worth £16.1m from MWB Group Holdings (MWB). Te 80-bedroom hotel will


W


hen it comes to challenges, hospitality is subject to a myriad of forces, and is often the victim of the


fickle fortune of fate. Whether it be natural disaster; war and political unrest; terrorism; climate change; or more straightforward influences such as downturns and labour shortages, the industry faces a bewildering array of potentially negative impacts. At the same time, the market has become


ever more complex, with the influence of technology growing at a staggering rate. To further exacerbate these challenges, the industry now has to respond to a more knowledgeable and demanding customer. Daunting as this may appear, there is a key positive challenge, and that is the phenom- enal growth predicted for the industry over the next 10 to 20 years And what of the customer? Te demo-


graphic shiſts seen around the world point to ageing populations in many countries, yet ones which are wealthier and healthier than ever before in human history. As lei- sure time has increased so has the range of experiences enjoyed by people. Not only does this apply to the wealthy ‘baby boom- ers’, but also to a whole generation of young people for whom travel is commonplace. Te backpacking youth of the world bear


witness to this global trend. With their appetites whetted and those of their par- ents sated, how will managers define and present hospitality in the future to ensure that their offer remains fresh and innova- tive? Tis is probably one of the greatest challenges facing the hospitality manager, but one which is not insurmountable. Change and innovation has always been


with us in the industry. Given our ability to face and overcome challenges in the past, there is no reason that today’s generation of young managers will not carry the indus- try forward to new levels of expertise and customer satisfaction. Nevertheless, they need support as they develop their careers, and this is where membership of a profes- sional body is so important, for it provides them with the tools and resources to keep abreast of the fast-changing environment in which they are operating.


8


be leased back to Malmaison Aberdeen Limited (MAL) – a wholly owned subsidiary of MWB which operates the hotel – for an initial annual rental sum of £1.2m. As a result of the deal,


which is conditional on approval by MWB share- holders, MAL will enter into a 35-year with the option of taking a further 35-year lease. According to a spokesperson, proceeds


Te Malmaison hotel will still be operated by MWB’s management arm


from the transaction will be used to reduce the indebtedness of Malmaison which, as at 31 December 2010, amounted to £272.1m. MWB chief executive officer Richard Balfour-Lynn said: “This fifth sale and


leaseback is enabling us to reduce Malmaison’s debt by more than £100m which, in today’s market we regard as extremely beneficial. “Te Malmaison and Hotel du Vin brands


continue to show great resilience in the current economic climate and remain a firm favourite of our loyal customer base.”


Jumeirah to reopen Rib Room in London


Jumeirah is to relaunch Te Rib Room Bar and Restaurant at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London’s Knightsbridge next month. Te restaurant, which first opened 50 years


ago, has undergone a major refurbishment programme while Ian Rudge – formerly at


the Michelin-starred Northcote Manor – has been appointed head chef. Major renovations include the addition of a


destination cocktail bar and two private din- ing rooms with capacity to seat ten and eight, one complete with a cigar terrace.


Record occupancy at London hotels


A monthly report charting the UK hotels sector sug- gests that hoteliers in London experienced record levels of occupancy in July 2011. TRI Hospitality Consulting’s


latest HotStats survey of 550 full-service hotels located across the UK shows that average room occupancy lev- els reached 92.4 per cent - a 0.6 per cent increase in the previous high of July 2011. Room rates also soared,


with average room rate in London now at £148.65 - pushed up significantly by the recent high-profile openings of luxury hotels such as Corinthia, W Hotel and Four Seasons Park Lane. Hotels outside London, however, are still under pressure aſter year-on-year profitability


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital London hotels experienced a bumper month in occupancy in July 2011


levels decreased by 3.7 per cent. Tis was pri- marily caused by declines in leisure revenue (-3.4 per cent) and food and beverage revenue (-2.1 per cent).


Twitter: @leisureopps © CYBERTREK 2011


IMAGE: NEDSKI/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM


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