Guoman Hotels announces launch of Wizard of Oz Afternoon Tea

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:42:54 GMT

Guoman Hotels has announced that it will be launching a Wizard of Oz themed Afternoon Tea at The Royal Horseguards Hotel in London's Whitehall in order to celebrate the launch of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz, which opens at the London Palladium in February.

To create an enjoyable evening of theatre and food, the hotel has designed an exclusive Wizard of Oz afternoon tea menu, ideal for enjoying prior to attending the musical.

Conveniently located close to the London Palladium, The Royal Horseguards' Wizard of Oz Afternoon Tea has been designed by the hotel's creative pastry chef Joanne Todd.

Joanne has devised a whole host of whimsical treats, with the menu including Follow the Yellow Brick Road battenburg cake; made using sponge and buttercream, Courage Ale and Raisin cupcakes and Tin Man's Heart chocolates. Tea or coffee can be served with Dorothy's Ruby slipper candies; shoe-shaped chocolates filled with strawberry cream and a Emerald City lime jelly which is reduced from fresh lime juice and paired with sweet pastry and lime Chantilly cream.

Further complimenting the menu are a Wicked Witch Hat chocolate lollipop and Over the Rainbow macaroons which combine all the colours of the rainbow. The fairytale inspired treats are also accompanied by a selection of scones, preserves or clotted cream.

To round off the sweet treats an exclusive range of cocktails are also available at an additional cost, with the choice of Brains, Heart, Home or Courage.

About Guoman Hotels:
Guoman Hotel Management Limited operates two hotel brands within the UK market; Guoman Hotels, an exclusive collection of deluxe hotels located in central London and Thistle Hotels, a chain of quality full service hotels in the UK's major cities.

Guoman Hotels in the UK consists of four luxury London hotels including an Oxford Street hotel, a hotel near Westminster, a Strand hotel and luxury hotels near Tower Bridge. Whilst each hotel in the portfolio is different with its own unique identity and style, each provides the very highest levels of comfort and service to its guests.

In 2010, Guoman Hotels launched internationally, with its new property opening in Shanghai – with a property in Beijing to follow in 2011. In the UK, The Grosvenor Victoria property will join the collection in the near future.

Piccadilly Backpackers announced as finalist in National Business Awards UK

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 16:26:07 GMT

Piccadilly Backpackers has just been announced as a finalist in this year's National Business Awards UK. The London based hostel will feature in the Santander Small to Medium Sized Business of the Year Award.

The Santander Small to Medium Sized Business of the Year Award is open to any organisation with no more the £25 million turnover in the last financial year. The award is designed to show a company that shows an established position in the market as well as growth, innovation and good business results.

Piccadilly Backpackers has been shortlisted for the award after impressing the panel of expert judges with its business model, which allows it to adapt to meets its customer's needs very quickly. Particular innovations include the amount of beds growing from 500 to 750 after acquiring additional space, the introduction of new group facilities which allow the hostel to accommodate groups of around 200 at a time and the introduction of Pod Beds into the hostel.

On Piccadilly Backpackers selection as finalist Jonathan Allum, group CEO, said: "Not only have we delivered seven years of consistent and stable growth facing economic and operational challenges, but we have also provided London Tourism and local retail with 500 new visitors every day; so we're contributing to the capital's recovery."

The National Business Awards UK take place in London in November 2011.

About Piccadilly Backpackers:
Piccadilly Backpackers is London's most central, award winning hostel catering for the budget traveller. It offers beds and rooms for everyone who seeks value for money hostels in London. Spread over 6 clean levels, offering a fantastic crew of staff and located in the heart of London’s liveliest area Piccadilly, the accommodation is only a heartbeat from London's most popular attractions.

The London hostel offers easy access to the famous nightspot Leicester Square, the trendy area of Soho, the bustling shopping area of Oxford Street and London's renowned central Theatre Land. Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and the London Eye are also within an average of 10 minutes walking distance from the hostel.

Piccadilly Backpackers wins Best Accommodation of the Year 2010

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 16:19:08 GMT

Piccadilly Backpackers has just been named the Best Accommodation of the Year 2010 by the British Youth Travel Awards.

Piccadilly Backpackers beat the other finalists Generator Hostels and Hatters Hotel to be named the Best Accommodation winner, with the winner being decided by a panel of judges.

The British Youth Travel Awards are organised by the British Educational Travel Association (BETA) and are designed to honour the best in the student, youth and educational travel market.

Jonathan Allum, Group CEO, said: "I am delighted on behalf of Piccadilly Backpackers that we have been awarded the BETA Best Accommodation of the Year 2010, it's a prestigious award which gives recognition of all the hard work from our team, in particular, Vinesh Parekh our financial director and Andy Willday the general manager. In spite of the recession, our company has continued to thrive through innovation and investment in to developing our services; worthy of note is the establishment of a dedicated groups facility headed by Silvia Lopez Pruna which has proved to be a great success. We look forward to the New Year and thank BETA for their recognition."

About Piccadilly Backpackers:
Piccadilly Backpackers is London's most central, award winning hostel catering for the budget traveler. It offers beds and rooms for everyone who seeks value for money hostels in London. Spread over 6 clean levels, offering a fantastic crew of staff and located in the heart of London’s liveliest area Piccadilly, the accommodation is only a heartbeat from London's most popular attractions.

Thistle Marble Arch announces its head of housekeeping is Housekeeper of the Year

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:44:54 GMT

Thistle Marble Arch's treasured head of housekeeping, Barbara Sheridan, is celebrating her new title of Housekeeper of the Year. Barbara received the honour at the annual industry awards ceremony celebrating operational excellence within hotels; the Hotel Cateys 2010.

Also shortlisted in the competition were housekeepers from London's Athenaeum Hotel, London's Park Plaza Riverbank and Manchester's Radisson Blu Hotel at Manchester Airport. Barbara gladly collected the sought-after award at a glamorous ceremony held in central London.

Fondly regarded by the entire Thistle Marble Arch team, Barbara has proven herself as a true asset to the Thistle group for over 25 years, going above and beyond her busy housekeeping role at the 692 bed room hotel.

Managing and supporting a total of 95 housekeepers with her big, warm smile and quick sense of humour, nothing has proven too much trouble for the housekeeping star renowned for her sharp eye for detail.

Barbara takes it upon herself to look after guests' needs with a dedicated, passionate approach, greeting them on arrival and making sure their stay is as comfortable as possible. Known and respected by the team as a true expert in her field, Barbara encourages all her colleagues to continue improving, emphasising that the Thistle guest always comes first.

Barbara was nominated by Thistle Marble Arch's general manager, Ian Peck, to pay homage to all her efforts within the hotel at such a high-profile, industry awards ceremony. Ian commented: "Barbara is so fondly regarded here at Thistle Marble Arch, from colleagues and guests alike. She is a true ambassador for both our hotel and our group, assisting with all our departments to ensure the hotel is the friendliest, most welcoming hotel it can possibly be.

"We receive numerous letters from our guests thanking Barbara for her personal hospitality during their stay with us. The entire hotel team is delighted she has been recognised in this way - it is very much deserved."

Speaking of her recent accolade, Barbara said: "It is such a privilege to receive this prestigious award, I am thrilled. I have been working in the hotel industry for many years. I am so proud of my team and the hotel I have been at for 17 years. It was a dream come true to win. What a career highlight for me."

About Thistle
Thistle Hotels is part of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited which operates hotels throughout the UK. Thistle has 33 UK hotels, many in superb city centre locations, including London Hotels, Hotels near Marble Arch and 5 Star London Hotels.

Thistle also offers winter hotel deals, a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities.

Thistle Hotels is the first hotel group to achieve Hospitality Assured accreditation, across its entire UK portfolio. Created by the Institute of Hospitality, the Hospitality Assured standard measures the quality within customer facing businesses across the hospitality, tourism and leisure industry.

Macdonald Manchester Hotel hosts Royal charity event

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 09:58:38 GMT

Macdonald Manchester Hotel & Spa recently hosted Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal at a charity black tie dinner on the evening of Tuesday 2nd November 2010, which raised £41,000 for The Princess Royal Trust for Carers. 100 guests attended the event where Her Royal Highness was guest speaker. Guests were treated to a champagne reception and a 3 course dinner at the luxury 4 star hotel, followed by an auction and raffle, which included prizes such as a week's holiday at one of Macdonald Hotel's luxury Spanish resorts.

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers was established in 1991 and in that time has campaigned tirelessly to provide carers with the support that they need. With over 144 independently managed Carers' Centres and interactive websites, the trust delivers around the clock support for over 400,000 carers and approximately 25,000 young carers.

Steve Dunford, General Manager at the Macdonald Manchester Hotel & Spa said: "It was our pleasure to host last night's event in aid of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and we were honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness as guest speaker. Macdonald Hotels & Resorts has supported this worthy charity for almost 20 years and in that time we have been able to make a number of significant donations to such an important organisation. It is fantastic that such a large sum of money was raised last night and we look forward to working with the trust again in the future."

Yvonne Hughes, Senior Fundraising Manager for The Princess Royal Trust for Carers added: "We are thrilled that we raised such a significant figure at last night's event and I would like to thank all those who attended for their contribution. With over 6 million people looking after a loved one who may be sick, disabled, suffering from a mental health issue or addiction, it is vital that we continue to support and value them and maximise their quality of life."

- ENDS-

About Macdonald Hotels:
First established in 1990 by Donald Macdonald and colleagues Macdonald Hotels & Resorts operates over 40 hotels across the UK and ten resorts throughout the UK and Spain. Macdonald Hotels employs over 4,400 staff and operates in excess of 4,134 hotel rooms. Its focus is on developing its strong portfolio of four and five star hotels, with each offering its own character and individuality underpinned with the quality and attention to detail expected of the Macdonald brand.

In particular, the company prides itself on the seasonality and provenance of its food within the hotels, from breakfast through to dinner, as well as its wide range of specially selected wines. As testament to the excellent level of service the Group provides, it has on numerous occasions won several prestigious accolades, most notably the AA Hotel Group of the Year 2007-08 and the National Customer Service Awards for Leisure and Tourism.

Macdonald Manchester Hotels is conveniently located in central Manchester within walking distance of Piccadilly train station and within easy reach of major motorways. As well as being one of the leading providers of hotel accommodation in Manchester, it is an ideal choice for those looking for meeting rooms, conference venues and wedding venues in Manchester.

NH Hotels wins Building of the Year award in the Czech Republic

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:11:16 GMT

NH Hotels' Olomouc Congress hotel in Olomouc, Moravia was recently voted the Czech Republic's "Building of the Year" by a prestigious jury that included the Czech Ministry for Industry and Trade, The Foundation for Architecture and Building Development, the National Alliance of Entrepreneurs and the magazine "Economy and Stavitel". The recently built four-star hotel's avant-garde design, the impact of the hotel on the local area and its ambitious environmental sustainability plan all helped to persuade the jury to vote unanimously for the NH Olomouc Congress in the eighteenth year of the competition.

The NH Olomouc Congress and the neighbouring Omega Health and Sports Centre, both built by construction firm GEMO, were jointly selected along with 57 other candidates for the prestigious award.

The construction of the NH Olomouc Congress hotel marks the completion of the regeneration of one of Olomouc's best known areas, the site of the famous Spartakiadas sports stadium. The NH Olomouc Congress, which integrates part of the former Spartakiadas into its new design, offers 137 rooms and three suites, a large Conference centre, as well as several sports facilities and amazing views.

The Building of the Year jury were particularly impressed by the role the NH Olomouc Congress and the Omega Sports and Health Centre are playing in helping to give a new lease of life to the area around the old stadium, which was used to host major sporting events and competitions during the Communist era. The city of Olomouc is one of the most important cities in the region of Moravia and is an emerging centre for trade and other economic activities.

The NH Olomouc Congress' sustainability plan was another key consideration for the jury. The hotel uses low power lighting and presence sensor controls to help save energy, as well as intelligent heating and lighting systems. In line with NH Hotels' Strategic Plan for Environmental Sustainability, the NH Olomouc Congress' design and ongoing maintenance prioritise environmentally conscious practices, such as responsible water consumption and waste treatment that has a minimum impact on the environment.

The town-planning development associated with NH Olomouc Congress and its surroundings was planned in four stages. The construction of the hotel marked the final phase of the project. The building work lasted five years and involved an investment of around 30 million euros.

The building is the second NH Hotels hotel complex to open in the Czech Republic in 2010 following the opening of the elegant NH Praha Radlicka in the Smichov district of the "Golden City" of Prague, the Czech capital.

ENDS

About NH Hotels
NH Hotels is the third largest business hotel chain in Europe. NH Hotels has 394 hotels with 58,982 rooms in 25 countries in Europe, America and Africa including hotels in Valencia, hotels in Amsterdam, hotels in Bilbao and hotels in Milan. NH Hotels now has 35 projects for new hotels under construction.

NH Hotels' employees constantly strive to provide the highest quality and most innovative service to guests. NH Hotels offer state-of-the-art technology to guest to assist with communications, work and entertainment. Restaurants at NH Hotels are renowned for serving top-quality food and famous restaurateurs such as Ferrán Adrià and Paco Roncero have created pioneering spaces, such as "nhube", "Fast Good" and "Estado Puro" in the hotel sector that combine restaurants, leisure and innovation for the hotel chain's guests.

As a responsible company that leads by example in the tourist industry, NH Hotels offers hotel services that anticipate the needs of all our stakeholders: Employees, Customers, Suppliers, Shareholders, Society and the Environment, taking the greatest care over detail and providing efficient, sustainable solutions.

NH Hotels is listed on the Madrid Stock Exchange.

NH Hotels reveals EBITDA more than doubled in the first 9 months of 2010

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 15:43:51 GMT

NH Hotels has revealed that the adverse situation of the industry in 2009 underwent a major turnaround during the first 9 months of 2010 leading to a significant improvement towards recovery in the Group's basic activity. NH Hotels' revenues totalled €980.5M, a 9.4% rise, and its Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) reflected both the strong recovery in the market and the remarkable increase in productivity. The company generated an EBITDA totalling €102.2M, more than double the figure for the same period in 2009, due mainly to an improvement in the hotel business in all the markets where NH Hotels operates.

The revenues of the hotel business grew by 10.3%, as a result of an increase in occupancy in all the markets over the first 9 months of the year. The increase in occupancy levels, of 12.6% in comparable hotels, meant that RevPar (REVenues Per Available Room) went up by 9.7%. There were increases in prices for the first time after 7 consecutive quarters, helping towards the increase in RevPar. The major growth in hotel activity compares with a smaller rise in expenses of 4.4%, as a result of the cost-cutting plan kept up by NH Hotels in 2010.

In line with the asset rationalisation and divestment plan the company set up last year, the company has commitments and down payments for a number of sales of assets totalling approximately €60M. The hotels being sold are in Europe and are minor non strategic assets for the Group. These transactions are expected to be closed during the fourth quarter of the year. In 2010, NH Hotels has sold four assets that have brought in cash for the Group totalling €117M.

Moreover, NH Hotels has cancelled contracts for another 14 hotels in the first 9 months of 2010 as part of its plan for managing loss-making and/or non-strategic assets.

About NH Hotels
NH Hotels ranks third among European business hotels. NH Hotels currently has 394 hotels with 59.107 rooms in 25 countries in America, Africa and Europe, including a range of hotels in Madrid, hotels in Barcelona and hotels in London. NH Hotels has at present 30 new projects for hotels under construction, which will provide more than 4,000 new rooms.

NH Hotels stands out in quality both as regards to services and facilities, with carefully thought out decoration, intended to please all tastes and making the guest feel comfortable.

NH Hotels’ establishments offer the most advanced technologies designed to facilitate the guests’ communication as well as their work and leisure.

NH Hotels is listed on the Stock Exchange of Madrid.

Thistle Hotels announces general manger to relocate to Kent

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:30:55 GMT

Thistle Hotels has announced the appointment of Alan Whiteley as general manager of Thistle Brands Hatch hotel. Already a respected general manager within the company, Whiteley makes the move from Thistle Middlesbrough, where he was responsible for significantly raising the profile of the hotel in the region and helping it become the star performer of the group.

Starting his hotel career as a kitchen porter when he left school, Whiteley has built up a wealth of experience over the 17 years he has worked in the hotel industry. Not content with being a porter for long, he quickly worked his way up to take on a number of senior roles, including regional head chef and operations manager, before taking on his current role as general manager.

In his new role, Whiteley will oversee the day-to-day management of the hotel and its staff, along with the overall direction of the hotel. Overlooking the Brands Hatch motorsport race circuit, an immediate focus for him is to build on the ideal position of the hotel and help drive occupancy rates amongst the leisure and business markets.

Commenting on his move, Alan Whiteley said: "Coming from Thistle Middlesbrough, a high performing hotel with a fantastic profile in the region, I certainly knew I had a challenge ahead of me, but it was one I just couldn't turn down. Having undergone a recent refurbishment, Thistle Brands Hatch has huge potential and this is a great opportunity for me to really put my mark on it. I've got lots of ideas and I aim to quickly make Thistle Brands Hatch the flagship hotel of the group."

Darren Patt, regional operations director, Thistle Hotels, commented: "A great deal of effort is being put into raising the profile of Thistle Brands Hatch, particularly amongst motorsport fans, as its location is second-to-none. Alan is a fantastic general manager with a proven track record and we're confident he's up to the challenge of putting the hotel back on the map."

Whiteley lives in North London with his wife and three children.

About Thistle
Thistle Hotels is part of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited which operates several UK hotels. Thistle has 33 hotels across the country, many in superb city centre locations, including eleven London hotels and Hotels near Dartford.

Thistle Hotels also offer wedding venues near Dartford. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

Gouman Hotels' Royal Horseguards property celebrates National Chocolate Week

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:18:08 GMT

Guoman Hotels' five star Whitehall hotel The Royal Horseguards has created an unashamedly decadent treat to challenge even the most ardent chocoholics for National Chocolate Week.

The Royal Horseguards' indulgent Chocolate Afternoon Tea has been designed by the hotel's resident pastry chef Joanne Todd. Todd joined The Royal Horseguards in 2010 as a Pastry Chef after wowing the hotel with her talent and has proven herself to be imaginative, ambitious, reliable and trustworthy, showcasing an eye for detail and a passion for food, hospitality and customer satisfaction.

Utilising incredibly delicate techniques that take many hours to craft, the special menu created by Joanne is a veritable cocoa heaven.

The chocolate treat starts with a deliciously spicy chocolate foam shot created with Xocomeli, a luxe dark chocolate, and garnished with peppered berry salsa. This is presented with an accompanying almond streusel and a guanaja chocolate tarte with slow roasted pineapple and liquorice.

A hot chocolate or tea is served with a selection of coffee and cocoa macaroons, an ivoire white chocolate cupcake filled with orange curd, and an orange blossom-infused Chantilly further compliments the menu.

Guests at the luxury London hotel can finish their chocolate indulgence with butterscotch pear compote garnished with rich velvety Caramelia ganache cremeaux and liqueur truffles with Baileys, Cointreau and Kahlua.

The tea, available from 11th to 24th October, is served in the hotel's ultra-comfortable lounge area - the perfect way to spend a chilly autumn’s evening in the Capital.

About Guoman Hotels
Guoman Hotel Management Limited operates two hotel brands within the UK market; Guoman Hotels, an exclusive collection of deluxe, luxury UK hotels located in central London that includes hotels near Buckingham Palace and Oxford Street hotels, and Thistle Hotels, a chain of quality full service hotels in the UK’s major cities.

Guoman Hotels in the UK consists of four landmark properties; Charing Cross, The Cumberland, The Royal Horseguards and The Tower. Whilst each hotel in the portfolio is different with its own unique identity and style, each provides the very highest levels of comfort and service to its guests.

In 2010, Guoman Hotels launched internationally, with its luxury Shanghai hotel. A property in Beijing is to follow in 2011. In the UK, The Grosvenor Victoria property will join the collection in the near future.

Guoman Hotel Management Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GuocoLeisure Ltd, part of the Hong Leong Group which has hospitality and leisure businesses across the globe with hotels in Europe, USA, Australasia and Asia.

Hotels.com introduces the Challenge for new welcomerewards members

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:20:50 GMT

Hotels.com(r) is offering new welcomerewards members a chance to earn additional free hotel nights as part of the welcomerewards(r) Challenge. New customers who stay 30 nights between now and October 1, 2011 will receive a total of five free nights courtesy of Hotels.com.

Customers who sign up for the Challenge at www.welcomerewardschallenge.com/hotels receive a free night's stay for booking and staying 10 total nights in any combination of hotels (boutiques, chains, airport hotels, resorts and more). The welcomerewards Challenge, open to new welcomerewards members, offers an extra night for the 15th and 30th night booked for a total of five free nights.

"We are thrilled to be able to offer new welcomerewards members this exciting opportunity to earn an extra two free nights," said Taylor L. Cole, APR, director of public relations for Hotels.com. "We know that welcomerewards is the best loyalty program in the industry, and the opportunity to earn free nights just got easier with our new Challenge."

It takes close to 15 - 25 nights with the average hotel loyalty program to earn a comparable free night*. With welcomerewards one night equals one credit. welcomerewards credits can be earned and redeemed at over 65,000 partner hotels, with no restrictions or blackout dates. Credits are also earned for non-consecutive nights so your earned credits may be accumulated this week, six months from now or over time. When redeeming a free night, the room value credited to your account equals the average daily rate of your 10 nights stayed.

New and current welcomerewards customers can always reference Hotels.com guest reviews before booking their next trip, and because guest reviews must be written by customers who have stayed at least one night in the room they review, customers can feel safe when booking an unfamiliar hotel. Hotels.com can also help lodgers save money with its price match guarantee. If customers find a lower room rate on a different site, Hotels.com will match the price and refund the difference. All rooms can be booked risk-free with no change or cancellation fees charged by Hotels.com.

Notes to Editors:
*Based on (a) comparison of largest hotel loyalty programs' regular published rules as of 5/1/10 and (b) assumption that free nights are at similar hotel class, room type, and location as paid nights.

About Hotels.com
Hotels.com is a leading provider of lodging worldwide, offering more than 85,000 properties in over 60 countries including New York hotels, Chicago hotels, Las Vegas hotels and Los Angeles hotels, which includes national chain hotels and all-inclusive resorts to local favourites and bed & breakfasts. Hotels.com is the smarter way to book travel by offering welcomerewards, an industry leading loyalty rewards program; the real opinions of other travellers captured in over 1.5 million Guest Reviews and; a Price Match Guarantee, so that those booking with Hotels.com can be assured they are getting the best deal, either online or by speaking directly to a travel expert at 1-800-2-HOTELS 24 hours a day. Hotels.com is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE). Please visit the Hotels.com Travel Smart Blog for consumer and business travel information. Follow Hotels.com on Twitter via twitter.com/hotelsdotcom, on Facebook at facebook.com/hotelsdotcom and take a VirtualVacation at www.virtualvacay.com.

Hotels.com, welcomerewards and the Hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of

Hotels.com reveals Casablanca as the hottest destination for Irish travellers in June

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:38:25 GMT

Hotels.com has revealed in its latest poll of the fastest rising destinations that Casablanca has come out top of the new league table for Irish travellers.

The Hotels.com 'hot list' has revealed a 496% increase in searches for the Moroccan city on the Irish Hotels.com site in June 2010 compared with June 2009. The monthly league table shows the destinations which are experiencing the biggest growth in searches compared to the same period the year before.

New Dehli was a surprise second on June's list with searches increasing for the Indian capital by 477% while the town of Locarno, Italy came third with a 443% increase.

Irish holiday destination favourite Playa De Las Americas in Tenerife came in at number nine on the table, while the ever popular Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands ranked 16th.

Surprise entries in the top 20 included Beirut at number 13 with a 365% uplift in searches for the Lebanon capital compared with June of last year. The town of Canterbury in the UK also experienced a surge in popularity ranking 17th overall. Astonishingly there were no US destinations in the top 20 list, although hotels in New York City have always been a perennial favourite with Irish travellers.

Alison Couper, Communications Director at Hotels.com, said: "There were some real surprises in the top 20 list in June with Casablanca coming out on top. The figures indicate that North Africa is becoming increasingly popular with Irish travellers wanting to holiday outside the Eurozone, with both Marrakech and Alexandria in Egypt making the list."

- ENDS -

About Hotels.com
As part of the Expedia group which operates in all major markets, Hotels.com offers more than 120,000 quality hotels, B&Bs and serviced apartments worldwide, including a wide variety of hotels in Chicago, Orlando hotels and LA hotels. If a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com will match it. Hotels.com benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry negotiating the best rates for its customers, plus there are 1.8 million reviews from users who have actually stayed in the hotels to ensure customers make an informed choice when booking. Hotels.com won the Gold Award for best hotel booking site in Webuser magazine in February 2009.

The company currently operates more than 70 Hotels.com sites around the world including 31 sites in 24 languages across EMEA.

The European sites launched in the UK in 2001 and now attract several million unique users every month. Thousands of people book bed nights through Hotels.com every day.

Hotels.com reports Brits resent paying for hotel extras

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:09:00 GMT

Hotels.com has revealed new research* that shows British travellers resent having to pay for hotel extras.

Topping the list of pet peeves among travellers is having to pay to use Wi-Fi in a hotel. Three quarters (78%) of the 1,815 people surveyed resent having to pay for wireless internet, believing it should be free.

Car parking spaces are viewed as the second most unacceptable extra among nearly three out of four UK travellers (73%) along with paying for a newspaper in the morning (57%).

Bottled water was in the top three list of the things travellers hate paying extra for; 70% of those surveyed said they dislike having to pay for bottles of water left in rooms.

The economic downturn is clearly making cost conscious Brits think twice before reaching for a cold drink in their room. Three quarters of those surveyed (74%) deliberately steer clear of mini-bars preferring to buy drinks and snacks outside the hotel for their room. In fact, 80% of Brits said they feel ripped off by mini bar costs.

Travellers are so wary of extras at hotels, that more than half (56%) will question their bills at check-out.

Top five least wanted hotel extra charges are: Wi-Fi, car parking, bottled water, towels at the gym and toiletries.

Alison Couper, Director of Communications, Hotels.com, comments: "Our research shows UK travellers are becoming increasingly savvy at making their holiday money go further and hotel extras can really add up. It is always wise to check what is included in the rate as there are often great promotions to be enjoyed if you shop around. Sites like ours are currently offering fantastic deals on thousands of hotels around the world so there has never been a better time to make your money go further."

-ends-

Notes to editors
*Research conducted amongst 1815 travellers worldwide between 21st July - 11th August 2010.

About Hotels.com
As part of the Expedia group which operates in all major markets, Hotels.com offers more than 120,000 quality hotels, B&Bs and serviced apartments worldwide including hotels in New York, Chicago hotels, San Diego hotels and hotels in LA. If a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com will match it. Hotels.com benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry negotiating the best rates for its customers, plus there are 1.8m reviews from users who have actually stayed in the hotels to ensure customers make an informed choice when booking. Hotels.com has recently launched its Welcome Rewards customer loyalty programme in the UK, where customers can earn a free night for every ten nights stayed (subject to Welcome Rewards terms and conditions). Hotels.com won the Gold Award for best hotel booking site in Webuser magazine in February 2009. Travellers can book online or by contacting one of the multilingual call centres on 0871 200 0171.

Hotel.com reports its fastest-rising global destinations

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 15:18:11 GMT

Hotel.com's latest destination hot list league table has found Venice taking the top spot list as the fastest rising destinations in terms of year on year searches through the site.

The Italian city of Venice came out as being the hottest destination on the list for Brits with a 655% increase in searches on the UK Hotels.com site in June 2010 compared to June 2009, however with summer in full swing, traditional UK seaside destinations have also been proving popular as Cromer in Norfolk and Llandudno in North Wales saw rises of 565% and 495% respectively year on year. In fact the UK provided a good showing with ten UK destinations in the top-20 including towns in Norfolk, Stafford and Suffolk.

Moroccan hot spots Agadir and Marrakech also made the top 20, with searches growing by 380% and 260% year on year, while searches for Disneyland Paris, the ever popular theme park favourite with direct Eurostar routes from the UK, rose by 415%.

Alison Couper, Communications Director at Hotels.com, said: "It is interesting to see Venice come in at the top. Summer is a great time of year to go to Venice; with its long sunny days, it is the perfect spot for a romantic break. As for the UK top riser, with more of us now taking our holidays at home, it is not surprising to see traditional British seaside spots grow in popularity, as well reaching the top five."

- ENDS -

About Hotels.com
As part of the Expedia group which operates in all major markets, Hotels.com offers more than 120,000 quality hotels, B&Bs and serviced apartments worldwide. If a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com will match it.

Hotels.com benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry negotiating the best rates for its customers on hotels across Europe as well as America including hotels in Orlando, Las Vegas hotels, hotels in New York and many Chicago hotels.

Hotels.com has recently launched its Welcome Rewards customer loyalty programme in the UK, where customers can earn a free night for every ten nights stayed (subject to Welcome Rewards terms and conditions). Hotels.com won the Gold Award for best hotel booking site in Webuser magazine in February 2009.

Hotels.com sees Farnborough hotel searches soar

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:05:15 GMT

Hotels.com's latest hot list of the fastest-rising destinations for hotel searches across in July has revealed that Farnborough in Hampshire has managed to top the list.

The town famed for its annual summer air show topped the table of fastest rising destinations with a 565% increase in searches in July compared with the same time last year. The interest in staying in Farnborough around the time of the air show provides a good indicator of the continued endurance in popularity of the UK 'staycation' throughout 2010.

Further afield and with schools out for the summer, beach destinations in Florida and Christchurch, New Zealand, saw an annual rise of 405% and 340% for the month. The Moroccan hot spots of Agadir and Marrakech also made it into the top 10, with their searches growing by 325% and 255%, while Jamaica, which is renowned for its luxury resorts and long sandy stretches of beach, rose by 250%.

Overall there were thirteen European destinations in the top-20 including the usual short-haul favourites of Spain, France and Greece.

Alison Couper, communications director at Hotels.com, said: "After a cracking July weather-wise, and more of us content to take our holidays at home this year, it is not surprising to see the historic town of Farnborough take the top spot with the help of its magnificent air show."

- ENDS -

About Hotels.com
As part of the Expedia group which operates in all major markets, Hotels.com offers more than 120,000 quality hotels, B&Bs and serviced apartments worldwide , with a wide choice of hotels in LA, San Diego hotels, Orlando hotels and hotels in New York City.

If a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com will match it. Hotels.com benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry negotiating the best rates for its customers, plus there are 1.8m reviews from users who have actually stayed in the hotels to ensure customers make an informed choice when booking. Hotels.com has recently launched its Welcome Rewards customer loyalty programme in the UK, where customers can earn a free night for every ten nights stayed (subject to terms and conditions). Hotels.com won the Gold Award for best hotel booking site in Webuser magazine in February 2009.

Hotels.com guest reviews reveal increase in airport hotel popularity

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:37:30 GMT

Hotels.com has revealed an increase in approval ratings for airport hotels.

According to guest reviews collated by the accommodation provider, staying at an airport has gone from bleak to chic with the introduction of luxe amenities and convenient time and money saving services that rival more expensive city-centered hotels. It's a fact that airport hotels have always given travelers the ease and convenience of being as close as possible to their gate the night before a trip, and are also known as a place to crash in between bad weather and "technical difficulties". Hotels.com's guest reviews show airport hotels have surprisingly exceeded expectations and have made travelers reconsider staying at airport hotels.

"Travellers today are highly influenced by the opinions of others," commented Hotels.com Director of Public Relations, Taylor L. Cole, APR. "Many of our 1 million guest reviews are showing an increase in the approval rating for airport hotels which indicates that more often airport hotels are meeting and exceeding the needs of busy business and leisure travelers who expect savings, amenities and the convenience of an airport location."

Staying at the airport costs on average 42 per cent* less than staying at a centrally-located downtown property. Business travelers looking to save money during these difficult economic times can trim costs by utilizing airport accommodations versus more expensive downtown hotels. Many airport hotels aim to save money for the business traveler as well as the leisure traveler by offering complimentary Wi-Fi and hot breakfast.

Additionally, many airport hotels are conveniently located within major cities, with easy access via subway, bus, shuttle or light-rail. For instance, Boston's Logan International Airport is a short ride to the world-famous Faneuil Hall Marketplace shopping and entertainment district. Many hotels in this area average $250-$400 per night. With rates as low as $119, the AAA Four Diamond Hilton Boston Logan Airport boasts its own skywalk that links guests to the airports terminals where Boston’s public transportation can be accessed. Hilton Boston Logan Airport’s Cafe Presto prepares travel-ready meals and is conveniently located in the lobby for guests in a hurry and in need of something on the go. A Hotels.com guest reviewer said: "Great place to stay, easy access to transportation. We were able to either take the shuttle or walk across the skywalk to the airport where we could hop on the Silver Line and then connect to whatever train line we wanted."

Hotels.com makes it easy for travellers to choose an airport hotel. Customers can visit the Hotels.com homepage and use the 'Where are you going?' box to search by city/destination or airport code. Users can then add travel dates, the number of rooms required, view pictures of hotels and read guest reviews from real travellers.

Notes to Editors:
*based on airport hotels averaged at $75.50 per night and downtown hotels averaged at $130.80 per night on random dates. Prices/rates are subject to availability. See site for details.

About Hotels.com
Hotels.com is a leading provider of lodging worldwide, offering more than 85,000 properties in over 60 countries including New York hotels, Vegas hotels, hotels in Chicago and hotels in Orlando. Hotels.com is the smarter way to book travel by offering welcomerewards, an industry leading loyalty rewards program; the real opinions of other travelers captured in over 1.5 million Guest Reviews and; a P

Tim Cordon joins Guoman Hotels to head up the Cumberland

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:23:23 GMT

Guoman Hotels has announced the appointment of Tim Cordon as general manager of The Cumberland hotel with immediate effect.

Dynamic, passionate and forward thinking, Cordon comes on board with Guoman to further establish the iconic, contemporary, highly design-led, Oxford Street Hotel property as a unique, leading destination in central London.

With a successful ten-year track record in developing flagship properties within the Radisson SAS portfolio, including the leading Radisson Blu Portman Square. Cordon will employ his proven expertise to drive forward the hotel's wide-ranging appeal and continually enhance The Cumberland guest experience in its entirety; delivered from the many bedrooms and ample meetings & events space, to the hotel's late-night destination venue, Carbon.

The appointment sees the property's former general manager Stuart Chappell heading across to Beijing with the group where he will oversee Guoman Hotels' second international hotel opening.

Heiko Figge, managing director, Guoman & Thistle Hotels explained: "Guoman Hotels has warmly welcomed Tim to our group – we are truly delighted and incredibly excited to have this high calibre of hotelier spearheading the future of this multi-faceted property. Tim's blatant passion and energy that he guarantees to bring to this role will no doubt ensure The Cumberland retains its positing as an international, inspirational, experience-led hotel."

Due to open in 2011, Guoman Hotels' Beijing property comes hot on the heels of the luxurious five star Shanghai hotel which opened in June, further cementing the group's ambitious expansion plans.

Inspired by cutting edge design, The Cumberland captures the imagination with its vibrant and creative environment. The 1,019 bedroom hotel near Buckingham Palace, includes a range of suites and apartments and provides an ideal location to explore the capital.

The Cumberland's guests can indulge in Michelin-starred Gary Rhodes' Rhodes W1 restaurant, as well as the Rhodes W1 Brasserie and Patron Bar.

-Ends-

Notes to editor

About Guoman Hotels
Guoman Hotel Management Limited operates two hotel brands within the UK market; Guoman Hotels, an exclusive collection of deluxe hotels located in central London and Thistle Hotels, a chain of quality full service hotels in the UK's major cities.

Guoman Hotels in the UK consists of four landmark properties with its Strand hotel - the Charing Cross, The Cumberland Hotel near Hyde Park, The Royal Horseguards Hotel near Westminster and The Tower. Whilst each hotel in the portfolio is different with its own unique identity and style, each provides the very highest levels of comfort and service to its guests.

Hotels.com survey finds London's taxis ranked best in the world

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:29:45 GMT

The Hotels.com annual taxi report* has revealed that London taxis have been voted the best in the world** for the third year running.

The majority of travellers (59%) who were polled from across the world for the annual Hotels.com taxi report said that London's black cabs were far and away the pick of the world's taxis, fending off competition from New York (favourite amongst 27% of travellers) and Tokyo with 26% of the vote. The German city of Berlin and Bangkok's tuk tuk taxis completed the top 5.

Travelling by taxi is one of the first experiences that many travellers have upon arrival in a new city, so it is significant for the UK capital's tourist industry that London taxis are making such a good impression on visitors. The majority (55%) of UK travellers said that they regularly take a cab to their hotel when arriving in a foreign city or resort, as opposed to 16% who tend to use a private car, or 14% who prefer to venture onto a train.

The global poll scored city based taxis for their levels of cleanliness, value, quality of driving, knowledge of the area, friendliness, safety and availability. The overall findings include:
- London taxi drivers are the friendliest in the world with 8% of the global vote, beating their Irish (6%) rivals to the title.
- 12% voted Parisian and New York taxi drivers the rudest in the world.
- 9% of travellers think the Italian capital boasts the world's worst taxi drivers when it comes to the quality of driving.
- 36% voted London taxi drivers as having the best knowledge of their city.
- One in five travellers voted New York as having the most available taxis.
- Despite also being named the most expensive (39%), London's taxi drivers fared the best across a number of categories including friendliness, cleanliness, quality of driving, safety and knowledge of the area.

Alison Couper, director of Communications, Hotels.com, commented: "It's great to hear that London has won the best taxi vote for the third year running. The journey to your accommodation should not be a stressful or off-putting experience as it can severely taint your view of a destination, if bad.

"A friendly, knowledgeable taxi driver helps form a positive first impression and they are most definitely an important part of any country's tourism industry.

Bob Oddy, general secretary of the London Taxi Drivers Association, said: "Taxi surveys are fast becoming a one horse race. I can't recall any independent research during recent years which has not placed London cabbies top of the list. I'm confident that the vigorous Knowledge of London training which our drivers are required to undertake is the bedrock of our success."

-ends-

Notes to editors
* Research was conducted amongst over 1900 travelers worldwide 11-28th May, 2010.
** Includes EMEA, LATAM, APAC and USA

About Hotels.com
As part of the Expedia group which operates in all major markets, Hotels.com offers more than 120,000 quality hotels, B&Bs and serviced apartments worldwide with a wide choice of New York hotels and Boston hotels, through to hotels in Chicago and hotels in San Francisco. If a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com will match it. Hotels.com benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry negotiating the best rates for its customers, plus there are 1.8m reviews from users who have actually stayed in the hote

NH Hotels EBITDA grows by 87% in the first half of 2010

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:59:09 GMT

NH Hotels has announced an 87% growth EBITDA across the first half of 2010.

The negative environment that the sector suffered in the 2009 financial year presented a very positive advance in the first half of 2010. The Group income reached €646.5M, a rise of 7.2%, and the EBITDA, which shows the operational evolution of NH Hotels, reflected the significant market recovery and an increase in productivity. The company generated an EBITDA of €68M, practically double the same period of 2009, which is fundamentally due to the improvement in hotel activity in all the markets in which NH Hotels operates.

The income from the hotel activity grew by 8.3%, as a consequence of an increase in occupancy in all the markets where the company operates in the first half of the year. The increase in the levels of occupancy, of 12.4% in comparable hotels, permitted the RevPar (ratio that measures income per available room) to make an increase of 7.2%. During the second quarter of 2010, the fall in prices has been halted completely, contributing positively to the increase in RevPar. The considerable increase in hotel activity contrasts with the slight increase in costs of 3.6%, thanks to the cost containment plan that the company has maintained during the first half of 2010.

In Spain and Portugal, the fall in average prices began to stabilise and for the first time since the beginning of the crisis, the activity showed a positive result in RevPar, 4.84% in comparable hotels. Principally, there has been an increase in sales at weekends with especially good performances for the groups hotels in Madrid and Barcelona, with increases in occupancy that are greater than 20%.

Despite the fact that Benelux is the business unit which had the lowest increase, the rises in occupancy together with a slowing of the rate of fall of average prices resulted in a positive RevPar in the first half. The recovery in this business unit is marked fundamentally by the behaviour of the activity of the Amsterdam hotels, and those in Brussels, compared with a slower evolution in the secondary towns.

Germany showed the best evolution of all the markets where NH Hotels operates, reaching a growth in RevPar of 17.4% in comparable hotels. This increase in income was driven by an increase in occupancy of 9.8% and growth in the average price in Germany of 6.8%.

Customer satisfaction scores across NH Hotels for the first quarter of 2010 showed a continued increase, reaching a score for July this year of 8.42 out of 10 (29,471 respondents) compared with 8.32 in 2009 (18,644 respondents).

About NH Hotels
NH Hotels ranks third among European business hotels. NH Hotels currently has 395 hotels with 59,113 rooms in 25 countries in America, Africa and European destinations with a wide selection of Zaragoza hotels, Valencia hotels and hotels in Turin. NH Hotels has 27 new hotel projects under construction, which will provide 4,000 new rooms.

NH Hotels stands out in quality both as regards services and facilities, with very carefully thought out decoration, intended to please all tastes and making the guest feel comfortable. NH Hotels' establishments offer the most advanced technologies designed to facilitate the guest's communication as well as his work and leisure.

NH Hotels is a responsible company in the Tourism industry. The Chain offer hotel services which anticipate present and future needs of both our internal and external stakeholders (Employ

Sentido training academy reaches the 2500 mark

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:56:09 GMT

The Sentido Hotels & Resorts training academy, established to ensure all employees are up to Sentido standard and have a full understanding of the company philosophy, has achieved a major milestone by successfully training over 2500 members of staff across the company's 24 hotels and resorts as well as both Nile cruise ships.

Since Sentido Hotels & Resorts was founded in 2009, more than 2,500 employees - from chefs to receptionists and entertainers all the way to managers - have been trained at the academy.

Besides established seminars, such as the Train the Trainer seminar for executive personnel treating the subjects of brand and objectives, Sentido also offers individual workshops customised to the requirements of the franchise partners. The programmes on various topics have been developed by Sentido hotel experts and carried out in cooperation with international consulting agencies. The training portfolio covers subject like complaint management which is designed for the Sentido holiday concierges, as well as other subject areas like kitchen and hygiene, sales, reservations, marketing and revenue management.

Karl Schattmaier, CEO of Sentido Hotels & Resorts, said: "Our product can only be as good as our employees. They are the linchpin for the Sentido image.

"Across language and national boundaries, we must provide all our guests with ongoing top levels of service, unified sequences with a high recognition value and excellently trained employees. For this purpose, the training academy is our internal success formula. Among other things with e-learning offers - which have already been used by some 1,300 individuals - we familiarise our sales partners in the travel bureaus with our brand."

About Sentido Hotels
Sentido Hotels & Resorts is an international hotel brand founded in 2009, currently uniting 24 hotels & resorts (14,000 beds) to form Sentido Greece, Egypt, Kenya, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and Sentido Cyprus, as well as two cruise ships on the Nile. The hotels are all in the FourStarPlus segment, located near beaches and operated under the terms of direct or regional master franchise contracts. The concept is aimed toward discerning singles, couples and small families, who, besides quality and service, also value health conscious cuisine and wellness facilities along with a wide-ranging sports and entertainment program. The Sentido Entertainment Concept further offers readings, language courses, dance lessons and cookery courses.

NH Hotels' The Hotel Hesperia Tower receives Travelzoo award for best hotel offer in Spain

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:19:29 GMT

NH Hotels' The Hotel Hesperia Tower in Barcelona has received the award for the best hotel offer in 2009. These awards are given to the European tourist companies that gave the best offers over the last 12 months. The awards were give in the One Marylebone in London and brought together more than 300 executives from the top European companies in the industry.

This is the first time the Tzoos have been awarded in Europe, although these prizes have been awarded in the United States since 2007. This year, the "American Tzoos" will be awarded in November. The Executive Vice President of Travelzoo Europe, Chris Loughlin, highlighted when awarding the prizes that Travelzoo is proud to support the top-quality agreements developed by the prize-winning companies. For his part, the General Manager of the Hotel Hesperia Tower pointed out that this award is an acknowledgement of all the work that has been done from the hotel in order to give its guests the best service at highly competitive prices.

The Hotel Hesperia Tower is a five-star hotel in Barcelona with 280 luxury rooms stands right in the very centre of the new financial district of the metropolitan area of Barcelona. Designed for both leisure and business stays, it has an executive floor, Tower Club, which meets all its guests' needs; and offers the very best in cuisine. Its two restaurants, EVO and Bouquet, run by the Chef Santi Santamaría, who has 7 Michelin stars, offers a highly differentiated cuisine: the spectacular gastronomic restaurant EVO in the glass dome on top of the Hotel and the restaurant Bouquet, offering traditional, uncomplicated meals for day-to-day needs.

The proposal offered by the Hotel Hesperia Tower in Barcelona in summer last year, which received the award, consisted of stays in superior rooms on the 15th floor with scenic views of the city, breakfast every day for two, access to the Beach Club organised by the hotel on the Gavá Mar beaches and a shuttle service to Barcelona city centre for sightseeing. The award-winning proposal, and other offers made during the year are a sign that the hotel is constantly seeking to keep its guest happy by offering services and excellence that cannot be offered by other hotels.

Travelzoo has been operating in Europe since 2005 and reaches more than 4 million travellers in France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom.

About NH Hotels
NH Hotels is the third largest business hotel chain in Europe. NH Hotels has 394 hotels with 58,982 rooms in 25 countries in Europe, America and Africa, including a range of hotels in Zaragoza, hotels in Madrid, and hotels in Amsterdam. NH Hotels now has 35 projects for new hotels under construction, which will provide a further 6,000 rooms.

A feature of NH Hotels is the desire of our employees to give service and seek the satisfaction of our guests through the quality of our services and constantly innovating. The establishments of NH Hotels offer state-of-the-art technologies to help customers in communications, work and entertainment.

The restaurant facilities are another of the priorities of the hotels in the chain, which offers its customers top-quality food. Furthermore, NH Hotels and famous restaurateurs such as Ferrán Adrià and Paco

Roncero have created pioneering spaces, such as 'nhube', 'Fast Good' and 'Estado Puro" which combine restaurants, leisure and innovation for the hotel chain's guests.

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