Guoman and Thistle hotels reveal enhanced websites for faster browsing and booking

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:34:35 GMT

Guoman Hotel Management UK Ltd has revealed new look websites for both its Guoman and Thistle hotel brands. The company, which launched free Wi-Fi across its Guoman property portfolio last month, has redeveloped the sites in superfast HTML5, ensuring time is saved when browsing, booking and even upgrading rooms from PCs, tablets or mobile technology platforms.

The investment in the sites includes a freshly designed homepage to complement the individual style of each of the hotels run by Guoman Hotel Management. The sites also feature an upgraded 4-step booking journey, and visible offers - easily searchable by hotel, date and offer type.

Mithu Sengupta, eCommerce Director, Guoman and Thistle Hotels, commented: "With digital technology constantly evolving it’s important that we keep up with the latest booking trends to make the booking process as easy and enjoyable as possible for our business and leisure travellers.

"We have listened to feedback from our customers and based the new features on their comments and suggestions. This is just the first stage in our web development project and using the help of usability experts, we will be making further improvements throughout the rest of this year and well into 2013, including an enhanced mobile site, to make the user experience even better."

For further information about Guoman and Thistle Hotels and to experience the new websites, visit www.guoman.com and www.thistle.com.

-ENDS-

About Guoman Hotel Management UK Ltd:
Guoman Hotel Management Limited operates two hotel brands; Guoman Hotels - an exclusive collection of luxury hotels in London - and Thistle Hotels, a chain of quality full service hotels in the UK and Malaysia.

Guoman's UK hotels consist of five landmark properties; Charing Cross, The Cumberland, The Royal Horseguards, The Tower and the newest addition, The Grosvenor Hotel in Victoria. 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.

Thistle has 32 UK hotels, many in superb city centre locations, including ten in central London. In addition, Thistle has 2 hotels in the exotic peninsula of Malaysia.

Guoman and Thistle Hotels launch mobile site for on-the-go travellers

Wed, 30 May 2012 11:42:39 GMT

Guoman and Thistle Hotels has announced the successful launch of its mobile-optimized sites, allowing travellers on-the-go to search and book hotel rooms from their mobile phones. Both mobile sites were created by leading technology platform Usablenet, one of the driving forces behind mobile commerce in UK and Europe.

The two mobile have seen a 25% increase in visits since their launch. Both sites feature a slick design with HTML5 capabilities specifically tailored for the best mobile browsing experience, making the site very easy to use and quick to navigate.

Features include:
Book a Hotel: Users can book a room at any of Thistle's 32 hotels and Guoman's 5 destination properties from any web-enabled mobile device. Calendar overlays make it easy to choose dates from a calendar without loading extra pages.

View Offers: Allows prospective guests to find special offers on accommodations, dining, or meetings and events, all searchable by city, hotel, or type of offer, and easy to book from a mobile.

Hi-Resolution Image Galleries and Videos: Viewing property images is highly important to travelers deciding where to stay. The mobile sites feature scrolling image carousels of the hotel properties, rooms and facilities, aiding users in their decision when booking hotels or meeting rooms.

Find a Hotel: View the entire collection of hotels under the Guoman and Thistle group, or use the Find Hotels Near Me feature that utilizes geo-location services.

My Reservations: Allows users to easily view and cancel existing reservations from their phone.

Advanced Navigation: Expandable and collapsible menus make it easy to navigate the site without loading extra pages making it a fast browsing experience for people on-the-go

Mithu Sengupta, eCommerce Director from Guoman and Thistle Hotels said: "The mobile channel has become an important travel planning and booking channel worldwide, especially for local and last minute searches. It was very important for us to have a mobile site that reflects our brand and provides the best experience for our customers with rich-media content and videos. We partnered with Usablenet to create a mobile site that caters to the traveller's needs and understands what their user journey would be when accessing our websites via mobile phones. We are very happy with the response we had from our customers who have been on our mobile site and who have stated that we have provided them a seamless transition between mobile, tablets and desktops to effectively assist them in their travel plans."

"Thistle and Guoman were very committed to providing the best user experience for their customers. Whether you're a business traveler or a leisure traveler, customers can easily view and book rooms, and manage their hotel reservations easily via the mobile site," said Nick Taylor, CEO of Usablenet. "With the rapid growth of travel bookings via mobile increasing each year, they understand the importance of the mobile channel and are proving to be true leaders in the space."

About Guoman Hotel Management:
Guoman Hotel Management Limited operates two hotel brands; 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 and Malaysia.

Guoman Hotels in the UK consists of five landmark properties; Charing Cross, The Cumberland, The Royal Horseguards, The Tower and the newest addition, The Grosvenor Hotel Victoria. Each provides the very highest levels of comfort and service to its guests.

Thistle has 32 UK hotels, many in superb city centre locations, including ten hotels in London city centre. In addition, Thistle also operates two deluxe hotels in Malaysia. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone. Thistle was recently awarded Hotel Group of the Year at the AA Hospitality Awards 2011-2012.

Thistle's Parc hotel welcomes award winning Chef Iain Inman

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:05:12 GMT

Thistle's Parc hotel, located in the centre of Cardiff, is proud to announce the appointment of Iain Inman as the new executive chef of its restaurant, The Social. Bringing with him a wealth of experience, the talented chef will be supporting local suppliers; sourcing high quality products from the region to create his new and unique fine dining menu.

Iain's new menu includes a series of Welsh dishes with a contemporary twist, such as the Grilled Rib Usk Valley Beef with Double Dragon Ale Sauce, Lemongrass Panacotta and Green Tea Sorbet.

With 15 years in the hotel and leisure industry, including positions held at two rosette winning restaurants; Pennyhill Park Hotel and Albannach Bar, Iain is set to bring his foodie flair to Cardiff, firmly placing The Social as a top gourmet restaurant among Cardiff hotels.

Darren Patt, Regional Operations Director of Thistle Hotels, commented: "We are delighted to have Iain on board as our Executive chef at The Social. The Parc has built up a fantastic reputation as a great dining destination in Cardiff, with The Social being recently awarded two prestigious AA rosettes. We will continue this run of success with the appointment of Iain - ensuring that The Social continues to top the league of must-visit restaurants in the area."

For more information on The Social visit www.thistle.com or to book call 02920 785593. Interested parties can also follow the Thistle Hotels' blog for frequent travellers at http://blog.thistle.com.

About Thistle
Thistle Hotels is part of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited which operates hotels throughout the UK. Thistle has 33 hotels across the country, many in superb city centre locations, including its hotels in Cardiff and eleven of them in central London. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

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.

Thistle Hotels releases breakfast infographic

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:06:03 GMT

Thistle Hotels has released a new breakfast infographic featuring various facts and statistics relating to the most important meal of the day.

Guests staying at Thistle's range of hotels across the UK can set themselves up for the day with the company's wide selection of breakfast treats; from the full English to fresh fruit salads and pastries - and they certainly get through a lot of them. Thistle recently looked into just how much bacon, eggs, tea, coffee and other breakfast goods are served every day in its UK hotels, and the results were somewhat astounding.

On a typical day, guests staying at Thistle Hotels consume 5,153 rashes of bacon, which is enough to reach from dry land to the end of Brighton Pier. Thistle put its findings into a fun new breakfast infographic featuring some of Britain's most famous cities - London, Liverpool, Manchester and Edinburgh - all locations where travellers can find a fabulous breakfast at their local Thistle hotel. Whether they salivate over sausages or are happy with a bowl of cereal and a cup of tea, they will be well-cared for at Thistle Hotels.

Johan Scheepers, General Manager of The Kingsley, which has benefited from a £10 million full refurbishment, said: "At the heart of Thistle Hotels is the guest experience and we have recognised that our guests want relaxed, unpretentious and flexible dining options that represent value for money without compromising on quality."

Some of the statistics from the infographic include:
- Britain gets through 165 million cups of tea in a day
- Thistle hotels serve 3,334 bowls of fruit salad - enough to fill an entire pod on the London Eye
- 2,728 sausages are served every day - enough to reach across the Thames and Tower Bridge

For more facts, interested parties can visit www.thistle.com/en/breakfast-at-thistle-hotels.html.

About Thistle Hotels:
Thistle Hotels is a part of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited which operates hotels throughout the UK. Thistle has 33 hotels across the country, many in superb city centre locations, including eleven central London hotels. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

Thistle crowned 'Hotel Group of the Year' at prestigious AA Awards

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:55:15 GMT

Thistle Hotels scooped the prestigious 'Hotel Group of the Year Award' at the AA Hospitality Awards 2011-2012.

Hosted by popular BBC newsreader, Sophie Raworth, at the London Hilton on Park Lane, the ceremony rewarded the best performers in the UK’s hospitality industry, and was well attended by world-renowned chefs, prominent hoteliers, restaurateurs, hospitality gurus and key media.

On selecting Thistle Hotels for the award, the judging panel were particularly impressed with how the hotel group have successfully kept their focus on the guest experience and developed teams in a way that delivered this commitment - genuinely and passionately.

AA Hotel Services manager, Simon Numphud, said: "Thistle Hotels has significantly improved their overall product and service offering over the last eighteen months. This includes achievements such as full Hospitality Assured accreditation, Tourism for all audits, increasing standards particularly in hospitality and service combined by on-going significant refurbishment have all impressed. All these things combined made them a deserving choice as winner of this award."

On receipt of the award, Heiko Figge, Managing Director of Guoman & Thistle Hotels, commented: "We are extremely honoured to accept this award, and I'd like to thank each and every one of our Thistle colleagues for their contribution and dedication. To be named 'Hotel Group of the Year' is recognition of the sheer commitment and passion our people have shown in developing and enhancing the Thistle experience. We're all very proud to be acknowledged with such a high profile industry award."

For more information on Thistle visit www.thistle.com, or follow its blog for frequent travellers on blog.thistle.com.

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About Thistle:
Thistle Hotels is part of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited which operates hotels throughout the UK. Thistle has 33 hotels across the country, many in superb city centre locations, including eleven in central London. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

Guoman and Thistle Hotels raise over £100,000 for Springboard charity

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 09:34:51 GMT

Guoman and Thistle Hotels have announced that as a result of a dedicated three month fundraising activity drive, the group has raised over £100,000 for the hospitality careers charity Springboard.

As a charity helping young, unemployed and disadvantaged people find sustainable careers within the hospitality and leisure sector, Springboard's values are close to Guoman Hotels and Thistle Hotels' own regarding developing and strengthening talent - the two have worked closely together to set people on their way to long and vibrant careers within the industry.

Guoman Hotels' general managers and Thistle's senior teams led the way with fundraising activities across the group's 38 hotels across the UK, with sponsored marathons, parachute jumps and even a bouncy castle world record attempt taking place - the hotel teams across the entire UK portfolio were encouraged to get fully involved and help spread the message of the invaluable work Springboard does along the way. Thistle Brighton raised the highest individual amount, with special Mother's Day lunches helping raise over £10,000 alone.

Alongside the hotel's individual team-led activities, the group also implemented a highly successful initiative whereby guests were encouraged to donate an additional £1 to the price of their hotel stay to go towards the final charity donation. With Sir Alex Ferguson acting as a celebrity ambassador for this scheme, guests responded in earnest and helped raise the final total of £100,021.00 through their generous donations - the final £21 was added by the group to recognise The Springboard Charity's 21st anniversary celebrations.

Commenting on the success of the charity initiative, Heiko Figge, managing director, Guoman and Thistle Hotels commented: "As a group, we remain passionate about industry learning and believe in contributing to skills and actively developing talent within our industry. This is why we committed to the Springboard Charity and from the day we made that pledge, our colleagues within every one of our UK properties has made it their personal mission to reach the target. They have readily given up days off and spent time training for some of the more physical challenges, and I am extremely proud of everyone who got involved.

Charities like Springboard are essential to the hotel industry, so it is only right that we should support them in turn, and what better than with this remarkable donation I'm delighted to be able to share with Springboard."

Stephen Moss, chairman, Springboard UK, added: "Springboard is absolutely delighted to receive such magnificent support from Guoman and Thistle Hotels in the UK. As a charity working directly on behalf of the hospitality sector, we need major hospitality players like Guoman & Thistle to fly the flag for our work supporting young people, disadvantaged groups and the unemployed into inspirational careers and opportunities within the industry.

This fantastic effort will ensure that Springboard can continue its vital work in encouraging these groups into meaningful positions and making a real difference to people's lives."

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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; 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.

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

Thistle Hotels Crown Social restaurant wins two AA rosettes

Fri, 20 May 2011 15:43:23 GMT

Thistle Hotels has announced that just two months from its opening, the Crown Social restaurant at The Parc by Thistle in Cardiff has been awarded two prestigious AA rosettes by the association's independent restaurant inspectors.

The contemporary, restaurant in Cardiff; a joint venture between Thistle Hotels and Crown Hotels & Restaurants, is headed up by former Michelin-accredited celebrity chef Martin Blunos. Both Martin and his team, including sous chef Lance Keirle, were praised by the AA inspector for their 'fine cooking' and were awarded a standout score of 92% for their dishes.

The inspector particularly enjoyed Crown Social's unique 'sharing' concept; whereby diners are encouarged to sample different tasting plates together. The Cardiff hotel restaurant uses fresh and local produce throughout the menu and a contemporary take on traditional Welsh dishes which was also highly praised.

The Parc by Thistle was also awarded an impressive AA merit score of 85% and retained its 4 star rating. In particular, the staff scored highly in the service category, achieving an overall service score of 90% and attaining the maximum 5 star qualifier rating.

Johnny Davies, director of the Monmouthshire-based Crown Hotels & Restaurants, said: "The two AA rosettes are very well deserved recognition for Martin Blunos and his entire Crown Social team who have all worked extremely hard first to create the Crown Social and then deliver this superb dining experience. Crown Social now stands even more proudly alongside our existing fine dining restaurants; our Michelin star Crown at Whitebrook, near Monmouth and our three AA rosette Crown at Celtic Manor."

The Parc by Thistle's general manager, Richard O'Riordan added: "The whole team and I are thrilled to have been awarded such a high honour so soon after the Crown Social's opening. Since our launch night, the people of Cardiff have shown a real interest in what the restaurant has to offer as a different dining concept - now that we've been awarded these two rosettes, we hope to entice even more people through our doors and bring further success to the Parc by Thistle."

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About Thistle:
Thistle Hotels is part of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited which operates hotels throughout the UK. Thistle has 33 hotels across the country, many in city centre locations, including eleven in central London. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

Thistles The Rougemont Hotel gets an afternoon delight from local sisters

Thu, 19 May 2011 14:02:27 GMT

Thistle's Exeter hotel, The Rougemont, saw Exmouth sisters Tilly and Ellis Jephtha reign supreme and crowned the best bakers as local finalists battled it out to revitalise the classic British pastime and create the ultimate afternoon tea.

In a bid to see their very own afternoon tea recipe on the Nelson's Lounge and Bar menu at The Rougemont Hotel, competition finalists, Tilly and Ellis Jephtha, Phyllis Liles and Charlotte Baker were invited to take part in a bake off at the hotel, where entries were judged on their visual appeal, taste, smell and texture.

The judging panel comprised the lord mayor, councillor Marcel Choules; Mrs Stella Fernyhough, food judge from Chudleigh Women's Institute of Devon; Shane Munro, group development manager, Food and Beverage, Guoman and Thistle Hotels; and Mark Beedell, general manager, The Rougemont Hotel.

The winning entries from Tilly and Ellis saw the judging panel torn between Tilly's scones with thick Devonshire clotted cream and homemade passion fruit and raspberry jam and Ellis' scones with cream, raspberry blackcurrant and rhubarb jam. In the end the panel thought the dynamic duo were equally deserving of first place thanks to the superior taste and texture and taste of their scones, and the overall presentation of the dishes.

The sisters' winning entry will feature as the hotel's specialist, traditional Devonshire afternoon tea when the hotel launches its new menu of teatime treats in mid-April.

Mark Beedell, general manager at The Rougemont Hotel said: "After weeks of collating entries for the competition, we're extremely pleased to award both Tilly and Ellis the title of ultimate afternoon tea champions. Their creations will make fantastic additions to our afternoon tea menu at Drakes Restaurant and we're certain that our guests will be as excited as we were when sampling their afternoon delights."

After impressing the general manager with her passion for cooking, Tilly who is the baker in the family and wants to study Catering at Exeter College next year has also been offered work experience at The Rougemont Hotel. This will assist her college application as well as give her a chance to experience all operations departments in a hotel. In addition to this, and to further build her experience whilst studying, Tilly has been invited to join the team on day release when she starts her college course.

Tilly commented: "The competition has been a wonderful experience which I feel will benefit my future career in catering, and I very much look forward to starting my work placement at The Rougemont Hotel."

The Rougemont Hotel in Exeter is a stylish Victorian building situated near the city centre and Rougemont Gardens. The hotel's Drakes Restaurant is relaxed and welcoming and features home cooked favourites and modern European dishes, perfect after a spot of shopping or sightseeing.

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About Thistle
Thistle Hotels is part of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited which operates hotels throughout the UK. Thistle has 33 hotels across the country, many in superb city centre locations, including eleven in central London. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

Thistle Hotels sets example for Scottish careers week

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 10:31:34 GMT

Thistle Hotels staff from across Scotland recently stepped into the classroom to host a series of 'buddy sessions' where they provided professional advice to those interested in entering the hospitality industry. The sessions headed up by experts from the hospitality industry aimed to describe their own roles and provide advice on the best way of getting in to the industry.

In support of Scottish Tourism and Scottish Tourism Careers Week and in association with the charity Springboard Scotland, Thistle organised a week-long agenda across its six hotels in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness. Each session was led by a Thistle expert from different fields within the hospitality industry, including operations, housekeeping, general management and catering, each providing an overview of their role and experience, and offering advice on how to pursue a career in that field.

Open days were also held at The King James in Edinburgh and the Thistle Aberdeen Airport hotel where students, job seekers, teachers, careers advisors, journalists and interested members of the public could speak to expert staff from Thistle hotels in Scotland. Thistle Glasgow's executive chef Billy Campbell also took part in a panel discussion at the ScotHot Exhibition with other expert chefs discussing the topic of 'Retaining the Talent in Your Team'.

Christian Armstrong, People and Development director for Thistle UK commented: "At Thistle, we have always prided ourselves on our ability to retain staff and develop their skills. We’re extremely proud to have supported Springboard Scotland and its activities during Scottish Tourism and Scottish Tourism Careers Week and we hope our team of experts have inspired people to enter into what is a fantastic industry."

About Thistle Hotels:
Thistle Hotels is part of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited which operates hotels throughout the UK. Thistle has 33 hotels across the country, many in superb city centre locations, including eleven in central London. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

The Parc by Thistle announces new partnership with Crown Hotels and Restaurants

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:16:51 GMT

The Parc by Thistle has announced it will be going into partnership with South Wales-based Crown Hotels and Restaurants.

The joint venture will see the launch of a new, high-end restaurant concept within the Cardiff hotel, the Crown Social. As part of this partnership, Michelin-accredited chef Martin Blunos becomes the executive chef of the Cardiff restaurant.

Having recently undergone a full refurbishment, The Parc hotel's contemporary new-look restaurant and champagne bar will cater for those seeking a pleasant wining and dining experience in the heart of the Welsh capital.

Universally recognised as one of the UK's leading chefs, Martin Blunos recently joined Crown Hotels & Restaurants as executive chef with a special emphasis on expanding the restaurant business into new areas.

Blunos, born and raised near Bath by his Latvian parents, has held two Michelin stars for more than fifteen years. He is a familiar face on TV with his distinctive walrus moustache. He said: "The opening of the Crown Social at The Parc Hotel, one of Cardiff's most established hotels, is very exciting and something completely new for the city. I've assembled a first class team for Crown Social and now can't wait to get started."

Michael Davies, director of the Monmouthshire-based Crown Hotels & Restaurants, said: "We're thrilled and delighted to be linking with The Parc Hotel and opening this wonderful new addition to Crown Hotels and Restaurants which brings an entirely different, exciting style of eating right into the heart of the city of Cardiff."

Darren Patt, Regional Operations Director comments: "We're thrilled to announce this partnership with such a credible restaurant group; already renowned for their excellence in award-winning fine dining and boasting successful concepts: The Crown at Whitebrook, near Monmouth and The Crown at Celtic Manor.

"The Parc by Thistle has the ideal city-centre location and naturally-lit space to create an inviting, eclectic dining experience - we're confident that with the joint reputations of Crown Hotels and Restaurants and Martin Blunos, we will quickly establish Crown Social as one of the finest dining destinations in South Wales."

Martin will work closely with The Parc by Thistle's general manager Richard O'Riordan, to make a true mark for Crown Social on Wales' quality dining map.

Crown Social will offer a contemporary take on classic Welsh dishes already served in restaurants in Cardiff. It will be a city hotspot where guests can informally meet, drink, dine and socialise.

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Thistle Haydock's Martin Gregory wins Chef of the Year award

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:10:16 GMT

Thistle Haydock's Chef de Partie, Martin Gregory is celebrating becoming 'Chef of the Year' at the St. Helens Tourism and Leisure Awards, which recognise the achievements of those who contribute to the borough's growing tourism industry.

Martin's win came after an adjudicated 'cook-off' where he beat off stiff competition, including his colleague Jonny Barr, who finished overall runner-up in the competition. Martin's menu came out on top, as the judges were particularly impressed by his starter of 'Devil on Horseback' and main of poached duck breast with duck crackling.

With more than ten years experience, Martin has worked in a number of rosette-rated kitchens and, after first joining Thistle Haydock restaurant in St. Helens in 2006, he has helped the restaurant to also achieve a rosette standard.

Speaking of his recent accolade, Martin said: "We have a great tourism industry here in St Helens and I’m thrilled to have been recognised for my part in it by St. Helens Council. Working as a chef is much more than just a job to me, it's something I live and breathe, so I'm truly honoured to have won the title Chef of the Year."

General Manager of the Thistle Haydock hotel, Kim Burrows said: "Martin has always been a highly valued member of our kitchen team and it’s great to see him deservedly recognised by the Council. We are extremely lucky to have Martin at Thistle Haydock and I am very proud of him and his achievement."

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Thistle Hotels' Grand Imperial London creates 'good luck' for Chinese New Year

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:44:42 GMT

Thistle hotels' The Grosvenor hotel in London has launched a new signature mandarin orange based cocktail called 'Grand Imperial Lucky 8' at its newest luxury Cantonese restaurant, for those who want to celebrate the Chinese New Year in style.

The idea of the Chinese New Year is to sweep out any bad luck from the old year and clear the way for good luck, and the new Grosvenor Hotel London Restaurant believes the best way to do this is to sip some good fortune at the Grand Imperial.

The 'Lucky 8' cocktail is mixed with Stolichnaya, Ketel one Citron and Limoncello, fresh lemon, Angostura bitters as well as the important 'lucky' mandarin orange and orange juice to give it a refreshing zesty flavour perfect for casting off any bad luck.

Mandarin oranges are the most popular fruit during Chinese New Year and the name 'mandarin' in Cantonese dialect is a homophone of 'luck' or 'fortune'. The number 8 is also considered a lucky number in Chinese culture – the perfect mix to create a lucky cocktail.

Joining London's luxury Asian restaurant scene, the Grand Imperial restaurant - located within the landmark heritage hotel, The Grosvenor Hotel, Victoria, provides a wide selection of Cantonese food to see in the start of 2011, or 4709 as it is on the Chinese new year calendar. The new restaurant specialises in seafood dishes including 'Sautéed Lobster with Superior Stock and Egg White' and 'Deep fried Sea Bass with Pine Nuts' as well as traditional delicacies like 'real' Peking Duck which is served in three courses and special steamed or fried Dim Sum parcels.

Grand Imperial will be the latest addition to restaurateur Rand Cheung's Asian gastro empire; Grand Imperial Restaurant group. Rand Cheung is regarded as a culinary 'legend' by many food connoisseurs across Asia, and the opening means that head chef Leung Chi Keung will now be able to tantalise Londoners with his authentic, delicately prepared, Hong Kong Cantonese menus.

The 'Grand Imperial Lucky 8' cocktail will be available until 18th February 2011.

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About Thistle:
Thistle Hotels is part of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited which operates a number of UK Hotels. Thistle has 33 hotels across the country, many in superb city centre locations, including eleven London Hotels, with a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

Thistle hotels thanks Barnardos Greater Manchester volunteers

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:12:02 GMT

The Portland hotel by Thistle has organized a gala lunch event to recognize volunteers in Greater Manchester who keep children's charity, Barnardo's running.

Barnardo's corporate partner in Manchester, The Portland hotel by Thistle, organised the event for the 100-strong volunteer workforce as a celebration to mark the charity's vital work with and on behalf of children and young families in the area.

The Portland by Thistle, supported by the hotel's suppliers, provided the volunteers with a three course meal, while resident DJ, Jeff Dunning, kept the guests entertained as they enjoyed their celebratory meal.

John Ellis, head of retail development for Barnardo's, said: "Barnardo's volunteer workforce has given up over 100,000 hours of time to help vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Greater Manchester this past year, which is extraordinary. I would like to thank Thistle's The Portland hotel for making this kind gesture, which has helped us show our appreciation for their wonderful efforts."

Barnardo's volunteering roles include working in its shops, children's services and fundraising, with roles ranging from youth support workers to drivers. Barnardo's volunteers are all ages and from different backgrounds and they give up their time for many different reasons - whether it's to keep their skills sharp while looking for paid employment, meeting new people or simply to 'make a difference.

Ian Corner, general manager of The Portland by Thistle commented: ''Barnardo's does a fantastic job assisting children and young families both in Manchester and across the UK. We're extremely proud to be supporting the charity and its volunteers for their continued hard work across the region.''

The event was also supported by the hotel's suppliers, including national catering butcher, Fairfax Meadow and foodservice company, 3663, along with wine provided by drinks supplier Matthew Clark.

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About Barnardo's
Barnardo's in the North West provides vital services to thousands of children, young people and their families across Merseyside, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria. Its 43 community-based North West services provide a practical and positive response to problems like abuse, poverty, homelessness and the challenges of disability.

Barnardo's believes in the potential in every child and young person, no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. Barnardo's will support them, stand up for them and bring out the best in each and every child.

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 a collection of Newcastle Hotels, Liverpool Hotels, Manchester Hotels and Asian Wedding Venues. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

Guoman appoints James Berry as hotel manager at The Cumberland

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 12:24:11 GMT

Guoman Hotels has announced that it is bringing in the expertise of James Berry as hotel manager of The Cumberland. Berry takes up his position at the vibrant Marble Arch property under the skilled direction of general manager, Tim Cordon.

With over 13 years industry experience, Berry will oversee the entire operational efficiency of the 1000-bedroomed hotel; ensuring a consistency of excellence across all departments, as well as being responsible for further developing the appeal of The Cumberland Hotel as a central London hotel destination.

Berry's strong track record in successfully managing multiple departments and projects within hotels including the Park Inn Bedford and the Park Inn Watford, and most recently, as general manager of the Park Inn Peterborough, made him an outstanding choice for the demanding management role within what is the Guoman collection's largest hotel.

Cordon, already impressed with Berry from their time working together within a previous role, commented: "James has an enduring passion and drive for the industry; apparent in everything he sets out to achieve. His proven expertise, attention to detail and proactive attitude to continually enhancing service levels, will no doubt ensure The Cumberland Hotel continues to be a favoured deluxe hotel choice for central London.

Keenly anticipating his new role, Berry added: "I'm extremely proud to be welcomed into joining what is such a celebrated hotel, with many appealing features - including the Michelin-starred Rhodes W1 Brasserie and Fine Dining Restaurant - it's certainly a hotel that has lots to offer and sets a fantastic professional challenge. I've arrived with a real drive to exceed our guests' expectations."

The Cumberland is a striking, contemporary four-star deluxe property within the Guoman collection, which currently boasts four landmark London hotel properties as well as one in Shanghai.

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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 consist of four landmark properties; Charing Cross, The Cumberland, The Royal Horseguards (current AA London Hotel of the Year 2010/11) and The Tower. Whilst each hotel in the portfolio is different with its own unique identity and style, they all provide the very highest levels of comfort and service to guests.

In 2010 Guoman Hotels launched internationally with the opening of a new property in Shanghai and with a property in Beijing to follow in 2011. In the UK, The Grosvenor Victoria 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.

Thistle Hotels' Manchester property re-launches as The Portland

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 09:31:28 GMT

Thistle Hotels is celebrating the completion of its refurbishment of The Portland by Thistle, formerly Thistle Manchester.

From this significant investment, the hotel has been transformed into a contemporary, relaxing and stylish base - ideal for business and leisure guests wanting a comfortable, quality experience in the heart of the city.

The enhancement project, that saw the hotel revert to its original name of The Portland as a mark to its heritage which dates back to its warehouse beginnings in 1851, has taken eight months to complete across seven floors and includes: 204 new look bedrooms with air conditioning units, two new lifts, and a refurbished front hall, as well as a refreshed Portland St Restaurant and Bar.

First established as a hotel in 1973, The Portland hotel is a popular hub for local businesses as well as attracting both domestic and international guests, thanks to its central location nestled within the city centre - with easy access to the Airport and Manchester Piccadilly station.

Already ranked as a top business hotel, the hotel's management will continue to invest in growing its meetings and events offering, following the refurbishment of The Portland's Riley Suites, named collectively in honour of popular local artist Harold Riley, but separately known as the: Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Matt Busby, Dennis Law and Mercer; honouring the local football legends.

Ian Corner, general manager of The Portland by Thistle commented: "The hotel lies at the very heart of the city and its heritage within Manchester, from its former years as a working warehouse, makes it a unique part of the city's history.

"We're proud that we can reveal the latest chapter in the property's existence following our investment and are confident the refurbishment will re-establish The Portland, as it will now be known, as one of the city's most fondly-regarded hotels. The transformation of The Portland will place Thistle as a major force in Manchester's business and leisure sector - a welcome stay for business and leisure guests travelling into the city."

The recent refurbishment of The Portland by Thistle is further evidence of Thistle's ongoing and significant investment in its properties. Since 2008, Thistle has invested £100 million, transforming its entire portfolio into modernised, individual properties with a contemporary look and feel.

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 hotels in Covent Garden, UK hotels 5 star London hotels, luxury London hotels, hotels near Hyde Park and hotels in Kensington.

With a selection of restaurants, a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, and a choice of wedding venues in Manchester, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

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."

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

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.

Thistle Hotels launches Lazy Sundays

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:06:27 GMT

Thistle Hotels is inviting guests to join them for long, leisurely lie-ins with the launch of Lazy Sundays, a brand new package available across its hotels nationwide that allows guests to truly maximise their weekend break away.

From just £70.50 per person*, guests can check with Thistle on a Saturday and stay right through until Sunday evening with an extra-late check-out of 6pm at no extra charge, helping to avoid the usual Sunday morning rush. Guests will receive a free newspaper to read in bed and can enjoy breakfast as late as 12 noon or choose a full Sunday lunch as an alternative - all included within the Lazy Sundays package.

Whether customer are spending a romantic weekend away with their partner, looking for a hotel to accommodate a wedding party or taking a shopping trip away with friends, Lazy Sundays helps the customer to make the very most of the weekend, giving them two full days to enjoy for the price of one and allowing more time to explore the destination city, or enjoy a rare lazy Sunday in bed.

Additionally, if customers decide to extend their Lazy Sunday break, they can take advantage of an extra overnight stay on the Sunday at a discounted price, from only £23.50.

Lazy Sundays are available for booking from October 4th at www.thistle.com/lazysundays across Thistle's portfolio of high quality, full service hotels, based in excellent, central locations across the UK, including Edinburgh, Cardiff, Manchester, Bristol, London and Brighton.

Simon Farr, Regional Operations Director for Thistle Hotels commented: "Lazy Sundays lets you enjoy a real home-from-home experience at any one of our stylish, comfortable hotels - waking up when it suits you, enjoying a late breakfast, taking your time to explore your chosen city or staying in bed all day if you wish. Our hotels are based in fantastic central locations across the UK, so why not truly maximise your time away with Lazy Sundays from Thistle."

Notes to editors:
*Lazy Sunday package prices vary within the Thistle portfolio. For individual hotel pricing details and to book, customers can refer to www.thistle.com/lazysundays.

About Thistle
Thistle Hotels is part of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited which operates many UK Hotels. Thistle has 33 hotels across the country, many in superb city centre locations, including Manchester Hotels and eleven London Hotels, which includes Covent Garden Hotels and Buckingham Palace Hotels. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

Thistle Hotels announces Steven Devine as General Manager of the County Hotel

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 10:31:21 GMT

Thistle Hotels has announced the appointment of Steven Devine as General Manager of the County Hotel in Newcastle, the very same hotel he worked at just a couple of years into his career. Devine makes the move back up north after three years overseeing Thistle's Kensington Gardens hotel and Thistle Bloomsbury Park in central London. He started his new role at the County Hotel in September 2010.

Born and bred in County Durham and having studied in Newcastle, Devine brings with him a wealth of experience, built up over his 17 years of working for Thistle. After starting his career at the nearby Thistle Middlesbrough hotel, he has since undertaken a variety of roles within the group, from Trainee Manager to Food & Beverage Manager.

As General Manager of the County Hotel, Devine will be responsible for maintaining the smooth and efficient operations of the property, to ensure it continues to see an increase in occupancy rates and the impeccable levels of customer service its guests have come to expect. He will oversee the day-to-day management of the hotel and its staff, along with the financial management, planning and direction of the hotel.

Commenting on his move, Steven Devine said: ''Thistle has provided me with some fantastic opportunities throughout my career, and being given the chance to move back to my home town of Newcastle and oversee a hotel with such potential was one I simply couldn't turn down. Its great location in the heart of the city and the current refurbishment taking place puts us in a great position for increasing occupancy amongst the business and leisure markets alike."

Ewing Stewart, Regional Operations Director, Thistle Hotels, commented: "The County Hotel has undergone significant investment in recent months, transforming it into one of the city's leading business and leisure hotels so we welcome Steven at an incredibly exciting time. We're confident that his reputation within the group and his wealth of experience will help us to continue bringing a first rate guest experience to customers old and new. ''

About Thistle
Thistle Hotels is part of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited which operates hotels throughout the UK. Thistle has 33 hotels UK Hotels, many in superb city centre locations such as Newcastle Hotels, Liverpool Hotels and Inverness Hotels, as well as eleven central London Hotels. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

Thistle Hotels announces launch of first ever in-suite library

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 14:05:38 GMT

Thistle Hotels' London property, The Kingsley is celebrating the 1st birthday of its multi million pound refurbishment and rebrand with the launch of its first ever in-suite library for guests. Drawing on its heritage as the former home of Charles Kingsley and the Bloomsbury set of writers, The Kingsley will offer guests staying in its suites access to an exclusive series of 'lost classics' brought back into print by local publishing company, Bloomsbury Publishing.

Guests partial to a book before bedtime will also be treated to a luxurious Thistle reading pillow and complimentary hot chocolate in each of the suites, with regular guests being able to take the books out on loan, returning them on their next visit.

Literary bloggers and authors have shared their suggestions of cherished books for the library with selected books available in each room, or a full reading list can be ordered free of charge from reception. Titles on offer include 'Henrietta's War' by Joyce Dennings, 'Love's Shadow' by Ada Leverson, 'Mrs. Ames' by E.F Benson and a host of other great classics from the early twentieth century.

The Kingsley from Thistle recently underwent a £10million refurbishment and restoration programme which saw the property restored to its former Edwardian splendour. Formerly called Thistle Bloomsbury, the hotel also reverted back to its original name as a mark of its literary heritage. The refurbishment programme has seen the hotel transform into a stylish and relaxing haven in Central London, perfect for both business and leisure travellers.

Johan Scheepers, General Manager of the hotel comments: "We are incredibly proud of our hotel's heritage so want to invite our guests to share in our exclusive literary past and relax and unwind with one of the many great books available from The Kingsley's library. Whether you're one of our regular customers visiting on business, or a passing leisure guest, you should always make time for a good book so just give us a call and we'll deliver it to your door."

Notes to editors:
The Kingsley's library of books is available to Junior Suite residents or regular guests who frequently visit the hotel.

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 hotels in Covent Garden, hotels in London, hotels near Hyde Park and hotels in Kensington. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

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