Download - EBROCHURE UK Ireland update Q1 2013

uk & irelandupdateQ1 - 2013

It’s a pleasure for me to introduce you to our new UK & Ireland area newsletter. through this quarterly update, it’s my hope that all team members from our hotels across the region can feel closer to the heart of our business. It’s also a chance for you as hotels and employees to share your good news, success stories and best practice examples.

2013 has started with a bang! It’s been a really busy time with lot’s going on and we’re seeing enough positive results to feel optimistic that we can really take the business from strength to strength this year.

over the next few pages you can find out more about the progress we are making across a number of areas of the business; from ongoing investment in our hotels and new openings, to significant reductions in energy consumption driven by think planet, through to our recently announced partnership with Variety, the children’s charity.

I hope you enjoy the read – this is very much a shared communication so do feedback your ideas for future issues.

All the best,

Richard MooreArea Vice President UK & Ireland

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UK & Ireland Update Q1 - 2013 1

02 news update

04 think planet

06 Variety, the children’s charity

08 Destination cork, Spotlight on york

10 yes I can!

12 Awards and achievements / next time

Contents

2

it’s been an action packed year already and we’re still only in March!

new year new look for a number of carlson rezidor UK & Ireland hotels...from bedford to telford and manchester to galway, hotels in the region are having a makeover. It started in 2012 when several park Inn by radisson properties underwent significant refurbishment works as part of a multi-million pound investment programme.

hotels in bedford, london heathrow, northampton, telford and york have undergone extensive works on the public areas, complimenting previous spend on guest bedrooms to give the hotels a new look and feel. In line with rezidor’s ambitious plans for the brand, the majority of refurbishments reflect and represent the next generation concept, including elements such as self-check in, kiosks and a lounge-style food and beverage concept.

the pArK Inn by rADISSon telforD IS A greAt exAmple of the progreSS thAt hAS been mADe. As part of a £3.2 million project, the hotel has undergone a dramatic transformation that covers all 153 guest bedrooms, the guest reception and lounge area, the bar, the restaurant and the games room, as well as public areas and the hotel’s health club.

this major investment has touched almost every area within the property and the end result feels very different – creating the strongest hotel product in telford.

over on the radisson blu side of the business, there are also some very special investment projects underway.

the rADISSon blU hotel, mAncheSter AIrport IS All Set to UnDergo A £10m trAnSformAtIon. the three phase refurbishment programme begins in march with a transformation of the hotel’s reception area, bar and restaurant, full renovation of 120 business class bed-rooms and suites, soft refurbishment of the hotel’s meeting and events area, as well as the conversion of the hotel’s observatory suite into a new business class lounge, complete with dedicated, private check-in for business class guests.

there is a strong design element in all areas of the refurbishment that will really help put this flagship hotel back on the map.

meAnWhIle In IrelAnD, the rADISSon blU hotel & SpA, gAlWAy IS cUrrently UnDergoIng A eUr 1.4m refUrbIShment. this started with the Spirit one spa area where to mark its 10 year anniversary, investment has been made to improve the area, particularly the thermal Suite – enhancing guest experience and makingit more relaxing than ever.

the hotel is currently half way through a 60-room renovation programme, scheduled to finish by mid-march. As part of this, all 60 rooms have been gutted and completely refurbished, complete with new design. Q4 will see the remaining 28 guest rooms and the 16 suites on the hotel’s level 5 refurbished.

the countdown is on for the park Inn by radisson glasgow...

It’s now just a few weeks until the opening of the new park Inn by radisson glasgow city centre. the hotel represents a new phase for our mid-market brand with elements of the recently developed next generation concept. the park Inn by radisson brand values are rooted in ease of use and functional style. the new park Inn brand story is based on the three key elements of: connectivity, choice and community.

As part of the next generation brand concept, guests at the park Inn by radisson glasgow will be able to utilize self-check-in kiosks, providing fast and efficient access to their rooms. As with all park Inn hotels now, guests will also benefit from free Wifi access throughout their stay.

the hotel will also showcase the live-Inn room concept for the first time in the UK. the idea behind the live-Inn room is to create an inviting social hub for guests with cosy seating and friendly service – the perfect place to eat, socialize and work. the 91-rooms hotel, located in the very heart of the city, will open its doors in April.

the modern hotel provides 91 bedrooms a bar, restaurant, gym and two meeting rooms with breakout area. It’s an exciting addition to the park Inn by radisson portfolio and takes the total number of hotels under the brand to 24 in the UK and Ireland. Stay tuned for more images in the next issue!

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throughout 2012, a number of hotels in the region embarked on projects to reduce energy consumption on site. from switching off lights and equipment right through to updating boiler management systems, our engineering teams have been working behind the scenes to make our hotels more energy efficient - and the results speak for themselves.

there is still a lot of work to be done and all hotels are currently working towards their think planet targets for 2013. Across the group we are embarking on a number of energy and water saving projects with experts across a range of fields and we’re confident that through them, we can push and drive for even greater results over the years to come– see the next issue to find out how we’re getting on.

IT’S NOW JUST OVER A YEAR SINCE REZIDOR’S THINK PLANET ENERGY SAVING INITIATIVE WAS LAUNCHED. THROUGH THINK PLANET, WE AIM TO REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN ALL OF OUR HOTELS BY 25% BY 2016. IT’S AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT BUT WE’RE DELIGHTED TO ALREADY SEE SOME REAL SUCCESS STORIES COMING THROUGH.

the graph above highlights the five hotels from the UK & Ireland region with the highest percentage reduction in energy/m2 (in kw/h) throughout the course of 2012.

the graph above highlights the five hotels from the UK & Ireland region with the highest percentage reduction in energy/room occupied (in kw/h) throughout the course of 2012.

% reduction in energy/M2 (in Kw/h) 14

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Park Inn byRadissonSouthend

Radisson BluDurham

Radisson BluPortman

Radisson BluStansted

Radisson BluGalway

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6

4

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there is still a lot of work to be done and all hotels are currently working towards their think planet targets for 2013. Across the group we are embarking on a number of energy and water saving projects with experts across a range of fields and we’re

IT’S NOW JUST OVER A YEAR SINCE REZIDOR’S THINK PLANET ENERGY SAVING INITIATIVE WAS LAUNCHED. THROUGH THINK PLANET, WE AIM TO REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN ALL OF OUR HOTELS BY 25% BY 2016. IT’S AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT BUT WE’RE DELIGHTED TO ALREADY SEE SOME REAL SUCCESS STORIES COMING THROUGH.

% reduction energy/room occupied (in Kw/h)

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Park Inn byRadissonSouthend

Radisson BluDurham

Radisson BluPortman

Radisson BluStansted

Radisson BluGalway

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THINK PLANET – FAST FACTSWhen it comes to think planet, little things can make a big difference. here’s some food for thought:• achillerdoorleftopenfor30minutesadaywastesenoughenergyin

a year to power a lighthouse for nearly 4 days.

• acomputerleftonovernightforayearcreatesenoughCo2tofilladouble-decker bus

• officelightsleftonovernightuseenoughenergyinayeartoheata home for almost 5 months.

• a2°CincreaseinofficetemperaturecreatesenoughCo2inayearto fill a hot air balloon.

• aphotocopierleftonstandbyovernightwastesenoughenergytomake 30 cups of tea.

• airconditioninganofficefor1extrahouradayusesenoughenergyin a month to power a tV for over a year.

• Theenergywastedfromacompressedairleakthesizeofamatchhead is responsible for yearly co2 emissions equal to the weight of an elephant.

We’d love to hear more about what you and your colleagues are doing to help your hotel reduce its energy and water usage.

email your activities and share your best practices in future issues by contacting

[email protected]

6

Anthony ClecknerDirector of Association Sales for the UK and Ireland and the driving force behind the partnership, talks about this new initiative and why Variety is the charity of choice.

Why VArIety? Variety is a children’s charity that is committed to helping sick, disabled and disadvantaged children. they are a worldwide charity with offices all over but importantly, all of the money raised in the UK is distributed to charitable causes in the UK. they support national, regional and local charities and the causes and people they represent are so worthwhile.

WhAt DoeS VArIety Do WIth the money rAISeD? the charity provides wheelchairs, coaches and specialist equipment; it focuses on supporting children’s hospitals, youth clubs and offers outings, special events and special treats. I would recommend anyone that isn’t familiar with the work of variety to have a look at their website www.variety.org.uk to familiarize them-selves with the fantastic work they do. If anyone has children or younger brother, sister or relative, they will understand why Variety does what it does.

hoW cAn oUr hotelS AnD teAm memberS help SUpport VArIety? In the coming weeks we will be establishing charity champions in each hotel. these champions will help drive activity in the hotel – from organising charity fundraising events to creating sponsored team activities. I would urge anyone that is interested to put themselves forward as either a champion or supporter. hotels have a free reign on the number and type of activities that they do.

Do yoU hAVe Any exAmpleS of WhAt people Are DoIng? yes I spoke to the team at the radisson blu Stansted the other day and they have already got a team of eight people together from the hotel to do the 3 peaks challenge were they will walk the highest mountains in england, Scotland and Wales in just 24 hours. they will get their colleagues, friends and family members to sponsor them to raise money for Variety.

Where WIll the money rAISeD go? We have the national activity – Quids for kids. through this initiative guests will be asked to add an optional £1 donation to their bill on check-out in all participating hotels. the funds raised will be split equally between Variety and the World childhood foundation. the money that Variety gets from this will go into a central pot to help larger case studies and appeals – decided by a committee from rezidor.

hotels and team members can choose which cause to support with their locally raised funds. Variety will provide them with a list of appeals in their local area to choose from. Alternatively, if they are already involved with a local charity that works with sick, disabled or disadvantaged children, they can put that forward to Variety and providing it meets their criteria, the funds could go to them.

Where cAn We fInD oUt more?the Variety website is a great source of information www.variety.org.uk, as is the facebook page we’ve created – carlson rezidor loves Variety. general manager’s and charity champion’s can also contact their regional co-ordinator at Variety for more help and ideas.

rezidor hotels in the uk support Variety, the Children’s CharityIn february 2013, rezidor announced a two-year partnership between its hotels in the UK and Variety, the children’s charity.

As part of the partnership, participating hotels will offer guests and members of the local community the opportunity to donate to Variety through a number of initiatives, whilst continuing to support rezidor’s corporate charity the World childhood foundation.

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An insider’s view from Shane fitzpatrick, general manager of the radisson blu hotel & Spa cork:

three thIngS to KnoW AboUt corK...cork got its nickname ‘the rebel county’ due to a history of independence from the Viking invasions to the Irish civil War.

cork is home to blarney castle, where popular myth denotes that kissing the blarney Stone at the top of the castle will bestow the kisser with the “gift of gab.”

cork harbour is said to be the second largest in the world, after Sydney harbour in Australia.

mUSt See/mUSt Do...

englISh mArKet: A civic space, a meeting place, a thoroughfare, and a bustling social hub of the city. A mix of traditional cork fare and

exciting new foods from afar, all contribute to its unique appeal, which is celebrated widely, especially by visitors to the city.

cobh herItAge centre/ tItAnIc trAIl: a fascinating guided tour that explores the town of cobh in cork harbour - the last port of call of rmS titanic. this Irish heritage walking tour takes visitors through the historic town of cobh where the buildings, streets and piers have not changed since the titanic’s sinking over 100 years ago. KISS the blArney Stone: blarney castle, located near the river martin, is home to the famous blarney Stone. Also known as the Stone of eloquence, it allegedly bestows eloquence to those who kiss it. the blarney castle also has another hidden gem - the rocklose gardens, surrounding the castle andfilled with rock formations.

AccolADeS…• EuropeanCapitalofCulturein2005• LonelyPlanet’sTopTenBestin

travel 2010 • Yahoo!TopTenEuropeanCities

to Visit in 2011

Where to StAy? rezidorian’s are spoilt for choice with two hotels in the city:the radisson blu hotel & Spa cork and the park Inn by radisson cork Airport.

fASt fActS: rADISSon blU hotel & SpA, corK

locAtIon: 10 minutes from the city centregUeSt beDroomS: 129fooD & DrInK: the banks bar and grill room relAxAtIon: the retreat Spa, the retreat fitness centre and hydrotherapy pool.

destinationsEach issuE wE will takE you on a virtual trip to two dEstinations in rEzidor’s uk & irEland portfolio....

IntroDUcIng corK...the republic of Ireland’s second city, cork is a leading destination for business and leisure. Spread over 1100kms of coastline, the county offers an abundance of water-based activities including:fishing, sailing, cruising, surfing and whale watching. meanwhile, food lovers should head to Kinsale, known as the gourmet capital of Ireland.


An insider’s view from Sally hughes, general manager and team at the park Inn by radisson york:

yorK fActS...

WhAt A nAme: Whip-ma-whop-ma-gate is the shortest street in york. the saxon words mean “neither one thing nor the other”. In the 16th century, the name was 'Whitnourwhatnourgate,' but the present form emerged when the area became the site of the city where petty criminals were publicly flogged.

gUnpoWDer treASon AnD plot: guy fawkes was born in york, educated at St peters, one of the oldest schools in the UK. he famously plotted to blow up the houses of parliament before being caught. StAnD AnD DelIVer: Dick turpin wasn’t from york, and he

wasn’t the dashing outlaw of legend and he didn’t own a horse called black bess. but Dick turpin was captured, tried, and spent his last night in york Debtors which you can still see in york castle museum. he was hung at tyburn by york raceourse and his grave is in St georges gravesyard in central york and you can visit them both.

mUSt See/mUSt Do...• YorkMinster• JorvikVikingCentre• NationalRailwaymuseum

An AWArD WInnIng cIty:• YorkwasvotedBritain’sfavouritesmall

city by the rough guide to britain, in an independent poll published in may 2011.

• Yorkwascrownedthebestgastrodestination in the UK and fifth best in europe by trip Advisor in 2011

• YorkwashailedasBritain’smostbeautiful city – and the place where most people want to live in an independent survey by bing in 2011

Where to StAy? the recently refurbished park Inn by radisson york is in the heart of the city, perfectly positioned for everything that york has to offer.

fASt fActS: pArK Inn by rADISSon yorK

locAtIon: In the city centre on the river ousegUeSt beDroomS: 200fooD & DrInK: Stunning riverside bar and rbg bar & grill fItneSS: Innaction health & fitness centre

SpotlIght on yorK...World renowned for its ancient history, striking architecture and cobbled streets, york is one of the UK’s most visited cities.this fashionable city successfully combines its heritage and historic buildings with designer shops, modern restaurants, bars and cafes.

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yes i can! is a way of life at rezidor and for perla hake, food & Beverage assistant at the radisson Blu portman hotel in london, this has been the case for an incredible 35 years. here perla talks about her time at the hotel:

nAme: pela hakeJoBTiTLE:food & beverage Assistant at the radisson blu portman hotel, london

congrAtUlAtIonS on 35 yeArS At the hotel! WhAt Are the bIggeSt chAngeS yoU’Ve Seen DUrIng yoUr tIme here? A lot of things have changed over the years I have been working here. Some things that have changed for the better include the atmosphere in the lobby and restaurant; it’s now much warmer and nicer.

over the years, I’ve had the chance to work with some lovely people and manager’s and got to know a lot of guests which I love.

WhAt DoeS yeS I cAn! meAn to yoU? A lot! yes I can! has taught me how we should be with guests and colleagues and it has proven many times that this really helps to get the customers to return to the hotel.

We really understand their needs and with the more regular guests we even know their names and their preference of coffee and tea which they really seem to appreciate, especially in a large city like london!

WhAt IS the fAVoUrIte pArt ofYouRJoB?I really enjoy working in the portman corner restaurant and meeting and serving customers and with the support from my colleagues, it’s a really pleasurable place to work

WhAt Are yoUr fonDeSt memorIeS/hIghlIghtS from yoUr tIme here? When I met and served mr. Kofi Annan when he was the United nations Secretary, it was a real honour.

Do yoU hAVe Any fUnny StorIeS?one morning a guest was sitting on the restaurant chair and rocking it. I went over and politely asked him to be very careful. he then asked me – why are your chairs not safe? And at this moment he fell…we laughed together as it was a funny moment and thankfully he didn’t hurt himself.

ifYouwEREN’TdoiNgThisJoB,whaTWoUlD yoU Do InSteAD?I think I would be a primary School teacher

35 years ofyes i Can!


it’s not often that a typical day in the office involves being hoisted into the air to grab a bottle of vintage red wine for a guest but as a wine angel at the radisson Blu hotel, stansted airport, that’s exactly how tamlyn clark spends her days.

nAme: tamlyn clarkJoBTiTLE:Wine Angel at the radisson blu hotel, Stansted Airport

It’S fAIr to SAy yoU hAVe A pretty uNiquEJoB,howdidYouCoMETobe A WIne Angel?? yes being a wine angel is a very unique job. I am one of the original wine angels and I initially worked with one of the designers of the tower who asked if I would come in and see what I could do in the space, I have been here ever since.

DID yoU hAVe to UnDertAKe SpecIAl trAInIng to become A WIne Angel?rescue training, getting used to flying in such a confined space, learning where all the wines are kept, logging wine movements and stock control, the safest way to retrieve wines and learning moves to put in to a routine; are all the things I needed to learn.

WhAt Are the Key reQUIrementS to become A WIne Angel? We are all trained dancers gymnasts or, aerialists. you have to have good core strength, grace, flexibility, spacial awareness, a head for heights, be a good team player and be quite tough as it’s hard being in a harness.

WhAt IS A typIcAl DAy’S WorK for yoU? generally a typical day’s work involves training for the stunt register and doing filming jobs.

WhAt’S the beSt thIng AboUt YouRJoB? I love that I get to work with some with amazing, talented people and get to meet new people all the time.

Are there Any DrAWbAcKS? only that sometimes my body hurts from wearing a harness, which can be uncomfortable. We often get asked if we enjoy our job and the truth is its fantastic being a wine angel!

WhAt’S yoUr moSt memorAble moment In the role? there are so many stand-outs but new year’s eve when all four angels are on and the atmosphere in the hotel is amazing, stands out for me.

hAVe yoU hAD Any IntereStIng or UnUSUAl reQUeStS? the main one is people asking if they can have a go in the tower.

yes i Can! in aCtionMeet the Wine angel...

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the rADISSon blU hotel StAnSteD AIrport ScoopS lAteroomS.com AWArDthe radisson blu hotel at london’s Stansted Airport started 2013 with a new honour, scooping 1st place in the top ten Airport hotels category of the laterooms.com Simply the guest 2012 awards.

the awards are the UK’s only awards based purely on guest feedback and are based on real guest reviews from a bank of 1.4 million guest stays, booked through the website throughout 2012.

In more good news for carlson rezidor hotels in the UK, a further three properties were included in the top ten of the following categories:

top ten boUtIQUe hotelShotel missoni edinburgh

top ten bUSIneSS hotelSradisson blu hotel, Durham

top ten cIty hotelSpark Inn by radisson Aberdeen.

the rADISSon blU eASt mIDlAnDS AIrport hotel WInS excellence AWArDthe radisson blu at east midlands Airport won the ‘best large hotel’ award at the leicester & leicestershire tourism Excellenceawards.Judgesnotedthehotel’s general excellence and particularly that it ‘understands and is committed to excellence through its people – it is their contribution that particularly helped the hotel stand out against strong competition.’

the leicester and leicestershire tourism excellence Awards celebrate the excellent service that the wide range of local visitor attractions, accommodation providers, restaurants and events offer to ensure visitors to the area have the best possible experience during their stay.

loUISe tUrnbUll ScoopS top honoUr At the north eASt hotel oScArSlouise turnbull, front office manager at the radisson blu hotel, Durham won best Arrivals experience at the north east hotel Association Awards, beating off stiff competition from competitors including marriott in the process.

every year the north east hotels Association (nehA) holds the awards to recognise and reward the achievements of those working in the region’s burgeoning hotel industry in areas such as leisure excellence, support services, community involvement, sales, service excellence and emerging talent.

aWards & aChieVeMentsfast on the heels of the Grammy’s and the oscars, rezidorian’s have been out in force this awards season with a number of great achievements for us to shout about:

in the next uk & ireland update, we hope to share more news updates, good news stories and successes from the region.

please share your stories on awards and achievements, responsible business and shining starts of yes i can!

find out more and send information through to:[email protected]

neXt tiMe...

Download - EBROCHURE UK Ireland update Q1 2013

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