Month: January 2020

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New hotel openings in Copenhagen this year

The past few years have seen a huge increase in the number of new hotels being built in Copenhagen. From cutting-edge technology in new ‘hostel’ hubs to reworked factories, an old library and the former Central Post and Telegraph Office in Copenhagen, the hotel scene is booming. Here at EDGE Venues, we’ve brought you some of the new exciting openings to look forward to…

Bryggen Guldsmeden Hotel Copenhagen

Kicking off the year is the new 4-star Bryggen Guldsmeden. This hotel opens on 17 February 2020 in the Islands Brygge area of the city. The 214-room hotel combines sleek lines and Scandinavian minimalism with a tropical vibe emanating from lush planting that surrounds the indoor pool in the glass-walled rooftop Orangery. The capacity of the meeting space is to be confirmed.

Villa Copenhagen, Hotel & Conference, Copenhagen

In spring 2020, Copenhagen Central station gets a new neighbour as the former Central Post & Telegraph Head Office opens as Villa Copenhagen. Allowing the past and present to come together the historic building dates back to 1912. The hotel incorporates many original features with an elegant and contemporary Nordic style in the 390 bedrooms and public areas. Villa Copenhagen will be able to hold events for up to 1,200 people, with 8 adjoining studios for breakouts or smaller intimate meetings. Villa Copenhagen will have a breakfast restaurant, a brasserie, wine bar and a cosy courtyard. There will also be an outdoor heated pool, sauna, gym and an urban rooftop garden.

Scandic Norreport

At Copenhagen’s busiest railway station, Denmark’s largest hotel chain Scandic will open its 27th hotel, Scandic Norreport on the corner of Frederiksborggade and Nørre Voldgade. The hotel has a direct metro service to the airport and minutes from the city’s food halls and Botanical Garden. The 100-bedroom hotel will be small compared to other Scandic properties. It will have meeting space, a roof top terrace, restaurant and sky bar for breathtaking views of the city. This property is due to open at the end of 2020.

Comfort Hotel

Located at Copenhagen airport, Comfort Hotel will open the largest hotel and conference centre in the Nordic Countries in September 2020. With 619 bedrooms, conference facilities, a restaurant, sky bar and a fitness centre spread across 12 floors. Its event space, ‘The Hangar’, will have room for 2,150 people across five areas, each holding up to 400 guests.

Beyond Copenhagen

In spring 2020, Radisson Red Aarhus, the new creative brand from the Radisson Hotel Group inspired by music, art and fashion, will open in Aarhus. The hotel will have 78 rooms, a restaurant, gym, and a meeting space. Located in the city centre, it will be close to main attractions and historic Latin quarter with bars and cafes. The main railway station is within walking distance and there will be easy access to the airport.

Scandic, Aarhus Waterfront

The Aarhus waterfront (pictured) will also become home to a new landmark conference hotel. The complex will include a 29,000 m2 hotel with 500 rooms. The meeting facilities will seat 2,000 conference-goers or a total of 3,500 concert guests. Located on ground level, the conference facilities will include a waterfront restaurant. The new conference hotel, to be operated by Scandic. It will include an exterior public walkway covering the full height of the building with gardens and sea views.

Jorgensens Hotel, Horsens

Less than an hour south of Aarhus in the town of Horsens, Jorgensens Hotel is set to open in 2020 after a major refurbishment. The hotel is located in the majestic Lichtenbergs Palace, dating from 1744. The reopened hotel will maintain its period charm and personality. The event space has capacity for up to 300 people.

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Tips to create an event brief to maximise profitability

We all want our events to run smoothly and get the best value for money from our suppliers. We’re looking at writing an event brief and how to make it attractive to hotels and venues as well as managing the event costs. Here are a few ideas that will help you get the best response to ensure your event runs smoothly.

Make the conference or meeting attractive to the venue or hotel

If you can demonstrate the value of holding the event at the venue, then you’re likely to get a better rate. Some of the things that you might want to include in the event brief are:

  • Information about your company. How many events you hold. Whether there’s the possibility of the venue hosting several of them.
  • The event details. Is it a new meeting, if so, could it be repeated at the same venue for a possible 2-year deal? Is there scope for growth in the future? Or is it an established event which means that you can demonstrate the attendance, accommodation pick up, food and beverage consumption etc?
  • Know your budget, both the overall spend and breakdown of items. Do you need timed coffee breaks or all-day servings? Will the meals be buffets, standing or seated, or a 3- or 4- course served meal?
  • What are the event objectives? Make it clear exactly what you and the attendees need while they are onsite. That way there are no surprises for the venue later.
  • Give the venue as much detail as possible. Can they assist with local suppliers for better rates on transport, team building, leisure activities etc?
  • Plan the space that you need and make it clear to the venue. That’s not only the meeting rooms, but the catering space and networking areas. Do you need it for exclusive use, or will it be shared with other companies?
  • If you can, be flexible with dates. If a venue can fit your booking between ones already in the diary and it fills a gap, this makes it more attractive to them.
Be flexible with your event brief
  • Accommodation – will it be booked by the attendees or from a rooming list supplied by you. The less work that a hotel does to manage the accommodation bookings the better.
  • Highlight if you are detailing with a preferred partner or preferred group. If the venue can verify that your event is an attractive piece on business, then they will want to work with you.
  • Tell the venue your decision-making date, deadlines and milestones as this will help them work with you. If you have dates planned for site visit, then let them know and whether you’d prefer to see the venue empty or with an event running there.

Factors to consider in your event brief

  • Work out what needs to be booked as far as possible in advance to gain the best rate as last-minute buying leaves less room to negotiate and increases the costs. However, if you don’t know some of the detail, leave that until later to confirm as you don’t want to book something and then have to cancel.
  • Get a quote from the in-house technology supplier and if there’s chargers for bringing your own supplier. Ensure this is negotiated and contracted at the time of the booking. You don’t want to find that you have unavoidable cost later.
  • Is there free WIFI and is it secure and good enough for your speakers, organisers and attendees? Adding a secure network can be expensive, so make sure you know the cost in advance and contract it.
  • Are there any costs for loading and unloading equipment? Consider the costs for setup and breakdown, can these be included or provided at a reduced rate? Are there any time restrictions in place?
  • Meeting room set up – find out if there are costs for changing a meeting room set up. In some countries there may be labour costs if rooms are changed during the day.
  • Do you need overnight hold of all the space? The answer is ‘yes’ if you have a two-day event with a/v equipment. You don’t want to find that the venue sells the room for a dinner while you are not using it in the evening.
  • Don’t find that you have unused break out rooms that you’ve paid for. Would it be possible to use the main room for a breakout session and save the room hire on an extra small room?
  • Use a template to compare costs from different venues against your budget. Check the prices and re-negotiate. Check the rates of other bookings that have been made in the same destination or with the same venue group.
  • Keep to the deadlines and contract, missing dates or trying to change details will at best irritate the venue and can also incur additional cost.

The best ways to negotiate

  • Ask for everything you want in your event brief. You won’t get it, but you will get some of the things you ask for.
  • The venue maybe prepared to give you items that add value to your event, that cost them very little but are of significance to you and the attendees. Bacon rolls on arrival, a proportion of the bedrooms in upgraded categories, some bedrooms with early check-in or late check-out etc.
  • Use a specialist? A venue finding agent is an independent 3rd party and may be able to negotiate a better deal than if you do business directly. For example, they may be placing more business with the venue or group and have good contacts there, so you can take advantage of their buying power. They also have a wealth of experience of many different events and can help you throughout the booking process.

EDGEvenues.com offers a free venue finding service, just email enquiries@edgevenues.com or call 01780 484051 for help or advice.

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London RevPAR growth softens

Regional performance continues to deteriorate as London RevPAR growth is softening

According to the Q4 2019 UK Hotel Market Tracker London recorded RevPAR growth of 0.9% for the final quarter of the decade. Report published by AlixPartners, STR and HVS,

Whilst these figures are encouraging, hoteliers will be keeping a close eye on softening occupancy, especially given active pipeline levels above 10%.

Regional RevPAR declined 2.7% in Q4. The regions posted a decline of 1.9% for the full year 2019, marking the first annual decline since 2015.

Transaction volumes were 19% down in 2019, as increased portfolio activity was more than offset by a steep decline in single assets sales.

Transactions are up in Q4 2019 and with greater political certainty, investors are likely to be cautiously optimistic about a resurgence in activity heading into 2020.

Click here for the full report.

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EDGE Venues appoints Tracy Winsworth as new MD

EDGE Venues, specialists in global venue sourcing for meetings and events, have appointed Tracy Winsworth into the newly created role of Managing Director.

The appointment comes as Jacqui Kavanagh, CEO of Trinity EDGE Holdings, continues to make further investment into both EDGE Venues and Trinity Event Solutions as the businesses trade under their separate entities. 

Jacqui launched EDGE Venues in December 2018 with Tracy supporting as Commercial Director. In the 12 months, the business has been operating, Jacqui has been mentoring Tracy to take the reins to become Managing Director. 

Tracy has been in the meetings and events industry for more than ten years, having started with Trinity Event Solutions as Finance Manager. Tracy shares her excitement at this new opportunity: “Both EDGE Venues and I have been on a fantastic 12-month journey. Having developed as a person over the 10 years, both within the business and industry, I’m excited to see how we can continue driving results and success for EDGE. 

“We want EDGE to be the ‘go-to’ platform for corporates and agents to source venues, and for venues that wish to achieve growth in the corporate market. I look forward to taking the platform forward and seeing what the future holds for us.”

Jacqui, CEO for Trinity EDGE Holdings, explains the importance of this appointment: “It’s important that Trinity Event Solutions and EDGE Venues are considered separate entities. I need to oversee both businesses while having the best management team in place to run each company. Tracy has been with me from the original EDGE concept and having worked closely with her on the commercial side, I know she’s ready for this role. 

“This is such an exciting time for us all as there’s so much happening in our industry. It needs to adapt, and EDGE, through its innovative technology, is a disruptor which is driving some of that change.” 

EDGE Venues, supported more than 4,000 events in its first year through its comprehensive booking platform. EDGE not only offers a venue-finding solution for all event planners and agencies, but it’s also seen as an engagement platform, providing expert industry trends, knowledge, and insight.

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Opening of the refurbished Malta Marriott Hotel & Spa

The Malta Marriott Hotel & Spa located in Balluta, St. Julian’s opened on 13th of January 2020, following a €30m investment in renovation.

The 5* hotel is a 20-minute drive from the island’s capital Valletta and 12 km from Malta International Airport. It is located next to a sandy beach and a seafront promenade within the bustling, cosmopolitan town of St. Julian’s.

There are 13 different meeting spaces all on the dedicated meetings floor of the building, connected through a series of syndicate rooms, with terraces and gardens to enjoy breaks outside. The largest space is the gallery with capacity of 320 in theatre-style. All the meeting rooms have natural daylight.

The Malta Marriott Hotel is contemporary in style, with 301 bedrooms — including 25 Club Rooms, 29 Suites and a 150 square-metre Presidential Suite with views of Balluta Bay. There are indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a fully equipped spa and fitness centre.

The Malta Marriott also has a M Club Lounge, which is on the top floor, with outdoor terraces and views of the Mediterranean Sea. There are five restaurants and three bars, including its signature restaurant Taro housed at The Villa, a 19th century palazzo adjacent to the hotel’s grounds, overlooking the bay.

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Accor commits to being single-use plastic free by 2022

Accor has announced its commitment to join the UN Global Tourism Plastics Initiative and to remove all single-use plastic items in guest experience from its hotels by the end of 2022. This action by Accor toward reducing environmental impacts and strengthening efforts to combat plastic pollution of the world’s oceans and other natural environments is a significant step forward for the global hospitality industry and for the group, which has been committed to sustainability for many years.

As it advances its role as a responsible tourism provider locally and globally, Accor has committed to join the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Tourism Organization, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

“We are aware of the significant impact we have on our planet and our responsibility to create tangible benefits for our employees, guests, suppliers, partners and host communities,” said Sébastien Bazin, Chairman & CEO, Accor. “What guides us is the consciousness and social awareness that drives every person who strives to be a good citizen. It’s about being aware, socially conscious and consistent.”

Welcoming over 120 million guests and serving more than 200 million meals each year, Accor takes its role as a responsible corporate citizen to heart, working within the framework of its sustainable development program, for the past 25 years. In addition to their previous commitment to eliminate all plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds, today’s new commitment includes:

  • The removal of individual plastic toiletry amenities and cups by the end of 2020.
  • The elimination of all remaining single-use plastic items in guestrooms, meeting areas, restaurants and all leisure activities areas (spas, fitness centers, etc.) by the end of 2022.

Single-use plastics are defined as disposable items that are used only once and then discarded. Examples include plastic straws, cotton buds, coffee stirrers, plastic cups, plastic bags for laundry or extra pillows, plastic water bottles, all plastic packaging (for food, welcome products, etc), plastic take-away dishes and tableware, plastic gifts and welcome products (toiletries, slippers, pencils, etc), plastic keycards. Relevant alternatives to plastic will be proposed for each specific item, considering Life Cycle Assessments to ensure better environmental performance for the solution proposed to our hotels.

With more than 200 million single-use plastic items used every year in all areas, hotels are already reducing significantly their impact. Several have deployed effective solutions by choosing more sustainable alternatives. For instance:

  • 94% of Accor’s hotels have eliminated the use of straws, cotton buds and stirrers. The remaining 6% (mostly in China) will do it by end of March 2020
  • 89% of ibis’ hotels are using dispensers for amenities as shampoos…. This means 2087 ibis family hotels have already dropped single use plastic for this equipment. Accor ibis family hotels in Latin America will follow the same initiative this year.
  • Fairmont has used new construction and renovation standards in another example of one of their brands’ efforts. Its hotels incorporate water filtration taps in guest rooms to eliminate bottled water altogether.

To go further, their new brand “Greet” was created to answer their guests’ needs, so it is in the brand’s DNA to be plastic free. There is zero disposable plastic at breakfast and reusable dishes are utilized for butter and jam. In addition, there is zero disposable plastic in rooms and other parts of the hotels.

Accor plans to open 10 more Greet hotels in Europe this year.

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Tempo by Hilton brand launched for ‘modern achievers’

Hilton has launched its 18th brand, Tempo, aimed at “modern achievers who seek a hotel experience that reflects their ambition” with lifestyle brand partnerships.

The brand is said to feature elements designed “to help ambitious guests continue their journey without disrupting their routine”, including morning and bedtime ‘rituals’ and mirrors with built-in Bluetooth speakers.

There are already 30 hotels under development for the lifestyle brand, which Hilton describes as “highly scalable”, and 30 more pending deals. Partnerships include Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global, which tackles stress and burnout, and culinary firm Blau + Associates.

The food and beverage concepts, meanwhile, will include a lobby Fuel Bar serving complimentary coffee and teas; a casual café; and a bar serving cocktails and small plates. Additionally, Blau + Associates will collaborate with Hilton to form an advisory board of young up-and-coming chefs who will help curate seasonal menus.

The focus is currently on US cities with confirmed developments in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Hilton said there are currently no plans to bring the brand to Europe.

Jon Witter, chief customer officer at Hilton, said: “Through our research, we found that while our current upscale offerings have been incredibly successful at earning loyalty among specific guest segments, there was a rising demographic of ambitious and highly discerning travellers that weren’t engaging with the category.”

Christopher J. Nassetta, president and chief executive of Hilton, said: “Tempo by Hilton is the latest example of our unique ability to anticipate what our guests are looking for and deliver unmatched value for customers and owners alike.”

Phil Cordell, SVP and global head of new brand development, Hilton, added: “Tempo by Hilton introduces a new concept by combining all the benefits and efficiencies owners expect from a limited service model with an uplifting dose of inspiration.

“Utilising a data-driven blueprint, we identified lifestyle offerings inside the guest rooms and throughout the property that push the entire sector to new heights. The end result is a compelling, yet approachable brand that enables owners to expand their portfolios in sought-after locations across the country as well as capture a new demographic of travellers.”

Hilton’s brand portfolio also includes brands such as Hampton, DoubleTree, and the more recently launched Motto and Signia. The company has a portfolio of nearly 6,000 properties with more than 954,000 rooms in 117 countries and territories.

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Best Western signs seven Corus Hotels

Sales and marketing consortium Best Western GB has added seven properties to its portfolio following the signing of an agreement with Corus Hotels.

The new partnership includes two Laura Ashley properties. The 82-bedroom Belsfield in Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, and the 17-bedroom Iliffe in Coventry. Both hotels will be marketed under the WorldHotels brand, acquired by Best Western last year.

The other hotels in the agreement include:

Mark Stanley, head of hotel development at Best Western GB, said: “The Corus and Laura Ashley agreement is the perfect way to start 2020, and continues our success of 2019, which was a fantastic year. We are incredibly proud to be working alongside this prestigious group.”

Yet King Loy, chief executive of Corus Hotels, which is owned by Malaysian group MUI, added. “We are delighted that our group of hotels is able to link with Best Western to gain wider market coverage and to provide an enhanced experience to our guests. We hope to expand our collection of Laura Ashley Hotels in conjunction with our Best Western partnership.”

Best Western GB currently represents more than 260 hotels.

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Marriott’s EDITION Hotels due to open three hotels this year

The lifestyle brand, EDITION Hotels, conceived by Ian Schrager will increase its hotels from 10 to 13 by opening three more this year. There are a total of 15 hotels in the pipeline, which are due for completion in the next three years and will double the size of the group:

2020 openings

  • The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon

Due to be completed in the Summer, this will be the first EDITION Hotel in Japan, the Tokyo EDITION Toranomon is part of the redevelopment of the former Pastoral Building. This is a mixed-use project of homes, offices, and a medical centre. The hotel will have 206 guest rooms with views of Tokyo skyline, three restaurants and bars, spa, indoor pool and fitness center

  • The Reykjavik EDITION

This hotel will open towards the end of this year, in the centre of Reykjavik. It will have 250 rooms and suites, a private rooftop, nightlife space and ballroom, three restaurants and a café.

  • The Dubai EDITION

Again, this hotel should open at the end of this year and is located in downtown Dubai, opposite the world-famous Dubai Mall. There will be 210 rooms and suites, seven restaurants, swimming pools, pool deck dining, a spa and fitness centre, events spaces with multiple meeting rooms and a ballroom.

Openings is 2021

  • Ginza, Tokyo
  • Riviera Maya at Kanai
  • Singapore
  • Tamapa
  • Doha

Openings is 2022

  • Milan
  • Madrid

The EDITION brand aims to combine a personal, intimate, individualized and unique experience, with the global reach and using the operational expertise and scale of Marriott. The hotels aim to encompass great design and true innovation with personal, friendly, modern service as well as one-of-a-kind food, beverage and entertainment offerings …“all under one roof”.

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Global warming top travel risk for 2020

The impact of climate change and the potential final year of the Trump administration will be the two most important sources of travel risk in the year ahead, according to travel risk intelligence company Riskline.

The company’s analysts compiled a list of the top 10 travel risks to watch out for in 2020, and climate change topped the board for its potential to cause abnormal weather patterns and natural disasters such as hurricanes, heat waves and floods.

Scientists predict an 80% chance of an El Niño weather pattern occurring in 2020, bringing disastrous heavy rainfall and long droughts to countries around the Pacific Ocean and paving the way for mosquito-borne diseases.

Political, social and economic unrest caused by the US 2020 elections, Brexit and the US-China trade war could also cause travel disruption, according to Riskline’s experts.

Other major travel threats include Islamic terrorism, far-right terrorism, and the outbreak of infectious diseases amid on-going migration and a highly mobile world population.

Riskline also pointed to major sporting events like the Summer Olympics in Japan, the UEFA Euro, the Copa América in Argentina and Colombia and the three cycling Grand Tours as likely to pose risks to travellers in 2020 due to overcrowding, terrorism or potential labour strikes.

Internet blackouts could also cause problems to travellers, as well as civil protests and water shortages in regions such as India and Pakistan, and in Middle Eastern countries such as Iran, Iraq and Lebanon.

Riskline’s Director of Operations, Adam Schrader, says: “All of the predicted risks we’ve shared are equally important, but two of them in particular will underpin the most dangerous security threats in 2020: the ongoing effects of climate change and the potential final year of the Trump administration.

“In the case of the former, it will be the mostly unseen, long-term effects that are the greater danger, as droughts or floods destroy land and livelihoods and become the catalysts for new violent conflicts and forced migration.

“Meanwhile the prospect that 2020 could be the final year of the Trump presidency bodes ill for international peace. Both allies and antagonists of the United States may feel that the level of impunity they have enjoyed in foreign affairs since 2016 may be coming to an end.”