< PreviousTrending hoteliermiddleeast.com July 2021 10 Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has introduced its twenty- rst brand called Registry Collection Hotels. Wyndham is the world’s largest hotel franchising company with over 8,900 hotels across around 95 countries. The new band is targeting independent luxury hotel owners who are in need of a large operator to help steer them out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Those joining Registry Collection Hotels will have access to the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program and can drive more direct bookings at a lower cost of distribution. Paris-based Louvre Hotels Group has swung open the doors of Golden Tulip Riyadh, marking the start of its ambitious expansion plans across the Gulf state. The hotel brings 94 keys, including 15 suites to the area. The six-story hotel has an outdoor rooftop pool offering views of the city, as well as food and beverage outlets. These include the lobby-level Tulip Restaurant with international food; Coffee and Co café; and Jasmine Restaurant. Commenting on the new opening Sherif Ezzat, general manager of the Golden Tulip Riyadh Hotel said: “The Golden Tulip Riyadh Hotel will offer a distinctive style, unique service, and top-tier facilities. We are excited to provide our guests with the unmatched comfort and hospitality that comes with staying at our hotel.” The group is already one of the world’s largest hotel groups, with more than 100,000 keys, however, its European supply dwarfs its presence in the Middle East, which is only around 70 compared to more than 1,000 hotels in Europe. Rectifying this, the group will open all its new Saudi properties by the end of 2025, adding 6,552 keys for a total of 8,500 in the Kingdom. Louvre Hotels starts Saudi expansion Wyndham Hotels & Resorts launches new brand Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said: “As the hospitality industry continues to rebound, independent luxury hotel owners around the world have approached our development teams seeking sales, marketing and reservations support under a proven and established luxury brand. “Registry Collection Hotels now ll an important space at the upper end of the Wyndham Hotels & Resorts portfolio, allowing us to selectively provide support to independent hoteliers around the globe who meet the highest standards.”11 July 2021 hoteliermiddleeast.com Partner Content Sustainability is no longer a buzzword or a trend. It’s something that customers demand. Being environmentally conscious has now hit the mainstream and it’s vital that hotels and restaurants don’t fall behind. Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) also mandated that all hotels join Dubai Sustainable Tourism’s (DSM) Sustainability for Hotel Establishment initiative by July 1, 2021. With every hotel in the city tracking their carbon footprint, it’s important to nd ways to improve your environmental performance. One way is with Sprudel CBS (closed- loop bottling system), a complete solution for hotels to replace single-use water bottles in their rooms and outlets. So what are the bene ts? Its ergonomically designed equipment and process reduces strain on staff and it features customisable components to accommodate brand requirements. The CBS ef ciently dispenses water into multiple bottles per cycle and the system is agile enough to expand and contract to meet changing needs. Using a complete closed-loop system, the Sprudel CBS guarantees health and safety. Used bottles are collected from the rooms using a customised housekeeping trolley add-on and are taken to the CBS room for sanitisation and cleaning. From there the bottles are re lled using the CBS Model H high-capacity lling system with multiple lling heads. Bottles are then sealed and dated and delivered back to the rooms for consumption. With its food-grade stainless steel ttings and high capacity, industry- proven ltration systems, the Sprudel CBS allows for a single operator to ll up to 720 bottles per hour. A huge saving to both your hotel and the environment. With safety being a top priority following last year’s Covid-19 pandemic, Sprudel utilises an industry-recognised HAACP plan with document critical limits, monitoring procedures for the Free yourself from plastic with Sprudel CBS measurement of critical limits, and corrective action plans. All water testing is conducted in accordance with Dubai Municipality guidelines. Sprudel founder Shawn Green believes it’s the solution the industry has been waiting for. He said: “We were approached by a resort hotel to come up with a solution speci cally for hotels. For the past seven years we have helped large corporate of ces go plastic free by implementing our water dispensers into their of ces, so we knew we could help. However, the scale of what is needed in a hotel setting is very different from a corporate of ce and we knew that we couldn’t just install a regular dispenser to try and keep up with the demand of a hotel. So we used the initial lockdown of 2020 to design a high-capacity water system for hotels that had to be fast, ef cient and have safety at its core. What we see today is the culmination of a year’s work in perfecting each stage of the process to make the system not only super-ef cient but also very cost- effective. We manufacture the CBS in the UAE using local suppliers so we are engaging the local economy and expertise, this is something we are very proud of.” Using custom made, branded reusable glass bottles, the CBS showcases a hotel’s desire to change and be more environmentally friendly at a time when it’s never been so important. Available throughout the GCC, it’s never been easier for a hotel to go plastic-free. Contact Sprudel: 04 368 3226 www.sprudel.life Floorplan layouthoteliermiddleeast.com July 2021 12 Bhavesh Rawal lands rst hotel manager job with Marriott Appointments After 22 years within food and beverage and hospitality, Bhavesh Rawal has secured his rst position as a hotel manager. Rawal will now help lead the new Aloft Hotel Al Mina and the Element Al Mina, both under Marriott International. Described as a natural-born leader by Marriott, Rawal will now look after a combined 12 restaurants and bars, 351 keys, banqueting operations and catering opportunities. Before joining the two hotels, the majority of Rawal’s experience has been in F&B, starting out as a chef de partie with Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, later holding more senior positions with Madinat Jumeirah where he was executive sous chef. It was in 2012 when he joined Marriott where he started to shine. Rising the ranks to EAM – food and beverage at JW Marriott Dubai, he has been instrumental in arranging, supervising and directing a myriad of catering events at the hotel – everything from live concerts featuring Ed Sheeran, Jennifer Lopez and Eric Clapton to the Dubai Airshow, Dubai Rugby Sevens and the IPL Cricket shows. “With gratitude and excitement, I am excited to take on this role as we embark and proud to launch two amazing hotels Aloft Hotel Al Mina and Element Al Mina in Dubai. The high quality of the service, top-of-the-line facilities, amenities and the skilled team are striving to truly deliver to our guests a memorable and comfortable experience during their stay with us.” CAREERS13 July 2021 hoteliermiddleeast.com Four Seasons Bahrain Bay welcomes new executive chef Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay has appointed Leonardo Di Clemente as its executive chef, a proud Italian who has worked across the group for two decades. As executive chef, he will oversee three of the hotel’s dining outlets, namely Bay View, Bahrain Bay Kitchen and Beach Deck, along with in-room dining and catering. In his new role, he will lead the culinary brigade to uphold the standards of each venue, especially during events. “While I started my journey rooted in Italy’s rich culinary heritage and Mediterranean cuisine, travelling has in uenced my culinary knowledge in substantial ways, allowing me to experience new avours, cooking techniques and cultures from Asia, Europe and beyond,” commented Di Clemente. “What excites me about starting my journey in the Kingdom of Bahrain is the opportunity to embrace the culinary history of the region, particularly with its unique avour combinations and ingredients including Arabic spices.” BIG IMPACT, SMALL FOOTPRINT ITIITITIIIIIIIIII ’S’S’S AAALLLLLL AAAAAAAAABOBOBOBOOBOBOBOOBOBOBOBOOBOOBOBOOB UTUTUTUTTTTTTUTUTTTTTUTTTTTUUUTUU THE MOMENT. THE AWARD-WINNING FRANKE A300 Franke A300 Short on space but high ambitions? Then the Franke A300 can help by bringing great coffee experiences into places where space is limited. With its intuitive, easy-to-use touchscreen, automatic EasyClean system and the integrated FoamMaster™, your premium quality coffee is just seconds away. Want to know more? coffee.franke.com FRANKE_Awards_A300_CatererMiddleEast_180x115.indd 123.04.2021 11:53:45Careers hoteliermiddleeast.com July 2021 14 How did you get into hospitality? The hospitality industry allows me to develop myself both professionally and as a person. Not only have I improved the professional skills I already possess, but also learnt so much from a variety of colleagues, clients and situations that have put my skills to the test. Tell us how previous roles helped get you where you are today. Working with my previous employers required a high levels of critical thinking, ultimately decision making and the ability to follow up, in addition to working in remote areas. Having that accountability has prepared me to have a high-level of autonomy to complete day-to-day functions and working hand in hand with teammates. Have there been mentors in your career? Absolutely, starting from my parents at the beginning of my career in fact. As your career progresses, you may need to change mentors based on a variety of factors – job change, promotions or location changes. As the circumstances of each mentor changes, so too will the value of that interaction with them. Keep in mind that the role of the mentor is to give and yours is to take. So at some point in your career, you need to be willing to give back by being a mentor to others. What challenges are you expecting? There are challenges to overcome during all our lives. Each challenge presents an opportunity to learn and apply a solution. New Recruit How do you plan to tackle challenges? Before starting your plan to tackle them, you need to review the process, the causes and the creativity you could potentially use to deal with it. You must look at the big picture, then set your goal. Doing so can ensure your planning goes as smoothly as possible. Tell us how a normal day will go for you. I am an early bird. Waking up early gives me the immense motivation, energy and positivity to tackle the day. I collaboratively plan my day and make sure that the most urgent work gets done rst. Capping my night is doing a tour around the hotel to ensure that the product is in top shape and my team is well looked after. Any advice to your fellow Bahraini GMs? As a general manager, it is essential to manage the changing environment in the hospitality industry. Every day there is something new, therefore, you have to be able to adapt, change and move forward setting your business for success. Hospitality and technology are becoming closer more than ever and we need to use this to stay ahead of our competition in our market share. What is your ultimate goal in the hospitality industry? Goals must be speci c and focused; never vague or derivative. For me, it is equally important to re ect on the culture of the company as an understanding of culture will give you a clear edge ahead of your competitors. Fakhri Hindiyeh General manager, Grand Swiss- Belhotel Waterfront Seef He will lead the property marking the debut of the brand in BahrainCareers 15 July 2021 hoteliermiddleeast.comhoteliermiddleeast.com July 2021 16 Rise of the machines?17 July 2021 hoteliermiddleeast.com Rise of the machines? How the increasing need for technology in hotels can complement the personal touch of human interaction. By Josh Corder UPGRADING...hoteliermiddleeast.com July 2021 18 Rise of the machines? In 1988, the Louvre Pyramid was completed in Paris, adding 95 tonnes of steel and 105 tonnes of aluminium, stacked 70 feet in the air, to the grounds of the Louvre Museum. At the time, people hated it, saying its modern, tech- lled and stripped back design had no place on the grounds of a 200-year old palace. Now, however, the Louvre Pyramid has become an iconic sight and a physical representation of Paris’ past and future coming together. Whay are we telling you all this? Well, the hospitality industry is at a simialr juncture right now. A traditionally analogue industry, hospitality has gradually introduced more and more technology. Some say it enriches the human side of things and others fear the personal touch will be lost. As anyone who has stayed in a well thought-out hotel will tell you, it’s about far more than just somewhere to stay for the night. A visit to a hotel should be an experience from start to nish. From the doorman tipping his hat to guests as they swing open the grand doors, to the shimmer of the mahogany desk as people check-in, or the appealing clunk of the door as a room key registers. These are little details which by themselves may go unnoticed, but once combined, create something beyond the sum of its parts. What would a hotel be then if that doorman was replaced by motion sensor systems; if the check-in process was done in advance via an app, and if the room door swung open after recognising the guest’s face as they approached it? A personal touch The equilibrium of maintaining the personal touch but using technology for convenience, ef ciency and, most importantly in 2021, health and safety, is something Marko Zirdum, general manager at Bishop Design by Paul Bishop, has been thinking about. The design rm is one of the most forward-thinking in the region and has worked on some of the most striking hospitality projects in recent times, incuding SLS Dubai in Business bay. Zirdum says: “Hotels are aspiring to nd that perfect balance across both guest- facing and operational technology. “For instance, there is a need to operate with fewer people and this comes at a cost of personal interface. From an operations point of view, this reduction in staff is certainly more evident in light of the pandemic. Personal interface is lost as we transgress into the future, especially when referencing such notions as moving away from traditional check-in experiences. However, this certainly wasn’t caused by the pandemic, rather just a result of natural advancements.” Bruno Pessoa, director of design and technology services MEA at Minor Hotels, has a different outlook. He believes hotel technology can only increase a property’s personal touch. Pessoa explains: “AI interface will be of high importance in the future, where guests can have rst-hand ability to have catered concierge services and bespoke services to further enhance their experience. The beauty of this is that the guest data can be transferred to other properties under the same brand or group and allows the guest to have their settings, preferences and customised services already at hand and provided. “It’s like travelling the world with your own concierge service, no matter where you are located or going.” Pessoa goes on to detail other ways tech can be used to add personality to hotels, rather than remove it. “Hotel stays also need to start promoting their location, the culture they are integrated into, and that’s another place technology can assist,” he says. “For example, that could be catered city experiences where the guest room AI could promote certain opportunities and Bruno Pessoa Tariq Valani SLS Dubai by Bishop Design19 July 2021 hoteliermiddleeast.com Rise of the machines? “Human beings want personal recommendations“ puts their faith in you. Even more now, when technology has made information available at one’s ngertips, the tourist is overwhelmed with the amount of data online, opinions and options. Human beings seek personal recommendations based on subjectivity and emotion. Concierges are the ones to provide it. We use knowledge, as well as our own experience to show our expertise to the guest while adding a personal touch. “While it is a great tool for the concierge, technology will never be able to replace personal service and emotional bonds. I always like to think that a service professional should go on a partial emotional journey with the guest, just enough so that the guest feels empathy but not so far as to be intrusive.” For Accor, the role of technology of hotels is two-fold: To maximise comfort for the guest and to smooth operations. the guest can book via an interactive TV or touchpad system. “Sometimes it’s less about guests not wanting to do things and more about them not knowing how to. Therefore, if in-room technology can enhance guest experience, people will come to think of it as their own bespoke concierge service. It can only strengthen the guest and hotel brand relationship.” Human interaction Where does all of this leave the traditional, human concierge? Cleatus George, chief concierge at W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island isn’t worried about being replaced by robots. He says: “A concierge is important. You are an advisor, a counsellor and a guest’s best friend. You are the one-stop person when a guest needs help. The most important thing is that the guest Cleatus GeorgeNext >