Product category:
Venues
News Release from: Classic British Hotels | Subject: Dart Marina
Edited by the Marketingservicestalk Editorial
Team on 24 September 2007
Independent hotel sector reinvests for
future
Britain's independent hotels are taking advantage of a buoyant market to invest in their infrastructure and are now competing with chain hotels on a level field, says Classic British chief.
It looks like the lessons of the 1990s have been learned, according to Len Louis, CEO of independent hotels consortium Classic British Hotels "In boom times of the past, many hoteliers failed to reinvest in their facilities and infrastructure, with the result that the chain-owned hotels with their greater resources were able to increase their market share", said Louis
This article was originally published on Marketingservicestalk on 13 Nov 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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"Now hotel owners seem to recognise that they will only survive and compete with the major chains by investing in their properties".
Three of Classic British Hotels member hotels have recently unveiled major developments.
The Dart Marina in Dartmouth was a winner in the Daily Mail UK Property Awards 2007.
The development at Dart Marina, a collection of luxury apartments overlooking the River Dart at Dartmouth, was awarded 'Best Development' and Best Marina Development.
In addition to 14 new executive rooms, Classic British member hotel Lake Vyrnwy in Powys has opened a new spa, offering treatments from around the world and boasting what it believes to be the best waterside view in Europe.
Chilworth Manor Hotel in Southampton will also open its new GBP3 million Health and Leisure development on 24 September, which includes a 16m heated indoor pool, state-of-the-art gymnasium and beauty treatment rooms.
But is this a long term trend? And where do hoteliers believe future hotel investment should be concentrated? David Hunter is owner of Matfen Hall in Northumberland.
"We are currently embarking on a Profit through Productivity programme funded by the RDA to help us put together our three year plan", he said.
"We will be looking at our current markets and which are the most profitable overall for us; not just in terms of average room rate but overall spend by market segment.
"This will help us to decide the best way forward for us in terms of investment: do we need more rooms, another food outlet, or whatever?".
In most cases, local conditions are the key factor, as Gavin Elliott, Director of Chilworth Manor in Southampton, illustrated: "We have planning for 48 further bedrooms but saw the necessity to build leisure first to support the business and increase occupancy before embarking on the bedrooms".
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