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Best Western

Edinburgh hotel donates 1,000 free nights to medical staff during pandemic

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Edinburgh hotel donates 1,000 free nights to medical staff during pandemic

Workers of the pandemic frontline in Edinburgh have booked 1,000 free nights and meals at the Best Western hotel, Ten Hill Place… 

Owned by The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RSCEd), Ten Hill Place in Edinburgh has donated 1,000 of its rooms to NHS medical workers during the COVID–19 pandemic.

Located three miles from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and less than a mile from the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, the hotel is providing much-needed nearby accommodation and meals for key workers tackling the pandemic.

This has proven invaluable to guests facing tiring commutes between expanding shifts or to help workers isolating from vulnerable family members.

“The response to our decision to accommodate medical and clinical workers has been astounding, and we want to encourage more staff who are working at the city’s hospitals to get in touch with us to find out how we can help support them,” said Scott Mitchell, Managing Director at Surgeons Quarter. “It’s a privilege to play our part in helping make the lives of medical workers a little easier during one of the most difficult times the country has faced.”

The Best Western Ten Hill Place has 129 guestrooms available for hospital staff, as well as packed continental breakfasts and complementary evening meals courtesy of its award-winning catering team.

Frontline workers have praised the hotel for its continued support during the pandemic.

A Tripadvisor user posted: “I cannot explain how grateful I am to them. All social distancing respected and we are well looked after – not to have worries about cooking or cleaning plus a calm comfortable night’s sleep is great. This will be my top hotel in Edinburgh forever.”

Professor Michael Griffin, President of the RSCEd and one of the UK’s leading surgeons, said: “We’ve heard and seen directly from our colleagues how severe the impact COVID-19 is on our health service.

“Having accommodation near hospitals to rest and recover from allows our colleagues to be looked after, at a time when they need the most support. We’re incredibly proud of the team at Surgeons Quarter and their invaluable efforts to help the health service.”

As well as the commitment to accommodate staff, the RCSEd has been engaging with interim Chief Medical Officer Dr. Gregor Smith to declare its willingness to temporarily convert the hotel, should hospitals overflow.

Surgeons Quarter promotes, sells and manages all commercial activities held within the RCSEd campus. All profits support the charitable aims of the College which are education, assessment and advancement in surgical standards worldwide.

Main image credit: Ten Hill Place

“There’s no place like home,” or not according to latest survey

 Hamish Kilburn
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Gen z (18 – 24-year-old) travellers have visited more places overseas than UK destinations, a recent survey reveals…

Travellers aged 18-24 have visited more overseas destinations in the last five years than they have in the UK, according to a new study by Best Western Great Britain, suggesting that more attention needs to be made into the design direction – and facilities – of hotels in Britain.

The research explored UK travel trends, revealing the holiday habits of the nation and the main influences on their choice of holiday destination.

The study found that people between 18 and 24 years old have seen more destinations abroad than they have in the UK. This generation, on average, has visited four places overseas, while only visiting two locations in their home country.

It’s not all bad for Blighty though. In general, one in four people surveyed (25 per cent) say they have visited three UK destinations in the past five years, whilst a similar amount (24 per cent) said that they haven’t visited any overseas destinations, indicating that UK tourism is still alive and well, despite global travel taking priority among younger travellers.

People aged over 55 years are the most likely to have not visited a destination abroad in the last five years (29 per cent). This decision could be down to the price difference between a UK and international break, with this age group stating price as the main influence that persuades them to visit a UK tourist destination.

The research also explored Brits’ major motivations for choosing their holiday destination. Over half (57 per cent) of those in Yorkshire stated that they are most influenced by price when considering a vacation – just higher than the national average of 54 per cent.

The top 10 influences on booking a UK break are:

  • Price (54 per cent)
  • Attractions/landmarks (52 per cent)
  • Views (49 per cent)
  • Hotels / accommodation (39 per cent)
  • Weather (39 per cent)
  • Food and drink (29 per cent)
  • Culture (23 per cent)
  • Accessibility i.e. good transport links (22 per cent)
  • Proximity to home (19 per cent)
  • Nostalgia (19 per cent)

Rob Paterson, CEO at Best Western Great Britain, said: “It was fascinating to learn which factors Brits consider the most when choosing where to travel.

“Sometimes we can be guilty of prioritising overseas travel and forgetting about the wonderful places closer to home. Staycations allow you to get away and explore our beautiful country, without the usual high costs and stress of travelling abroad. There is more to explore in Great Britain so for your next holiday, why not consider visiting some of our own brilliant destinations?”

The survey launches after another study concluded that 95 per cent of travellers would, these days, rather spend money on a luxury experience rather than a luxury product. 

Main image credit: Pixabay

Best Western Brook Hotel, Norwich

Best Western to invest £98m in UK hotels over next two years

 1000 621 Katy Phillips
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Brand committed to improving guest experiences in member hotels.

Best Western Great Britain says it has invested of £214m across its member hotels since 2015, which it claims reflects its ongoing confidence in the market despite concerns around Brexit.

With 251 independently owned and managed hotels under the Best Western brand, the figure equates to an estimated £855,000 per property between 2015 and 2019.

In addition, Best Western has confirmed it will invest a further £70m across in the UK during 2017, with £28m currently planned for 2019.

Best Western says that when asked about the impact of Brexit it found that 98.8% of its members were not concerned and continued to invest in improving their properties, showing no signs of cautiousness. 

North of England Investment

Some of the most significant investments within the Best Western portfolio have been to properties in the North of England and Scotland, including over £6m at Castle Green Hotel in Kendal, BW Premier Collection; an estimated £8m at Ten Hill Place, BW Premier Collection in Edinburgh; and £3.5m at the Best Western Dundee Invercarse Hotel, Dundee.

Rob Paterson, Chief Executive of Best Western Great Britain, said: “The figures are a strong signal to guests and the industry that Best Western continues to invest for the future and change for the better. We are committed to improving guest experiences in our member hotels and the multi-million pound investments being made are increasing NPS scores, raising brand standards and guest expectations. In the last 18 months we have seen a significant pipeline of hotels approved or activated, with 50% of applicants this year for our new brands.

“What is encouraging for guests and investors is that the planned level of investment for 2019 remains high and will increase further. We are proud to champion independent hotels in Great Britain and have plans to make our membership model more attractive, accelerating our growth for guests in the next few years.”

Strong finish to 2017 for Best Western GB despite Brexit

 1000 616 Daniel Fountain
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Market uncertainty caused by Brexit has helped Best Western Great Britain post a record year for number of hotel applications and activations.

The membership organisation for independent hotels has seen a 110% increase in hotels joining year on year including the first additions to its newest brand Sure Hotels by Best Western which has economy, midscale and soft brand options.

Les Asplen, managing director of Best Western Great Britain, said: “The last 12 months have been brilliantly busy for us. We realised 18 months ago that the market uncertainty was increasing interest in Best Western so we restructured our teams to handle the enquiries and that interest has converted into active members and a significant pipeline of new properties for launch in 2018.

“In times of uncertainty, independent hotels of all ratings want a structure that allows them to keep their independence but benefit from the security of working with a global brand. Best Western has always offered that but because we have changed for the better in the last three years – launching new brands, increasing quality and services and responding to our guests needs – right now, we are probably in our strongest ever brand position and that is being reflected in our recruitment numbers.”

The first hotel to join the new Sure Hotels brand is the city-centre-based Lincoln Hotel

The first hotel to join the new Sure Hotels brand is the city-centre-based Lincoln Hotel

The first hotel to join the new Sure Hotels brand is the city-centre-based Lincoln Hotel in which sits in the new soft brand, Sure Hotel Collection by Best Western.

Stephen Marriott, general manager of the Lincoln Hotel, said: “It’s great to be the first property in Europe to go live in the Sure Hotels by Best Western brand. We joined because it offers us access to the power of the Best Western brand which we are familiar with, along with the flexibility to have our own local branding. It’s the perfect fit for us and I’m sure it will be the perfect fit for many other owners too.”

Les Asplen added: “Since widening our appeal to 10 brands Best Western now has an option for every hotel and every guest. We already have 30 hotels in the pipeline for activation across our existing brands in 2018 and are quietly confident with current interest generated by Sure Hotels by Best Western that we will be reporting back-to-back record years as we continue to strengthen in the next 12 months.”

www.bestwestern.co.uk

Best Western Malaysia

Best Western opens upscale hotel in Malaysia’s Genting Highlands

 850 531 Daniel Fountain
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Best Western Hotels & Resorts has unveiled a stunning new upscale hotel in Malaysia’s popular and scenic Genting Highlands.

The brand new Best Western Premier Ion Delemen opened on April 26 and is nestled in the lush jungle-clad hills of Pahang state, the centre of the Malay Peninsula. In addition to providing the perfect natural retreat for both Malaysian and international visitors, the new hotel is on the doorstep of Genting’s Resorts World, which features a large theme park, casino and Malaysia’s longest cable car ride. The world’s first 20th Century Fox World theme park is also a nearby attraction and is scheduled to welcome visitors later this year.

Best Western Premier Ion Delemen is operated by Ion Delemen Hospitality Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of the NCT Group of Companies. It forms part of the Ion Delemen development, which is expected to fully open in 2018 and will include an international wellness centre.

Best Western Premier Ion Delemen offers a collection of 246 rooms, ranging from studios to one-, two- and three-bedroom suites, featuring separate living areas, bedrooms and kitchenettes. All rooms will offer modern amenities including flat-screen TVs, international power outlets and complimentary Wi-Fi, spacious bathrooms and large windows that overlook the lush mountains.

This brand new hotel also incorporates a vast array of amenities, including multiple restaurants and bars, many of which offer floor-to-ceiling windows and al fresco seating areas that merge seamlessly with the natural surroundings. There is also a sky garden, a heated infinity-edged swimming pool, luxurious spa, fully-equipped fitness centre, children’s play area, and extensive space for conferences and events.

Following the launch of the new hotel, Best Western Hotels & Resorts now operates three properties in Malaysia, located in Shah Alam, Petaling Jaya and the Genting Highlands. This exciting new hotel also marks the return of the upscale Best Western Premier hotel brand to Malaysia.

Best Western Tokyo

Best Western unveils exciting new hotel in Tokyo

 1000 631 Daniel Fountain
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Best Western Hotels & Resorts will soon offer travellers to Tokyo another exciting place to stay, with the opening of Best Western Tokyo Nishikasai Grande on April 1, 2017.

The hotel’s 105 rooms – all of which are non-smoking – come in a range of configurations for all types of guest. These include triple rooms, allowing families visiting Tokyo Disneyland to stay together before they catch the complimentary shuttle bus to the theme park’s main entrance.

All rooms also feature international power sockets, USB ports, flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi, allowing business travelers to stay connected and leisure visitors to keep in touch with home, including those all-important social media updates.

Corporate guests can use the 24-hour business centre, and all guests will enjoy the exquisite Japanese and international cuisines served at the hotel’s restaurant, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

And visitors wishing to explore the local area will discover a shopping mall and many local restaurants, some of them open 24 hours. Traveling to and from airport is easy too, with buses and trains connecting swiftly toNarita International Airport.

“Japan is one of Best Western’s most important markets, and we are delighted to offer guests yet another excellent hotel in the vibrant capital city, Tokyo,” said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western’s Managing Director of International Operations – Asia.

Best Western Tokyo Nishikasai Grande becomes the company’s third hotel in the Japanese capital city, joining Best Western Rembrandt Hotel Tokyo Machida and Best Western Tokyo Nishikasai, which is located just five minutes away from the new hotel.

 

Best Western

Best Western announces 300 new beds in Greater London

 916 515 Daniel Fountain
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Best Western Great Britain has announced 300 new beds in the Greater London area with the opening of three new build Best Western Plus properties in Croydon, Vauxhall and Wembley.

This is the first time that Best Western Great Britain has welcomed new build properties into its portfolio and marks the start of exciting partnerships with big hotel brands such as Euro Hotels. The three new openings bring the total number of Best Western Great Britain properties opened in the past year to 11, with more than 15 properties already in the pipeline for launching throughout 2017.

Best Western Great Britain’s Director of Hotel Services, Mirelle Maunder-Brown comments: “We’re really excited about this announcement, which we hopes marks the beginning of many more new build developments and property launches in Great Britain. As a brand we’re constantly seeking new properties to join our portfolio so we can continue to offer a wide variety of brilliantly different hotels across the country to our customers.”

The three new hotels bring the total number of Best Western hotels in the UK to over 250, with more than 14K bedrooms. The expansion is part of a wider strategy to introduce greater differentiation within the brand and offer customers more choice. Best Western Great Britain currently offers guests the choice of four brands: Best Western, Best Western Plus, Best Western Premier and BW Premier Collection with an increasing number of four-star properties in the collection.

The first of the three new hotels, which is now open, is the Best Western Plus London Croydon Aparthotel, a 107 room property catering for both business and leisure guests. The hotel is themed around Croydon’s industrial heritage, a nod to a nostalgic era of innovation when Croydon was an important industrial area.

A second Best Western Plus hotel is scheduled to open in Vauxhall in mid-February. The hotel, which is yet to be officially named, is a boutique hotel with 28 bespoke rooms located in the vibrant Vauxhall area. The hotel, part of Kaz Hotels Limited, has a ‘night and day’ theme to reflect the 24 hour nature of the surrounding area.

The third new property, The Best Western Plus London Wembley Hotel, is scheduled to open in March of this year. A conversion and extension of a former Government building, the hotel will offer 174 modern bedrooms located a five minute walk from Wembley Stadium. The hotel will have a sports theme, catering for the hundreds of thousands of leisure visitors and sporting fans visiting the area who require rooms throughout the year.

Ten Hill Place

Ten Hill Place, Edinburgh joins BW Premier Collection

 953 500 Daniel Fountain
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BW Premier Collection has announced that Ten Hill Place, in central Edinburgh, will become the tenth member of Best Western Great Britain’s soft branded offering for high end hotels and the first in Scotland.

Operated by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Commercial Enterprises, the profits of this hotel go back to the College, which provides education and assessment for medical professionals and trainees. This unique partnership is mirrored by the hotel’s aesthetic, which fuses the traditional Edinburgh Georgian terrace exterior with a modern and elegant interior. Thanks to its links with The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Ten Hill Place can offer both historical and purpose-built modern rooms for meetings, conferences, private functions and weddings, along with its fabulous range of bedrooms and suites.

Ten Hill Place
The unusual property is located right in the centre of Edinburgh, with the historic Old Town and Royal Mile just a stone’s throw away. In addition, the Festival Theatre and National Museums are around the corner and the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace are just down the road.

Rob Payne, CEO of Best Western GB comments: “We’re delighted to welcome Ten Hill Place into the BW Premier Collection, marking our ten-property milestone. We know our guests will love this city central location paired with the luxury this collection provides. BW Premier Collection is an exceptional proposition for great British hotels that want to retain and celebrate their independence in the knowledge that they have the security of Best Western behind them, particularly in such uncertain times.”

Ten Hill Place
Scott Mitchell, Commercial Director of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Commercial Enterprises comments: “Joining BW Premier Collection is an exciting prospect for us, and enables us to reach Best Western’s sales and marketing platforms as well as a group of like-minded hoteliers, each with unique properties.”

BW Premier Collection is Best Western’s premium soft brand for hotels that are 4* and above. It launched in 2014 and Ten Hill Place marks the tenth addition to this exclusive group. Other properties in the group include Hazlewood Castle, Yorkshire and The Richmond, Liverpool.

Photos: www.tenhillplace.com