Kansas City Hotel News
November, 2007
Kansas Hotels Guide
www.hotels-kc.com
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Kansas City Hotel News is a spotlight on development and events at area hotels.
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John Q. Hammons Opens Doors on Residence Inn by Marriott Kansas City International Airport
KANSAS CITY (SLFP.com), November 11, 2007 - John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts has announced the soft opening of the four-story, 152-suite Residence Inn® by Marriott® Kansas City International Airport in Missouri.
The hotel staff marked opening day with a celebratory luncheon and other festivities to culminate their months of hard work leading up to the hotel's opening. The first guest at the new Residence Inn by Marriot Kansas City International Airport was treated to a special gift to commemorate being the inaugural visitor. Formal grand opening activities, including a luncheon for local dignitaries, staff and guests, are expected to take place in early 2008.
"We're so excited to open our doors and bring our brand of unsurpassed quality and excellent service to the business and leisure travelers visiting the Kansas City area," said Rick Knowles, general manager of the hotel.
Conveniently located east of Interstate 29 and north of Highway 152, just north of the Tiffany Springs Parkway exit, the hotel is less than three miles from the Kansas City International Airport. The hotel is situated within 25 miles of a range of entertainment options, including outdoor recreation areas for snow-skiing, water-skiing, fly-fishing and three golf courses, as well as the Kansas City Zoo and Worlds of Fun amusement park.
"The Kansas City market continues to show strong performance, and we believe our new Residence Inn will meet the growing demand for another upscale, all-suite John Q Hammons extended-stay property in the market," said Mr. John Q. Hammons, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts. "As a major travel hub and a destination site all on its own, Kansas City offers visitors a rich atmosphere for business or leisure, and our new hotel will deliver an exceptional guest experience as the ideal complement to a visit to Kansas City."
The Residence Inn by Marriott Kansas City International Airport is the 13th hotel managed by John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts in Missouri. The company also owns and operates two additional hotels in Kansas City, Mo. - the Embassy Suites Kansas City International Airport and the Homewood Suites Kansas City International Airport.
Holiday Inn Is Making Dramatic Changes to Its Image
KANSAS CITY (SLFP.com), November 4, 2007 - InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced a worldwide relaunch of the Holiday Inn® brand family, comprised of Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express®.
All Holiday Inn hotels will be required to implement the relaunch program to create a more contemporary brand image, increase quality and drive consistency. The program includes a new service promise, a redesigned welcome experience, a refreshed guest room and redesigned brand signage that will be installed at hotels once all criteria have been met. Holiday Inn hotels currently open or under development are expected to have implemented the relaunch program by the end of 2010, with the first due to open in spring 2008 in the United States.
"The Holiday Inn brand family comprises nearly a quarter of the industry's midscale lodging segment in the United States and is the most 'stayed-in' hotel brand in the world with roughly 100 million room nights a year, so ensuring the continued strength and power of this global icon is a top priority for IHG," said Andy Cosslett, Chief Executive Officer for IHG. "This relaunch will ensure the brand moves into the future with a strong and confident new image so our guests get as much enjoyment from Holiday Inn hotels over the next 50 years as they have over the last 50."
Established in 1952, Holiday Inn is one of the world's most recognized hotel brands with more than 400,000 rooms (3,125 hotels) open and a development pipeline of more than 110,000 rooms (942 hotels). This development pipeline continues to grow rapidly, with more than 16,000 rooms signed in the third quarter of 2007, a 6% increase on Q3 2006.
By better delivering on guest needs and expectations, IHG expects the relaunch program to allow Holiday Inn hotels to generate significantly higher revenue per available room (RevPAR), and generate an enhanced return on investment for their owners. Owners and franchisees will invest up to $1 billion over a three year period in total to carry out the brand relaunch to meet the required service and quality levels.
"As always, we have worked in close collaboration with our owners around the world on these efforts to ensure we have their buy-in every step of the way," said Mark Snyder, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Brand Management for Holiday Inn. "Our franchisees are proud of their affiliation with the Holiday Inn brand and believe in its strength, and our record development pipeline is proof. They agree this is the right thing to do to make this great brand fit for future generations."
Redesigned Brand Signage
Holiday Inn is making dramatic changes to its signage -- evolving the iconic script logo, energizing the signature color green and eliminating the current shield shape. The brand will replace more than 11,000 signs around the world to reflect this refreshed and contemporary look. The redesigned brand signage also will be incorporated into design elements in each of the more than 3,100 hotel lobbies and more than 400,000 guest rooms.
Refreshed Guest Room
New bedding will redefine the look and feel of each guest room with fresh, white triple-sheeting and pillows that come in two comfort levels: "soft" and "firm." An enhanced bathroom will feature an improved showerhead that offers superior pressure, as well as a signature shower curtain with curved rod and new amenities to deliver a consistent bath experience that feels fresh and contemporary.
Warm Welcome
A new signature arrival -- including new lighting, landscaping and design features -- will create an energized and branded sense of welcome that is universally recognizable. Customized music and scent selections also will engage guests in a complete sensory experience, and a decluttered front desk will promote a more efficient and interactive check-in process.
New Service Promise
Since a differentiated lodging experience cannot be delivered through imagery and product alone, Holiday Inn is committed to providing best-in-class service. As part of the relaunch, the brand will initiate a new service culture -- "Stay Real" -- to further ensure staff develops the behaviors and skills to best serve guests by treating them as real people and consistently delivering the real, genuine service for which Holiday Inn is known.
Archived Hotel News:
• Element Hotel Planned for Leawood, Kansas
• Downtown Kansas City Hotel Re-branded As Crowne Plaza
• Drury Hotels Exclusive Hotel Sponsor of Tour of Missouri
• New Study Reports Higher Injury Rates for Hotel Workers
• Courtyard by Marriott Sold
• Travelers Clear Air on Smoking
• J.D. Power and Associates Rank Drury Hotels #1 Again
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