Starwood is expected to pump millions into its newly acquired properties, according to information revealed at a recent seminar. Managing Director at Westin & Sheraton at Our Lucaya Beach & Golf Resort, Harris Chan, while speaking at the recent Grand Bahama Business Outlook, revealed that the company has already began pumping millions into the two resorts, and plan to pump even more.
February 6, 2003, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc., which operates 750 hotels in 82 countries, took over the management of Our Lucaya from Hutchison Whampoa, Limited, and Chan outlined what the company has and intends to do.
The Sheraton brand, which he likened to a Ralph Lauren brand in terms of quality apparel, will be outfitted with all the amenities of other Sheraton hotels worldwide.
“We have certain unique brand products because we do a lot of customer focus and feedback with customers,” Chan explained, noting that even the cuisine essentials such as the cooking ingredients and the way workers present food in the restaurant will be addressed.
He noted that Sheraton introduced a certain standard of cuisine preparation last year.
He then mentioned other familiar features of the Sheraton brand, including in-room coffee makers, which will use Maxwell House Premium Coffee only and the famed Sheraton Sweet Sleeper beds and cribs.
“And they’re very, very comfortable.”
With regard to the Westin Resort, which he likened to an Amani brand of quality apparel, Chan first announced that the Business Travellers News ranked the brand #1 in a United States hotel chain survey.
“We have a very unique product as well,” he added, first mentioning the Heavenly Bath� feature, which boasts of double headed, moveable shower heads, and a curved shower rod to alleviate contact with the shower curtain while showering.
Chan announced that the rooms also feature a “luxurious” bathrobe, among its other amenities, however, it is the resort’s Heavenly Bath� that is attributed to making the name famous.
“The Heavenly Bed is a very thick, firm mattress,” the managing director explained, “and we have a pillow top on it – makes it very fluffy.
Chan further described that the bed is covered with Duvet blankets and covers, with five cushions, two feather pillows and two nylon pillows. He noted that similar features are available with the Heavenly Crib� sleeper for the babies.
Chan noted that with Starwood Preferred Guest Programme, which boasts of over three million members worldwide, of which 75 per cent live in North America alone, and the Starwood Preferred Planner Programme for meeting planners and the Starwood Golf Vacation for golfers, Starwood is prepared to maximise the marketing power of its hotel to Grand Bahama Island, and have already positioned global sales offices committed to sell to this hotel.
He noted that extensive Internet marketing is ongoing, in addition to marketing efforts with airlines and credit card companies.
With that said, Chan announced that from January to March, 2003, the company would have spent $2.6 million on office supplies and the heavenly beds, and $1 million on information technologies and computer systems.
“We plan to spend an additional $3.6 million this coming 12 months on the physical upgrade of our resort,” Chan added. ” When we are doing that, the architect and the designers will be working on a master plan for the coming five years for further physical improvement at the hotel buildings, the landscaping as well as the two golf courses.”
Chan also announced that the company would embark on a major training initiative, which will involve cross training at other properties in North America and other such places.
