the guest room management system makes sure that ... - Karen Osman

The definitive guide to successful ful hotel management
April 2012
JUMEIRAH GIANT
A 360º LOOK AT THE FIRM’S
DEBUT HOTEL IN ABU DHABIINSIDE
SOFITEL STANDARDS
HOW ROBERT GAYMER-JONES
REINVENTED THE LUXURY BRAND
FRAUD PREVENTION
IT’S TIME TO MONITOR LOSSES AND
PUT A STOP TO LIGHT-FINGERED STAFF
Personalised service is no longer enough; luxury hotels
must create a more lasting impression on their guests,
says Ritz-Carlton president Hervé Humler
HOTELIERS
TO WATCH IN
2012
HOUSEKEEPING TIPS SHAZA HOTELS IN-ROOM AMENITIES SOCIAL MEDIA HOTEL F&B UNIFORMS
THE

66
NEW OPENING
First impressions count and
the 23-metre high lobby is
striking in design.
Conquering
the capital
For a Dubai-based hospitality company, the
opening of Jumeirah at Etihad Towers in
Abu Dhabi was a signifi cant regional addition
as the group’s fi rst fl ag in the UAE
capital. Karen Osman visits the hotel to fi nd
out more from general manager Doris Greif
As the fi rst female hotel general
manager in the Middle
East, it is fi tting that Doris
Greif took on the same mantle
at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers to
become the fi rst female general manager
in Abu Dhabi.
Despite originally wanting to become
a car mechanic, her latest role
— adding to an impressive CV of
general manager positions at Jumeirah
Emirates Towers and Jumeirah
Beach Club Resort & Spa — is clearly
one she relishes.
Passionate about operations, there
were specifi c elements of the new
project that attracted Greif, as she
explains: “The owners of Jumeirah
had agreed to bring me on very early,
which was two years before the actual
hotel opened, which is a bit unusual
but it also gave me the oppor-
tunity to work with the architects,
the interior designers and the consultants
— there was just an incredible
amount of experience and joy to be
had working on the project”.
Being so involved in the creation,
such input has clearly paid off as the
hotel’s design, from the modern, sleek
external facade to the luxurious yet
elegant interiors, is simply breathtaking
thanks to DBI Design, which
was the lead consultant for the architecture,
interior and landscape.
The achievement is no small feat,
as the 280-metre-high, luxury hotel is
part of a fi ve-tower complex comprising
of an offi ce tower and three towers
of residential apartments including
an observation deck as well as restaurant
and retail space.
“What is very important to the
owners of Etihad Towers is to build a
April 2012 • Hotelier Middle East www.hoteliermiddleeast.com

community, so the hotel is an integral
part of that but it can never be perceived
as standalone,” she says. “The
hotel cannot function without the
rest of the community and it is just as
important that Etihad Towers is seen
as one. Every one of the fi ve components
has its importance but they only
work if they’re close together.”
While being part of such a complex
will only enhance the footfall to the
hotel, it also brought its own set of
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com
challenges during ng the opening phase.
“If I had to single le out the biggest contributing
factor where I think it was
a challenge, it was being part of a big
mixed-use development velopment because
you’re not on your own; you don’t
have a dedicated d group of contractors
for you only,” explains plains Greif. Greif.
But, while the e remaining four towers
are still being g fi nalised, by the end
of quarter four, , “you will fi nd a city
within a city and nd this is the beauty
of Etihad Towers”, owers”, she asserts.
WE DID NOT WANT TO COME IN WITH
EXTREMELY LOW ROOM RATES — RATHER
LESS OCCUPANCY, BUT MAKING SURE
WE CAN SERVICE OUR CUSTOMERS
Etihad Towers is a mixed-used development comprising fi ve buildings, including offi ces and residential.
DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS
Despite the road works outside of
the property and the neighbouring
construction, there’s no denying
that once inside the hotel lobby, the
impact is instant.
“You have a 23-metre high lobby
overlooking the Arabian
Gulf,” enthuses Greif.
“It’s an incredible
sense of space. You
come into the
lobby and the
fi rst thing you
see is the
ocean and
that was
also the
reason I
wanted
the turquoise green for the uniforms
because in summer, the colour of the
ocean is actually that shade of green.
“The lobby is also the fi rst contact
point for a customer, so the welcome
is very important, but at the same
time the product is only as good as the
service is.”
As you move around
the hotel, the feel is
one of understated
elegance with key
features, such as the
colour-changing,
custom-made
chandeliers,
acting as focal
points while
the use of
carefully
Doris Greif, general manager at
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi.
Hotelier Middle East • April 2012
67
NEW OPENING

68
NEW OPENING
chosen, high-end materials is apparent,
most noticeably in frequented
guest areas such as the lifts.
“There isn’t a single guest who
doesn’t walk into the lift and say
‘wow – I didn’t expect that’,” comments
Greif. “The stone and marble
collection throughout Etihad Towers
is just extraordinary.”
The 382 rooms and suites also
refl ect the ethos of quality from the
latest technology to the custom-made
amenities, designed by ADA Cosmetics
International.
“I wanted a scent which refl ects
male and female travellers without
being too feminine or too masculine.
I wanted the colours of the rooms
to be complemented; especially the
bathrooms, but more importantly, I
wanted the exact shape of these fi ve
towers for the packaging. Guests
have given us really super feedback so
we’re very happy with it.”
THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY
The use of technology has been integrated
for guest comfort but also from
an environmental standpoint.
“Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
has extremely clear guidelines in its
manuals which you need to get your
operating licence.
“Being a high-rise tower with a
glass front automatically generates
more heat, so we had to get the technology
installed to avoid wasting
energy senselessly,” says Greif.
“The guest room management
system makes sure that if a room is
unoccupied, it is set at 23°C. Once you
occupy your room, you can choose
YOU WILL FIND A CITY WITHIN A CITY AND
THIS IS THE BEAUTY OF ETIHAD TOWERS
Custom-made chandeliers change colour according to guest preferences.
Wherever you are in the Abu Dhabi hotel, there’s always an incredible view. The Nahaam casual beach restaurant features funky lighting and fl ooring.
The colour and material of the uniforms were carefully chosen in relation to the surroundings.
IN NUMBERS
707
Colleagues that work at the hotel with an
anticipated 1000 colleagues by the
end of the year.
12%
Overnight business from Sirius members.
531,000m²
The total area of the complex — bigger
than Burj Khalifa by a third.
30
Number of premium boutiques to open in
the retail space.
190
Number of chefs.
April 2012 • Hotelier Middle East www.hoteliermiddleeast.com

70
NEW OPENING
CULINARY CREATIVITY
With 12 restaurants and bars (four of which are set to open this spring),
executive chef Loughlin Druhan had the privilege of being one of the fi rst colleagues
assigned to the project.
As a result, he developed many of the food and beverage concepts with
a number of factors coming into play during the design process: “We looked
at the iconic building itself and thought what would fi t in with the strategy of
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers.
“We also looked at the market segment and the local and international markets
and the fact that it is primarily a business hotel. Take into consideration
the other towers as well and you have a lot of segment markets. I think we’re
quite diverse in what we chose in relation to the concepts.”
One of the highlights of the culinary offering is the upcoming opening of
Scott’s — the renowned seafood restaurant from London which is part of
Caprice Holdings, for which Jumeirah Restaurants owns the regional rights.
Druhan explains how the operation will be run: “Even though it is self-managed
by Jumeirah Restaurants, we work together as a team and we’re there to support
them. I think it will be the leading seafood restaurant in Abu Dhabi. Coming
from London, it’s proven itself over the years and it will be a great addition
to Abu Dhabi and to the Jumeirah portfolio.”
Having clearly worked hard to create some unique concepts, Druhan explains
his strategy for success: “I spent a lot time selecting our chefs — it’s lucky I
came in at such an early stage where I could actually take my time, fl ying them
in and doing the tasting to ensure they fi t with the concept.
“In today’s generation, it is important that you have chefs that can interact.
The days where the chef stands in the back of the kitchen — that’s a thing of
the past. It’s not just about cooking.”
Other initiatives include menus which not only take into consideration the
seasons but also aspects such as nutrition.
“I don’t believe health and nutrition is a trend,” comments Druhan, “but it’s
an expectation today. When we designed the menus we were careful to ensure
we covered these areas. We have a system that we’ve set in place as part of
our ordering process and through this, we’re actually able to print out the nutritional
values. That means we’re in a situation where we can print out the recipe
if a guest asks and that’s something a little bit different” adds Druhan.
Executive Chef Loughlin Druhan explains the
strategy behind the 12 restaurant and bars.
Li Beirut, one of the dozen restaurants and
bars in Jumeirah at Etihad Towers.
whatever temperature you like.”
Other simple but effective touches,
such as the use of iPads, has also
proven popular.
“We have our royal suites and all of
these are controlled by iPad — that’s
actually far more user-friendly than
your normal displays on the wall,”
explains Greif.
“We have iPads in the limousines
so when you arrive at the airport, you
can check your emails fi rst if that’s
what you choose to do.
“The technology today is there. It
is fi nding the right technology, but
more importantly, educating your
colleagues who then make it easier for
the guests,” she adds.
BRAND ESSENCE
The rooms refl ect a calm, neutral
approach with photography showcasing
the UAE in the ’60s and ’70s
from the private collection of His
Highness Sheikh Suroor bin Mohammed
Al Nahyan. The inclusion of the
collection refl ects Jumeirah’s brand
promise ‘stay different’ of being culturally
connected.
Greif explains: “We wanted to say
‘yes’, we have a modern hotel and all
the niceties you want as a traveller,
but we also want to show you a little
bit about who we were around 40 or
50 years ago.”
The stay different approach is also
refl ected in the smaller details which
are highly appealing to a luxury guest.
“We have certain things that have
been created exclusively for us such
as the Arabian coffee spice created
by a Michelin-star chef and we have
exclusive rights on the TWG teas,”
reveals Greif.
With one of the largest conference
facilities in the city and extensive leisure
options which include Talise
Spa, three swimming pools and multiple
dining options, Jumeirah at Etihad
Towers appeals to both business
and leisure guests.
“Ultimately, the hotel should have
about 70% business clientele and 30%
leisure. The hotel caters to both but
we will never position ourselves as a
beach resort,” she explains.
Stunningly-appointed
bedrooms feature all the
latest in-room technology.
SUPPLIERS
Chandeliers: Lasvit (Czech
Republic) www.lasvit.com
Lobby mosaic tiling: Designed
by DBI Design www.dbidesign.
com.au
Blue & white chinaware:
Bernardo
Carpets: Designed by DBI Design
www.dbidesign.com.au
Bathroom amenities: ADA
Cosmetics International www.adacosmetics.com
The response from the local and
international markets has been positive
and while occupancy remains
low in the early phase, maintaining
rates was a priority.
“At the moment, we are running
relatively low occupancy; however,
it’s also better for us, because we did
not want to come in with extremely
low room rates — rather less occu-
THE GUEST ROOM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
MAKES SURE THAT IF A ROOM IS UNOC-
CUPIED, IT IS SET AT 23°C
April 2012 • Hotelier Middle East www.hoteliermiddleeast.com

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pancy, but making sure we can service
our customers.”
COMMERCIAL APPROACH
With several recent luxury openings
in the city, what has been the impact
of the competition? Greif takes a longterm
perspective.
“You need to look at it from different
perspectives; we have a lot of new
hotels and increase of bedroom stock,
and the increase of business to the
same level is not there at this moment.
“However, as the destination of
Abu Dhabi evolves and the more big
international brand names you get,
it’s a testament to the destination.
“It also proves to investors, who put
their money in to build these operations,
that they do see a future here,”
she says.
Competition certainly keeps hotels
on their toes and Jumeirah already
has aggressive sales and marketing
plans for 2012 including sales trips to
key markets, reports Greif.
“We’ve just been in the GCC and
we went to Berlin in March.
Hotelier Middle East • April 2012
71
NEW OPENING

Pre-function area overlooking the Gulf and leading to the conference and events facilities. The property includes 13 meeting rooms and the Mezzoon Ballroom, accommodating up to 1400 conference guests.
HOTEL HIGHLIGHTS
Rooms
• 382 rooms and suites
• 48 tower rooms
• 132 deluxe rooms
• 72 grand deluxe rooms
• 24 tower club rooms
• 41 deluxe club rooms
• 47 grand club rooms
• 14 club suites
• 2 Etihad suites
• 1 sky suite
• 1 royal Etihad suite
Food and beverage
• Li Beirut, a Lebanese restaurant
with a sea view and outdoor terrace
seating available.
• Rosewater, the all-day dining
restaurant with sea view and outdoor
terrace seating.
www.hoteliermiddleeast.com
• Brasserie Angélique, offering classic
French home-style cuisine (expected
opening Spring 2012).
• Tori No Su, Japanese restaurant and
lounge (expected opening spring 2012).
• Nahaam, a casual beach restaurant.
• Scott’s, seafood restaurant located on
the water off the beach (expected opening
Spring 2012).
• Ray’s Bar, located on level 62.
• Quest, pan-Asian signature restaurant
on level 63.
• Bhodi, the spa café.
• Lobby lounge.
• Lobby bar.
• Pool bar.
Meeting-space highlights
• Mezzoon Ballroom, accommodating
up to 1400 conference guests and
includes a special service elevator
with the capacity to lift cars.
• 13 meeting rooms.
• Pre-function area, overlooking the
Gulf sea.
• Bridal suite, VIP suite and a business
centre.
Other facilities
• 199 fully-serviced residences
varying from studios of 57m² to spacious
one-, two- and three-bedroom
apartments of up to 170m².
• Club executive lounge.
• Talise Spa with 13 private treatment
rooms.
• Three swimming pools.
• Six P Gym.
• Access to high-end shopping with
more than 30 premium boutiques.
One of 13 private treatment rooms available at the property’s Talise Spa. A touch of local: Jumeirah’s specially-designed Arabian coffee spice.
‘We’re then having a strategic
sales blitz with our offi ce in Frankfurt,
covering England, Germany
and Switzerland. Then we will go
over to Asia, to Japan and China, and
then later on we’ll go to India.”
The use of Sirius — the Group’s
reward and recognition programme
— has also made an impact on performance,
with approximately 12% of
the overnight business coming from
Sirius members.
Well into its third month of operation,
the priorities for Jumeirah at
Etihad Towers in 2012 are very clear,
as Greif emphasises.
“Our priorities are to settle the hotel
operation down and to make sure we
are using our customer feedback to
improve on what we do today.
“Training and re-training is especially
important because everybody
was new to this hotel, so people need
to get comfortable with the technology
being used here, so a lot of it is
now making sure that everybody
sticks to the standards and improves
on those as well.”
With the team comprising just
10% of colleagues who transferred
from other sister properties, the
emphasis is understandable and
forms part of a very clear outcome
for the end of 2012: “By the end of this
year, this machine has to be very welloiled
and that requires support from
everyone — it doesn’t matter what
level. The focus is on our colleagues
to make sure they’re comfortable,
that they get the skill sets they need,
and they also get the know-how to
deal with our different clientele,” concludes
Greif. HME
Hotelier Middle East • April 2012
73
NEW OPENING