VacantReady

Today I stumbled upon a terrific hotel blog from a luxury property in Tanzania called Onsea House Arusha. This is one of the best examples of a hotel blog I have seen in a long time and Dirk, the author from Onsea House Country Inn & Guest Cottage does a wonderful job offering interesting, supportive and engaging information about Tanzania as a destination.

In a recent post, Onsea House revealed some interesting information about expansion plans from German-born Kempinski Hotels, which will include such locations as Comores Islands, Egypt, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Madagascar, Sudan, Nigeria, Mauritius, Mauritania, Burundi and many more.

Just before Africa’s largest travel show Indaba in Durban, South Africa, Kempinski top management revealed ambitious plans for the group during the 2008 Arabian Travel Market (ATM) which took place at the Dubai International Conference and Exhibition Centre from May 6 to 9.

“Kempinski Hotels has announced its intention to become a clear market leader in Africa, leading global tourism’s foray into the rapidly evolving continent with an unrivalled portfolio of diverse luxury properties - from spectacular city hotels and beach resorts to exotic eco forest retreats and game park lodges.’

>> Check out the entire article on the Onsea House blog...

0 comments | Permalink | Middle East & Africa • Bloggers • Development

I don’t read many personal blogs, but there are two or three I follow for a fun break from boring trade feeds once in a while.

My favorite “personal” hotel industry perspective has to be a blog called Feather or Foam written by the ‘Queen of Clean’ herself. The QofC resides in Cork, Ireland, and she’s a self-styled “Hotel Management Type Thingy”.

QofC often writes about her daily life in the resort where she works, and some of these posts are hilarious.

Here’s a personal fave, titled “Gimme Gimme Gimme”:

“Why can’t I have a discount”?

(Because you’re a flatulent greedy bitch that’s why)

“Because Company policy does not allow extra discounts on top of special rates for tour operators”

“But the special rates are only for the room, not the facilities”

(You already get nearly 50% off, how fucking greedy can you get?)

“Sorry, I really cannot change Company policy”

(Actually I can, but you have really put my back up, you have been clicking your knobbly fingers at the waiters since you walked in the door, who do you think you are, you sell rooms, that’s all, you sell holidays and shit)

“But I bring you lots of business don’t I?”

(Yes you do, and so do a lot of other operators/agents, stop making a fool of yourself, and go home, I am not giving you the steam off my.... anxious nods from a co worker trying to tell me that my 11 O’clock appointment is here)!

“Well, I really cannot understand why you won’t bend the rules a little, I mean you could give me lodge for a night or two, you’re not full, and I have some colleagues coming over for a couple of days...they are very interested in seeing the standard of accommodation, just as a goodwill gesture? Some of these people are very influential, they will love it here and they would be willing to do wonderful PR for the Resort....”

Response: [insert expletives en-masse here] ....click here to read the Queen of Clean’s response!

Ouch!

1 comments | Permalink | Bloggers • Lifestyle

We recently received an email from Clare over at the Pro Traveller blog sharing their listing of the Top-10 Coolest Hotel Suites in the World:

Although I didn’t find any huge surprises on the Pro Traveller list, Pro Traveller did a nice job mashing up links, photos and video (when available) to provide a nice escape from the work day.

Glad to see the Ice Hotel in Quebec representing Canada, even if it further perpetuates our usual “Great White North” stereotype. 

Thanks Clare, for the tip.

0 comments | Permalink | Bloggers • Celebration

Thanks to Joe Buhler over at Buhlerworks.com, I discovered today that Hyatt Hotels has recently launched a travel community site called yatt’it.

Joe took the time to outline some of the features found on this new travel space:

Hyatt goes social with yatt’it— a new community site offering a number of interesting features such as tips by their local concierges that complement visitor comments. There is also integration with FlightStats for flight, airport and weather information.

Their frequent guests can register with an existing Gold Passport ID, or users sign-up for one. This is an interesting way to create a database of potential new customers, in addition to a more active engagement with their existing loyal members. Overall a pretty good effort at joining the conversation.

I certainly can’t argue with any of Joe’s points, after all, they are all true. However, while visiting the site I kept having to ask myself the question “why am I here?”. My friend and colleague Jens Thraenhart taught me to always be crystal-clear about a website’s value proposition, so I have been trying to figure out exactly what Hyatt’s new travel community is offering it’s visitors.

Yes the site offers visitor comments, and...an interesting way for Hyatt to capture user data. But why do I want to participate on this site?

I clicked on the ”Why yatt’it” link on the top navigation bar on the site to see if Hyatt could inspire me with a reason to return. Here is what I discovered on the resulting page:

What does “yatt’it” mean? Where does it come from?

Depends on who you ask. Some say the name derived from “Hyatt” (without the “H” and adding “‘it"). Others think “yatt” can be a new word for talking and sharing. Some other meanings:

Definition:

Main Entry: yatt
Pronunciation: yat, yaht, etc.
Function: transitive verb
Inflected form(s): yat·ted; yat·ting
Etymology: yatt’it, trademark for an online community created by Hyatt; yatt’it is the destination for insider tips on worldwide traveling:

1. To create a content entry on the yattit.com online travel community
2. To provide a travel related tip; to tip on a worldwide destination or travel topic
3. To talk about traveling
4. To share insider information or expert advice

Okay, I’m on the site because the name is an “inflected form”, and so that I can create a content entry. Hmmm.

Sorry to be harsh, Hyatt, but I think for now I’ll stick to LonelyPlanet and book one of your hotels from Hyatt.com.

0 comments | Permalink | Bloggers

Today I received an email tip about a fascinating and strange hotel in North Korea called the Ryugyong Hotel.

Eva Hagberg, a writer for Esquire magazine, recently wrote a story revealing details about the Ryugyong… and it’s not pretty.

Back in 1987 Baikdoosan Architects and Engineers broke ground on this behemoth building. North Korea has poured more than two percent of its gross domestic product to construct the hotel property, but after more than twenty years the hotel still remains unopened and unfinished.

Construction on the Ryugyong hotel, dubbed the “Hotel of Doom” or the “Phantom Pyramid”, stopped in 1992 amid rumours that North Korea ran out of money… and that the building was a victim of poor engineering and can never be occupied. Construction never did resume on the project.

“...the one-hundred-and-five-story Ryugyong Hotel is hideous, dominating the Pyongyang skyline like some twisted North Korean version of Cinderella’s castle. Not that you would be able to tell from the official government photos of the North Korean capital—the hotel is such an eyesore, the Communist regime routinely covers it up, airbrushing it to make it look like it’s open—or Photoshopping or cropping it out of pictures completely.”

Standing over 105 stories high and featuring 3000 (unfinished) rooms the Ryugyong is no small structure. The vacant building is the 22nd tallest building in the world--and is no doubt the tallest, ugliest, and most expensive completely un-usable structure on planet Earth!

Any developer would have to question the viability of a 3000 room hotel in North Korea’s capital city. I don’t have to head over to Tourism North Korea (if it exists) to ascertain that Pyongyang is not likely an uber-popular tourist destination. Perhaps national holidays in North Korea such as the day commemorating the Founding of the Korean People’s Army, or the ever popular Independence War Victory Day are bigger draws than I imagine.

Check out some excellent video footage of this disastrous hotel project:

Linkage
The Worst Building in the History of Mankind [Esquire Magazine]
Hotel photo thanks to flickr [Isaac Mao]

1 comments | Permalink | Bloggers • Hall of Shame