Business Traveler Awards 2007 Hotels

The FINANCIAL — On 17 September at the 2007 Business Traveller Awards held in London, Starwood Hotels & Resorts won three awards:

• Sheraton Hotels & Resorts won Best Business Hotel Chain Worldwide, as the largest of Starwood’s nine hotel brands

• Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), Starwood’s leading guest loyalty programme was awarded Best Hotel Loyalty Scheme

• Grosvenor House West Marina Beach by Le Méridien, Dubai won Best New Business Hotel, with the award received by Pam Wilby, General Manager

In addition the W Times Square New York was nominated as one of the four best business travel hotels in the United States; the Sheraton Park Tower, Knightsbridge was nominated as Best Business Hotel in the UK and the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel was nominated as one of the top four Airport hotels.

Presented by this year's guest of honour, journalist and former BBC news correspondent Kate Adie OBE, the awards are recognised throughout the industry as the premier accolades for business travel, and span 46 categories from hotels and airlines to car rental and luggage brands. The awards are voted for by the readers of Business Traveller magazine, and for over 20 years have been the pre-eminent awards in business travel in the UK.

Paul Tribolet, Senior Vice President Marketing, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, said, “Receiving the three awards is a great accolade for us, and all the more meaningful as they were voted for by our guests, the people who actually experience our hotels and service. Sheraton continues to be our most global hotel brand and in the next year we will be rolling out several exciting new initiatives to make it an even more appealing choice for business
travellers.

Starwood Preferred Guest launched the unique Moments offering this year, meaning our loyal members now have access to some fantastic moneycan’t- buy events. This, our continued unique no black out policy along with the recent web enhancements, ensures that SPG continues to be a great vehicle for our most loyal customers to reward themselves while travelling on business or
leisure.”

Starwood Preferred Guest

Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) made headlines when it launched in 1999 with a breakthrough policy of no blackout dates and no capacity controls, meaning members can redeem free nights anytime, anywhere. Starwood Preferred Guest members also value the programme’s hassle-free award redemption, outstanding customer service, enhanced member website and innovative
promotions and benefits for elite members. The programme boasts an unrivalled portfolio of award-winning hotels and resorts that includes some of the world’s most celebrated hotel brands: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Westin, Sheraton, W Hotels, Four Points by Sheraton and Le Méridien.

At Sheraton you don't just stay here, ‘you belong’ says the new brand campaign. The brand's new positioning is centred on warm, comforting, connections and it all starts at the 'heart of the house' with a workplace that's second to none, an investment in training and an environment that
allows Sheraton associates to confidently connect with their guests. And because everything communicates, Sheraton's positioning is being brought to life at every stage of the guest experience, from new television advertising, new collateral and a new signature "warm welcome" for guests both on arrival and throughout their stay.

The new Sheraton brand positioning is the result of a revamp of Starwood Hotels & Resorts
marketing and brand strategy across all nine hotel brands. Sheraton’s signature welcome programme conveys what defines a true Sheraton guest experience – a warm staff and signature services designed to provide guests with a sense of community and a connection to the people and places that matter most. In the coming month’s Starwood’s most global brand will be introducing a number of unique initiatives to ensure guests feel like they belong from the moment they enter the hotel.

Business Traveler Awards 2007 Hotels

According to Sheraton Metechi Palace, Best Business Hotel Chain Worldwide:

1 Sheraton

2 Hilton
3 InterContinental
4 Marriott
5 Four Seasons
Best Hotel Loyalty Scheme
1 Starwood Preferred Guest
2 Hilton HHonors
3 Priority Club
4 Marriott Rewards

Best New Business Hotel

1 Grosvenor House, Dubai
2 Four Seasons, Hong Kong
3 Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
4 Park Hyatt, Zurich