All posts in Hotel

Hotel Iptv True Unified Communications For Hotels

By blogger on

HOSPITALITY IPTV True Unified Communications for Hotels
IPTV is the new buzz word in the hospitality sector and with good reason as it opens up a whole new world of interactivity and endless possibilities, which ultimately increases guest satisfaction and if designed correctly, will increase hotel revenue. However according to Wowtels managing director, Pietro Casoar, (www.wowtel-dreamwise.com), the Dreamwise IP unified communications system can provide much more than just TV to hotels. In this article we shall explore some critical elements that can dramatically benefit hotel operators by implementing the Wowtel Dreamwise system.

Lets take a look at some of the key points regarding the current conventional technology used in vast majority of hotels today. Conventional TV systems (Hotel MATV) consist of 2 main features:
A limited number of Live TV channels due to the coaxial cable networks installed
NVOD or Near Video On Demand

the technology falls short of providing any additional information and interactive services that may provide any real benefit to the guest and hotel at the same time. NVOD in itself is quite limited and is more than an inconvenience to guests as it requires them to wait for the movie to start, rather than immediately viewing the movie once the movie purchase has been made, says Mr. Casoar.

Standard MATV Technology

The overwhelming majority of hotels currently use standard MATV systems to provide TV to their guests via RF (radio frequency) equipment and cable called coaxial cable which was invented by Oliver Heaviside way back in 1929. Although the cable is widely used in most hotels and is a legacy technology, it is utilized to provide TV channels, NVOD movies and some promotional media. However according to Mr. Casoar, MATV systems fall short of giving any real interactivity or depth to the hotels communications network. What most people dont realise with current hotel MATV systems is that even though the channels come from a digital source, in 99% of cases the channels are actually converted and broadcast in analogue, thus greatly reducing picture quality, adding probability of interference which most of the time results in snow, thus, amongst so many other factors, basically resulting in a sub-standard service compared to todays high standards. Whereas our Wowtel Dreamwise system works on full digital IP technology, bad picture quality doesnt exist in our systems, says Mr. Casoar.

Conventional TV system shortcomings:
Channels are broadcast in Analogue and in standard definition
No High Definition Channels are possible using analogue
Poor picture quality TV channels
Susceptibility to Interference
Lack of personalization for guests
Limitation of the number of TV channels offered
Incapacity to provide interactive features to guests
No capacity to provide interactive e-commerce or marketing

Why use IPTV over the current analogue Hotel MATV Systems?
IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) is a system which Television Channels and Movie content is converted into data and transported through an IP network (a LAN) using either the hotels existing standard copper telephone cables thus eliminating the need for re-cabling or with Fibre Optic or Category 6 cables in new hotels. The digital data is then transported through the IP infrastructure, directly to each room via an IP Set Top Box or IP Television Set and guests can simply access the TV channels and other content using a standard TV remote control. For more advanced usage such as writing documents, emails etc… a wireless keyboard can be used.

What this means is that not only can the hotel now provide 1080p high definition Television and real Video On Demand (VOD), but other technologies such as IP Telephony, Internet and fully interactive promotional services can now be provided to each guest using the same single I.P. network infrastructure thus resulting in reduced cabling and labour costs whilst significantly adding value to the hotels communications system.

What are the highlights that make Wowtel-Dreamwise IP System the best choice?
No limitations on the number of TV channels that can be provided to guests
Provide a comprehensive local and international TV and radio channel line up
True Video On Demand (VOD) with full Play/Pause/Rewind/Fast Forward capabilities
On Demand free movie trailers to encourage movie purchase
Additional local and international Radio Channels (Via satellite and Internet)
Music On Demand (Inc. Music Video) with literally thousands of music titles
Fully customized guest interface and Middleware
Private messaging from front desk to guest
E-commerce and in-house shopping from TV screen
Targeted Direct marketing and Promotions
Full Interactive capability
Personalization services
Online bookings via the TV screen/remote control
Real time weather reports, flight information and other information services
Guests can view their bill before checkout
Full PMS integration for single billing solutions on guest checkout

What are some other services that can be added to the Wowtel-Dreamwise system?
Real time automated IP Security and Monitoring
Hacker detection, Anti-Hacker response and guest protection
24/7 Quality control
IP Telephony and VoIP Communications (including Skype Connectivity)
IP CCTV Security Video Cameras (Including PTZ)
IP Public Address (for security and mood creation requirements)
IP Access Control
IP Intercom
Secure and Encrypted Remote Access
Business applications and Video Games

What are the main benefits for Hotels?
Additional and Increased Revenue Generation
Improved Customer Satisfaction
Immediate Customer Service Response
Interactive Advertising and Promotional Vehicles
Better Market and Hotel Performance Intelligence
Greatly Reduce Printing, Stationary and Operational costs

About the Author:
Andrew Spence is a hotel specialist communications consultant and freelance journalist, with over 35 years experience providing sound advice to the global hospitality / lodging industry.

About Wowtel
Pietro Casoar is the Managing Director of Wowtel and an engineer, who has over 16 years of global experience in the RF and IT industries. He is also the author of several technical papers and presentations relating to RF and IP communications systems. Mr. Casoar is also one of the founders of Wowtel Pty Limited and the Wowtel-Dreamwise system, together with Mr. Vincent Fitzpatrick.

Pietros linkedin profile: http://au.linkedin.com/pub/pietro-casoar/7/165/a61
Wowtel are a manufacturer and provider of full turn-key unified IP communications to hotels, resorts, mining villages, hospitals, retirement villages, serviced apartments, ocean liners, housing estates, government and most major projects. Wowtel operate in the Asian, European and Oceania markets.

Creativity Hotel How Do You Treat Your Guests

By blogger on

As creative people, ideas are our currency, our lifeblood. Creativity itself could be defined as having and developing ideas.

If we have no ideas then we have nothing to build upon, nothing to cherish, nourish and encourage to grow.

Our minds at any one time are full of ideas of different types, sizes, ages and levels of attractiveness. So how can we ensure we encourage this development of ideas, this creativity?

One possible way is think of your creative mind as a large hotel or mansion.

In each of the rooms is a guest that represents a creative project or idea that you’ve started in the past. It’s not important whether you finished the project, but that you had the original idea, invited it into your conscious mind and began to work on it. You committed some time and energy to it.

Then, each time you have a new idea and begin a new creative project based around that idea, it’s like a new guest arriving at your hotel.

They check in at reception, are given the key to a comfortable spacious room and are then invited to take to their new quarters and get accustomed to the surroundings, to make themselves feel at home. Each guest – each new creative idea – enters as an equal, and is given the same size room as all the other guests.

Or are they?

What kind of welcome do your new guests receive in reality? Are they greeted with as much respect, enthusiasm and bonhomie as all those in the past were?

Is your Creativity Hotel all crisp clean sheets, stylish comfy furniture, 24-hour room service and a complimentary mini-bar?

Or is it more in the style of a grubby fold away bed in a rundown motel, with cosy dimensions – two steps in any direction and youre provided with a convenient wall to lean against – complete with damp stained wallpaper and what looks like weeks old pizza sauce

And what about managing so many guests at any one time? Your Creativity Hotel is infinitely huge. Maybe at reception there’s a map of the hotel which shows at a glance who’s staying at each of the rooms?

But how do they interact with each other? Do they even mix at all?

Is each new guest invited to a lavish welcoming dinner, to socialise with all the other guests, form new connections and share experiences, returning to their room in the early hours of the next morning tired, yet all the richer and more developed because of it?

Or instead are the guests at your hotel told to stay in their rooms and keep themselves to themselves, to only come out for meals and fire drills. Oh and dont forget that 9pm lights out curfew!

Consider too that each new idea we have as creative people each new quest at our Creativity Hotel does not come from some unknown alien place, but from the same place that all our other ideas have come from. So surely it makes sense to re-introduce them as old friends, let them mix a little and have the opportunity to thrive in diverse and creative surroundings?

Next time you wonder about not having new ideas, ask yourself how you really treat the new ideas and inspiration that come to you? Do you record them eagerly then let them develop naturally? Or do you treat them with contempt or suspicion or worse still ignore them altogether?

Every great achievement in the history of humanity started with a single idea. So think for a moment about how some of those ideas may have been treated had they arrived in their initial state at your Creativity Hotel.

Of course you can take this idea of your Creativity Hotel as deeply or as light heartedly as you wish, the options are virtually limitless. Adapt it so it works best for you and have fun with it.

But to allow yourself to be as creative as possible, ensure you do all you can to make YOUR Creativity Hotel a bustling, stimulating and happy place where new guests cant help but come flocking, and soon flourish in the company of others of a similar mind

Copyright 2006 Dan Goodwin.

New Orleans Best Vacation Directories French Quarter Hotels Advantages Promos Plus A Lot, Lot More

By blogger on

Incredible Vacation Packages at New Orleans Hotels

If you would like to celebrate your anniversary or any special event or occasion in a new place and in a new way with your family or business associates, you will definitely get a good head start if you decide to stay at any Marriott line of Hotels, as being one of the luxurious New Orleans hotels, the Marriott welcomes its guests with fantastic vacation packages. For a fun-filled and meaningful holiday with your family, the Marriott Hotel is a great choice to stay. Customers are truly delighted by their great deals, such as complimentary breakfast for parents and two children, and an educational trip around the Audubon Zoo and the Aquarium of the Americas. The Marriott Hotel also invites all the lovebirds worldwide to celebrate Valentines with them, starting off with complimentary gift upon arrival, plus a healthy breakfast served right on your bed. If youre in the city for to treat your work mates with a game of poker or cards, the New Orleans Casino Package courtesy of the Marriott awaits you, with a complimentary ticket and extra bonuses to the Harrahs Casino.

So Much You Can Save at New Orleans Hotels

A more appropriate choice to learning about the Big Easy its activities, main attractions, and how much you can save on New Orleans hotels and suites is checking out what you can discover through the internet. If youre not so in with the idea, then grab a friend or office colleague who can help you out, or maybe you wouldnt be so bad at doing it yourself after all. Believe me it isnt as hard as you think it is. When you use the search engine, there are several hotel guides that you pop up and these may assist you in making hotel arrangements. Incorporated are names of guesthouses and their charge per room, the services they provide, and most definitely a variety of deals and price-offs that they may have for the month or year. Many reasonably priced New Orleans hotels provide you with the best services including a hotel car waiting for your arrival at the airport. Big savings await you when you try booking from the web.

Quality Service at New Orleans Hotels

One of the most prestigious New Orleans hotels is the Roosevelt New Orleans Hotel, a world class accommodation that provides superior services and the utmost comfort and accessibility. It is among the Astoria line of hotels and is situated downtown – a couple of steps away from the Saenger Theater, just about ten kilometers from the New Orleans Lakefront Airport, and ultimately around 400 meters from the Canal Street. It can be considered a French Quarter hotel, as it is nestled within its walls. There are varied suites to select from, from first class to standard, but which all the same provide sanitary bedding, big and modern television screens, most popular channels, and built-in video games for your convenience and non-stop fun. There are different types of rooms offered, classy to simply comfortable, and all these comprise of a flat screen television, a hypo-allergenic bedding, top rank TV channels, and game consoles that will give you the best experience and enjoyable stay in the city. Staying here at the Roosevelt Hotel would surely make your stay in New Orleans truly exciting and stress-free.

See the Sights at New Orleans Hotels

Vacationers, sightseers, and tourists love to go back to the city of New Orleans, Louisiana because of their endearing sights, parks, great restaurants, museums, and especially New Orleans hotels that are very well known when it comes to accommodations, their service, and the satisfaction they give to each and everyone. One of the famous hotels at New Orleans is The Ambassador Hotel which can be found near at the historic French Quarter. This hotel offers the best rooms you can think of, and the atmosphere and the comfort level they give is unforgettable. The Andrew Jackson Hotel and Astor Crowne Plaza hotel are also great choices for vacationers as they are also located near the Quarter. If you want to visit the Audubon Zoo and would prefer to just walk from there to your hotel, you could try The Avenue Plaza and Hampton inn Garden District hotel. However, if you are up for some great nightlife, the Bourbon Street bars and evening parties would totally knock you off. Aside from those mentioned hotels above, Chateau Bourbon and Dauphine Orleans Hotels may also suite your taste.

Onyx Signs Agreement With Sino Lanka To Manage Two Sri Lanka Hotels

By blogger on

Sri Lanka will see the development of two new hotels over the next year after ONYX Hospitality Group recently signed management agreements with Sino Lanka Hotels.

ONYX, a Thailand-based management company, will be looking after two stylish hotels that will provide Sri Lanka holidays in Colombo and Galle from late 2013.

Sri Lanka is one of the most vibrant destinations in the Asia Pacific and one that is experiencing dynamic growth in tourism, commented Peter Henley, the president of ONYX Hospitality Group.

We plan to make it a key hub for ONYX going forward.

The two new Sri Lanka hotels will both operate under the OZO brand, which provides stylish and practical accommodation and facilities for travellers.

The Colombo OZO hotel will be located on Marine Drive on the coast and just five kilometres from the centre of the capital city. Guests will be able to enjoy beautiful views from a choice of 160 rooms during cultural Sri Lanka holidays in the country’s capital city, as well a sophisticated rooftop caf and refreshing swimming pool.

Tourists heading to the oceanfront Galle OZO property for beach holidays in Sri Lanka, will be able to enjoy the pristine sandy stretch of beach with its landscaped swimming pool and a selection of dining outlets. The hotel is located two kilometres from the famous Galle Fort and each of the propertys 148 rooms offer stunning views of the coastline.

The chairman of Sino-Lanka hotels, Bob Kundanmal, said: We aim to be at the forefront of hotel development in Sri Lanka in the next decade and we see the OZO brand as an ideal platform for bringing style and innovation to the mid-market sector.

We look forward to working with ONYX over the coming years to bring these first projects to life.

Since the end of the countrys decades-long civil war in 2009, Sri Lankas tourism industry has boomed. Travellers have regained confidence in returning to the island nation for holidays and the Sri Lanka Tourism Authority has been working hard to promote the country as a safe tourist destination in many countries across the world.

The Indian Ocean country is renowned for its beautiful natural landscapes and diverse ecosystem. Tourists can make the most out of their holidays in Sri Lanka by visiting hundreds of sandy beaches and heritage sites including ancient cities and colonial forts, or hiking through wildlife sanctuaries, thriving nature parks, and up majestic mountains.

Puri Hotels For Honeymoon

By blogger on

Puri, although a spiritual and pilgrimage center marked by the presence of the trio-God Lord Jagannath, is also a favorite honeymoon destination loved for its picturesque scenic beauty and quiet scintillating beach. It is located in Orissa on the Bay of Bengal. Puri hotels for honeymoon travelers make special arrangement for newlyweds, to sink in their privacy and enjoy moments of loneliness and togetherness.

Puri is specially known for its peaceful silver beaches dotted with monumental magnificence and an enchanting surrounding. Also known as Jagannath Puri because of its world-famous Jagannath temple which is strewn with ancient age-old boulders and monolithic carvings of floral and traditional designs and motifs on them, you can kick start your married life by seeking blessings at this cardinal pilgrimage temple. The widespread cream sands enchant you towards Casuarinas groves that add a touch of romance to the fairly isolated and uninhabited Puri beach. They offer all the privacy in the world to honeymoon couples who want to be lost in their own world of love and romance under the vast skies meeting the horizon over the Bay of Bengal. However, on a honeymoon trip to Puri, one can sneak out for visit to the nearby places like Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, Konark and Khurda and even enjoy a boat cruise at the famous Chilka Lake in the outskirts of Puri. Within the city, one can visit the Gundicha mandir, Satyabali and also be a part of many cultural functions like Jagannath yatra and Nava Kalebara, if you happen to be there around that time of the year when these festivities are celebrated with great pomp and show. Being flanks by bamboo thickets and Sal forests in the west and despite being a religious place, Puri has several interesting options to offer to honeymooners who opt to come to this picturesque coastal land in East India for their ultimate romantic retreat.

Puri Hotels for Honeymoon

Some of the best hotels in Puri for honeymoon couples have been listed here. To top the list of best Puri hotels for honeymoon travelers, Hotel Sonar Bangla is worth the mention. It is a 3-star property which has a private beach offering complete beach privacy to its guests on their honeymoon holiday. It is located on the New Marine Drive, at a distance of 35 km from the much famed Konark Temple, Puri railway station is 4 km and Bhubaneswar airport is 65 km. It offers best services and well-equipped rooms ad honeymoon suites as well which can make your stay a memorable experience for a lifetime. Guests who have stayed here say that the ‘hotel offers good location and excellent accommodation along with a good value for money.’

Among hotels in Puri, among other good Puri hotels for honeymoon couples is Hotel Dreamland which is a nice budget hotel. As its name suggests, unlike most other Puri hotels, Dreamland is located away from the crowded area near Swargadwar, in front of a peaceful beach and is just 3 km from Railway Station. It is well updated with elegant rooms, a multi-cuisine restaurant, an exciting video-game parlor, many indoor game facilities, bay watch relaxing facilities and many more. At Rs. 1,000 for every night, this hotel is definitely a steal for a happening honeymoon.

If you want to know more about Puri hotels for honeymoon couples, visit hotelpushpak.com