Recommend November 2010 - (Page 82)

BARBADOS back to work continued from page 80 “In any economic downturn, redevelopment and construction is a key indicator of improvement in the economy. The development in Barbados signals the beginning of the end.” Sallie Rawlings, Senior Director of Corporate Communications, Travel Impressions Tamarind’s redesigned guestrooms. recognized luxury products. That strategy is a popular one on the island, Turner explains, but not because of the recession. “One of the things we’re very aware of is that the Caribbean has in recent years lost a bit of [UK] market share to other destinations, places like the Indian Ocean,” she says. “The UK is our primary market and the U.S. is a secondary but very key market—one we’re looking to develop. But for the UK market, the Indian Ocean has been going through a popular phase in the last couple of years, and we’re very aware that the Caribbean generally has lost its market share.” To get it back, Turner says, Fairmont is pumping up its high-end amenities by adding a new room category—a big step for a property that formerly offered only one type of accommodation. “For many years, we had one room category only. It was a great advantage for the trade; people loved us because it was so easy to sell—not 27 room categories,” she says. “The trade loved us keeping it simple, and we deliberately did that. We’re the only hotel on the west coast that has every room on the oceanfront—literally on the ocean, no ‘standing on one leg, looking through a palm tree’ to see the ocean.” But though the Fairmont’s existing rooms worked for its existing guests, they weren’t helping to bring in new business. “One thing we felt we were missing was that suite product that the high-end guest is looking for,” Turner says. So the Fairmont extended its ground ﬂoor rooms forward, toward the beach, turning them into jr. suites with walkout beach access. Each of the 24 new jr. suites measures 750 sq. ft. 82 november 2010 According to Turner, the only reason they’re called jr. suites rather than suites is due to the lack of separation between the living area and the bedroom. “When you walk into one of our guestrooms, you immediately see the ocean, and it’s the most incredible view. Separating the living area from the bedroom, you’d lose that. So technically, it’s a jr. suite because it’s not subdivided. It’s not reﬂected in the quality or size.” The new jr. suites also offer private terraces, ideal for outdoor dining with a photo-perfect ocean backdrop, and personalized butler service. Booking a jr. suite also earns your clients “fast track” service from the airport, including a personal escort through faster, VIP-only immigration and customs lines, as well as private check-in and check-out options. The suites themselves were designed with Barbados’ colonial history in mind, with walnut furnishings and plantation-style decor. It’s part of Fairmont’s strategy to offer an experience that feels both more luxurious and more authentically Caribbean. “One of the things guests love about the Caribbean is its special people—the culture and the very engaging characters, genuinely friendly,” she explains. “So when we asked ‘What is the customer looking for,’ what we thought of was a traditional colonial Barbadian home-type feeling resort.” To that end, the Fairmont plans to continue renovations in phases in 2011 and perhaps beyond. “In order to maintain our positioning, we’re very aware that there’s a lot of competition and we need to take our product forward. This is the start of a phased renovation. It’s not something you can do in two months. It’s a process and a journey, and this is the ﬁrst step of that journey.” Rates at the Fairmont Royal Pavilion start at $350 per room per night. luxury in the name For some hotels in Barbados, renovations go beyond the property itself. In addition to its new outdoor areas and redesigned guestrooms, the resort formerly known as Tamarind Cove Hotel extended the upgrades to its name itself—now, you can call it simply Tamarind. Vice president of sales, marketing and e-commerce for Elegant Hotels Group, Sylvia Scholey, says the renovations were inspired by the upscale ambiance of Barbados itself. “Tamarind has always been popular with the trade and with customers, but it hasn’t seen much work in the last years,” she explains. “To distinguish yourself on the island, well, Barbados is certainly an upscale destination. We wanted to create intimate spaces, to feel small and personalized.” But where the Fairmont took its inspiration from the island’s history, Tamarind’s style is fully inﬂuenced by the present. “We also wanted to give it a west coast contemporary feel, that establishes it outside of the all-inclusive world,” Scholey explains. “Tamarind really lends itself to that. The beautiful grounds, and some of the best beaches on the island, really make a difference.” recommend.com C M Y CM MY CY CMY K http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend November 2010

Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk
Tour Talk
Medical Tourism Introduction
India: The Guest is God
Turkey: Investing in the Future
A Medical Tale of Two Latin American Countries
Quality Care in Taiwan
Uruguay's Making Waves
No More "Risky Business" in Colombia
River Cruising for 2011
Israel-100 Years of Green
South Africa With Style
Chicago: Nothing Second About This City
Jacksone Hole, Wyoming
Shining the Spotlight on Amelia Island, Florida
Koh Chang, Thailand
Barbados: Back to Work
Jamaica: Back to Basics
Acapulco on the Rise-Again
Re-Discovering the Wonders of the Yucatan

Recommend November 2010