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True Key Hotels & Resorts Ltd. have modified their public spaces to accommodate guests’ needs. In some cases even beanbag chairs are being added to public areas, echoing the design tactics of high-tech companies Google and facebook, whose staff claim they are more productive if they work in a laid-back manner. While beanbag chairs are noticeably absent in his properties, Michael Anderson, president of True Key Hotels & Resorts Ltd., is modifying some of his public spaces to accommodate the changing needs of his guests. Specifically, the lobbies of his four B.C. resorts are being made over to make check-in a more relaxing experience. “Instead of having guests stand at a traditional check-in counter, we’ve installed comfortable seating along with desks and lamps in about half of our properties,” he says. “This provides a much less hurried and far more welcoming initial impression — and it’s a relatively easy modification to make.” True Key’s properties are considered to be luxury resort rentals. “The fact that we are condo resorts dictates what type of seating we procure,” says Anderson. “For example, sofa beds play a big role in our guest experience. But unlike old-fashioned sofa beds that are unpleasant to sleep in, we source the very best models with five inch thick mattresses. It’s a substantial investment, but on the other hand these units can easily last up to nine years.” Wayne Melamed, hospitality account manager for The Global Group, says the evolution of traditional spaces provides companies like his with many business opportunities. “We’re becoming far more involved in all the profit centres and public areas of hotels because so many of them are changing,” he says. “In venues like the Fairfield and Hampton inns, long tables are replacing breakfast nooks, and this requires a lot of seating. Long tables are also replacing sofas in lobbies so that travellers can work on their laptops — and this too requires plenty of seating.” Vlad Spivak, co-founder and CEO of New Jersey-based Modern Line Furniture, calls lobbies and lounges “the new office areas. Guests seem to want to work in every part of the hotel these days, which is why providing comfort is of utmost importance; other factors may attract them to a particular property, but comfortable seating will keep them there.” This is why Modern Line has specialized in working closely with clients since opening its doors in 1999. Early on, Modern Line captured the nightclub market due to the modular nature of its furniture, and this modularity along with the handson client collaboration is making it a sought-after manufacturer by independent and boutique hotels in Canada and the United States. “Hoteliers come to us with their ideas, and my design team starts The Global Group encourages hoteliers to participate in the creation of new seating by choosing upholstery. working with them immediately,” says Spivak. “We break down any project into a series of processes: we measure, then decide what type of seating is appropriate, and then we think about colours. Often we already have a chair model that will fit the hotelier’s specifications, but we’re equally happy to build completely from scratch. In fact, a Canadian customer recently gave us a custom order that was detailed right down to the buttons and tufting.” Spivak explains why his modular furniture benefits hoteliers. “We might have an armless chair unit and then a corner unit, and out of those two components, or sometimes four, you can build any kind of configuration — and this sometimes is a great alternative to replacing furniture altogether when it comes time to renovate.” If guest comfort is the prime consideration when selecting seating, durability comes in a close second — and that pleases Terry Clark, president of Accro Furniture Industries. “Durability absolutely has to be paid close attention to when purchasing seating, if for no other reason than to avoid legal problems: a chair that broke during use 10 years ago was considered an inconvenience, but in today’s world it can easily develop into a liability claim.” Durability and ergonomics are the hallmarks of Accro’s manufacturing capabilities, with the expertise in these fields derived from the company’s long association with the gaming industry. “When we build chairs for a casino it’s crucial to take into account elements such as lumbar support, back height and pitch, because the whole point of gaming is to keep guests sitting down for as long as possible,” says Clark. “These elements remain exactly the same for our hotel projects.” Of late, hoteliers are retaining Accro not for its growing portfolio in the hospitality sector, but because of its casino expertise. “That’s because video lottery terminals are being installed in hotel lounges and restaurants across Western Canada, and we certainly know how to manufacture the appropriate seating for those machines,” explains Clark. 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Guest Input Clark, Spivak and other manufacturers have refined their products by responding to feedback from end users. In a similar vein, hoteliers can make the task of choosing appropriate seating easier simply by paying close attention to guests’ habits. That’s one of the ways Natalie Cherry, general manager of Sleep Inn Regina East, makes purchasing decisions. “I’ve long ago steered away from making decisions based on my own experiences as a traveller,” she says. “For example, when I’m booked into a hotel I love lying on the bed to watch television. But most of my Sleep Inn guests have told me they prefer sitting in a chair. That’s why we’ve provided extra-comfortable armchairs in all our suites, the type you can curl up in to read a book if desired.” Cherry’s Sleep Inn suites also boast ergonomic desk chairs: “They replace the standard table and chair that people of my pre-laptop generation are accustomed to.” One of Cherry’s purchasing decisions has met with unexpected success. “A while ago I decided to invest in high-back bench seating for our breakfast area, simply because it would distinguish us from other Sleep Inn breakfast areas,” she says. “Today, although we have four different types of seating options for the breakfast crowd, they immediately flock to the benches. They’re a huge hit.” In terms of satisfying guests’ seating preferences in general, Cherry abides by a simple rule. “We provide as many different options in our public and private spaces as possible,” she says. East Versus West For the most part hoteliers may have rebounded from the recession, but that doesn’t mean they have money to burn — especially when it comes to bulk furniture purchases. But they exercise caution when it comes to procuring `affordable’ seating from offshore. “We admittedly have done business with offshore suppliers in the past, but we have an unofficial rule: we don’t use them for wood or steel products,” says Anderson. “That’s because the wood from Asian countries is grown in a far more humid environment than that of North America, so when it’s shipped here it tends to crack over time. As for the steel used to make patio furniture, it just doesn’t stand up to our weather: it corrodes.” True Key does, however, use offshore suppliers for textiles. “We’ve taken our time to find the right suppliers, and the quality of their product is very good,” says Anderson. Melamed takes a philosophical view about offshore sourcing. “Domestic manufacturing has definitely increased in recent years, which is good news for our job situation. “But doing business with offshore companies still makes sense in some cases: for example, for a new build it would make economic sense to fill a container.” So, what constitutes quality seating, in Melamed’s opinion? “It’s not rocket science,” he replies. “The frames should be hardwood, with show woods being kiln dried and everything assembled properly. Maintenance costs are of paramount importance to hoteliers, which is why many of our products don’t have any mechanics other than For Accro Furniture Industries the hallmarks of their manufacturing capabilities are durability and ergonomics. swivel abilities: there’s less to wear down and repair.” Quality for Melamed also means encouraging clients to participate in the creation of new seating. “By selecting the upholstery, they put their mark on the final product,” he says. Other seating manufacturers are more outspoken in describing the quality of offshore goods. “We looked at wood frames from China, and they’re garbage,” says Dan Taylor, sales manager at Adria Contract Seating Inc. of Calgary. “Instead, we get all our frames from Italy, and the quality as well as durability is superb. We do the upholstery and finishing here in Calgary, and when our hotel clients learn about where our materials are sourced they’re visibly relieved. They appreciate the fact we build a battleship of a chair, complete with high density foam, that can more or less last forever as long as you occasionally tighten the bolts and do other minor touch-ups.” Kevin Sandler, vicepresident of ISA International Inc. (which recently installed over 700 banquette chairs on behalf of Edition Miami co-owned by Ian Schrager and Marriott), says his familyowned firm limits its offshore procurement to cast iron bases and desk chairs. “For wood products we use domestic and European companies, partly because they understand that North Americans are far rougher on their seating than Asians are on theirs and build accordingly. Frankly, the Europeans have become much more aggressive in terms of pricing and far more accommodating in their business dealings. Fifteen years ago you couldn’t talk to anyone over there unless you had an order for 500 units. That’s not the case today, and this means hoteliers have easier access to terrific European designs and craftsmanship.” Walter Gross, manager of the River Hills, Manitoba custom manufacturer Whiteshell Chairs, remarks, “We’ve had plenty of clients come to us after buying chairs made in China. I’m not saying offshore products are no good, I’m just saying North American furniture is better.” Whiteshell’s commitment to quality is such that it uses foam injection rather than foam slabs for its seat cushions (it was the first company in the North American industry to do so). Its warranties are also unmatched: 10 years for the foam and frame. “Plus, we have an in-house powder coating plant and a metal shop that produces premium outdoor furniture for hotel restaurants and patios,” says Gross. Spivak used to bring in shipping containers of material from Asian countries. “But frankly the transportation fees have risen to the point where it costs our clients too much,” he says. Because of Spivak’s preference to work hands-on with hotel clients, Modern Line late last year opened a brand new production facility in New Jersey; it offers clients an enhanced level of quality control, production efficiency, shipping options, and `Made in USA’ products at factory-direct prices. “We can now fulfil custom orders of any size, operate on much shorter lead times, and provide a massive variety of leather and fabric options,” says Spivak. It falls upon Jeremy Phillips, vice-president of sales & marketing for Contract Furniture Solutions, to make a case for offshore procurement, and he argues that it’s a good business strategy at a time when many hoteliers are still trying to make ends meet. “For one thing, many hotels are directed to use preferred suppliers from southern parts of the United States and pay ridiculous charges just for shipping product,” he says. “We, on the other hand, have our furniture made offshore, in order to deliver competitive cost savings. Not only can we save Canadian hotel operators charges on shipping, in most cases we offer savings on specified product too.” In Your Face The experts may use different words to describe it, but the biggest design trend for seating continues to be contemporary-sleek. But contemporary-sleek furniture is usually accompanied by classic colours — such as grey — that are intended to last until the next re-design five to seven years down the road. This is definitely not the case for a lot of new seating; instead, bold, in your face colours is the order of the day. “This is especially true for loft hotels and new builds,” says Melamed. “The extended stay Home2 48 Western Hotelier Magazine Western Hotelier Magazine 49
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