Strictly Ballroom Brisbane Show Package at Metro Hotel Tower Mill

Strictly Ballroom The Musical will tango, sashay and bogo pogo its way on to the stage at the QPAC Lyric Theatre in Brisbane on September 9th and Metro Hotel Tower Mill in Brisbane is offering a sizzling ‘Hot Deal’ to coincide with the opening – Brisbane Show Package

Strictly Ballroom is the inspiring story of a championship ballroom dancer who defies all the rules to follow his heart. It has been made into a musical by the original creative team behind the classic 1992 film, including director and co-writer Baz Luhrmann, set and costume designer Catherine Martin, choreographer John ‘Cha Cha’ O’Connell and co-writer Craig Pearce.

Metro Hotel Tower Mill’s Brisbane Show Package Hot Deal has prices starting from $153.00 including accommodation and breakfast for 2 adults, complimentary WiFi and an extended check-out at 11am. Tickets to the show are still available from QPAC Lyric Theatre online or phoning 136246.

All guestrooms in the hotel have a balcony with views and secure keycard access. Roma Street station is a five minute walk from the hotel or there is a free city loop bus to the CBD which departs directly from the front of the hotel.

For further information on Metro Hot Deals and bookings phone central reservations on 1800 004 321 or visit www.metrohotels.com.au/hot-deals/

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Appointment of John Lee to Metro Hotels

Metro Hotels has appointed John Lee as Acquisition and Development Manager, signalling the long-established chain is on the expansion trail.

John has previously worked in hotel development and property consulting and was the developer who put together the Metro Hotel Entertainment Centre Sydney. He sold the development prior to construction. Metro Hotels opened the property and ran it successfully for a number of years prior to it being sold. John has also worked in stockbroking with firms such as Ord Minnett and Bain and Company.

John McEvoy, Chairman of Metro Hotels, said the appointment of John Lee is the first step in a plan to reinvigorate the group’s expansion platform. “Metro Hotels has been around for almost 40 years and we need to be extending our presence in Australia and beyond” he said. 

“We are looking for development opportunities as well as acquisitions, and in particular to securing management agreements and leases on existing hotels and properties. We have investors willing to buy properties and to fund the development of new ones” he added. Later this year the company will add to its portfolio a new 53-room hotel in the Perth market.

Metro Hotels is the public face of Transmetro Corporation, an Australian owned public company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. The Group currently provides a national accommodation network of properties with over 1,000 rooms in key locations and major cities across Australia

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Metro Hotels Appoints New BDM for Queensland & NT

Metro Hotels has appointed Tony Coates to the role of Business Development Manager for Queensland and Northern Territory.

In this role Tony is responsible for maintaining and growing the domestic leisure, corporate and government business for Metro Hospitality Group’s properties in Brisbane, Ipswich, Gladstone and Northern Territory.

The position reports to Metro Hotel’s Director of Sales & Marketing, Lynda King, who today welcomed Mr Coates appointment.

“Tony brings to this role the commercial acumen and marketing experience necessary to recognise and capitalise on potential sales opportunities and build strong business relationships in both domestic and international markets”, Ms King said.  

“Tony’s proven background in maintaining and growing strategic business relationships with domestic wholesalers and key retail accounts will be instrumental in helping us grow our market share in Queensland and Northern Territory,” Lynda said.  

Prior to taking up this position, Tony was Regional Sales Manager for Virgin Blue Airlines; National Retail and Wholesale Manager of Queensland Rail/Travel Train Holidays; Director of Sales at Story Bridge Adventure Climb; and Queensland Sales Manager for Dreamworld Gold Coast.

New General Manager for Metro Hotel Sydney Central

Metro Hospitality Group has appointed Earl Muir to the position of General Manager of Metro Hotel Sydney Central, the Group’s flagship property on the corner of Pitt and Hay Streets, Sydney.

In his new role, Mr Muir is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the property, as well as identifying and capitalising on opportunities to grow the hotel’s leisure and corporate business.

Mr Muir said he was very excited about the opportunity to manage Metro Hotel Sydney Central.

“Metro Hotel Sydney Central has just completed a major refurbishment over a 2 year period in its bid to increase occupancy among the leisure market, as well as building on its burgeoning corporate business,” Mr Muir said.  “I look forward to bringing my extensive food and beverage experience to complement this recent refurbishment.

“I also see significant potential to grow our conference, incentives and meetings business.”

Prior to taking up this position, Mr Muir was General Manager of Metro Hotel Tower Mill Brisbane.

His extensive hospitality management experience includes Manager of Marburg, a 240 acre heritage-listed functions and events venue in Ipswich; a contract with Lockyer Valley Regional Council to open a purpose-built Conference and Events Community Centre; and a variety of positions with hotel chains Sebel, Marriott and Rydges. 

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Metro Hotels Partners with Big Picture Film Festival

Metro Hotels is a Foundation Partner of an innovative new Sydney film festival designed to inspire people to get involved in social justice causes and to raise money for children in poverty.

The inaugural Big Picture Film Festival was held from 23 February - 5 March 2013 at Event Cinemas in George Street, Sydney, during which time 12 social justice documentaries were screened. All profits from the festival will go to the Bill Crews CharitableTrust, which helps poor and often homeless children in Thailand, Hong Kong and Africa.

Metro Hotels was the only hotel group to partner with the festival and sat alongside other prestigious Foundation Partners including the City of Sydney, Event Cinemas, Channel 7 and the Macquarie Radio Network.


As part of its partnership, Metro Hotels provided complimentary accommodation for the lead actors and directors from many of the films who attended the festival, as well as donating a two night accommodation prize which was auctioned on the festival’s closing night.

Metro Hotels’ Chief Operating Officer, Mr George Bedwani, said the Australian hotel chain was committed to supporting major international shows while in Australia by hosting performers for the duration of their shows.


“In the past, we have hosted the Japanese performing troupe Drum Tao, the Chinese classical dance and music company, Shen Yun, the African dance troupe Mother Africa and the performers from the theatrical dance spectacular The Merchants of Bollywood for the duration of their stays,” Mr Bedwani said.


“We were particularly impressed by the social justice aspect of the Big Picture Film Festival, which gave us an opportunity to work for The Bill Crews Charitable Trust.


As well as providing complimentary accommodation, Metro Hotels also used its eMETRO newsletter to promote the festival and encourage its clients to attend by providing 20 double film passes and gift packs to films screening during the festival.

Metro Hotels is the public face of Transmetro Corporation, an Australian owned public company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.

The Group currently provides a national accommodation network of properties, with over 1000 rooms in key locations and major cities across Australia.

See All Metro Hotels New at Metro Hotels Press Releases

New Technology Delivers 70 Percent Bookings Increase for Metro Hotels

Metro Hotels has experienced a 70 percent increase in room reservations following a change in providers for its online distribution technology and marketing services.

While the hotel industry experienced bookings growth of just 4.5 percent in the last financial year, Metro Hotels greatly outperformed the industry standard with 70 percent growth following its migration to Sabre Hospitality Solutions’ SynXis Central Reservations Sydney in November 2011. The change enabled the hotel group to seamlessly connect all channels, including distributing rooms and rates, through the four major Global Distribution Systems as well as hundreds of online travel agents.

Using the SynXis Central Reservation Service, Metro Hotels was able to take its turnaround time for rate loading from more than a week to just one day. The enhanced system functionality also allowed it to load a higher volume of information and images for each property, giving the Group the ability to capture a wider audience.

Sabre Hospitality Solutions is the industry's leading global hospitality technology company while Metro Hotels is Australia’s oldest, 100 percent Australian owned and managed hotel chain.
Carlie Tait, Metro Hotels Group Ecommerce coordinator, said the Group had experienced huge improvements across the board since its switch to Sabre Hospitality Solutions last year.

"The high level of support, responsiveness and product knowledge we get from Sabre's Australian-based team, as well as the functionality and efficiencies of the system, have made a noticeable impact on our bookings,” she said. “Overall, it has been a very positive experience."

The change in providers to Sabre Hospitality Solutions’ SynXis and the sharp increase in bookings is a reflection of Metro Hotels commitment to the GDS as a key source of bookings and one of the primary booking channels for its hotels.

According to Ms. Tait, “the largest growth in bookings has been experienced by those properties located in key mining regions such as Perth, Gladstone and Brisbane.”

Patrick Andres, vice president Asia-Pacific for Sabre Hospitality Solutions, said Metro Hotel was taking full advantage of the solution, demonstrating how the functionality of a Central Reservation System could make a huge difference to bookings. He said Sabre was committed to providing good support for its customers.

“This region is growing exponentially, making it imperative that we have a strong team in place that understands the market and can best support our clients,” he said. “This kind of localised knowledge and support is at the heart of client success stories like Metro Hotels."

Continue reading this article at Metro Hotels News

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Metro Hotels Sees Robust Results After Switch to Sabre Hospitality Solutions’ Comprehensive Distribution Solutions

Sabre Hospitality Solutions, the industry’s leading global hospitality technology company, announced today that Australian hotel group, Metro Hotels, has reported a more than 70 percent increase in bookings as compared to market growth of 4.5 percent after switching to Sabre Hospitality Solutions’ distribution technology and marketing services.  

 

The hotel company migrated to Sabre Hospitality Solutions’ SynXis Central Reservation System in November 2011 to connect seamlessly to all channels including distributing rooms and rates through all four major Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), as well as hundreds of online travel agents.

Metro Hotels has 14 properties throughout Australia and is the oldest 100 percent Australian owned and managed hotel chain.  The hotel group has offered accommodation in key cities and popular holiday and tourist destinations for more than 30 years. 

 

“We have seen huge improvements across the board since our switch to Sabre Hospitality Solutions,” said, Carlie Tait, Group eCommerce Coordinator for Metro Hotels.  “The high level of support, responsiveness and product knowledge we get from Sabre’s Australia based team, as well as the functionality and efficiencies of the system, have made a noticeable impact for our hotels.  I have yet to find anything negative.” 

 

More specifically, the SynXis CRS took Metro Hotel’s turnaround time for rate loading from over a week to just one day.  The enhanced system functionality also allows for a higher volume of information and images that Metro Hotels can load for each property giving the chain the ability to capture a wider audience.

 

“Metro Hotels is taking full advantage of our CRS solution and their results show how the functionality of the system can really make a difference,” said Patrick Andres, vice president Asia-Pacific for Sabre Hospitality Solutions.  “They are also armed with accurate and useful reporting that gives them comprehensive insight  around key source markets and areas that require additional focus.”  

Read on at Metro Hotels Press Releases 

Stay in Touch With Free internet at Metro Apartments on Bank Place - Metro Hotels

Metro Apartments on Bank Place has removed all charges for internet usage to make it easier for their guests to stay connected.

Guests will now be able to access free wireless internet in their room or free broadband at the lobby computer kiosks during their stay.

Previously, internet access was available for a fee and could cost guests staying for an average of three to four nights as much as $100 during their stay.

According to Mr George Bedwani, Chief Operating Officer of Metro Hospitality Group, the internet has become an important part of our daily lives regardless of whether we are travelling for business or pleasure.

“You can’t put a price on staying connected, so we haven’t,” said Mr Bedwani.

“A high proportion of our guests are business travellers. Their feedback has clearly indicated free high-speed internet as a key criterion when choosing which hotel to stay at.


“Free wireless or high-speed internet in rooms is becoming a service guests expect, like shampoo, telephones and cable TV. Metro Apartments on Bank Place is ensuring it meets guests’ expectations with no hidden charges, mark ups or variations regardless of how they book.”

Metro Apartments on Bank Place, in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, offers chic, affordable boutique apartment accommodation that lives up to the city’s European charm. Tucked away down an atmospheric cobbled laneway, the surrounding heritage-listed piazza introduces you to Melbourne’s charming lanes and city precinct with its range of cafes, restaurants and enticing shopping.

Bustling by day and alive with al fresco dining by night, Bank Place is situated a short stroll away from all of Melbourne’s sought after attractions: Bourke Street Mall, Federation Square, Southgate Centre and Crown Casino.

Metro Apartments on Bank Place is the ideal accommodation choice for those attending Melbourne’s many world-class sporting and cultural events. The AFL season is now in full swing and the city will also play host to numerous NRL games in the coming winter.

Featuring 60 rooms, there is a choice of either one-bedroom suites or studio rooms, as well as a unique spa room and a split level, two bedroom penthouse. The suites include a fully equipped kitchen and laundry so guests can self-cater.

Complete your stay with a meal at celebrated restaurants like the renowned Syracuse, located directly opposite the apartments, or The Vault – a unique underground restaurant located in the original basement vault of the Apartments, a very different dining experience.

Along with free internet, guests enjoy complimentary daily newspapers, fluffy bathrobes, in-house movies and Foxtel entertainment.

Stay in Touch With Free internet at Metro Apartments on Bank Place - Metro Hotels

Metro Hotel Sydney Central – Perfect for a City Escape - Metro Hotels

Metro Hotel Sydney Central is the perfect accommodation choice for visitors to Sydney, situated right in the heart of Sydney’s entertainment district and providing easy access to the best Sydney has to offer.

Situated directly opposite the Capitol Theatre, Metro Hotel Sydney Central is the ideal accommodation choice for theatre-goers, particularly with the amazing line-up of internationally-acclaimed productions planned for this year and next.

Shows include Shen Yun (April 27 – May 6, 2012); The Nutcracker on Ice (June 2012); The Addams Family (March 2013); and The Lion King (December 2013), and guests are advised to book their accommodation at the same time as they book their tickets to avoid disappointment.

Located in Pitt Street in the city, Metro Hotel Sydney Central offers quality, comfortable accommodation, including 10 guest suites, 154 superior rooms and, for the more budget conscious, 66 well-equipped standard rooms.

Guests will enjoy a little slice of Asia with Chinatown, Little Japan, Little Korea and ThaiTown offering an eclectic mix of restaurants, mini-marts and shopping outlets all within easy walking distance.

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Metro Hotel Sydney Central – Perfect for a City Escape - Metro Hotels