“Consumers have different needs than before; they have changed notably” he said. “A new type of traveller has emerged, one that looks for the unique”, the Director of Sales has added. He gave us his first interview back in March when he started to work for Mellow Mood Group. On a second note besides the two hotels that opened this August, we took the opportunity to ask him how his plans worked out so far since.
In August, the Group added two new members to its portfolio. What makes new hotels unique?
The four-star superior Buda Castle Fashion Hotel is the newest hotel in the group’s “Fashion Hotels” brand. It features unique architectural design and modern, streamlined shapes while blending harmoniously with 15th-century historic surroundings. highlight the harmonious color scheme and the creative alternation of dark and light colors.
What kind of guests are targeted and what services do they expect?
Due to the size of the hotel, we are clearly expecting individual visitors and our experience is that this hotel will be popular with tourists who are coming for a short city tour; however, we also rely on business travelers. In the picturesque courtyard there is a breakfast room and bar, and we also plan to use the cellar under the building.
Analysts often hear that Budapest is in short supply of high-quality three-star accommodation. So far, you have also expanded your “City Hotels” brand. In the future, however, they are targeting a higher category …
At the moment, the three-star “City Hotels” brand includes most of our hotels, numbering nine. Atrium Fashion Hotel has been fulfilling our expectations since opening, and I believe the time of the uncharacteristic hotels is coming to an end. In recent decades, guests have been loyal to their favorite mega hotel chain by providing the promise to them that they knew they could always count on the same thing. Today, consumer habits have changed, and a traveling class has been formed that looks for the individual. This is a global trend and many brands can come up with a similar concept; design hotels and boutique hotels were born with similar values. The great advantage of our brands is that our hotels are not only aesthetic but also guest friendly. Constant collaboration between the designers and the hotel technical, operational, marketing and sales professionals has resulted in the resulting interior design elements and design being able to create a harmony of art and functionality.
Also in August, Promenade City Hotel, the ninth member of the City Hotels brand, opened with a three-star superior category approaching the quality of fashion hotels.
Not significantly. Both places are dominated by individual tourists, but business travelers also show up for weekends. The Promenade City Hotel offers the interior design, quality and service of a hotel that would expect a four-star hotel. The design is just as modern and clean, though a bit simpler than the fashion hotels. The frequented venue also demanded a high quality product. Next to it is the Fusion Restaurant, which represents exceptional quality in its interior design and gastronomic offer.
Apart from the larger European markets, do you also come from other regions, do you think of Russia or neighboring countries?
Most guests come from Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy and Spain. Growth in the number of emerging markets from Poland, Romania and Slovakia is also welcome.
Half a year ago he was talking about his most important plan as a newly appointed. What did you manage to achieve from these?
We had a great central sales team. Central sales are supported by E-Commerce Manager, Business and MICE Manager and Leisure Tourist Manager. First I got to know the products thoroughly and now I can say for sure that they are well maintained and well maintained. Because the supply is different – which is natural, since it requires a different location, requires a different product – we have each analyzed and positioned each on the market. We negotiated prices, which resulted in a kind of price harmonization to eliminate internal competition.
Do I understand that the flow of information between units has also been strengthened?
Exactly. I consider this to be one of the most important results. This included price harmonization. Through communication, we are able to keep the business within the group. If one of our hotels receives a larger order but is unable to fulfill it, another unit of the group can take over the task. By acting together, we can more effectively leverage the weight of the company when negotiating with major partners.
How well-known and recognized are the various Mellow Mood brands?
Professional marketing has always been the company’s strength. At the same time, I noticed that products were often not realistic, even by professionals. Sometimes our business partners are amazed at the choice of location. However, the location should always be viewed from the guest’s point of view, who wants good transport and infrastructure. For the sake of competitiveness, I believe that the right value for money is the key to creating a credible picture.
From the beginning, their online presence has been marked …
The traditional sales channel has a longer lead time and is therefore more inflexible. From the outset, online sales have been essential for the Group. Flexibility is a fundamental pillar of our pricing strategy, which will make online sales channels even more prominent in the future. Recently we have also created a proactive sales system. Agreements are made with strategically important sales partners, including online booking portals, and even more, with a common concept.
How do you see the future of Mellow Mood in the Hungarian market?
Both new hotels have been performing well since opening. In general, Mellow Mood hotels are said to produce good saturation rates even with declining demand and increasing supply. In the next year and a half, we will be adding six new units, including the fully renovated 4-star Expo Congress Hotel and our first five-star unit, the Buddha-Bar Hotel Klotild Palace in the Klotild Palace. This will cover the entire vertical of the supply and demand side. Once we have established a unified database, we are able to make accurate situational awareness, which allows us to make informed decisions and execute action plans. During my first semester at the company, we were well on our way to meeting our goals and were able to remain resistant to adverse market conditions.
Source: Tourism Trend
