04
industry news
the World Of Hospitality
Industry News
Food and eating out top
Britain’s favourite small
business purchases
The Elizabeth Park Hotel Budapest, a
Ritz-Carlton Partner Hotel Opens In
The Heart Of The Hungarian Capital
T
he Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is delighted to
announce that, as from the 1st September The Elizabeth
Park Hotel, Budapest, a Ritz-Carlton Partner Hotel will be
managed by the company and following an extensive renovation
program, the hotel will be re-launched as The Ritz-Carlton,
Budapest in Spring 2016.
The study from new web-to-print service
Avery WePrint has revealed the products
and services the British public prefers to
purchase from small and independent
businesses. Food and drink are high on the
list with restaurant meals, fresh produce,
takeaway coffee and food-to-go all featuring
in the top ten.
Happier purchasing from a small business
The centrally located, 198-room hotel will undergo a
comprehensive renovation which includes the addition of The RitzCarlton Club, new luxury suites and fresh concepts at the hotel’s
dining outlets.
Over 80% of Brits reported feelings of
happiness or contentment when they
purchased from a small business. This figure
dropped to just 53% feeling this way after
purchasing from a large company or chain.
A quarter of Brits said choosing to buy from
a small business actually made them feel
good about themselves.
“It is an honour to bring The Ritz-Carlton experience to Hungary
at the heart of this vibrant capital city. We are looking forward
to opening the newest European hotel in Budapest in 2016,” said
Herve Humler, President and Chief Operating Officer.
Fiona Mills, of Avery WePrint who
commissioned the research, commented on
what the findings mean for the UK’s small
and independent food and drink sector:
“We are delighted to be partnering with the Ritz-Carlton for such
an exquisite property to build on our unique portfolio of hotels. We
are bringing together two of the best names in the business, both
dedicated to offering world-class luxury and hospitality. We look
forward to welcoming guests to experience the renewed property
in early 2016,” said Mohammed Al Habtoor, Vice-Chairman and
CEO, Al Habtoor Group, the hotel’s owner.
“The research shows businesses of all sizes
and sectors can learn from one another,
what’s important as a business grows is not
to lose sight of the values and service levels
that were there in the beginning. Customers
say they feel valued by small companies and
that’s something every business should be
trying to emulate.”
Marcus A. Loevenforst has been appointed as the General Manager
to lead the team of Ladies and Gentlemen at this historic location
and oversee the transformation of the hotel into the first Hungarian
property for The Ritz-Carlton portfolio. Mr. Loevenforst, originally
from Germany, brings more than 23 years of luxury hospitality
experience spanning several continents and locations, including
Stuttgart, Miami, San Francisco, Cleveland and Toronto, and with
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company in Berlin, Bahrain, Moscow and
Naples. Most recently his role was as Vice President, Operations for
EDITION hotels.
The Elizabeth Park Hotel, Budapest is located on St Erzsebet
Square with commanding views over St Stephen’s Basilica in the
heart of the city, only a short distance from the business district
and shopping areas. The Hungarian capital is home to an extensive
World Heritage site, including the banks of the River Danube,
the Buda Castle quarter, Andrassy Avenue and the Millennium
Underground railway, the second-oldest metro line in the world.
It is one of Europe’s most bea WF