Constellation Hotel Group

There has been a dramatic growth in Constellation Hotel Group’s network, brands and services over the years that has seen the company more than double its network, enhance its suite of brands and expanded its Country Comfort operation across the Tasman.

Today, the proudly Australian-owned and operated company has close to 80 properties located in capital cities, key regional centres and leisure destinations across the country. As a result, Constellation can continue to provide Australian and New Zealand hotels with a unique proposition: the benefits of a large network combined with the understanding and shared values only a local partner can offer.

The launch of Country Comfort’s New Zealand network a few years back opened an exciting new chapter in the famous brand’s history.

A total of 12 Country Comfort properties are now distributed from Auckland to Invercargill, with the network including almost all of New Zealand’s major metropolitan cities and key tourism centres. But perhaps an even more significant development for Constellation that year was the addition of the Sundowner brand.

The move meant that Constellation now offers five key brands – Footprints, Sundowner, Country Comfort, The Chifley and Australis Hotels & Resorts – catering to all sectors of the market, from backpackers through families to corporate travellers.

Constellation is also the only group offering a range of commercial options for hotel owners, including franchise arrangements, management agreements, management rights, leasing and property development and investment.

For their part, Sundowner franchisees have gained full access to Constellation’s Sydney-based marketing services, including promotion and a central reservations call centre that operates seven days’ a week. Members of Sundowner’s loyalty program, SunClub, also automatically became members of Constellation’s award-winning customer loyalty program, The Escape Club that rewards frequent guests with free nights, dining discounts and Escape Dollars that can be spent like cash throughout the group.

Benefits such as these have helped attract independent hotels to the Sundowner brand, including eight new franchisees in the last two months. With a record 23 properties in its network, Sundowner has a presence in key regional locations throughout New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia and the ACT.

Constellation Group general manager, Jonathan Wooller said, “The fact that all of our new franchisees were previously independent operators demonstrates the strength of the Sundowner brand, and the appeal of working with a locally-owned company.”

Some Sundowner properties have also taken the opportunity to adopt other Constellation brands where a repositioning has offered clear benefits to their business.

In the past, four Sundowners re-branded as Country Comfort hotels, highlighting the fact that Constellation offers a choice between two exceptional franchise models in the three to four star category.

Every hotel’s operating environment is unique and owners can weigh up the different benefits offered by the four star Country Comfort and three star Sundowner brands when deciding what best fits their businesses.

One Sundowner property took the opportunity to join Constellation’s elite 4½ star Chifley brand following completion of a major refurbishment program.

The new-look Chifley on the Esplanade – formerly Sundowner Geelong – opened in May 2007 in Victoria’s largest regional city and is now attracting a broad range of guests, with a selection of new one- and two bedroom apartments overlooking Corio Bay.

Constellation’s Chifley network has seen significant growth. New properties were developed in Townsville and Newcastle, each offering more than 80 brand new, stylish apartments, while an exciting new development will soon be unveiled in the heart of Sydney. Chifley Albury was a Country Comfort property until the completion of a $2.3 million renovation program that has seen the refurbishment of all 140 rooms, along with the introduction of additional meeting and conference facilities and the city’s newest dining venue.

As well as developing Chifley properties in strong regional destinations, Constellation has taken the brand into high-growth areas in and around Australia’s major cities. This strategy recognises the fact that many corporate travellers now regularly bypass a CBD in order to conduct business in light industrial areas on the edge of major metropolitan centres.

To meet these travellers’ specific needs, Constellation constructed Chifley hotels in areas such as Eastern Creek in Sydney’s Western Suburbs and Doveton in Victoria. Both hotels offer the same stylish rooms and state-of-the-art communication technologies expected of inner-city business hotels but with spaces such as bars, restaurants and conference areas more accessible to surrounding businesses.

Constellation owns the new Chifley hotels at Eastern Creek in Sydney and Doveton in Melbourne.

As a property investor the group has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by Australian hotel owners. That sort of empathy simply cannot be shared by large international companies that specialise purely in franchise or management arrangements.

Australian hotels increasingly see the value of dealing with a strong, locally based partner.

BRANDS:
Sundowner:
Sundowner Motor Inns are located predominately in regional centres, focussing on good quality accommodation for business and leisure travellers alike. Sundowner properties are often family run and provide warm hospitality in a friendly, professional way.

Country Comfort:
This iconic brand has attracted domestic travellers for more than 25 years, helping Australian hoteliers increase occupancy levels and grow yields. The brand is recognised by guests for its home away from home atmosphere.

The Chifley:
Distributed in capital cities and key regional centres, Chifley hotels largely target corporate travellers and the MICE market, as well as international and domestic leisure guests seeking a city stay.

Australis Hotels & Resorts:
Located in popular tourism spots, Australis hotels and resorts are focused on delivering a fun, relaxed holiday experience for leisure guests and a friendly, professional service for conference clients.

The benefits of being one of the four Constellation Hotel Group brands are numerous.

Such benefits include: simple, tailored commercial terms with fees that are aligned to the benefits derived out of the system; a powerful association with trusted Australian hotel brands; nationwide directory coverage; a web site managed by CHG; an Internet booking engine from NETrooms with live inventory; a unique nationwide 1300 central reservations booking service manned by Australians and based in Australia; market leading and award-winning loyalty program, The Escape Club; strong sales and marketing support; discounted GDS service (optional for hotels); affiliation with third party marketing (like QFF); access to online ‘do it yourself’ marketing templates allowing the quick and easy creation of advertisements and promotional collateral that leverage a brands look and feel; economies of scale in purchasing; opportunities to network with other operators; a monitored quality assurance program; entry to an intranet knowledge centre with operating resources and ongoing training.

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