Hospitality

Cristal Grand Kadri Hotel

Cristal Grand Kadri Hotel

HistoryCristal Grand Kadri hotel, nestled in the vibrant heart of the charming city of Zahle, it is one of the rare remaining historical landmark hotels in Lebanon. Built in the 19th century, this iconic gem stands as a living testament to the traditional Lebanese architecture. The architectural style of the hotel combines between the oriental aesthetics and the exquisite modern touch. It is one of the best hotels for business travelers and tourists.LocationThe hotel is located in Lebanon Bekaa-Zahle Boulevard-Brazil Street. The hotel is 50 minutes away from Beirut Rafic Hariri International airport, 30 minutes away from Baalbeck and 5 minutes away from Zahles central boulevard. Transportation to and from the hotel and touristic tours can be arranged upon request at an extra cost. Its location is very comfortable and make your stay perfectly organized and unparalleled. Cristal Grand Kadri includes all what the Beqaa valley has to offer. From Zahles thriving business centers and shopping areas, visiting the regions touristic sites, to enjoying Lebanese hospitality and a superb culinary experience.

This beautiful historical city (Greco-Roman and Byzantine civilizations) was established back in the 8th century as a palace-city for the Umayyad Caliph, and it is known for the ruins of this famous citadel. Aanjar was added to the UNESCOs list of World Heritage Monuments in 1984 Rooms & SuitesCristal grand hotel dressed up with typical Lebanese stone walls, and contains several rooms and suites with different sizes and dispositions. The recent renovations have resulted in the creation of a unique and welcoming atmosphere turning the rooms into havens of serenity, which highly suit leisure guests and business travel. It also includes connecting rooms for family getaways to accommodate children who have the opportunity to enjoy the swimming pool and kids area. The hotel provides the visitors with extra services which make them comfortable and happy in their stay: - 24-hour assistance - Airport transfers and transportation, - Touristic expeditions, - Reservations for events or concerts, - Advice on hot spots and local attractions - Laundry, dry cleaning and room service are also available round the clockThere are 4 types of rooms and they have different prices according to their facilities.

1- Standard Room 140$/ night

2- Deluxe Room- 160$ /night

3- Deluxe +balcony 180$/night

4- Twin -160$/night

5- Junior Suite - 280$/night

6- Cristal Suite - 330$/night

All rooms include a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. Some units include a seating area for your convenience. You will find a coffee machine in the room. Extras include bath robes and slippers.

Staffs:Food and beverage and kitchen:The service has 15 employees and the kitchen 20 employees including 2 chefs one international and the other oriental.Front office:It has 3 shifts started at 6 AM and end at 6 AM6AM-2PM ; 2PM-10PM; 10PM-6AMThe hotel check in at 2PM and checkout at 12AM. The hotel does not have a guaranteed reservation if the guest doesnt make a confirmation the hotel hires the room. The front desk employees contact guest by email or telephone to ensure reservation. They have 5 employees in the front office and one concierge fluently in 3 language: English, Arabic, French. Housekeeping: there are 7 employees responsible for the cleanness of the hotel.Maintenance: there are 5 employees responsible for the staffs in the hotel they are internal employees not external company. Head department: there are 8 employees between administrations and managers responsible for the administration of the hotel.Security department: there are 6 employees in order to keep the safety the place.

Facilities:The open air swimming pool offers wellbeing moments and relaxing scenery. A wide selection of delicious cocktails, beverages and snacks is served either by the pool or at the barGym & Wellness:For the guests willing to keep up with their workout routine or simply to relax and indulge in massage therapy, The Loft Gym is designed to offer you a rejuvenating experience. The professional trainers are committed to ensure that you are making the most of our facilities including all the Life Fitness Equipment, the solarium, tennis and basketball court, group classes, customized treatments and personalized advice.Restaurants: Lebanese and international food: The tradition of generous Lebanese hospitality reaches its perfection at Cristal Grand Kadris restaurant. With its high ceiling, dressed stone walls and modern stylish furnishing. You will be able to enjoy a wide variety of oriental and western meals, complemented with a perfect selection of wine and drinks from our Lebanese grasps. It also helps you to find a menu that would perfectly accommodate any of your specific events. Outdoor Terrace: Enjoy having lunch, dinner, a late-night drink or simply coffee with an arguil at the bar. The terrace is ideal for receptions or as an alternative location for open-air weddings. Combining privacy and an exclusive service, Cristal Grand Kadri is a great setting for weddings, private or professional events. The hotel features two conference rooms, a restaurant, a ballroom, a winter bar, an outdoor bar, and a terrace.1. Weddings: Privacy, elegance and excellent hospitality the hotel aims to provide you with all the attention you deserve for this special day. Every view, sound and flavor will be made to reflect your own personality and desires. It puts a magical touch on your wedding by the help of wedding planners who will collaborate to the utmost either to assist you with specific details or to take charge of all the preparations. You will also enjoy our bridal suite, making your first night a memorable one.2. Banquets & Private Events: For any of your receptions, private events, luncheon or Gala dinners, the hotel features a remarkable venue, which will make any of these special moments so distinctive and cherished. With the staffs expertise, you will be able to organize all the details of your bespoke event.3. Business Meetings & Conferences: With its central location in Zahle and the Bekaa region, the hotel is the perfect choice for conferences or business meetings. Both of the conference rooms are situated in a calm area and equipped with slide show material and sound system. Internet access, beverages and snacks are also provided. The team is always on hand to organize your event, offer technical advice, and support you to make the final outcome as high as possible.

Entertainment Fall/Winter: oriental night every Saturday with dancers, singers, DJs, and bands.Spring/Summer: pool, inflatable play for kids, playground, and night club and gym under construction.

Industry Analysis:Travel & Tourism Contribution to GDP: The travel & tourism sector constitutes one of the main growth engines in the Lebanese economy, and its impact on GDP is significant. According to World Travel & Tourism Council, the contribution of the travel & tourism sector to GDP is classified into direct contribution and indirect contribution. Direct sector contribution includes visitor exports, domestic expenditures, internal tourism consumption, and purchases by tourism providers. On the other hand, indirect sector contribution encompasses domestic supply chain, capital investment, and government collective spending on tourism, and imported goods for indirect spending.Total Tourist Arrivals: During the year 2009, tourist arrivals rose by 39% to reach 1.85 million tourists, of which 0.786 million were Arab tourists and 1.06 million were non-Arab tourists. Total tourist arrivals continued to increase, yet at a slower rate during the year 2010. In fact, tourist arrivals increased by 17%, reaching 2.17 million tourists, where Arab and Non-Arab tourists rose by 13.8% and 19.5%, respectively. However, the years 2011 and 2012 recorded negative tourist arrivals growth. During 2011, tourist arrivals plunged by a remarkable 24% to reach 1.66 million tourists. This decline is attributed to a severe 35% decline in Arab tourists coupled with a 15.7% drop in non-Arab tourists. The falling trend continued through 2012 where tourist arrivals fell by 17%, reaching 1.37 million. Specifically, the number of Arab tourists further plunged by 21.3% to reach 0.46 million tourists, while the number of non-Arab tourists dropped by 15.3% reaching 0.9 million tourists. Several factors have contributed to this decline including: the block of land passage points for Arab tourists crossing to Lebanon, violent incidents and internal clashes in country, and non-Arab perception of increased danger in the Middle East. Hence, the deterioration in Lebanons tourism sector comes as a direct result of worsening political situation in Lebanon as well as social unrest and insecurity in neighbouring countries.

Tourists Spending: Over the period 2008-2010, tourism expenditures have increased by a compounded average annual growth rate of 27%, from USD 1,326 million in 2008 to USD 2,129 million in 2010. Hence, tourists spending as a percentage of GDP rose over the same period from 4.4% in 2008 to 5.7% in 2012. However, with rising internal tension and exacerbating regional turmoil, tourists spending fell by 5.8% during 2011 to reach USD 2,004 million, constituting a lower 5% share of GDP. As the domestic and regional scenes worsened in 2012, tourist spending was heavily impacted. In fact, tourism expenditures is estimated to have totalled USD 1,680 million during 2012, falling by 7.2% from the previous year. Concurrently, tourists spending as a percentage of GDP dropped to 4.5% in 2012.Hotels Performance:During 2009, hotel occupancy rate increased to 73%, up from 55% in the previous year. This increase came as a direct result of the return to political and security stability contributing to rising tourist arrivals which translated into a higher hotel occupancy rate. However, hotel occupancy rates witnessed a declining trend during the past three years. In fact, hotel occupancy rate fell by 5 percentage points to 68% in 2010 and further dropped by 11 percentage points to 57% in 2011. The notable boom in tourism activity was in the year 2012 due to continued security threats. Thus, the hotel occupancy rate decreased by 3 percentage points to reach 54%, and it recorded the lowest rate since 2007. Average room rate at Beirut hotels increased gradually from USD 185 in 2008 to reach USD 257 in 2010. This is attributed to the improvement witnessed in the tourism sectors performance over the period 2008-2010 which led to increased demand on hotel rooms and pressured room rates to surge. Likewise, revenues per available room peaked at USD 241 in 2010, up by 134% from USD 103 in 2008. However, with slowing tourism activity and falling hotel occupancy in 2011, average rate per room responded to the declining demand, dropping to USD 223. Hence, revenues per available room declined by 45% to reach USD 131. The decrease in the tourism sector in 2012, made an exerted downward pressure on hotel room rates which fell to an average of USD 193. As a result, revenues per available room dropped by 19% to reach USD 106 in the same year. In the context of regional hotel performance, while most cities witnessed improvements in hotel occupancy rate in 2012, Beirut saw deterioration in its hotel occupancy rate hence showing greater vulnerability to regional developments.

Tourist Arrivals and Political Stability: In order to examine the correlation between the number of tourist arrivals and political stability and security, trend analysis is performed between tourist arrivals and Political Stability and Absence of Violence index issued by the World Bank. The index is part of the Worldwide Governance Indicators issued yearly by the World Bank. The Political Stability and Absence of Violence index aggregates various issued indices including: EIU Political Risk index, Cingranelli-Richards Political Terror Scale, Gallup World Global Peace Index, and Global Insight Business Conditions and Risk Indicators. The index assigns a score to each country ranging between -2.5 (highest risk) and +2.5 (lowest risk). Trend analysis of tourist arrivals and Political Stability and Absence of Violence index reveals that the two variables move together. This can be explained by the fact that improvements in political stability as indicated by a rising index value contributes to ensuring a safer environment which encourages tourism. To further analyze the relation between tourist arrivals and political stability, ordinary least square regression analysis was performed between yearly change in tourist arrivals over the period 2000-2011 and Political Stability and Absence of Violence index over the same period. As expected, the analysis showed that there is a positive relation between change in tourist arrivals to Lebanon and political stability. The regression revealed a high coefficient of determination which renders the analysis reasonably reliable. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that a rise in Political Stability and Absence of Violence index by 0.1 point would lead to a yearly increase of tourist arrivals by 41,800 tourists. On the other hand, a 0.1 point drop in Political Stability and Absence of Violence index would result in annual tourist arrivals reduction by 41,800 tourists. 1 This shows how Lebanons tourism sector is highly sensitive to political stability and security conditions, the reason for which the sector have severely deteriorated in the past two years.

Hotel Place Analysis:Zahle is the administrative and commercial capital of the Bekaa and is the seat of government. All amenities are available there, from medical to educational centres and organizations such as hospitals, clinics, laboratories, private and public schools, universities and also banks. Zahle is also an important touristic centre and a summer resort where you can find numerous hotels, restaurants and cafs, night clubs, cinema. The main attraction in Zahle is the Berdawni River, which flows out of Mount Sannine and down through Zahle. And you can enjoy a typically Lebanese pastime: the long leisurely lunch with the traditional Lebanese mezze which is a variety of more than thirty different Lebanese dishes. To add to the sense of timelessness, delicious mountain bread is baked before your eyes and a man in his folkloric costume is on hand to pour Lebanese coffee. You will eat and drink well in Zahle While taking in the beautiful old architecture and scenery.

SWOT Analysis:Strengths: The hotel is a historical one (unique in the region), which can provide to guests a drawback to the past with a classical design, and a valuable history of the hotel and the place. The location of the hotel is more security than other located in other regions in Bekaa, so it creates a competitive advantage. The kitchen is ISO qualified, so this means that the food and beverage have high quality that reduces risks of contamination and diseases. The underground floor has a receiving area where all the fruits, vegetables, and others are sterilized to maintain high hygiene standards and reduce the risk of food contamination, especially in summer times when increases the rate o food contamination and virus complications. Also, it has a parking and a library. Weakness: The hotel was closed between 2010-1012 because of internal problems, so not all target customers know that the hotel was reopened. Many guests have the thought that the hotel is very expensive, more than others in the same region. Opportunities: The high season is an important point to take in consideration, in the summer many foreign visit the country, also is the preferred period to people make them weddings. The country has many holidays that increase the occupancy of the hotel rooms and the restaurants in order to make them conferences or only to celebrate the data. An extra point is the different religions in the country; each one has its special holiday, so the hotel can take a advantage over this.

Threats: Cost Structure: The hospitality industry requires important investments with long term returns and it is not easy to raise capital in Lebanon. Economic and political instability: Environmental threats include the economic recession in the country and the unstable political situation in the country.

Competitors Chtaura Park Hotel: it is located on the Chtaura Main Road, considered a 5 stars hotel with 75 rooms and suits. The hotel facilities include gastronomic variety, outdoor swimming pool, meeting rooms and outdoor .The hotel facilities: Business venues Wedding venues Leisure & Sports Gallery laundry service Limousine and airport services Parking & Valet service Complimentary internet access Room service Baby-sitting service 24 hours of front desk & concierge service

Al Misk SuitesOne bedroom suite with king size bed, separated salon, working space with internet connection, safe box, Deluxe Room amenities, mini Jacuzzi, welcome amenities, coffee/tea tray, free buffet breakfast.450$/night

Al Yasma SuitesSpacious room with sitting area, king size bed, working space with internet connection, safe box, Deluxe Room amenities, mini Jacuzzi, welcome amenities, coffee/tea tray, free buffet breakfast.300$/night

Deluxe Room Double (2 pers.)De King size or twin beds, smoking/ nonsmoking preferences, balcony, free buffet breakfast, free wireless high speed internet, free access to pool & fitness center.80$/night

Deluxe Room Single (1pers)King size bed, smoking/ nonsmoking preferences, balcony, Free buffet breakfast, Free wireless high speed internet, Free access to pool & fitness center.140$/night

Triple Room300$/night

Single Room280$/night

Double Room200$/night

Massabki: localized in the main road of Chtaura, 4 stars hotel.

Double Room 200$/night

Single Room 200$/night

Suite 278$/night

Grand Suite466$/night

Delora Hotel: located in Chtaura. All rooms include breakfast, free wifi, smoking room, and free car park.

One Bedroom Apartment80$/night

Two Bedroom Apartment120$/night

Twin Room200$/night

Standard Studio280$/night

Studio with Balcony300$/night

Superior Studio350$/night

Cristal management Cristal Hotels & Resorts Management L.L.C. was established in 2006 to capitalize on the market that is shaping the future of the region with the mission to deliver world-class hospitality consultancy, technical services, asset management & brand management. Aiming to be the premier business and leisure hotel operator in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Cristal Hotels and Resorts has a carefully elaboratedexpansion plan to increase the companys portfolio to 25 properties within five to 10 yearsVision: We are a cohesive socially responsible team creating a legacy today as the leading hospitality company recognized by our associates, guests and investors as continually setting new and higher standards of excellence. We will be the premier business and leisure hotel operator in the Middle East & Africa and our accomplishments and meaningful contributions will always have a positive impact on society.

Brand Promise: Each business unit under Cristal Group will comply to its brand standard, meet its profit, customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction goals, be recognized as the undisputed leader in its location for its market segment, consistently operate within our values, our beliefs and our methodology of utilizing quality sciences with associate's involvement.Lebanon branchThe branch is the first stage on its expansion and development initiative in the Levant region and is was bought by Mr. Edmont Marjaba . Peter Blackburn, company president and CEO, said: While the global economy seems to show a recovery and the climate for interest in hotel looks encouraging, we are pleased that Cristal Group development pipeline is filled with potential growth for the company. We are confident of meeting the hospitality needs across all segments of travellers within this region and we are looking forward to start our new projects in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, which will be great additions to our existing portfolio of hotels in the UAE. He added: Being able to cement our leadership position in the region with the opening of our new office in Lebanon is very gratifying and we are most grateful to our partners that continue to entrust their hotel assets to the Cristal Group for enabling this stellar performance. Adding this number of hotels to the network in the coming years has required us to invest significantly in our regional infrastructure to support both the new hotel openings as well as the existing hotels and in doing so ensuring our ability to sustain similar growth in the coming years.

Technologies

Property management systemsalso known as PMS or Hotel Operating System (Hotel OS), under business terms may be used in real estate, manufacturing, logistics operational functions of front office, sales and planning etc. Automate hotel functions like guest bookings, guest details, online reservations, point of sale, telephone, accounts receivable, sales and marketing, banquets, food and beverage costing, materials management, HR and payroll, maintenance management, quality management and other amenities. Hotel property management systems may interface with central reservation systems and revenue oryield managementsystems,front office, back office,point of sale, door-locking, housekeeping optimization, pay-TV, energy management, payment card authorization and channel management systems., intellectual property, government or hospitality accommodation management. They are computerized systems that facilitate the management of properties, personal property, and equipment, including maintenance, legalities and personnel all through a single piece of software. They replaced old-fashioned, paper-based methods that tended to be both cumbersome and inefficient. They are often deployed as client/server configurations. Today, most next generation property management systems favour web and cloud technology and offer their software to clients using asoftware-as-a-servicemode. The IT room localized in the underflow where all the data of the hotel is present, the IT room is composed 2 UPS to avoid problems in the electricity and losing all the data of the hotel. This room maintain intact under natural disaster, and/or attacks. The information system aims to support operations, management anddecision making, and also support of business processes. An information system is a form ofcommunicationsystem in which data represent and are processed as a form of social memory. An information system can also be considered a semi-formal languagewhich supports human decision making and action.

Analysis:

The Cristal Grand Kadri Hotel is definitely a fascinating place, it mixture the old and new with a glamour touch. It is a fascinating place in the heart of Zahle and its meet most of the standards of a five stars hotel.

Reception opened 24 hours, multilingual staff Valet parking service Concierge, page boy Spacious reception hall with several seats and beverage service Personalized greeting for each guest with flowers or a present in the room Minibar and food and beverage offer via room service during 24 hours Personal care products in flacons Internet-PC in the room on demand Safe in the roomIn the tripadvisor ranking summary it has a high grade in all evaluated criteria: Sleep Quality - excellent

Location very good

Rooms very good

Service very good

Value very good

Cleanliness very good

During the interview with the purchase manager we could observe how the work has been done, and how employees work. We notice that the front desk employess are not very friendly and cold, moreover they do not behave properly with the guests when the arrived in the hotel. The front desk employess should smile, be empathy, and dynamic.

RecommendationThe Cristal Grand Kadri Hotel is brilliant, with a nice ambient and design. For guests who are looking for an enjoyable and peaceful place to stay the hotel is a great option. In the other hand, as said before the front desk employees should be trained to be more empathy and dynamic because this staff gives the first impression from the hotel to the guests. In addition, many personalities stayed in the hotel and recommended it, Michel Aon, Samir Jaajaa, Angelina Jolie, Sami Jmail, and they said that this place it their first option to stay in bekaa.

Data Primary Data: interview with the purchase manager Georges Abou Boutrus. Secondary Data: interview from the internet with the Cristal CEO and owner of the Cristal Lebanon.

References:http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g295420-d306331-Reviews-Cristal_Grand_Hotel_Kadri-Zahle_Bekaa_Governorate.html

http://www.hotelstars.eu/index.php?id=criteria

http://www.cristalhospitality.com/cristalgrand/lebanon/zahle/cristalgrandkadrihotel/overview/introduction

http://www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/13437-cristal-to-open-new-branch-office-in-lebanon/

http://www.businessnews.com.lb/cms/Story/StoryDetails.aspx?ItemID=1395

http://www.cristalhospitality.com/

LimitsThe group does not have many problems to obtain the information, during the interview the purchase manager answer almost all questions, and the other information we could take from the internet. But, the company website does not provide the mission, vision, and objective of the hotel and the SWOT analysis was done based on the interview without details.

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