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After a Half Billion - Omni Hotels Producing New Look
 
 
IRVING, Texas (Nov. 5, 1999) -- Following four years of extensive company-wide renovations, 
Omni Hotels is preparing to unveil a new and improved version of itself just in time for the new 
millennium. The nearly half a billion dollars allocated in 1996 for a corporate capital improvements program has produced a lavish portfolio of hotels and resorts unmatched within the upscale hotel market. From painstakingly refinished ceiling reliefs in Boston to silk sofa cushions in Charlotte, NC, Omni Hotels has a whole new look, and it speaks of elegance, luxury and comfort. 

Why the investment? �Our customers expect it,� says Omni Hotels President Jim Caldwell. �The Omni Hotels customer is a savvy traveler. They want luxury, convenience, and service and are willing to pay more to get it. At this pricepoint and at this level of competition, the last thing a hotel company wants to offer its loyal customers is a below standard and inconsistent product. 

Moving our entire chain to a higher level and making that level consistent across the board has been an expensive, time-consuming process, and one we believe well worth the investment.�
 

Omni Hotels kicked off the massive corporate renovation effort with a $20 million re-do of the Omni Ambassador East. A Chicago landmark, the 283-room hotel, located on the cityís prestigious Gold Coast, was erected in 1926 as a �home away from home� for celebrity and society guests travelling to the windy city. Restored to its original grandeur, the hotel features sleek, Italian marble bathrooms and sumptuously upholstered guestrooms. The new Omni Ambassador Eaststands as a testament to high style and the sophisticated big city hotel. 
Omni Ambassador East
Home to the famous Pump Room Restaurant. One of three Chicago Hotels to be listed among Historic Hotels of America. Located on Chicago�s exclusive Gold Coast.
 
The two-year long, $60 million restoration of the regal Omni Parker House in Boston, which began in 1997, has repositioned the downtown hotel as the center of business, political and social activity within the city. The hotel�s rich, historic legacy dates back to 1886 when the Parker House was originally built. The lavish renovation effort, which included the complete upgrade of all guestrooms, guest quarters, restaurant, lobby and meeting space, showcases the best that artistic and technical design ingenuity can produce in the 1990s. The newly restored OmniParker House blends lavish, Bostonian old world style with European standards and Asian-influenced service to ensure that customers lack for nothing in the way of amenities and services. 

The largest hotel renovation currently underway in North America, the Omni Shoreham Hotel�s $100 million face lift has been a well-orchestrated symphony of design, construction, and management. 
 

The two-and-a-half year project has recaptured the elegant architectural and design touches 
characteristic of the 1930s, when the 836-room landmark Washington, D.C., hotel was constructed. Rich, mahogany furnishings and imperial crystal chandeliers balance warm, English chintz and imported damask fabrics found throughout the hotel. Palette-pleasing hues of taupe and celedan create a regal, yet comfortable setting. The Omni Shoreham Hotel�s 2,000 square foot presidential suites rank among the finest living spaces inside the Beltway and the more than 100,000 square feet of newly designed function space is a meeting planner�s dream. 
Omni Shoreham Hotel
Luxury hotel nestled on 11 acres in picturesque Rock Creek Park, in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C.

Other renovations totaling more than $50 million include Omni Hotels in Montreal, New Orleans, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, Chicago, Charlotte, Corpus Christi and Austin. In addition to lavish cosmetic upgrades, Omni Hotels has invested in state-of-the-art technology enhancements to ensure that all guestrooms and meeting space are wired for the 21st century. 

All Omni Hotels rooms feature dual-line speakerphones with dataport connections or T1 lines for Internet access. Meeting rooms are also wired for the World Wide Web. In addition, the company has invested nearly $10 million in additional telecommunications switches to ensure that hotel never have to sorry about receiving busy signals due to increased telephone and Internet usage. 

Along with the mammoth renovation effort, Omni Hotels unveiled a new $82 million golf resort in Denver, the Omni Interlocken Resort. The majestic Rocky Mountain views not withstanding, the luxury resort showcases an immaculatelygroomed 27-hole course and European-style spa. The Omni Interlocken Resort�s warm, regional decor surrounds guests in casual elegance. 

A portfolio of luxury hotels is not the only enhancement Omni Hotels has undertaken. Though not as readily apparent, the company has invested in new property management, revenue management and food and beverage systems to the tune of $10 million. Omni Hotels has upgraded its central reservations center and reservations systems, as well. 

With four years of extensive renovations under its belt, Omni Hotels is primed to set new standards and expectations in the luxury hotel market. 


Omni Hotels Company History 
 
1958 
Dunfey family of New England founds Dunfey Hotels Corporation with Lamie�s Motor Inn (32 rooms). Rapid expansion through the 1960s and 1970s, to 8,000 rooms. 
1964 
Dunfey Hotels obtains Sheraton franchises for existing hotels and motor inns. Dunfey becomes the largest franchise holder worldwide with a total of 14 properties. 
1968 
Dunfey Hotels invents the �Wayferer�s Club,� later to become the prototype of the hotel industry�s frequent traveler programs, including: preferred availability, free spouse travel, free travel insurance policy and complimentary coffee and newspaper. 
1969 
Dunfey Hotels acquires and renovates the Parker House in Boston, also invents the �mini vacation� and establishes a toll-free mini vacation reservations center. 
1970 
Dunfey Hotels Corporation is affiliated with Aetna Life & Casualty of Hartford, Conn. The company invents the Good Meeting Guarantee, the predecessor to Omni Hotels� Gavel Service program for meeting planners, as well as the Successful Meeting Guarantee. 
1972 
Dunfey Hotels Corporation creates the first secretaries club, called the �Colleen Club,� later to become Omni Hotels� Executive Service Plan, which provides benefits to the corporate travel planner and business traveler. 
1976 
Company is acquired by Aer Lingus. Growth of Classic Hotels division, the foundation for the later upscale segment, Omni Hotels. 
1977 
Chicago�s Ambassador East Hotel acquired. 
1978 
New York�s Berkshire Place Hotel acquired with partial equity to become the company�s �flagship� hotel upon completion of a major renovation in 1979. 
1979 
Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., acquired with partial equity. 
1981 
Royal Orleans Hotel in New Orleans acquired, becoming the fourth property in the Classic Hotel Division. 
1983 
Dunfey Hotels Corporation takes over Omni International Hotels, changing the names of its classic upscale hotels to include �Omni.� The Netherland Plaza hotel in Cincinnati is added to the roster of hotels and undergoes extensive renovation, restoring it to its original art deco grandeur. 
1986 
Omni Hotels completes its plan to divest itself of its mid-market properties. The company begins operating its present day, first-class hotels and resorts and announces its intent to begin selective franchising of the Omni Hotels brand. 
1987 
The Omni Richmond Hotel opens in Virginia and the Omni Jacksonville Hotel opens in Florida. The Omni Europa Hotel in Chapel Hill, N.C., becomes the chain�s first franchise property. 
1988 
Omni Hotels is acquired by World International Holdings Ltd. and its associate Wharf Holdings Ltd. of Hong Kong, in July. In November, Marco Polo International Hotels, also owned by World and Wharf, are renamed �Omni Hotels Asia Pacific,� in order to create an international hotel marketing entity under the Omni Hotels brand. The Omni Cancun Hotel is added, marking Omni Hotels� entry into Mexico. 
1989 
Omni Hotels becomes the first major hotel chain to shift the focus of its frequent traveler program, Select Guest, from awards to immediate guest recognition and benefits. Omni Hotels added in Durham, N.C., Indianapolis, Ind., and Newport News, Va. 
1990 
Omni Hotels establishes a Travel Industry Advisory Board comprised of key travel agency representatives who advise the company on marketing and communicating to the travel industry. Omni Hotels adds a property in Philadelphia and another hotel in Indianapolis. 
1991 
Omni Hotels aquires the Omni Houston Hotel (formerly the Four Seasons Inn on the Park). 
1992 
Omni Hotels acquires the Marriott Mandalay at Las Colinas, Dallas (formerly a Four Seasons) and adds hotels in Albany, N.Y.; Austin, Texas; Cleveland, Ohio; and West Palm Beach, Fla. 
1993 
Omni Hotels announces beginning of construction of the Omni Rosen in Orlando, Fla. The Chicago Hyatt Regency Suites is acquired and re-named the Omni Chicago Hotel. 
1994 
Omni Hotels adds two new properties: the Omni Richardson Hotel in suburban Dallas and the Omni Colonnade Hotel in Coral Gables, Fla. 
1995 
Omni Hotels expands to the West Coast with the addition of the Omni Los Angeles Hotel & Centre. The newly renovated Omni Berkshire Place in New York opens following a more than $50 million restoration. Construction completed on the Omni Rosen Hotel in Orlando, Fla. 
1996 
TRT Holdings, Inc. of Corpus Christi, Texas, acquires Omni Hotels� nine upscale U.S. hotels, management contracts and/or franchise agreements on 26 other hotels and the rights to the Omni Hotels brand name worldwide, excluding Asia Pacific. Bob Rowling appoints himself chairman and names Jim Caldwell president. A new senior management team is established. 
1997 
Omni Hotels relocates its corporate office from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Irving, Texas, in suburban Dallas. 
1998 
Construction begins on three new hotels - the Omni New Haven Hotel, New Haven, Conn., the Omni Interlocken Hotel outside of Denver, Colo. and the Omni San Francisco Hotel. Omni Hotels announces a $70 million renovation of the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., a $50 million renovation of the Omni Parker House in Boston, Mass. and a $14 million renovation of the Omni Ambassador East in Chicago, Ill. Omni Hotels acquires the Omni Majestic Hotel in St. Louis, Mo., as well as another Mexican resort franchise, the Omni Puerto Aventuras Beach Resort in Puerto Aventuras, Mexico. 

In 1998, the company acquired new Omni Hotels in San Francisco, Denver, Detroit, Charlotte, New Haven, Conn. and Puerto Aventuras, Mexico. 

The company made its first foray into Canada in Jan. 1999, with the acquisition of the Hotel Omni Montreal, formerly the Westin Mont-Royal. 

 
 
Omni Hotels Company Profile 

Omni Hotels is a privately owned management company headquartered in Irving, Texas, operating 43 first-class and luxury hotels and resorts throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. 

The company's portfolio is comprised of 30 owned and managed properties and 13 franchised properties. 

The typical Omni Hotel is a 350-500 room, upscale hotel. 

Omni Hotels properties offer four-diamond amenities and services including marble guest bathrooms with complimentary terry robes; in-room speaker phones with dual lines and voice mail, in-room dataport / modem connections; gourmet dining; guest room service; on-site business and fitness centers; children's activities and express check-in and check-out services. 

The primary customer focus is on the corporate business traveler and the upscale leisure traveler. 

Omni Hotels operates eight national sales offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Austin, Dallas, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. The company's ratio of sales offices to hotels is one sales office for every five and a half hotels. Omni Hotels' national sales office network was directly responsible for booking more than 12,000 room nights for each Omni Hotel in 1998. 

Omni Hotels' central reservation center is located in Omaha  Nebraska. In 1998, Omni Hotels' central reservation center contributed approximately 35 percent to Omni Hotels' total rooms revenue. 

Omni Hotels' company-wide, Y2K compliant, multi-million dollar technology structure includes a wide area network, newly developed Windows-based property management system, updated central reservation system and customer database and state-of-the-art integrated revenue management system. 

In 1997, J.D. Power & Associates and Frequent Flyer Magazine rated Omni Hotels one of the top five hotel chains for customer satisfaction among upscale domestic hotel chains. In 1998, they rated Omni Hotels among the top three upscale hotel chains for price and value.

James D. Caldwell President 

Jim Caldwell was named president of Omni Hotels in February 1996, when TRT Holdings, Inc. purchased the company. As president, Caldwell directs the efforts of Omni Hotels� senior management team including operations, finance, marketing, human resources and development. 

From 1991 to 1996, Caldwell served as vice president and general counsel for TRT Holdings, Inc. In addition, he served as president of its real estate subsidiary, TRT Development Company, and its management subsidiary, Shoreline Operating Company. He led TRT in a hotel acquisition program which eventually led to the purchase in 1996 of Omni Hotels from Hong Kong based Wharf Holdings. Omni Hotels is now comprised of 42 first-class and luxury hotels and resorts throughout the  United States and Mexico. 

Caldwell received a BBA in accounting with highest honors from The University of Texas in  1977 and practiced with Peat Marwick as a CPA in Houston and Corpus Christi. After leaving Peat  Marwick, he received his law degree with honors from The University of Texas School of Law. Prior to  joining TRT, 

Caldwell practiced commercial law for 10 years as a partner in a large South Texas law firm. Caldwell lives in Plano, Texas, with his wife and three children and is active in the business  and civic community. 

 
###
 
Contact:

Kristine Serafin 
Omni Hotels 
972-871-5625 
[email protected] 
http://www.omnihotels.com
 
Also See In Support of Pro-family Issues, Omni Hotels Removing Adult-pay-per-view Movies from Guestrooms / Nov 1999 
Bucking Trend to Contract Out Restaurant Operations, Omni Hotels Concentrates On Developing, Managing Its Own Signature Restaurants / April 1999 

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