How do you make a long-term hotel stay more inviting? Pink champagne on arrival? Sushi on speed dial? Extra foam in your bubble bath?
Not at The Capital Hotel Group.
At The Capital Hotel Group, you simply ask your customers what they want, listen carefully and then over-deliver.
That’s the recipe for success that Marc Wachsberger, managing director of The Capital Hotel Group, has hit on – and it has stood him in good stead as he prepares to launch his eighth hotel, The Capital Menlyn Maine, this month. The hotel is situated on top of the Central Square shopping centre in the award-winning Menlyn Maine precinct, east of Pretoria.
It’s a recipe that has led to The Capital Hotel Group becoming the fastest-growing hotel group in South Africa, with occupancy rates way above the average of about 55%.
But, as Wachsberger points out, it isn’t a recipe that has come about by default, but rather by design. “When we build a hotel, we ask ourselves what the customer wants and is prepared to pay, and work backwards from that,” he says.
Similarly, his decision to open his eighth hotel in Pretoria was not happenstance. Wachsberger says that despite being only a hop and a skip from Johannesburg, Pretoria is often, undeservedly, treated – and regarded – as its lesser-known, less trendy cousin.
He is out to change that. “The Capital Menlyn Maine is Pretoria’s first high-end extended-stay hotel and will offer convenience, flexibility and affordability. It’s one of the sexiest hotels to be built in the city for many years and brings with it the best and most advanced concepts in hospitality. It is similar to renting an apartment, but with no fixed contracts and guests can ‘check out’ whenever they wish. They are also able to customise their accommodation to suit their budget and needs,” he says.
On behalf of The Capital Hotel Group, one of our newest clients, Flow Communications organised an exclusive pre-launch tour of The Capital Menlyn Maine for a select group of journalists.
Flow is providing a full range of its fabulous (and cheeky) PR services to The Capital Hotel Group ahead of the official launch of The Capital Menlyn Maine in May.
The media visit generated great coverage for The Capital Menlyn Maine in Business Day, Pretoria News and Beeld, and provided a great launch pad for the PR campaign.
Says Lee-Ann Collingridge, the Flow PR account director who is overseeing the account: “The challenge to securing media coverage is always finding a good news angle. Fortunately, The Capital Hotel Group has a good story to tell and we are delighted to be working with them to raise awareness about and promote The Capital Menlyn Maine.
”This campaign has proved once again that great PR is about building and nourishing relationships, with clients and the media. This is one of the many strengths of the Flow PR team and we are delighted to be demonstrating it again.”
