Hilton Meetings Expands with Launch in North America and Focus on Smarter, Eco-Friendly, More Personalized Small and Medium Meetings
Hilton Hotels aims to make small meetings smarter and more personal as it introduces Hilton Meetings in properties throughout North America. Long recognized as one of the world’s leading addresses for business, Hilton is revolutionizing the small meeting segment of the hospitality industry by creating an environment specifically tailored for productive, successful and hassle-free meetings for groups of 50 guests or less. Hilton Meetings has emerged internationally as a premier small meeting service that has been enhanced and now introduced to Hilton hotels in America transforming it into a global product.
“Hilton’s global experience in hosting events of all sizes keeps us aware of what business travelers need and expect from meeting and event space,” said Jeff Diskin, senior vice president – brand management, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. “Our goal with Hilton Meetings is to provide personalized meeting services for groups ranging from two to 50 people.”
Hilton Meetings was first introduced in 2000 at Hilton hotels in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Hilton’s global expansion of Hilton Meetings is intended to bring the product to the majority of Hilton hotels in North America by the fourth quarter of 2008.
At select Hilton hotels in North America, business travelers will be able to choose between a formal boardroom setting and flexible multi-purpose room for small meetings. These well-designed layouts will feature enhanced Hilton Meetings service and amenities that aim to minimize environmental impact while offering time-saving technology and consistent personalized service.
Smarter settings for successful meetings
Hilton Meetings guests will find fresh and contemporary meeting spaces. Hilton’s smart room designs include high-quality furnishings, local artwork to help stimulate creativity and advanced technology to keep guests plugged in. All rooms will include a 3M™ Digital Easel that instantly records flipchart content electronically into a variety of formats for Mac and PC computers and enables collaboration with participants in multiple locations through a shared meeting application. Radio-controlled clocks keeping accurate local time, will be installed to help keep guests on time and high-speed internet connectivity will keep guests connected.
Tables are designed with built-in table-top power and data points for easy connections and chairs will offer extra comfort with padded arms and lumbar support. Rooms will also include credenzas that contain a refrigerator and safe that can hold at least four laptops. Room doors will also lock for added security and will contain outside-in spy hole viewers to minimize meeting disruption.
A new level of personalized service
Personalized service remains an integral part of Hilton Meetings. Dedicated meetings specialists are assigned to each Hilton Meetings room to assist with individual service needs. The Service Connect System button will link guests directly with their meeting specialist. Each meeting planner will receive a welcome kit containing specific details about their event, the hotel and the meeting space and a welcome wallet holding lunch and break menus. Hilton is also elevating its food and beverage products by serving meeting participants items specifically selected to help boost energy and keep minds sharp – such as peach smoothies or mini shish kabobs with lemon yogurt sauce – along with complimentary tea and coffee served all day.
Hilton’s e-Events online group booking tool, Guest List Manager and Personalized Group Web Page feature allow event planners to easily book their group event or meeting and promote their event to attendees.
Sustainability inspires design
Enhancements to Hilton Meetings reinforce Hilton’s commitment to environmental sustainability. The hotelier reduced the use of chrome in meeting room furniture and fixtures and is using sleek hard surfaces for tables to eliminate the need for linens and the chemicals used for cleaning them. To further support the brand’s efforts to increase local sourcing, artwork featured in rooms will be acquired from local artists.
Hilton Meetings is also fully supported by new online event management & meeting planning tools which will help reduce paper waste. In-room signage will provide guests with tips for being an environmentally sensitive meeting participant, such as turning off the lights before leaving the room and recycling paper when it is an option, and rooms will include eco-friendly meeting collateral made from recycled paper and biodegradable ink. These materials will be placed on self-service stands to eliminate full place settings of notepads and pens, which often create unnecessary waste. To further attempt to reduce waste, notepads will contain lines on both sides of each page.
