New Hotel Company To Launch Innovative Concept In Seattle
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New Hotel Company To Launch Innovative Concept In Seattle
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Category: North America & West Indies / Carribean islands
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2007-09-24
Refined Approach to Luxury Travel Puts Travelers’ Needs First
It was “a thousand little things” including service missteps encountered in the world’s finest hotels, and the growing demand for highly personalized experiences, that ultimately inspired entrepreneur Tom Pigott to found Candela Hotels, the new luxury hotel company based in Seattle.
The flagship Candela hotel will launch here, followed by others in gateway cities throughout North America, China and India. Candela Hotels promises to deliver to sophisticated and world-weary travelers a level of service they’ve never experienced – indeed, never thought to ask for.
“We will be working from one simple idea,” says Pigott. “How can we best serve the needs of today’s luxury travelers, and their families, in everything that we do?”
To that end, Pigott has assembled a team of experienced professionals from established luxury hotel brands, directing each to apply their expertise, and a big dose of creativity, in implementing the Candela Hotels difference.
The flagship Candela Hotel and Residences will be built in partnership with well-known Seattle developer Greg Smith of Urban Visions. Rising to 36-stories in the heart of downtown Seattle at Second Avenue and Pike Street, it is anticipated that the stylish, modern design will make it an iconic part of the Seattle skyline. It will combine an intimate luxury hotel with fewer than 150 guest rooms and suites, approximately 90 full-ownership residences, a world class spa, and a signature restaurant that will be strongly connected to the Seattle community.
The unique Candela approach always puts the needs of the traveler first. To achieve this, all behind-the-scenes operations are being dissected and re-engineered to ensure that this goal is constantly achieved. The company also has the advantage of beginning from a clean slate in utilizing state-of-the-art Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology to best understand and remember guests’ personal needs and preferences. This new technology will be applied throughout the global Candela network.
All Candela hotels will be environmentally-friendly. The flagship Seattle property is aiming for LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification. The LEED® rating system was created by the U.S. Green Building Council and is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. Pigott, President and CEO, and his Executive Vice President of Operations, Alphy Johnson, are themselves LEED® accredited professionals. They are the first hoteliers to achieve this ranking, which is most often pursued by architects and engineers.
LEED® certification is consistent with Candela’s traveler-centric mission. “We know that a healthy building is better for travelers, employees, and the environment. Everything builds from the question: what is best for our guests, and what is best for the employees we entrust to care for them?” said Pigott.
Candela Hotel and Residences, Seattle, is expected to break ground in the latter half of 2008 with initial occupancy projected for 2010. Pricing will appeal to travelers and residents who expect and appreciate the highest level of service and environmentally focused design.
Urban Visions’ Greg Smith notes: “We are delighted to partner with Candela Hotels. We are particularly attracted by their innovative approach to luxury hospitality that truly caters to the often complex needs of the traveler.”
Pigott believes the time is right to launch a new type of luxury hotel company. He notes the connection between increasing personal wealth globally, Seattle’s strategic location along the Pacific Rim commerce corridor, and the growing number of top executives and leisure travelers who seek luxurious lodging or second homes.
“We’ve set out to create a hotel company that best serves the needs of today’s global traveler,” he said. “and we can’t think of a better place to bring it to life than right here at home.”
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