“We are very excited about winning the business of a prestigious management company like Expotel,” says Vince Lucci, president of Youngstown, Ohio-based Broadband Hospitality. “Expotel and Broadband are a perfect fit because we both share a commitment to provide the highest level of service to our customers.”

Tico Bevier, president of Expotel Hospitality Services L.L.C., says his company researched the market for months before finally deciding on Broadband.

“When looking at what was out there, we did not like the revenue-sharing model that some companies offered,” Bevier says. “Our research showed that Broadband Hospitality offered a solid product at a very competitive price.”

The addition of HSIA to the Doubletree Denver North was necessary given the hotel’s competitive location.
 

Corporate travelers benefit “The hotel is located in Denver’s high-tech corridor,” Bevier says. “It’s very important to offer the kinds of amenities the corporate traveler needs. Offering it free is something that we think will be well accepted. It’s going to allow guests to communicate with their offices and families in a much speedier manner. Downloading files also will be much faster.”

The Doubletree Denver North

The Doubletree Denver North, which will have its HSIA connections up and running by the end of August, will be the fifth Expotel-managed hotel to receive HSIA. The company also manages 11 other hotels in the United States and one in Belize. Bevier says Expotel’s other hotels with a high percentage of corporate travelers also soon will add HSIA.

Broadband now has more than 13,000 rooms and 120 hotels installed or under contract. The company is well on its way toward its goal of having 20,000 rooms installed or under contract by the end of the year. To help continue its rapid growth pace, the company plans to hire four additional sales representatives in the next few months.

Ed Santor, national sales manager for Broadband, says the company’s fast growth is due to several factors. 

“An increasing number of companies are discovering that Broadband Hospitality is not a company that gets bogged down with policies and procedures that get in the way of doing business,” Santor says. “We solve problems quickly and we back our commitment by offering around-the-clock tech support 365 days a year.”

Broadband’s growth also reflects the increasing demand throughout the hotel industry for HSIA. 

“Hoteliers who don’t offer HSIA are telling us they are losing potential customers,” Santor says. “It is becoming a necessary amenity. In two years it will be as common as cable TV in most hotels.”

About Expotel Hospitality Services L.L.C.:

Headquartered in New Orleans, Expotel Hospitality Services L.L.C. is a hotel management company with 13 hotels (10 owned and managed, three managed) operating under Hilton, Holiday Inn, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Doubletree and Best Western flags. Its portfolio includes the historic Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans and a resort in Belize.

Expotel Hospitality Services L.L.C. was created in 2001 by New Orleans investors who own $200 million in hotel real estate assets. The company is committed to excellence of service resulting in maximized profitability and asset value for its clients. Expotel works with its properties to improve sales and marketing, assist with human resources, operational systems, food and beverage, asset enhancement, accounting and purchasing. For more information about Expotel Hospitality Services L.L.C., go to www.expotel-usa.com, call Tico Bevier, CHA, president at (504) 212-1492, or e-mail him at tbevier@expotel-usa.com.

About Broadband Hospitality:

Founded in 1993, Broadband Hospitality’s mission is to help hotels leverage the full power of the Internet by providing complete, high-quality, high-performance Internet solutions.

In addition to providing HSIA solutions for guestrooms, business centers, kiosks and conference rooms, Broadband Hospitality offers print services (printing guest documents via the in-room Internet connection), e-commerce platforms for hotel chains, video on demand, videoconferencing and voice over IP. Broadband is currently testing all available wireless technologies to determine how best to provide wireless HSIA in hotel lobbies and conference centers. Areas where guests can use such service are called "hot spots."

Broadband Hospitality offers a wide range of voice solutions, including local service. The company also is an authorized Mitel dealer that installs and services hotel phone systems. Because of its strategic partnerships with companies such as AT&T, Qwest Mitel and Tut Systems, Broadband Hospitality can offer its customers the best possible telecommunications and network solutions at the best possible price.

Broadband Hospitality is the preferred HSIA vendor of the Ohio Hotel & Lodging Assn. At its convention in April, the OH&LA presented Broadband Hospitality with its Stars of the Industry Allied Member of the Year award. The company meets the brand standards for HSIA for Hilton Garden Inn hotels and most standards set by leading franchisors. For more information about Broadband Hospitality, go to www.broadbandhospitality.com or call Vince Lucci, president, at (330) 629-8848.