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Supercharged Embassy Suites Turns Guest Perks
Into Record-Breaking Year
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Installation of FlyteBoard technology focuses on flier needs
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January 30, 2008 - The Embassy Suites San Francisco Hotel Airport-Burlingame has a lot of great things going for it.  A first-quarter 2007 renovation updated all its suites and added wireless Internet access throughout the hotel, and the property opened the doors on a new business center and fitness facility.  Located less than two miles from San Francisco International Airport, this FelCor Lodging Trust, Inc. asset, provides guests with 24 hour shuttle service and birds-eye views of takeoffs and landings from its bay-front location.  All these perks added up to a banner year for the property, enabling it to lead the company in occupancy during multiple months in 2007. The Embassy Suites Hotel Burlingame finished the year at 87percent earning it kudos as one of the busiest properties in the system.

According to Assistant General Manager Adam Patenaude, its 340 suites make the Embassy Suites San Francisco Airport-Burlingame one of the largest properties in the chain.  �We are an extremely successful, high volume airport hotel that does a mix of leisure and business travelers in a market where we compete with brands like Westin, Marriott, and Sheraton,� he said.  �With corporate giants like Oracle, Google, and Apple based in nearby Silicon Valley, we host a lot of tech savvy travelers who expect leading edge services.�  

Helping Fliers De-stress

Regardless of whether guests arrive for business or pleasure, Patenaude says a primary focus of his property�s service mix is on making sure airline travelers leave stress behind.  As one of the most crowded years in air travel history, 2007 gave passengers a lot to be stressed about.  �Providing an extra level of service, including updated airline flight information, is just one reason why we made the decision to install Flyte System�s FlyteBoard,� Patenaude said.

FlyteBoard, developed by Flyte Systems, is a wall, floor or ceiling mounted high-definition, flat panel screen that provides guests with �glance and go� convenience for confident travel planning.  What sets Flyte Systems� applications apart from other PC-based systems is the ability to display accurate, real-time airline flight arrival and departure information, not FAA-regulated scheduled departure times that do not list delays caused by

  • Air Traffic Control,
  • Aircraft maintenance,
  • Crew availability,
  • Weather.
Accessibility Attracts Attention

Mounted near the hotel�s two front elevators, the FlyteBoards attract a lot of attention from airport-bound guests.  �Before we installed them, guests had to either pull out their laptops and log on to the airline�s web sites, or get on a phone to check their flight status.  Now, they simply take the elevator down to the lobby and glance at FlyteBoard to verify if their flight is on time or delayed,� Patenaude said.

Flyte Systems also offers other products that serve the traveling public:  FlyteTouch, FlytePass and FlyteChannel.  

  • FlyteTouch enables individual guests to search flight information via touch screens that display real-time flight arrivals and departures for one or more airports.  
  • FlytePass uses FlyteTouch technology and adds free, secure boarding pass printing, packaged in an all-wood kiosk.
  • FlyteChannel permits guests to view live airport arrival/departure screens via their in-room TV.
�FlyteBoard is a great benefit for our guests.  People who use air travel are generally on tight timetables, so whatever we can do to help expedite their schedules the better,� Patenaude said.  �The feedback thus far has been great.  Guests are constantly looking at the boards throughout the day. My staff can also get a feel for air traffic by monitoring the major airport hubs on the Boards, which allows us to adjust our business and customer service objectives in real time.  I�d have to say that the decision to install them was a no brainer.�

About Flyte Systems
The Flyte Systems Division of Industrial Television Services (ITS), based in Chicago, Illinois, is the leading provider of airport flight information displays for the hospitality and convention center industries and related businesses.  It delivers accurate, instant, airport-centric updates of flight information � not FAA-regulated scheduled departure times that may omit last minute changes.  Properties are able to differentiate their products and boost customer loyalty and repeat business with �glance-and-go� content critical to a traveler�s day.   Flyte Systems� product suite builds upon ITS� 47-year history as the leading provider of live flight information to airports, airlines, government agencies, port authorities and other travel-based businesses.  Flyte Systems was formed in 2007 to offer new Web-based travel technology and product lines.  Customers include Marriott, Days Inn, Hilton, DoubleTree, Hotel Sofitel, and Crown Plaza hotels, independent properties, conference centers, car rental agencies and municipal aiports. 

About Embassy Suites San Francisco Airport South
The newly-renovated Embassy Suites San Francisco Airport, South San Francisco is located a mile and a half from the San Francisco International Airport (SFO). If you are traveling to San Francisco for business or pleasure, and are looking for a hotel near San Francisco International Airport, you've found the right one. Guests of the Embassy Suites San Francisco Airport, South, stay in newly refurbished and spacious two-room suites, receiving complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast and a nightly manager's reception. The Concierge can happily assist guests with San Francisco vacation rentals and San Francisco vacation packages. High-speed wireless internet is available throughout the entire hotel and complimentary 24-hour transportation to and from the San Francisco International Airport and within a three-mile radius of the hotel is available. The hotel is located right off of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), and less than nine miles south of Downtown San Francisco as well. 

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Contact:

Flyte Systems
Debbie Kalish, Account Executive
3515 Martens Street
Franklin Park, IL 60131
Phone: (877) 463-5983
Email: [email protected]
www.flytesystems.com

Adam Patenaude  
Assistant General Manager 
Embassy Suites Hotel Burlingame 
150 Anza Blvd. 
Burlingame, Ca 94010 
Direct: (650) 292-7375 
Fax: (650) 343-8137 
[email protected]

Media Contact:
Julie Keyser-Squires, APR
Softscribe Inc.
[email protected]
(404)256-5512
http://www.softscribeinc.com

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Also See: Marriott Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Hotel Provides Guests with Airline Flight Information from Flyte Systems; FlyteBoard screens in lobby aid airport-bound guests with flight times / January 2008
Tech Savvy Road Warriors Expect Travel Innovations from Hotels; The Crowne Plaza Dulles Airport responds with real-time flight information in lobby / December 2007
The Chicago O'Hare Crowne Plaza Attracts Business with Unique Technology Perks; Focus on the business traveler includes real-time flight information / November 2007
Flyte Systems Installs Airline Flight Information Display at Javits Center for IH/M&R Show; Meet me at the FlyteBoard- IH/MRS attendees confirm airline flights on FlyteBoard in Javits Center lobby, make confident travel plans / November 2007
Sofitel Chicago O'Hare's European Style Embraces Guest Airline Services; The focus on amenities like FlyteBoard delivers a value-add for business travelers / October 2007
Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel Provides Guests with Airline Flight Information To Speed Their Travels; Real-time airline departure-arrival screens set The Westin Boston Waterfront apart / October 2007
Flyte Systems Installs Airline Flight Information Displays at Berger Hotels; Updated airline departure-arrival screens keep guests and revenue on property / September 2007
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