Denver, Colo. � October 21, 2002 � Richfield, a SWAN solution that has been providing practical, profitable hotel management services for more than 30 years, was awarded the management contract for The Hill House Inn Of Mendocino on California�s North Coast.
 

The Hill House Inn turned to Richfield this month after its sister property, the Mendocino (California) Hotel & Garden Suites, a historic boutique hotel, experienced significant and sustained results once Richfield was brought on board in March as its professional manager. The Mendocino Hotel sought Richfield�s proven management services to keep it healthy and performing consistently during peak and low season. In

Hill House Inn 10701 Palette Drive Mendocino, CA

�As soon as the Mendocino Hotel & Garden Suites began working with Richfield we saw immediate results,� said Dwight Goldstein, General Manager of both properties. �The hotel immediately saved 15 percent on food purchases and experienced substantial savings in overall property procurement. In addition, we saw daily reservations come in from the global-distribution systems, where previously we had received none. With operating results like these, we knew we had to bring The Hill House under the wing of SWAN and into the Richfield family.�

Richfield provides a broad range of services proven to help properties attain their operational goals�simply, efficiently and affordably. Richfield has successfully managed more than 250 properties, encompassing the entire range of product type, quality, size and scope of operation. In addition, the management team has a proven track record of assisting owners and operators who are experiencing increased performance concerns relating to the repositioning of their asset in its competitive market, as well as improving profitability flow through. The bottom line: Richfield helps hotels achieve better operating results to maximize real estate value.

Aik Hong Tan, Richfield President, said his team is thrilled with the opportunity to manage these sister hotels, which provide world-class accommodations in a breathtaking setting. 

�Mendocino is one of the most beautiful places in the country,� Tan said. �Working with these properties expands the diversity of Richfield�s portfolio. We look forward to enhancing both the visibility and profitability of these properties.�

Luxury accommodations, B&B charm

The Hill House Inn of Mendocino  (www.hillhouseinn.com) is a luxury hotel with the warmth and charm of a bed and breakfast. It features 44 spacious, elegantly appointed guestrooms with polished brass beds, cozy comforters, lace curtains, and patios or balconies overlooking gardens or the Pacific Ocean. The property features both Rick�s restaurant, a casual, theme dining outlet with music reminiscent of a another time and era, and the Congenial Lounge, which features a magnificent mahogany bar and sunken fireplace. The Hill House Chapel is the perfect setting for wedding ceremonies, and outdoor receptions in the garden bluff overlooking the ocean are a big draw. The Conference Center can accommodate groups up to 80 people, ideal for seminars, corporate retreats and small meetings. 

�The Hill House is a magical retreat, right out of the movies,� Goldstein said. �When you�re relaxing in the lounge, you can almost hear Bogie say: �Here�s looking at you, kid.� It�s truly a one-of-a-kind vacation destination for couples, eco-enthusiasts and motor coach travelers.�

Speaking of Movies . . .

One of the many reasons The Hill House Inn is so popular to leisure travelers is that it provided the facade for the 1984 TV Series �Murder She Wrote,� which was one of the highest rated TV shows for CBS during its 12 season run. When guests arrive at The Hill House, Goldstein said they are greeted with the �Cabot Cove� sign � the fictional town portrayed in the series. The opening scenes to the show were filmed in front of the hotel. Down the road, guests can walk to the Blair House, which served as the home for Jessica Fletcher, the mystery-writer character played by Angela Lansbury in the series, Goldstein said.

�The Hill House lobby is filled with autographed photos of actors and actresses who made guest appearances on the show,� Goldstein said. �It�s an atmosphere and an experience that guests never forget.�

The Mendocino Hotel, considered one of the best hotels in Northern California, was built in 1878 in the heart of Mendocino Village. It still stands looking out over the Mendocino Headlands to the mouth of Big River and the Pacific Ocean beyond. More recently, the hotel was expanded to include modern luxury rooms and suites in the gardens behind the main hotel building.

�We are confident that Richfield will do for Hill House what it did for the Mendocino Hotel in as short a period of time � namely, increase profitability and stabilize revenues,� Goldstein said. �There is no better testimonial to hotels looking to improve performance during this economic downturn than Richfield�s success in Mendocino.�

Richfield Hospitality Services provides a full complement of successful management services to a broad range of limited-service, full-service and resort hotels.  The company achieves superior operating results through intense focus on its strong commitment to guests, employees and owners. Richfield is one of the key business units of SWAN Inc., a multi-service company focused on the hospitality industry.   Other hospitality services of SWAN include SCEPTRE (reservations management), SHIELD (insurance and risk management) and SOURCE (procurement of operating supplies and FF&E).

Swan Inc. is headquartered in Denver with approximately 1,000 employees. The company's shareholders include City e-Solutions Limited (CES) listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc, a U.K.-based company listed on the London Stock Exchange, operating 91 hotels worldwide.