Our mission is to provide authentic hospitality inspired by our Pacific Northwest heritage, focusing on providing guests with the best possible stay. In support of this mission, we found opportunities to boost Red Lion Hotels and Red Lion Inns & Suites based on evolving consumer behaviors and an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Project Brand Boost was designed to increase revenues and enhance guest loyalty. The new brand standards will impact the following:

• Guestrooms
  
• Guest Bathrooms
  
• Health & Wellness
  
• Guest Technology
  
• Signage
  
• Meeting Rooms
  
• RevPak Suite of Guest Management Systems

How to Use This Guide

While most of the items you’ll see apply to both Red Lion Hotels and Red Lion Inns & Suites, there are a few exceptions. Whenever we’re showing you an item that fits only one of the brands, you’ll see one of the icons below:

If you have any questions regarding this initiative, please contact your Brand Services & Owner Relations Director.

1.1 Bedding
1.2 Beds
1.3 TVs
1.4 Wall Clock
1.5 Branded OS&E

The Importance of Better Bedding

What is the one thing that will be utilized by each and every guest during their stay? The bed. All RLHC brands focus on the comfort and style of the bedding experience through a collaboration with Sobel Westex. During their stay, guests can learn about our bedding amenities through each hotel’s website, as well as the booking engine. Post-stay, our brands’ signature bedding will be available for purchase through our @Home eCommerce platform.     

Fabrics Matter

Cotton offers guests a cool and breathable experience. A recent AAT study revealed 100% cotton material gave participants higher levels of excitement, alert attentiveness and adrenaline.

Comfort Reigns Supreme

Using their own beds as a baseline, guests expect the quality of their hotel bed to meet the same quality and comfort of their personal beds. Investing in premium support, mattress thickness, coil count and pillow tops lead to higher guest satisfaction levels.

Creating Guest Preference Through Bedding

Both economical and upscale guests agree that a comfortable bed sits at the top of their hotel wish list. By surpassing their comfort expectations, hotels demonstrate they are prioritizing guest comfort, thereby creating a positive association. This is in line with industry research which shows increased levels of loyalty after upgrading their bed program.

Shelling Out For a Luxe Feel

Research has found that guests are willing to spend more for a hotel with higher quality beds. Westin’s independent research concluded that guests would pay $12—$20 more per night for a room outfitted with a superior bedding program.

May the Best Bed Win

In an increasingly competitive landscape, hotel chains are headlining their new and improved bedding programs. A host of special, customized experiences aid their efforts, some going as far as launching special duvet menus and beds that raise and lower. Boasting bedding specifications has now become commonplace.

The Sincerest Form of Flattery

Bedding programs have become so popular and loved by guests, hotels now allow guests to purchase their bedding program for their own homes. Guests can purchase individual pieces or the complete set – from the same duvet and down blanket used in their hotel to their customized mattresses.

Guests rest easy with the RLHC bedding program

Dreamy Duvet

Classic white and smooth to the touch, our bedsheets keep guests fresh and comfortable. Woven with a cotton percale blend, our ultra-soft sheets feature a 200-thread count.

Supremely Soft Sheets

Our quality bed linens are made from cotton/poly blends that provide nothing short of pure comfort and stability. 100% combed ring spun cotton yarns and unique anti-wear & tear weave construction guarantees longer fabric life. Custom hem color and label provide easier laundry and housekeeping sorting, while the sanforized finish guarantees minimal shrinkage.

Cool & Hypoallergenic

Our pillows are planet-friendly and sustainable. With PET hollow siliconized fiber fill, made from T300 100% cotton ticking and a silpure anti-microbial finish recycled from plastic bottles, our pillows are ideal for our brands that focus on environmentally-friendly comfort and firm support.

☞ Click here to purchase the Red Lion approved bedding.

View the Bedding infographic here

Beds

Beautyrest Recharge by Simmons Hospitality

• Nano-Tex® stain-resistance
• EverNU® sustainable and replaceable mattress top
  
• AirCool® Technology to provide added comfort
  
• Pocketed Coil® Technology for unparalleled support

☞ Click here for more information, as well as the order form.

With our new TVs, guests can see the big picture

All the Comforts of Home

At RLHC, we are constantly evolving to provide guests with the comforts of home. Flat screen televisions with bigger screens and premium channels—such as HBO, Starz, Showtime and on-demand networks—further enhance the guest experience.

Positive First Impression

The television is one of the first things guests notice when they walk in the room. Greeting them with a new, modern set shows our commitment to technology and creates a positive first impression that reinforces our forward-thinking approach.

Quality Matters

According to a recent feature by the Washington Post, guests prefer their televisions to be upscale. In fact, guests care about their in-room televisions so much, they ranked it a more important amenity than air conditioning, premium bedding and daily housekeeping in a survey conducted by Hotels.com.

Big Displays, Bigger Satisfaction

Guests see out-of-date television sets as red flags. Hospitality Technology found a significant correlation between guest dissatisfaction and hotels lacking flat panel televisions.

Personalized and Interactive

Our guests can log into their entertainment streaming accounts, making hotel rooms feel more like home. Plus, with local area guides, food menus and event information, guests have new ways to interact with the brand from the comfort of their beds.

New Revenue Opportunities

The TVs allow new ad space to be sold to local businesses, augmenting or replacing the brochures commonly found in lobbies. And with high-definition video streaming capabilities, our TVs will encourage guests to upgrade to premium Wi-Fi.

Entertainment Hub

Wired for cable, our televisions allow guests to watch live entertainment such as sports and news programs that streaming services don’t provide.

In-Room Digital Directory

In conjunction with InfoGlass, guests can browse important hotel information and learn about the location through the TV’s digital directory.

☞ Click here for more information on the TV specs, as well as how to order.

View the TV infographic here

Wall Clock

We are introducing a functional art clock to each of our guest rooms. Our clocks will be another example of our brand’s love of art and the value of simple things done right.

☞ Please contact Purchasing at Corporate.Purchasing@redlion.com for specific ordering information.

Everything Communicates

The Red Lion branded OS&E packages reflect our evolving brand positioning and new identity. Because everything communicates, it’s important for all of us to consistently utilize our branded OS&E as it reflects our brand personality. The RLH & RLIS branded OS&E package provides samples of our new branded operating supplies and equipment, as well as description on how to utilize and where to purchase. To remain brand compliant, and unless otherwise indicated, all branded OS&E items should be in all hotels beginning July 1, 2015.

We have also improved our purchasing with improved online ordering without minimum guarantees. In most cases, our new distributor arrangement eliminates shipping expenses and expedites orders for 24-48 hour delivery.

☞ Click here to view the complete Red Lion OS&E package.

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2.1 Terry Linens & Bath Sheet
2.2 Showerhead & PSI
2.3 Backlit Mirror
2.4 Shower Rod & Curtain
2.5 Cascadia Amenities

Why Bathroom Linens Matter

Reflection of Quality

Guests associate the quality of bath amenities with the overall quality of the hotel. Exceeding their expectations here goes a long way toward making their experience  more memorable.

Fresh New Experience

Giving guests unique sensory experiences can make the difference between returning to your hotel versus seeking out your competition.

Distinct Appeal

According to a report from USA Today, luxurious bathroom amenities carry a significant boost in traveler appeal and it’s a feature that influences their decision of whether to book with you or your competition.

A Top Five Feature

A recent survey by a leading hospitality company found that guests grade bathroom amenities as one of the top five most important influences on their experience.

Comfortable Convenience

A towel is a terrible waste of suitcase space. Offering plush linens ensures that guests don’t have to compensate for lack of quality by packing their own.

The RLHC Terry Program

At RLHC, comfort is king. We make sure to go beyond the bed and provide the most comfortable experiences along every touchpoint of the guest journey.

Our no nonsense line of terry fabrics are soft to the touch and crafted with 100% ring-spun cotton featuring a striking pattern and dobby border. Using ring spun cotton yarns and state of the art technology in weaving ensures even tensions throughout the towel to avoid dobby puckering or “waistband” effect. Even tensions also allow for optimal weight balance of the towels in all of its components, ensuring optimal sturdiness without affecting appearance. Optimal weight balance ensures more washes without affecting appearance while double needle stitched guarantees hem integrity.

☞ Click here to purchase the Red Lion approved terry.

☞ Click here to purchase the Cascadia bath sheet and bath mat.

View the Terry Program infographic here

Showerhead

Featuring a solid brass construction and patented Anystream® technology, the Icon Shower Head S-2252 has six precision jets that transform water into 48 full-coverage sprays. The sculpted arm rotates effortlessly in either direction, allowing you to transition between intense needling, gentle rain and drenching flood sprays. The 360-degree rotation also serves as a self-cleaning mechanism, ensuring each stream is delivered at its intended pressure, every time.

☞ Click here to purchase the approved Red Lion showerhead.

Lighted Mirror

Specs:

• Manufacturer: Electric Mirror
  
• Model Name: Integrity Lighted Mirror
  
• Suggested Dimensions: 54”W x 36”H x 3”D
  
• Finish: Mirror and Frosted Glass
  
• Switch Type: Hardwired
  
• Lamp Type: T5HO
  
• Lamp Wattage: 54W/39W
  
• Lamp Quantity: 4
  
• Shade/Diffuser Style: Flat, linear Shade/Diffuser
  
• Material: Frosted Glass
  
• Dimmer: No
  

Notes:

• Power Requirements:120 — 277 VAC, 1.69 — .67 Amps, 186W
  
• Mirror to include Glass Shelf option
  
• The top of the lighted mirror above the bathroom vanity should be a minimum of 6’ 6” above the finished floor
  
• Electrical connections made with MC cable brought through the chassis knockout, no electrical box required
  
• Electrical power should be controlled by a light switch
  
• Fixture should be mounted to wall studs to provide sufficient support. Mounting holes are provided in the chassis
  
• Elife™–Eight year extended lamp replacement cycle
  
• EnergyLite™ — Half the energy with equal light output*
  
• Natural light color ideal for makeup application
  
• HardCoat™ anti-corrosion mirror treatment
  
• Rust resistant powder coated metal construction
  
• Environmentally sustainable and energy efficient
  
• Proudly made in the USA

☞ Please contact Purchasing at Corporate.Purchasing@redlion.com for specific ordering information.

Curved Shower Rod

• Part #: 822842
  
• Crescent® 60” Curved Shower Rod
  
• “Case Of 6”
  
• Polished Stainless Steel Finish
  
• 5’6” Bow
  
• Curved design provides additional room
  
• Includes standard mounting hardware
  
• For a tight fit that will never sag, use with HDS# 120752 WingIts® Fastening System
  
• Mfg #B57BS6

☞ Click here to purchase the approved Red Lion Shower Rod.

Shower Curtain

Specs:

• Manufacturer: Valley Forge Fabrics, Inc.
  
• Style: Spa Curtain with Window and Split Rings
  
• Finish Size: 71”W x 74”L
  
• Edge Detail: 1” Top Stitch

Notes:                              

• Header 5”
  
• Fabric: Waffle Box, Color: White, Content: 100% Polyester
  
• Window Height: 15”
  
• (10) Split Rings, Color: Chrome
  
• Includes snap in Oxcord inside liner
  
• Sheer window fabric

☞ Click here to purchase the approved shower curtain.

Cascadia Soapery

Taking its name from the Pacific Northwest’s Cascade mountain region, Cascadia Soapery is a bespoke collection of environmentally friendly bath and beauty products that are formulated with gentle, nature-inspired ingredients, unique scent combinations and exclusively designed packaging. Cascadia products leave guests feeling fresh during their stay, and is the only approved amenity program for all Red Lion properties.

To read more, visit cascadiasoapery.com.

☞ Click here to order the Cascadia Soapery amenities.

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3.1 Bikes & Bike Racks
3.2 Coffee

Bikes

Bikes are a great way to explore the area around our hotels and extend our branded hospitality to our guests. With free bike rentals to encourage guests to start their adventure, and fitness centers to keep up the momentum, we provide the resources our guests need to stay fit.

☞ Info regarding our fully customized bikes and how to order are found here.

Bike Racks

Hotels must choose which rack will work within their specific constraints and accommodate the number of bikes needed.

Some hotels will have as many as eight bikes while others may only have four, or no place for a rack at all.

☞ Bike racks are available here.

Coffee the Way People Prefer It

Changing Trends Open New Possibilities

Hotel coffee has remained unchanged for decades. Frankly, like those pre-ground packets, the experience is growing stale. At Red Lion, we’re elevating our coffee offering and raising consumer expectations by selecting Whidbey Coffee as our new coffee provider to give our guests a better tasting brew.

Preferred By Travelers

Many studies show that guests prefer having coffee in the lobby rather than their rooms. In fact, a recent survey by One Mile at a Time shows that 62% of guests prefer the fresher, higher quality coffee offered in lobbies.

Staying on Top of Trends

Millennials have grown up in a world where coffee is best enjoyed within the “third place,” sitting amongst others and chatting with friends. Recognizing this, we must embrace the future and adapt to new trends.

Experiences Matter Most

A new study by global hotel consultancy HVS London shows that today’s travelers place a higher value on experiences over luxuries. Our unique coffee experience will align with the shifting values of modern guests.

Dissatisfaction

According to a recent survey by Allegra Insight, 75% of guests claimed to be dissatisfied with the quality of in-room coffee.

Cleaner. Fresher. More Enjoyable.

In-room coffee machines suffer from a poor reputation industry-wide. A growing number of guests are wary of the cleanliness of these machines and ignore them altogether. Those who do use them find the flavor lacking. By eliminating the machines from the rooms, we can offer a fresher, better tasting roast that creates a memorable experience and differentiates us from the rest of the pack.

Red Lion Hotels Coffee Specifications

Coffee Offerings:            

• Coffee carts with semi-automatic espresso machine and drip coffee equipment
  

Equipment:                        

• Synesso Cyncra 2 Group Custom
  
• Nuova Simonelli Mythos
  
• Espresso Ginder — Clima Pro One
  
• Mazzer Mini E Espresso Grinder
  
• Espresso Cart Michaelo
  
• Bunn grinders, brewers, server, and airpots for drip coffee specified based on volume at the property
  

Coffee Drinks Served:   

• Espresso drinks
  
• Drip coffee
  

Labor:

• Barista to staff the mobile station morning hours
  

Products:

• Whidbey Coffee products to be ordered through HD Supply
  

Red Lion Inns & Suites Coffee Specifications:

Coffee Offerings:            

• Super-automatic espresso machine and drip coffee equipment
  

Equipment:                        

• Bunn Sure Tamp One-Step
  
• Bunn grinders, brewers, servers, and airpots for drip coffee specified based on volume at the property
  

Coffee Drinks Served:   

• Espresso drinks
  
• Drip coffee
  

Labor:

• Non-manned station with attendant to clean and restock the machine as needed

Products:

• Whidbey Coffee products to be ordered through HD Supply
  

☞ For additional questions or ordering information, please contact rlhc.fandb@redlion.com.

View the Coffee infographic here

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4.1 Wi-Fi
4.2 CubieTime

Finally, Wi-Fi we can all agree on

Satisfying the demands of our guests is our number one goal. That’s why we have implemented a tiered Wi-Fi model. With free options for casual users and a premium upgrade for faster speeds and HD video streaming, we can provide a seamless Internet experience to all guests.

Welcome to a New Wireless Era

Free Wi-Fi is becoming an industry norm and guests expect it. However, this all-access model comes at the cost of speed. To increase guest satisfaction, we are taking an innovative approach to our internet offering: free basic Wi-Fi with an optional paid speed upgrade.

Guests Want More Speed

For a growing segment of travelers, basic Wi-Fi isn’t meeting their needs. In fact, a recent J.D. Power survey found that 31% of guests who experienced a problem during their stay had an issue with internet speed.

Stay Ahead, or Get Left Behind

Connectivity speeds at hotels are struggling to keep up in an age where smartphones are ubiquitous and guests expect to stream HD videos. Offering an optional upgrade alleviates frustration and keeps guests from seeking a more satisfactory experience elsewhere.

If You Offer It, Guests Will Pay

According to a recent Travel Pulse report, 25—30% of guests would pay for a speed upgrade if it were offered.

The Emerging Model

More and more, the tiered Wi-Fi approach is gaining popularity. In the early days of Wi-Fi, guests were willing to pay a premium for access. Now with everything from subway stations to fast food restaurants offering it for free, customers no longer expect to be charged. With Wi-Fi tiers, we are make up a portion of that lost revenue without angering travelers.

Our approach to Wi-Fi

Few things are more frustrating than a bad Internet connection. From live sports, to music to movies we stream loads of content and expect a seamless experience. For business travelers, a steady connection with reliable access to cloud services is even more crucial. Tiered Wi-Fi allows us to please our heavy-bandwidth guests while helping to offset the costs incurred by free basic connections.

Public Spaces: Complimentary

A limited access option that provides 1Mbps of bandwidth, sufficient for checking email and casual web browsing on smartphones, tablets and notebooks.

Guest Rooms: Complimentary

Guests will enter their name and room number to connect and will receive up to 2Mbps of bandwidth. This limited access tier is sufficient for checking mail and web browsing, including small embedded videos popular on news sites.

Guest Rooms Premium: $9.95 Per Day

Premium access provides guests 5Mbps of bandwidth, allowing for private VPN access as well as video streaming from providers such as Netflix, YouTube and Hulu.

Hello Rewards Premium: Free for Members

Hello Rewards members are entitled to complimentary premium access throughout their stay.

☞ Click here for additional information on IT Standards.

☞ For additional questions, please contact rlhc.wifi@redlion.com.

View the Tiered Wi-Fi infographic here

CubieTime

Specifications:

• 2 110 AC power plugs
  
• 2 USB charging ports (2.4 Amps Shared/Optimized for Tablet)
  
• Surge protection
  
• Single-day alarm clock
  
• Auto-update for Daylight Savings Time
  
• Ergonomic, easy to set single knob
  
• Snooze function
  
• Large 1” numbers display
  
• Dimmer: 3 levels and off
  
• Right angle pass-through plug
  
• Security c-clamp
  
• 2 AAA batteries included
  
• 4.1”Lx4.1”Wx1.5”H

☞ Click here to purchase the CubieTime.

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5.1 InfoGlass
5.2 Exterior Signage
5.3 Interior Wayfinding
5.4 Environmental Graphics

The Rise of Interactive Signage

A New Level of Interaction

We live in an on-demand world. Wherever we are, be it at home, on the road or in the air, we expect instant access to information. To satisfy the modern traveler’s growing demand for this kind of access, we are installing interactive lobby displays at each of our properties to provide guests with constantly updated insider information about the hotel and its location.

A screen is no longer something to simply look at. By providing guests with beautiful displays that they can touch and interact with, we reinforce our commitment to forward thinking.

The Future is Friendly

Our interactive displays allow guests to navigate through information autonomously, but that doesn’t mean we’re replacing humans with machines. Each of our properties is fully staffed with genuine people who uphold our legendary service culture and gladly help take care of guests’ needs.

Fewer Crowds, More Smiles

Say goodbye to huddled masses crowded around the check-in desk. Interactive displays free front desk clerks to field questions from guests and handle any important issues that arise.  

Power to the People

Autonomy is increasingly appreciated by today’s travelers. We ring ourselves up at the Apple Store with our smartphones. We print our own boarding passes at the airport. We’re bringing that empowering autonomy to the hotel space for guests who value self-sufficiency.

See, Touch, Love

Beyond the powerful brand reinforcement and its high-tech appeal, the most important quality of our interactive lobby displays is convenience. Guests want to avoid lines, check themselves in and access insider information whenever they choose. With interactive displays, we’re giving guests one more reason to choose us over the rest.

Meet InfoGlass, insider information at your fingertips

Part front desk associate, part concierge, InfoGlass is our answer to the emergence of interactive signage. InfoGlass reinforces our dedication to improving the guest experience through innovation. Additionally, the TVs installed in every guest room allows for a portion of the InfoGlass content to be conveniently browsed by guests in-room.

☞ To purchase InfoGlass for your hotel, please reach out to your Field Marketing Director.

View the InfoGlass infographic here

Exterior Signage

A property will require new exterior signage due to a new opening, renovations, aged signage or a failed compliance audit.  

Pylon signs provide property identification along secondary highways and major thoroughfares for greater visibility at higher posted speeds.

Monument signs provide property identification along surface streets and allow guests to make their decision in ample time to access the property.

Wall signs are an easy way to utilize building space to advertise to hotel guests and can be manufactured in various sizes to accommodate placement.

☞ Click here to download full exterior signage guidelines for RLH.

☞ Click here to download full exterior signage guidelines for RLIS.

☞ Please see the attached SOP for more information on Exterior Signage.

Interior Wayfinding

In order to reinforce our new branding, all interior wayfinding signage will use the new identity for the Red Lion brand, rather than the old identity. Standards are forthcoming, so stay tuned for more information.

Environmental Graphics

This program is forthcoming. Stay tuned for more information.

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6.1 Sales & Events
6.2 Meeting Experience

Sales & Events

Meetings & events are a crucial revenue stream for all of our brands. With our Events & Meetings program, not only are we elevating the experience for the event and meeting attendees, but also creating specialized promotions to incentivize bookings at each of our hotels.

The Meeting Experience

The Meeting Station is a convenient, one-stop for meeting supplies and creativity tools. We want to make it easy for guests to adapt our meeting spaces to suit their needs.

☞ Please refer to the OS&E guidelines for the meeting materials and how to order.

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7.1 Opera Cloud
7.2 Group Bookings Made Easy

Opera Cloud

RLHC is migrating to a cloud-based property management systems (PMS) solution. This new technology provides increased capabilities within the PMS that will benefit us all as operators of hotels. The migration to the cloud is the first step in simplifying future software updates from Oracle for Opera and implementing the newest version, Opera 9, an important component in the effectiveness of RevPak. Opera 9 offers the following advantages:

• Less training required
  
• New reservation check-in/out flow for faster guest service
  
• Removes printing issue
  
• Designed for mobile
  
• Integrated security and PCI compliance from vendors
  
• Removes expensive onsite Opera servers and maintenance

We are moving towards the cloud-based property management systems (PMS) solution by April 1, 2016. In an effort to ensure the transition to this new solution, RLHC will handle the data, support and technical migration details. Costs will be based on the needs and room count at each specific hotel, which we will provide in further detail as we near the deployment.

If you have any questions, please contact Brand Services and Owner Relations.

☞ Click here to read more about the benefits of the cloud-based Opera solution.

Group Bookings Made Easy

RLHC Group Bookings Made Easy is a one-stop shop for Group customers. Every phone call is answered at any time of day, with agents standing by to field your group booking request. One of our goals is to be the most responsive, hospitable and reachable hotel brand and introducing our Group Desk is our way of letting customers know that RLHC is ready to do business with them.

Meeting planners indicate responsiveness is at the top of their list in choosing where they will place their meetings and group business. The RLHC Group Bookings Desk enables us to be highly responsive to the small group segment and generate incremental revenue for our hotels. The Group Desk is staffed by Customer Direct sales professionals who have been provided with sales training and a script to follow for booking RLHC group business.

☞ Please see the attached SOP and Overview for more information on the Group Bookings Desk.

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The resources below are intended to provide more detail on the Project Brand Boost initiative. If you have any further questions, please contact your Brand Services & Owner Relations Director.

Compliance

To assist with brand adoption of these upgrades, reasonable compliance timelines have been established.

Infographics

View the Bedding infographic here

View the TV infographic here

View the Terry Program infographic here

View the Coffee infographic here

View the Tiered Wi-Fi infographic here

View the InfoGlass infographic here

Useful links

Please click the links below to find detailed guidelines and information on all of the items mentioned in this guide.

RLH & RLIS OS&E DECK

FULL PURCHASING DETAILS

Red Lion Hotels:

BRAND STANDARDS MANUAL

EXTERIOR SIGNAGE GUIDELINES

Red Lion Inns & Suites:

BRAND STANDARDS MANUAL

EXTERIOR SIGNAGE GUIDELINES

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