The opulent Caesars Palace declares itself a perfect fit for Middle Eastern guests
Opened in 1966, Caesars Palace continues to be a symbol of luxury and decadence for guests visiting the popular Las Vegas Boulevard in Las Vegas, US. Part of the Harrah’s Entertainment group, the resort has witnessed stronger demand this year and business is expected to continue well and outperform 2009. TTN spoke to Cindy O’Keefe, vice president, hotel operations, about the recent appointment of Mezze Associates as the property’s Middle East representative as the company continues to develop new markets.
How does Caesars Palace appeal to Arab travellers?
Since its inception in the 60s, Caesars Palace has appealed to the high-end, luxury traveller and we have continued to cater to this segment through our luxurious services and offerings in our world-class restaurants, entertainment offerings and accommodation.
We have designed our Big 11, which are our villas and penthouses, for the luxury traveller to be their home away from home. When we worked with our designer, Michael Medeiros from Wilson Associates, for the high-end villas, we collaborated with our Middle East, Far East and Latin American teams to make sure we got their feedback on what our customers wanted.
What has gone into the villas and penthouses, which is especially reflected in our all-new Octavius Villas, is much more of a residential feel. The Octavius Villas are just as opulent as our Augustus Tower Villas, however we have added many design elements to reflect the comforts and convenience that our luxury guests appreciate in their own residences. We spared no expense in the design, layout or offerings of these villas.
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Say I do: in true Vegas style, the property has indoor and scenic outdoor ceremonial facilities for guests wishing to tie the knot while in the city |
We continue to ask for feedback from our luxury team and our hosts to ensure we know their needs and make sure they are not lacking. We also make sure we have a very detailed database in order to serve our return guests. From specific scents to how they like their beds made or even their choice of music – we ensure that our butlers have this information.
Our butlers are trained and respectful of different cultures and customs. We also have two Arabic-speaking butlers and 21 Arabic channels in the villas and penthouses, to cater to our Arab guests. Shopping and entertainment is often appealing to the Arab national and there is no better combination than Caesars Palace with the Forum Shops, a collection of luxury retail stores, and the Colosseum, a state-of-the-art performance theatre.
What is your biggest market and what new markets are you looking at?
We are constantly looking for new venues in the international area. Our wholesale and leisure traveller teams do a great job of making sure they branch out into those areas to tap those resources, so I don’t think there is any one particular market that is exclusively targeted.
Coming out of a global recession, how is the tourism market faring in the US?
We at Caesars Palace have been fortunate through these tough times, but we are very creative in the ways we look at different market segments. We couldn’t stay in business if we just catered to one particular market – we have been very diverse from the beginning, whether with the pricing structure or better packages, all to bring more of a perceived value. Today’s guest doesn’t necessarily want a set package – they want customised packages. We try to be cutting edge. We were the first in Las Vegas to have the Casears Palace iPhone application that was up and running in the last quarter of 2009. We have updated that technology and initiated the ‘texpress’ programme. We are currently the only property in Las Vegas that allows our customers to check-in and check-out online through the use of our ‘texpress’ programme.
Are travellers looking for more value or inexpensive deals when they return?
There was a certain point at which customers were very price sensitive, but we have to make sure we stay consistent with our brand. What we have and what we offer product-wise, has not been compromised. We live up to the guests’ expectations, the Caesars Palace guest wants added value and service and that is what we consistently deliver.
How important is the Middle East for the brand?
The Middle East is a great new market for us. Just like we cater to any of the luxury markets, we found our perfect fit with the Middle Eastern market.
How can agents in the Middle East best position the brands in Harrah’s portfolio to their clients?
We have a wide variety to offer a traveller, whether he’s on a budget or seeking high-end luxury. Our resorts work very closely with each other. As a company, we plan our pricing and strategies with the leisure and conventions team together.
For example, you want to have your accommodation at Caesars Palace, but may want to dine or see shows at Planet Hollywood or Flamingo Las Vegas, we have a team that can make such arrangements at any of our sister resorts. Guests can also charge their room for any meal at one of the other Harrah’s Entertainment Las Vegas Resorts, which includes Paris Las Vegas, Flamingo, Rio, Imperial Palace, Bally’s and Harrah’s.
What is the pipeline for 2010-2011?
As always, we are trying to make sure that we don’t have a tired-looking product. We are constantly investing additional capital to improve certain areas. We always look at our competitors, not only in the city but outside of Las Vegas, to see what new amenities and added services are being offered. We have a lot of plans in the pipeline that will come though in 2011!
Can you elaborate on your Total Rewards programme?
Total Rewards was designed for our regular and return guests. They can accumulate points on all aspects of the resort’s amenities including room, restaurant and show ticket spend. We want to make sure the customer has the same benefits no matter what they come to Las Vegas for and they can use their points against future stays or promotions.
What travel trends do you see developing?
I would say that rates aren’t what they were in 2008, but they are steadily climbing back in the city. At Caesars Palace, we continue to be more focused on offering a luxury-level guest experience to all guests and not just the suite guest.
Finally, can you explain about the ‘no resort fee’ initiative? Is Caesars Palace the first venue to do this?
I was the first flag-waver of this initiative! Our group of hotels in Las Vegas never charged hidden resort fees or mandatory resort fees. However when we acquired Planet Hollywood, we spoke to our partners there and said, this is our stance, so we would like to eliminate them across the portfolio of our Las Vegas resorts. Guests don’t want to pay for services they do not want or need. They want to be able spend their money on what they choose. In addition, guests to do not want to be subject to hidden fees. We are very upfront about what our rates are and our guests appreciate this.
Pool villas make waves
Overlooking the Garden of the Gods, Caesars Palace’s new Octavius Pool Villas average 8,800 sq ft each and feature themed designs from France, Greece and Spain.
Designed by Michael Medeiros from Wilson Associates, the villas have imported marble floors, a private elevator, hand-distressed wood parquet and inlaid wood floors, hand-painted wall murals and ceiling designs, wood and stone archways and casings, a billiard room, a plush home entertainment theatre, whirlpool bathtubs in the master and guest baths, steam mist showers in all bathrooms, fully-integrated audio visual systems with televisions in nearly every room and custom contemporary artwork.
Outside is a spacious private terrace with a spa tub, fire pit, seating and dining area with a gas lantern and wall sconces. Villa guests may also enjoy the luxury of private butler and concierge services.