Stamford:  Sheraton Hotels & Resorts today announced the appointment of 350 full-time Club Managers to its Sheraton Club lounges worldwide. Club Managers will offer a range of personalized services as part of the Sheraton brand’s continued effort to enhance the Club experience. This initiative comes on the heels of a $120 million investment to upgrade Sheraton Club lounges across the globe, which resulted in a 125% increase in Club bookings. Sheraton Club is now a $500 million business, driving 15-20% of total revenue at each Sheraton and far exceeding initial forecasts for the premium upgrade offering from Starwood’s largest and most global brand.

“The appointment of hundreds of dedicated Club Managers highlights the fact that we remain focused on improving the signature Sheraton Club experience, which is now a leading source of revenue for the brand,” said Hoyt Harper, Global Brand Leader for Sheraton Hotels & Resorts. “Club managers will deliver meaningful, personalized service that will build loyalty with premium business and leisure customers and give travelers another compelling reason to choose Sheraton.”

Club Managers will serve as the main point of contact for Club guests arriving at Sheraton hotels, starting with pre-arrival communications to confirm stay preferences, such as feather-free rooms, low versus high floor, proximity to and from elevators, and more. They will ensure guests are welcomed with some of their favorite amenities and remain on hand to assist with extras such as concert tickets and exclusive dinner reservations.

Starting in 2011, Sheraton and its owners invested $120 million to enhance and upgrade more than 120 Club lounges around the world, including those at flagship properties such as Sheraton Waikiki, Sheraton Denver, Sheraton Centre Toronto, Sheraton Hong Kong, Sheraton Buenos Aires and Sheraton Edinburgh.

Not just for Business Anymore – Leisure Travelers are Now Driving Club Bookings

Sheraton Club lounges also expanded their hours of operation from five days a week to seven days a week in order to meet rising demand among leisure travelers. In fact, Sheraton Club bookings are now higher on average among leisure travelers than business travelers. Worldwide, more leisure guests than business travelers are booking Club with 46% of Club guests traveling for leisure and 41% for business while the remaining 13% traveling for a mix of business and leisure.

Sheraton Club lounges are rated as one of the top two benefits of staying at a Sheraton by Starwood Preferred Guest members, who account for half of all Sheraton hotel bookings. Additionally, 50% of Sheraton loyalists like the option of purchasing an upgrade to the Sheraton Club experience, which is available for an average of $75 extra per night.

Sheraton boasts a greater percentage of hotels with Club lounges than its rivals. The majority offer spectacular views, in addition to upgraded Club amenities including complimentary breakfast, afternoon hors d’oeuvres, beverage service, flat-screen television, Wi-Fi, a selection of daily newspapers and more.