Clarion reno worth trumpeting about
IT is not exactly Trump Tower but a fabulous makeover of an old Townsville property and some great customer service has delivered gold for the operators of the Clarion Hotel.
The hotel, developed in what was once offices for life insurance salesmen in the CBD, has won Choice Hotels’ Asia- Pacific Gold Awards and Hotel of the Year awards two years in a row.
Clarion general manager Shane Rettke, also CEO of corporate cleaning company Servaco, said they were “quite chuffed” to take out the awards.
“The Clarion was an old run- down, two- star hotel and was transformed into a beautiful certified 4.5 star establishment two years ago,” Mr Rettke said.
“Not only have we won these awards but we have also been given a gold award from TripAdvisor and 9 out of 10 ( rating) from Booking. com
“The team at Clarion are so proud of what we have achieved.”
The property owner commissioned New York designer Boyana Popvassilev of 26 Street Design for the 2016 interior makeover.
Popvassilev also worked on the Lancini Group’s City Lane development in Flinders St.
Mr Rettke said the extra expense in design had paid off and further work on the building’s exterior and two top floors was planned.
They have gone to tender for work to upgrade the facade at ground level while they are looking to add 21 dual- key apartments to the top level to add to its 28 hotel rooms.
The related Servaco cleaning company is another local success story, having developed into a national and now international group from Townsville.
Servaco cleaned pubs for the Hedley Group until Coles, which bought the Hedley pubs, told them they would have to clean pubs in Cairns and Mackay if they wanted to continue.
“We did that and that’s how we started,” Mr Rettke said.
They have some work in London and now are expanding to Alaska.
Asked about the interest in Alaska and Mr Rettke replied: “Because it’s cold and I love it.”
Whatever the case, the connection between the hotel and the cleaning company appears to be working very well.