Arora Hotels Appoint Marie Bates as Head of Sales
Arora Hotels, the privately owned UK-based hotel operator and hotel Management Company, has appointed Marie Bates as Head of Sales in a newly created role for the group.
Marie has responsibility for the group’s overall sales strategy and implementation and joins Arora from her previous role as Director of Sales and Marketing at Park Inn Heathrow.
With over 15 years’ experience in the travel industry, Marie began her career as Business Development Manager for Zibrant before expanding her knowledge of the luxury hotel market as Assistant Director of Sales at Grosvenor House followed by Director of Sales & Marketing at The Waldorf Hilton. Marie spent three years with Park Plaza Hotels as Director of National Accounts UK & Ireland prior to joining Park Inn, so brings extensive knowledge of both the premium London hotel market and the airport hotel model to the Arora Group.
Reporting to Arora Hotels’ Commercial Director Raj Shah, Marie has responsibility for business development across all market segments to ensure maximum occupancy in, and awareness of, all 120 meeting rooms, 2,900 guest rooms and multiple leisure and dining spaces across the group’s developing hotel portfolio.
Raj Shah comments, “I am delighted to have appointed Marie to the new role as Head of Sales at this point in the group’s strategic development. Marie’s commercial ability and knowledge of the industry - from a high-end leisure, meetings and events and new openings perspective - is a huge advantage to us and I am confident Marie will make a positive impact on our business.”
Commenting on her recent appointment, Marie adds: “I am thrilled to be working with the Arora Group as one of the most progressive hotel companies in the UK today with an exciting development pipeline. This new role presents me with a massive opportunity to make my mark and I plan to expand the group’s global corporate accounts and relationships with key event organisers to support the extensive meetings product across the group, particularly at Heathrow Airport with Sofitel Terminal 5 and the iconic Renaissance Hotel.
Marie’s appointment is aligned with the imminent opening of Arora’s largest development to date, the forthcoming InterContinental London - The O2 opening winter 2015 on The Greenwich Peninsula with 453 guestrooms and 4500sqm of event space including the 3,100sqm pillar-free Arora Ballroom, one of the largest single event spaces in Europe.
For further information please contact
Julia Gosling at Davies Tanner
+44 (0)1892 619100
Julia.gosling@daviestanner.co.uk
Notes to editors
Arora Group
One of the UK’s fastest growing privately-owned hotel companies, Arora has made a name for itself through the design, construction and operation of luxury hotels, with exceptional levels of hospitality. The group’s current portfolio comprises 2,920 bedrooms and 120 meeting rooms across 7 hotels including Sofitel London Heathrow & Sofitel London Gatwick (under a franchise agreement with Accor), Renaissance London Heathrow (under a franchise agreement with Marriott), Holiday Inn London Heathrow – T5 (under a franchise agreement with IHG), the Arora Hotel Gatwick/Crawley, Savill Court Hotel & Spa near Windsor and the forthcoming the InterContinental® London – The O2, to be operated by the Arora Group under a franchise agreement with InterContinental® Hotels Group (IHG) opening winter 2015. The property arm of the Arora Group – Arora Management Services – is involved in property asset management of a portfolio of landmark office buildings at key UK airports. The development arm, trading as Grove Developments secured agreements to design and construct five new budget hotels at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Aberdeen airports, the first of which opened in 2012.
