Sofitel London Heathrow Gets Closer to Guests With Acentic Digital Interactive TV System: Financial News

Sofitel London Heathrow Gets Closer to Guests With Acentic Digital Interactive TV System
Thursday September 4, 2008 4:05 am ET

COLOGNE, GERMANY--(MARKET WIRE)--Sep 4, 2008 -- Guests at Arora International Hotel's new flagship Sofitel London Heathrow, opened July 2008 at the brand new Terminal 5 complex, are experiencing more than just a luxurious stay in one of the largest and most glamorous airport hotels and conference centres in Europe.

Acentic, a leading supplier of digital interactive TV (iTV) systems for the hotel industry, is bringing outstanding digital broadcast, on-demand and interactive TV services to Sofitel guests through the groundbreaking Acentic Panorama® digital interactive guest communication and entertainment platform.

Acentic will celebrate the installation of Acentic Panorama at the Sofitel London Heathrow on Monday, Sept. 15 at 4:30 p.m. The hotel industry launch event will include Guest Speakers Surinder Arora, chairman Arora International Hotels; Sir David Frost; Acentic CEO Alistair Forbes and Mark Poldervaart, Business Manager EMEA from Philips Consumer Lifestyle. Presentations will discuss what hoteliers need to consider with respect to their in-room TV and entertainment system.

With amenities such as high quality TV, blockbuster movies, international multi-lingual programming and on-demand entertainment, Acentic Panorama is bringing Sofitel closer to its guests at the new hotel with this engaging and intuitive digital interactive TV package. The Sofitel London Heathrow's 605 rooms are equipped with flat panel LCD screens in bedrooms, as well as many guest-room bathrooms, to deliver the Digital Video Broadcast (DVB)-quality picture and sound that creates an exceptional hotel experience and enhances relationships with guests.

"Acentic takes into account both the dynamics of the hotel market and the evolution in entertainment technology to provide the services that our guests are demanding," says Sunny Roda, IT Director, Arora International Hotels. "Acentic Panorama is the ideal platform for delivering a large range of high quality television services in the most cost-effective manner possible. Acentic truly differentiates the Sofitel London Heathrow from the pack and allows us to enrich our guest experience while realising maximum revenue generation per room."

"We are honoured that Arora International Hotels has recognised the unique functionalities of the Acentic Panorama platform and selected us for this partnership," said Alistair Forbes, CEO, Acentic. "Acentic takes the time to comprehensively research the needs of our customers and their guests, not only for today's trends and requirements, but also for those of tomorrow. We developed Panorama in response to the need to deliver next-generation digital entertainment services without the necessity for a complete infrastructure overhaul."

Amongst other benefits the Acentic Panorama platform provides to Sofitel London Heathrow guests is access to 500 international satellite TV channels and up to 250 movies -- all available totally on demand and with the ability to pause, fast-forward and rewind the movies. Acentic also offers a range of external information, including live weather, news and Web content, plus a MediaHUB that allows guests to connect their iPod, PC, Digicam or other device to the LCD TV.

Acentic Panorama is designed to help hotels differentiate guest services and generate additional revenue streams. Panorama's fully customised and branded on-screen Graphical User Interface (GUI) enables the hotel to convey its brand messaging and values directly to guests, and serves as a portal for numerous revenue generating services, all of which can be accessed with a click of a button on the guest remote control.

About Acentic

Acentic is an international provider of digital TV services to hotels. Acentic's digital content, technology, support and services deliver entertainment and revenue generation tools via the hotel television, providing a unique communications system that meets the evolving lifestyles of guests. Acentic's digital TV services are in many of the world's leading hotel chains including Accor, Dorint, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Hilton, Hyatt, Maritim, Marriott, Mövenpick and Starwood in more than 30 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa. For more information, visit www.acentic.com.

About Arora International Hotels

One of the UK's fastest growing privately-owned hotel companies, Arora International Hotels has made a name for itself through the design, construction and operation of luxury hotels, with exceptional levels of hospitality. Current locations include the Arora International-Heathrow, Arora Park-Heathrow, Arora International-Gatwick/Crawley, Arora International-Manchester (located in the city centre), the Sofitel London Gatwick (directly connected to the North Terminal at Gatwick airport), Mercure London Gatwick and the 605-bedroom flagship Sofitel London Heathrow at Terminal 5 (opened July 2008). Both Sofitels and the Mercure London Gatwick operate under franchise agreements with Accor Hotels & Resorts.

At the Brit Oval, Arora is currently working in partnership with Surrey County Cricket Club on the development of a 170-bed luxury hotel. Each of its hotels is Investors In People accredited. The company also has interests in the internationally renowned Wentworth Club and recently purchased Wycombe Airpark, Buckinghamshire -- a private airfield and base of the British Airways Flying Club.

The Arora Family Trust owns the Airport Hotels Unit Trust, a fund comprising a portfolio of nine branded hotels located in and around key airports in the UK.