THE InterContinental Sandton Sun & Towers is situated in one of the top locations in the country in the heart of Sandton, the financial and legal centre of corporate SA.

Its connection with the Sandton City shopping centre puts it right at the core of this sought-after destination.

John de Canha, operations director of the hotel, which operates in the upper five-star market, says: "The international business traveller with whom we essentially align ourselves expects world-class international standards.

"It is not sufficient to rely on our already established reputation. With the advent of new hotels in recent years in the Sandton and Rosebank areas we have had to make sure we remain competitive.

"We acknowledge that we are in a prime area and that we have a premium product, but this is only part of the equation.

"We need to ensure that we always give value for money, and this investment in refurbishment and upgrades is part of our drive to give consumers the service and products that they are entitled to expect from an InterContinental hotel."

De Canha says that the battle for market share will be won and lost on service, which he describes as "the heart and soul of our business".

De Canha sees his role in broad terms as creating the environment that enables the general managers of the hotels to excel and to express their own characters and business acumen in their day-today management roles.

"The critical challenge we face is to ensure that we operate great hotels.

"Hotels can either be cold or warm. As with most businesses, they tend to take on the personality of the general manager. So it is important that we choose the best people to manage our hotels and allow them to get on with the job.

"As astute business managers, they know full well what the company's objectives and financial targets are and the extent of our commitments to various stakeholders."

The InterContinental Sandton Sun and Towers hotels while branded under one name essentially have different characters, De Canha says.

Many business people, for example, have a personal preference for the cozy and less formal atmosphere of the InterContinental Sandton Sun, while others prefer the more formal and sophisticated InterContinental Sandton Towers. This presents a marketing opportunity as it offers five-star flexibility and choice, says De Canha.

"This diversity gives us an edge and has allowed us to market and price the hotels accordingly. The InterContinental Sandton Towers commands the highest room-rate in town, as befits the range of benefits and services it offers," he says.

Nov 20 2003 07:35:32:000AM  Business Day 1st Edition