Independence empowered
Being independent doesn’t mean going it alone, and individuality needs to be both celebrated and supported. At Classic British Hotels, we’ve been championing independents since 2001. Providing the sales and marketing solutions, powered by our experienced team and best-in-class technology partners, to compete with the national and global hotel chains. So whatever your measure of success (ADR, RevPAR, GOPPAR, PROFPAR, EBITDA), as a commercially-minded hotelier, we’re here to help deliver results that surpass the expectations of each and every hotel member.
Global Distribution System GDS
World-class distribution technology at your fingertips
Profitably growing your market share and driving incremental revenue by connecting your hotel to a wide range of potential new bookers that would otherwise not have access to your hotels rates and availability.
500,000 travel agencies and TMCs…
Partnering with us, you’ll unlock access to 500,000 travel agencies and TMCs worldwide, all of whom shop one of the top 4 Global Distribution Systems (GDS) – Sabre, Amadeus, Galileo, and Wordspan.
Millions of travel website bookers…
You’ll also unlock the door to millions of bookers who use websites, or internet distribution sites (IDS) as they’re known, powered by DHISCO. These sites include long-tail distribution with highly specific audience appeal such as niche-interest and high-end leisure channels.
600+ tour operators and DMCs…
Further, you’ll get access to an extra 600+ global and regional tour operators and DMCs via tour manager (iWTX), including distribution channels in new markets and territories (Asia, the Middle East, etc.).
Major demand travel partners…
We can also provide you with Channel Connect distribution – instant access to major demand travel partners including Airbnb and Ctrip.
Fully managed seamless distribution…
Working in partnership with you, we’ll put your property’s best foot forward. Uniquely, we provide fully managed content writing, image distribution, rate loading, and room rate mapping (via our central Room Distribution Exchange/RDX platform) for the GDS, adhering to current best practices and drawing upon our depth of knowledge and expertise in both the industry and our individual disciplines, alongside that of our technology partners.
GDS paid media opportunities…
Based on your property’s size, location and market share, we’ll recommend qualified GDS advertising options (paid media) to maximise your exposure and ultimately drive more revenue direct to your property via the Global Distribution Systems.
With world-class distribution technology at our disposal, we’ll connect people with your hotel in real time to deliver the right rates and inventory to your guests wherever they shop. Getting seen and shopped has never been so simple.
Strategic agency group agreements
Global partnerships that profitably grow your business
World-class distribution, however, is only one side of our sales solution. The other side, of equal importance, is our strategic and our preferred agency partners (covering both coporate transient and M&E).
Strategic agency partnerships…
These high-profile partnerships ensure that our private-label global chain code (CB) is trusted, prioritised and shopped by the major booking agents, travel management companies and travel consortia.
National sales team activity…
Even so, our national sales team champions the collection to keep your hotel front of mind with our strategic and preferred partners, as well as over a hundred other smaller travel agencies throughout the UK. To this end, we organise and run regular on-site appointments, FAM trips, office visits and online presentations to get you out in front of people who place room nights into your location.
Fully managed RFP and consortia programmes…
With access to both our fully managed RFP and CB consortia programmes, we’ll work with you to identify and capitalise upon revenue-generating opportunities for your hotel. This takes the form of a regular strategic call with you to review business performance and identify untapped opportunities.
Proactive insights and advice…
Further, processing thousands of RFPs across the collection – from new solicited bids, to qualified unsolicited bids and renewals – we’ll review declined RFPs and investigate outcomes to provide you with the guidance and support you need to maximise your hotel’s acceptance rate and win business from your competitor set.
Find out how we can profitably grow your business >>
Our Strategic & Preferred agency partners include:
Speak to us to find out about our latest group agreements.
Our consortia partners include:
Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions
Central MICE desk to drive incremental revenue
The global strategic agency agreements we have in place, backed by our national sales team, unlock opportunities for your hotel with the major international and UK-based corporate event management companies.
Dedicated meetings desk…
What’s more, we have established relationships with many of the smaller regional corporate event agencies, too, which book via our dedicated meetings desk (rather than via Venue Directory, Hospitality Guaranteed, Cvent et al).
Sales distribution network…
Upon joining, we’ll actively promote your hotel to tens of thousands of agents booking meetings and events in the UK. Our sales distribution network and online advertising (paid social media and search engine marketing) work together to ensure your hotel stays front of mind with bookers.
On-site immersion weeks…
Immersion weeks (agency office takeovers), networking sessions and on-site visits (in-person presentations) are also pivotal in building awareness and consideration of your property.
Direct M&E clients…
Then there’s our direct M&E clients – from blue-chip brands (FMGCs), through to pharma companies and educational institutions. We have an enviable portfolio of corporate clients who trust us as their go-to business partner to place their next meeting and event. And, of course, as an integral part of membership we’ll champion your hotel at the industry’s leading events and exhibitions throughout the year.
Direct Booking
CB Unite & Performance Marketing
In today’s fast-moving, technology-led market, it’s imperative you stay at least one step ahead of your competition and keep pace with consumers’ evolving expectations and (online) behaviour.
Drive direct bookings…
With CB Unite, we work alongside you to drive more business direct to your property. Harnessing our team’s experience and expertise (and that of our business partners, too), we help level the playing field through access to, and execution of, best-in-class technologies.
AI booking platform…
At the coalface of our CB Unite solution is the Allora.ai booking platform, fully managed and optimised by our in-house ecommerce team.
Digital marketing solutions…
Our single booking platform is then supported by number of tactical levers – our digital marketing activity driving visitors direct to your website and shoppers into your booking engine. These include search (metasearch, PPC & SEO), social (Instagram, Facebook, etc.) and database (email & SMS), as well as promotional planning, enhanced account management and support on an ongoing basis.
The evolving search landscape…
Search engine marketing is rapidly evolving and can be a difficult landscape to navigate – with an ever-increasing emphasis placed on integrating AI-powered features. As an integral part of CB Unite, we can protect your hotel’s brand name with Google Ad’s keyword-based responsive search ads and their more recent Performance Max campaigns.
Further, we can ensure you directly appear alongside the OTAs in the aggregator results for real-time rate comparisons with a paid metasearch listing via Google Hotel Ads. By adopting the latest paid search and social commerce tactics, we’ll drive more bookings direct to your website at a low cost per action or acquisition.
Group Marketing
CB Promotions & Programs
In addition to working with you to build your direct business and improve your channel mix, you can also plug in to our group marketing campaigns and promotions running throughout the year.
Seasonal campaigns and one-off promotions…
From tactical seasonal campaigns designed to address your key need or low occupancy periods (winter sparkle and stay, for example), through to promotions to mark special occasions (the King’s Coronation, etc.), and always-on crowd-pleasers that help to stimulate demand and increase your incremental revenue.
Premium brand partnerships…
You’ll also get unrivalled access to our brand and media partnerships, which to date have included team-ups with premium British fashion brands (Barbour, Turnbull & Asser, Fairfax & Favor, etc), affinity lifestyle publications, multi-national travel companies, film and TV studios (The Crown, The BFG, Paddington 2, etc.) and book publishers (Penguin, Harper Collins, Hachette, etc.).
Strategic closed-user-groups…
Brand and affiliate marketing partnerships range from social-first promotions with Twinings and Bettys (what could be more classically British than tea?), through to iconic British institutions which put your property on the map – in front of multi-million-strong membership audiences who are in the mindset to book their next UK domestic break.
With relevance (contextuality) as our guiding outreach principle, we’re constantly creating your next opportunity.
Testimonials
A hotelier’s view
GDS
“Classic British Hotels takes ownership of your distribution strategy – making decisions in partnership with you to increase your exposure to target markets and segments where there is the potential to make a real difference to your business.”
Tim Boyd
General Manager
Ramside Estates
AI Booking Engine
“Dalmahoy has benefited from having the additional support and expertise from CB Unite – specifically their capabilities around Allora.ai, ensuring we’re getting the most from the system in line with our objectives.”
Julie Green
Sales & Marketing Executive
Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club
Promotional Planning
“Working closely in this way under the CB Unite banner has meant that we’re always looking at least three months ahead. This is how it should be given our average lead time of around 50 days, with as much as a sixth of bookings made over 91 days out.”
Graham McGregor
General Manager
Hintlesham Hall Hotel
Brand Partnerships & Lead Gen
“We get in front of relevant, engaged audiences with a broad mix of partners – from popular film and TV tie-ins, through to fashion and travel team-ups, and features in exclusive lifestyle publications. Each partnership is hand-picked for its suitability.”
Malcolm Wyse
General Manager
Gonville Hotel
Database Marketing
“Classic provides the support we need, when we need it, reacting to a very changeable marketplace. With soaring energy bills, we needed last year’s winter offer to really work hard for us, and it did – bringing in over £100k led by our email marketing.”
Nick Gauntlett
Managing Director
Hythe Imperial Hotel
Search Engine Marketing
“I joined during the pandemic, a period of intense change at Park Farm. Working in partnership with Classic, we’ve managed to adapt to this change and come out stronger for it. More recently, their SEO work has seen positive improvements to our site.”
Lucy Gowing
Brand & Marketing Manager
Park Farm Hotel
Brand
Individuality required
Standards. They’re important. For us, it’s a question of trust, a promise we’re proud to uphold.
Classic British Hotels is exclusively 4-star and above. Quality does not date. Each new member hotel is personally inspected and industry-standard online reputation tools are mined to understand guest sentiment at a deeper level. Both our professional industry experience and your guests’ user-generated content are combined to provide you with a quality grade within your star rating.
A partnership is a two-way street, and one we take seriously. We work hand-in-hand with general managers, owners and hotel teams to surpass your expectations. Independent hotels that meet our quality criteria are invited to join a community of forward-thinking hoteliers who want the keys to profitable business and new technologies. As a member of Classic British Hotels, you’re in exceptionally good company.
Let’s talk
Want to make a difference to your bottom line?
Contact our Hotel Development Team:
Phill Allsopp
Managing Director
+44 (0)7593 446656
[email protected]
Liz Gibbon
Business Development Manager
+44 (0)7784 196508
[email protected]
