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TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY

Introducing Ardor Travels - A Totally Customizable Business Travel Technology Solution

Ardor Travels | February 25, 2022

Introducing Ardor Travels
Ardor Travels is forever changing the business travel industry by introducing its all-new, technologically advanced travel and expense platform. It offers everything small and mid-sized businesses and their employees need, such as user-friendly hotel, flight and car booking, reporting and expensing completely accessible at their fingertips—all while being entirely customizable.

The platform was designed to empower both travelers and businesses with its unmatched benefits and capabilities, including:

Hyper Customization: No other business travel platform has the flexibility to be fully customizable. Businesses can set up profiles that are specific to their needs – from turning on or off desired inventory access, setting rate caps, system preferences, and much more.
  • Big Savings: Ardor offers substantially lower onboarding and booking fees than other travel solutions on the market with savings ranging from 20-45 percent off bookings. No software purchase or yearly maintenance costs required.
  • Booking Made Easy: Ardor's dashboard is accessed via mobile app and desktop, and features easy employee booking, travel-desk functionality for group bookings, clear operational flows, management approval process, and real-time reporting. Not only is Ardor Travels multi-currency, but it just released its full Spanish version for both mobile app and desktop.
  • Built for Travelers: Profile management, bookings, dashboard information, and expense reporting all in one for both business and leisure travel. Just click over to personal and enjoy all the benefits of recreational and family travel.
  • Value & Breadth of Options: Ardor offers a breadth of options for all major airlines, hotels and car rental companies throughout not only the U.S., but worldwide at a huge value. Discounts, ease of use, improved operational efficiencies and reporting, and expense management all equal a strong return on travel investment and an improved experience.
  • Total Transparency & Support: The monthly subscription fee for the Ardor Gold Plan (for Premium services), is the only fee users will encounter making it cost efficient and predictable, and although the platform is completely customizable, Ardor offers 24/7 customer support at no additional charge.

"In a rising cost environment, we built Ardor Travels to help businesses and employees take control of and improve the overall travel spend, process, and expense experience. The system is customized to their specific needs, providing peace of mind to the traveler knowing everything is taken care of at the touch of a button,The innovative platform is built to continue to add on functionality through new releases and great global inventory access - there's nothing in the industry quite like it."

-Ardor Travels CEO and Founder Keith Lamb.

Ardor's subscription based, SaaS model offers a completely customizable experience unlike any other, designed specifically for business travelers. Accessible via mobile or desktop, special focus has been given to user experience, intuitive designs and AI technology, ensuring industry compliance and efficient expense management. For more information, please visit ArdorTravels.com.

About Ardor Travel Technologies
Ardor Travel Technologies is a global, privately owned, disruptive business travel and expense management company comprised of a group of innovative entrepreneurs who have invested in and built travel and technology related companies over their careers. Ardor Travel Technology companies provide best-in-class products and technology with unparalleled access to amazing content and services. Through biometrics, artificial intelligence and machine learning their goal is to provide significant safety, financial and operational impact for their customers. Visit www.ArdorTravels.com for more information.

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Four Seasons Hotel Boston Reopens, Revealing A Dramatic Lobby Transformation, Intimate New Restaurant And New Signature Amenities

prweb | May 15, 2023

Just in time for spring and the reawakening of Boston’s iconic Public Garden, Four Seasons Hotel Boston has reopened its doors, welcoming guests to a new era of gracious hospitality. The city’s premier address has completed a dramatic design update of its arrival area, lobby and porte cochere, revealing artful and inspired new spaces created in partnership with AD100 designer Ken Fulk. This revitalization sets the stage for a new generation of guest experiences, unforgettable events and cherished memories. “We are delighted to begin the next chapter of Four Seasons Hotel Boston and introduce an updated vision of luxury that evokes the character and rich history of Back Bay,” said Michael Pedder, General Manager, Four Seasons Hotel Boston. “We look forward to welcoming guests to our reimagined hotel.” A Grand Hotel Experience on an Intimate Scale Years in the making, Four Seasons Hotel Boston’s transformation blends the timelessness of the hotel with the grandeur of its verdant Public Garden setting. Drawing inspiration from the elegant homes of neighboring Beacon Hill and Back Bay, where old meets new, Fulk envisioned the hotel as a great residence overlooking stately grounds. He designed a new arrival experience that visually links the hotel to the historic garden on its doorstep. Guests are now greeted in a black-and-white-tiled entry court, enhanced with plantings and lanterns that lead them into the sanctuary of the new lobby. Four Seasons Hotel Boston’s redesigned interiors welcome guests with a new sense of intimacy. The wide lobby has been masterfully reimagined as a series of smaller spaces that are grand, yet residential in scale. A new front desk crafted in tooled leather stands beneath an expansive original artwork depicting the Public Garden. A mural drawn in Impressionist style with a nod to Maxfield Parrish features the Garden’s flora and fauna, with willows, elm and oak trees surrounding the lagoon, where swan boats glide under the Foot Bridge and one swan holds a key. The key is a clue to a hidden, fanciful mystery closet next to the front desk. Upon their arrival, young guests are handed a large “kids-only” key to the closet and invited to select their own toys for an enchanting beginning to their Four Seasons Hotel Boston stay. Spaces for Gracious Living, Day into Evening Hotel guests will discover a collection of lobby-level spaces to enjoy from early morning until late evening. One of the newest is Coterie, a new lounge and restaurant open daily for dinner and bar service, with lunch to follow soon. Conceived as a place for intimate conversation and a retreat from the world outside, Coterie is inspired by Boston’s centuries-old tradition of thinkers and creators gathering to share ideas and socialize. Elevated traditional fare created by Executive Chef Patrice Martineau will be complemented by a selection of classic and signature cocktails, some featuring a custom botanical gin created exclusively for Four Seasons Hotel Boston, and honey from the hotel’s rooftop hives. Here, Fulk’s design evokes a charming estate, richly layered and decorated with a gallery of hand-drawn botanical illustrations and portraits of writers and artists, a soft color palette inspired by garden florals, all accented with vintage lighting and anchored by a zinc-topped bar with leather and brass details. Opposite Coterie is the Library, a quiet respite offering rich velvet seating accented in silk fringe, where guests can wait for a friend or sit back with a classic cocktail and select from the bookshelves, curated to evoke a collection gathered by a family through the generations. Coffee-lovers and early risers will delight in Sottovento, a glamorous gourmet coffee bar serving made-to-order specialty coffee, tea and beverages – complimentary – every morning, alongside a selection of pastries and light refreshments. Using the hotel’s new Coffee Concierge service, in-house guests of Four Seasons Hotel Boston can place their custom coffee order seamlessly using the Four Seasons mobile app to have it delivered to their room or ready to collect. Making a return to Four Seasons Hotel Boston this month is Aujourd’hui, the second-floor breakfast and lunch restaurant with its hallmark floor-to-ceiling windows framing panoramic Public Garden views. Sanctuary, a quiet, sixth-floor garden terrace, also makes its debut this month, offering guests a rare private courtyard in the city for quiet reading or enjoying in-room dining al fresco. Also making its return with the hotel’s reopening: The Vaults, refreshment pantries on every guest room floor of the hotel, stocked with snacks, treats and beverages, all complimentary to hotel guests and available 24 hours a day. About Four Seasons Hotel Boston Overlooking America's first botanical garden, Boston’s longest-standing Forbes Five-Star hotel enjoys the city's most coveted location, just steps from historic attractions, luxury shopping, and culinary gems. Nestled in the heart of the nation's most walkable city, the sophisticated urban retreat debuted a lobby-level redesign in May 2023. Guests will experience intimate dining and bar service at the new Coterie restaurant and lounge, breakfast at the elegant Aujourd’hui, a complimentary gourmet coffee bar, a pool boasting views of the Public Garden and Beacon Hill, and a 24-hour fitness center. Whether Boston calls for leisure, business, or a celebratory milestone event, Four Seasons Hotel Boston is the choice for travelers of all kinds.

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OrionStar USA Integrates Lucki with ChatGPT, Revolutionizing the Hospitality Industry with AI

Prnewswire | May 15, 2023

OrionStar USA is excited to announce that Lucki, its AI Delivery robot, has successfully integrated with ChatGPT. This integration represents a significant step forward in the hospitality industry, as Lucki's ability to communicate with customers has been greatly enhanced by leveraging ChatGPT's advanced AI capabilities. With the integration of ChatGPT, Lucki is now able to communicate with customers through natural language interfaces such as voice and text-based chatbots. This allows for a more personalized and efficient customer service experience, with Lucki able to understand and respond to customer requests and queries in real time. "The integration of ChatGPT with Lucki represents a significant milestone for OrionStar USA and the hospitality industry," said T Shen, CEO of OrionStar USA. "We believe that this integration will enable us to provide businesses with a personalized customer service experience, allowing them to differentiate themselves from their competitors and stay ahead of the game." In addition to improving the customer experience, restaurants and hotels that adopt Lucki with ChatGPT integration will benefit from increased efficiency and cost savings. The robot can operate around the clock, reducing the need for additional staffing during peak hours. Additionally, Lucki reduces the likelihood of human error, which can lead to incorrect orders, missed deliveries, and dissatisfied customers. While the integration with ChatGPT is currently in its first phase, OrionStar USA has plans to continue improving the capabilities of Lucki through future upgrades. As a cloud-based platform, all units of Lucki will be automatically upgraded with no additional effort required for clients. By continually improving the capabilities of Lucki, OrionStar USA is committed to providing its customers with the most advanced and personalized customer service experience possible. The integration with ChatGPT is just the first step in this process, with more exciting developments planned for the future. Overall, the integration of Lucki with ChatGPT is ultimately a great feat for AI and robotics presence in the hospitality industry. With the ability to provide personalized and efficient customer service, Lucki is poised to become an essential tool for businesses looking to improve their operations and enhance customer satisfaction. Avout OrionStar USA OrionStar USA strives for efficiency through robots. We are committed to creating the next generation of revolutionary products based on artificial intelligence technology so that people can be released from repeated physical workloads, making human work and life more intelligent and interesting, and making society and the world better with technology.

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Operto Guest Technologies Raises US$25 Million in Series-B Financing, Led By Centana Growth Partners

Operto | March 21, 2023

Operto Guest Technologies, a leading provider of automated solutions for 50 million-plus rooms in the global hospitality industry, today announced that it secured US$25 million in a Series-B financing round. The financing was led by Centana Growth Partners, with participation from Thayer Ventures, FUSE, Blackpines Capital Partners and Derive Ventures. Proceeds from the round will be used to further fuel Operto’s aggressive expansion in the global short-term rental and hotel markets, where it already works exclusively with Accor Hotels to power its global digital key program. This includes luxury hotel brands such Fairmont and Raffles, where Operto’s revolutionary contactless digital solutions can be leveraged to remove common friction points in the guest journey, while lowering operating costs and driving new sources of revenue for the hotel. "We are delighted to announce our B-Round funding, which will enable us to build upon our exceptional company growth over the past 3 years. It will accelerate our company mission to build cutting-edge technology solutions that drive amazing guest experiences, across the entire accommodation spectrum. In addition, our solutions will continue to deliver huge operational efficiencies for property owners and hosts by lowering costs and driving additional in-stay guest revenues, which is becoming increasingly important in today’s macroeconomic environment,” said Operto CEO Steve Davis. “Hospitality is one of the last major industries to be disrupted by technology, and we believe there is a significant opportunity to bring the benefits of simple, affordable automation to the sector. We are excited about the future, and we look forward to making a real difference to the accommodation industry." “Operto is leading the digital transformation of the hospitality industry by creating a seamless, automated check-in and check-out experience for its customers,” said Eric Byunn, co-founder and partner at Centana Growth Partners. “Centana has been following the digitization of the hospitality industry closely, and we are very excited about this sort of innovative disruption streamlining the experience of owners, hosts, and guests. We will leverage our expertise in the payments and commerce ecosystem to work with Operto as they continue to innovate in an industry with such enormous potential.” In addition to the funding announcement, Operto is pleased to announce that Sam Shank has joined the company’s Board of Directors. Shank, who was previously CEO and founder of HotelTonight and former head of Airbnb’s Commercial Team, brings a wealth of hospitality and travel industry experience to Operto. "Operto's cutting-edge technology solutions are reshaping the hospitality industry, and I am excited to be a part of the journey,” said Shank. “I look forward to working with the team to help drive growth and innovation." Operto’s automated, customizable platform enables hotels, property managers and others to remotely provide access as well as monitor and control a wide range of devices and systems, including smartphone-enabled guest verification, security deposit and payment, electronic elevator and room access. By providing property managers with real-time data and insights, Operto helps streamline operations, reduce costs and enhance the guest experience. Operto Guest Technologies is well-positioned to continue its rapid growth and expansion into new markets. The company is committed to delivering innovative solutions that help property managers improve efficiency, reduce costs and provide a better experience for their guests. About Operto Guest Technologies Operto Guest Technologies is a Vancouver-based company that provides smart property automation solutions for the hotel and vacation rental sectors. Operto’s platform enables property owners and managers to remotely monitor and control their properties, enhancing the guest experience while improving operational efficiency. The company's solutions can integrate with existing property management software and are customizable to meet the unique needs of each property. Operto Guest Technologies' solutions have been adopted by property managers and owners in over 100-countries worldwide.

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Four Seasons Hotel Boston Reopens, Revealing A Dramatic Lobby Transformation, Intimate New Restaurant And New Signature Amenities

prweb | May 15, 2023

Just in time for spring and the reawakening of Boston’s iconic Public Garden, Four Seasons Hotel Boston has reopened its doors, welcoming guests to a new era of gracious hospitality. The city’s premier address has completed a dramatic design update of its arrival area, lobby and porte cochere, revealing artful and inspired new spaces created in partnership with AD100 designer Ken Fulk. This revitalization sets the stage for a new generation of guest experiences, unforgettable events and cherished memories. “We are delighted to begin the next chapter of Four Seasons Hotel Boston and introduce an updated vision of luxury that evokes the character and rich history of Back Bay,” said Michael Pedder, General Manager, Four Seasons Hotel Boston. “We look forward to welcoming guests to our reimagined hotel.” A Grand Hotel Experience on an Intimate Scale Years in the making, Four Seasons Hotel Boston’s transformation blends the timelessness of the hotel with the grandeur of its verdant Public Garden setting. Drawing inspiration from the elegant homes of neighboring Beacon Hill and Back Bay, where old meets new, Fulk envisioned the hotel as a great residence overlooking stately grounds. He designed a new arrival experience that visually links the hotel to the historic garden on its doorstep. Guests are now greeted in a black-and-white-tiled entry court, enhanced with plantings and lanterns that lead them into the sanctuary of the new lobby. Four Seasons Hotel Boston’s redesigned interiors welcome guests with a new sense of intimacy. The wide lobby has been masterfully reimagined as a series of smaller spaces that are grand, yet residential in scale. A new front desk crafted in tooled leather stands beneath an expansive original artwork depicting the Public Garden. A mural drawn in Impressionist style with a nod to Maxfield Parrish features the Garden’s flora and fauna, with willows, elm and oak trees surrounding the lagoon, where swan boats glide under the Foot Bridge and one swan holds a key. The key is a clue to a hidden, fanciful mystery closet next to the front desk. Upon their arrival, young guests are handed a large “kids-only” key to the closet and invited to select their own toys for an enchanting beginning to their Four Seasons Hotel Boston stay. Spaces for Gracious Living, Day into Evening Hotel guests will discover a collection of lobby-level spaces to enjoy from early morning until late evening. One of the newest is Coterie, a new lounge and restaurant open daily for dinner and bar service, with lunch to follow soon. Conceived as a place for intimate conversation and a retreat from the world outside, Coterie is inspired by Boston’s centuries-old tradition of thinkers and creators gathering to share ideas and socialize. Elevated traditional fare created by Executive Chef Patrice Martineau will be complemented by a selection of classic and signature cocktails, some featuring a custom botanical gin created exclusively for Four Seasons Hotel Boston, and honey from the hotel’s rooftop hives. Here, Fulk’s design evokes a charming estate, richly layered and decorated with a gallery of hand-drawn botanical illustrations and portraits of writers and artists, a soft color palette inspired by garden florals, all accented with vintage lighting and anchored by a zinc-topped bar with leather and brass details. Opposite Coterie is the Library, a quiet respite offering rich velvet seating accented in silk fringe, where guests can wait for a friend or sit back with a classic cocktail and select from the bookshelves, curated to evoke a collection gathered by a family through the generations. Coffee-lovers and early risers will delight in Sottovento, a glamorous gourmet coffee bar serving made-to-order specialty coffee, tea and beverages – complimentary – every morning, alongside a selection of pastries and light refreshments. Using the hotel’s new Coffee Concierge service, in-house guests of Four Seasons Hotel Boston can place their custom coffee order seamlessly using the Four Seasons mobile app to have it delivered to their room or ready to collect. Making a return to Four Seasons Hotel Boston this month is Aujourd’hui, the second-floor breakfast and lunch restaurant with its hallmark floor-to-ceiling windows framing panoramic Public Garden views. Sanctuary, a quiet, sixth-floor garden terrace, also makes its debut this month, offering guests a rare private courtyard in the city for quiet reading or enjoying in-room dining al fresco. Also making its return with the hotel’s reopening: The Vaults, refreshment pantries on every guest room floor of the hotel, stocked with snacks, treats and beverages, all complimentary to hotel guests and available 24 hours a day. About Four Seasons Hotel Boston Overlooking America's first botanical garden, Boston’s longest-standing Forbes Five-Star hotel enjoys the city's most coveted location, just steps from historic attractions, luxury shopping, and culinary gems. Nestled in the heart of the nation's most walkable city, the sophisticated urban retreat debuted a lobby-level redesign in May 2023. Guests will experience intimate dining and bar service at the new Coterie restaurant and lounge, breakfast at the elegant Aujourd’hui, a complimentary gourmet coffee bar, a pool boasting views of the Public Garden and Beacon Hill, and a 24-hour fitness center. Whether Boston calls for leisure, business, or a celebratory milestone event, Four Seasons Hotel Boston is the choice for travelers of all kinds.

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OrionStar USA Integrates Lucki with ChatGPT, Revolutionizing the Hospitality Industry with AI

Prnewswire | May 15, 2023

OrionStar USA is excited to announce that Lucki, its AI Delivery robot, has successfully integrated with ChatGPT. This integration represents a significant step forward in the hospitality industry, as Lucki's ability to communicate with customers has been greatly enhanced by leveraging ChatGPT's advanced AI capabilities. With the integration of ChatGPT, Lucki is now able to communicate with customers through natural language interfaces such as voice and text-based chatbots. This allows for a more personalized and efficient customer service experience, with Lucki able to understand and respond to customer requests and queries in real time. "The integration of ChatGPT with Lucki represents a significant milestone for OrionStar USA and the hospitality industry," said T Shen, CEO of OrionStar USA. "We believe that this integration will enable us to provide businesses with a personalized customer service experience, allowing them to differentiate themselves from their competitors and stay ahead of the game." In addition to improving the customer experience, restaurants and hotels that adopt Lucki with ChatGPT integration will benefit from increased efficiency and cost savings. The robot can operate around the clock, reducing the need for additional staffing during peak hours. Additionally, Lucki reduces the likelihood of human error, which can lead to incorrect orders, missed deliveries, and dissatisfied customers. While the integration with ChatGPT is currently in its first phase, OrionStar USA has plans to continue improving the capabilities of Lucki through future upgrades. As a cloud-based platform, all units of Lucki will be automatically upgraded with no additional effort required for clients. By continually improving the capabilities of Lucki, OrionStar USA is committed to providing its customers with the most advanced and personalized customer service experience possible. The integration with ChatGPT is just the first step in this process, with more exciting developments planned for the future. Overall, the integration of Lucki with ChatGPT is ultimately a great feat for AI and robotics presence in the hospitality industry. With the ability to provide personalized and efficient customer service, Lucki is poised to become an essential tool for businesses looking to improve their operations and enhance customer satisfaction. Avout OrionStar USA OrionStar USA strives for efficiency through robots. We are committed to creating the next generation of revolutionary products based on artificial intelligence technology so that people can be released from repeated physical workloads, making human work and life more intelligent and interesting, and making society and the world better with technology.

Read More

COMMERCIAL TRAVEL

Operto Guest Technologies Raises US$25 Million in Series-B Financing, Led By Centana Growth Partners

Operto | March 21, 2023

Operto Guest Technologies, a leading provider of automated solutions for 50 million-plus rooms in the global hospitality industry, today announced that it secured US$25 million in a Series-B financing round. The financing was led by Centana Growth Partners, with participation from Thayer Ventures, FUSE, Blackpines Capital Partners and Derive Ventures. Proceeds from the round will be used to further fuel Operto’s aggressive expansion in the global short-term rental and hotel markets, where it already works exclusively with Accor Hotels to power its global digital key program. This includes luxury hotel brands such Fairmont and Raffles, where Operto’s revolutionary contactless digital solutions can be leveraged to remove common friction points in the guest journey, while lowering operating costs and driving new sources of revenue for the hotel. "We are delighted to announce our B-Round funding, which will enable us to build upon our exceptional company growth over the past 3 years. It will accelerate our company mission to build cutting-edge technology solutions that drive amazing guest experiences, across the entire accommodation spectrum. In addition, our solutions will continue to deliver huge operational efficiencies for property owners and hosts by lowering costs and driving additional in-stay guest revenues, which is becoming increasingly important in today’s macroeconomic environment,” said Operto CEO Steve Davis. “Hospitality is one of the last major industries to be disrupted by technology, and we believe there is a significant opportunity to bring the benefits of simple, affordable automation to the sector. We are excited about the future, and we look forward to making a real difference to the accommodation industry." “Operto is leading the digital transformation of the hospitality industry by creating a seamless, automated check-in and check-out experience for its customers,” said Eric Byunn, co-founder and partner at Centana Growth Partners. “Centana has been following the digitization of the hospitality industry closely, and we are very excited about this sort of innovative disruption streamlining the experience of owners, hosts, and guests. We will leverage our expertise in the payments and commerce ecosystem to work with Operto as they continue to innovate in an industry with such enormous potential.” In addition to the funding announcement, Operto is pleased to announce that Sam Shank has joined the company’s Board of Directors. Shank, who was previously CEO and founder of HotelTonight and former head of Airbnb’s Commercial Team, brings a wealth of hospitality and travel industry experience to Operto. "Operto's cutting-edge technology solutions are reshaping the hospitality industry, and I am excited to be a part of the journey,” said Shank. “I look forward to working with the team to help drive growth and innovation." Operto’s automated, customizable platform enables hotels, property managers and others to remotely provide access as well as monitor and control a wide range of devices and systems, including smartphone-enabled guest verification, security deposit and payment, electronic elevator and room access. By providing property managers with real-time data and insights, Operto helps streamline operations, reduce costs and enhance the guest experience. Operto Guest Technologies is well-positioned to continue its rapid growth and expansion into new markets. The company is committed to delivering innovative solutions that help property managers improve efficiency, reduce costs and provide a better experience for their guests. About Operto Guest Technologies Operto Guest Technologies is a Vancouver-based company that provides smart property automation solutions for the hotel and vacation rental sectors. Operto’s platform enables property owners and managers to remotely monitor and control their properties, enhancing the guest experience while improving operational efficiency. The company's solutions can integrate with existing property management software and are customizable to meet the unique needs of each property. Operto Guest Technologies' solutions have been adopted by property managers and owners in over 100-countries worldwide.

Read More

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