Q & A With
Interview with Hakam Barakat
General Manager, Toledo Amman Hotel
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: The past years have been difficult for Jordan. How has Toledo Amman Hotel performed amidst the challenges?
HAKAM BARAKAT: Toledo Amman Hotel wont through very turbulent times in the past few years due to the political Stress surrounding Jordan. Our guest
Profile consisted of 50 percent European, 20 percent MENA and 30 percent mixed visitors. Jordan has always been a segment of a Middle Eastern tour and not a stand-alone destination. We had a 15 percent drop in 2013 and another 10 percent in 2014.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Toledo Amman Hotel is ranked 18th out of 115 hotels in Amman, on TripAdvisor. How does an individually-owned hotel manage to keep ahead of competition and achieve such distinctions?
HAKAM BARAKAT: As a matter of fact, Toledo Amman Hotel was always in the top 10 since the beginning of TripAdvisor’s listings in Jordan. In the past two years, our ranking had dropped dramatically due to the number of new hotels having been developed. But we promise to regain our standing as we are putting a lot of effort into providing real benefits for our guests and introducing new services. Our staff will also go through extensive re-training to ensure everyone understands the real threats of this highly competitive environment amidst the external challenges.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: The hotel is only few minutes away from major historical and biblical sites. Is this a key advantage for the property?
HAKAM BARAKAT: My main advantage is my team. Other secondary strengths
Include the central location Toledo Amman Hotel enjoys. It is located smack in the middle, between the old city center and the new. Abdali's The Boulevard and development is the newest full-size tourist attraction occupying several city blocks. Toledo Amman Hotel is approximately a 10 – 15 minute walk to the new city center and about a 25-minute walk to the old.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: The property is going through a renovation. Which are the main features enhanced and how will the hotel’s image change after this?
HAKAM BARAKAT: Toledo Amman Hotel is the only hotel in Amman that enjoys a traditional Moorish design, hence the name. We will keep that same image as it has been one of our features. The renovation project consists of several phases. The first phase will concentrate on the guest rooms. This phase should be complete by the beginning of 2015. The next phases will include the meeting, conference and banquet halls as we will putting more effort into the MICE segment. The final phase will include all public areas.
We are looking at about the beginning of 2016 for the entire renovation project to be complete.
WITH JORDAN GOING THROUGH ROUGH TIMES, ITS HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY FACES MANY CHALLENGES. HOWEVER, TOLEDO HOTEL AMMAN IS PROMISING TO REGAIN ITS PAST GLORY FOLLOWING RENOVATIONS THAT WILL BY COMPLETED IN 2015, AS HAKAM BARAKAT, GENERAL MANAGER, TOLEDO HOTEL AMMAN, ASSURES.
My Man Advantage is my team and secondary strengths include the central location.
Toledo Amman Hotel is Top RANKING on TripAdvisor
Q & A With
Interview with Hakam Barakat
General Manager, Toledo Amman Hotel
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: The past years have been difficult for Jordan. How has Toledo Amman Hotel performed amidst the challenges?
HAKAM BARAKAT: Toledo Amman Hotel wont through very turbulent times in the past few years due to the political Stress surrounding Jordan. Our guest
Profile consisted of 50 percent European, 20 percent MENA and 30 percent mixed visitors. Jordan has always been a segment of a Middle Eastern tour and not a stand-alone destination. We had a 15 percent drop in 2013 and another 10 percent in 2014.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: Toledo Amman Hotel is ranked 18th out of 115 hotels in Amman, on TripAdvisor. How does an individually-owned hotel manage to keep ahead of competition and achieve such distinctions?
HAKAM BARAKAT: As a matter of fact, Toledo Amman Hotel was always in the top 10 since the beginning of TripAdvisor’s listings in Jordan. In the past two years, our ranking had dropped dramatically due to the number of new hotels having been developed. But we promise to regain our standing as we are putting a lot of effort into providing real benefits for our guests and introducing new services. Our staff will also go through extensive re-training to ensure everyone understands the real threats of this highly competitive environment amidst the external challenges.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: The hotel is only few minutes away from major historical and biblical sites. Is this a key advantage for the property?
HAKAM BARAKAT: My main advantage is my team. Other secondary strengths
Include the central location Toledo Amman Hotel enjoys. It is located smack in the middle, between the old city center and the new. Abdali's The Boulevard and development is the newest full-size tourist attraction occupying several city blocks. Toledo Amman Hotel is approximately a 10 – 15 minute walk to the new city center and about a 25-minute walk to the old.
TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLY: The property is going through a renovation. Which are the main features enhanced and how will the hotel’s image change after this?
HAKAM BARAKAT: Toledo Amman Hotel is the only hotel in Amman that enjoys a traditional Moorish design, hence the name. We will keep that same image as it has been one of our features. The renovation project consists of several phases. The first phase will concentrate on the guest rooms. This phase should be complete by the beginning of 2015. The next phases will include the meeting, conference and banquet halls as we will putting more effort into the MICE segment. The final phase will include all public areas.
We are looking at about the beginning of 2016 for the entire renovation project to be complete.
WITH JORDAN GOING THROUGH ROUGH TIMES, ITS HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY FACES MANY CHALLENGES. HOWEVER, TOLEDO HOTEL AMMAN IS PROMISING TO REGAIN ITS PAST GLORY FOLLOWING RENOVATIONS THAT WILL BY COMPLETED IN 2015, AS HAKAM BARAKAT, GENERAL MANAGER, TOLEDO HOTEL AMMAN, ASSURES.
My Man Advantage is my team and secondary strengths include the central location.