www.lux-review.com Page 23 Page 22 www.lux-review.com LUX 2021 Resorts and Retreats Awards LUX 2021 Resorts and Retreats Awards Over 100 clients including the largest hotel groups and shopping centres in the industry are using innovative and user-friendly OKKAMI technology across North America, Europe and Asia to better connect with customers, finalise transactions, and improve guest satisfaction. OKKAMI is bringing brands into the digital world with personalised IoT solutions, helping them to perfect the art of service. While there may be concern for some that implementing digital solutions could remove the human touch of hospitality, this isn’t necessarily the case; in fact, it enables hotels to increase their engagement with guests and their own staff so that their service is at a more personalised and flexible level, enhancing the overall customer experience. Not only this, but a recent study revealed that nearly 90% of guests prefer to stay at a hotel that has a mobile app which allows them to manage their stays – from check-in to concierge services to reservations. OKKAMI is helping hotels align their technologies to the needs of guests. And there couldn’t be better timing for OKKAMI’s solution, with COVID-19 taking over the world within the last 18 months. During the temporary closure of hotels, many began to reinvent themselves in preparation for the industry’s recovery, and the largest concern addressed by all businesses was the need for increased hygiene and safety standards. Thus, OKKAMI was a silver lining, helping hotels to stay open with its digital Since first opening its doors in 2004, Uplands House has become a nest for those who want to explore this most delightful part of the English countryside. Standing in the heart of a beautiful one-acre garden, overlooking a Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, there is simply nowhere finer to come and relax. Uplands House is not your traditional B&B. Guests do not just come for bed and board, but for the warmth and connection that comes from the incredible houses. Poppy and Graham have run Uplands House for seventeen years, and are able to offer the very best in English country house hospitality. All who stay are treated like royalty, with their specific needs and desires taken into account and met as far as possible. A stay at Uplands House is a stay with the best of friends, able to guide you to achieve exactly what you want to do. Those who come to Uplands House are often amazed at what they find. It’s a beacon of kindness, comfort and stunning home-cooked food. Guests usually arrive just in time for tea, served with homemade cake that is simply exquisite. On arrival, Poppy and Graham take the time to discover what you’d like to eat in the evening, either planning a meal just right for you, or finding the perfect eatery out in the surrounding villages. Every meal at Uplands House is made to order, with organic produce locally sourced, or grown on the grounds. There’s simply nothing quite like it. Jul21217 Jul21185 OKKAMI Best Guest Engagement Platform – South East Asia Uplands House Best Luxury Bed & Breakfast - Cotswolds solutions, enabling contactless check-in/ check-out and e-menus as well as removing the need for face-to-face communication thanks to the live chat function. Guests are also able use light switches and door locks in their rooms without having to touch anything, as the app can do it all. One of OKKAMI’s clients, Rene Balmer from Chatrium Hospitality commented, “Chatrium Hospitality was seeking a smart IoT solution and ideal guest engagement platform, and we found the perfect partner in OKKAMI that answered all our needs and more. OKKAMI helped develop our own branded app which not only connected Chatrium to our esteemed guests, but increased guest engagement between hotel employees and guests.” Ultimately, OKKAMI is committed to building and maintaining long-term relationships with its existing and potential clients. And it is optimistic about the future of its business and the hospitality industry, as hotels are working hard to provide unique experiences to travellers and to meet their every need. The hospitality and tourism landscape is entering a new era and OKKAMI is ready to be a part of the solution. Company: OKKAMI Contact: Adres Borbon Email:
[email protected] For some, the idea of staying in an English Country house is a dream come true, but the practical challenges can be too great. Not so at Uplands House, were Poppy and Graham have done their best to ensure that stairs aren’t a problem. Their newly installed stairlift makes the whole building much more accessible to all, allowing anyone to visit and enjoy their time in this fascinating part of the world. An evening at Uplands House sees guests able to enjoy the comfort of the most luxuriously furnished rooms, guaranteed to lead to the most restful of night’s sleeps. Every aspect of Uplands House is designed to create a relaxed and warm space where anyone and everyone can come and be themselves. For those who want a little more room to explore, the tranquil garden and charming drawing room are the ideal places to idle away the hours, talking lightly about everything and nothing. Of course, Uplands House is ideally situated, and able to act as the perfect base for so many attractions and events in the local area. Within a few miles are such inimitable attractions as Warwick Castle and the magnificent gardens at Stowe, alongside chocolate-box villages like Blenheim Palace, Moreton-in-Marsh and Stow-on-the Wold. Each brings their own unique flavour to that traditional view of English countryside. Uplands House offers a taste of the traditional in a weary world, providing an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the form of friendly conversation and good food. Their success is no surprise to those who have visited, and is certain to continue for many years to come. Company: Uplands House Name: Poppy Cooksey Email:
[email protected] Founded in 2016 and with offices in Japan, Thailand and the USA, OKKAMI is the world leading provider of the powerful digital solution for contactless guest engagement services within the hospitality industry. An all-in-one solution, it integrates with hotel systems such as PMS, POS, lighting, door locks, loyalty programmes, spa bookings and more, and guests can download the app for iOS or Android. Nestled deep in the hearts of the Cotswolds, along a leafy avenue of ancient lime trees, lies the humble abode of Uplands House. Uplands House is perhaps the ultimate embodiment of English charm, offering a sense of the traditional with all the modern conveniences one might expect. It’s little wonder that husband-and-wife team, Graham and Poppy Cooksey, have achieved such success in LUXlife’s Resort and Retreat Awards 2021. We take a closer look to find out more.