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| Hotel Nikko San Francisco Debuts Free High-Speed Net Access |
San Francisco, April 9, 2002 - A Japanese tea set, CD player, bathrobe, and now high-speed Internet access are all complimentary amenities Nikko Floor guests can enjoy at Hotel Nikko San Francisco.
With as many as 92 percent of business travelers using laptop computers and the Internet while on the road*, Hotel Nikko San Francisco has recognized that broadband Internet access is a business necessity, and has installed it for use free of charge in 70 of its executive Nikko Floor rooms.
"One of our guests' top priorities while traveling is to stay connected to their offices and home lives," said John Hutar, Vice President and General Manager of Hotel Nikko San Francisco. "As part of our continuing commitment to meet guests' communication needs, we are pleased to offer this easy to use service which allows guests access to a secure, high-speed data network in the comfort of their hotel room. We expect the new service to also increase overall occupancy rates and build brand loyalty and customer satisfaction."
Hotel Nikko San Francisco reached an agreement with Merlot Communications, Inc. as one of the first hotels to install its VROOMServiceT Internet Access Solution to provide the new in-room broadband service. This state of the art technology, specifically designed for the hospitality industry, allows hotels to offer their guests high-speed Internet access and telephone calling services simultaneously.
Hotel Nikko San Francisco is launching Merlot VROOMServiceT Internet Access Solution at a time when guests are increasingly selecting hotels and meeting facilities based on the availability of high-speed Internet access. Guests are also demanding that hotels make voice and data services available simultaneously, thus creating an efficient work environment that mirrors their offices. Hotel Nikko San Francisco customers will also eliminate the per-minute charges from local or long distance access costs users pay to reach their online service providers.
Guests simply plug their laptop into a compact Merlot LapJack connector in their hotel room to receive instant, high-speed access to the Internet, the Web, to download files and check e-mail - up to 50 times faster than with conventional dial-up connections.
"We are pleased that the Hotel Nikko San Francisco chose the Merlot VROOMServiceT Internet Access Solution to meet their guests' need for higher speed Internet access. This validates our approach of providing a secure, guaranteed bandwidth solution that can be deployed without the need for expensive rewiring or adding a clutter of boxes and cables in the guest rooms," said Merlot President and CEO George Conant.
With the demands of a 24/7 economy, it is no surprise that high-speed Internet connections have been cited as the top need of business travelers, second only to a good night's sleep!
Note to Editors - *American Express Year 2000 Travel Trends Survey.
Hotel Nikko San Francisco is located in the heart of the city, steps away from Union Square. The Museum of Modern Art, South of Market (SOMA) and the Financial District are all within walking distance. There is easy access to BART, MUNI and San Francisco's famous Cable Cars just two blocks away. San Francisco and Oakland International Airports are 30 minutes away and San Jose International Airport is about an hour away by car.
Reservations are available through a travel professional; the Nikko Hotels International reservation system, (800) NIKKO-US (645-5687) (in the U.S. or Canada); or by calling the hotel directly at (415) 394-1111. More information about the hotel is available online at the Nikko Hotels International web site, www.nikkohotels.com. Hotel Nikko San Francisco is a member of the Nikko Hotels International group, which has 40 first class and luxury hotels around the world.
Merlot Communications, Inc., manufactures and markets cost-effective solutions that allow businesses to upgrade to high speed Internet access over existing communications wiring, delivering high quality voice and data communications to end devices such as telephones, computers and intelligent wall jacks with maximum speed and reliability. Headquartered in Bethel, Connecticut, Merlot was founded in 1997 by a team of senior executives from leading data and telecommunications companies, notably MCI-WorldCom, Digital Equipment Corporation, Nitsuko and TIE/Communications. For more information about Merlot, please go to http://www.merlotcom.com.
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Contact (New York):
Zara Mirza, Publicis Dialog
212-279-5798
zara.mirza@publicis-usa.com |
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