The Sheraton Miramar Hotel & Convention Center is located on the coastline of Viña del Mar, in the Valparaíso region, Chile, just over two hours by car from the capital. It also belongs to the hotel portfolio offered by Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International's award-winning travel program that gives its members access to unique and transformative experiences around the world. Patricio Carvallo, general manager of Sheraton Miramar Hotel & Convention, spoke with Travel2latam to provide more details about the attributes of the establishment and the role it plays in terms of the development of business tourism and meetings.
What is the history of the property and what was the initial proposal?
Sheraton Miramar is a hotel that has been positioned in the market for 75 years in Viña del Mar, located approximately 130 kilometers from Santiago, located on the Pacific Ocean. The hotel begins as Miramar and in the last 17 years it has been transformed into Sheraton Miramar, using the bases of the old establishment. It also has significant market penetration, both in the local community of Viña del Mar and in the community of Santiago. It is a very emblematic hotel in Chile.
What type of infrastructure do you currently have and what are the types of customers you are targeting?
It is a hotel, convention center and spa. It is very special and covers an area with a very corporate structure with a convention center and corporate meetings during the week, and during the weekend it develops a family and leisure facet. It has a spa, indoor and outdoor pools, bars, so it has the characteristics of a resort, and can be defined as a resort-convention center. It is a very special hotel, where as a guest you feel as if you were inside the sea, and you also have a great team specially focused on giving you a very good experience.
What is the portfolio offered by Marriott Bonvoy to which the hotel belongs?
Members can earn points for their stays at hotels and resorts, including all-inclusive resorts and premium home rentals, as well as through everyday purchases with participating credit cards. In addition, they can redeem their points for experiences including future stays, Marriott Bonvoy Moments, or purchase luxury products from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques. With the Marriott Bonvoy app, members also enjoy a level of personalization and contactless experience that allows them to travel with peace of mind.
What are the most important source markets and why?
The most important issuing market in almost 90% is Santiago, and in the remaining 10% there is a large influx from Argentina, Brazil, and some from Europe.
What is the hotel's proposal for the MICE segment?
In Viña we are the only five-star hotel, and what is most offered in the meetings sector is the mix of business and incentives for free hours, where attendees can enjoy views of the sea and all the facilities. And this characteristic is an added value that positions the hotel as a very special product, mainly in the corporate market.
How is demand reacting this year and what is the outlook for 2024?
We think last year was very good specifically for the hotel as it was the best sales year since the 17 years this hotel was founded. This year it looks less slow, but we believe that towards the end of the year it could have a profile similar to that of the previous year.
What kind of strategy do you use to promote the property?
We carry out the promotion through the traditional communication and marketing channels, in addition to having the sales force at the local, regional and global offices. We work with travel agencies, they are our great partners.
What is the current situation of tourism in the region?
This specific hotel did not close during the pandemic and kept operating, and when the pandemic lifted, this was a factor that helped us a lot, since there was no reactivation from scratch. People came out of the confinement in Santiago and it was very safe for them to come to relax at the hotel, since it complied with all the rules of care regarding Covid.
On the other hand, at Sheraton Miramar we have made an effort to innovate, and we have worked to reuse our hotel facilities in a much more effective way. We see a more active role of the guest, more involved in the organization of their trips, which for us means an even more fascinating challenge.