Described as a ‘ground breaking’ day for facilities management, and London’s hospitality and tourism sectors, the Sunborn London cruised up the Thames on 1 April. London’s first luxury ‘superyacht hotel’, it is operated by ISS Facility Services.
Sunborn London sailed along the Thames estuary, having travelled from Holland. She was then taken up river to a temporary berth to undergo her UK re-fit with a full interior refurbishment – managed by ISS.
ISS is responsible for all of Sunborn London’s operations. The fully integrated service model sees ISS managing all facets of the business to include sales, marketing, events, as well as the day-to-day running of the hotel.
“At ISS we see this as a very exciting opportunity. We’ve worked extensively with our partners to create a totally unique experience, whilst driving positive change in the area,” commented ISS Facility Services’ director of hotels, Karen Thomson.
To support the local community, ISS partnered with the East London Business Alliance (ELBA) to recruit more than 50 percent of its staff for Sunborn London. A full range of roles have been filled by local residents to create the new environment. In addition, ISS is one of the first employers in the area to pay hotel staff the London Living Wage.
Sarah Wilson, project manager for the ISS ‘A Passport to Work’ project with ELBA said: “ELBA is excited to partner with Newham Council’s job brokerage, ‘Workplace’, to source great talent from Newham.”
The 120 metre length Sunborn London offers 136 spacious yacht bedrooms and suites over five floors, plus ample entertaining space. The Sunborn hosts conference rooms, a fine dining restaurant, bar, auditorium, state of the art gym and vast outside decks and private terraces.
“The new hotel in London, currently the world’s most important city, gives us an important platform for the Sunborn brand and business concept.
“We’re delighted to work with ISS, a trusted partner with a strong track record in the hotel industry. Their focus on delivering the finest bespoke service in the most professional manner blends well with our culture,” stated Sunborn Yacht Hotels’ executive director Hans Niemi.