Holiday Inn taps reseller for Australia's first 'Express' hotel

Wireless integrator GX2 Technology has deployed an IP network based on Ruckus and Hewlett Packard technology for Australia's first Holiday Inn Express in Macquarie Park, Sydney.

GX2, formerly known as Global Gossip, installed 200 Ruckus wireless H500 wall switches, one in each of the 192 rooms, to provide wi-fi as well as access for IPTV and wired internet.

The integrator, which is headquartered in Australia with offices in the UK and the US, was called in to replace the tender-winning supplier earlier this year, to ensure the scheduled opening date of 30 March could be met.

GX2 global sales director Carl Jefferys said: "GX2 had to arrange for high-speed fibre, get the Ruckus and HP kit ordered and installed for guest wi-fi and then project manage the implementation by multiple vendors of other IP-based systems that traverse the GX2 managed IP network."

The current IP network also supports services such as VoiP, building management systems, door locks and carpark gates.

The Sydney Macquarie Park Holiday Inn Express is the first of 15 hotels to be developed in partnership between InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Pro-Invest Group, a Sydney-based investment firm.

Locations in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne have already been secured as part of the development and GX2 is in discussions with Pro-Invest to work on these projects as well.

Ruckus hardware have been deployed in hotels across the world including Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Kimpton hotels and resorts, IHG hotels and Marriott, according to the vendor.

Patrick Devlin, Ruckus managing director for ANZ and Pacific Islands. said: "In almost every case, the hotels are able to reduce the number of access points needed by as much as 25 percent, saving them a lot of money."

Jefferys said: "I think a great example of the improvements resulting from a Ruckus Wireless implementation over other brands can be demonstrated at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel in Sydney where GX2 has been systematically replacing the existing Meru/Fortinet wireless system with Ruckus H500 wall plates in each room."

According to Jefferys, the change has led to a drop-off in complaints about the hotel's wi-fi quality on travel website TripAdvisor.