“They just light up the whole outdoor area which used to be pitch black at night and out the only solution was to try to illuminate it with tacky table top battery operated candles.”
- David Wells,
Cluster General Manager,
Hilton Fiji Beach Resort & Spa
The Introduction:
Situated on Fiji’s Denarau Island, the Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa’s location is a perfect paradise of sun, sea and sand. Guests can enjoy all Fiji has to offer in and around the resort.
Key Stats:
- Two Duo Umbrellas with built-in LED lighting
- 2.5 kms of a beachfront resort
- 2018 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence
The Problem: Poor-quality umbrellas
The Hilton had an existing suite of standard umbrellas that weren’t fit for purpose. They were looking for a product that was easy and safe for staff to deploy and could withstand being installed close to the sea and salt spray. The outdoor space wasn’t performing once the sun went down at night, reducing the income for the outdoor dining area which was of concern to management.
“Customers expect that a Hilton facility will have quality umbrellas but we had a mixed bag of average, old umbrellas that didn’t fit the brand or expectations” - David Wells
The experience of the guest was also affected by the number of umbrellas in the outdoor dining area. Too many umbrellas and poles in the middle of tables limit the line of sight and enjoyment of the patrons. The resort needed to find the balance between providing shade and limiting the obstructions of an enjoyable time. The poor lighting also contributed to an assumption from customers that the restaurant was closed.
The Solution: The best umbrellas with LED lighting
Shadowspec and the Hilton connected at an industry event in Fiji. Impressed by the functionality and easy-lift technology of the Multi-Canopy Cantilever Umbrella, they got to work installing 2 x Duo units to replace 6 low-quality café umbrellas. Cantilever umbrellas are a great way to maximise space and minimise the number of conversation-limiting-poles in a dining area.
“The design is the key thing for us, it perfectly suited the application that we had in mind, very key I guess, they’re versatile and fit-for-purpose. The fact that they are cantilevered and you can have more than one umbrella off each mast, but that it solved a requirement we had which was for lighting, I mean they were probably the key considerations.” - David Wells
The Duo features built-in LED lights in the central hub of the umbrella. Bright enough to light the table and its surrounds when the sun goes down, the umbrellas provide a seamless integration for the Hilton to solve its shade and lighting problems.
Staff safety is always important for any business owner, getting everyone home to their families healthy is important to management at the Hilton. Therefore it was important any new purchases were safe to use short and long term. The Duo is engineered with ergonomics in mind and can be deployed with effortless elegance thanks to the gas-strut and one-movement deployment system.
“You can push it up and down pretty much with a single finger, I mean, ergonomics, team member safety – there are so many different little boxes it ticks.” - David Wells
The Results: A bright dining future
Staff and patrons are enjoying the cantilever umbrellas at the Hilton Fiji, the deck is well-lit at night and patrons are comfortable all day and night. The umbrellas are far more suited to the high-end brand of the Hilton company and with a Shadowspec umbrella, they’re making the shift towards consistency and sophistication. The Hilton has found their staff enjoying the safety aspect of the umbrellas, saving their fingers from getting pinched and their backs from getting strained.
“With a traditional umbrella, they have to crawl in under it, try and find the ropes, get it to go up, hold it up while they find the pin, stick the pin in – all that sort of thing. Now, there is virtually no risk of back injuries and those sorts of things, which is exceptional.” - David Wells
Patrons are also able to enjoy the delicious wood-fired oven pizza and see what they're eating as the space is well lit and potential customers can see that it's open and it is very delicious.
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