ARTICLE
Sarasota, Fla. (Sept. 5, 2018) – No more waiting at the Sarasota airport wishing the hotel shuttle would arrive. Scarlett Hotel Group, owner and manager of the Hampton Inn & Suites at Sarasota Airport in Florida, today announced the shuttering of its airport shuttle service, replacing it with a pioneering program with Uber Central, part of Uber for Business, to offer guests free transportation to and from the Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport. “Instead of waiting for a hotel shuttle, guests will be assigned a personal Uber driver to take them directly to and from the hotel,” said Zio Pekovic, principal and co-founder of the Scarlett Hotel Group. “We see this program with Uber as the emergence of a nationwide trend to leverage technology and transportation options to make traveling even more personalized and convenient for hotel guests.” The Scarlett Hotel Group and Uber partnership is characteristic of the hotel management company’s fresh approach to hotel management. "Uber Central gives the hospitality industry a great way to provide guests with an enhanced experience during their stay," said Mary Fairchild, Head of West Coast, Uber for Business. "We're excited to see leading companies like Scarlett Hotel Group partner with Uber for Business for seamless, reliable guest transportation” she continued. Convenience and Saving for Guests, Hotel With Uber Central, guests do not have to contact Uber or use the Uber app on their phones to take advantage of the amenity. When they arrive at the airport, guests will contact the Hampton Inn & Suites at Sarasota Airport. The staff member at the front desk will arrange for a personal ride for the guest via the Uber Central dashboard, and the guest automatically receives a text containing the wait time along with the driver’s name, car make and model and license plate. The hotel staff member will track each guest’s ride to the hotel, and greet and attend to them individually as soon as they arrive. For the Hampton Inn & Suites at Sarasota Airport, using Uber Central not only provides complimentary, on-demand transportation for guests, it also allows the hotel to save costs on transportation. Providing a personal Uber ride to each guest is more efficient than the ongoing cost of maintaining a hotel-operated shuttle and the staff members to drive it. The hotel receives a single invoice from Uber Central, making it easy to track and pay for transportation costs. Overall, the hotel expects to save 40 to 50 percent in hotel transportation costs. The airport shuttle bus will stay on premise and be utilized when needed. About the Hampton Inn & Suites at Sarasota Airport Located at 975 University Pkwy in Sarasota, Florida, guests of the Hampton Inn & Suites at Sarasota Airport enjoy the natural beauty of Sarasota and Siesta Key just off shore at the newly renovated hotel. Situated on the SRQ International airport grounds, the hotel is close proximity to all that Sarasota has to offer including The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Ringling College of Art and Design and IMG Academy. More information and reservations can be made by visiting www.hamptoninn3.hilton.com. # # # About Scarlett Hotel Group With offices in Chicago and Nashville, Scarlett Hotel Group (SHG) was founded by hotel industry veterans Andrew Scarlett, Rob Sadoff and Zio Pekovic. The company focuses on acquisitions, hotel management, sales and marketing support, F&B management and asset management, on its own behalf and for third-parties. In addition to the Hampton Inn & Suites at Sarasota Airport,SHG owns and operates the Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites Downtown Omaha, Residence Inn by Marriott Downtown Clearwater and SpringHill Suites by Marriott Gainesville at the University of Florida. Media Contact Beth (Brophy) Strautz Vagus, Inc. beth@vaguspr.com 773-895-5387