Balmoral Hotel

Edinburgh’s Rocco Forte Collection hotel, The Balmoral, has appointed Michael Halsall to head up the hotel’s 16-strong sales and marketing team.

Michael will be responsible for bedroom, special events, conference and banqueting revenue, and will oversee his team of sales and marketing specialists.  In addition, he will concentrate on strengthening ties with the local market and maintaining The Balmoral’s reputation as Edinburgh's flagship hotel. He will be key in identifying new markets for the hotel in what promises to be a challenging economic climate.

Michael brings a wealth of industry knowledge and sales experience to The Balmoral. He has relocated from London, having worked in renowned hotels including The Savoy, The Inter-Continental, and The Langham Hilton and was part of the opening team at St Martins Lane and Sanderson hotels. His most recent position was at Pineapple Marketing - an agency specialising in the marketing of luxury independent hotels around the world including, Skibo Castle in the Highlands, Campbell Gray Hotels, including One Aldwych and Dukes in London, Plaza Athenée New York and resorts as far afield as Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand.
 
The Balmoral’s reputation, status and heritage were key factors in attracting Michael to Scotland. Michael commented: “I am delighted to have secured this key role of Director of Sales and Marketing at such a landmark property in a world-class city. I look forward to building on the success that The Balmoral has enjoyed over the past few years.”

He added: “On a personal note I am looking forward to bagging a few Monroes and   acquainting myself with some of the country’s world renowned whisky distilleries, not to mention enjoying a few rounds of golf on some of the best courses in the world!”

Commenting on Michael’s appointment, Ivan Artolli, General Manager at Rocco Forte’s Balmoral said: “I am delighted that Michael has joined The Balmoral. The sales team is integral to The Balmoral’s continued success, and with Michael now leading the team we are looking forward to growing the business even more over the coming years”

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

The Rocco Forte Collection was established in 1996 to create a group of luxury hotels in Europe. The hotels have individual styles, with each hotel reflecting its nationality and location. The properties are linked together under The Rocco Forte Collection, which guarantees attention to detail, quality and service delivery.

The Rocco Forte Collection comprises:
- Hotel de Russie, Rome
- Hotel Savoy, Florence
- The Balmoral, Edinburgh
- The Lowry Hotel, Manchester
- Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg
- Hotel Amigo, Brussels
- Brown’s Hotel, London
- Villa Kennedy, Frankfurt
- Hotel de Rome, Berlin
- Le Richemond, Geneva
- The Charles Hotel, Munich

Future openings: 
Prague - 2008
Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily – 2009
Marrakech – 2010
Abu Dhabi - 2010

For further information and online reservations, please visit The Rocco Forte Collection website: www.roccofortecollection.com.