Fairmont Hotels Now Offering Kobo E-Readers To Guests


Fairmont Hotels are now offering a bit more reading than just a Gideon bible. Members of the Fairmont President’s Club at ten locations can now use a Kobo e-reader during their stay. These devices are preloaded with a selection of new and bestselling Random House titles along with having full access to the Kobo ebook store where they can purchase any other book. This sort of partnership will no doubt become more popular as companies explore alternatives to the retail market.

TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kobo, a global eReading service, today announced that Fairmont Gold guests will have access to Kobo eReaders featuring a library of new and bestselling Random House books. The Kobo eReaders are now available at select properties in the US and Canada for guests staying on Fairmont Gold, a private, dedicated area offering guests the experience of an exclusive oasis with personalized service and enhanced amenities. The eReaders are loaded with a variety of fiction and non-fiction eBooks by authors including Bret Easton Ellis, Sophie Kinsella and Alexander McCall Smith. Upon returning the Kobo eReader, guests will receive a special offer for $2 off select Random House titles redeemable at www.kobobooks.com/randomhouse.

“Travelers are a great fit for the Kobo offering and a group that is eager to engage in eReading”

“Travelers are a great fit for the Kobo offering and a group that is eager to engage in eReading,” said Michael Serbinis, CEO of Kobo. “We know that travelers do not want to carry heavy books in their luggage, and vacations provide the perfect time to relax and catch up on reading. This partnership allows Kobo to expand our reach and offer our service to an important segment of our customer base.”

The opportunity to trial a Kobo eReader is a benefit of Fairmont President’s Club (FPC), the brand’s guest loyalty program. Free to join, Fairmont President’s Club provides guests with special benefits and privileges designed to reflect individual travel preferences and offer an enhanced level of service. Personalized travel profiles afford members customized stay experiences, while in-hotel benefits include private check-in, complimentary room upgrades, and high-speed and wireless Internet access. Guests can enroll at time of booking or online at www.fairmont.com/fpc.

Brad Martin, President and CEO, Random House of Canada commented, “Random House is excited to partner with Kobo and Fairmont Hotels to give travelers the opportunity and convenience to read books by some of our bestselling and award-winning authors on Kobo eReaders. I’m sure guests will really enjoy this great reading experience.”

In addition to the Random House library, Fairmont guests can easily access Kobo’s eBook store at www.kobobooks.com to browse and purchase from Kobo’s collection of over two million titles, thousands of which are available for free. Kobo also offers free eReading apps for today’s most popular devices, such as iPhone, Blackberry®, Android, and the latest tablets, including iPad. Kobo‘s eReading service is being used by customers in more than 200 countries. A customer’s Kobo library is bookmarked from one device to the next for a continuous reading experience. The Kobo eReader is available for $149 at Borders in the US and at Indigo Books & Music and Walmart stores in Canada.

Brian Richardson, VP Marketing and Communications, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts says, “Offering benefits that are valued and distinctive allows us to provide our most loyal guests with something unique – either during the stay or when they return home. The Kobo eReader is a great way for guests to enjoy entertainment while staying with Fairmont and a great partner for us.”

The Kobo eReader is available at the following Fairmont Hotels & Resorts*: The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Fairmont Pacific Rim, Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth, The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, The Fairmont Royal York, Fairmont Le Château FrontenacFairmont Château Laurier, Fairmont Turnberry Isle, The Fairmont Copley Plaza, Boston, and The Plaza, A Fairmont Managed Hotel.

* Where Fairmont Gold is not available, guests can request Kobo eReaders through Royal Service.

About Kobo, Inc.

Kobo is a global eReading service backed by majority shareholder Indigo Books & Music, Borders Group, REDgroup Retail, and Cheung Kong Holdings. Kobo believes consumers should be able to read any book on any device. With a catalog of over two million eBooks, and an open platform, Kobo enables retailers, device manufacturers and mobile operators to bring the joy of eReading to customers everywhere. For more information, visit www.kobobooks.com.