Category: Interview

Interview with Ms. Nora Sun, General Manager of Park Hyatt Ningbo Resort and Spa

Leaning against green mountains and facing a vast water of Dongqian Lake, a row of low-rise mansions with black roofs and white walls quietly tell the story of old Jiangnan – the charm of a traditional Chinese water village. Here is the Park Hyatt Ningbo Resort and Spa.

The hotel combines the consistent grace and luxury of Park Hyatt with unique natural beauty, as well as the local cultural inheritance. Enjoy the Kun Opera by the water, sip a cup of selected tea at the antiquely decorated Tea House and enjoy a vegetarian feast at the theatre-styled “Red”… Meanwhile, the hotel is dedicated to delivering Wellness experiences in every approach, from the updating seasonal menu, complete spa facilities, wide health courses choices to a diversity of outdoor activities.

SpaChina has interviewed Ms. Nora Sun, the General Manager of Park Hyatt Ningbo Resort and Spa. She will share with us more details of this charming hotel. Graduated with a Business Administration and Hospitality Management major, Nora then accumulated rich experience in the hospitality industry. She worked for several hotels in Switzerland before joining the Hyatt family in 2007 when she took the post of sales director at Hyatt Regency Dongguan. In 2011, she began to work for Park Hyatt Ningbo Resort and Spa and then joined Grand Hyatt Lijiang five years later as hotel manager. In 2018, she was back to Park Hyatt Ningbo again and was appointed as the General Manager of the hotel. 

What trends and new requirements do you see in China’s and global hospitality industry? How does Park Hyatt Ningbo meet these needs?

It is a trend that more international and local five-star hotels will enter the market in the future. We should fully understand our guests’ needs. Customers nowadays desire personalized service instead of traditional standardized services. Therefore, we need to proactively satisfy the requirements of our guests by combining the comfortable accommodation experience of Park Hyatt Ningbo Resort and Spa with local specialties, and the culture and natural beauty of Dongqian Lake to create a remarkable experience for them.

What efforts have you made concerning environmental sustainability? 

Sustainable development is not just a topic that the hotel industry needs to pay attention to, but one the whole society is striving for. Park Hyatt Ningbo Resort and Spa pays close attention to new energy-saving technologies and products in the market. In terms of improving energy efficiency, LED lamps are widely used in the hotel to replace traditional high-energy halogen lamps. Double-layer insulating glass with the adiabatic film achieves further energy-saving result. In addition, the intelligent control system of Park Hyatt Ningbo Resort and Spa is about to be upgraded in the near future, so as to further improve energy efficiency in terms of high energy consumption facilities such as air conditioning and lighting. The reclaimed water recycling irrigation project will also make its due contribution to sustainable development.

Park Hyatt is well-known for its creative interpretation of local characteristics. How does Park Hyatt Ningbo convey the culture and charm of Ningbo?

Park Hyatt Ningbo Resort and Spa has been created in the style of a traditional Chinese water village to blend discreetly into the surroundings. An elegant art collection can be seen in both public and private spaces. With the pleasure of visual interest, the artwork is carefully complemented with the modern Chinese atmosphere. Walls are adorned with silk paintings, brick carvings, calligraphy panels, and photographs of local architecture and landscapes, while arrangements of artistic elements such as peasant hats, over-sized wine pots, stone rice mills and wooden basin create a peaceful and secluded environment and evoke a strong sense of location. Each and every hotel staff member is also ready to provide genuine and sincere service with enthusiasm in making your stay enjoyable and memorable.

What are Chinese guests’ current attitudes and demands on “health and wellness”? Are there any changes compared to before?

With the change of times and guest structure, guests of Park Hyatt Ningbo Resort and Spa are pursuing a healthy lifestyle and advocating health preservation more actively than any time before. “Health and wellness” is a promising sunrise market for Chinese people. It meets the desire of our guests for a better life and spiritual demand. More and more Chinese guests are aware of the importance of healthy living, diet and physical care.

What is your advice on how to better integrate wellness concept into the whole hotel service? How does Park Hyatt Ningbo do it?

Guests usually expect to feel refreshed when staying in a hotel. Hotel should meet the guest’s needs with complete and innovative facilities, as well as guide them to pay more attention to wellbeing through the development of wellness courses, healthy menu and detailed services. Park Hyatt Ningbo Resort and Spa boasts unique geographical advantages and high density of plantation, providing guests with spacious natural sports venues and high quality fresh air. The tranquil Yue Hu Spa, high-tech fitness center and heated swimming pool, the wide outdoor Tai Chi and yoga venues, as well as the lake cruise, fishing, cycling and other health and sports are all perfect wellbeing options. We encourage guests to embrace nature.

Please briefly introduce Yue Hu Spa. What experience do you want to deliver to the guests?

Yue Hu Spa at Park Hyatt Ningbo Resort and Spa draws inspiration from the surrounding natural habitat. The spa’s seasonal welcoming teas are designed to energize guests and prepare them for a wonderful journey toward rejuvenation. Each spa villa is equipped with an advanced treatment room, foot massage area with television, dressing room, steam room, sauna and an elegantly designed private garden with a lounge and outdoor Jacuzzi. Guests can enjoy yoga and cycling activities around the lake. In addition, the Executive Chef of Park Hyatt Ningbo has designed a selection of vegetarian menu especially for Yue Hu Spa.

Who are the most frequent guests of Yue Hu Spa? What are their main requirements and how does Yue Hu Spa satisfy them?

Guests of Yue Hu Spa are mainly those who enjoy leisure vacations with family and friends. The Male/Female ratio is 6:4. Guests are largely from the south of China (Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai), as well as foreign countries. Yue Hu massage and facial treatment are always popular for different kinds of guests. On special occasions, we offer variety of packages to meet the guest’s needs, for example, birthday or anniversary.

Have you also tried to attract local city guests to your spa? If yes, what have you done and what difficulties have you met?

Local guests are very important to us as well. For our potential guests, we will invite them to experience our treatments and convert them to our members. We also provide benefits to those who bring us new spa members. However, the Yue Hu Spa treatments could be more diverse and comprehensive. Park Hyatt Ningbo Resort and Spa will design new and creative packages to include benefits of room, food & beverage, as well as hotel activities, to upgrade the experience of our guests.

What is your personal attitude towards “wellness”? How do you balance your busy work with mind & body health?

Wellness is a positive approach to living. It helps someone to strengthen the ability to better cope with stresses and issues that they face in everyday life. I never stop seeking more balance in work, mind and body health. Frequent exercise and healthy lifestyle help to keep me energetic. I think our recognition of wellness needs to move one step further – to have a deeper understanding and appreciation of the comprehensive connection of mind, body and spirit. It means establishing good habits in a holistic way for a healthy lifestyle to prevent disease.

Interview with Mr. Tony Cheung, Founder of P&A Engineering Ltd and PA Wellness Consultancy Ltd

Mr. Tony Cheung established P&A Engineering Ltd in 1997 and has since provided world-class consultancy, project construction and business solutions to the wellness and recreation industry across Asia, especially mainland China and Hong Kong. Projects include but not limited to construction of Water Parks, swimming pools, wellness centers, fountain and water landscapes, ski ranges and electromechanical systems. In 2004, Tony founded PA Wellness Consultancy Ltd to center on the flourishing wellness and spa industry in the Asia and Greater China area. Under the guidance of Tony, PA Wellness has been in charge of over 100 projects and is undoubtedly a highly recognized professional consultant of luxury spas as well as a trustable partner of international hotel groups and real estate developers. PA Wellness’s strengths especially lie in the creation of spa concepts, construction of complicated hydrotherapy and thermal facilities (such as sauna, Hammam, snow chamber, Vichy shower, all kinds of pools, etc.) and pre-opening support including treatment design, training support, and marketing and more.

Tony has not only contributed many remarkable projects with his professional team and promoted the industry’s healthy development with his rich experience and foresight, but is also known as a modest teacher who is willing to give guidance and support to the industry juniors. Tony has twice been awarded as “Most Outstanding Contributor to the China Spa Industry of the Year” in SpaChina Awards 2012 and 2015. SpaChina interviewed Mr. Tony Cheung on his ideas about China’s current health & wellness trends.

Do you now deal with more “health & wellness”-related projects than before? Why are hotels and resorts’ showing increasing enthusiasm for wellness?

That’s right. I now handle more wellness related programs than before. I think the reason is that both business travelers and recreation travelers are now showing stronger interest in health and wellness. So they hope to seize the chance to experience various wellness programs and facilities in the hotels or resorts in which they stay.

Today, people are looking less for momentary relaxation, and more for effective improvements to body, mind and spiritual health. From your perspective, is such “wellness” awareness and demand a China or global trend?

Wellness has developed for several years in China. Many people have benefited from it and therefore turn it to more as a part of their life now. In Western countries, wellness-related programs have emerged much earlier than in China and have come to a comparatively mature state. Therefore, many foreign designers and operators are now very active in China’s market because they see huge demand here. Meanwhile, a lot of professionals in China are also greatly promoting the wellness programs. However, just like many other trends, though blooming everywhere, wellness programs feature very different qualities from one and another and there is a lack of a standard. So truly high-end wellness seekers are far from satisfied by most of the programs available in the market. Many of them still choose to go abroad for a better experience, and many of them invest in programs themselves hoping for more satisfactory facilities and services. But it is not easy since there are not many professionals who can really help them and meet their needs. To develop wellness programs in China, one should never blindly take over the foreign model. Rather, adjustments should be adopted so as to meet Chinese guests’ demands and habits. Meanwhile, it is also important to be able to expand in the short term and meet the rapid increasing needs of China’s market.

What are the age differences between wellness guests in China and Europe & U.S.?

In China, wellness seekers believe that 40 is the golden age for health maintenance when all the efforts can really see the full effect. So people pay more attention to nutrition and wellness activities from this age on. However, most foreigners think that health maintenance is something to be done after retirement. I have to say, it is very wise to start wellness care at an earlier age, it can increase the life span. This year, Hong Kong has gone beyond Japan, and become the please with the highest longevity in the world, I think that has something to do with Chinese wellness culture – start from an earlier age to care about your health. 

From your perspective, what are the differences between health & wellness projects and ordinary hotel projects? What are the challenges of constructing health & wellness projects?

Wellness is not a core part of a normal hotel project and there is no comprehensive design and construction needed for wellness. Nevertheless, to construct a comprehensive wellness program can be something totally different and will meet many challenges. Wellness involves many different aspects and sustainability is the key. Therefore a team composed of true professionals with the respective background is required so that they can handle everything from concept creation, graphic design, function layout, facility matching and operation and management.

What is the status of current China health & wellness projects? What suggestions do you have?

China’s wellness programs are just at the budding stage. So you can see numerous modes and styles in many places, but without a fixed pattern or standard. We want to create a high-end mode, mainly in the European style and dotted with Eastern elements, to give guests a true joyful experience and remarkable wellness effects.

After the completion of the project, will you cooperate with your clients to offer end consumers a better experience with your facilities and concepts?

Yes, it is very important to cooperate with our clients after the completion of the project, especially for such new kinds of wellness projects. We will join hands with clients to promote the wellness concept, arouse people’s interest in wellness, guide people to have better experience, educate them how to achieve the best wellness effect, and above all, let them become our regular visitors.

What is the development prospect of China’s hospitality and tourism market? Will SPA still be important?

I believe spa will always be the core of wellness programs. Hotels and resorts which already have spas are much easier to be upgraded into a wellness sanctuary. In recent years, many city hotels have realized such a transformation and become popular weekend destinations for city dwellers.

What kinds of SPA is needed by future health & wellness resorts?

Multifunctional spas are most needed.

Are there any impressive cases you want to share with us?

We are very happy to have joined the design and construction of Sangha Retreat By Octave. Located by the picturesque Yangcheng Lake, the property includes a destination wellness resort, a medical center and wellness villas, with top facilities and services in Asia. The project’s vision is quite international and far-sighted. In addition to spa treatments, fitness, yoga, meditation and organic dining, there are also various spaces for Connection and Interaction. A healthy communication is the core value of the resort. Moreover, it boasts the biggest spa area in China, featuring characteristic facilities and programs such as Watsu, Floatation, Hammam, Rhassoul, Salt Cave and etc, aiming to encourage guests to enjoy a marvelous spa and wellness journey with their families and friends.

What’s your opinion on wellness tourism? Do you have any plan to be involved in it?

Wellness tourism has now become very popular. But there are very few true wellness destinations or facilities for guests to enjoy. Nor are there enough people to guide guests for a better experience. Recently, we have received many consulting projects on this aspect. Our team is now working hard on the issue and is ready to prepare more comprehensive services to guests. We hope to accomplish more excellent projects in the short term.

Interview with Mr. Ingo Schweder, Founder and CEO of GOCO Hospitality

As CEO and founder of GOCO Hospitality, Mr. Ingo Schweder has more than 30 years of experience in the fields of spa and hospitality and has been involved with the design, development and worldwide operation of iconic hotels and wellness destinations. He has been a board member of Mandarin Oriental and earlier Group Director of Operations for Oberoi Hotels & Resorts.

Ingo’s vision for GOCO Hospitality is to grow the company in the vastly expanding wellness real estate and hospitality segment. GOCO provides a turnkey solution for wellness-centric developments – from preliminary market research and feasibility work to pre-opening support and management services. The company’s reputation after only 10 years now speaks for itself. GOCO has become “the” go-to wellness company for hospitality giants like Bulgari, Ritz-Carlton, Viceroy Hotels & Resorts, Wynn Resorts, MGM and many more. In addition, GOCO Hospitality purchased 85-acre Glen Ivy Hot Springs in southern California, the USA’s highest grossing hot spring resort, and is expanding it with additional wellness real estate anchored by a 125-room GOCO wellness retreat.

SpaChina interviewed Mr. Ingo Schweder to share his insights into the wellness hospitality markets both abroad and in China.

From your perspective, which country has the strongest wellness market and the most diverse range of wellness options?

For an individual country, Germany displays the highest spend per person in regard to its wellness market and the wide diversity of options available. However, as a continent, America is leading by dollar spend. The highest amount of dedicated spa trips is Europe as a continent, with Germany displaying the highest number of trips per person. China leads particularly in terms of bathhouses and water-related bathing. Recent data from the Global Wellness Institute shows that China was the No. 1 market in the $56.2 billion global thermal/mineral spring industry with annual revenues in 2017 of $17.5 billion, followed by Japan, Germany and Russia.

You are now based in Bangkok and your projects are spread all over the world. What is your opinion on the different requirements for wellness from customers in different regions?

The most important aspect of wellness tourism is authenticity. When people visit a country, they are looking to explore what it has to offer, not necessarily what they have at home. They seek to experience the country, its culture and people in order to widen their experience horizon. This means that spas need to reflect the destination in which they are located with locally-inspired treatments, wellness modalities and design.

What are the popular wellness modalities at present? What about Hot Spring holidays in particular? What are the reasons for their popularity?

Worldwide, we are seeing a renaissance in bathing. The market is expected to grow at a very healthy 6.5%. Currently worth $56.2 billion, this is expected to reach $77.1 billion by 2022.

At GOCO Hospitality, we bought the Glen Ivy Hot Spring in California in 2016. We have a combination of the hot spring bathing, a comprehensive spa, mud scrubs, facials, several thermal and hot/cold facilities as well as various healthy F&B outlets serving organic-food-based menus. The whole experience is highly popular, and we get around 600 guests per day and over 200,000 guests per year.

Our bodies are composed of 60% water. Water gives us life. It is a deep part of who we are as human beings. We have a strong desire to be in, on and near water. We don’t strictly have to eat every single day, but we can’t survive without drinking water. We also see that real estate near to bodies of water experience significant price premiums. We are constantly drawn to water, and therefore, I am sure that water-related spa activities will continue to grow in popularity.

Hot spring bathing is increasing in popularity in China. Hot spring trips booked through travel platform Ctrip doubled between 2016 and 2017, with 70% of these being booked by women.

How do you better infuse the concept of “wellness” into the whole hotel context?

Firstly, we need to re-educate hotel GMs, the leaders managing the day-to-day activities of most hospitality operations. The background and education of hoteliers obtained in hotel schools is mostly F&B, rooms or marketing centric, thus their career and professional background is not exposed to wellness at its early stages, leading to most hoteliers having a limited understanding of wellness as a business and how to optimise it as a profit center.

Secondly, wellness needs to be created, designed and operated as an independent outlet within the hotel, rather than being treated as an amenity. Spas should be designed by specialist spa designers, rather than regular hotel designers. There is a need for expert knowhow. The best hotel restaurants are designed by restaurant designers, not general hotel designers.

What are the advantages and risks of working in China in hotel and resort development?

The risks are that currently there are insufficient skills and technical knowledge in terms of design, development and operations for wellness hotels. The advantages are that China is a growing market where – outside of the most developed cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Tianjin – there is a relatively low level of globally benchmarked lifestyle hotel inventory. A lot of what exists often looks the same and there is a lot of room for more avant-garde offerings.

There are much more famous resorts in Europe which provide wonderful and wellness activities, water facilities rehabilitation, and medical support, better than in China. Which would you recommend?

Europe has a long tradition of merging integrated medical and lifestyle wellness modalities and traditional healing. The apothecary emerged from Europe, and healing and combatting unwell bodies with herbs is as old as ancient monasteries, where these remedies were studied and developed before they went mainstream. There is a deep heritage of the Roman baths and thalassotherapy.

In Germany, Chancellor Otto von Bismarck created the model of “Kuring”, where social systems were developed so that part of every insured worker’s health benefit was to go every year for 1-2-3 weeks to dedicated health-stimulating resorts. It’s part of the benefit of European society and the reason why the European model of central healthcare is far more successful than in the USA and the Far East. The government support for these workers’ health trips and resorts allowed the creation of a large number of health resorts. When government support was reduced in the late 1990s, many of the best invested in improving their facilities in order to compete internationally, creating the world-class wellness resorts we see today.

Today, we have Lanserhof Tagernsee, Brenner’s Park, Ayurveda Parkschloesschen, and Schloss Elmau – all established properties with world-class reputations that integrate medical with alternative healing modalities. We have over 350 health resorts and spa towns that combine traditional medicine with alternative healing as well as 1,000 approved wellness hotels.

In modern-day Germany, health insurance not only covers you when you are sick, but may even reimburse you for preventative activities such as taking a yoga class. Preventative healthcare is much more efficient than curing the eventual sickness.

What kind of potential do you see for the wellness hotel industry in China?

China has a population of 1.5 billion people that is getting more affluent and aspiring to be part of the ever-evolving and growing middle-class. The domestic economy is strong. These are good fundamentals for the future. Along with this is a general rising interest in living a healthy lifestyle. People see the crisis in obesity and diabetes that is negatively affecting people’s lives and want to avoid these problems. People are eating more natural and organic foods; are avoiding fast food, meat and sugary beverages; and are reducing their salt intake. These are all very positive signs for the future.

Could you recommend the 5 top European resorts in your heart?

In no particular order:

• Daios Cove in Crete
• The JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa
• Lanserhof in Germany
• The Aman Sveti Stefan in Montenegro
• Our GOCO Ayurvedic village currently under construction on the Algarve in southern Portugal