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  • 四季生活在深圳

    四季生活在深圳

    访深圳四季酒店总经理Sunil Narang先生

    深圳四季酒店总经理Sunil Narang先生出生于印度阿姆利则，精通英语，印度语，旁遮普语，德语，法语。从1996年起加入四季酒店集团至今已效力于集团20年，于波士顿四季酒店从前台接待员做起，随后在房务部等不同运作部门积累了丰富的工作经验。凭着灵活处理各种问题的能力和总是保持一颗求知若渴的心，Sunil先生很快迎来了他事业上的起飞，在马尔代夫，多伦多和斯科茨代尔不同国家四季酒店的工作经历塑造出对国际多元文化的快速适应性，开朗的性格、幽默的个性成为了Sunil先生的标签，并于2006年晋升为房务总监，随后来到毛伊岛四季酒店担任同等职务。

    鉴于一路出色的工作表现，有了在拉斯维加斯四季酒店三年的卓越业绩，Sunil先生于2014年调任至新加坡，在出色地运营着新加坡四季酒店的同时，也担任新加坡当地房务委员会的重要角色，为当地酒店业作出了可圈可点的贡献。20年的四季生涯中，始终保持着对服务行业的热情，与生俱来的幽默感和对不同文化环境的适应能力。

    工作之余，Sunil先生是一位不折不扣的曲棍球迷和板球迷以及美食爱好者，也喜欢为家人和朋友用当地食材烹饪美味。

    您曾经在多个国家工作和生活过，来到深圳后对鹏城的印象是什么？

    深圳是座瞬息万变的迷人之都，不断吸引着来自五湖四海的宾客，无论是高科技及电子产业高管、金融银行从业人士、跨国公司商旅者、当代艺术爱好者、美食家或是热衷文化探索的行者，都将鹏城视为值得一探究竟的目的地。国际商务旅行者已对这座城市了然于心，而它也正在逐渐成为中国最激动人心的休闲旅行目的地之一。

    酒店的客人使用SPA的百分比是多少？

    超过65%的客人是国内旅客，主要来源于是商务客人及追求高品质休闲旅游。水疗自2016年4月开幕以来，住店客人的消费比率高达60%至70%。另外我们吸引了越来越多的本地客人使用沉香芳香疗程，因其闻名的药用价值而大获好评。

    您怎么看中国人尤其是广东地区的人文和休闲文化？

    粤菜作为广东地区声名显赫的菜系是许多食客到访深圳的缘由。深圳四季酒店位处城市最中心，希望以传统与创新并举的粤式美食为主打，展现具有深厚文化底蕴的粤式料理精髓。深圳这座活力城市绝对会是我职业生涯中最难忘及最愉快的城市。

    SPA对于一个五星级酒店有多重要？

    水疗中心是四季酒店体验中不可缺少的一部分，水疗代表着健康和幸福的生活方式，而这正是旅行者和当地居民所追求的。我们希望水疗是一个可以为我们的客人带来完全的舒适，放松感，并且身心焕发活力的一个地方。我们提供温雅含蓄的酒店Spa，每一间芳疗室都内外明澈，净无瑕秽，是可以为客人提供全方位的世界精选水疗服务，也是高档水疗会所中的理想之选。

    请举例一个您自己最喜欢的SPA疗程。

    如果我只可以推荐一款水疗项目的话，那一定是我们的“沉香尊贵之旅”了。沉香燃烧时发出的香味是一种沉静而高雅的清香，在沉香香氛中手法娴熟的技师以纯正的沉香精油按摩全身，缓解疲劳，按摩完毕，细细品上一杯沉香茶，养心安神，实为值得您拥有的“体验”。此疗程可以帮助人体调节能量场，恢复最佳身心状态。如有机会这个绝对是必试项目。

    您怎么看中国酒店SPA市场的竞争？

    中国是目前世界上最大的人口国家之一，这意味着还具有很多潜力去为国内外的旅客创建更多漂亮的酒店。现在人们关注健康水平和幸福指数逐渐增长，因此水疗行业仍然是一个关键的驱动因素，帮助客户提高健康状况。

  • Stay as the Best

    Stay as the Best

    Interview with Mr. Philip Dewar, General Manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou

    Of Scottish nationality, Mr. Philip Dewar has over 25 years’ experience in the industry spanning numerous countries in Asia. He began his career with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts working at The Aberdeen Marina Club in Hong Kong, then at Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa in Malaysia, and now with Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou, as the General Manager.

    Having graduated from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, Mr. Dewar began his career in a Hong Kong luxury hotel in 1989. After years of professional exposure in various destinations, including Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, Jakarta, Malaysia and Hong Kong, he has established a strong vision complementing his well-versed knowledge and dynamic leadership. SpaChina interviewed Mr. Dewar.

    Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou is well-known as a wonderful luxury hotel with the best business of hotels in the Guangzhou area. What are the reasons for this?

    It’s all about service. Knowing our guests is the key to the success of this hotel. Creating engaging experiences is, and always will be, the reason we are here.

    As we are adjacent to the city’s largest exhibition and convention center, a lot of our business guests return annually for various trade fairs. In this sense, we see familiar faces at each trade show. Whilst we build up comprehensive guest profiles for their preferences and special needs, we continue to create new experiences, such as this year’s pop-up “Jazz Experimental Club” to keep the hotel interesting to these return guests. 

    How do you see the Cantonese lifestyle and health requirements?

    The Cantonese are well-known for their high standards on food. In the past decades, we see a rising number of people who care more about quality lifestyles. They seek a healthy life, which means, apart from the traditional emphasis on healthy eating, active involvement in sports and skincare for both men and women have become a new trend among the Cantonese. As spa provides both skincare services and after-sports care, it has become very popular in the past few years. I take this as a sign for improvement in people’s lives. 

    Are there any particular preferences among Chinese leisure and business travelers?

    People tend to spend more on family leisure trips than business trips. China has a wide range of diverse cultures, I would say there is no standard travel style. However, people are often attracted to hotels that fit into their travel agenda and their character. We have spectacular Pearl River views, a 5,800-square meter landscaped garden and a huge outdoor pool. People who seek serenity in an urban city or ample outdoor space of their kids love to stay in our hotel.

    How do you see the importance of a spa facility in a five-star hotel?

    Although spa is not a major operation department in a city hotel like ours, it is a key value-added service available to guests. And it has become increasingly more important as spa is taken as an essential part of a quality lifestyle.

    A good spa will certainly improve guest loyalty to the hotel, this makes it a valuable asset of a hotel. Resort guests tend to use Spa more often than city hotel guests. This is because Spa is considered the best choice for de-stress and relaxation.

    Personally, I enjoy sports and go to gym every day. My favorite spa treatment at CHI The Spa, is the Deep Tissue Sports Massage. It is a 45-minute to 90-minute treatment. It allows the muscle to relax at an in-depth level and hence offer a great after-sports care to the limbs. The refreshing impact of this massage really encourages you to take up a new sports challenge. I go for a spa treatment whenever I feel really fatigued.

    How does Shangri-la Hotel Guangzhou handle staff education and training?

    We put a lot of effort into coaching our staff for continued improvement in services. All our spa staff are certified massage therapists and skincare experts. Shangri-La has a very high standard and quality mechanisms to make sure staff product knowledge is up to date and staff comply with work standards.

    How do you see competition in terms of the China hotel industry?

    I am aware that in the past few years, a lot of international brands have opened new properties in China, the hotel industry has been developing faster than five years ago. To me, I would say competition is a source of improvement. I welcome new brands in the market as I can learn a lot from our competitors and for the whole market to grow, competitors are our strategic partners as well. That is why GMs of the hotels in Guangzhou meet from time to time to discuss market trends together. Competition does make a better self for all of us.

  • 保持最佳

    保持最佳

    访广州香格里拉大酒店总经理杜伟菲先生

    来自苏格兰的杜伟菲先生，拥有超过25年的丰富酒店运营经验，职业足迹遍布亚洲多国。他与香格里拉酒店集团结缘于2006年，加入旗下位于香港的深湾游艇俱乐部，其后出任位于马来西亚沙巴的香格里拉丹绒亚路度假酒店驻店经理一职，如今作为总经理领导广州香格里拉大酒店。

    从苏格兰斯特拉斯克莱德大学毕业后，杜伟菲先生于1989年加入香港的一家豪华酒店，开启了其酒店职业生涯。多年的职业历练以及在不同地域的任职经历其中包括新加坡、曼谷、东京、雅加达、马来西亚和香港等地，造就了他卓越的领导才华、渊博的知识和独特的行业见解。SpaChina采访了他。

    广州香格里拉大酒店一直是广州堪称业务最好的酒店，你们是怎样保持最佳业务状态的？

    优秀的业绩源于优质的服务。了解我们客人的需求是这家酒店成功的关键。与客人良好互动的体验，一直是并且将来也会是保持我们最佳业务状态的原因。

    我们地理位置优越，比邻全城最大的会展中心，每年我们都会迎来众多回来参展的商务客人，也就是说我们在大大小小的展会期间都会迎来熟悉的面孔。在不断完善客人喜好和个人需求记录的同时，我们会持续为客人创造新的体验，例如今年展会期间我们特意增设的隐藏式酒吧——爵士探秘吧，让客人每次都能在酒店发掘到新意。

    您怎么看中国广东地区人对健康的需求？

    广东人对吃的讲究是众所周知的。在过去几十年里，我们看到越来越多的本地人日益注重生活品质。他们追求健康的生活方式， 除了广东传统的健康饮食方式之外，越来越多人积极地参与运动，无论是男士或者女士对皮肤护理的要求也在不断提升，这些都是广东人品质生活的新潮流。由于水疗对于护肤和运动后护理都能有显著的效果，因此也越来越受大众欢迎。在我看来，这体现了生活品质的提升。

    中国旅游者的度假模式是怎么样的？

    一般来说，对于中国旅游者，家庭休闲旅行的消费比商务旅行更多一些。中国是个融合多元文化的国家，我感觉并没有一个固定的旅行消费模式。当然，人们会根据自己的旅行目的和个性特点寻找适合自己的酒店。我们酒店拥有壮观的珠江景致，5800平米的户外花园，和敞亮的户外泳池，大多数客人都是被这闹市中的一方静谧或是能让孩子尽情玩耍的户外空间吸引。

    您是如何看待SPA对于一个五星级酒店的重要性？

    虽然水疗并不是城市酒店里主要的部门，但是水疗对客人来说是很关键的增值服务。这一增值服务变得越来越重要，正是因为上面我们提到的水疗已经成为优质生活不可或缺的一部分。

    优质的水疗服务对提高客人的忠诚度至关重要，因此是酒店非常重要的部门。比起城市酒店，水疗在度假村会更受欢迎。这是因为在大众心目中，水疗最能减压，让人放松。

    我非常喜欢运动，每天都去健体中心。我最喜欢的CHI水疗项目是深层肌肉运动按摩，整个疗程大约需要45分钟到90分钟。这一项目能让肌肉深度放松，消除疲劳，能针对运动后的四肢做非常好的护理，让你神清气爽，得以重新面对各种运动挑战。当我感到非常疲劳的时候，就会去做水疗。

    广州香格里拉大酒店是如何进行员工教育与培训的？

    我们在员工培训上面投入很大，为的是不断地提升我们的服务质量。我们所有水疗的员工都是持专业资格证的理疗师和美容师。香格里拉酒店集团对旗下的CHI水疗服务有很高的专业标准和严格的质量控制体系。我们确保员工及时更新产品知识，并且遵守专业标准。

    您怎么看中国酒店市场的竞争？

    在过去几年，许多国际酒店品牌在中国开设分店。比起五年前，中国的酒店业的确迎来了高速发展的阶段。在我看来，竞争是进步的源泉。我很欢迎国际品牌进入中国市场，因为我能从我的竞争对手身上学习很多宝贵的经验，而且对于整个市场的成长来说，竞争对手也是我们的战略合作伙伴。因此，广州酒店业界的总经理们都会定期会面，探讨行业和市场发展的动向。竞争让我们超越自我，更加优秀。

  • Dynamic City and Spa Life

    Dynamic City and Spa Life

    Interview with David Cuddon, General Manager of The Westin Shenzhen Nanshan

    Originally from Australia, David commenced his hospitality career with a well-known restaurant chain and then joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts Australia as a Food & Beverage Manager. In 1993, David embarked on his first overseas assignment to Indonesia, where he held a number of positions before moving to Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and now China. He has almost 28 years of experience with the Starwood Group, now known as Marriott International.

    With his excellent leadership abilities and a proven track record at Starwood, David and his hotels have received numerous prestigious awards, such as Hotel of the Year, Highest Guest Service Index award and Runner-up for the Highest GOP Improvement award by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Asia-Pacific.

    This is David’s first assignment in China. “I am really excited and delighted to work in Shenzhen, one of the most dynamic cities in the region. My team and I continue to uphold the Westin well-being concept by providing an instinctive renewal experience for our guests,” said Mr. Cuddon. Aside from being busy at the hotel, David is also a keen outdoor fitness enthusiast and can be seen biking, riding, jogging or working out along Shenzhen Bay most weekends. SpaChina recently interviewed him.

    How would you compare Shenzhen with other cities?

    Shenzhen is one of the fastest-growing urban centers in China. It is obviously different from other international cities like London, Paris and New York. This city keeps moving and still has tremendous opportunities to develop further. With seamless access to Hong Kong, Macau and Pearl River Delta Area, this premier location brings an adequate benefits for the tourism and hospitality industry. From a business point of view, Shenzhen is developing technology and expanding the economy rapidly. I believe it will become one of the most influential business cities in Asia-Pacific. Furthermore, Shenzhen is such a modern yet prosperous city and the residents here live in a most harmonious way, regardless of where they come from. Shenzhen really is a young, vibrant metropolis that just keeps getting better and better.

    What are the key factors for Chinese guests to choose a hotel and what is the average spend for Chinese guests per night?

    Based on our data analysis and surveys, most Chinese guests these days will book a hotel mainly through an online travel agent, word-of-mouth effect and from social media such as TripAdvisor. Generally the spend of our guests accommodation is well over RMB 1,000 per night. However, for our venues like the Heavenly Spa which varies from RMB 500 to RMB 2,800 it actually depends on the guests needs and their selected treatment. Over 4% of our in-house guest book a treatment at our Heavenly Spa. Recently we have launched a variety of Heavenly Spa promotional packages on various distribution channels. Guests can choose to enjoy a spa treatment at Heavenly Spa not only because our well-known inspiring services, but also due to our attractive pricing strategy.

    What is the guest profile for Westin Shenzhen Nanshan? How do you see the lifestyle of the local Cantonese? How do they view spa culture?

    Around 89% of guests are from abroad and most of them are traveling here for business. In Shenzhen and the surrounding area, local residents embrace cultural differences. I believe this is true as most of our cliental are well-travelled. Today one’s life is in the fast lane and hectic, so our guests need time to balance their life, and our spa is a great sanctuary for this. Our guests, especially on weekends, will go hiking, cycling or having a spa treatment to release their stress. The Westin Brand, including our Heavenly Spa, revolves around the concept of total wellness, so we offer private Yoga and Tai Chi lessons which assist our guests with total relaxation experience.

    How do you view the importance of a spa facility in a five-star hotel?

    In today’s world, a Spa in a hotel is a must. Our lives are so busy, our time for recreation, especially our spa, plays an important role in an upscale hotel. Here in Shenzhen, we are mainly targeting business travelers weekdays, paired with leisure and families for weekend business. So high-quality spa treatments do relieve that stress and pressure built up whilst working. The Heavenly Spa by Westin Hotels & Resorts aims to providing unparalleled spa treatments in a tranquil spa ambience. Our surveys indicate that a renowned spa treatment improves the guest’s overall stay experience.

    What is your management style?

    I regularly encourage our Heavenly Spa associates to be more creative, to find new ways to develop new trends for our treatments. As an avid spa-goer, I continually give feedback to my team not only from our own spa but also from others that I visit through my travels. And the associate training and ongoing training of Heavenly Spa therapists and receptionists is so important. An experienced and knowledgeable receptionist will be able to recommend the most suitable treatments for our guests. A well-versed therapist will not only select the correct massage strength and pressure but will also upsell other treatments during the experience.

    What is your favorite spa treatment in your Spa?

    I love to have a spa treatment at least twice a month. My preferred treatment at present is our Sleep Deeply treatment with Venus Legacy. This treatment improves your skin texture and condition. This advanced technology MP2, Sleep Deeply prolongs sleep quality with its warm heat and magnetic pulse penetrating into your muscles to relax your body mind and soul, as well as to heal your body discomfort and restore balance to your inner system. I am obsessed with this and enjoy the sweet dreams I have after this extraordinary treatment. The complete treatment is around 60 minutes and priced under RMB 1,000.

    Some have said China is growing too fast and has too many hotels. What would be your view on this point?

    From my own personal perspective, competition brings us more benefits. Most importantly it’s how we view competition in different ways. Guests do need to try a different experience to find out which suits them best. We continue to explore the diversity of the market which also does drive more creative ideas and concepts in order to grow the business. The Spa and hotel industry in general still has a lot of space to grow in China. Spa product differentiation is the key to future, especially as we are all now consumed in the wellness arena. I see the future of the industry being very bright and extremely vibrant.

  • Dusit in China

    Dusit in China

    Interview with Mr Lim Boon Kwee, Chief Operating Officer of Dusit International

    Based in the company’s Bangkok headquarters, Mr Lim Boon Kwee, Chief Operating Officer of Asia’s leading hospitality group Dusit International, oversees the operations of Dusit’s global portfolio of hotels and resorts across four continents. 

    Mr Lim joined Dusit International in 2013 as President of Dusit Fudu Hotel Management Company Ltd., Dusit International’s joint venture company in Shanghai. The company currently manages five hotels and resorts in China with a further 20 projects in the pipeline from Shanghai to Sichuan Province. With this appointment, the office of the President of Dusit Fudu is integrated with that of the Chief Operating Officer of Dusit International for better alignment between the two companies. “With nearly 50 hotels in the pipeline to be opened over the next five years, strengthening the foundations for the company’s sustainable growth will be one the key focuses,” he said.

    Prior to joining Dusit, Mr Lim was Senior-Vice President of Millennium and Copthorne for Asia. He has an impressive breadth of management experience over 30 years, having worked for Westin, Intercontinental, Sedona Hotels, Shangri-La and Rosewood. SpaChina interviewed this hospitality expert.

    What makes Dusit International special? What kind of DNA does it have?

    Dusit International prides itself on its distinctive hospitality inspired by authentic Thai values. From lobby to rooms to restaurants to bars, no detail goes unnoticed in our pursuit of hospitality excellence. Dedicated to providing only the best of service, we do everything we can to ensure each and every stay at a Dusit property is always an experience to cherish. Genuine care, warmth and respect are very much part of our DNA.

    What are the unique and special elements of the resorts, especially in terms of the spa?

    Dusit Devarana Hot Springs and Spa Conghua, Guangzhou is the first international luxury wellness, lifestyle and hot springs resort in Guangdong province. We provide the wellness programs to enhance body, mind and soul. Guests can choose an array of programs like fitness lessons, weight management, facials, massages, hands-on cooking classes, yoga and etc. Devarana Spa offers an atmosphere of ultimate relaxation in its very own healing garden in heaven concept. With an emphasis on pampering and wellness, “East meets West,” Thai health and beauty practices have been sourced from age-old therapies and updated with modern knowledge to pamper and revitalize guests.

    How do you view the lifestyle of your guests?

    Most of our guests come from the Pearl River Delta. Due to work stress and the fast pace of life, our guests like to pursue wellness and leisure travel on the weekend. They can relax in the outdoor natural hot springs set in tranquil tropical landscapes, and indulge in signature Thai massages or one of the indigenous spa treatments from an extensive spa menu by our renowned Devarana Spa. The Wellness travel concept is going to be very popular in China.

    Well-trained staffs are one of the key points for hotel and spa operations. How does Dusit handle staff education and training?

    Our Devarana Spa manager is an experienced therapist and manager from Thailand. All our Spa therapists received comprehensive training programs, covering spa treatments, products and gracious Thai hospitality. They are equipped with knowledge on anatomy and pressure points, modern and traditional massage techniques, skin and facial applications, beauty treatments, properties of herbs and spices and Thai gracious hospitality.

    How do you see the importance of a spa facility in a five-star hotel or resort?

    In a luxury resort, spa plays an important role as an ancillary service to the resort’s facility. A good spa can enhance the resort’s quality and service reputation. Our guests can indulge in a comfortable atmosphere accompanied by our professional and high quality service. A high-quality spa can certainly uplift the resort’s reputation, guest satisfaction and incremental revenue to the resort.

    Does China still have potential to grow in terms of the hotel business?

    China is the world’s largest market feeder for international tourism, and also one of the biggest travel destinations. Yes, there are many hotels in China and this situation is matched with the huge population of China. The hospitality segment still has a lot of potential to grow compared with other countries. More and more Chinese people would like to travel to relax and escape to enjoy life during weekends and take short holidays, and Dusit will continue to focus on this growing leisure market.