加载中…
Grand Mercure Baolong Hotel: Shanghai Memory A Talk with general manag
(2007-08-30 12:19:28)| 分类： 酒店老总成功路 |
http://www.grandhotels.com.cn/eWebEditor_V280_Free_sp1/UploadFile/200782813296506.jpgMercure Baolong Hotel: Shanghai Memory A Talk with general manag" TITLE="Grand Mercure Baolong Hotel: Shanghai Memory A Talk with general manag" />
Grand Mercure Baolong Hotel:
Shanghai Memory
铭刻着上海记忆的酒店
上海宝隆美爵酒店总经理安德礼一席谈
Chinese
Version：Clara English
Version：Lili Photos: Lucy
Nestled in one of the sedate
corners of this city there once was a 4-star hotel, opened every
day to accommodate travelers from across the country. Abutting the
Lu Xun Park, Grand Mercure Baolong Hotel is in easy access to
shopping malls and spots of interest as well as to cultural centers
such as the historic Duolun Road and the famous Fudan University
(founded in 1905). On July 1, 2006 it became a member of the ACCOR
family. The prestigious French hotel group has invested millions of
dollars in the extension and upgrade of the hotel, helping it to
meet the standards of ACCOR’s Mercure brand.
The result is the five-star
Grand Mercure Baolong Hotel. As Grand Mercure’s first flagship
hotel in China, Grand Mercure Baolong has been keenly aware of the
cultural clashes of the East with the West in the metropolitan
Shanghai. It blends the contemporary and the historic, and places
equal emphasis on commercialism and culture, offering a unique
experience to travelers home and abroad. The reopened Grand Mercure
Baolong Hotel has endeavored to revive the spirit of Shanghai in
its prime time, which tells it from other luxury hotels in this
city. Here, guests can enjoy attentive service and a comfortable
atmosphere, taking delight in the improvement in every small
detail, from décor and amenities to the look on the faces of the
staff.
Once in the Lobby, you feel as
if you were in a small Jiangnan town, being greeted with the soft
and gentle music by traditional stringed and woodwind instruments,
as well as with beautiful young women clad in Chinese qipao,
their hairstyles varying from one another to suit their dresses and
tastes. This appears quite unique as in some other hotels, the
attending staff are normally required to wear the same hairstyle.
You’ll never see these girls passing by without a smile and a
gentle “Hello!”
“It’s true that we’re not in
the heart of the city. But our hotel is by no means inferior to
those who are, with the famous ‘street of cultural heritage’ and
those incredible shopping malls nearby. As the traffic conditions
improve, it is much easier for our guests to visit other parts of
the city; what’s more, travelers who prefer a quieter abode are
glad that they can find the right place.”
Along both sides of Duolun Road
are renovated old structures of bricks and tiles, from which we can
have a taste of the rich culture and folk customs of this city.
Just a block away is another world, where fashionable young folks
flocking up to play and have fun, their smiling faces lit up by the
flashing neon lights. When the old world meets the new, clashing is
always followed with blending. Grand Mercure Baolong Hotel fits
well into its surroundings. I was quite impressed.
Hardly had I recollected myself
when I saw Mr. Anthony Mirza coming towards us. The General Manager
gave us his sincerest greeting. He looked full of vigor, and was
obviously in high spirits, showing no sign of tiredness after a
hectic day. After all, it is barely a year since Grand Mercure
Baolong Hotel opened its doors. Mr. Mirza is quite a talker; his
remarks are full of humor.
Anthony Mirza is a seasoned
international hotelier, having been active in the hospitality
industry over the past 28 years. An accomplished commander who had
helmed luxury hotels in the New York City and Arizona in the U.S.,
Hong Kong and Korea, Mr. Mirza never failed to practice his own
concepts in managing the hotel’s everyday operation. To him,
Shanghai is very promising, so is Grand Mercure Baolong Hotel. He
aims high for the hotel, hoping it to be another success, and has
devoted all his passion and enthusiasm to attain to the
goal.
Grand Mercure Baolong Hotel is
a relative newcomer to the hotel market. Mr. Mirza shared, “Good
hardware lays foundation for a good hotel. However, great service
and the staff’s expertise are even more important if we want to
build a great hotel, so we shall never stop training. We give every
new staff an intensive training, eight hours a day for three
months. They will be trained in many respects, such as how to
smile, how to handle people or a situation, how to service a
dinner, and so on. The ultimate goal is to let our customers feel
at home. I try to be with my staff as much as I can, in their shoes
to experience their pain. In this way I get to know them better. I
teach them how to observe things from the perspective of a
customer, to figure out what a customer really needs so that they
can deliver a timely service. In evaluating an associate, I would
put characters, attitude and how hardworking he/she is above
ability. In addition, teamwork is of vital importance. Only through
collective efforts can we succeed in taking every challenge. Much
to my relief of course, none of the long-time staff left during the
renovation; instead, they chose to stay and grow with Grand Mercure
Baolong. They’re growing, and I feel proud of their
accomplishments.”
Being fully aware of the
cut-throat market competitions, he has done a lot of thinking,
planning to take advantage of Grand Mercure Baolong’s Shanghai
touch to attract travelers, the larger part of which presently are
from other parts of China, Europe and North America. The hotel is
focused on showing the city’s characters and attractions, as well
as on offering an unparalleled luxury experience. The next step is
to develop Japanese and Korean markets. On the latter Mr. Mirza has
a strong confidence, given that exchanges between China and Korean
in a variety of aspects have been increasing considerably. On the
other hand, he himself has a deep understanding of the Korean
culture, having been working in that country for quite a long time.
Also, honeymooners, individual/package tourists and business
travelers promise a tremendous potential. How to explore the vast
market and get a slice of the cake or more provides a direction for
Grand Mercure Baolong to work towards in the future.
Previously known as the
Shanghai Baolong Hotel (opened in 1988), Grand Mercure Baolong
Hotel retains the finest of the old and new Shanghai. It adds a
contemporary touch to each of the 327 rooms and suites, which are
tasteful replicas of Shanghai houses. Every room offers a full
range of facilities including broadband access and satellite TV,
making guests feel as comfortable as at home. Conference rooms,
three restaurants, two bars and other hotel amenities are designed
to satisfy business and leisure travelers seeking efficiency,
comfort and convenience. As Mr. Mirza put it, Grand Mercure Baolong
Hotel offers a home where you can not only enjoy a diverse range of
amenities, but receive warmth and attentiveness from the staff, as
well.
To our delight, we learned from
Mr. Mirza that he himself had contributed to the décor, making
suggestions to the position of various objects and arrangement of
lights. It turns out that he had been an earnest student of design
and painting, and even today he is still an art devotee. It brought
us to the realization that the blending of art and commercialism,
at its highest level, can appeal to both refined and popular
tastes.
Embark on a gastronomic
expedition in Grand Mercure Baolong, where foods on offer are so
diverse that two eyes are far from enough to take them all at a
glance. Restaurants and bars are distinct in style. You can either
dine at the Chinese Restaurant for the best of local Shanghai
cuisine, or explore the inventive eclectic menu at Café 180.
International buffet is available around the clock at Tian-Di; Blue
Smoke, Aqua Lounge or VIP Room offer an exciting
alternative.
Equipped with the
state-of-the-art facilities, the Grand Ballroom and function rooms
are able to accommodate meetings, dinners and parties, regardless
of size or purpose. In one of the restaurants I just couldn’t get
my eyes off the colorful menus, each in a different style and print
to avoid dullness, thus diverting your attention away from the fact
that you’re waiting in earnest for the delicacies you have
ordered. The teapot on the table also arrested my eyes. They are in
various designs, each being more than a mere container of tea, but
an exquisite art piece in harmony with the hotel’s retro
atmosphere. In Grand Mercure Baolong, we can even smell art in the
air.
Grand Mercure Baolong has
positioned itself as a resort hotel―the only of its kind in
Shanghai at present―which sounds at first incompatible with the
city’s hectic and quick-paced image. However, we felt relieved on
hearing its future planning to add another high-rise building by
the present one. Block B will be fitted with a diverse range of
leisure facilities including fitness center, tennis court and
buffet restaurant. What’s more, its premium location gives
travelers an opportunity to delve into Shanghai’s historic and
cultural profundity. Back from a day’s sightseeing, they can
retreat to the pool bar with running water streams, surrounded by
the stunning city views. Shanghai, as the country’s economic
center, is expected to become a popular vacation destination like
Sanya in the near future.
When the sun goes down, the old
gramophone in one of the corners is switched on to play the golden
melodies once prevailing in Old Shanghai, and the entire Lobby is
resounding with Ye Lai Xiang, Ye Shanghai or smooth
jazz. The museum-like walls display hundreds of black-and-white
photographs depicting the history of Shanghai through the decades.
The essence of both old and new Shanghai, its people and culture,
are captured and frozen in the pictures. On seeing photos of the
architecturally impressive old structures on the Bund and of
veteran movie stars, shot in their golden days, we feel as if we
had gone back to that gilded age. Memory will fade; however,
photography helps to keep the integrity of the
history.
The lamps were already on when
I finally walked out. I turned around to say good-bye, finding that
the illuminated Grand Mercure Baolong Hotel looked just like a huge
jewel against the velvety black backdrop. It adorns Shanghai,
bearing witness to the city’s opulence and prosperity. Deeply
impressed by the passion and dedication running in his blood, we
believe Anthony Mirza will build a bright future for Grand Mercure
Baolong, His staff, who have been under his influence, will sure to
help him accomplish the goal.
宝隆美爵酒店将自己定位成上海唯一的一家休闲度假酒店，乍一听，似乎与上海的快节奏与繁忙程度很不相称，但是在得知了酒店对于未来的规划后，笔者的这种担心就成了一种多余。酒店计划在现在的宾馆大楼旁再建一栋高层，届时，里面会配备健身中心、网球场、大型自助餐厅等现代的休闲娱乐设施，一应俱全。加上酒店特殊的地理位置，顾客们在闲暇之余还可饱览城市美景，带有冲凉水池的日光阳台及池畔吧为休闲时刻倍添别样情趣。相信不久的将来，作为经济中心的上海也会和三亚一样，成为人们旅游度假的一大选择。
喜欢
0
赠金笔