古都地图上的新地标

——专访苏州中茵皇冠假日酒店总经理赫飞先生

New Landmark in the Historic City of Suzhou

Grand Hotels Feature Interview:

Hafidh Al Busaidy, General Manager of Crowne Plaza Suzhou

Interview: Cherry Li  Chinese Version: Clara  English Version: Mary 

Photos: Looki & Crowne Plaza Suzhou

    对于熟悉酒店品牌的《大酒店》的读者来说，皇冠假日酒店及度假村可谓是耳熟能详了。这是一个在亚太区发展极快的豪华商务酒店品牌，该品牌为成功商务活动所提供的互动平台使其成为商务旅客和会议组织者的理想选择。如今，在以古典园林著称的苏州，您也能见到她熟悉的身影了。

    在美丽的金鸡湖畔一个繁华的花园中，坐落着苏州中茵皇冠假日酒店。这家座被葱葱的花园环绕着的酒店本身的面貌也十分古色古香，不仅有庭院楼阁、小桥流水更紧靠着引人入胜的金鸡湖美景，整体建筑设计将经典与现代风格完美融合，可谓是风景如画，与繁忙都市的钢筋混凝土大相径庭，似乎能让人暂时忘却尘世的喧嚣，回归到最为宁静的最初。从这一“世外桃源”驱车仅10分钟即可到达市中心，距离上海市也只有一小时车程，交通亦十分便捷。此次来到《大酒店》“人物”栏目作客的，就是苏州中茵皇冠假日酒店新上任的总经理赫飞先生（Hafidh Al Busaidy）。

     刚一见面赫飞先生就迫不及待地向我们介绍目前运营中的苏州中茵皇冠假日酒店。这是一家真正了解并可满足商旅需求的国际化商务酒店，这里除了提供齐全的商务设施和周到便捷的会议服务外，还为客人度身订做了诸多休闲娱乐设施。五十八间充满江南传统建筑风格的客房给客人带去更为浓郁的江南风情。这家酒店对于《大酒店》的读者并不陌生，早在2006年我们就以苏州特选的形式报道过苏州中茵皇冠假日酒店，那个时候酒店二期工程还在进行中，时至今日，酒店的二期工程已经基本告捷。“这是江苏省仅有的一家主题酒店”，总经理赫飞介绍到，“二期工程全面完工以后，整个酒店外形酷似一艘扬帆起航的游船，徜徉在秀丽的湖光山色之中，部分建筑将延伸至湖中，可与金鸡湖做零距离接触，让人有置身湖湖中、心旷神怡的感觉。”

    新酒店另外增加了352间客房，其中包括套房以及湖景的双层套房，超过42平方米的宽敞空间内布置高雅、设施完善，园色湖光，尽收眼底。无论是饕餮正餐还是随意小酌，酒店的各式餐厅和酒吧可满足不同口味的需求，令您得到色香味俱佳的美食享受。这其中包括拥有现场明档表演的集多种烹调风格的全日餐厅，中餐厅和巴西烤肉餐厅，以及各式酒吧和酒廊。会务是商业的重要部分。作为一家真正了解并可满足商旅需求的国际商务酒店，苏州中茵皇冠假日酒店深谙此道。为此，酒店提供了11间多功能的会议厅和会议室，其中1150平方米的皇冠宴会厅可以容纳至多1000个客人所有会议室均配备先进的视听系统、可移动舞台、多媒体电脑投影仪及无线互联网宽带，满足您一切的会议所需。酒店配备了一流的休闲设施和服务: SPA, 健身房，室内和室外游泳池以及游艇码头，令宾客放松心情，养精蓄锐，更好地迎接挑战！

    首次来到中国工作的赫飞先生很喜欢中国，他的孩子们也非常喜欢苏州。随着众多酒店在苏州开业，表明苏州开始国际化，而苏州工业园区也变得越来越有特色。跟上海相比，苏州曾经是一个适合度假、休闲的地方，人们想要逃离繁忙都市生活的时候总会想到苏州，但如今很多大公司纷纷在此落户，当然这对酒店而言是个好消息。对此，赫飞先生说：“当人们谈到苏州的时候，总是会想到拥有小桥流水的古镇，当然我也希望这种印象能够持续下去。但从另一方面来讲，苏州也正在变得越来越现代化，越来越美丽。住在这里会感到相当方便、轻松，很多著名的餐厅也纷至沓来。当然与此同时，酒店餐厅的水准也是相当高的，常常能看到新人在酒店举行婚礼。”可以毫不夸张地说，如今的苏州正在经历着一场蜕变，“你可以在这里享受到大都市的多彩生活，在金鸡湖边走上一圈的话，很多正在发生的变化显而易见，但很多人还没有意识到这一点。苏州在某种程度上与上海的浦东十分相似，在很多方面它们都属于新兴力量，正在朝着国际化的方向发展。”赫飞先生补充道。

    谈到对中国酒店的印象，赫飞先生认为，中国的酒店，乃至亚洲的酒店在品质方面比欧洲的许多酒店都做得好。因为即使在中国的二线城市，其酒店的品质依然相当高，客房更为宽敞，设施更为现代化，客人享受到的服务也更周到。

    在赫飞先生来苏州之前，他在Intercontinental Hotels Group, Middle East & Africa Intercontinental AL JUBAIL担任总经理，那是一家规模非常宏大的酒店。但对他来说，酒店就只是酒店，不管它们坐落在哪里，或是他有没有去过那个地方，对于不同的情况就要想出不同的应对策略。无论是在别的地方还是在中国，赫飞先生都很享受他的工作，作为一位拥有二十多年酒店管理经验的总经理，他一直为洲际酒店集团工作，公司使他得到了成长，当然公司本身也壮大了不少，如今集团下面拥有众多的酒店品牌。

    对于如何在众多酒店中脱颖而出，赫飞先生有着自己独到的见解。酒店的装潢设计能否拥有自己鲜明的特点十分重要，酒店必须确保自身的设计、服务、甚至是执行环节都是符合客人的标准的，大多数酒店因为制度和习惯不愿意根据客人的需求来改变酒店本身的设计风格和服务内容。赫飞先生认为这对酒店的运营和发展是很不利的。酒店需要不停的提高和发展，这种发展的最终动力就来源于客人的需求，在真正了解客人需要什么的基础上为他们创造一种独特的氛围才是至关重要的。另外酒店应该更加重视提高对客人的私人服务，为客人提供一个舒适的环境让其得到更好的放松。酒店将用良好的环境和优质的服务来阐释自己，给客人留下长久的美好记忆。

    对很多久居都市的现代人而言，苏州依然意味着自然、轻松和惬意，但很多人即使来到了苏州也常常是公务缠身，如果走进酒店的那一刻能让他们真实感受到自己身处人间天堂，那是再好不过的了。哈飞先生在介绍苏州中茵皇冠假日酒店独具匠心处时说道：“我来到苏州三个月了，我们酒店设计装修得很漂亮，不仅仅体现在材料的运用上，内部装修，比如客房、餐厅等等都体现了品位。这里融入了很多不同的思想的火花，使得它与平时你所司空见惯的酒店呈现出与众不同的气质。”

    作为著名品牌酒店的总经理，赫飞先生说他十分看重品牌。“我认为酒店的品牌在人们选择酒店的时候是起了一定作用的，从我本身来讲，当我在商务旅行途中，我会首选那些熟悉的、有品质保证的酒店。无论是对于休闲度假的客人还是商务客人来讲，酒店的娱乐设施、客房服务等方面的情况的时候，品牌能够作为依据。洲际酒店集团就是这样去承诺与我们的客人。”不过相对于品牌而言，他认为最重要的还是服务，优良的服务能够使客人在酒店中安枕无忧。“我们的员工在服务方面都做得相当到位，不需要一一点拨便能在无形中想他人所想，让人获得舒适的感受，他们始终留心客人的需要，在必要时给予帮助。这样的无微不至的关怀也为酒店的品牌增添了亮色，使品牌形象更为牢固、可靠。”在赫飞先生上任以前，他就听说这里的服务非常周到，可以说苏州中茵皇冠假日酒店有一个非常扎实的基础。

    赫飞先生的整个工作生涯几乎都在学习，他几乎到过苏州所有的酒店，能够向同行学习一些经验对他来说十分重要。他说：“尽管我知道竞争十分激烈，但我依然相信我们的酒店能成为苏州最好的酒店。但同时我也认为苏州的酒店应该像海南的酒店那样，联合起来、携手共进，我在上海的时候就开始考虑苏州的市场了，这个城市孕育着巨大的潜力，如果酒店间彼此能够合作共同创造良好的商业环境，并对酒店整体方向做出调整，或者说对酒店进行新的定位，那么苏州酒店业的蓬勃发展是势在必得的。”赫飞先生对于苏州的酒店业充满了信心。“从上海坐火车到苏州如今只需35分钟，相信五到十年后，行程会缩短至20分钟甚至更短，现在人们已经开始在这里投资、开会，展望未来的话，说不定在上海工作的人会选择来苏州享受丰盛的晚餐，而不仅仅只是来这里过周末。如果能在如此短暂的时间内让客人获得最大程度的享受，这本身也会成为吸引客人的一大亮点。”赫飞先生的自信一直存在于他的一言一行中，这也感染了我们。

    苏州一直以富庶美丽名扬天下，时至今日，这座繁荣发展的古城仍不断散发着无限的魅力。相信苏州中茵皇冠假日酒店很快会成为苏州的又一道风景线，而赫飞先生的热情和自信也会为酒店的美好未来添上浓墨重彩的一笔。

Readers familiar with hotel brands cannot be ignorant of Crowne Plaza hotels and resorts, a upscale brand hotel label currently in rapid expansion in Asia & Pacific region. Crowne Plaza offers an efficient interactive platform to the discerning business travelers and event organizers. Loyal patrons and first-time guests are more than happy to find a Crowne Plaza property in Suzhou, a historic Chinese city best-known for its classic gardens built centuries ago.

Surrounded by lush greenery, Crowne Plaza Suzhou is reminiscent of a Chinese garden by the side of the picturesque Jinji Lake, comprising pavilions, terraces and towers as well as the characteristic garden scene of bridge over running water, which casts a stark contrast with the “jungle of cement and steel bar” in big cities. As a perfect extension of the lake views, the hotel reflects a creative combination of the classic and the contemporary in its overall architectural style, providing a peaceful retreat away from the turmoil of the world. The fairytale beauty of the hotel, which is within 10-min driving distance from downtown Suzhou and easily accessible, seems able to help guests keep a peaceful mind. It is only an hour away from Shanghai by car. The hotelier featured in this issue’s PEOPLE column is Mr. Hafidh Al Busaidy, the newly appointed general manager of Crowne Plaza Suzhou.

No sooner had we sat down together than Mr. Hafidh began introducing Crowne Plaza Suzhou, a international business hotel that truly understands what guests really need, and offers full business functions, time-efficient conference service and a good variety of amenities to cater for them. Guests can have a good taste of the charm of China’s Yangtze River Delta in each of the hotel’s 58 guest rooms, all decorated in the classic Jiangnan-inspired style (Jiangnan, literally meaning south of the Yangtze River, normally refers to the Yangtze River Delta). Crowne Plaza Suzhou is no newcomer to the regular readers of Grand Hotels, since it was featured in our Suzhou Special column as early as 2006, when the hotel’s renovation and redecoration was underway. “This is really a unique designer hotel located in Jiangsu province, and will open the late of this year” introduced by Mr. Busaidy. “Once the construction is completely finished, what they see will be a luxury cruise ship setting out for a cruise, as part of the building will extend into the Jinji Lake. At that time, guests can have a close contact with the lake, appreciating the stunning views and feeling refreshed.”

The new building offer additional 352 outstanding rooms including beautiful suits and two stories suits overlooking the lake, Ranging from 42 square meters and larger, each room overlooks both the lake and gardens. New hotel’s impressive array of restaurant provides guests with an extensive choice of dining options. Will offer everything from a multi cuisine All day dinning restaurant featuring live cooking stations, Chinese restaurant, Brazilian restaurant, a selection of bars and lounges. As a global business hotel, we understand that meetings are and imperative part of business. For this, hotel provides complete meeting and banquet facilities with our 11 meeting rooms, including the 1150 square meters ballroom with 950 square meters ballroom foyer, which can accommodate up to 1000 guests. All conference and function rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual systems, portable stage, wireless broadband Internet access and LCD projectors. An array of leisure facilities and services are available to leave you relaxed and recharged for your next working day, which features Tea Tree Spa, gym, indoor and outdoor swimming pool and marina.

His appointment as the general manager of Crowne Plaza Suzhou is Mr. Hafidh’s very first in China. As a newcomer, he finds the country very friendly, and his children are fond of Suzhou, a city getting internationalized with the opening of several international branded hotels. The Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), in which Crowne Plaza Suzhou is located, appeals to a growing number of investors over the years, which is great news to hotels in the city. In the past, when people in Shanghai thought of retreating to somewhere where life is less hectic, the first name coming in their mind was always Suzhou. However, today’s Suzhou is more than just a tourist destination. “Suzhou always comes up in our conversations as a historic city with small bridges and flowing streams, and I do wish this impression can last forever. On the other hand, Suzhou is in the process of modernization, and the city is becoming more beautiful day by day. Life here is easy and convenient. Many famous restaurants, including those with hotels, are opened, offering very fine food to local diners. Many people hold their wedding ceremonies and banquets at hotels,” noted Mr. Hafidh. That the city of Suzhou is undergoing a drastic transformation is no exaggeration. “In Suzhou, you may enjoy the diversity of life as you do in a bigger city. Just take a walk along the Jinji Lake, and you’ll spot evident changes that other people might not be aware of. Suzhou is similar to Shanghai’s Pudong, in more ways than one. Both of them have an international feel in a vibrant and upscale Chinese setting,” the general manager added.

When enquired of his impression on China’s hotels, Mr. Hafidh replied that hotels in China, and in Asia, are better than many European hotels in terms of quality. Even in second-tier Chinese cities, people can still find very fine hotels that offer bigger room, better facilities, and more attentive service.

Right before he came to Suzhou, Mr. Hafidh had been the general manager of the Al Jubail InterContinental Hotel, different situations must be handled with different and appropriate actions. Mr. Hafidh enjoys his work immensely both in China and elsewhere. The veteran hotelier has been working with the InterContinental Hotels Group over the past two decades, during which period he grew up with InterContinental. The prestigious hospitality company owns a great variety of brands.

How can a hotel stand out from similar operations? Mr. Hafidh has his personal understanding, thinking that characteristic décor is very important. Hotel need to ensure that their processes, service and design are really what the guest wants and need, too often hotels are unwilling to change their style and service to the needs of customers because of polices or habits, this is very damaging to their business. Hotels need to constantly evolve. By truly understanding the needs of guests hotels creat e a unique style dependant on their guests. Personal services which suit the needs of the clients the hotel cater for are also the key element, setting the ambiance for the hotel and providing an environment where the guest you can relax, or effectively conduct business is vital. Hotel define themselves by the quality and type of service they provide; this has the longest lasting impact on guest.

To modern urbanites, Suzhou is still synonymous with nature, relaxation and enjoyment. Many business travelers have a tight schedule, and nothing can please these people more than a comfortable hotel at which they feel as if they were in an earthly paradise the moment they arrive. Mr. Hafidh showed us the uniqueness of Crowne Plaza Suzhou, “When I first arrived here three months ago, I was instantly infatuated with its charming design and decoration, and the tasteful application of materials in places like the rooms and restaurants. The sparks of creative insight and aesthetics lend some uniqueness to the hotel, making it different from the ones we’re too much familiar with.”

As the leader of a prestigious hotel brand, Mr. Hafidh attaches much importance to the brand value. “I think brand matters to customers in their choice of hotels, whether they are leisure guests or business travelers. Personally speaking, I would choose trustworthy brand hotels while I am out of town on business. Brand is a guarantee of service and amenities. In Intercontinental Hotels Group it is our promise to our guests. An excellent hotel experience is ensured by quality service, which is even more important than brand, according to Mr. Hafidh. “Our staff did a very good job. They deliver service without being prompted. They take care of customers all the time, dedicated to making them feel comfortable, and always ready to help. Such minute care for guests is one of the highlights that sustain the Crowne Plaza brand.” He had heard about the attentiveness of the service delivered by Crowne Plaza Suzhou before being appointed its general manager. Great service lays a solid foundation for the hotel’s smooth operation.

Mr. Hafidh never stops learning. He has visited nearly every hotel in Suzhou with the intent to learn from their experiences, which he thinks is of vital importance. “I know competitions are fierce, but I still believe we can be the best in Suzhou. I also think hotels in Suzhou should join hands to make progress. I had started to study Suzhou’s market even before I reached the city. Suzhou has a big potential. If we hotels work together to build a sound business environment, and to change the course of our future development, that is, to redefine the entire trade, the city’s hospitality industry will surely flourish.” The general manager is very confident about the future of the trade. “A train will take you from Shanghai to Suzhou in 35 minutes, and in five to ten years, this will be shortened to 20 minutes or even less. People in Shanghai have begun to invest in Suzhou, or organize a conference here. In the future, they will do more than spending the weekend, but come here merely for a nice dinner. Suzhou will appeal to more people if they can get the greatest enjoyment during such a brief visit.” We are deeply impressed by Mr. Hafidh’s confidence, which is in every word he said, and every move he made.

The historic city of Suzhou has long been famous for its wealth and breathtaking views. The charm of this fast developing city seems unlimited. We believe not only will Crowne Plaza Suzhou add to the attraction of Suzhou, but that Mr. Hafidh, confident and enthusiastic, will contribute to the prosperity of the hotel.