ASIA PACIFIC INBOUND
ASIA PACIFIC INBOUND TRENDING HOTELS “PROUD TO BE PUNCHING ABOVE OUR WEIGHT” Exclusive Interview - Dr Jennifer Cronin, President, Marco Polo Hotels Dr Jennifer Cronin has been celebrating numerous accolades and prizes of late, including the “APAC Corporate Hotelier of the Year” award at the BMW Hotelier awards. We asked her what qualities make her team the “best”. Marco Polo Hotels is a wellrecognised, solid performing group and we are very proud that we punch above our weight in so many aspects of our business. The 2016 BMW Hotelier Awards acknowledged the performances of our leaders and Associates alongside our peers and even larger hotel groups. It is a testament to our belief in our leaders and Associates that we can deliver on our brand promise for our people and guests alike. Our leadership motto is to “Live Bold. Stay Sharp.” and it is with this philosophy that we are taking Marco Polo & Niccolo Hotels to a new level. Please tell us a little more about the roadmap for Marco Polo Hotels. Besides the Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo hotel, we are very excited with the forthcoming opening of our second Niccolo hotel, Niccolo Chongqing also taking to the world stage this year, followed by Niccolo Changsha in 2018 and Niccolo Suzhou in 2019. Marco Polo Hotels is currently undergoing an exciting evolution, as we streamline support services and processes. We recently announced our new company name, Wharf Hotels, management company for Niccolo and Marco Polo Hotels, that will only enhance our position in the field of hotel management expertise THE NEW FACE OF MARCO POLO HONGKONG HOTEL Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel is uniquely positioned to become Asia’s leading deluxe hotel for international business and leisure travellers. Situated in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui, on the doorstep of Star Ferry terminal and MTR subway stations, Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel has recently completed a comprehensive hotel exterior upgrading programme, since which Harbour View Rooms and Suites are now available, enabling guests to enjoy unobstructed panoramic Victoria Harbour views and Hong Kong’s iconic skyline. Guests are provided deluxe amenities, including Nespresso coffee machine and the complimentary handy smartphone with their own local number, which can be used as Wi-Fi hotspot while wandering around the city or to make unlimited local calls and international calls to ten countries around the globe. Centrally located on Canton Road in Kowloon, the hotel forms part of Harbour City – Hong Kong’s largest shopping complex, housing over 450 shops, including the world’s leading luxury brands and a myriad of dining options SMARTreport Commercial Content
ASIA PACIFIC INBOUND Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport #35 2017 Summer Edition 37 Matthew Cooper General Manager, JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square, Seoul Recently receiving TripAdvisor’s Readers’ Choice #1 hotel in Seoul award, the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square – Seoul continues to strive in order to stand out among the top properties in the region. We asked GM Matthew Cooper how he sees the market evolving in Seoul today… Seoul has always been seen as a place that can support uberluxury. The challenge that I have seen over the past three years used to wash their clothes in the stream out the front here. Then shopping centres opened, then the JW Marriott, global stage. The film has had 11-million views since January 19 th . The PR value is huge! What would you say sets this property apart in Seoul? What are your top three “USPs”? The first thing is the service people experience. Because of its size, I am able to treat it as STAYING AHEAD OF THE GAME IN SEOUL Exclusive Interview - Matthew Cooper – General Manager - JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square – Seoul in Korea and Seoul is that just because it was uber-luxury or cool 16 years ago, doesn’t make it cool and uber-luxury now. People are far more discerning and critical now. Another trend is that areas that the idea of what constitutes luxury is changing. Everybody talks about Gangnam style, but twenty years ago, Gangnam was nothing; it was just farms. It’s the same with this area – Dongdeamun – it was traditionally an area where the older generation lived. People the Dongdaemun Design Plaza opened, and all of a sudden luxury and fashion had come to the city. Please tell us more about the production of “Two Bellmen Three” - the film that was shot here, and how this is going to help in your promotion. At the launch party one of the things that impressed me the most was the fact that the Korean actors were so proud to present Seoul on this if this place was my home, and also the associates’ home – and that means they welcome people as they would to their home. The second thing is its location. It could be compared to the meatpacking district of New York. And the third thing is the F&B, which goes above and beyond, and keeps growing every year. The hotel is three years old, and is always busy. It still has a feeling of crispness about it, and despite the fact this is a busy part of the city, it’s a haven of serenity SMARTreport Commercial Content
