A leader with a passion for service
Print Edition
For those who have got a passion for people and a taste for gourmet food and fine wine, hotelier could be an ideal, if not perfect, job. And this is, indeed, the case with David Tseo, the new general manager of Andaz Xintiandi, Shanghai.
Born in Taiwan and raised in the US, Tseo took the helm of the 307-key Hyatt property in the heart of downtown Xintiandi starting June, or some 18 years after embarking on his hospitality career at Grand Hyatt Shanghai in Lujiazui’s iconic Jin Mao Tower, a local landmark sitting on the east bank of the Huangpu River.
“Shanghai’s hospitality scene, particularly in the upscale and luxury segment, has witnessed drastic changes during the period with competition among various hotel brands, both international and domestic, becoming head-to-head,” the corporate leadership trainee-turned-general manager told Shanghai Daily during a recent interview. “Positioned as a lifestyle brand under Hyatt Hotels Corporation, we are committed to providing each guest with an authentic, local experience that is both fun-filled and inspiring.”
Launched at the end of 2011, Andaz Xintiandi, Shanghai is the first Andaz property in the Asia Pacific region and still the only one in China. Meaning “personal style” in Urdu, the Andaz name encapsulates the very essence of the brand’s driving philosophy that celebrates, respects and caters to guests’ personal style and preferences, in an atmosphere that fully embraces each hotel’s distinctive locale.
“A very special area in Shanghai that combines the historical and cultural identities of the city, Xintiandi boasts an unrivalled location with easy access to several metro lines as well as bountiful dining, shopping and entertainment options which is very attractive to our guests,” said Tseo, an 18-year veteran with Hyatt whose professional stints have also covered Beijing. “But the other side of the coin is that it is a very competitive market for five-star hotels.”
According to the general manager, the hotel will focus on several key markets to further improve its performance.
“We are looking for the next 18 months to see how we are going to grab more business opportunities in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions), luxury and leisure segments,” Tseo said. “For MICE in particular, we hope to grow our business by 10 to 15 percent next year compared with 2018.”
Among the hotel’s five restaurants and bars and 20 different meeting and event venues, Kitchen Studios, an innovative, multi-functional space occupying the entire second floor of the hotel, is an absolute highlight and growth engine of Andaz Xintiandi, Shanghai.
Hitting the market about a year ago with an immediate wow-effect, the 126-seat venue consisting of four flexible event spaces surrounding the central open-concept show kitchen has brought a brand new concept of dining and business gatherings by offering the guests an original experience that combines delicious food and an easily adaptable space that can accommodate events and gatherings of various types and sizes spanning from product launches, cooking classes/demonstrations to cocktail parties and wine/gala dinners.
One floor above the Kitchen Studios sits the 543-square-meter ballroom, an ideal venue for wedding banquets and ceremonies. Featuring a pre-event space overlooking the Xintiandi area, it can hold cocktail receptions for up to 460 people, cater to 300 guests for formal banquets or be split into three smaller spaces for more intimate events.
“Hyatt has got a long-established reputation in the quality of its food and beverage offering which is one of the best among its counterparts not only in the country but also across the region,” said the general manager, whose first job was in the F&B department.
“For instance, we provide our clients with East-meets-West menus for wedding banquets if desired, and we are also working with world-renowned Japanese design firm Tofu Inc to open a brand new high-end whisky bar hopefully by the end of next year.”
Sitting in the heart of Xintiandi, a landmark destination in Shanghai that features antique walls, tiles and facades of the traditional shikumen (stone-gate) houses of old Shanghai with interiors showcasing prestigious modern brands, fashion boutiques, restaurants and bars, the hotel is living up to its name to encourage its guests to get immersed in the local culture in a way that best matches their own personal style.
Guests who want to make further explorations around the city will be fully assisted as the hotel cooperates with a few carefully selected tourism agencies to offer various city tours catering to different interests. On board for just a few months, the general manager has also found his way to express the sense of Andaz.
Tseo, who has been a suit-and-tie guy for the past 18 years, now likes to show up in jeans about 6:30am in the lobby to start his long day.
“The service industry is a 24-hour business and I like to be busy,” Tseo said, describing himself as very hands-on.
“You need also a role model to see how we can help each other to find a way to achieve our goal.
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