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New Kempinski GM ready to make mark among luxury hotels
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IT was like a journey back home for Henk Meyknecht when he arrived in the city a few weeks ago to take up his latest appointment as the general manager of a luxury five-star hotel along the eastern bank of the Huangpu River.
The Dutch-born hotelier, now at the helm of Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai, said it was very good to be back in China though the luxury hotel market in Shanghai remains as challenging as it was one-and-a-half years ago when he left Suzhou, a backyard of the city, to oversee the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea in Jordan.
“Shanghai is growing and growing, and the market has not become easier for the luxury hotel business,” said the new general manager of the 686-room property that sits in the heart of Little Lujiazui, the financial center of Shanghai where high-profile banks and insurers from home and abroad are clustered. “But I think, for the really good-quality luxury hotels, there is always the space. There is going to be a division between really strong players and weaker players and Kempinski will surely position itself at the top of the market in terms of products.”
The oldest luxury hotel group in Europe, Kempinski has traveled the world since 1897 and set its foot in 31 countries and regions with a combined portfolio of 74 properties. Dedicated to offering a truly individual luxury approach, each Kempinski hotel and resort blends European heritage and elegance with local character and culture.
“One statement that Kempinski would like to make is that luxury is limited,” Meyknecht, a 30-year hospitality veteran whose professional stints have covered Europe, the Middle East, North America and Asia, told Shanghai Daily. “We will never have more hotels than the age of our company.”
First tapping the China market in 1992 with the opening of Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center, the company is looking to open two more properties in the third quarter of this year. It now has 18 hotels under operation around the country, with this Shanghai hotel joining in May 2013 after a rebranding process.
“It is still a space for us to get a fair share of the market because it takes time to convince the customers to shift to our brand,” the general manager said. “But, with one of the best locations in Shanghai, which itself is one of the growth cities in the world, we are very optimistic about the future as we believe the growth of Shanghai and the success of our brand will perfectly match.”
Being on board for just one month, Meyknecht, who strongly believes that success comes from hard work, planning and consistency, has already set an 18-month target to raise the share of its food and beverage business.
“Kempinski is a very much F&B-driven company,” Meyknecht said. “We really need to position ourself much more as an active player in the restaurant scene.”
Boasting four restaurants and three bars, Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai offers guests a wide array of options from an international buffet to authentic Chinese, Italian and Spanish cuisines as well as a long menu of beverages and snacks.
Another focus for the new general manager, who has a marketing degree from Cornell University in the United States, is to do more “co-branding” events, such as fashion shows and jewelry and art exhibitions, to better market the Kempinski brand.
“In the hotel business right now in Shanghai, I think it’s about more traffic,” he explained. “The more other brands which want to associate themselves with Kempinski, the larger audience we are going to reach. Successful or not, these kind of events help generate traffic, attention and appreciation.”
While fully aware of the tough scenario all luxury hotels are facing in the city at the moment, which some industry counterparts blame on oversupply, Meyknecht shared a different perspective.
“I am a strong believer of the concept that ‘you build and they will come,” he said. “In Shanghai, the standards are set very high and competition is very fierce, so you need to exceed the expectation of your customers to make sure you are part of the scene.
“I don’t think there is an oversupply of luxury hotels in Shanghai. A great global destination still in its development stage, Shanghai is also subject to the demand and supply cycle. When demand is low, we shouldn’t immediately panic because if you look at its long-term growth outlook, the number of hotels we have should meet the demand levels. It is the economic flow of business in this region that very much determines our success.”
Best Deals
Experience unrivalled European luxury at Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai. Culinary package priced at 3,088 yuan and available through September 30. Package includes :
• One night stay at Diplomatic Suite
• Daily buffet breakfasts for two
• Daily buffet dinners for two
• Complimentary in room Wi-Fi.
GM’s Favorite
GM Henk Meyknecht’s favorite dish is Tuna Sesame Crust which is the signature dish by Chef Giuseppe Angelica at Acqua Italian Restaurant. It is a creative dish with lots of fresh elements and ingredients, such as tuna, sesame seeds, purple potatos and bak choy. The bold use of colorful pabular ingredients is a signature feature of this dish, after seasoning a tuna steak with black sesame seeds, the plate is creatively decorated with the colors of yellow, orange and purple ingredients to create a charming contrast.
Footprint
August 2014-current:
General manager of Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai
May 2013-August 2014:
General manager of Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea
February 2012-May 2013:
General manager of Kempinski Hotel Suzhou
March 2010-Feruary 2012:
General manager of The Langham Yangtze Boutique, Shanghai
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