'No' is not in the vocabulary
By Cherry Cao |
June 6, 2013, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FRENCH native Pierre Barthes knows exactly what luxury is all about after spending half of his three-decade-long hospitality career with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.
"Luxury in the old days was all about hardware. Nowadays luxury is more about providing bespoke service that surprises and touches the emotions and hearts of the guests," says Barthes, the general manager of Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai, since February 2012.
"It is about providing experiences that generate lasting memories," he tells Shanghai Daily.
Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai, is the first property in Shanghai for the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world's most prestigious hotels and resorts, bearing the recognizable 11-blade fan logo.
Ideally situated on the bank of the Huangpu River with walking distance of the Lujiazui business district, the 362-room property opened in late April. It is the third Mandarin Oriental hotel on the Chinese mainland and brings many "firsts" to Shanghai.
The hotel's Presidential Suite is the largest and most expensive of its kind in the city, covering 788 square meters and offering a sky garden terrace and magnificent river views.
The adjacent Mandarin Oriental Executive Apartments, offering 210 luxury residences, is Shanghai's first international luxury-branded executive apartments.
The hotel is the first in the city to provide outdoor seating for al fresco dining at all of its six food and beverage venues.
The Mandarin Oriental Pudong also features the largest hotel collection of Chinese contemporary art in Shanghai. Throughout public spaces and guest rooms, it displays 4,000 original artworks from 50 contemporary Chinese artists.
The hotel also provides 24-hour check-out, a first in Shanghai.
"Operating in such a highly competitive landscape, our project is fortunate to have a set of unique selling propositions that provide key points of differentiation that can't be matched by our competitive set," Barthes says. "Superb riverfront location, exceptional design offering a unique blend of style and comfort, stunning indoor and outdoor facilities, and the group's legendary service culture - it is the whole package we offer that sets this hotel apart."
For Marseilles-native Barthes, the hospitality industry was a natural choice, since the parents of his best friend in high school owned several restaurants in that city.
After graduating from France's Hotel School of Nice, Barthes left for the United States to launch his career. He eventually turned to the hotel industry, which allowed him to meet people from all walks of life and experience new cultures.
"The human interaction is a key element of our business and that is what I enjoy most about my hotelier's job," Barthes says.
He joined the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group in 1998 as food and beverage director at the Mandarin Oriental Hawaii and worked his way up to No. 1 in 2004 when he moved to Asia as general manager of the brand-new Mandarin Oriental Macau,
The group's mission is to completely delight and satisfy guests, doing whatever it takes.
"The words 'no' and 'I don't know' should not exist in the luxury hotel segment. It's always 'yes' or 'we will try to get you an alternative'," he says.
"This best describes the positive attitude that we try to impress upon our staff when dealing with our discerning guests' individual needs."
Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai, has set the target of becoming among the city's top three luxury hotels by ADR (average daily rate) and RevPAR (revenue per available room), the general manager says.
The hotel is part of the new Harbour City waterfront precinct, a 250,000-square-meter development combining office towers, luxury retail outlets, fine dining, dynamic entertainment, extensive landscaped gardens and its own marina.
"In five years' time, this area will be the epicenter of Pudong," Barthes says. "With sound economic fundamentals, the city's long-term prospects of the travel industry also remain very good."
In his limited leisure time, Barthes enjoys cooking, dining out and exploring the streets of the former French concession, visiting the latest cafes, galleries and antiques shops. He and his Chinese wife share a passion for Chinese contemporary art.
Feb 2012 - current:
General manager of Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai
2009 - 2012:
General manager of Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur
2007 - 2009:
General manager of Mandarin Oriental, Beijing
"Luxury in the old days was all about hardware. Nowadays luxury is more about providing bespoke service that surprises and touches the emotions and hearts of the guests," says Barthes, the general manager of Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai, since February 2012.
"It is about providing experiences that generate lasting memories," he tells Shanghai Daily.
Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai, is the first property in Shanghai for the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world's most prestigious hotels and resorts, bearing the recognizable 11-blade fan logo.
Ideally situated on the bank of the Huangpu River with walking distance of the Lujiazui business district, the 362-room property opened in late April. It is the third Mandarin Oriental hotel on the Chinese mainland and brings many "firsts" to Shanghai.
The hotel's Presidential Suite is the largest and most expensive of its kind in the city, covering 788 square meters and offering a sky garden terrace and magnificent river views.
The adjacent Mandarin Oriental Executive Apartments, offering 210 luxury residences, is Shanghai's first international luxury-branded executive apartments.
The hotel is the first in the city to provide outdoor seating for al fresco dining at all of its six food and beverage venues.
The Mandarin Oriental Pudong also features the largest hotel collection of Chinese contemporary art in Shanghai. Throughout public spaces and guest rooms, it displays 4,000 original artworks from 50 contemporary Chinese artists.
The hotel also provides 24-hour check-out, a first in Shanghai.
"Operating in such a highly competitive landscape, our project is fortunate to have a set of unique selling propositions that provide key points of differentiation that can't be matched by our competitive set," Barthes says. "Superb riverfront location, exceptional design offering a unique blend of style and comfort, stunning indoor and outdoor facilities, and the group's legendary service culture - it is the whole package we offer that sets this hotel apart."
For Marseilles-native Barthes, the hospitality industry was a natural choice, since the parents of his best friend in high school owned several restaurants in that city.
After graduating from France's Hotel School of Nice, Barthes left for the United States to launch his career. He eventually turned to the hotel industry, which allowed him to meet people from all walks of life and experience new cultures.
"The human interaction is a key element of our business and that is what I enjoy most about my hotelier's job," Barthes says.
He joined the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group in 1998 as food and beverage director at the Mandarin Oriental Hawaii and worked his way up to No. 1 in 2004 when he moved to Asia as general manager of the brand-new Mandarin Oriental Macau,
The group's mission is to completely delight and satisfy guests, doing whatever it takes.
"The words 'no' and 'I don't know' should not exist in the luxury hotel segment. It's always 'yes' or 'we will try to get you an alternative'," he says.
"This best describes the positive attitude that we try to impress upon our staff when dealing with our discerning guests' individual needs."
Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai, has set the target of becoming among the city's top three luxury hotels by ADR (average daily rate) and RevPAR (revenue per available room), the general manager says.
The hotel is part of the new Harbour City waterfront precinct, a 250,000-square-meter development combining office towers, luxury retail outlets, fine dining, dynamic entertainment, extensive landscaped gardens and its own marina.
"In five years' time, this area will be the epicenter of Pudong," Barthes says. "With sound economic fundamentals, the city's long-term prospects of the travel industry also remain very good."
In his limited leisure time, Barthes enjoys cooking, dining out and exploring the streets of the former French concession, visiting the latest cafes, galleries and antiques shops. He and his Chinese wife share a passion for Chinese contemporary art.
Feb 2012 - current:
General manager of Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai
2009 - 2012:
General manager of Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur
2007 - 2009:
General manager of Mandarin Oriental, Beijing
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