Lakeside relaxation made child’s play
Print Edition
SITUATED along Dushu Lake and Jinji Lake, Kempinski Hotel Suzhou can offer an array of attractions in both location and facilities. It’s ideally placed, connecting Suzhou old town and Suzhou Industrial Park and at the same time only 25 minutes by high-speed train to Shanghai. The hotel also has plenty of green areas and boasts a double-deck kids’ playground spanning more than 200 square meters.
Last month, Kempinski Hotel Suzhou opened new kids’ club facilities at the lobby, at the indoor swimming pool in room and restaurants — guaranteed to be great news for family customers.
The kids club welcomes all young guests under the age of 12, where they can take part in everything from daily activities at the fitness center through to making the acquaintance of cute rabbits raised on the lush grass at the lakeside.
Every Friday to Sunday the hotel offers a kids’ activities program, such as feeding the rabbits, face painting, balloon fun and going for a run with the General Manager of Kempinski Hotel Suzhou — Mr Gerhard Bosse.
All these energetic activities are sure to work up an appetite, so where better to go than the hotel’s Seasons Café which offers a kids’ a la carte menu including snacks and bites, main courses and desserts.
Joining the kids’ club brings benefits which include a free meal at Season’s Café with the parents, a 15 percent discount on the kids’ menu at venues and a turndown service during the stay.
Taking time out from ensuring guests of all ages have an enjoyable stay at Kempinski Hotel Suzhou, the General Manager Mr Bosse highlights the hotel’s garden as one factor which makes for a relaxing environment.
“We have more than 64,000 square meters of private garden with more than 130 different varieties of plants,” Mr Bosse told Shanghai Daily.
Guests can enjoy the views from their rooms, take a stroll in the garden or walk or cycle along the lakeside. And after that what better than a refreshing drink and a delicious meal offered by the Asian and Western restaurants in the hotel. Such a green oasis seems especially precious in today’s China, where air pollution is a concern for many people.
Mr Bosse says that the air pollution situation is manageable for him, though acknowledging that his stay in China is almost certain to be temporary.
Born in Germany, Mr Bosse started his 20-year career in hospitality in his homeland with Kempinski Hotels, a journey that has since taken him around the world. He was appointed general manager of Kempinski Hotel Suzhou in 2013, taking responsibility of all aspects of the hotel’s operations — enhancing employee development, guest satisfaction, strategic planning and brand recognition.
Mr Bosse is clear on why he has remained with Kempinski Hotels for so many years. “The company values are very close to my own beliefs. They are people-oriented, have a straightforward approach and encourage entrepreneurial performance. Besides, I was always lucky with my destinations, teams and managers. If you are enjoying what you are doing, then there’s no need to change.”
Mr Bosse says there are three key elements to his management approach: communication, change management and training.
“Effective management necessitates very good communication skills, by which I mean both talking and listening skills,” he explains. “It is not always so important what you say, but how you make people feel.”
Employees at Kempinski Hotel Suzhou receive thorough training in building confidence and creating a stronger understanding of the industry and the responsibilities of their job.
“This confidence may push the employee to perform even better and think of new ideas in order to excel,” Mr Bosse explains, “Employees who feel appreciated and challenged through training opportunities will feel more satisfaction toward their jobs.”
Mr Bosse leads a team of around 460 employees, mostly Chinese staff, and says he likes to deal with his colleagues as equal partners in the management of the hotel. “I don’t want to be the only one who does the ‘thinking.’ Kempinski encourages entrepreneurial behavior,” he says.
Colleagues are encouraged to take ownership and act like business leaders. This approach is new to some team members and it needs some coaching to get there, admits Mr Bosse. But the general manager also believes that fostering this kind of attitude creates a dynamic customer-focused environment that makes a stay at the Kempinski Hotel Suzhou a memorable and relaxing experience.
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