携手共创澳门奢华娱乐休闲度假城新版图
——专访澳门JW万豪酒店及澳门丽思卡尔顿酒店营运副总裁马立祺先生
跟随着时间的脚步,有些变化的定律让这个世界妙不可言,每一个酒店人都明白离开一家酒店然后加入到另一家酒店是一种工作模式。然而,每个人终将带走并留下些什么让人体会,这中间带走最多也留下最多的一定是他们的掌舵人。经验与实践的互换,每一段职业生涯的积淀都是无比珍贵的。对于大酒店传媒而言,最欣喜的事情莫过于和一个久别重逢的老朋友,畅谈未见这段时间在他们身上发生的故事,此次我们又与已是澳门JW万豪酒店及澳门丽思卡尔顿酒店营运副总裁的马立祺先生面对面,了解他这段时间的付出与收获。不同于我们熟知的上海,澳门是一座经过400多年欧洲文明的洗礼,东西方文化融合共存的城市。在这里,他又将谱写出怎样的华丽篇章,那些未知的将来总是让人迫不及待。
作为澳门JW万豪酒店及澳门丽思卡尔顿酒店营运副总裁,马立祺先生一直默默地为筹备万豪国际集团新的旗舰酒店而努力着,2015年5月27日澳门JW万豪酒店及澳门丽思卡尔顿酒店盛大揭幕,这两家瑰丽豪华的新酒店同样坐落于澳门顶级「澳門銀河™」综合渡假城,宾客既可选择在亚洲最大的JW万豪酒店享受简约高贵的奢华体验,又可在澳门丽思卡尔顿全套房式酒店,体验最优越贴心的个性化服务。作为享誉全球的酒店国际集团,万豪选择与「澳門銀河™」合作联合推出这两家酒店,自然有着其长远的战略谋划与布局。在澳门从一个赌城逐渐发展进化为多元化旅游目的地的过程中,越来越多形形色色的人们汇聚到这片寸土寸金之地,未来商机无限。对此马立祺先生曾兴奋地提到:在澳门JW万豪酒店及澳门丽思卡尔顿酒店,我们能够提供优良卓越的服务、周全完善的设施,以及妙不可言的美馔体验,将令「澳門銀河™」更添吸引力,创造出能够带来无限休闲乐趣的目的地。这两间新酒店的品牌形象各有不同,但同样能够提升访澳宾客的旅游体验,重新诠释澳门奢华酒店服务的标准。
“重新诠释澳门奢华酒店服务的标准。”这是句颇为自许的宣言,但马立祺先生是当得起这份自许的。作为长年合作伙伴,大酒店传媒见证过他的种种努力与成就。让一个新开业的酒店门庭若市,让一道简单的菜品深入人心,让一次例行的颁奖典礼别样出彩,让所有在合作过程中的每一位伙伴感觉温暖甚至是感动。这样一位立意高远又专注细节的酒店精英,过往曾在不同职位不一样地域诠释过奢华酒店服务的标准,如今在澳门也必将如此。
这应当是万豪国际集团在众多精英中挑选马立祺先生来掌舵这一重要业务据点的原因吧。集团希望借由澳门JW万豪酒店及澳门丽思卡尔顿酒店的开幕,进一步奠定澳门作为亚洲区内主要的休闲娱乐胜地,以及举行会议、奖励旅游及特别活动和盛事的理想地点的地位。进而寄望新开业这两个骄子,能在亚太区经营177家集团旗下酒店中绽放异彩。而坐落于澳门最新的顶级「澳門銀河™」综合渡假城的第二期的这两家酒店也的确让人眼前一亮,马立祺先生介绍说:在这里,宾客可以随意选择到形形色色的休闲娱乐设施,包括名牌商店、知名餐厅食府,还有世界级娱乐项目及多用途会议场地。从地理位置上说,澳门四通八达,可以方便快捷地经由海陆空前往。
来到澳门,澳门JW万豪酒店作为集团在亚洲区的旗舰酒店当然是贵宾们的首選,马立祺先生不无自豪地说,在这里,所有的服务都透过细致雕琢做到恰到好处又无微不至地照顾宾客所需,让宾客在简单率性的写意氛围下,享受恬静高贵的住宿地道体验。酒店拥有1,015间高贵客房及套房,设计优雅,更可饱览「澳門銀河™」的「天浪淘园」及澳门路氹的迷人景致。酒店设有四间餐厅食府,在行政总厨Bruno Correa主理下,酒店呈献的美馔体验包括:装修设计时尚并提供经典粤菜的「万豪中菜厅」;全天候提供国际及亚洲美馔的「名厨都汇」;气氛轻松写意的「池畔酒吧」,以及风格高雅的「大堂酒廊」。因应度假所需,更引进「寓教于乐」的概念,让宾客带同小朋友到JW万豪酒店全球最大的「JW儿童乐园」,透过林林总总的互动游戏,让小朋友寓学习于玩乐。酒店不但设有室外游泳池,以及专为年幼孩童而设的水上游戏专区和小童游泳池,还可前往「澳門銀河™」综合渡假城内总面积逾75,000平方米的「天浪淘园」。这里除了有亚洲主题式的热带园林,亦有全球最大的空中冲浪池、全球最长的575米空中激流,以及一个铺满350吨幼滑白沙的人工沙滩。宾客亦可选择留在酒店的「优逸雅苑御池套房」内修养生息,彻底放松身心。位于地面层的无柱式大宴会厅,及多间多功能会议室,提供超过2,700平方米的灵活会议空间,令澳门JW万豪酒店成为举行奖励旅游、商务会议、大型活动、婚宴及社交聚会的理想场地。
还有另一位骄子:澳门丽思卡尔顿酒店,坐落在「澳門銀河™」综合渡假城顶层,提供超过230间套房。“要知道丽思卡尔顿是凭着无微不至、非凡优越的尊尚服务而遐迩闻名的”马立祺先生介绍说,在澳门丽思卡尔顿酒店自然会秉承发扬这一理念,矢志以贴心周到的个人化服务,让宾客尽享亚洲最奢华的酒店体验。
在澳门丽思卡尔顿酒店,可以品尝到由行政总厨Bruno Correa主理的美馔,其选择之丰富,令人目不暇接。当中包括由总厨傅文彪主理的「丽轩」,享用高级精致粤菜。傅师傅曾为香港丽思卡尔顿酒店「天龙轩」获得米芝莲二级殊荣;在坐拥路氹城迷人景致而格调高雅的「丽思酒廊」,品尝极尽尊贵奢华的下午茶或特色鸡尾酒;在气氛写意悠闲、充满法国情调的「丽思咖啡厅」,悠然自得地享用丽思经典下午茶又或是在宽敞舒适的「丽思池畔廊」,细尝健康美味的有机食品及搜罗自著名产地的海鲜,定能为宾客带来多重感官享受的美馔之旅。食府内的贵宾室环境优雅,适合良朋共聚、款客及欢庆场合,让宾客在格调讲究的气氛中尽享酒店级美馔佳肴。
澳门丽思卡尔顿酒店务求将酒店内的各项元素与四周环境完美融合。酒店以蓝白调子的青花瓷砖(Azulejo)作装饰,这种源自葡萄牙和西班牙的特殊艺术形式,代表了澳门现存的昔日建筑特色。宾客在酒店房间内进行登记入住手续之际,旋即获奉上中式茶茗及地道小吃,感受当地文化特色。感觉写意悠闲的室外游泳池可以饱览路氹的迷人景致,而对于追求私隐的宾客,池畔小屋就是必然之选。如想获享悠然舒泰的体验,则可在酒店内的「怡世宝水疗」享用令身心全然放松的疗程。这里设有十间格调豪华雅致的单人理疗室及三间双人理疗室,装饰陈设注入了中国及葡萄牙的传统建筑元素,让宾客在优美的环境中,享受各类保健水疗按摩疗程,焕发心灵。娱乐消闲方面,「澳门百老汇」设有可容纳3,000位观众的「百老汇舞台」,带来城中最热力四射的零距离表演,由经典及当代亚洲文化节目,到国际级演唱会及舞台演出,老少咸宜。另外,酒店以设施完善的会议场地及贴心周到的卓越服务而驰誉国际,加上拥有超过900平方米的灵活空间,适合举行各类型的活动,婚宴正是其中之一。在澳门丽思卡尔顿酒店预订婚宴的每对新人会获安排专业婚宴顾问,协助规划及统筹整个婚宴流程,令一对新人实现梦想婚礼。
在这两家酒店周边,就是澳门最多姿多彩旅游热点:石排湾郊野公园、澳门大熊猫馆及大潭山郊野公园、澳门旅游塔会展娱乐中心、路环的高卡车小型赛车场。从酒店步行15分钟,即可到达位于市中心、被列入世界遗产名录的一系列名胜建筑,包括妈祖阁、大三巴牌坊及议事亭前地。当然在澳门,自然少不了世界级的电影院及五光十色的娱乐场所,足以让旅客不分昼夜地沉醉于纸醉金迷的之中,流连忘返。
一如既往,只要聊起辖下酒店,你就能感受到马立祺先生澎湃的热情。难能可贵的是,相识经年,这份热情一直保持着,甚至更为热烈。在这种热情里,一切都会潜移默化地被感染,于是慢慢你会发现:只要有马立祺先生的地方,宾客感受得到细节上的温暖,员工感觉得到行止间的尊重、朋友感触到交往中的真诚,而无论是旁观者还是同道人,我们或多或少都能感悟到马立祺先生职业成功背后人生的精彩!
Exciting Shifts Enabled by Elite Hotelier
----Exclusive interview with Mr. Rauf Malik, Vice President of Operations for JW Marriott Hotel Macau and The Ritz-Carlton, Macau
It is sometimes intriguing to observe the rule of change that occurs with the passage of time. As is known in the hospitality community, it is a common career choice for a hotelier to leave one hotel for another. When this happens, the hotelier usually leaves something valuable with the former and brings along something valuable to the latter. It is the general managers of a hotel who are likely to leave the greatest assets with their former employer and bring along the most valuable experience to their future employer as they make this change. The accumulation of each career period is precious, since rich experience comes out of repeated practice. As for Grand Hotels Media, nothing is more delightful than meeting a long-time friend who elaborates on what happened since we last met quite some time ago. Our current interview with Mr. Rauf Malik, Vice President of Operations for JW Marriott Hotel Macau and The Ritz-Carlton, Macau, reveals his efforts and accomplishments during this period. Macau, where the oriental culture blends with the occidental culture as a result of its 400 years’ immersion in the European culture, is quite different from Shanghai, a city that we cannot be more familiar with. We are looking forward to the exciting chapter Rauf is going to start here in Macau.
As the Vice President of Operations for JW Marriott Hotel Macau and The Ritz-Carlton, Macau, Rauf has devoted enormous efforts to the launch preparations for both flagship hotels of Marriott International. Set within one of the world’s most spectacular entertainment and leisure destinations, Galaxy Macau™, JW Marriott Hotel Macau and The Ritz-Carlton, Macau were ceremoniously launched on May 27,2015. JW Marriott Hotel Macau, Asia’s largest JW Marriott, brings its guests an approachable luxury experience through the richness of authenticity, while The Ritz-Carlton, Macau, the first all-suite hotel by The Ritz-Carlton, offers the impeccable levels of personal service for which the brand is famous around the world. The opening of the two hotels has been the outcome of the cooperation between Galaxy Macao and Marriott International, a long-standing international hospitality group, as a critical step of the long-term strategic growth of Marriott International . As Macau evolves from a casino city to a diversified tourist destination, all sorts of people swarm here in the exploration for the infinite business opportunity that lie with this highly prized land. Rauf was excited as he introduced the two hotels: At JW Marriott Hotel Macau and The Ritz-Carlton, Macau, we are able to offer superior, flawless services, a comprehensive range of amenities, incredible dining experiences that add to the attractiveness of Galaxy Macau, one of the ultimate destinations for infinite enjoyment and pleasure. With differentiated brand images, JW Marriott Hotel Macau and The Ritz-Carlton, Macau bring an elevated tourist experience, and offer a reinterpretation of the service standards of luxury hotels in Macau.
“A reinterpretation of the service standards of luxury hotels in Macau” is a self-confident declaration, which Rauf believe the two hotels deserve. As his long-time media partner, Grand Hotels Media is a witness to Rauf’s numerous efforts and accomplishments. This aspiring, meticulous, elite hotelier has realized the interpretation of the service standards of luxury hotels when holding various positions and working in different geographic locations. He has turned newly launched hotels into established ones bustling with guests, simple dishes into impressive ones that became part of a lasting memory of diners, ordinary ceremonies into original ones, and has given each partner a heartwarming impression during each individual cooperation. This time, he is sure to repeat his successes here in Macau.
This must be the reason why Rauf was selected from a number of elite hoteliers of Marriott International to manage these two important hotels. Geographically, Macau connects with the rest of the world with easy and efficient traffic by air, by sea, and by road. With the launch of JW Marriott Hotel Macau and The Ritz-Carlton, Macau, Marriott International hopes to enhance Macau’s role as one of Asia’s major destinations for leisure and entertainment, conferences, incentive groups, special activities and grand events. The newly launched hotels are expected to stand out among 177 hotels of Marriott International in Asian Pacific region. Set within Phase II, the latest and unparalleled addition, of Galaxy Macau, they do shine with a variety of easily accessible leisure and entertainment amenities, such as a number of luxury stores, famous restaurants, world-class entertainment facilities and multipurpose meeting venues.
As Marriott International’s flagship hotel in Asia, JW Marriott Hotel Macau is, no wonder, the top choice for distinguished guests arriving in Macau. Rauf introduced the advantages of the hotel with pride. Crafted services are tailored to every particular need of guests, for a an noble, carefree lodging experience in a casual, relaxed ambiance. With 1,015 luxurious rooms and suites styled with elegant sophistication and overlooking the Grand Resort Deck and Cotai Macao, the hotel is an effortless luxury retreat that puts guests at ease. Supervised by Mr Bruno Correa, the Executive Chef, 4 restaurants of the hotel provide innovative, intuitive and crafted dining experiences, Man Ho, Chinese restaurant offering classic Cantonese cuisine in a contemporary Chinese setting, all-day dining outlet, Urban Kitchen with international and regional cuisine, the relaxing JW Pool Bar, and The Lounge, the elegant, sophisticated lobby lounge. JW Marriott Hotel Macau is taking the concept of “Edutainment” to Macau via the world’s largest JW Kids’ Club, which features an abundance of interactive activities for children that are designed to educate as well as to entertain. Apart from outdoor swimming pools, the hotel also has a dedicated kids’ pool. In addition, the hotel provides access to Galaxy Macau’s Grand Resort Deck, which features Asian themed tropical gardens, the world’s largest sky-top adventure rapids, the world’s longest sky-top adventure river ride at 575 meters, and the world’s largest sky-top wave pool and an artificial beach filled with 350 tons of smooth, white sand. Guests can escape from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis, and have a full recharge by staying at the Retreat Studio or Retreat Pool Suite with a selection of plunge pool or whirlpool in the private patio. The pillar-less Grand Ballroom and function rooms offer over 2,700 square meters of flexible meeting space, making JW Marriott Hotel Macau an ideal destination for incentive groups, conferences, large-scale events, weddings, social gatherings.
Set within the top floors of Galaxy Macau™, another masterpiece by Marriott International, The Ritz-Carlton, Macau features over 250 suites. “As is known, The Ritz-Carlton is famous around the world for the its impeccable levels of service” , said Rauf. Intimacy, exclusivity, and personalized attention to detail are the hallmarks of The Ritz-Carlton standards of hospitality, and The Ritz-Carlton, Macau, proves no exception enabling guests to revel in the intimate personal service and the best of Asian luxury.
At The Ritz-Carlton, Macau, a dazzling variety of delicacies are served at the restaurants under the supervision of Mr. Bruno Correa, the Executive Chef. Guests may relish authentic luxury Cantonese dishes at Lai Heen, relax and try high-teas or signature cocktails at the The Ritz-Carlton Bar & Lounge overlooking the Cotai skyline, sip sophisticated high-tea in the casual and exotic ambiance of The Ritz-Carlton Café or savor delicious organic food and traceable seafood from the world over at Pool Bar, all of which offer an unsurpassed culinary journey sure to inspire the senses. The private and elegant dining rooms are ideal for intimate and celebratory occasions, providing a truly fine dining venue in which to delight in the exquisite culinary art of the hotel.
The Ritz-Carlton, Macau seeks to perfectly integrate the hotel’s iconic elements with its cultural and social context. Ornamented with Azulejo, an example of the unique art form of Portugal and Spain, the hotel showcases a former architectural feature that can still be found in Macau. Upon check-in, guests are offered Chinese tea and authentic local snacks for a truer feel of the local culture. At the casual outdoor swimming pool, guest may have a spectacular view of Cotai Macao. Those who prefer intimate, personal space cannot miss private cabanas. Guests will be truly able to get away from it all at the exclusive sanctuary of the ESPA within The RitzCarlton, Macau. Featuring ten stylish treatment rooms and three couples’ suites that infuse elements of design rooted in traditional Chinese and Portuguese architecture, a therapeutic massage session at the idyllic hotel spa is sure to warm the soul. The Ritz-Carlton, Macau enjoys international reputation for pairing ideal meeting venues with impeccable service. With a total flexible event space of 900 square meters, it caters to all sorts of events, of which wedding is definitely one. Each couple is accompanied by a wedding professional who serves as a single point of contact throughout the entire wedding planning process to make sure their vision comes to life.
JW Marriott Hotel Macau and The Ritz-Carlton, Macau are the ideal base from which to explore all that Macau, one of the most colorful cities of Asia, has to offer. Nature lovers shall visit Seac Pai Van Park, Macau Giant Panda Pavilion, Parque Natural da Taipa Grande. Adventure and adrenaline seekers can visit the Macau Tower Convention & Exhibition Center to take the plunge with a ‘Bungy Jump’ or ‘Sky Jump’ or a walk around the outside of the 338 meter high tower. If the need for speed intrigues, put the pedal to the metal go-kart racing in Coloane. Just 15 minutes away from the hotel, in the center of the city, a rich cultural history with UNESCO World Heritage sites awaits, including the A-Ma Temple, Ruins of St. Paul and Senado Square. By night, Macau’s world-class theater, fast-paced entertainment and diverse social scene give plenty of reasons to keep visitors enthralled until the early hours of the morning.
As always, whenever he talks of his hotels, Rauf radiates great passion. It is the same passion that we observed many years ago, which has maintained its strength, and gained vehemence with the passage of time. And it is not hard to see that things around him are undergoing subtle changes under the influence of his passion, such as the warm hospitality passed on to his guests through refined service details, the respect paid to his staff during daily hotel operation, the candidness communicated to his friends during daily interaction. Either as a witness or a fellow hotelier, we can somewhat perceive a fulfilled life that underlies Mr. Rauf Malik’s brilliant career.