生活无限精彩
——专访西宁新华联索菲特大酒店总经理格兰特·盖世霆先生
今年，旅行家心目中的圣地青海，终于迎来了辖区内第一家国际品牌五星级酒店——2015年7月18日，雅高酒店集团正式宣布西宁新华联索菲特大酒店以及西宁新华联诗铂高级服务公寓隆重开业，目前已顺利运营了一个季度，在当地获得了相当不凡的声名与业绩。
近日我们慕名前往，采访了西宁新华联索菲特大酒店总经理格兰特·盖世霆先生，来自新西兰的格兰特先生是我们的老朋友，六年之后再次会面，他依然保持着一如既往的从容与儒雅，不过这次他要同我们分享的，可是一次激动人心的新店开拓经历，从3月份奔赴上任，到赶在青海旅游最美丽的时节开启新店帷幕，格兰特先生和他的团队以惊人的效率向我们展示出索菲特营建酒店的雄厚实力。
作为西宁首家国际奢华品牌酒店，新华联索菲特大酒店在各个方面均是华丽而隆重的。新哥德式设计造就了优雅的外观，入口门廊、高耸的天花板、华丽的吊灯等等营造了优雅亲切的氛围。酒店拥有492间客房和套房，其设计理念结合了中国东方传统好客的文化与特色的法国生活艺术元素——无处不在的鲜花、法国艺术品、音乐，当然少不了精致的法国美食和美酒。索菲特独有的MYBEDTM概念卧具，足以为宾客带来令人惊叹的夜晚，体验前所未有的舒适睡眠。浴室配备爱马仕或浪凡浴室用品，营造沉醉迷人的沐浴香氛。酒店提供免费WiFi，覆盖整个酒店。酒店拥有2,500平方米会议及宴会场地，可以容纳1,000余人的鸡尾酒宴会至12人的小型会议；休闲设施占地总面积3,000余平方米, 包括如星空璀璨般的室内恒温游泳池、健身房及拥有各种东方传统疗程的水疗中心及其他娱乐项目。酒店位于海湖新区门户，临近城市中心市政府，地理位置得天独厚，交通极为便利，使您探索整个西宁市的绝佳出发点。30分钟车程便可到达西宁机场，15分钟可抵达老城区，20分钟到达西宁高铁站，80分钟火车到达兰州，飞往西安也仅需1个半小时。
同时，西宁新华联诗铂高级服务公寓则是雅高酒店集团旗下诗铂高级服务公寓品牌进入中国市场的首次亮相。诗铂是提供时尚、高端服务的新概念生活式公寓，拥有197间宽敞的公寓，每间公寓均配备有设备齐全的厨房以及独立的客厅和现代化的浴室。诗铂高级服务公寓与索菲特大酒店相连接，入住与公寓的客人亦可享受索菲特大酒店的餐厅服务和休闲设施，为喜欢公寓式生活的客人带来更大的灵活性和选择性。
尽管刚刚营业三个月，但是西宁新华联索菲特大酒店的整个服务系统处处向我们展现出成熟酒店的风范，格兰特先生对此向我们阐释了他的管理理念。索菲特品牌对于酒店管理标准始终是非常关注的，即使此次筹备、开业的时间压缩得十分紧迫，但依旧井然地依照品牌传统的管理风格推进。在格兰特先生看来，首先最为重要的是确立起酒店的文化——Life is Magnifique，生活是华丽的，是壮阔的，是无限精彩的。这是全球索菲特共同拥有的品牌内涵，它将法兰西的优雅和本地的文化与美食完美相结合，在全世界最激动人心的城市创造出非凡的体验。其次，员工的职业培训是整个服务系统的最根本保障，作为西宁第一家国际品牌的五星级酒店，索菲特肩负着为这座城市培养第一批高端酒店服务于管理人员的重任，同时，迅速提升这一批新人的工作能力也是巨大的挑战，不过乐观的格兰特先生目前对他的同事们颇感满意，虽然对于很多新进员工，几乎都要从最基本的服务内容进行培训，但是他喜欢西宁本地热情而淳朴的年轻人，他像长辈一样，对他们抱有很高的希望。作为开创先河者，第一家的意义非常重大，不仅对于内部的员工，同时“我们也有义务为这里的客人提供亲切的引导”，使命感是格兰特先生十分强调的一点，可以这么说，西宁新华联索菲特大酒店就像一位大使，将全球高端奢华酒店的服务理念引入西宁人的视野，它正在悄然的改变着西宁人的生活态度和格调。并且为这里带来可观的就业岗位，更长远地说，还为这座城市吸引更多外部的关注。
格兰特先生对于西宁本地的美食颇多赞许，穆斯林风格的饮食，青海独有的高原牦牛肉，本地独特酿制的新鲜酸奶等等，都是他常与朋友津津乐道的趣事，他喜欢这里带有天然气息味道的美食。并且也将这些引入了酒店的菜单，同时还提供有不同的用餐理念，希望更多地游人来体验着神秘而又让人向往的景致和风味十足的美食，满足四方来客不同的口味需求。酒店内设有3间特色餐厅，别具匠心。乐轩华中餐厅精选各类新鲜食材，汇聚创新的烹饪手法和本土食材，私人包厢则能够带来足够私密的空间，满足家庭和商务聚会需求；锦厨全日制自助餐厅精选中式、东南亚风及欧陆国际特色美食，无论在餐点品类或者制作水准上，都体现了索菲特的极高标准，在设计上也同时体现了欧式古典主义及后现代的时尚；“和”是西宁第一家全方位服务的日本料理餐厅，无可挑剔的餐厅环境与精心烹调的美食为顾客提供曼妙无论的用餐体验——在这里，索菲特用自己强大的食品采购供应链保证了每一份食材的新鲜品质，为西宁开启了新美食时代。
西宁是一个拥有悠久历史的高原古城，是中国黄河流域文化的重要组成部分，两千年前古“丝绸之路”和“唐蕃古道”往來西藏的必经之地，历史文化渊远流长，有着得天独厚的自然资源、绚丽多彩的民俗风情。在中国工作了近7年的格兰特先生坦言西宁是一座能够点燃他工作激情的城市，当谈论起这里的风土人情，他就像一位非常成熟的导游，不时地给我们一些游览建议和攻略。宏伟的塔尔寺、600多年历史的东关大清真寺以及历史悠久的道教宫观和北山寺都是西宁的宗教文化宝藏，从酒店出发到达这些著名景点都十分便利。除此之外，世界上最大的内陆湖泊---青海湖，距离西宁市中心只需要2个小时车程。在夏季，西宁气候宜人，最高温度不过二十八、九摄氏度，是著名的消夏避暑胜地，有着“中国夏都”之美誉。直达拉萨高铁的开通，更是推动了西宁成为休闲和商务旅行的热门目的地。全世界的旅行家都将目光聚焦到这里，希望前来感受这里的壮美和淳朴，还有那少有的云淡风轻。
今年，雅高酒店集团迎来了进入中国的第三十个年头，从第一家北京万达索菲特，到今年开在西宁的第一家索菲特酒店和诗铂高级服务公寓，雅高一直以稳健的节奏感在大陆开拓。西宁的这一对“双胞胎”无疑是雅高中国三十周年最受瞩目的明星。如此重要的年份，如此大手笔的新店开幕，我们不由得好奇西宁新华联索菲特及西宁新华联诗铂今年的商业计划。而格兰特先生显得坦诚而信心十足——大众商业是他们的着重点，眼下非常突出的有两个领域的需求，一是车企活动，邀约客户到青海体验是目前汽车企业非常倾心的高端活动。青海有着举世闻名的壮丽风貌和复杂地形，自然的魅力召唤着源源不断的探险家前来感受，“我们的角色是做一个完美的后方基地，让习惯高端商旅的客人感到安全与舒适”，他坦言这一部分活动带来的预订量非常令人惊喜。另一个则是婚礼及会务客户，对西宁本城居民来说，索菲特的奢华环境和精美饮食填补了高端婚宴的巨大需求缺口，这一部分的订单不出意外地已将今年的所有档期排满。
今年年底，西宁与香港之间将开通直航航班，届时，从西宁出发3小时即可飞抵香港，作为西北重镇的西宁，正在我们目之所及的各个领域拉升着发展速度。值得相信的是，每一座城市的第一家国际品牌五星级酒店都必将会成为这座城市发展的一个里程碑，成为重要的城市记忆，而这里的人们也必将会在往后岁月回望此处时，强烈意识到酒店业对城市的重大推力。西宁新华联索菲特大酒店以及西宁新华联诗铂高级服务公寓恰好站在这个有着历史意义的全新路口，而辉煌正在加速度地在所有关注者面前展开，生活是华丽的，是壮阔的，是无限精彩的。Life is Magnifique！
Life is Magnifique
---Exclusive Interview with Mr. Grant James Gaskin, General Manager of Sofitel Xining
On July, 18th 2015, Accor announced the opening of The Sebel Xining and Sofitel Xining, the first international 5 star hotel in Qinghai Province, a holy land for travelers. After three months’ smooth operation, its has achieved outstanding performance and started to win fame.
The other day, we head for Xining for an interview with Mr. Grant James Gaskin, General Manager of Sofitel Xining. Six years since we last met, Mr. Grant James Gaskin, a native of New Zealand, seems relaxed and erudite as always. And this time, what he shares with us is the exciting hotel launch preparation. Taking office this March, Mr. Gaskin completed the preparation with amazing efficiency and managed to launch the hotel in the prime time of the year, showcasing Sofitel’s exceptional capability in hotel launch and operation.
As the first international luxury hotel in Xining, Sofitel displays stately magnificence in many ways. Sofitel Xining’s elegant driveway and porte cochere are made for grand arrivals at the neo-Gothic style building. With its lofty ceilings and magnificent chandeliers, the interior ambiance harks back to a more gracious era. The 492 rooms and suites incorporate the best of Chinese traditional hospitality with characteristic French art de vivre -- omnipresent fresh flowers, French artwork, music and, bien sûr, as well as fine French food and wine. Essential modern touches include exclusive French bathroom amenities by Lanvin and Hermès, offering an enchanting bathing experience, as well as Sofitel’s trademark MyBedTM beddings that indulge guests with a sound sleep for a night filled with amazement. Complimentary WiFi is available throughout the hotel. For meetings and special events, the hotel’s function rooms, with a total capacity of 2,500 square meters, can accommodate everything from cocktails for 1,000 to brain-storming sessions for 12 participants. Leisure options include a resplendent indoor swimming pool, gym and Spa that specializes in traditional oriental rejuvenating treatments, all in a single 3,000-square-meter recreational hub. Ideally located in the West of Xining city, close to all major municipal government offices, the Sofitel and Sebel are just 30 minutes from Xining Airport, 15 minutes from the old town, 20 minutes from the high-speed train station, 80 minutes from Lanzhou by train and one and a half hours from Xi’an by air.
With its China debut, The Sebel Xining is introducing a new concept of stylish and upscale serviced apartment living to China. Each of the 197 spacious apartments has a fully equipped kitchen, separate living area, and a modern bathroom. A direct connection to Sofitel, provides access to the hotel’s restaurants and other services for guests who enjoy the greater flexibility and more alternatives of apartment style living.
Though a new hotel launched 3 months ago, Sofitel Xining exhibits the competitiveness of an established hotel through its service system. Mr. Grant explains his management philosophy to us: Sofitel always attaches much importance to hotel management, so that the launch preparation, though pressed for time, has been made in a highly organized manner and in accordance with the traditional management style of Sofitel. In his opinion, it is of vital importance to foster the hotel culture----Life is Magnifique: Life is something resplendent and magnificent----the brand essence shared by Sofitel hotels globally. Sofitel luxury hotels blend French elegance with local culture and delicacies to offer extraordinary experiences in one of the world’s most enthralling cities. Professional training for the hotel staff is the cornerstone of the entire service system. As the first international 5 star hotel in Xining, it will shoulder the responsibility of forming the city’s first high-end service team. Meanwhile, it is a great challenge for Sofitel Xining to enhance the capability of the new staff to a significant degree in such limited time. Optimistic as Mr Grant is, he feels quite satisfied with his staff team so far. As a veteran hotelier, he holds high expectations for these passionate, unsophisticated young people, although most of them shall be trained from scratch. As the forerunner, the first international 5 star hotel means a great deal not only to its staff but also to the city of Xining as a whole. “We feel obliged to offer intimate guide to guests here” said Mr. Grant, who attached much emphasis to the sense of commitment. Sofitel Xining is like an evangelist who introduces the idea of high-end luxury hotel to Xining residents, gradually reshaping their attitude towards life, creating considerable jobs, and attracting greater attention to the city in the long run.
Mr. Grant speaks approvingly of Xining’s local delicacies, such as Muslim food, yak meat--an exclusive specialty of Qinghai, and the yogurt made with unique process, all of which have been included in the hotel menu and become topics he enjoy discussing with his friends, out of their love of purely natural food. Various dining experiences are offered to cater for various tastes with mysterious and distinct local feature in a enchanting setting. The hotel’s three restaurants offering original delicacies. Le Chinois serves innovative Chinese haute cuisine as well as authentic local specialties and delicious snacks. Private dining rooms are available for family reunion and business gatherings. With its classical European, postmodernist décor, Kwee Zeen has the perfect ambiance for all-day dining. The buffet features predominantly Chinese, Southeast Asian and European food of top quality. Nabe is Xining’s first full-service Japanese restaurant where superb delicacies are meticulously prepared and impeccably served in an elegant setting. Its becomes a smash hit among local Xining residents who cherish a zest for seafood as inlanders. Fresh top food materials are in abundant supply thanks to Sofitel’s powerful supply chain, starting a new chapter for Xining delicacies.
An ancient city on Qingzang Plateau, Xining sits on the upper reaches of the Yellow River and has been a major hub for caravan traveling to and from Tibet along the northern Silk Road. It boasts a splendid history, rich natural endowment and colorful folk culture. Having worked in China for almost 7 years, Mr. Grant admits that Xining is a city that inspires his passion at work. As we talk about the local culture, he gives us traveling tips like a veteran tourist guide. Xining’s major cultural attractions include such religious, historic, cultural sites as the magnificent Kumbum (Ta’er) Monastery, the 600-year-old Dongguan Mosque and the historic Taoist Temple, Beishan Si, (North Mountain Temple) . The world’s largest inland lake, spectacular Qinghai, is only an hour away from the city centre. Leisure travelers appreciate the cool, crisp summer air that has long made Xining one of China’s favorite summer resorts. The climate of Xining is pleasant with the highest temperature up to some 29 degree centigrade. Xining’s high speed rail link to Lhasa has boosted its attractiveness as a destination for leisure and business travel. Xining draws the attention of travelers over the world, who wish to come here to appreciate its grandeur and simplicity and the precious tranquility.
This year will see the 30th anniversary of Accor Group’s entry into China. From the launch of its first hotel, to the opening of the first Sebel hotel in Xining this year, Accor has been exploring Mainland China’s market in a steady pace. The twin hotels in Xining are, no wonder, the brightest stars. When Accor’s 30th anniversary coincides with the grand opening of the twin hotels, we cannot help wondering what commercial plans have been in place for Sofitel Xining and Sobel Xining. Candid and confident, Mr. Grant describes their business focus as popular consumption and commercial business. Currently, there are two major categories of demands. One comes from automakers who have a keen interest in high-end marketing campaigns, during which target clients are invited to have a genuine feel of the magnificent landscape of Qinghai since its charismatic natural landscape attracts a constant flow of explorers . “It is our role to provide a perfect retreat where high-end business clients may enjoy the tranquility and comfort here.” According to Mr. Grant, demand for this type of campaigns has been amazing. The other category of demand comes from wedding and business clients. The huge demand gap for high-end wedding banquets has now been filled by Sofitel which offers a luxury environment and exquisite delicacies, and thus receives full booking.
Direct flight between Xining and Hongkong will be opened at the end of this year, when it will take 3 hours only to fly from Xining to Hongkong. As a strategic link between the Central Plains and Western China, Xining is accelerating its urban development in every aspect that we can observe. The first international 5 star hotel of each city will definitely become a milestone of the city’s development, and form an significant part of the city’s history, from which local residents will realize how the hospitality industry will have boosted urban development as they look back in the days to come. At the historic crossroads of Xining’s development, the splendor of Sofitel Xining and Sebel Xining is unfolding in front of it followers. Life is resplendent and magnificent. Life is Magnifique!
