Issue 5

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WUHAN- City Of A tHOUsANd LAkesÆ 4 & 5

HAPA reCOgNisesdOrsett regeNCy Æ 3

tHe MerCer MArks A NeW MiLestONe

Æ 3

TOWARDs GReATeR suCCess FOR 2014

LeADInG ThOuGhTs

The Chinese new Year celebration may be over but it’s never too late to wish all a

happy and prosperous new Year. May all of you be blessed with good health, happiness and laughter the whole year through.

Time flies and we are already into the first quarter of 2014. Looking back, 2013 was indeed a great year. We celebrated the opening of Dorsett singapore during ITB Asia and hosted a Rooftop Party together with our partner, Diamond Resorts International. We also signed a management contract to manage four hotels in Malaysia. With this, our group now have a total of 19 hotels in operation with eleven more scheduled to open and we will have a room inventory of more than 8500 when all the hotels come online. Our hotels continue to receive international accolades for the high level of service and these awards are indeed a testimonial of the extraordinary calibre of professional team that we have within the group. We could not have achieved all these if not for your teamwork, tireless efforts, dedication and loyalty.

Talking about teamwork, I must applaud Anita and her team as well as all the General Managers and their team in hong Kong for their concerted efforts and unquestionable dedication in managing an unexpected event that took place recently. Well done to all those who were involved in ensuring that the event was handled efficiently, professionally and above all, demonstrated the true meaning of One TeAM. I continue to be inspired by you all and am so proud to have such a dedicated team in our group.

I am confident that 2014 will be another exciting year for all of us. We will witness the opening Dorsett Tsuen Wan in hong Kong; and in Malaysia, silka Cheras. Following closely behind is the much anticipated opening of our first hotel out of Asia, Dorsett Shepherds Bush, London and our first resort, Lushan

Resort, China. With the opening of more hotels, our family is of course growing in tandem. I look forward to working closely with all, to foster closer camaraderie and continue to support one and another; and work as One TeAM to chart new milestones and to create stronger brand awareness for our group not only within the location where we operate but beyond as well.

Just like what American industrialist henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

Meanwhile, should you have any suggestions or feedback which you would like to share with me, please drop me an email at winnie.chiu@dorsett.com

– Winnie Chiu, President and Executive Director of Dorsett Hospitality International

Robust 2014 for Dorsett hospitality International

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YOu’Re A sTAR!

The Mercer has carved a new milestone when awarded with different prestigious honours respectively at

hong Kong’s Business high Flyers Awards 2013 and Mediazone Publication’s Awards Ceremony.

In the first ceremony, The Mercer clinched the title of “Outstanding enterprises - Boutique hotel Award 2013” for the third consecutive year. Judging was based on the hotel’s active contributions to the growth of hospitality industry in hong Kong.

Meanwhile, at Mediazone Publication’s Awards

The Mercer marks a new milestone

Ceremony, the hotel won the title of “hong Kong’s Most Valuable Boutique Hotel 2014 Award” for the first time. The award was judged based on its constant value-added hotel services and facilities to the guests. In hong Kong, there are less than 80 hotels given this recognition.

In a move to maintain its brand positioning in the industry, Rebecca Kwan, General Manager of The Mercer said that the boutique hotel will continue to provide excellent service standards through the hotel’s practice of “service with a heart”.

shining like a star! Dorsett Regency Kuala Lumpur

has impressively started year 2014 when hospitality Asia Platinum Awards (hAPA) Board awarded the hotel with three personality awards recently.

In hAPA Malaysia series 2012 – 2014’s Gala Dinner, the three award recipients from Dorsett Regency Kuala Lumpur who were awarded were the hotel’s General Manager, Christina Toh, executive Chef, Yau Kok Kheong and elisha Lee, human Resources Manager.

Christina received “hAPA’s Best 5 in Malaysia General Manager of the Year” award, Chef Yau clinched “hAPA’s Best 10 in Malaysia executive Chef” award and elisha,

the creme de la creme of the hospitality industry at all levels. It rewards personalities and establishments who are dedicated in providing service excellence and leadership in the hospitality industry.

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was awarded with “hAPA’s Best 3 in Malaysia human Resources excellence Awards”.

An annual award ceremony that is equivalent to “The Oscar” of hospitality industry, hAPA recognises

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CheCK-In

Did you know that Wuhan is one of the most ancient and civilized metropolitan cities in China, more

ancient than Beijing, Xi’an and nanjing? Or the fact that east Lake in Wuhan is six times the size of the West Lake in hangzhou? And that Wuhan has seven bridges and one tunnel across the Yangtze River with the First Bridge, built over the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) in 1957 with the assistance of advisers from the soviet union.

Indeed, Wuhan is steeped in history and certainly worth your while to visit and explore this magnificent capital of hubei province; which is also home to Dorsett Wuhan.

situated in the heart of downtown Wuhan, at the famous pedestrian boulevard of Jianghan Road, Dorsett Wuhan sits atop the hong Kong & Macau Centre which houses a movie theatre and a department store; adjacent to Jiqing street which is famous for its street stalls and shops. In the evening, the streets directly in front of the hotel come alive as local traders ply their trade, from local knick-knacks of every conceivable kind to local handicrafts, gourmet delights alongside local boutiques and specialty shops. In the morning, the pedestrian boulevard is equally as vibrant as locals gather in different groups either for their morning exercise, traditional dancing and ‘tai chi’ sessions before the start of the day.

Dorsett Wuhan comprises 317 guestrooms and suites; each one designed to provide an unprecedented level of comfort for business and leisure travellers alike. Relax in a luxurious suite that overlooks the Yangtze River, unwind in the spacious bathroom with its huge bath tub and walk in shower; and catch up on well-deserved rest after a busy day of meeting or sightseeing.

Dorsett Wuhan offers over 800 square metres of meeting space, which can accommodate all kinds

City Of A Thousand Lakes

www.dorsetthotels.com/wuhan

of events, from wedding banquet and annual dinner to cocktail reception and seminar. All the meeting rooms are fully equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual technologies, and personalised service by a team of dedicated personnel. To cater to the increasing demand for small to medium scale meetings and events, Dorsett Wuhan have added more meeting facilities; not to mention a new business centre that comes complete with two work-stations and a private meeting room. In addition, the hotel have also added new mahjong rooms to cater to the local needs; known as the quintessence of Chinese culture and a pre-requisite by the local market, especially for banquets.

On the 1st floor of the hotel, the Hong Kong Macau Café with a seating capacity of up to 180 people offers a variety of fusion dishes from hong Kong and Macau. The latest addition to the hotel’s food and beverage offering is the Dorsett Café. Located on the 8th floor, Dorsett Café offers a delightful range of both local and international breakfast spread and serves specifically as a dedicated lunch and dinner venue for meeting delegates. Within Dorsett Café are two private rooms; each with a seating capacity for up to 10 people and a view to match; which are just ideal to hold an exclusive lunch or dinner meeting.

For fitness buff, the new and spacious fitness centre beckons with a range of modern equipment for that complete home-away-from-home workout sessions.

With so much to do, see and experience in Wuhan, why not make this your next holiday destination? Leslie Wan, General Manager of Dorsett Wuhan and his team will definitely be more than happy to welcome you to the hotel.

AROunD WuhAn• The Yellow Crane Tower, a well-known Wuhan landmark, is a must

for travelers. Inscriptions by famous poets from ancient dynasties adorn the tower. A climb to the top nets a bird’s eye view of the entire city.

• Guiyuan Buddhist Temple (Temple of Original Purity). One of the four important Buddhist temples in China, it is known for its perfect architecture, excellent sculptures, and rich collection of Buddhist doctrine.

• Chairman Mao Zedong’s Villa. The villa adjacent to the east Lake was built as a retreat house for Chairman Mao and other privileged ruling members of the Politburo. Mao nicknamed it “home of the White Clouds and Yellow Cranes” where he enjoyed the quiet ambience and great relief it offered.

• The scenic East Lake area is top on all travel plans for its fascinating lake scenery, charming plum gardens and bamboo forest. Gui shan (Tortoise hill), Mo hill and Qingchuan Pavilion are also worth visiting.

• Yangtze River Bridge, known as Wuhan Changjiang Daqiao, is the first highway-railway bridge over the Yangtze River. It has two levels – the upper one for bus transit and the lower for trains. From the bridge, you can see the rolling water run to the east with ships coming and going. And of course, one must not forget to pay a visit to the museums as well.

• Hubei Provincial Museum with its collection of more than 200,000 artifacts excavated from ancient tombs. Among them, the bronze bells are most attractive.

• The National Stone Museum, famed for its collection of various rare stones. To admire the enchanting unique stones, some 1,300 pieces of stone in the national stone Museum will virtually broaden your mind.

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In The PIPeLIne

Dorsett Tsuen Wan is a midscale hotel that uniquely offers 547 contemporarily designed guestrooms and suites, each extending a wide variety of amenities including free WiFi Internet access as well as technology-driven facilities.

With the hotel’s restaurant, a bar on-site, a spa and fully equipped gym, guests can rest assure that their needs for good meals and relaxation are taken care of.

For business purposes, the midscale hotel has a ballroom and multi-function rooms that are equipped with state-of-the-art convention facilities, thus making it an ideal venue for private or corporate events.

Dorsett Tsuen Wan is easily accessible to hong Kong’s major shopping and dining hubs like Tsim sha Tsui and Mong Kok. It takes only 30 minutes’ drive to hong Kong International Airport and hong Kong Disneyland and 8 minutes’ walk to the Tai Wo hau MTR station.

Bustling Tsuen Wan City...

If you have been to the bustling hong Kong city and have heard about landmarks like the,

Tsing Ma Bridge, the Concord square shopping Centre, nan Fung Commercial Centre or privately owned housing communities like Westminster Terrace, skyline Plaza and the Cairnhill, you would know we are referring to the district of Tsuen Wan.

A district that has evolved through the centuries, Tsuen Wan district is home to famous restaurants known for serving authentic local Chinese cuisines, wet markets that sell a range of fresh dairy products and household items; and most importantly home to our newest hotel, Dorsett Tsuen Wan.

http://www.dorsetthotels.com/hongkong/tsuenwan

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Assuming the day-to-day leadership of the soon-to-open hotel is eric Cheng, General Manager. With a wealth of more than 25 years of hospitality experience, eric will oversee the overall operations of Dorsett Tsuen Wan and at the same time continue to ensure the business profitability of Silka Far East, hong Kong.

Throughout his hospitality career, eric has worked at The Majestic hotel and Century hotel, both in hong Kong prior to joining the group.

Eric Cheng

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WhAT’s uP DORseTT?

For better educationCongratulations!

Winnie Chiu, President and executive Director of Dorsett hospitality International poses with the awarded scholarship recipients at hong Kong Institute of Vocational education school scholarship Award Ceremony. The five Dorsett International’s scholarship recipients will be absorbed into the group’s portfolio of hotels as associates upon completing their vocational studies.

“L.A.s.T” Principle

uP CLOse & PeRsOnAL

Victor CheungGuests Services Manager Cosmo Hotel Hong Kong

There is a saying that when a person is tasked to do what he is passionate of, the task will

be a ‘breeze’ when it comes to execution. For Victor Cheung who recently joined

Cosmo hotel hong Kong as Guests services Manager, he practices the “L.A.s.T” principle on a daily basis.

What is “L.A.S.T”? For Victor who is also in charge of

Front Office, the alphabet “L” refers to the meaning of “Listen”. For Cosmo hotel hong Kong’s frontliners, Victor trains his associates to “listen” to guests’ requests. By ‘listening’, they will learn about the individual preferences of the customers.

he encourages his associates to always “Admire” their jobs. When the team appreciates and “admires” the great employment exposures they have, this will inspire them to further grow within the organisation.

In any event where there are issues, the associates are trained to immediately “solve” the matter with proper reference to the hotel’s standard Operating Procedure (s.O.P).

Once these principles are in practice, he believes that this will create a more pleasant stay experience for the hotel guests.

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Partnership inked with Malaysia AirlinesIn an endeavour to further strengthen its brand presence

across the Asia Pacific, Dorsett Hospitality International has recently partnered with Enrich - Malaysia Airlines frequent flyer

WhAT’s uP DORseTT?

Dorsett shepherds Bush, London’s pre-opening team associates smiling for the camera. The midscale

hotel is one of Dorsett hospitality International’s newest hotels and first hotel out of Asia that is it scheduled to open in May 2014.

hello from London!

Located within a Grade II listed building formerly housing a cinema, the hotel will offer 317 rooms, a gourmet Chinese dining experience, a stylish results-driven spa and an ideal location for both business and leisure guests in well-connected West London.

To add spices and colours into daily working routine, a group of passionate yet caring associates of

Dorsett Kwun Tong has setup a “Caring Team.” The team was established with the purpose of ‘contributing back to the society’, apart from strengthening the team’s camaraderie through the participation of Corporate social Responsibility activities.

even though the “Caring Team” is fairly new, they have participated in several charitable events such as the “The Food Recycling Programme,” “Visits to underprivileged homes for the elderly” and “Food Bank Fund Raising”.

programme. Through this partnership,

enrich members can earn up to 600 enrich Miles when staying at an eligible rate at any hotels owned and managed by Dorsett hospitality International.

Charity begins at ‘home’

From left Michael Fitzgerald, Kerri Groves, Declan Murphy and Louise Rapson

From left Hilary Cross and Kerri Groves Rushwet Motsi

WhAT’s uP DORseTT?

An evening with legendary soprano, sumi Jo

In a bid to give back to the society, several associates

from Dorsett shanghai participated in a blood donation drive held at Pudong new Area. Doris hui, General Manager said that this practice has been carried out since 2010, when the hotel first opened.

Meanwhile, in supporting “soup for Life” campaign

to provide food for the homeless in Kuala Lumpur’s City Centre, silka Maytower hotel & serviced Residences have taken lead to provide 500 packets of chicken soup to the less fortunate. This effort was made in collaboration with university Tun Abdul Razak (uniRazak).

Towards better tomorrow

Dorsett hospitality International sponsored the legendary soprano,

sumi Jo’s hK Phil Concert on 8th February 2014 held at the hong Kong Cultural Concert hall.

The event was attended by a host of invited VIPs and celebrity guests including the honorable Mr Tung Chee Wah and wife, Mrs Betty Tung; Mr Wang Zhimin, LOCPG Deputy Director; Mrs Cissy Watari, Mrs Margaret Choi, Mrs Betty sun, Mrs Christina Wong, Dr Tse Tak Fu, Dr stephen Tai, Mrs Quinly Tai, Mrs Jini Wu and Mr Arthur Wu to name a few. Playing the perfect hosts were none other than Winnie Chiu, President and executive Director of Dorsett hospitality International, David and nancy Chiu. Also present at the event were Thomas hahn, the group’s newly appointed senior VP of Operations and Philip schaetz, senior VP sales & Marketing.

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WhAT’s uP DORseTT?

honouredwith Three stars Michelin standardIn the recent Michelin Guide of hong Kong & Macau

2014, sushi shikon Japanese Restaurant at The Mercer has made its way to the top when awarded with the highest Michelin standards – Three stars Michelin. The award was given to the Japanese restaurant in recognition of its exceptional cuisines with distinctive execution. In hong Kong, there are only seven restaurants that meet the Three stars Michelin standards.

We are hiring!positions in the Accounts Department, Food & Beverage, housekeeping, sales & Marketing, security, Kitchen so as to mention a few.

Amongst the employment criterias looked for were “suitability of the candidate for the applied position” as well as related Dorsett International’s employment principles of “Inspiration,” “Integrity,” “Innovation,” and “Initiative.”

A value-led hotel that is managed by Dorsett hospitality International, silka Cheras is set to be the newest iconic landmark of Cheras. The hotel has 319 guestrooms with modern room facilities and furnished with comfortable beddings and fittings.

With its strategic location in the suburb of Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, the hotel is easily accessible via local major transportation and several LRT stations nearby. It is located 45 minutes away from Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

set to soar higher when it operates in a few months’ time silka Cheras is calling suitable Malaysian

candidates to join its workforce through the ongoing recruitment drive.

During the recent walk-in recruitment drives, more than 300 candidates turned up for interviews to fill

“Giving back” to the societyIn a true spirit of giving back to the society,

Dorsett hospitality International and Dorsett Grand subangpresented a cheque of RM12,000 to Kingdom Christian Fellowship Berhad, in aid of the society’s Foodbank programme and hosted a Yuletide party for more than 26 less fortunate children of City Revival Children’s home.

A project organised to provide food, shelter and education to children from City Revival Children’s home, the event was graced by YB hannah Yeoh, the speaker and selangor state Assemblymen as Guest-of-honour while Dorsett hospitality International’s Vice Chairman, Datin Jasmine Abdullah heng and hugo Gerritsen, Area General Manager of Dorsett Grand subang and Dorsett Grand Labuan were present to celebrate with the children of the home.

12Michelle CheangDirector Of Sales & MarketingSilka Maytower Hotel & Serviced Residences, Kuala Lumpur

Michelle Cheang is silka Maytower hotel & serviced Residences’s Director of sales and Marketing.

With more than 20 years experience in hospitality sales & Marketing, Michelle is tasked to drive the hotel’s business to higher revenue and profits via different Sales & Marketing campaigns. she reports to henry Loo, the

neW APPOInTMenTs

Editorial Advisors: Philip schaetz Thomas hahn Kate ho Kattie hoo

Editor: KahPeng Loke

Creative: Kenneth Fan

The editorial team of Dorsett Pulse would like to convey its sincere appreciation to the management team of Dorsett hospitality International for their support and encouragement towards this group e-newsletter, all of our hotels’ General Managers for their news and articles contributions, and to everyone who assisted with their time and efforts in making this edition of Dorsett Pulse possible.

DORSETT PuLSE • EDITORIAL TEAM

Declan MurphyDirector Of Sales & MarketingDorsett Shepherds Bush

Declan Murphy has been appointed Director of sales and Marketing for Dorsett shepherds Bush, London.

With more than 15 years of experience, Declan is tasked to drive business to soon open Dorsett shepherds Bush and is in-charge of the global Public Relations and Marketing campaign for the midscale hotel. he reports to the hotel’s General Manager, hilary Cross.

Prior to joining the company, Declan was the Director of sales and Marketing with Dhillon Group, a privately owned collection of three luxury boutique hotels – stoke Place, The Olde Bell and The Crown, London. he was also the sales and Marketing Director at Dukes hotel in Mayfair - London, Cotswold house hotel in Gloucestershire, The Courthouse hotel Kempinski and The Bentley Kempinski, both in London.

General Manager of silka Maytower hotel & serviced Residences.

Michelle was formerly from hatten hotel, Malacca. In her earlier days, she was with hotel Royal Kuala Lumpur and Genting International based in Kuala Lumpur.

Thomas HahnSenior Vice President OperationsDorsett Hospitality International

Thomas hahn has joined Dorsett hospitality International as senior Vice President – Operations,

based at Hong Kong corporate office. In his position, Thomas is tasked to oversee overall

operations of the group hotels’ portfolio and responsible over the development of the group’s operating infrastructure, standards and business performances for all hotel properties across all brands. he reports to Winnie Chiu, Dorsett International’s President and executive Director.

Thomas was Vice President Operations at Intercontinental hotel Group for Central China & holiday Inn express Greater China. he has also held leadership positions in Mandarin Oriental, shangri-La, starbucks Coffee and Maxim’s Group.

Jane KuDirector of ProcurementDorsett Hospitality International

Taking the role as Group Director of Procurement is Jane Ku, who is based in Hong Kong Corporate office.

she is tasked to monitor FF&e procurement activities, material sourcing, FF&e contract negotiations and in ensuring that material quality are met and delivered on-time. she reports to Josephine Chiu, Vice President of the

Group’s Procurement Division. Bringing along more than

20 years experience, Jane was with Cairncross Martin Limited and have also worked with Macao studio City, steelman sourcing and Interior Contract International Limited.