Theodore DL Durham, managing director of The Ortelius Group, discusses luxury hospitality brand essential elements, in the second of a three-part series
CONSUMERS
Luxury Hospitality Brand Essentials: Characteristics & Principles
The Four Seasons Hotel, Mumbai
Characteristics
The level of quality attained in products and services including aesthetics, materials and ingredients, functionality, comfort, craftsmanship, and technology resulting in a quality outcome that is unique to the brand. Luxury hospitality brands, similar to luxury retail brands, are highly coveted for the essential element of characteristics and must maintain continuous improvement, refinement, innovation and excellence in quality attainment in all products and services.
Quality is of paramount importance, and to qualify as a true luxury hospitality brand, focus on quality may not be a selective, partial commitment, it must be total.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is a leading example in the essential element of characteristics, having created and introduced many significant luxury hospitality quality innovations over a fifty year history. The esteemed hotel and resort group is renowned for its defining hotel and resort locations, superb architecture and interiors and a distinctive approach to hotel and guest services. The Four Seasons emphasis on characteristics has remained an overarching attribute of the brand, resulting in superlative detail in guest room design and function, exquisite bedding comfort, superior catering and meeting facilities, thoughtful guest amenities and continuous improvement in user friendly technologies.
“ to qualify as a true luxury hospitality brand, focus on quality may not be a selective, partial commitment: it must be total ”
The emphasis on continued quality innovation has also yielded outstanding diversity in authentic yet refreshing dining concepts. Within international gateway cities renowned for exceptional dining and famous cuisine, Bourbon Steak at the Four Seasons Washington DC, Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hong Kong and Kable’s Four Seasons Sidney stand out as leading restaurant experiences preferred by local residents and hotel guests alike.
The heralded Four Seasons characteristic of quality has also transcended into the luxury serviced residence niche market. Four Seasons Private Residences in Toronto, Boston, Jakarta and Beijing are among the most exclusive and valued residential addresses within each of these respective communities.
Exceptional characteristics combined with practical conveniences and approachable, professional guest services have created luxury hospitality quality benchmarks that have enabled Four Seasons to grow seamlessly throughout the world as a prestige luxury hospitality brand.
Principles
The integrity, trust, respect, sincerity, responsibility and care that serve as living core values at all levels of the luxury hospitality brand organisation and guest experience including most notably, guest, client and customer service. While undoubtedly important in all luxury brands, this essential element is of critical importance in highly personalised luxury hospitality brands where guest and staff interactions and moments of truth may largely determine the outcome, success or failure, of the brand experience.
Principles are often suggested in taglines or essence statements, but most importantly, principles must be genuine in delivery and sustained over time.
The Peninsula Hotel Group has long been distinguished for traditional grand hotel locations, sumptuous guestroom and dining environments, painstaking attention to detail and legendary service. A Peninsula hotel often serves as serene, peaceful and elegant enclave within the bustling 24/7 cities of Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Chicago and New York where international clientele mingle with the who’s who of
local society in luxurious, sophisticated, timeless hotel environments.
“ principles must be genuine in delivery and sustained over time ”
Each new edition hotel throughout the group has been patiently planned, designed and developed over years, and in a few examples, over decades to achieve an appropriate location, develop a harmonious architectural and interior designs and create a preeminent quality position within its destination. As a result, the hotels within the group are highly recognised for their prestigious environments, remarkable consistency and unwavering brand delivery.
But it is the focus on the essential element of principles that may well be regarded as one of the brands finest attributes. Evolved and strengthened over decades, the principles of integrity, trust, respect, sincerity, responsibility and care are hallmarks of the Peninsula experience and a constant focus with guests, staff and business partners alike. Emanating from the Peninsula origins in Asia, the consistent practice of these principles throughout the group instills a high level of professional pride, motivation, commitment and ownership within the staff and largely contributes to unsurpassed guest loyalty. This also fosters a high degree of staff retention that enables the group to achieve continuous enhancement in the celebrated Peninsula guest service experience as a leading prestige luxury hospitality brand.
Managing Director
Founder and Managing Director of The Ortelius Group Limited Hong Kong in 2009, a luxury hospitality consultancy firm providing acquisition, development, concept, branding and strategic services to luxury hotel, resort, serviced residence and spa owners, investors, management companies and business partners. Previous roles as Regional General Manager, General Manager, Director and Manager with InterContinental Hotels Group in Hong Kong and China, Fullerton Singapore, Conrad Hong Kong, Empire Brunei, Shangri-la Taipei and Manila, Princess Bermuda and Fairmont New Orleans respective hotels and resorts. Previous consultant roles with Landmarks Kuala Lumpur, Sun International Nassau Bahamas, Nishimura Corporation Tokyo, Japan, Joyce Boutiques Hong Kong.
CONSUMERS
Luxury Hospitality Brand Essentials: Characteristics & Principles
Theodore DL Durham, managing director of The Ortelius Group, discusses luxury hospitality brand essential elements, in the second of a three-part series
The Four Seasons Hotel, Mumbai
Characteristics
The level of quality attained in products and services including aesthetics, materials and ingredients, functionality, comfort, craftsmanship, and technology resulting in a quality outcome that is unique to the brand. Luxury hospitality brands, similar to luxury retail brands, are highly coveted for the essential element of characteristics and must maintain continuous improvement, refinement, innovation and excellence in quality attainment in all products and services.
Quality is of paramount importance, and to qualify as a true luxury hospitality brand, focus on quality may not be a selective, partial commitment, it must be total.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is a leading example in the essential element of characteristics, having created and introduced many significant luxury hospitality quality innovations over a fifty year history. The esteemed hotel and resort group is renowned for its defining hotel and resort locations, superb architecture and interiors and a distinctive approach to hotel and guest services. The Four Seasons emphasis on characteristics has remained an overarching attribute of the brand, resulting in superlative detail in guest room design and function, exquisite bedding comfort, superior catering and meeting facilities, thoughtful guest amenities and continuous improvement in user friendly technologies.
“ to qualify as a true luxury hospitality brand, focus on quality may not be a selective, partial commitment: it must be total ”
The emphasis on continued quality innovation has also yielded outstanding diversity in authentic yet refreshing dining concepts. Within international gateway cities renowned for exceptional dining and famous cuisine, Bourbon Steak at the Four Seasons Washington DC, Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hong Kong and Kable’s Four Seasons Sidney stand out as leading restaurant experiences preferred by local residents and hotel guests alike.
The heralded Four Seasons characteristic of quality has also transcended into the luxury serviced residence niche market. Four Seasons Private Residences in Toronto, Boston, Jakarta and Beijing are among the most exclusive and valued residential addresses within each of these respective communities.
Exceptional characteristics combined with practical conveniences and approachable, professional guest services have created luxury hospitality quality benchmarks that have enabled Four Seasons to grow seamlessly throughout the world as a prestige luxury hospitality brand.
Principles
The integrity, trust, respect, sincerity, responsibility and care that serve as living core values at all levels of the luxury hospitality brand organisation and guest experience including most notably, guest, client and customer service. While undoubtedly important in all luxury brands, this essential element is of critical importance in highly personalised luxury hospitality brands where guest and staff interactions and moments of truth may largely determine the outcome, success or failure, of the brand experience.
Principles are often suggested in taglines or essence statements, but most importantly, principles must be genuine in delivery and sustained over time.
The Peninsula Hotel Group has long been distinguished for traditional grand hotel locations, sumptuous guestroom and dining environments, painstaking attention to detail and legendary service. A Peninsula hotel often serves as serene, peaceful and elegant enclave within the bustling 24/7 cities of Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Chicago and New York where international clientele mingle with the who’s who of
local society in luxurious, sophisticated, timeless hotel environments.
“ principles must be genuine in delivery and sustained over time ”
Each new edition hotel throughout the group has been patiently planned, designed and developed over years, and in a few examples, over decades to achieve an appropriate location, develop a harmonious architectural and interior designs and create a preeminent quality position within its destination. As a result, the hotels within the group are highly recognised for their prestigious environments, remarkable consistency and unwavering brand delivery.
But it is the focus on the essential element of principles that may well be regarded as one of the brands finest attributes. Evolved and strengthened over decades, the principles of integrity, trust, respect, sincerity, responsibility and care are hallmarks of the Peninsula experience and a constant focus with guests, staff and business partners alike. Emanating from the Peninsula origins in Asia, the consistent practice of these principles throughout the group instills a high level of professional pride, motivation, commitment and ownership within the staff and largely contributes to unsurpassed guest loyalty. This also fosters a high degree of staff retention that enables the group to achieve continuous enhancement in the celebrated Peninsula guest service experience as a leading prestige luxury hospitality brand.
Managing Director
Founder and Managing Director of The Ortelius Group Limited Hong Kong in 2009, a luxury hospitality consultancy firm providing acquisition, development, concept, branding and strategic services to luxury hotel, resort, serviced residence and spa owners, investors, management companies and business partners. Previous roles as Regional General Manager, General Manager, Director and Manager with InterContinental Hotels Group in Hong Kong and China, Fullerton Singapore, Conrad Hong Kong, Empire Brunei, Shangri-la Taipei and Manila, Princess Bermuda and Fairmont New Orleans respective hotels and resorts. Previous consultant roles with Landmarks Kuala Lumpur, Sun International Nassau Bahamas, Nishimura Corporation Tokyo, Japan, Joyce Boutiques Hong Kong.
