Blending hospitality with sustainability and service

Located along Waterloo Road at the heart of Kowloon’s commercial district is The Cityview. The hotel has 422 guest rooms, ranging from standard accommodation options to suite facilities, and three food and beverage outlets. The Cityview likewise has two meeting and conference facilities that can cater to 400 guests at any one time, plus a fitness center, sauna and indoor swimming pool.

Premier rooms and suites
Recently, the hotel launched its “Premier” rooms and suites. Each room has an area measuring about 21 square metres, while each suite measures about 45 square metres. Both the rooms and suites are spacious with large windows, and the occupants have a choice of a king or twin-sized beds with deluxe pillow styles.\

The rooms and suites are especially designed for business executives, as each unit is equipped with a Smart TV (42 inches for the room and 55 inches for the suite) with internet access and AV connectivity for laptops, a multi-functional work desk, and an alarm clock with mp3 player docking station. Only the suites have a Nespresso coffee machine with choices of coffee capsules.

Part of the Premier package is the “Amazing Wholesome Buffet Breakfast” which is served at the Amazing, a food and beverage outlet that specializes on Thai cuisine. The meal consists of high-fibre and low-calorie dishes like fresh fruits, organic fruit juice, cereal, cheese and yogurt.

Sustainability
The Cityview is an eco-conscious hotel which continues to advocate environmental protection among its personnel and guests. One of these projects is the recycling of materials such as old furniture, computer and associate equipment, toner and ink cartridges. Another initiative is the placing of recycling bins in the guest rooms.
By 2016, the lobby would have a new look. Improved with eco-friendly materials, it would present a layout design enhanced with natural lighting.

The Cityview has also issued its first sustainability report for 2012 to 2014 last August, so far being the first and only independent hotel which has produced a sustainability report based on the Global Reporting Initiative G4.

Vegetarian and seafood options have been included in the Amazing’s a la carte menu. Food waste reminder tent cards, on the other hand, are displayed at the City Café. The Cityview has likewise collaborated with groups involved in this same campaign, having participated in the “Order Less, Waste Less, More Blessing” Light Banquets organized by Friends of the Earth. Other involvements include participation in the 2015 WWF Sustainable Seafood Week, and the signing of the Waste Check Charter administered by the Hong Kong government’s Environmental Protection Department.

It is due to these endeavors that for four years now, the hotel has earned the EarthCheck Silver Certification which is the world’s most scientifically rigorous sustainability management programme for the tourism industry.

“As we move closer toward achieving our stated goals, we remain fully committed to addressing a host of new sustainability challenges with energy, water, waste and community involvement emerging as key areas of our focus,” says Alex Wu, The Cityview’s General Manager. “For this reason, we set annual targets in these areas to ensure that we are achieving our long-term objectives.”

CSR and personnel development program
Apart from its green advocacy, The Cityview has been taking an active role in corporate social responsibility (CSR). It encourages its employees to take part in noble activities like raising funds and donating them to charitable institutions, and sponsoring meals for the underprivileged. In the past, some volunteer workers participated in a soap recycling activity (“Soapathon”) and distributed the finished products to disadvantaged communities. Recently, too, a group visited the Children’s Home.

In addition to their professional development and training, the hotel staff enjoys organized recreational events like annual picnics, sports competitions and staff birthday parties. These help enhance the employees’ holistic being, as they learn to strike a balance between work and leisure.

Benefits and upgrades
The Cityview is also slated to launch its hotel loyalty program in the first quarter of 2016, where they will offer basic discounts upon outlet patronage or hotel stay. Credits can also be accumulated by members, which they can redeem through either F&B or various room benefits.

Looking forward, another business opportunity on the corporate and MICE segment is on the horizon for The Cityview as a result of its Premier renovation, hotel lobby upgrade and its upcoming loyalty program. The new facilities are designed to attract business travelers from multi-national companies.

For more on The Cityview, visit www.thecityview.com.hk.