The great hotel that guests love

Property and business people all say the same thing when it comes to values: it’s “location, location, location.” In the luxury hotel industry in Hong Kong, location is very important for the discerning business travellers. Five star luxury hotels with panoramic harbour views, opulent grandeur, and expansive facilities ring Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong. But none has more to offer than the award-winning InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong located on the waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui East.

It is the location of a hotel that has served clients for over 35 years. “What makes us the World’s Leading Luxury Business Hotel as recognised by World Travel Awards is our ability to retain over 30% of our staff, many of whom have been here for over 25 years in key positions especially in front of the house, the club lounge, food and beverage outlets, and, most importantly, our key managers. Business travellers who stay in one of our rooms always say that once they arrive, they are greeted by their name, and everything they need is already prepared. They love that our staff knows what they need because they don’t get that anywhere else. That is the feedback we get from our loyal and regular guests, and I think that is priceless,” says Alexander O. Wassermann, General Manager of the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong, a three-time winner of the World Travel Awards as Hong Kong’s Leading Business Hotel (2014-2016) and most recently winner of Asia’s Leading Business Hotel and World’s Leading Luxury Business Hotel 2016. In addition to its prime location, the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong is the hub for maximising the efficiency of a business traveller’s time.

“Hong Kong is a business location with strong advantages over other cities. For travellers with businesses in China, the Hung Hom rail station is easily accessible. We are also minutes away from the MTR and along the waterfront to the Star Ferry. We also offer award-winning Cantonese delicacies at Hoi King Heen, passionately Italian cuisine at Mistral, and contemporary international buffet at Café on M. Tiffany’s New York Bar is ranked as one of the top ten hotel bars in Hong Kong and is home to the first ever Whisky Festival,” he continues.

Moving with its clients’ needs
Last year, the hotel started a shuttle bus service to assist its guests whose business has moved from Canton Road, the Tsim Sha Tsui district, and the Hong Kong side to Kowloon Bay. “We anticipate our customers’ needs as Kowloon Bay is still developing as a business district. This service has also given our tourist clients easy access to the numerous factory outlet shops in this area. Keeping our clients connected is also important. Our customers rave about the Handy Phone which is another reason we got the awards we did. It is an amazing service. We also have an online system that can print out around 1,000 newspapers from around the world. We have other hotels that are very famous in Hong Kong ordering newspapers from us,” says Wassermann.

Going beyond what a traveller expects of the InterContinental Brand, the hotel attracts repeat customers through a very simple philosophy: “We are committed to providing memorable and exceptional experiences to every customer no matter where they come from. We have really achieved that, measured by social reviews on surveys from guests around the globe. We have created an environment that values each and every customer. In fact, our Facebook page has surpassed a number of international branded hotels or even hotel groups,” adds Wassermann. Some might call it personal service, but at the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong, it is this dedication to a high level of service that brings customers back.

“It is people like Celebrity Master Chef Leung Fai Hung, who is President of the Chinese Chef Association of Hong Kong, overseeing the continuing excellence at Hoi King Heen for more than 20 years, that make the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong the choice of discerning locals. Also, there are a few restaurants that belong to Hong Kong for over 30 years such as Hoi King Heen and Mistral that are legendary, iconic, and are located here.”

“Over the years we have put a lot of emphasis on the little details. Every day we try to get better. We may not have the largest facilities but what we do within our premises is unique and spectacular, and it is also humble and friendly. We are providing our guests with a homecoming experience all the time. We are the great hotel that guests love,” concludes Wassermann.