Hotels' Value-added Services Improve Customer Satisfaction

China Hospitality News reader Anna Jiang works in the Medtronic Limited Shanghai's Nanjing Office. She is in charge of office administration and hotel bookings.

China Hospitality News is committed to offering the most comprehensive reports on China's tourism industry with the object of providing the latest industry news to buyers both at home and abroad. What do you think of our products? Which columns interest you most and why?
The travel and hotel information on China Hospitality News is quite useful for me when arranging the company's business travel plans. We can get to the latest hospitality news through the print magazine. Of all the columns, I pay most attention to Airline News, Booker Opinion, and Promotions.

We have launched a China MICE and hotel meetings facilities search website, www.51mice.com, for meeting organizers. What do you think of this website? Do you have any suggestions to make? Would you consider using this product when choosing a meeting venue for your company?
The website boasts full information about hotels' meeting facilities, providing the latest offers from hotels. It is an easy and convenient platform for meeting organizers to search for a proper venue.

What are your criteria for choosing a hotel or meeting venue? Which elements do you think are the most important?
Service, price, location and facilities are what matters to choose a venue. The hotel should be capable of handling emergencies; the price shouldn't be higher than company's budget, and it would be perfect if the hotel has promotions; the location should be convenient for the company or clients; it also should have full facilities. In my own opinion, price is the most important factor.

Which domestic hotels do you most often choose for your events?
Nanjing: Sheraton Nanjing Kingsley Hotel & Towers, Sofitel Galaxy Nanjing, InterContinental Nanjing, Golden Eagle Summit Hotel, Celebrity City Hotel Nanjing, Suning Universal Hotel.

Shanghai: Renaissance Shanghai Pudong Hotel, Howard Johnson Hotel Zhangjiang Shanghai, Parkyard Hotel Shanghai.

Beijing: Hilton Beijing Wangfujing, The Regent Beijing.

Guangzhou: Asia International Hotel, Guangzhou Baiyun International Convention Center – Oriental International Convention Hotel.

Which hotels have most impressed you by their service and hardware facilities? And why?
Grand Skylight Gardens Hotel Shanghai's value added service is quite impressive. The hotel has arranged cars for us to go between our destination and the hotel, for free. There were several times we were over half an hour late, and the driver still smiled at us when we finally finished the training lessons on such a cold winter day.

InterContinental Nanjing is also very good. The staff are very good looking, and quite polite. The rooms are very well designed, especially for some of the details.

Which hotels' banquet and catering services have impressed you most and why?
InterContinental Nanjing has very well thought-out dining services. Guests can not only choose from Chinese and foreign restaurants, but can choose tables in consideration of guests' mood and the occasion. There is also a ballroom that can accommodate for 50 tables that is the perfect place for weddings. There are crystal chandeliers in the ballroom, which are quite brilliant and splendid when all the lamps are lit.

What problems have you encountered in using hotel products and services? What suggestions do you have for hotels?
I hope hotels improve the provision of power adapters.

Usually I will bring toothpaste and a toothbrush myself instead of using the disposable supplies provided by the hotels. I hope that hotels could do something to promote a low-carbon lifestyle and environmental protection. For example, hotels could remind guests to bring some supplies to be an environmental guest when they are booking a room. Hotels could reward guests with double points or other things to encourage environmental awareness. Or hotels could fax guests hotel information, the weather for the next few days and a map of the hotel.

I also have this doubt: is it necessary for each hotel room to have a bath tub? Actually only a few guests use the tub in hotels, despite the large outdoor tub in some Southeast Asian countries. Many people only have a few hours in a hotel room, with no time to take a bath in the tub. What's more, I am also high concerned about the cleanliness of the tub, though it always seems very clean. I would clean it twice if I have to use the tub.

Have you had any unpleasant experiences in the course of your cooperation and communication with hotels?
Once I booked a hotel via 114, and when I want to check in at night the hotel told me there were no rooms available. Poor communication between 114 the hotel had lead to the problem. We finally got two rooms after the intervention of the hotel manager, which were upgraded to suites for free.

Through which channels do you select hotels or venues for your company events?
Usually at the end of a year I will start to look for hotel partners. Sometimes I will go to inspect the hotel at the hotel sales staff's invitation. Based on the hotels we cooperated with in the previous year and colleague's comments, we will choose hotels of various star grades for different purposes. I then upload the list to our intranet for future use in the next fiscal year.

What do you think of the relationship between travel and fashion? Which domestic hotels have impressed you for being fashionable?
Travel can make our life more wonderful. One can find the elements of fashion during travel.
Hilton Beijing Wangfujing and Pan Pacific Hotel Suzhou are great in fashion elements. I've also heard there are some fashionable theme hotels in China, such as Hotel Indigo Shanghai which is on the Bund.

Can you please recommend some travel destinations to our readers?
Yangshuo, Yalong Bay, and Jiuzhaigou. These are places where people can immerse themselves totally in natural beauty totally.

What are your hobbies and which types of travel do you like?
Playing games like PSP, PS2, NDS, WII, and XBOX, watching cartoons and animations, and enjoying extreme sports. I like to be an independent traveler instead of joining tour groups.

Do you have any plans for traveling in the coming months?
I hope to visit Thailand when I have free time.