CITY GUIDE >Culture and Events
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CITY GUIDE >Culture and Events
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Extra sensory perception
By Shi Yingying (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-27 10:08 First impressions can make or break a hotel, which is why Le Meridien Hotels have designed an innovative concept to transform guests' arrival experience into one that appeals to all five senses.
 "If you look at the guest's initial experience, it has so many touch points and can last for one, two or three days," says Eva Ziegler, the global brand leader of Le Meridien and W Hotels Worldwide. "One has great scope for making a lasting impression." The hotel believes it has a 10-minute window in which to win over the hearts and minds of those who step through its glass doors for the first time. "The experience will commence from the moment the guest arrives at the hotel until they have opened the door to their guest room," said General Manager Keith Hardie. Guests are made to feel at home by the grand entrance, which Le Royal Meridien Shanghai describes as a "transitional portal." It is composed of a glass wall covered by a monochrome print of a family at the beach by American photographer Ralph Gibson. "The entrance is unique in its luxurious simplicity," said regular guest Ioannis Houpis. "It just has the feeling of home." Once inside the lobby, guests are enveloped in a distinctive scent by perfume house Le Labo, which created a signature fragrance for Le Meridien hotels with a strong cedar base and hints of frankincense, iris and musk. |
