Traders rebrands for new generation of travelers

The Hotel Jen Upper East Beijing said when guests step into the building they often feel ready for a new adventure and are eager to explore.

The hotel's lobby has a phone battery charging station and a line of orange bikes, ready for a new generation of travelers to take advantage of to find out more about the ancient city.

The hotel's employees are dressed in colorful T-shirts that bear distinctive badges and are ready to offer advice and help on the best things to do in Beijing.

"By changing the uniform - and the badge is part of the uniform - and brightening up the uniform, we want to narrow the gap between guests and staff. There's no real formality among friends," said Alan Ang, the hotel's general manager.

Hotel Jen, which was unveiled this week as a rebrand of the Traders Hotel Upper East Beijing, aims to better meet the growing needs of the younger generation. The rebrand was part of its managing group Shangri-La's plan to reshape its business-orientated Traders Hotels collection, by adding more fun and interactive features.

The newly branded Hotel Jen was designed especially for independent-minded business and leisure travelers. It is the first large corporate Asian brand to specifically target the millennial generation of travelers and is rolling out its concept quickly in major Asia Pacific cities.

The first Hotel Jen was unveiled in Singapore in September 2014 and the Hotel Jen Upper East Beijing is the brand's debut on the Chinese mainland.

"Hotel Jen is inspired by the virtual persona Jen - a professional hotelier who loves life, travel and the adventure of discovering new places. Hotel Jen takes care of guests with efficiency and care, while also giving them informed access to the best a particular destination has to offer," according to the hotel.

"We recognize the growth of Chinese travelers with a 'millennial' mindset who seek simple pleasures, easy efficiencies and the opportunity to indulge their sense of adventure when traveling for leisure or business," said Greg Dogan, president and CEO of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.

"We are proud to introduce the Hotel Jen brand in key cities in China to meet the needs of our existing and new Chinese customers," Dogan said.

"Hotel Jen Upper East Beijing will still bring guests the same level of quality as before, but now with a more intuitive service attitude and relaxed, friendly style," said Ang.

Embracing the concept of "staying with a friend", guests will notice fun little touches during their stay, including a welcome drink upon arrival, a vending machine in the lobby, bicycles to explore the neighborhood and a snack-box-to-go available after breakfast.

"Jen" also understands that cutting-edge technology is key to the often social, young-at-heart travelers. In the hotel, free Wi-Fi is available everywhere and convenient mobile charging stations are available in the lobby. More than 2,500 online publications are free to read through the PressReader app on guestroom tablets, which replace the traditional morning newspaper.

Other simple pleasures include the wash-and-fold laundry service for as many items as you can squeeze into the laundry bag for 200 yuan ($32).

To date, the roll out has seen Traders hotels in Singapore, Hong Kong, Brisbane, Penang, Johor Bahru, Manila, the Maldives and Beijing rebranded to Hotel Jen. The second Hotel Jen on the Chinese mainland is expected to be unveiled in Shenyang at the end of this month.

Contact the writers at wanghuazhong@chinadaily.com.cn and jiangwanjuan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/07/2015 page10)