New brand for Plateno

The Plateno Group recently announced the launch of its new H12 hotel brand in Asia, Europe and Africa.

The move is regarded as an innovative approach in the group's globalization process and its efforts to build its own luxury hotels.

Plateno is one of China's leading hospitality groups.

Starting with its first hotel in 2005, the group has established 17 brands, including 7 Days Inn, and manages about 3,000 hotels in more than 300 cities around China.

The group owns China's largest hospitality loyalty program with more than 80 million members who travel for business and leisure, domestically and overseas.

According to Zheng Nanyan, co-chairman of Plateno Group, the group wants to offer diverse experiences to its customers, including unique luxury hotels.

The group has created a unique brand-building platform to attract superior luxury hotels, which seeks global success.

The H12 is an art and lifestyle hotel brand founded by Walter Junger, who has a career of 30 years in the hotel industry.

In December 2014, Junger and Plateno agreed to establish a joint venture company to create a collection of H12 art and lifestyle hotels worldwide.

Junger has worked for hotel companies including Westin and Shangri-La and spent the past 10 years as vice-president of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, as well as brand creator and developer for Bulgari Hotels in Asia, Europe and the Americas.

He started the H12 brand in 2011 with a pilot project in Austria. That hotel, located at an altitude of 1,750 meters on the slope of the Gerlitzen Alpine road in Carinthia, has 12 rooms and suites individually designed by international artists.

The hotel, skillfully integrating artistic designs, quality products and personalized services, was created to epitomize the "art of life", according to Junger.

After only three years of operation, feedback from users of major travel-service websites, including TripAdvisor and HolidayCheck, gave the hotel the highest ratings of most Austrian hotels. It has been described as "an art piece" by some international media.

"Plateno and H12 share many concepts, including offering unique hotel experiences with innovative ideas and customer-oriented services," Junger said.

More importantly, Plateno has gained rich and systematic resources in the hotel industry and its market operations, and has successfully promoted more than 10 brands featuring innovative experiences, he said.

"That's why we have decided to join Plateno. We believe that its platform will help H12 to reach the China and global markets."

Junger said he plans to build about 30 H12 hotels in Asia, Europe and Africa within five years.

liuxiangrui@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/18/2015 page10)