Enjoy the art of living at Sofitel Shanghai

Reclining the balcony of a romantic, neoclassical-style building with coffee and croissants to start a morning, or exploring classic French culinary delights is a guaranteed way to relieve stress this summer.

"Even if you can't plan a trip to Paris right now, you can still indulge in modern luxury and the French art de vivre at our hotel," said Martin Verpoorten, general manager of Sofitel Shanghai Hongqiao, a member of French hospitality group Accor. He also serves as area general manager of Accor East China.

Located in Hongqiao Central Business District, the city's newest business area, the hotel incorporates French sophistication and Shanghai splendor. Inspired by the two magnificent cities in the East and West, it absorbs the classic charm of Paris and elegance of Shanghai in its design.

"The outbreak of COVID-19 has indeed brought some impact to the hospitality industry, but we didn't stop our pace of providing guests with first-class service experiences," Verpoorten said.

"In such an atmosphere, guests may feel as if they were in France. They can still live in a French way here with our further improved measures of pandemic prevention and control," he said.

Sofitel Shanghai Hongqiao is the first among Accor's hotels to be granted an Allsafe cleanliness and prevention label following a strict inspection process.

The Allsafe program was introduced by Accor earlier this year in response to the group's concern for the safety and well-being of guests and employees in each of its destinations.

"As people gradually return to travel and lifestyle norms as before, hygiene has become a top priority. The program helps our guests gain the confidence for a seamless return to the hotel, where they can dine, play, stay and meet safely," Verpoorten said.

According to Accor, the program encompasses some of the hospitality industry's most stringent cleaning standards and operational protocols.

These standards were vetted by Bureau Veritas, an internationally recognized leader in inspection, certification and laboratory testing services.

The cleaning regime includes frequent disinfection of all high-touch public areas, an enhanced in-room cleaning program, ensured social distancing measures and medical support in an emergency.

"Initially, some of the measures may bring inconvenience or challenges to guests who may feel out of step with such new changes. So we have made a lot of efforts in staff training, trying to make them understand and make our guests feel comfortable with the new changes," Verpoorten said.

"After a period of practice, our guests and employees gradually adapted to the new circumstance. And we are very glad to see very positive feedback from our guests," he added.

Only 3 kilometers from Hongqiao Airport, and 5 minutes' drive from Hongqiao Railway Station, Sofitel Shanghai Hongqiao enjoys easy access to transport hubs. This has always been a priority for business travelers.

The hotel is also close to the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), one of the largest exhibition centers in the world. It is also the venue of the China International Import Expo, which will be held in November.

Last year, the CIIE, the first import-themed expo in the world, attracted 500,000 professional buyers and visitors.

As the domestic market continues to recover, the number of hotel guests is steadily rising.

"With a full recovery of the exhibition industry, the number of guests will continue to increase for the rest of the year. In this regard, to safeguard, protect and care about our guests and employees will be always at the core of what we do," he noted.

"As the third edition of the CIIE is coming near, we will work together with local authorities and departments to support the event. Related guidelines and regulations for crowd control and hygiene protection in dining and wellness venues, as well as other places, will be closely followed and updated accordingly," he said.

To optimize the hotel's operation and improve guests' experiences, the hotel will use online tools and digital solutions, according to the general manager.

"China has developed very fast and many things have changed over the past few years. What consumers look for is quite different from before. Nowadays they don't go for 'cheap'－they look for 'value'," Verpoorten said. "What we do is offer our guests value and our guarantee."

Beyond accommodation, Sofitel Shanghai Hongqiao will also work to deliver meaningful experiences and create new ways to live, work and play by blending food and drink with nightlife, well-being and co-working, the hotel said.