Travel Technology
Business Wire | October 30, 2023
Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the opening of Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake, a timeless urban haven on the east bank of Kuncheng Lake and one of the highest hotels in Changshu, with panoramic lake, city, mountain and sunset views.
Located a one-hour drive from Suzhou, Wuxi and Shanghai, with convenient access to Changshu’s intercity train network, the hotel offers the perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle. Changshu is hailed as the blessed land in the south of Yangtze River, a destination of spectacular natural beauty where green mountains stretch into the city and water flows to the sea. With a history dating back more than 3,000 years, it is also an important birthplace of Wu culture, which is characterized as being delicate, graceful and refined, having preserved many unique cultural traditions nonextant in other regions of China.
“We are excited to welcome guests to Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake, an ideal destination for discovering the unique historical, cultural and natural richness of Changshu,” said Frank Chen, general manager, Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake. “With modern guestrooms, delightful culinary experiences and flexible event spaces accompanied by thoughtful service, our hotel offers a vibrant new stay experience in Changshu and a premier gathering venue.”
Contemporary Design
Owned by fashion and textile giant Bosideng, the hotel is designed as a modern reflection of Yushan Mountain’s cultural heritage infused with Bosideng’s dynamic spirit of creativity and innovation. The result is a distinctive contemporary edge including décor inspired by feathers and the timeless charm of the traditional guqin instrument, which creates a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere. The harmony of modernity and tradition expressed in artwork, murals and motifs around the hotel transforms every space into a gallery of sophistication.
Spacious Accommodation
Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake offers 289 spacious guestrooms and suites ranging from 430 to 1722 square feet (40 to 160 square meters), furnished in contemporary style with plush fabrics, marble bathrooms, a work desk and floor-to-ceiling windows offering memorable lake or city views. Thoughtful amenities such as high-speed Wi-Fi, a Bluetooth sound system and satellite TV ensure guests stay well connected and entertained, while Regency Club access in premier rooms provides complimentary privileges such as afternoon tea and evening cocktails.
For families and guests with longer stays, the hotel offers two-bedroom suites with additional space for added convenience. Meanwhile, the Presidential Suite on the 33rd floor provides a residential-style retreat with a dining room, kitchen and study.
Culinary Experiences
Surrounded by sweeping views from the 36th to 38th floors, the hotel’s four distinct dining venues indulge guests in a variety of culinary experiences ranging from local street food to international fusion cuisine. Market Café satisfies appetites throughout the day with an array of international flavors, including abundant buffet selections. Xiang Yue showcases local cuisine and Zhejiang Chinese specialties crafted with fresh seasonal ingredients and offers eight exclusive private dining room settings for business dinners, social gatherings and celebrations. At Yinxiu 36, guests can savor the authentic teppanyaki cooked right before their eyes in an interactive journey of gastronomy. Come evening, The Lounge is the perfect place to unwind, enjoying signature canapés and cocktails in a social ambience with live music.
Recreation and Wellness
A 24-hour fitness center and an indoor swimming pool with stunning lake views make it easy for guests to relax and recharge after a day of business or sightseeing.
Guests can also enjoy Changshu’s pleasantly mild climate while immersing in lakeside activities such as cycling and kite-flying. The hotel is also well placed for guests to explore Changshu’s stunning landscapes, whether hiking up its most prominent peak at Yushan Mountain National Forest Park or taking a scenic boat ride through Shajiabang National Wetland Park.
Meetings, Weddings and Events
Offering over 25,994 square feet (2,415 square meters) of versatile spaces, Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake provides an exceptional setting for business and social events and once-in-a-lifetime celebrations, whether on an intimate or large scale.
Its largest venue is the Regency Ballroom, one of two pillar-free ballrooms, spanning 9,149 square feet (850 square meters) with a separate lounge area, built-in LED screen and French windows. The hotel also boasts ten meeting rooms and boardrooms equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual technology, as well as exclusive spaces suited for private parties and VIP events. Coupled with the support of its event specialists and catering experts, Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake is set to become a go-to gathering place for a successful and stress-free event experience.
World of Hyatt Gives Members 500 Reasons to Stay Somewhere New
To provide World of Hyatt members even more ways to be rewarded, World of Hyatt is offering members the opportunity to earn 500 Bonus Points for qualifying nights at Hyatt Regency Changshu Kuncheng Lake, from November 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024, part of World of Hyatt’s new hotel member offer. Additional participating hotels and their offer stay periods can be found at worldofhyatt.com/newhotelbonus. No registration is required and members can earn on top of other offers.
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Travel Technology
Marriott International | October 09, 2023
Marriott International launches the Hospitality Alliance for Responsible Procurement to drive sustainability and supplier engagement in collaboration with EcoVadis.
HARP focuses on achieving Net Zero targets and sustainability goals by pooling resources and expertise to address common challenges in the hospitality sector.
The initiative utilizes EcoVadis' sustainability rating methodology and platform to increase supplier visibility and accelerate supplier performance improvement.
Marriott International, along with Accor, Hilton, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotel Group, Avendra, and Entegra, has launched the Hospitality Alliance for Responsible Procurement (HARP) in collaboration with EcoVadis.
HARP aims to accelerate sustainability practices within the hospitality sector by fostering collaboration among trading partners. By utilizing EcoVadis' sustainability rating methodology and platform, HARP seeks to enhance supplier engagement, drive performance improvement, and focus on key industry categories.
Chief Customer Officer at EcoVadis, Richard Eyram, stated that as companies aim to involve their value chain partners in sustainability initiatives, they come to understand the intricate nature and shared difficulties within their sector. The hospitality industry can maximize its collective influence through partnerships and collaboration across the industry. Through the consolidation of efforts, alignment of priorities, and the exchange of best practices, members of HARP can attain favorable results, leading the way toward achieving Net Zero targets and a more sustainable future for everyone.
The alliance addresses common challenges faced by the industry in achieving sustainability goals, with a particular focus on increasing supplier engagement and performance. By pooling resources and expertise, HARP members aim to work collectively toward Net Zero targets and a more sustainable future. It addresses these fundamental challenges confronted by its collective supplier sustainability programs, such as:
Increasing supplier engagement rate to increase supplier visibility, beginning with the supplier assessment.
Accelerating the performance improvement curve of suppliers.
Increasing the relevancy of those engagements by concentrating on the industry's most important categories.
HARP has implemented EcoVadis's sustainability rating proven methodology, scorecards, and improvement platform to attain these objectives. The EcoVadis Sector Initiative features are designed as a network compliant with antitrust laws and enable more efficient supplier enrollment, transparency, collaboration, and analytics. Together, these capabilities provide HARP with visibility over the sustainability performance of the hospitality supply chain and enable HARP members to align on the industry's top priorities. This results in a positive message to the supplier community and a more cohesive direction that allows targeted improvement.
HARP member suppliers will have access to additional capacity-building and engagement activities, as well as tools and best practices, in order to achieve this targeted development and meet the needs of the hospitality industry. Marriott and the seven HARP founding members collectively rated more than 2,000 suppliers upon the initiative's foundation. HARP intends to increase this number in order to obtain a deeper understanding of the sustainability performance of its supply chain and to maximize improvement.
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Travel Technology
HEI Hotels & Resorts | October 13, 2023
Courtland Grand Hotel, under HEI Hotel & Resorts, officially joins the esteemed Trademark Collection by Wyndham.
This collaboration integrates the hotel into Wyndham Rewards, with over 100 million members and enhances its reservation system.
The Courtland Grand Hotel's strategic affiliation with Trademark Collection by Wyndham reflects the brand's appeal to three- and four-star hoteliers, preserving their unique character.
Courtland Grand Hotel, a prominent hospitality investment and management company in a significant development, operated by HEI Hotel & Resorts, has formally joined the prestigious Trademark Collection by Wyndham. This strategic partnership seamlessly integrates the former Sheraton hotel into Wyndham Rewards, a highly acclaimed hotel rewards program boasting over 100 million enrolled members. It also grants access to Wyndham's robust reservation system, enhancing its reach and services.
Marilyn Yelle, the director of sales and marketing for the Courtland Grand Hotel, expressed,
"Joining the Trademark Collection by Wyndham affords us the best of all worlds, allowing the Courtland Grand Hotel to retain its independent allure while providing access to brand tools that ultimately benefit our guests."
[Source - Business Wire]
The hotel has been operating since 2017, and its affiliation is seen as both a celebration of independence and an essential step toward the continued mission of providing unparalleled guest experiences. The move also enables the hotel to pay higher commissions to third-party reservation partners and intermediaries, which is expected to further benefit the hotel's bottom line.
The affiliation of the Courtland Grand Hotel with the Trademark Collection by Wyndham underscores the brand's appeal to three- and four-star hoteliers seeking to leverage the scale and resources of Wyndham while preserving their hotels' distinctive character. Trademark Collection, a global brand, boasts over 185 hotels across nearly 25 countries, encompassing premier locations such as Atlanta, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Montreal, Berlin, Zurich, Athens, Istanbul, and other notable destinations.
The Courtland Grand Hotel, located in the heart of downtown Atlanta at 165 Courtland Street NE, has upheld an impressive four-star rating on TripAdvisor since 2016. Guest accommodations feature spacious layouts with floor-to-ceiling windows and convenient in-room refrigerators. The hotel boasts a range of appealing amenities, including a 24/7 fitness center and a picturesque garden courtyard with a heated pool covered by a retractable glass dome. Guests can savor American cuisine and specialty cocktails at Fandangles Bar & Restaurant or indulge in a delightful breakfast buffet at Collage. The hotel also presents an extensive event space, offering nearly 100,000 square feet, including two grand ballrooms and an expansive exhibit hall.
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