Swiss outlook keeps food focused

By Aubrey Buckingham  |   2008-7-5  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

WITH all the new hotels opening, it is a monumental task to stay ahead. The newly opened Swissotel Grand Shanghai is keeping a tight focus with its dining options, opting for refined elegance instead of grandiose opulence, writes Aubrey Buckingham.

With the slew of international hotels geared to open in the lead up to 2010, competition between them is undoubtedly bound to be fierce. Factor in the challenges posed by the existing incumbents and all of a sudden this seemingly large market looks very small instead.

When shooting for a piece of market pie, there are a number of ways of going about it.

The most obvious is the "bigger is better" strategy, but that requires huge pockets and immaculate taste without coming off as tacky.

With the muscle of massive brands like the Park Hyatt, the Jumeirah, the Aman-Peninsular joint project and not to mention the eagerly anticipated W Hotel hovering on the horizon, this fight could cost as much as the GDP of a small country.

The Swissotel Grand Shanghai has opted for the other tactic of setting itself apart by skipping the obvious.

The Jing'an District property has brought a dose of Northern European charm to Yuyuan Road by emphasizing functionality and maximizing space.

Less is more at the 479-room hotel.

The rooms may not be the largest in town but the Swiss touch means everything is built-in and unobtrusive.

The usual bells and whistles are a significant investment, and the Swissotel has it all - high-speed Internet, LCD televisions, meeting facilities, the lot.

Hardware takes a back seat to software as the staff are surprisingly well-trained even this early in the hotel's lifespan.

Even the lobby is far from grandiose. Tastefully done, it avoids the tackiness associated with modern hotels built by property magnates with more dollars than sense.