《大酒店》十二月封面故事：经典传承 扬帆远航 ——专访重庆来福士洲际酒店蒲克南先生

A Classic Sailing Boat to Future Success

——Exclusive Interview with Mr. Achim Brueckner,

General Manager of InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City

经典传承 扬帆远航

——专访重庆来福士洲际酒店总经理蒲克南先生

The city of Chongqing is a melting pot. The spectacular landscape earned it the name of the “Mountain City”, and the two rivers passing through carried it the fame of the “River City”. Clouds and mysterious fog surround this “City of Fog”. Summers last longer here, and winters are warmer. The landscape, the scenery, the specialties and the hospitality of its people have gained Chongqing great popularity among the younger generation and on social media. On August 1, 2020, the opening of InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City, the iconic InterContinental Hotels Group skyscraper hotel, unveiled yet another landmark in this attractive city.

Located at the prime spot of the Chaotianmen Square and in the center of the core Jiefangbei business zone, InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City enjoys the fantastic view of both Jialing River and Yangtze River, within easy reach to famous tourist attractions such as Jiefangbei and Hongyadong. “Chongqing is a highly-recognized tourist destination on social media. Our hotel is within easy walking distance to the shopping mall and scenic spots. The Chaotianmen Square right beneath us is full of cultural heritage. Meanwhile, the hotel itself is an architectural masterpiece. These factors attracted visitors and local residents to the hotel,” said Mr. Achim Brueckner, General Manager of InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City. InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City interprets the classic brand heritage of InterContinental and combines it with the trendy and fashionable atmosphere in Chongqing. “Localization is one of InterContinental’s brand characteristics. We believe guests visit a place to experience the authentic local culture, and thus we incorporated our understanding and interpretation of the local culture in our services and products,” Achim explained.

The architectural design of Raffles City Chongqing by the globally renowned architect Moshe Safdie and his design team was inspired by the landscape of Yuzhong Peninsula and the local culture of the “Mountain City”. Fitting the landscape of Chaotianmen Square, the team created a sailboat -shaped collection of eight skyscrapers at Chaotianmen, facing both the Jialing River and the Yangtze River. InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City is located right on top of one “mast” of this “sailing boat”, featuring a breakthrough arc-shaped structure, as if the “sailing boat” is breaking the winds and waves. “The Crystal, an enclosed 300-meter-long horizontal sky bridge that sits atop four of the eight buildings at a height of 250 meters, is the crown jewel of Raffles City Chongqing. Designed by Safdie Architects, Raffles City Chongqing responds to the city's character as well as its mountainous landscape and extreme climate. The project embodies a considered approach to issues of population density, community connectivity, and urban renewal within a highly developed city center,” Achim introduced.

Resembling the exterior design, the interior design of InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City also adopts the theme of sailing boats, incorporating elements of luxurious cruise ship cabins into its 380 luxury guest rooms and suites on the 44^th to 65^th floor. The curvy design brings an extra sense of comfort to guests. “All guest rooms and suites are river view rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the charming scenery of mountains, rivers and the city. In terms of facilities, we have customized leather items, Dyson hairdryer, Tivoli Bluetooth speakers and wireless charger, Nespresso coffee machine and smart TV system IHG Studio, among all our cutting edge offers to infuse destination stay experience with the luxury flair of the InterContinental brand,” Achim added.

Chongqing is a city of gastronomy, and InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City aims to woo the city with its selection of drinks and cuisines. During the interview, Achim introduced Sky Garden Restaurants & Bars. “When designing the concept of our restaurants, we wished to minimize the impression of hotel outlets by positioning our bars and restaurants beyond hotel dining rooms, they should be destinations that attract guests of their own. Sky Garden Restaurants & Bars on the 42^nd floor is located inside the magnificent Crystal, combining five restaurants and bars and featuring a real botanical environment at a height of 250 meters. Botanica replicates the atmosphere of picnics and outdoor gatherings with elements such as herbs, food trucks, graffiti and street lamps. Decorated with contrasting palettes of black and gold, turquoise and orange, Jing Dining Room & Bar presents authentic Cantonese cuisine and fusion dishes inspired by local flavors and spices specially crafted by former Executive Chef of Hakkasan Shanghai, Jeff Tan, plus an extensive wine and cocktail menu. Wine, whisky and cocktail drinks are available for guests at The Maven, along with Mediterranean nibbles and gourmets. Horizon offers an amazing view of the Chongqing skyline for guests enjoying an afternoon tea time. ”

With a wealth of over 30 years of experience in hotel management across the globe, Achim understands luxury the way it should be. For Achim, luxury service should go beyond simply applying high-tech facilities, but to be around, considerate, attentive, and always go an extra mile. “InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City embodies True Hospitality, sharing knowledge and taking care of guest to turn a stay into an experience. We are committed to embrace the local culture whilst exceling in our brand hallmarks to create personalized services for our guests,” Achim said. In his philosophy of delivering great guest experience, Achim attaches great importance to team work. During the interview, Achim shared his insights in team management, “Empowering and communication are important facets of team management. I encourage my team to improve communication across departments through meetings and team building activities, ensuring that every individual understands our current goals and priorities. We practice problem handling in scenarios and I encourage my team to make decisions independently. Every mistake, as long as it is reflected upon afterward, will be fundamental to making the next right decision. As our team has members from all over the globe, smooth communication and effective decision-making are essential to us.”

The year 2020 had been quite eventful against careful planners’ wishes. “Our opening was originally planned in the beginning of this year. Due to the pandemic, we delayed the opening till August, and still have half of the rooms and few restaurants yet to open,” said Achim on the impact of the pandemic. Yet changes are accompanied by surprises. “We knew we had to drive F&B, and that remained our strategy throughout. We were especially mindful of the needs and wants of the locals, and we did numerous research on how to cater to the taste buds of a city with such a distinct gourmet culture, eventually in our Sky Garden Restaurants & Bars, we made sure we have something for everyone. With the social media influence and smooth recovery of Chongqing, we had a fairly smooth start. Since overseas travels are limited and domestic city tourism is booming, our hotel easily became a prime choice for tourists.” In fact, the opening of InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City has been a proven success, the sailing boat that is InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City will certainly ride the waves and winds towards a bright future.