Managing A Green And Healthy Hotel In Beijing

China Hospitality news recently interviewed David Wang, the general manager of The Radegast Lake View Hotel. The holder of an EMBA from the University of California, he has had many years of experience in senior marketing and hotel management roles with Tianlun International Hotels, the managers of the Radegast.

What is your vision of the future development of the hospitality industry?
The key development trend in the hotel industry is the focus on theme hotels. To be competitive in the market a product must be diferentiated from others. As far as the concept of theme hotels is concerned, I believe that a person's health depends not only on one's physical well-being, it is also closely associated with a variety of psychological, social, and environmental factors. People care about their heath: especially frequent travelers. Although as a hotel we cannot provide hospital-standard medical treatment, we are dedicated to offering our customers a healthy environment, healthy food, and health orientated services, as well as some fresh ideas about maintaining one's health through a perfect integration of health and fashion.

The Radegast Lake View Hotel has a prime location. What makes the hotel special?
The Radegast Lake View Hotel is an investment of the People's Medical Publishing House, with abundant resources and a great cultural heritage. By purchasing and using environmentally friendly products from start to finish, and serving our customers a variety of healthy cuisines in our Green Restaurant, we confirm our commitment to health from tip to toe.

The Radegast Lake View Hotel is managed by the Tianlun International Hotels. It includes an international exhibition center and a 5-A office building. Located on Beijing's Southeast Second Ring Road, and neighboring the Beijing Antique City, as well as the famous Longtan Lake Park with its wonderful natural landscape and great cultural atmosphere. The hotel is easily accessible: a five-minute drive from the central business district, a 10-minute drive from Beijing Railway Station, and only a 40-minute drive from Beijing Capital International Airport. Also being a heath-themed which us different, and stand out of the crowd.

What exhibition services does The Radegast Lake View Hotel offer?
Our Conference and Exhibition Center offers more than 8,000 square meters of conference and event area: including the Harmony Grand Ballroom, the magnificent Conference Hall and 22 meeting rooms. The center is equipped with facilities for simultaneous interpretation, tele-conferences, a professional projection booth, WiFi access, electronic meeting displays, new-generation lighting systems, and the latest audio-visual systems. It is the ideal venue for large international conferences, special dinners, theme banquets, business meetings, and social events.

Dining can directly affect our health. What does the hotel feature in this respect?
The Radegast Lake View Hotel features a number of themed restaurants. The Green Restaurant has specialized herbal cuisines that are made by developing new cooking methods to organically blend fresh herbs with traditional Chinese food, giving you a unique dining experience based on the ancient Chinese medicinal theory "On the Holistic Principles of Medicine and Food". The Royal Chinese Restaurant provides authentic Cantonese cuisine and fine local cuisine by a famous chef from Hong Kong. With traditional Chinese style decoration, the China House offers an elegant environment for its customers to explore typical Chinese culture such as the lyre, chess, books, and paintings: while enjoying great Chinese teas. On the top floor, the Radegast Executive Lounge presents a variety of culinary styles and the finest ingredients, where customers can observe Longtan Lake Park's wonderful natural landscape. Guests can enjoy private gatherings of friends and organize a variety of high-level social activities.

Some observers of the hospitality industry feel that supply has exceeded demand in the Beijing hotel market. What are your views on this?
A key factor is how to meet the personalized requirements of our customers. There is still a lot of room to develop special themes for hotels. As a health-theme hotel, our aim was to provide a healthy experience, organic cuisine, and comfortable conference conditions. Excellent service had always been our long term goal.

Do you think that health-theme hotels are a trend for the future?
As a result of the emphasis on sustainable development, people today are pursuing a healthy and green lifestyle, embodying environmentally friendly and low-carbon activities. From the 2008 Green Olympics to the low-carbon lifestyle in 2000, a high-quality and healthy lifestyle has attracted more attention than ever; and with the rapid growth of the nation's overall economy, the demand for hotel services is no as longer simple as what it was in old days: it will become more diversified and focused. The reform of China hotel industry is progressing quietly.