Going places

A night view of the Renaissance Sanya Resort and Spa.

The lavish lobby of Renaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong. Provided to China Daily

Brand story| Renaissance

Renaissance Hotels offers trendy and new living for guests. Liu Weifeng reports.

Many hotels in the global hospitality market mainly target business guests, but Renaissance Hotels stand out with its luxuriousness accommodation and trendiness that allow guests to relax and invite them to taste, see, feel, sip, hear and try something different.

No matter where or why you travel, there's always something new to discover by visiting intriguing cities, participating in local activities and becoming an independent traveler, which is what Renaissance is all about. It's known as the "R-life", according to the brand's motto.

It appeals to passionate travelers in search of local discoveries when visiting for business or pleasure. Renaissance inspires its guests to find something new and different each time they stay.

It targets guests who feel confident and comfortable to seek more fulfilling travel experiences.

Renaissance, a subsidiary of Marriott International Inc, was rebranded in 2007 into a traveler's lifestyle brand and away from a business-oriented hotel chain.

Karl Hudson, multi-properties vice-president of Marriott International, Inc and general manger of the Renaissance Harbor View Hotel in Hong Kong, says the remodeling has received positive reviews that boost room occupancy rates and market share of the hotel in Hong Kong, although he doesn't provide specific figures.

Hudson enjoyed an extensive career working for the hotel business, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. He previously lived in Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shenyang, Cebu and and Sanya.

The veteran hotelier, with more than 24 years of experience, was named chairman of the Sanya Hotel Association in 2008 and appointed as an official torchbearer in Sanya during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He is exhilarated about the current phase of his career and enjoys living in the dynamic and iconic city of Hong Kong.

According to Jack Trout, originator and guru of "positioning"the key concept of strategic marketinghow one differentiates in the mind and finds a niche in the competitive market is pivotal to success.

Renaissance Hotels &Resorts is an upscale hospitality brand with more than 150 properties in 30 nations.

The prestigious chain welcomed several new "gems" to its global list of hotels, including the boutique Renaissance Malmo in Sweden, the historic Stanford Court in San Francisco, the exotic Renaissance Curacao Resort &Casino in the Dutch Caribbean, the opulent Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong and the modern Renaissance Beijing Capital.

These hotels join a portfolio, such as the Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach, La Concha Renaissance San Juan, Renaissance New York Hotel 57 and Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe.

China's tropical Hainan island has just welcomed the 507-room five-star Renaissance Sanya Resort &Spa, its flagship Asia resort in pristine Haitang Bay in Sanya.

The 140,000-square-meter resort occupies a prime location on a beautiful and unspoiled enclave for discerning travelers, which features 17 kilometers of sandy beaches surrounded by a rainforest, thermal mineral springs and spectacular diving spots.

As one of Marriott's newly relaunched five-star lifestyle brands, Renaissance Sanya Resort and Spa offers a wide array of special activities and entertainment to delight everyone from all ages and families.

R-Kids is a designer kids club for children up to age 12 with multiple indoor and outdoor themed entertainment zones dedicated to storytelling, a dance hall and arts and crafts area. The R-Cade recreation zone for the young at heart features a 10-pin bowling alley, private cinema, snooker and pool, table tennis, foosball, PS3, Wii, Xbox and PlayStations.

The resort's Presidential Suite, which is accessible by private elevator, offers more than 1,000 sq m of accommodation that includes four bedrooms, two swimming pools and a private dining room for 12 people with floor-to-ceiling windows

Sean Baskett, general manager of Renaissance Sanya Resort and Spa, says, lifestyle is about style, design and experience.

"We recognize our guests as having different preferences and we give them individual experiences," he says.

For the 41-year-old Australian veteran hotelier, China has always been a fantasy destination on his way to pursue hospitality career development.

"We're here to create a place for guests to find hidden treasures and pleasures, and I'm happy to be part of that," he says.

"I've got confidence that over the next couple of years Renaissance will bring about more intriguing activities".