A barrage of blue and gold descended on Nanjing yesterday, as the city welcomed the opening of the iconic Kempinski Hotel, a celebration which pampered guests and the hotel’s own staff alike with the iconic chain’s legendary hospitality.
While Kempinski Nanjing will not open its doors until 1 October (another lucky day), it was 11:08 yesterday morning, 29 September, that was chosen for the cutting of, not a red ribbon, but a length of Kempinski blue silk.
Nice touch. Such is indeed the DNA of Kempinski, something which the hotel’s owners, AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) will be hoping can help bring them a competitive edge in Nanjing’s increasingly crowded five-star hotel marketplace.
While the morning’s opening and the following lunch that lavished staff, invited guests and dignitaries alike; think caviar and oysters; made for positive indications as to the hotel’s future performance, there remain challenges. Some will point to the hotel’s location, off Longpan Lu, in that which was a less-than-desirable part of the city, at least until the recent start of large-scale rejuvenation efforts, while others might believe Nanjing people’s unfamiliarity with the brand name to not bode well for Kempinski.
However, as a business location, Kempinski Nanjing could hardly be better positioned; halfway between city’s two railway stations and almost a stone’s throw from the airport expressway is a nice combination of connectivity.
Alvaro Rautenberg, General Manager of Kempinski Hotel Nanjing, commented, “Our unparalleled location right at the cultural heart of the city and minutes away from the central business district, together with our range of lifestyle offerings, make us the ideal choice for both business and pleasure, and we look forward to welcoming all guests to experience this new pinnacle of luxury in storied Nanjing”.
Kempinski is Europe’s oldest independent hotel group that started out in 1897 with the foundation of the Hotelbetriebs-Aktiengesellschaft in Berlin. In recent years, Kempinski has undertaken a period of growth, opening exciting destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas, albeit fairly slowly, unlike many other hotel chains. The brand believes in nurturing exclusivity, something which can hardly be done overnight, or anywhere.
Yesterday’s opening in Nanjing was therefore illustrative of Kempinski’s commitment to the long term. In Nanjing, that’s not just a good thing, it’s essential.
