Celebrating the iDEALs of Shanghai life
Based on 218,600 votes cast by Shanghai Daily readers and users of shine.cn, the fifth iDEALShanghai Awards honored a total of 81 winners in 26 categories during a ceremony last Friday at the Shanghai Grand Theater.
The awards celebrated readers’ favorite luxury, business and designer hotels, serviced villas and apartments and gourmet and fashion brands.
Hotels from the cities of Hangzhou, Sanya, Suzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, Xiamen, Ningbo and Nanjing were also recognized.
All the winners are recognized for their unique merits, their quality service to customers, setting an example in their own industries and, more importantly, making a great contribution to the service industry in Shanghai and China.
The iDEALShanghai Awards, launched in 2012, aim to celebrate businesses and venues that have a close relationship with the city and its people. So, instead of a professional jury, the awards are chosen entirely by the public.
The iDEALShanghai Awards are also a platform for introducing Shanghai and China to broader audiences and drawing readers and the newspaper closer together.
Winners sharing their experience:
Karen Jacobo, Director of Marketing, MercedesBenz Arena (Best Fashion Landmark)
"This year was very historic for us. We had very diverse shows, not just family shows but we went into sports events. We had the first NHL ice hockey game, an amazing NBA exhibition game with the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves and another inaugural sports event in the UFC Shanghai fight night. We also hosted the Alibaba double 11 countdown and the Victoria’s Secret fashion show, so we are just standing by our aim of becoming the busiest venue, not just in China but in Asia.
Our focus for next year is more sport, now that the Chinese government has invested heavily, as well with the Winter Olympics coming in 2022. It was very good to win the award as the Fashion Landmark of Shanghai. We’ve been partners with Shanghai Daily for a long time."
Clemens Hoerth General Manager, Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai (Best Luxury Hotel, Shanghai):
"Mandarin Oriental in every destination around the world is known for its legendary service. No matter how many new hotels enter the market, it doesn’t change our focus on creating a customer service-driven culture among our hotel team in order to keep our leading position among China’s luxury hotels. In addition, we shall continue to offer our guests world-class dining experiences, presented by two of the region’s most exciting chefs — Tony Lu from Shanghai and Richard Ekkebus from Hong Kong. Shanghai is an ever-changing city and there’s a hugely exciting new development at Harbour City, right on the doorstep of Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai.
We truly appreciate this recognition from Shanghai Daily’s team and readers. The prestigious award is testament to our continued commitment and dedication."
Mark Foxwell General Manager, Hyatt on the Bund (Best City View Hotel, Shanghai)
"The market here in Shanghai is very vibrant and competitive, there are certainly a lot of opportunities. For Hyatt on the Bund, one of our key points of differentiation is the quality and positioning of our food and beverage offerings, that we have been lucky to build a solid reputation for. Providing a nice experience in both our restaurants and also in events and special occasions is very important to us.
We are looking at some new offerings and potential projects that will create some exciting new experiences at the hotel, and will continue to innovate and discover new ways to excite our guests.
This year has been a pretty solid year for us and has been a year of changes as well. What 2017 does show is that our North Bund location is quite vibrant and continuing to grow, and that’s always good."
Leo Leung, General manager, Hyatt Regency, Shanghai Wujiaochang (Best Business Hotel, Shanghai)
"We are honored and humbled by the award from Shanghai Daily. We prove no exception in enabling guests to revel in the finest personal service.
Next year will be a year of opportunities and challenges for Hyatt Regency Shanghai, Wujiaochang. As the first Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Shanghai, we always strive to deliver service in line with Hyatt standards. To meet and satisfy the rapid developments of the market and the requirements from guests, we are willing to in- novate, explore, and work to provide better service for the community and our guests.
To keep up with the market, we spread our culture and enhance our interaction with guests through various channels. We will also upgrade our products, creating a higher quality of lifestyle, service and experience."
Steven Yau, General Manager, Renaissance Shanghai Zhongshan Park Hotel (Best City View Hotel, Shanghai)
"Our hotel has a fantastic location which is directly linked by three Metro lines, this iconic building offers the panoramic city view.
In 2018, we are considering the renovation of some guest rooms to create a better hotel experience for our customers. Meanwhile, we’ll still move forward the Renaissance brand concept “Business Unusual.” Every stay offers unconventional programs that help business travelers discover rich local experiences. Moreover, Marriott International — the largest hotel group in the world — provides us great support in offering sophisticated services to meet the needs and expectations of our guests."