by Joachim Fischer, today at White Swan Hotel, Guangzhou, China
On one of the most beautiful area´s in Guangzhou, the busy City in South China, on the fabulous Shamian Island, overlooking the splendid Pearl River with a breathtaking view, the 5-Star White Swan Hotel is truly an oasis of elegance and tranquility. With 843 rooms and suites, nine gourmet restaurants, 2.500 qm state-of-the-art meeting and exhibition spaces, comprehensive business service, a full range of health and recreational facilities, not to forget the friendly and professional staff, the hotel is the right place for business and pleasure.
The new White Swan Group Limited been born under the witness by the dean of The Guang Dong National Capital Committee – Mr. Liu Fucai. This event becomes the signal for the changing of White Swan Hotel from a single hotel to a multi-business group.
White Swan Hotel is the first five stars hotel which invested by both domestic and foreign capital and also the first hotel been joined into “The Leading Hotels of the World” in mainland China. As a landmark of China’s hotel industry, White Swan Hotel combines both the Chinese and Western management way to create a unique style for high standard service.
The General Manager Mr. Huang Yingcong introduced the new thinking, the new path and the new actions for White Swan Group in the future on the ceremony of White Swan Group come into existence, which can be detail into three points: “Improving the hotel management ability and spread out the new range of projects. Second: The brand new consideration of fitment renovation and the plan of building White Swan Pool CBD. Increase the development skills, optimize the service and increment “White Swan” brand. Make the hotel group industrialization step by step“.
The new group is planning to manage own but also not owned hotels in different regions in China. They are also like to bring International Tourism-and Hotel management to China. And in the future it should be possible that this Group will also extend their activities overseas.
The flagship is the existing White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou. Jointly invested by the Guangdong Provincial Government and Henry Fok Ying Tung´s Hong Kong Wai Cheung Development Co., the White Swan Hotel opened in February 1983 as the first joint-venture deluxe hotel in China and the first one conceived, constructed and managed entirely by local Chinese. In 1985, it was accepted by “The leading Hotels of the World” as the first Chinese member of this prestigious hotel organization.
In 1990, it became one of the first three 5-star hotels in China. In 1996, the Hotel proudly topped the list of “The best 100 Hotels and the 50 Top Star Hotels in China”. In 1999, a survey off “Fortune Magazine” (Chinese Edition) voted the Hotel as one of “The Most Admired Foreign Invested Companies in china”. 2000 Asia-Hotels.com selected the Hotel as one of “The Best hotels in China”.
For years, the Hotel has always been voted “The Best Hotel in Guangzhou” by dozens of prestigious international publications including “ The Asian Wall Street Journal”, “ Institutional Investor”, “Asia Money”, “Business Traveler” (Asia-Pacific Edition) etc..
Over the past 27 years, with its staff´s unremitting commitment to excellence and perfection, the White Swan Hotel has successfully developed a scientific management system that combines the western management experience with China´s realities, thus established a remarkable brand name of the Chinese hotel industry. As the centerpiece of luxury hotels in Guangzhou, the hotel has been the designated residence for hundreds of visiting state heads and dignitaries, including Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, former US Presidents Richard Nixon and George Bush. Its elegant gardening setting and impeccable service have won the Hotel unanimous acclaim both at home and from abroad.
With the completion of the joint-venture contraction February 2003, the White Swan Hotel is now a property entirely owned by the Guangdong Provincial Government and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Guangdong Province performs the responsibility as the investor of the Hotel.
Not only many Athletes, Visitors, Media and VIP´s from around the world will love the newly rebuild colonial style houses and the green area with Garden and River around the hotel on the Island during their stay in the hotel for the Asia Games in on month.
The White Swan Hotel is also well-known for the fine cuisine and kitchen, the catering service is doing Airline First Class Catering and serves special Events. In the Hotels River Garden Coffee shop the hotel is organizing special food festivals. Today you will find real Oktoberfest beer from Munich, German Schnitzel and Pork Knuckle.
The White Swan Hotel has a large variety for the daily buffets. The Guest can start the Day with a Breakfast Buffet which has a very big western part and traditional Asian delishes. A specialty – and not so many hotel´s in the world can offer this – at the Lunch buffet the Hotel offers black and red caviar – like all buffet´s “all you can eat!”
Also the Dinner buffet’s at the hotels River Garden are well-known and not only for Gourmet´s also for the eyes and many picture shootings produced.
A special and elegant service since the start of the Hotel is the fleet of Limousines, Cars and Coaches not only for the Guests.
The Lobby with the waterfall from the fourth floor is like a small tourist spot on the Shamian Island. Thousands of Chinese People and Foreigners have done their Souvenir pictures there. And this point is also well-known for marriage picture and Fashion Photo shoots. Mostly every month is The White Swan Hotel also the Location for TV- and Movie shots.
