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KONGRES MAGAZINE REPORT

Behind the scenes Secret life of Park Hyatt Vienna

Writer: 'ORAZD�²AD�Photo: Kongres Magazine & Park Hyatt Vienna

PrefaceIntterview with Monique Dekker – General Manager at the Park Hyatt Vienna and presentation of Vienna’s Iconic New Face. When in 1855 Anshelm von Rothschild founded the Bank CrediAnstalt he probably did not think that the neo-classical building would one day be a hotel. At one time the largest Austro-Hungarian Bank, a mighty bank building was built from 1913 to 1915 at the renowned location. Today, the prominent building has been renovated into a superior hotel of the legendary brand in one of the top spots of the city: the Golden Quarter. The hotel is surrounded by a street of prestigious shops and historical sites. We had the opportunity to be among the first to get behind the scenes to look at the hotel and to present you with the (heart) rate of this re- markable temple of hospitality.

»WE TRY TO MEET EVERYONE’S EXPECTATIONS; IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE IF IT’S LEISURE OR BUSINESS OR A MEETING.«

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Exclusive interviewExclusive interview

Q: To get us warmed up could you tell us a little bit about your background and the aspect of your career of which you are most proud?Every moment of my career was very special as you work your way up the ladder; you progress, learn new things and develop yourself. The opening of the Hyatt hotel in Dusseldorf was a great experience for me, as was the hotel here. I can’t really say that I am proud of one particular area - I am proud of my whole career and how as a young general manager I’ve been able to do some pretty exciting things.

Q: What inspired you to take on a career in the hotel industry?My grandparents on my father’s side were both in the restaurant business - my grandmother had her own bar and my grandfather was working in a very nice upscale restaurant in Holland. I kind of grew up in that part of the business and knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a general manager.

Q: What are the challenges of opening a new hotel in Vienna? How does it differ from the rest of Europe? I think the biggest change here was that because we have four other Hyatt hotels we had a support system, so many of the things were either pre-pared beforehand - just like all of the work laws and tech requirements - and we didn’t have to focus on that. Here being the first Hyatt hotel in Austria, however, we had to start from scratch, learn all about the local laws and tech rules and also the local environment. We had to under-stand what kind of customers are here and to make sure that people know what the Hyatt is, because as a new hotel you have to promote your-self, firstly as what we are, who we are and what we want to achieve. It was a challenge, but that was just another set of tasks.

Q: Can you explain a little more about the branding, as you are of course familiar with all of the Hyatt brands?We have about 534 hotels worldwide in differ-ent categories, so you have Park Hyatt that is usually a little smaller and more luxurious with a personal touch. Than you have Grand Hyatt, which is bigger and has larger function spaces. Hyatt Regency is basically the core of the brand and most of the hotels are in this category. It is focused on business with large function spaces.

We also have Andaz, which is a small boutique hotel; there is a very nice one in Amsterdam at the moment. Each of these hotels ‘speaks’ to a differ-ent customer or a different purpose for traveling. Park Hyatt here really fits with the city and the surroundings.

Q: Do you have some more expansion plans in Central and South-Eastern Europe?Absolutely! Nothing concrete at this moment, but of course New Europe is not just for you - it’s also for us. We have a big development team in Zurich and they are definitely looking for other opportunities, where exactly I don’t know, but they are talking to developers. If it is the right match of the right location and the right proper-ty, the right owning company and the structure of the management contract, they will definitely be interested.

Q: Your partners are the most demanding congress clients and guests. What is it like to work with them and having to meet their needs?I think at this level of high luxury in Hyatt, I don’t believe there is a difference between a meeting client and a normal guest, because they just have very high expectations of what the meeting room, restaurant or the spa will be like. We try to meet everyone’s expectations; it doesn’t make any dif-ference if it’s leisure or business or a meeting.

Q: Do you consider that price is associated with a sense of quality? Are you of the opinion that the wealthier guests decide on the basis of how high the price is?Our price is for sure at the top level in Vienna and also within Europe. I think if you look around you at the quality of the design, the materials, the amount of staff members per guest room, the attention to detail, the amount of FB possibilities, that in the meeting rooms we don’t serve regular meeting food but try to give food that compares to the food in our luxury restaurants - I think if you compare the price to the quality then the price is right.

Q: Vienna is now virtually omnipresent in the international meetings market through the Vienna Convention Bureau (VCB). How would you assess the current function of the VCB?We have very good connections with the Vienna Convention Bureau; it is the only way to have a well-functioning hotel. Of course they play a part

with the Vienna Tourism Board as well. For me it was very important to go there right away and meet the people and start introducing the hotel. Over a year we established a really good relation-ship with them and I think they are doing a pretty good job promoting Vienna and the opportunities for having meetings or conventions in Vienna. It is a good partner for us and for all the other hotels.

Q: What is the co-operation like at the desti-nation and what is it like for major candida-cies when the entire destination has to work together? Are you satisfied with the broader promotion? I think we are very lucky in this environment; of course we have competitors in the 5 star luxury category, but each of the hotels are very different and for everybody that comes there is something there.. Fortunately in this 5 star environment we don’t have hotels that are similar in their struc-ture, style and what they offer. We are competi-tors, of course, but we are also working togeth-er very closely; we have a very good group of general managers to attract new guests to Vienna and to work together to make and keep Vienna attractive.

Q: What is your favourite place in Vienna and why? My favourite place is probably right here!

Q: What do you personally love about Vienna? I haven’t really had time to explore Vienna that much, but I like the city, because it is very diverse - you have lots of history, but also lots of modern and new things happening. It’s a great mixture of cultures and you can see that everywhere when you walk on the streets. It is also very livable and safe. Fifteen minutes out of the city and you can find wine producing areas and lots of greenery. It’s perfect!

Q: Is there a particular aspect of the hotel that you think captures the essence of the city of Vienna?Well, you have seen all of the function spaces and I think that the function spaces themselves repre-sent the original or the way it used to be and are not something you see in most places. A lot of love for detail went into that area, combined of course with a very state of the art technology. You really get the feeling that you are in Vienna when you are at a meeting.

NEW EUROPE IS NOT JUST FOR YOU - IT’S ALSO FOR USInterview with Monique Dekker – General Manager at the Park Hyatt Vienna

Text by �*RUD]G�ÃDG

Behind the ScenesBehind the Scenes

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When in 1855 Anshelm von Rothschild founded the Bank CrediAnstalt he probably did not think that the

neo-classical building would one day be a hotel. At one time the largest Austro-Hungarian Bank, a mighty bank building was built from 1913 to 1915 at the renowned location.Today, the prominent building has been renovat-ed into a superior hotel of the legendary brand in one of the top spots of the city: the Golden Quarter. The hotel is surrounded by a street of prestigious shops and historical sites. We had the opportunity to be among the first to get behind the scenes to look at the hotel and to present you with the (heart) rate of this re-markable temple of hospitality.

As the building is monumentally protected, the architectural bureau of Neumann & Partners had a challenging task to renovate the outside and the interior of the hotel and address a number of its interesting details. The result is an unusual and elegant hotel, which has nothing resembling the ‘prêt-a-porter’ hotels. Each and every detail is carefully designed, renovated and packaged into a new function. In the zone where bank officials used to sit behind countertops is today an elegant restaurant, the Bank, with free flow cuisine. Perhaps the best embodiment of the story of the hotel is the spa centre Arany, which connects the hotel with its banking history. Set in the former bank vault it is unique among hotel spas. The 15-metre swimming pool gives you the feeling that you are floating above

PARK HYATT Vienna’s Iconic New Face

Photo credits PARK HYATT

Living Room Cigar Lounge, photo Hyatt Bel Etage Foyer, photo Hyatt

Behind the ScenesBehind the Scenes

kitchen, cannot hide his fascination with modern technology, in particular being especially proud of the furnace, in which a variety of desserts and other dishes are created in front of the guests.

The very youthful team at the front desk has had several months of training, and hence it is acting in tune, friendly and professional. Philipp Fleming is the one to whom the guests’ comments come first. About a month after the opening of the hotel he reads us an e-mail of guests who were impressed by the reception. Not only did he welcome them kindly and help them settle in to the hotel, even when they accidentally met in the street he was equally helpful and friendly.

In a hotel such as the Hyatt Park is different standards apply. If in an average hotel the time prescribed for cleaning rooms is 20 minutes, in this hotel it is 50 minutes. Certainly the prestigious materials, such as marble and parquet, require greater attention. As Philipp Fleming says, even in Vienna it is difficult to find enough staff with experience with cleaning of hotel rooms of the highest category.

For a long time the image of a man with a cigar in one hand and a glass of a well-selected drink in the other was a dream. For such a “mancation”, the Living Room, which awakens all the senses and is among the better stacked in Vienna, is ideal.

A unique blend of tradition and modernity. A temple of the best hotel aesthetics, which is essentially inti-mate, respectful of the history and sophisticated, and

not at all boastful. All of this has inspired us during the visit and we believe that the newly opened hotel has set new stand-ards in the regional hotel indus-try, where nothing has been left to chance

The advantage of the location is the proximity to the Vienna Kunstforum, where these days

you can fill the soul with the Eyes Wide Open photo-graphic exhibition of (the exhibition has finished on 13 July). A remarkable storyteller of timeless stories, just as is the case of the superior hotel, which we have enthusiastically experienced in Vienna.

Reception manager (Assistant Director of Rooms) Philipp Fleming, photo Kongres

Friendly maids, photo Kongres

»This is Old Viennese School at the highest level.«

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golden bars. The renovation has completely succeed-ed and it is the icing on the cake of Park Hyatt hotels’ worldwide philosophy - they are usually located in his-torically significant buildings with a ‘story’.

The special personal treatment of Hyatt standards starts upon entering the hotel. One soon feels this on one’s skin; a friendly concierge taking care of all the details and making a good first impression, profession-ally presenting technological solutions in an elegant hotel room. This is Old Viennese School at the highest level. The intelligent management of sophisticated devices includes a rarely seen gadget to electronical-ly control water temperature in the bath, with other gadgets offering complete electronic control of the room operating smoothly, intuitively and being gen-erally user-friendly. The luxurious minimalism, ele-gance, attention to detail and nice colour combinations delights - space in the room is sumptuously measured; just by touch all of the pieces of furniture can be felt to be of the highest quality and seem like they will last forever. Boutique cosmetics Blaise Mautin, which is only available in the Park Hyatt Hotels, aromatically rounds up the whole experience in the rooms.

Stability, energy efficiency and cutting edge equip-ment are only part of a complex story of the manage-ment of a hotel such as the Park Hyatt. As the head of maintenance engineer David Gnilka told us, a big chal-lenge was to establish an intelligent system for man-aging the hotel in a historical building, which would allow optimal use of energy. Given the built-in systems

the hotel is green and this part of the story is a part of the standard that guests today understand as a normal solution. Engineer Gnilka joined the hotel’s team only three months before the opening; before he had been already working in the Park Hyatt Hotel in Zurich and the Grand Hyatt in Dubai.

The innovation of the renewal is best noticed in the legendary congress hall, which after renovation is exactly as the original hall was; the super-modern digital technology is hidden in the background and one genuinely does not notice it. The renovation was particularly difficult, because the Not the building is UNESCO heritage, the first district in Vienna is UNESCO world heritage. Acoustics of the hall are top quality and certain technical solutions, such as in the fireplace hidden television, are stunning. Among the technical ‘pearls’ there is the possibility of streaming hire solution video in rooms, which allows for fol-lowing the meeting from hotel rooms. The team are looking forward to the first dance, where all the tech-nical superiority of the hall will come to full expression

Vienna at 5 o’clock in the morning: in the main kitchen of the Park Hyatt they are starting to prepare food based on local ingredients. Head Chef Stefan is checking local suppliers. One of the small details that will be noticed by guests at breakfast is the neatly packaged honey sourced from the Vienna surround-ings and under the brand name “Honey from Heaven”, with the signature of the beekeeper who produced it. Even the chef, who was involved in setting up the

The Bank Restaurant, photo Hyatt Hotel Lobby, photo Hyatt

Engineer in a technical area, photo Kongres

Chef Mr. Stefan Resch, photo Kongres

»The 15-metre swimming pool gives you the feeling that you are floating above golden bars.«

Behind the Scenes

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Behind the Scenes

Hotel Room, photo Hyatt Living Room Whisky Lounge, photo Hyatt

Bel Etage Foyer, photo Hyatt

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Behind the Scenes Behind the Scenes

PARK HYATT VIENNAAm Hof 2, 1010 Vienna, AustriaT: +43 1 22740 1234F: +43 1 22740 1235E: vienna.park@hyatt.comwww.vienna.park.hyatt.com

ACCOMMODATIONS• 143 luxurious rooms including 35 suites• Wireless and broadband Internet access• Telephone and voicemail• Multi-channel satellite television• Large working desk with chair• Easy control panel for temperature and lighting• In-room safe deposit box / drawer safe• Magnifying mirror• Large bathrooms with separate bath tub and rain

shower facilities• 100% cotton bath towels• Anti-allergenic pillows• Luxury bathrobes and slippers• Exclusive bathroom amenities• Hairdryer• Fully stocked personal bar / drawer bar• Dimmer lights

RESTAURANT, BAR & LOUNGE• The Bank• Pearl• Living Room—Whiskey and Cigar Lounge• Lounge

RECREATIONAL FACILITIES• Arany Spa, exclusive day spa retreat• Separate gym with latest Technogym technology

• Personal trainer upon request• 6 treatment rooms, including one couple treatment room• Various Massages and cosmetic/

beauty treatments• 15-metre swimming pool with relaxation area• Separate wet facilities with sauna, steam

bath, sanarium and vitality shower

SERVICES & FACILITIES• 24-hour room service• 24-hour Concierge service• Business / Communication Centre• Babysitting available by prior appointment• V.I.B. “Very Important Baby” service

for guests with children• V.I.D. “Very Important Dog” service –

Your dog is more than welcome• Laundry- and dry cleaning service

with return the same day• Airport limousine service• Manager on duty 24 hours• Sightseeing tours• Twice daily housekeeping service• Multilingual hotel staff• Valet parking service• Major credit cards accepted

POINTS OF INTEREST• Goldenes Quartier• St. Stephan’s Cathedral• State Opera House• Park & Castle Schoenbrunn• Town Hall• MUMOK, MAK, LEOPOLD, Albertina• Art History Museum & Cabinet of Curiosities• Natural History Museum

TRANSPORTATION• Park Hyatt Vienna offers easy access to Vienna International Airport by taxi or city airport train (CAT). The central train stations (Westbahnhof or Hauptbahnhof) are conveniently located just 10 minutes by taxi.

VISITOR INFORMATION• Language: German• Currency: Euro (EUR)• Electricity: dual voltage 220V / 110V• Visas: All EU and USA citizens can enter Austria with a passport or personal ID, for stays of up to 90 days. All other nationals should check with the embassy or consulate of the country of origin.

LOCATION• Park Hyatt Vienna, centrally located in the heart of the city within the most exclusive shopping district in Vienna, is just steps away from the most renowned fashion stores. The hotel offers easy walking distance to the city’s most famous opera house, historic monuments sights and museums.

Outside of the hotel, photo Hyatt

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KONGRES - EDITORIAL CALENDAR TOPICS AND DATES

CONVENTA DAILY January 2014

CONVENTA DAILY 1 - 2 Daily newspaper, which will be released during the Conventa trade show and which brings to exhibitors and invited guests daily news from Conventa.Space close: 13.12.2013 Materials due: 20.12.2013Delivery: 22. - 23.01.2014

SPECIAL ISSUE January 2014

CONVENTA 2014 Special edition, published as a catalogue of Conventa together with extensive destination presentations and presentations of participat-ing partners. In terms of content this is the most comprehensive overview of the meetings industry in the region of Southeast Europe.Space close: 13.12.2013 Materials due: 20.12.2013Delivery: 22. - 23.01.2014

SRING ISSUE March 2014

In Focus: ENERGY The uniqueness of your event is based on energy. The event can be quickly estimated as successful if it was just executed well and in line with the objectives. Effective are only a few events, which are the ones in which the flow of atomic congress energy is present, where par-ticipants become a part of the energy. In the spring issue we will highlight all the meetings industry topics related to energy.

Themed supplement: KONGRES GOURMET 2014Space close: 14.02.2014 Materials due: 21.02.2014Delivery: 28.03.2014

SPECIAL ISSUE May 2014

MEETOLOGUE 2014 In Kongres magazine we have been publishing since 2010 CONGRESS TRAVELOGUES, which were renamed MEETOLOGUES. International Congress buyers thus discover little-known European convention destinations. All existing travelogues of the NEW EUROPE will be issued in a special issue of Kongres magazine, which will be released prior to IMEX trade show. With high-quality editorial content, travelogues com-pletely replace the tedious and irrelevant cata-logues of meetings suppliers. Digital versions of MEETOLOGUES are currently the most read sections of the Kongres magazine.Space close: 11.04.2014Materials due: 18.04.2014 Delivery: 16.05.2014

SUMMER 2014 July 2014

In Focus: ENGAGEMENTFuture of meetings industry depends on un-derstanding the needs of new generations of congress participants who are looking for new different experiences. In the summer issue, we will explore what triggers positive experienc-es. To do this we must first build well, if we build events on authenticity, there is a good chance that we will initiate positive emotional reactions. We will present to you a few stories that are true, verifiable and relevant.

Themed supplement:ADVENTURE PARKS 2014 OUTDOOR VENUES 2014 Space close: 20.06.2014 Materials due: 27.06.2014Delivery: 25.07.2014

FALL 2014 September 2014

In Focus: “EDUTAINMENT”We live in a period of edutainment, where con-nection of educational content with entertain-ment has become a vital component of events. We will discuss how to use technology at your events for greater interactivity, what kind of innovations are offered on the market. We will re-open the dilemma of whether technology can replace personal contact.

Themed supplement: INNOVATIVE PEOPLE & EVENTSSpace close: 22.08.2014 Materials due: 29.08.2014 Delivery: 19.09.2014

WINTER 2014 November 2014

In Focus: ENTERTAINMENT Meetings industry is characterized by a mixture of professional and fun motive, but certainly the most important thing is companionship in their profession and communities. What are the trends, innovations, and what are the examples of good practice will be revealed in the last issue in 2014. Moreover, as an integral part of the magazine we will present a whole series of new ideas for organization of congress parties.

Themed supplement: KONGRES WAW - WINES AND WINERIES 2014, KONGRES HOLIDAY & PARTY GUIDESpace close: 18.10.2014 Materials due: 25.10.2014 Delivery: 15.11.2014

Kongres Magazine is far from being just a mag-azine. It is the only provider of integrated con-gress marketing communications, with which you can make effective dialogue with congress customers. Because we know what congress customers really need and how to ensure their long-term loyalty, we can make above-average, high-quality, relevant, independent, in-depth and interesting congress stories. In 2013 they will dedicate to you and your customers even more.

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