Darren Cher says Beijing is a "fantastic" place for his business. Lu Zhongqiu / China Daily

Hotel profile | Beijing

Ascott's 'service that touches the heart' concept gives it the edge when it comes to serviced residences. Zhang Zhao reports.

The winner of Best Serviced Residence Operator of China Hotel Starlight Awards for four years, Ascott China believes "service that touches guests' hearts" is one of its greatest advantages, says Darren Cher, regional general manager of Ascott North China.

As a world leading company of serviced residences, the Singapore-headquartered Ascott Limited provides service for both short stays of one or two nights, and extended stays from one to two years.

Unlike hotels, Ascott's rooms are designed like homes.

"Each of our units comes with a kitchen," Cher says. "It comes fully furnished, with all the amenities that you require in a home."

Attention to detail is evident when one looks at the fine furnishings in one of Ascott's luxurious apartments.

"Our service concept is very simple: Simply bring your luggage and come to Ascott - this is your home away from home," Cher says.

The 35-year-old manager says Ascott is "somewhere in between normal residential communities and hotels".

The three brands under the company - Ascott, Citadines and Somerset - target three distinct segments of the market.

Ascott, with its elegant and refined furnishings, targets the "C-suite senior executives and those who just like to be luxuriously pampered at home", he says.

Somerset features a warm and inviting feel, perfect for families. And Citadines has a vibrant design and bright colors.

Ascott staff members are trained to make the guests feel at home by offering customized service. There are various sport classes such as swimming, yoga, dance and tai chi.

It also celebrates festivals "from traditional Chinese ones such as Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, in addition to international ones like Halloween and Christmas".

"It's all about service that touches the guest's heart. It's what we call 'heartware'," Cher says.

Another reason for the success of Ascott is its "large geographical spread". Its portfolio spans more than 70 cities in more than 20 countries and regions in the world.

It has 36 properties across China, remarkable growth since establishing its first property in China, in Tianjin in 1998.

As the manager of 11 Ascott properties in Northern China, Cher says Beijing is a "fantastic" place for his business, as "the key gateway city of China is always buzzing with a lot of activities".

There are already six properties in Beijing, and plans for a seventh.

Cher believes Shenyang holds substantial potential, as the Northeast China city is attracting major international investors, including BMW and Bombardier.

All of Ascott's properties are trying to obtain green mark awards recognized by the World Green Building Council, which means the buildings are eco-friendly.

"In the interest of going green, we are willing to invest," Cher says.

This may lead to an initial cost increase, but Ascott "is confident to see returns at the end of the day." They also have a Go Green promotion for several months, under which customers go green with the company.