"Live in Beijing, live with Jazz and your beloved ones." The newly appointed general manager of the St. Regis Beijing, Derek Flint, is in Beijing for the second time. In 2008, the year of the Beijing Olympics, he unveiled the Ritz-Carlton Beijing Financial Street, adding to the impressive list of luxury hotels in this historical capital.
Thirteen years later, Flint returns to helm the very first St. Regis brand hotel in Asia —— the St. Regis Beijing. Prior to this appointment, Flint accumulated in-depth understanding of the brand by successfully opening the St. Regis Hong Kong, receiving the prestigious Forbes 5-star hotel ranking after only eight months of operation and obtaining the highest guest satisfaction rate among luxury hotels in the Asia–Pacific region.
Flint has 30 years of experience in managing luxury hotels, and Beijing will be another storied chapter in his career. He started in the hospitality industry at the Ritz-Carlton New York and later served as executive assistant manager of rooms at the Four Seasons Cliff, the Park Hyatt and the Campton Place hotels in San Francisco before re-joining Ritz-Carlton, where he has stayed for the last 22 years operating hotels in both North America and Asia-Pacific. In 2008, he was nominated as "Top General Manager of a Luxury Hotel / Resort Worldwide" for the Luxury Travel Advisor's Award of Excellence.
Flint's educational background is in psychology, with a degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He therefore is able to understand the feelings of customers and hosts at critical moments. At the beginning of his tenure, he is making every effort to build relationships with customers and hosts by starting each day with an affable, warm-hearted greeting and an inspirational message.
To handle the changes caused by COVID-19, Flint has made efforts to meet the psychological demands of consumers. Prior to Spring Festival and in accordance with government instructions, Flint and his team worked out two room packages to meet consumer's demands: "Family Tradition —— Cute Egyptian from British Museum", which is designed for families, includes breakfast and dinner for parents and one child. The package also features free access to natural hot springs, the swimming pool and the fitness center. The second package: "The Art of Celebration – Blue Note Chocolate Trio" is designed for young couples and features jazz elements. The "Blue Note Chocolate Trio" afternoon tea on Valentine's Day also includes two glasses of Mumm champagne. Red packets from both Blue Note Beijing and APM Wangfujing will also brighten guests' day.
Jazz is one of the St. Regis brand traditions. Dating back to early 20th century, the St. Regis New York played host to some of history's most beloved jazz greats, such as Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Even today, when you step into the lobby of the St. Regis Beijing, often jazz is being performed by a professional pianist.
During Spring Festival and throughout March, together with Blue Note Beijing, the St. Regis Beijing will create a soothing atmosphere with jazz in the heart of this capital city. Flint said: "Music rises where language ends. Being a hotelier, we will try our utmost to make every stay a memorable and inspirational experience. The St. Regis Beijing is the address for international luminaries and connoisseurs, and we look forward to having our luminaries repeat stays with us, time and time again."
