Plexiglas protecting the reception area, masked staff, gloves for those carrying luggage: nothing very glamorous in the sanitary measures needed to combat the current pandemic; not exactly in line with luxury hotel standards either. " It's a bit like the antithesis of our profession of hospitality. And yet, while these health protocols could be seen as a regression in the service, I think quite the opposite is true.says Jérôme Montantème, General Manager of Fauchon l'Hôtel Paris. Because they offer a real opportunity to go one step further with a tailor-made service. "
As part of its reopening on 1 July, the five-star establishment on the corner of Place de la Madeleine invites its customers to pre-register before they arrive. " This gives us a good reason to get in touch with them to gather all the necessary administrative information and limit formalities.says the hotelier. At the same time, we can introduce them to the rules in place to prepare their room, such as the sign on the door handle indicating that the room has been checked and that no-one has entered it since it was cleaned. Guests can also tell us whether or not they want us to have access to their room during their stay, or what time they want to have breakfast. All this was already in place, but we're going even further with the current framework. "And if visitors prefer to avoid contact with the public, they can dine in their room as they would in a restaurant, with the service of a private butler.
Upon arrival, hotel guests sporting the Fauchon brand will no doubt notice a modified welcome ceremony. While they will, as usual, be taken to the library to complete their check-in, they will complete the formalities themselves on the tablet presented by the staff. And while they will still be offered a welcome drink, the macaroons previously left permanently on the tables for the enjoyment of gourmets will now be offered to each customer individually.
A new methodology also governs in-room support. " You don't get in the lift with the customerscontinues the Managing Director. While one person shows them around the ground floor and explains the hotel's services, another goes upstairs and waits to guide them to their room. At the door, she asks whether or not the customer accepts whether we go in to show the room facilities or whether we have to stay outside. The same applies to the delivery of luggage - if the customer authorises us to carry it - which will be delivered by a gloved person after the handle has been disinfected. "All these measures will soon be recognised by Bureau Veritas certification, an important factor in the eyes of international customers.
Meanwhile, to prepare for its reopening on 1 September, the Bristol will be investing in a new disinfection portal for luggage. " We will also be installing decontamination mats at customer and staff entrances, as well as at goods reception.explains Luca Allegri, General Manager of the hotel. Everything that comes into the hotel is decontaminated, both to reassure guests and staff. Our 600 employees will also benefit from the presence of a nurse at all times. "
The Faubourg Saint-Honoré palace will also be adjusting its services in line with health requirements. " We adapt the measurements with tailor-made services. At the spa, for example, only treatment rooms with showers will be open, offering a private space for the patient.says Luca Allegri. On the other hand, while we are reducing the amount of fitness equipment, at the same time we are transforming some of our rooms into personalised coaching rooms. "Gel, masks, disinfection of rooms with a 24-hour gap between occupancies: good practice and barrier measures are naturally de rigueur. The hotel has also simplified check-in procedures, with pre-registration and, on arrival, direct assistance to the room. " La quality of service is something for which the hotel has received numerous awards, and we are working on an ever more personalised welcome and the creation of a unique experience. "says the hotel's director.
Unlike the Fauchon l'Hôtel Paris and the Evok Group establishments - the Nolinski, Sinner, Brach and Cour des Vosges, all reopened on 25 May - the major Parisian hotels such as the Bristol will have to wait until the summer. back to school to welcome customers. However, with the exception of Le Bristol, most luxury establishments have yet to announce a reopening date. With the US and Russian borders still closed, July's fashion weeks cancelled and holidaymakers longing for fresh air after months of confinement, business is unlikely to resume until September.
" As a result, we decided to take advantage of the summer to train our 600 employees in the new procedures, as well as continuing the major renovation work begun before the lockdown. "says Luca Allegri. From 1 September, the Bristol will offer a new suite, the Lumière suite, designed by Countess Bergit Douglas and her architectural firm MM-design, while the other signature suites will have been redecorated. At the start of the new season, the hotel will also unveil a completely redesigned garden. Planted with species mostly native to the Paris region, and requiring no chemical fertilisers or excessive watering, this a green spot in the heart of Paris was designed by landscape architect Lady Arabella Lennox Boyd". Trees, flowers and water attract the birds and insects that benefit a garden, and I've brought all these elements to the Bristol. The garden will be colonised by nature, offering that delightful feeling of being in the countryside. "she explains.
" When we chose to communicate the date of 1 September for our reopeningexplains Luca Allegri, we've received a plethora of messages from our customers encouraging us and, in some cases, making bookings. I'm fairly confident as regards the return of our business clientele, even if we can expect another difficult six months. After that, the recovery will depend on many things: the resumption of fashion weeks, the French Open, all the events that Paris has to offer, and of course a possible vaccine. " " If things return to normal, there's a good chance that business will return to pre-crisis levels. "says the hotel's director.
By reopening its doors on 1 July, the Fauchon l'Hôtel Paris will in a way occupy the ground until the competition arrives. " What prompted us to reopen was the business clientele brought in by the hotel's neighbouring offices.explains the hotel's general manager. We had requests from regular customers who wanted to come back. And today's customers are too precious not to be satisfied.. " Even so, Jérôme Montantème is not expecting to work miracles: " We may be in for a pleasant surprise, but attendance is unlikely to exceed 15% in July. "All the more reason to pamper your customersThe hotel, which has 17 suites out of its 54 rooms, will offer them a systematic upgrade, in addition to flexible arrival and departure times. The reopening of the hotel raises the Fauchon brand's profile, which has been marred by the receivership of its boutiques on Place de la Madeleine, even though the hotel is not affected by these measures and the hotel branch of the brand is waiting to be reopened. a second opening in Kyoto at the end of the year. A welcome boost in these difficult times.
