VIP Executive Floors home: a world apart

Inspired by airline lounges and premium classes, executive floors first appeared in the early 1980s, before spreading rapidly throughout the top-of-the-range hotel sector to meet the growing demand for exclusivity. "The idea is practically to create a hotel within a hotel".explains Xavier Le Ru, who runs the Radisson Blu Ambassador in Paris. Although these floors are often distinguished by a particular decoration, their character nonetheless reflects the spirit of the establishment. For example, the Fairmont Gold area of the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston remains faithful to the classicism typical of this very New England hotel. The lounge and its library with fireplaces, wood panelling and mouldings recall the atmosphere of the nineteenth-century mansions on Bacon Street, with the addition of high-tech equipment. Breakfasts and snacks are prepared in a real family kitchen, modelled on what is done in the big houses on the other side of the Atlantic, all in immaculate white... A real American dream.

 

 

In a more contemporary style, the Starwood Hotels & Resorts group has called on Jean-Philippe Nuel to redesign the 369 rooms on the three executive floors of Le Méridien Étoile in Paris. The décor is resolutely designer and high-tech, combining shades of black, white, grey, brown and yellow. The use of white leather and precious woods - Macassar ebony in particular - contrasts with the chrome-plated, bubble-round light fittings. The contemporary aesthetic is also enhanced by subtle ambiences, indirect lighting and a resolutely intimate light. The layout of the wall-mounted units frees up the space in the bedroom, and the modularity of the equipment allows each guest to make the space their own. For example, one of the bedside tables doubles up as a multifunctional table, and the footstools can be used as additional seating or as suitcase rests.

The atmosphere is more subdued at the Hilton Arc de Triomphe. In the lounge, the dark mauve velvet of the armchairs blends elegantly with the black marble of the tables. A little further away, there's a lounge area where you can enjoy a relaxed drink, just like at home. Unless you prefer the TV room... "Beyond the choice of design, fitting out an executive lounge is always a tricky business. You have to know how to combine aesthetics, atmosphere, comfort and practicality. The tables, for example, have to be designed for serving breakfast, but also for working".says Jochem-Jan Sleiffer. When it comes to services, guests are entitled to an infinite number of little extras: free WiFi in the room, different welcome products, late check-out, breakfast included, limousine service for travel between the hotel and the airport, etc. Some establishments, such as the Banyan Tree in Bangkok, also make meeting rooms available free of charge - for a few hours - to their guests. This is enough to cover the €50 to €90 difference from the price of a standard room, depending on the chain. "In the dedicated lounge, you can also entertain a guest at no extra cost, as drinks and the buffet are free".adds Tareq Bagaeen, Sales and Marketing Director of Banyan Tree Bangkok.

However, not everyone can access these floors. Only Executive Room guests can select these floors by inserting their key card into the lift control panel. This security measure is particularly reassuring for women travelling alone.

For business travellers used to working in their rooms, it's always nice to have an extra place to relax. Especially when you spend more than 200 nights a year in the hotel. If the lounge was created for this purpose, today hoteliers are adding a high-tech touch to it. Sheraton, for example, is in the process of investing over 100 million dollars (80 million euros) to give new impetus to its 120 club lounges around the world.

 

 

Prior to this rejuvenation, the interior architecture had not really been well planned; televisions were outdated and WiFi was not always available. Now, most of the new lounges offer a better view. The services on offer have been upgraded, with, for example, the presence of a dedicated butler, a wider choice of drinks and catering, as well as free internet, colour printers and flat-screen TVs. And sometimes even gaming tables.

 

Conversely, when he started to review his VIP floors, Le Méridien Étoile has decided to dispense with the lounge. Guests on the executive floors have to make do with access to the PCs provided on each floor, while having access to the Open Studio, which offers computer workstations. This area also has a relaxation zone where room service can provide refreshments or snacks on request. However, this service is not free of charge.

And here, there's no question of checking in or having breakfast in the Open Studio... "We have split up the services. Guests no longer need a dedicated receptionist and check-in is now done in the lobby, at a separate desk aligned with the reception counter. Breakfast, on the other hand, is served in the hotel restaurant, in a reserved area".explains Flavio Bucciarelli, Director of European Development at Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Officially, the aim is to improve the flow of business travellers: "the most important thing for them is to save time".he continues. But when this new concept was launched in 2009, the hotel manager admitted that the choice was also an economic one. Because, in the midst of the crisis, the hotel wasn't sure it could make a dedicated lounge profitable.

 

 

A fear that Asian hoteliers do not seem to be aware of. In Beijing, for example, they are no longer creating a hotel within a hotel, but a hotel alongside a hotel. In the Chinese capital, the Valley Wing - the Hong Kong group has named the executive part of this establishment, but in other hotels it is called Horizon Club - has its own Chi spa, as well as its own restaurant, the Blu Lobster, which serves extremely refined Western cuisine, accompanied by a menu of the best Bordeaux wines.

 

So what will these more than perfect floors look like in the future? The emphasis should continue to be on increasingly efficient workspaces with, why not, a part of the lounge where videoconferences can be organised. The notion of well-being will also be important, if this is not already the case. Some large aircraft could equip their VIP floors with fitness centres or offer their customers dietary menus. More than enough to recover from jetlag.