There is a hotel that, once upon a time, no amount of money could get you a room.
Guarded with the utmost security, it was exclusively reserved for national leaders and international dignitaries. Over the years, it hosted legendary figures such as Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Henry Kissinger, Margaret Thatcher, and Lee Kuan Yew.
That hotel is Garden Hotel Suzhou, the only garden-style villa state guesthouse in Suzhou's urban area.
This Chinese New Year, Garden Hotel Suzhou saw an exceptional performance:
However, this approach is resource-intensive, requiring staff and facilities like ball pits or other play areas. Some Garden Hotel executives initially believed the hotel was ill-suited for family travel due to its older infrastructure and the high costs of renovating for child-friendly amenities.
In reality, most parents value quality time and meaningful interaction with their children. One parent shared:
This Chinese New Year, Garden Hotel Suzhou saw an exceptional performance:
- Full occupancy for 7 out of 8 days, with revenue up by 24.13% year-over-year, setting a new record for the holiday season.
- Restaurant revenue increased by 28.51%, hosting 68 banquet tables on New Year’s Eve—another historical high.
Adapting to the Times: A Commitment to Transformation
Amid waves of change, Garden Hotel Suzhou (referred to as "Garden Hotel") has embraced self-reinvention, investing significantly in its brand renewal. During visits to Garden Hotel, CBi China Bridge observed that the hotel already had a solid reputation for its foundational services, upheld by a team capable of delivering state guest-level hospitality. However, Garden Hotel’s General Manager, Fan Rong, emphasized that good service should not stop at a “five-star standard.” Fan explained:“Service shouldn’t just provide the basics—it should elevate. But because of aging infrastructure, employees are preoccupied with maintaining fundamental services. Without a framework for innovation, much of the elevated service remains only in imagination.”Garden Hotel's brand renewal centers on aligning with evolving consumer needs. Its core audience has shifted focus from scarcity to experience. The challenge: how to turn first-time visitors into repeat customers?
01 Redefining Family Travel: Beyond “Ball Pits”
Family travelers are an emerging force in the high-end hotel market. According to Ctrip’s 2023 Family Travel Report, family travelers account for 40% of high-star hotel users, with bookings up 121% year-over-year. Traditionally, hotels cater to families by keeping kids entertained while parents take a break—think ball pits where children expend their energy while mothers scroll on their phones nearby.
However, this approach is resource-intensive, requiring staff and facilities like ball pits or other play areas. Some Garden Hotel executives initially believed the hotel was ill-suited for family travel due to its older infrastructure and the high costs of renovating for child-friendly amenities.
In reality, most parents value quality time and meaningful interaction with their children. One parent shared:
“I don’t like scrolling on my phone at the playground. To me, the essence of family travel is spending time together.”True family travel is about building bonds between parents and children through shared experiences, particularly for overworked parents. As one hotel executive put it:
“Family travel isn’t about throwing kids into a ball pit. It’s about creating opportunities for meaningful connection and catering to parents’ cultural and aesthetic tastes.”Garden Hotel’s unique location and cultural heritage offer an unparalleled opportunity to meet these needs by combining education and entertainment. Two key services help create an immersive "Suzhou Learning Journey":
- “The Scholar’s Quest”: Partnering with local landmarks like Suzhou Confucian Temple and Sanyuan Archway, this experience lets children explore the “hometown of scholars” while appreciating Garden Hotel’s cultural scenery.
- Sanyuan Archway honors Suzhou scholar Qian Qi, who achieved top honors in Qing Dynasty imperial examinations.
- “Walking Tours of Garden Hotel”: Scholars host lectures and salons on Jiangnan culture, allowing children to connect with the spiritual essence of Suzhou gardens and learn about its rich history.
02 Retaining Guests: Beyond “Piling Up Benefits”
Garden Hotel experimented with loyalty cards and perks to retain customers. However, simply stacking benefits often yields limited results. Ask yourself: would a small gift make you choose a particular hotel? In today’s rapidly changing environment, consumers increasingly seek emotional connections with brands. For some, Garden Hotel is more than a hotel—it’s a place of personal resonance:“Every time I come here, I visit the gardens and marvel at the plants. It’s so beautiful. I even imagine retiring here.”Others find meaning in its heritage:
“Garden Hotel is full of interesting stories. There’s a bridge here—I’m sure it has a tale to tell.”Garden Hotel aims to go beyond being a service provider to become a co-creator of emotional connections with its guests. Emotional resonance fosters loyalty and strengthens brand attachment, driving cost efficiency for the hotel.
Initiatives to Foster Emotional Engagement:
- “Fan Day Events”: Engage “super fans” with exclusive perks while inviting them to pilot-test new offerings, boosting confidence and repeat bookings.
- “Inspiration Cultivation Program”: Build a repository of guest feedback on services and products. Reward contributions, deepening emotional bonds and enhancing guest satisfaction.
03 Jiangnan Lifestyle: Beyond “Cultural Symbols”
Garden Hotel aspires to embody Jiangnan culture and lifestyle. But what truly defines the “Jiangnan lifestyle”? Reflect on your last trip: did you bring back cultural experiences or just souvenirs? Previously, Garden Hotel relied on Jiangnan cultural symbols—offering gifts like Suzhou-style sachets or white magnolias as part of its welcome packages. However, CBi China Bridge discovered that Garden Hotel’s core customers are nostalgic “spiritual Suzhou residents” who cherish Suzhou’s tranquility, elegance, and leisurely charm.“The Jiangnan lifestyle isn’t about trinkets. It’s about the seasonal aesthetics and rituals of life. People come to Garden Hotel to escape urban noise and embrace Suzhou’s unique cultural atmosphere.”
Immersive Jiangnan Experiences:
To translate these sentiments into action, Garden Hotel introduced “Garden Hotel Twelve Hours,” an itinerary delivering a curated Jiangnan experience in a single day:- Morning: Guests start with refreshing exercises and meditation.
- Afternoon: Enjoy Suzhou-style afternoon tea and curated street tours.
- Evening: Night tours of the Master-of-Nets Garden and Kunqu Opera performances create a fitting end.
04 Competing in a Stock Market Era: How to Achieve High-Quality Growth
According to Houhai Platform data, competition among Chinese hotel brands is intensifying, with 940 mid- to high-end hotel brand adjustments in 2023—up 70% from the previous year. Garden Hotel’s transformation reveals a fundamental truth about high-quality growth in a stock-driven era:“When there’s no more land to expand, you must make the most of what you have. How do you cultivate your small plot and maximize its yield?”For businesses, this requires avoiding common pitfalls:
- Blind Innovation Without Leveraging Strengths:
- As GM Fan Rong put it:
“Rebranding, marketing, digitization, and service innovation must ultimately drive value. Otherwise, it’s just for show.”
- As GM Fan Rong put it:
- Misreading Customer Needs:
- Garden Hotel initially misunderstood family travel as child-focused. True insights come from systematic methodologies centered on customer needs.
- Neglecting Foundational Systems:
- Transformations need tools to connect scattered services into cohesive offerings.
- In 2023, the hotel surpassed ¥100 million in annual revenue for the first time in its 71-year history, achieving new highs in occupancy and room rates.
- It also earned the “Top 100 Hotel Quality Service in China” award.
