INTERVIEW: The rising star of Bliston Suwan Park View

How did you first get involved with Bliston Suwan Park View?

It all started eight years ago when I finished studying my Masters degree in Economics in the States. I came back to Thailand and family assigned me and my sisters to take care of the project. Our family had never worked in the hospitality business before – our background is in the textile business – so it was all very exciting.

I put myself to work right away. We and our shareholders consulted with many professional management companies and later decided to sign a five-year contract with leading management company, Ascott International.

During the time of the contract, my two sisters and I joined the team. I started off with a back office position as an assistant finance and account manager. Later, I was responsible for front office, house keeping, engineering, guest services and the maintenance department. Basically, I had roles in all major areas of hospitality management.

At present, I am the property’s resident manager so I take care of both back office and front office. These two are different. Working in the front office is about customer satisfaction, while the back office is about budgeting, revenue planning, marketing, revenue, and human resources. I’m in charge of making sure everything is in the right place and expanding our business at the same time.

Really, we’re not just a hospitality company, but we’re more now a management company, a developer and an investor. And we do take things seriously in this real estate business. It is a challenge and I really enjoy it.   

The Sukhumvit area is very competitive for hotel trade. What are your marketing strategies to ensure the hotel is a success?

Our priority is customer satisfaction. There are fewer loyal customers these days as they no longer stick to one brand. People are now more concerned with finding the best deals. Because of this we’ve decided to focus on going beyond customers’ expectations by giving them great value for money. And I have to say that this strategy has worked: over 50% of our guests are return customers.

Second, we use the benefit of the location as one of our marketing tools. We’re located in the heart of Bangkok and close to BTS Skytrain, so guests can easily make their way to shopping areas and attractions around town. Last but not least, our product sells itself. We offer spacious rooms well-equipped with modern facilities and amenities. And our services and hospitality are exceptional.  

In general, I believe that most hotels and serviced apartments in Bangkok all offer the standard services a guest could expect. But what we have is different from others; we go one step further. For example, we also offer our guests great deals at our sister company, Suwan Golf Course. And there are more to come.

What are the strengths of your hotel?

First, we have an excellent location near major shopping places, hospitals and close to BTS Skytrain. And although our property is located near the main road, it is privately set in a peaceful spot.

Second, the standard of our accommodation is excellent. We want to make our guests feel at home and each luxury suite is well-designed and spacious, featuring a separate living room, comfortable bedroom, a convenient kitchenette and all necessary facilities and amenities.

Third, our service and hospitality is beyond customer’s expectation. Our staff is trained to put themselves in the guests’ shoes, to be thoughtful, and pay attention to small details. For example, we heard that one of our residents doesn’t like cleaning their dishes, so our staff cleaned their dishes for them. This was done without request and totally on the initiative of the staff.

What is the hotel’s main target group?

I would say we try to target in all types of customers: corporate guests, expatriates, FIT and leisure groups. However, most of our customers are Japanese and European. The reason is that our accommodation, facilities and exclusive activities match with their lifestyles and fulfill their needs.