BANGKOK, Thailand – July 14, 2009 – Le Méridien Bangkok, a new arrival in the five-star luxury hotel market in Bangkok, is delivering its distinctive 'creative chic' style over a technology platform based on the Cisco® Connected Hotel solution, featuring Cisco Unified Communications. 'Creative chic' is defined by the hotel as delivering on the five-star luxuries expected by the modern guest, including technology conveniences.
Le Méridien Bangkok will be the first hotel in the country to outfit each of its 282 luxury rooms and suites with a color touch-screen Cisco Unified IP Phone, giving every guest a single, easy-to-use portal to customized five-star services.
"Tailoring the guest environment is a significant element of customer retention. Le Méridien aims to inspire our guests with our exterior and interior signature design, luxurious guestrooms and stylish meeting rooms, and all the conveniences that busy travelers look for, including a spa and a Technogym-equipped fitness centre. At the heart of this 'creative chic' lifestyle, however, is the technology, from the color touch-screen IP phones in the room to the pervasive wireless Internet access to the robust network infrastructure that keeps everything working together seamlessly. We view the technology infrastructure as an enablement for us to deliver the superior service expected by our guests and to efficiently support our staff and management," said Jee Hoong Tan, director of sales and marketing at Le Méridien Hotel.
Le Méridien Bangkok's technology infrastructure is built on the Cisco Connected Hotel solution, which comprises Cisco Catalyst® switches, Cisco Aironet® wireless access points, Cisco security solutions and Cisco Unified Communications, including the Cisco 7970 and 7921 Unified IP Phones. These are integrated with call accounting, hospitality voicemail, and XML applications on the Cisco 7970 Unified IP Phone and the hotel's property management system. This fully integrated communications platform was designed and deployed by NexEntel, a Cisco Premier Certified Partner systems integrator.
The technology that Le Méridien Bangkok guests see the most is the color touch-screen Cisco 7970 Unified IP Phone in their rooms. Once the guests check in, the IP phone in the room is activated and customized for them, providing not just telephone services but one-touch access to a range of hotel services, including temperature controls and the Do Not Disturb sign. Guests can also opt for a wireless IP phone so that they can remain accessible on their direct line anywhere in the hotel.
"Cisco's networking and communications solutions are enabling hotels throughout the world to transform the way they deliver services to their guests. While the front-end experience of the guests is important, equally so is the ability for the Cisco Connected Hotel solution to optimize the hotel's operations. Cisco is proud to have been able to work so closely with Le Méridien Bangkok to deliver on its commitment of customer excellence," said Vatsun Thirapatarapong, director of commercial operations, Cisco Thailand.
About Le Méridien
The Le Méridien brand, currently represented by approximately 120 properties in 52 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide in November 2005. With close to 90 percent of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Méridien provides a strong international complement to Starwood's primarily North American holdings. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien-branded hotels and resorts within the next five years, concentrating in the U.S., Latin America, and Asia-Pacific, including destinations such as India, Thailand and China.
