As construction of the first GHM-managed hotel in China nears completion, general manager Giulio D’Alberto is putting the finishing touches on his first move overseas.
The 47-year-old Italian, who has worked exclusively in Italy since 1999, began unpacking his suitcase 27 June after being hired to lead The Chedi Club Suzhou into market.
While D’Alberto’s surroundings are different, his employer is familiar; in 2007, the economics expert (indeed, he has a PhD in the subject) was appointed director of finance for the property formerly known as The Chedi Milan, which was then managed by GHM.
D’Alberto comes to Suzhou at a time when the foundation is being laid — figuratively, at least — for a hotel unlike any other in GHM’s ever-expanding portfolio.
When open in early 2013, the 36-room Chedi Club Suzhou will occupy three floors of the city’s tallest complex — the all-glass Global 188 towers — and feature a destination rooftop restaurant, a health club and a spa replete with 12 treatment rooms, including a reflexology salon.
To create an urban retreat whose interiors embrace both contemporary and traditional design philosophies, GHM is working with Jaya Ibrahim to blend cool tones and local flourishes in a way that “is going to be striking,” said D’Alberto.
Global 188 is located in downtown Suzhou with panoramic views of the central business district and water features — Jin Ji Lake, the Yangtze River and various canals — that make it the ‘Venice of the East.’
The city is 20 minutes by high-speed train from Shanghai and renowned for its classical gardens, which collectively own UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
For more information about The Chedi Club Suzhou, contact Scott Resch at Balcony Media Group (sresch@balconymediagroup.com).
About GHM
Established in 1992, GHM (General Hotel Management Ltd.) is known for conceptualising, developing and operating an exclusive group of hotels and resorts. With an expansive portfolio and more projects in the pipeline, GHM prides itself in providing guests with an unrivalled lifestyle experience.
Each GHM property is an original. A symbiotic relationship between the hotel and the local culture enables GHM to provide guests with a genuine, close-up experience of the best each destination has to offer. The signature GHM style melds contemporary interpretations of Asian designs and distinctive local touches to create inspired, memorable spaces.
GHM’s portfolio includes:
• The Legian Bali, Indonesia
• The Club at The Legian Bali, Indonesia
• The Nam Hai Hoi An, Vietnam
• The Strand Yangon, Myanmar
• The Ananti Kumgang Mountains, North Korea
• The Ananti Club Seoul, South Korea
• The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
• The Chedi Muscat, Oman
• The Chedi Chiang Mai, Thailand
GHM properties currently under development:
• The Chedi Club Suzhou, China
• The Chedi Tamouda Bay, Morocco
• The Chedi Andermatt, Switzerland
• The Chedi Taiping Lake, China
• The Chedi Qutub, New Delhi, India
• The Chedi Club & Residences Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• The Chedi Khorfakkan, Sharjah, UAE
