Shangri-La's new Website

Tuesday, June 19. 2007

I know, I have been quiet, and I have so much I plan to share on my blog in the coming weeks - about my China trip, web developments at the Canadian Tourism Commission, and my general impressions around online marketing in the travel and toursim industry.

But when I saw the press release about the new Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts website, I just couldn't wait...

US$ 2Million...and it gets you this???? Well, I have to admit, it is clean and the hotel imagery is stunning. However, the site is everything else than interactive (even though the map is nice...very similar to the map at FourSeasons.com). No integration of Web 2.0, no interactive tools, the booking engine is boring and reminds you standing at a post office and filling out forms (however I do like upselling packages during the reservation process - we did this on Fairmont.com in 2003), the content management system lets the font appear hoaky (at least on my screen), and I could go on.

Well, I guees I am not hiding my disappointment very well. I have stayed at the Island Shangri-La in Hong Kong, and I am currently witnessing the development of the amazing new Shangri-La in Vancouver. The Island Shagri-La belongs to my favorite city hotels in the world (and I have stayed at a lot of great hotels!)...the service was impeccable and the hotel striking. When I read the press release, I was hoping that Shagri-La would be able to transfer that great hotel experience online, but this seems more than a hip (the site is designed in black), but boring Web 1.0 website, which is fine...but for $2 Million???

The Press Relase (at Hotel-Online) is below.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts Debuts
US$2 million Website Re-design

June 19, 2007 - Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific's leading luxury hotel group, unveiled its new look website at www.shangri-la.com. Featuring completely re-vamped design and layout, the website also offers expanded content, added site options and enhanced navigation usability.
.

website at www.shangri-la.com.
The website re-design provides online visitors with even greater insight into the Shangri-La brand, a critical imperative given the group's rapid expansion into new Western markets.

The most dramatic transformation greeting web visitors is the extensive usage of emotive and striking imagery with a cinematic presentation. Hundreds of new hotel photographs, with Asian motifs in the border designs, enhance visitors' knowledge of the hotels and their distinctive Asian spirit.

Featured on the revamped site is an enhanced web booking function, which allows visitors to book their selected room directly on individual hotel pages. The new design also condenses the number of content selection options to three - Find a Hotel, Rates and Reservations, and Plan an Event - with each section containing more interactive content and comprehensive details on Shangri-La hotels.

The US$2 million website re-design project was conducted by MetaDesign, a San Francisco, California-based agency recognized for its cutting-edge abilities in creating and reinforcing brand identity.

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific's leading luxury hotel group, currently manages 51 hotels under the five-star Shangri-La and four-star Traders brands, with a rooms inventory of over 24,000. The group has over 40 projects under development in Canada, mainland China, France, India, Japan, Macau, Maldives, Philippines, Qatar, Seychelles, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States.

Posted by Jens Thraenhart in Websites at 18:56 | Comments (3) | Trackbacks (0)

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Well, I guess that's what you get when you ask a "cutting edge" web agency focused on pretty design to build you a site, one that has impressive brand name clients but hardly any travel and tourism experience rather than a web developer who knows that particular market and what it takes to sell travel online. Pretty much what many DMO have done over the past few years, including the ETC who spent more than that for a less than memorable VisitEurope website.

Comment (1)

#1 Joe Buhler (Homepage) on 2007-06-19 21:10 (Reply)

Rude experience in Shangri-la Shenzhen! I had my laundry washed at Shangri-la's Shenzhen. Next day, my wool sweater had a hole. The staff told me, no issue, had it sewed up, in another way, asked me to shut up and don't make a big fuss over a 'small hole' in the wool sweater. Michael Tam - Director, Room. I have been discussing for 3 times but till now there are still no conclusion. I am very tied up and unable to meet. I respect your busy schedule. Michael Tam – is concerned about ‘the size of the hole’ , why need to review again about the hole of the wool sweater which was spoilt. Initially I was told by the Shangri-la Shenzhen’s staff that ‘it is not any problem, just get it sew up’ and everything seems to be ‘ok’ according to my understanding from the way it is conveyed to me. Is this how the team is taught to handle such request? I think I have got that moment captured through video clip that 2 of your colleagues, Steven & Rebecca were viewing & holding the wool sweater. • But again Michael claims they did not have suffice time viewing at my wool sweater which the so call ‘small hole’. And Michael says they only got a very short time of around 2 minutes to view the ‘hole’ of the sweater. How much time is viewing required the so called ‘small hole in the wool sweater’? Does he not trust the wool sweater being viewed by his 2 colleagues? Please advise how many more people is required for viewing ‘a hole in the sweater’. And what are the implications between a smaller hole as compared with the larger hole, which Michael has been debating about? And Michael has confirmed with me payment of 10 times according to the rules and regulation, which I respect Shangri-la rules and regulation. And I have full respect for Michael’s intelligence in dealing with this matter in this manner. A conclusion is appreciated first which Michael was aware. • But who would be in right frame of mind if something so dearly given by a love one, from a little faraway land such as Scotland, is having a hole after cleaning by Shangri-la, and besides being a human with feelings, which this so call just a piece of wool sweater does means a lot to me, but it seems to the staff of Shangri-la Shenzhen’s ‘which is just a wool sweater’ and ‘its just a small hole’ and just ‘get it sew up’, which was suggested. And which I should not be angry over this ‘wool’ sweater. • I acknowledge about my foolishness and unprofessionalism (I am being educated in a professional indirect way) and even my carelessness or stupidity in not reading the 10 times payment of the written rule and regulation stated in the document in event if garment is spoilt, which has been continuously educated to me. • I need to learn from this lesson and others would be able to share this great lesson with more people globally in learning together from my experience with Shangri-la. Shangri-la Shenzhen got a great team of ‘professional staff’.

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#2 AT on 2008-03-24 00:03 (Reply)

Website Designing Vancouver, Website Development Vancouver, ERP Solutions Vancouver, Canada Website Designing Company

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#3 website designing vancouver (Homepage) on 2009-01-06 01:50 (Reply)

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