A Q&A with Michelle Dyer of Pullman Hotels and Resorts

Katie Milton speaks with Michelle Dyer, Global Brand Manager of Pullman Hotels and Resorts, about the luxury ‘Pullman experience’ and the brand’s recent expansion throughout the Asia-Pacific Region

Describe the Pullman traveller?

The Pullman traveller is a global nomad, hyper-connected, extremely mobile and very demanding. They are constantly blending their worlds of work and life. The Pullman brand offers guests the option of combining work – thanks to a particularly innovative and modern business events service – and relaxation with spaces that have been redesigned as lively venues for socialising and meeting. Pullman guests are sophisticated and well-travelled and are looking for a new take on luxury that is modern, vibrant and not too fussy.

 

To what do you attribute the recent growth of Pullman Hotels in the Asia-Pacific region?

Pullman Hotels has grown quickly since being launched and this can be attributed to the fact that the brand has immediately shown its appeal to today’s sophisticated traveller looking for something distinctive but resolutely modern. Today’s upscale and luxury travellers are looking for a brand that breaks the traditional codes of hospitality, and Pullman Hotels have become social hubs in their cities and a place to relax and unwind in resort destinations. The brand sits below the traditional luxury brands, and offers a way for guests to experience the finer things in life at a more accessible price.

 

What facilities do Pullman Hotels and Resorts offer that set them apart from their competitors?

The design of a Pullman hotel or resort goes far beyond that of its physical features, although those are of course important. The approach goes a step further in helping guests – these global nomads, constantly orbiting their worlds of work and life – achieve what they need to during their stay.

We believe that feeling accomplished is a matter of being able to stay in-touch, on-track, connected and disconnected. While that might seem like an obvious statement, Pullman is working with experts in their fields to ensure that: access to technology is easy and at your fingertips; healthy food that helps you perform is a reality; and the motivation to keep up with your fitness routine – whether that’s hard-core cardio or yoga, strength and stretching – is not hard to find. At the same time, those things which help you relax, indulge and enjoy are also there.

One way Pullman is keeping up with the pace of today’s travellers is by reinventing its lobby spaces. What were once thoroughfares to move in, through and out of, will become multi-functional: spaces reimagined for where people come together, sit alone, work, talk, drink, flirt, read, connect, brainstorm, be still, eat, cross paths, stare sideways, stare into space. Spaces in which to perform and also to just ‘be’. This makes the experience more dynamic and more closely connected to each destination, its vibe and its people.

The Pullman brand has a rich history. In the 19th century, Pullman sleeper trains revolutionised rail travel and allowed voyagers to sleep and dine in an atmosphere of luxury, conviviality and comfort. Today the Pullman brand continues to revolutionise travel and constantly evolves to help travellers navigate the globe with a greater sense that they are understood – because we get them and we’re with them.

 

Pullman enlists designers to create special objects and furnishings for their hotels and resorts. What is the importance of such distinct interiors when establishing a new Pullman hotel?

Pullman Hotels are centred around arts, style and design. We have enlisted a talented group of interior and fashion designers to create signature design elements to give our guests a sense of the world in which they are travelling. Our signature ‘giant globe’ – found in many of our lobbies – symbolises travel in an artwork by Mathiew Lehanneur. It is a symbol of Pullman’s cosmopolitan nature. Other iconic objects might include an armchair inspired by train carriage seats that hark back to Pullman’s railroad origins or video artwork installations that symbolise the brand’s modernity. These elements are important because guests want to be inspired and surprised when they travel.

 

How is the Pullman brand aligned with sustainable development?

We have committed to ensuring all new Pullman hotels will be built using sustainable materials and renewable energies. Our Pullman hotels participate in AccorHotels’ Planet 21 program, which includes several commitments to the environment, the planet and its people. We have also committed to reducing food waste by 30 per cent across the network, including Pullman hotels, and we are planting urban gardens at many of our Pullman hotels to ensure the freshest possible produce with the smallest environmental footprint.

 

Are any exciting new Pullman properties opening soon?

We have many Pullman projects in the pipeline. Some of the more exciting ones include Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort, opening in 2016, Pullman Mandalay Mingalar in Myanmar and Pullman Nadi Bay Resort & Spa in Fiji.