Hospitality Business | A blossoming market

HOTEL DESIGN

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HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST

HOTEL DESIGN

A blossoming market Often unnoticed but increasingly seen as a key part of a hotel guest’s experience, the use of flowers to enhance a luxury property or brand is growing. We look at the exceptional work of Jeff Leatham at the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris and speak to two players in Dubai on differing sides of the client/supplier divide.

Images of Four Seasons Hotel George V copyright Four Seasons HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST

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HOTEL DESIGN

Leatham’s top tips • Cut rose stems near to the top so nutrients reach the bud more quickly and the bloom lasts longer.

• Use a simple vase that doesn’t distract attention from the display.

• Never use more than three types of flowers in a display • Too much water in a vase causes stems to rot – put in a small amount of water and top up as required.

• Don’t mix white flowers with other colours except, if necessary, yellow.

• If using a clear vase, top up the water with Perrier – the bubbles latch on to the stems and add sparkle.

• Don’t take the activity too seriously and be sure to have fun.

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A

number of studies have shown there is a link between mood elevation and flowers. For example, a detailed study

by Rutgers University showed that everyone that received flowers smiled in some way at once when presented with a bouquet of flowers. That, of course, is why we give and send them, as well as use them to alter the mood of a dining table or room setting.

And, in the same way that they make guests to your home feel welcome, luxury hotels make a point of placing spectacular displays in lobbies - the impact and memories will stay with guests long after they’ve checked out.

Arguably setting the global standard is the Four Seasons brand with the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris being the standard bearer. That’s down to Jeff Leatham, the hotel’s celebrated artistic director. “It’s a very special hotel. The industry looks to us for what’s next in floral design. No one else spends as much time, money and energy as we do,” he explains. Every week, 12,000 flowers are delivered to the hotel, specially driven from Amsterdam.

Every three weeks, Leatham develops a new theme for the lavish and innovative floral arrangements and sculptural installations that are his hallmark. He and his team of nine assistants create at least two dozen major arrangements for the Hotel’s public areas – such as the Lobby and the renowned restaurant, Le Cinq – as well as the 150 smaller bouquets that adorn tables and desks throughout the property. The updates are done throughout the day so that guests can observe and interact with the process if they wish.

A self-taught artist, Leatham spent three years as a runway fashion model. In Paris for

a fashion show, he strolled past a small flower shop on a little street and was struck by the beauty he saw through the windows. “I had a flash of flowers as works of art, tiny elements that could be combined to create something amazing.”

A friend later referred Leatham to Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, where the floral designer needed a hand. He jumped right in, learning design techniques from counterbalancing to colour blocking and getting intimately acquainted with endless varieties of flowering plants. He made many mistakes and pushed plenty of boundaries along the way, not least once lining the hotel bar with giant banana plants. But with perseverance came confidence and success. “It started as a fluke,” Leatham recalls nearly two decades on, “and I turned it into a passion.”

Four years after joining the company, Leatham sparked a revolution in hospitality design by taking his talents to Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris. Arriving as Artistic Director in 1999 with the Hotel still under renovation, he strode in “with a hard hat and a new attitude” about the potential of flowers to transform the guest experience.

He went well beyond traditional “structured” arrangements that might see a bouquet on the cashier’s desk and a bowl of lilies here or there, instead fashioning what he calls “wow effects” intended to “knock people over” as soon as they entered the Hotel. “People weren’t used to seeing 14,000 flowers in the lobby and arrangements that continued through hallways and up to their rooms,” he says, noting that these days 80% of the Hotel’s guest rooms have flowers, too.

“They see that everyday at the George V.” It didn’t take long for the George V to become renowned as “the flower hotel”

HOTEL DESIGN

and one of the top attractions in Paris.

Leatham’s influence blossomed right along with it and today guests can see the “Jeff Leatham effect” at hotels all over the world.

“Four Seasons has become known not only for its outstanding service and iconic properties, but also for flowers. I’m quite proud of that.”

Leatham is the only employee at the George V who gets to wear whatever he wants to work: “I just walk around in my

rock ‘n’ roll way. The best compliment I get is when someone tells me they’ve been staying at the Hotel for 14 years and have never seen the same arrangement twice.”

Now, in addition to crafting his breathtaking floral displays, he collaborates with international luxury brands and venues, designs a line of crystal vases, candles and home sprays, as well as writing books and appearing on the American reality series Flowers Uncut.

His role as artistic director remains closest to his heart. “My goal is to give our guests a new and unforgettable experience each and every time they visit, from the moment they enter the lobby to the moment they arrive in their room and at every turn and corner in between,” he says. “The best reaction is when jaws drop and people say they’ve never seen the same thing twice. That’s what keeps me excited and allows me to be my rock ‘n’ roll artist self.”

The best reaction is when jaws drop and people say they’ve never seen the same thing twice

The hotel view

flowers and change them around in the early morning hours. If the display needs to be done directly at the place, yes, this would happen at night only.

We spoke to Tatjana Ahmed, Housekeeping Manager at Grand Hyatt Dubai and founder of the UAE Professional Housekeepers Group, about how flowers create an impact and the issues involved.

How is a floral budget set? Is this factored in at the hotel design stage as an integral part of the property’s look and feel? What would you see as a typical annual budget for, say, a 150 room 4- or 5-star property?

The floral budget is set to the hotel’s needs and standards. The floral decoration also reflects on the place itself. If you have an overwhelmingly decorated lobby, you might not want to place too many floral arrangements in it as they might get lost. Many times it is the interior designer who sets the standard during the opening of a hotel. I’m afraid there is no typical budget for a hotel - a 150 room hotel can spend as much as a 500 room hotel. It all depends on their needs and wants.

How much freeway do the flower supply companies have? Do they set the overall design or is it a collaboration with hotel staff?

If you contract out, you would want to tell your flower supplier how much money you would want to spend on a monthly basis and they have to work around that. Usually the flower supplier would give suggestions as to what kind of flowers to use and which colours as well and recommend the sizes and shapes of the vases. Certainly the hotel will have to approve of what is being put up. Generally you would get a supplier to do the floral work since you do not have anyone who is creative enough to do so.

Am I right in thinking that main displays are changed on a weekly basis?

Presumably this happens overnight to minimise disruption to guests...

Yes, correct. Flower displays should last for one week. Some florists prepare the

What training are hotel staff given in caring for flowers?

Our head florist is training the staff and we have seven people working in the florist department. Last year my head florist completed his certification from the Floral Design Institute in the USA. These kind of courses are very useful in keeping the florists updated and motivated.

How much do you think the style of displays adds to the ambience of a hotel, given that some put much more effort into it than others? How do make an ROI calculation on the cost?

The style is very important. It needs to reflect the ambience of the place.

Also the selection and especially the combination of flowers play a very important role. There is no ROI. The cost of the flowers are imbedded to the rooms’ cost. It’s an expense basically, just as your guest supplies for example.

Which flower supplier does the Grand Hyatt use? Is that a longterm contract?

Longterm contracts allow getting a better pricing. Black Tulip has been our supplier since the opening of the hotel.

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The supplier view

we custom make most of these items in our carpentry for our hotels which allows us to customise our concepts giving a unique look to each property. The stands and vessels are just as important as the flowers and it can be considered equally interior styling as well as floral design.

Michael Lennon is Director of Bliss Flowers & Design, whose current client list incudes The Address Downtown, The Palace Hotel, The Address Dubai Mall, The Address Hotel Dubai Marina, The Polo Club, The Marina Yacht Club, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr Abu Dhabi and St Regis Saadiyat Island. We spoke to him about being different in this competitive market.

How long has Bliss been around and how did you move into the hotel business?

Bliss was established in January 2008 by Abbey Dean and myself. We were both working at Jumeirah Beach Hotel from 2005 to 2007 where Abbey was the head florist for the hotel and I was restaurant manager in Marina Seafood Restaurant. During 2007, we worked together on one of the black box competitions for table decor and saw that we made a good team.

In addition to this, we both felt the standard of floral displays in hotel in Dubai was very poor and this was a great opportunity to start a business to specalise in this field. Abbey has previously worked in London with some cutting edge florist doing the flowers in One Aldwich and Claridges which gave her a very good level of experience.

How has the business changed since then? Is it more competitive?

Yes, there are always challenges and new competition but we feel by always using the best product, not compromising on quality and giving a personal positive service you will retain the loyalty of your customers.

Combined with our stand-out original designs we feel this has helped us to grow from two people in the business to over 60 full time with four retail shops, an international events business and the hotel division specialising in 5-star properties.

Talk me through a typical contract for the hotel. Do you work to a set budget or are you asked to come up wth an annual strategy that is then costed and approved internally? Your

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normal point of contact would be a Head Housekeeper, right? We don’t normally think of them as creative people so does Marketing also get involved?

Normally we will be contacted by purchasing with an invitation to tender.

From this point we will do a site visit, meet with housekeeping and purchasing to get the brief and from there we will give a quote for the required areas and Abbey would make a look book for the hotel. If we are chosen to proceed further we would then normally produce physical samples for final approval by the GM. With a lot of our properties, especially the Address, the Hotel General Manager gets involved to meet us to discuss the upcoming designs as they feel it is such an important part of the guest experience in their properties.

How is the ROI for an investment in floral displays worked out? Are there industry guidelines for levels of investment, if only informal ones?

We are very committed to work with a number of hotels on a lower margin than our other divisions as with annual contracts they guarantee work throughout the year even in our quieter months.

How do you approach a hotel space like the lobby? How much of the display concept is governed by availability of certain flowers, how much by the hotel’s style and how much by your desire to show off the Bliss capabilities?

When we are creating a look for a hotel lobby, we consider the interior design, concept of the hotel and all its surroundings.

A look is then created to make the floral display feel like it belongs in the hotel space.

From the accessories, stands and vessels

Major displays are changed how often?

And there’s daily maintenance?

Depending on the properties they are changed monthly or bi-weekly but for major set up it is on a monthly basis and takes a full team a full night to make the change. We have full time florists - up to three in some properties due to the size - maintaining the flowers on a daily basis and preparing the VIP room orders.

How do you keep abreast of what other suppliers are doing? Is there any kind of industry association?

There is no association as such. We just concentrate on improving our own standards and designs to set the trends in the floral industry.

What is your annual import of flowers?

On most weeks, we are bringing in over 7,000 kg of flowers from all over the world.

You were telling me about your introduction of more structured displays that don’t rely completely on floral arrangements. Did those come about in order to be distinctive in the market? Or for cost reasons? What is the reaction to them from hotel staff and guests? Would you also expect in time to see a more general shift away from cut flowers to more sustainable plants?

The new look which we started in The Address Dubai Mall was designed to raise the bar and create a look not seen before in the UAE where hotel guests can interact with the flower display like never before. That is how the #theaddressgarden got created. You will see in Instagram many pictures which guests have posted themselves enjoy the gazabo look then there was the swinging chair then the Japanese Zen garden with the bridge which you will also see Paris Hilton on. This has really become a huge focal piece and talking point for the hotel which continues to evolve. For Ramadan we created a large majlis still incorporating the garden concept.