Joachim Heineke, the general manager of Sunworld Dynasty Hotel Photo: Courtesy of Joachim Heineke

Originally from Germany, Joachim Heineke, the general manager of Sunworld Dynasty Hotel, has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years and has extensive knowledge of hotel management in many countries, including Germany, France, Russia.

Now in China, Heineke has been at the helm of the distinguished Sunworld Dynasty Hotel for the past three years.

Founded in 1990, the Sunworld Dynasty Hotel is on Wangfujing Dajie in Beijing. Its excellent geographical location and history have led to its becoming one of the most favored hotels for both business and tourism trips.

"The characteristic of our hotel is its profound history, which is classic. Twenty years ago, when there were mostly hutong nearby, the Sunworld Dynasty Hotel became the luxury landmark in this area," Heineke said. "Many of the children of that time have grown up and hold their wedding ceremony at our hotel because the place bears the weight of the memory of their childhood."

Although the competition in the hotel industry is fierce in China, especially in Beijing, Heineke said the hotel has embraced both the challenges and opportunities and spares no effort to remain current in the marketplace.

The hotel continually improves its services to serve its guests better. Taking its restaurant as an example, Heineke said the menu provides both Western and traditional Chinese dishes.

"Many people visit Beijing and eat the typical foods, and the most favored is the Beijing duck. Therefore, our restaurant adds it to our menu, and we do the duck in a very traditional way," he said.

Heineke believes in enjoying life to the fullest, and his management philosophy is "a happy staff makes happy customers." As a result, Heineke believes in giving his team room to innovate and flourish.

"I do not interfere. I let them play their roles. If they need help, I will be happy to help them," he said.

Although keen on maintaining the hotel's service culture, Heineke thinks modern technology, if applied well, can have a meaningful and far-reaching effect on the hotels offerings.

Being able to capitalize on trends seems to be a skill Heineke has mastered. "We will see what is coming, what's new and what is going to work. Then we will follow in the footstep of the trends and provide updated service to our customers," he said.