The Ritz-Carlton Tianjin is dedicated to upholding the brand's reputation for luxury and consistently delivering "memories worth repeating", says General Manager Charlie Zha, who also assumed the role of area general manager in China in June.

Zha rejoined the property this summer. He previously served as the hotel manager at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Tianjin when it opened in 2013, oversaw the hotel's prelaunch preparations and operational management.

He expressed his delight in witnessing the enduring allure of Ritz-Carlton's timeless classics radiating throughout the hotel.

"Even a seemingly simple teacup with its elegant design holds significant memories from our preparations for the grand opening," he says.

Zha also recounted his joy in reconnecting with old acquaintances in the coastal city from 11 years ago.

For instance, he mentioned meeting a female teacher surnamed Huang from Tongzhizhou, a charitable organization dedicated to educating children facing autism challenges.

Huang presented the hotel with a pennant symbolizing the organization's gratitude over the past 11 years, inspiring Zha to further engage in initiatives to help vulnerable children.

Since assuming his role at Ritz-Carlton Tianjin, Zha has intensified efforts to foster innovation among the staff, resulting in numerous noteworthy occurrences dubbed as "memories worth repeating".

One such instance involved a guest who embarked on a 200-kilometer bicycle journey from Beijing to Tianjin, only to be greeted with a surprise on the final sprint to the finish line prepared by the hotel staff upon her arrival, as the hotel's mascot, a toy lion, also took center stage.

Each Ritz-Carlton hotel's mascot is a lion adorned in attire characteristic of the location. In Tianjin the mascot pays tribute to the city's renowned cross talk actors.

Another guest fondly recalled a playful encounter with the hotel's mascot, a lion dressed in the distinctive red and green North China-style outfit, during their stay at Ritz-Carlton Harbin.

Upon checkout, the guest was pleasantly surprised to receive the same mascot, as the Harbin branch promptly dispatched it via express mail to Tianjin that evening.

During the summer holidays, many children and families enjoyed immersive sessions with prominent cross talk actors in Tianjin, known as the birthplace of China's cross talk tradition.

In October, the prestigious Tianjin Wudadao Forum, sponsored by the Tianjin Finance Work Committee and Nankai University, chose the hotel as its venue, breaking away from the city's convention of hosting major forums with government leaders at other venues.

The hotel welcomed guests under its ethos of "creating memorable experiences", offering top-tier services, including two exquisite chocolates depicting Tianjin's historical landmarks.

The forum was the debut of government-endorsed conferences at the hotel.

"This embodies Ritz-Carlton's commitment to its service value, as we strive to be good neighbors," Zha says.

Given his oversight of the entire China region, Zha also shared insights into upcoming hotel openings.

A new Ritz-Carlton is set to debut in Wuhan, located in Central China's Hubei province, while another is slated to open within the iconic Birds' Nest at the Beijing Olympics venue in the next two years. "These new properties are poised to add another chapter to Ritz-Carlton's legacy in China," Zha says with pride.

YANG CHENG in Tianjin