Rural student outreach at sprawling new Kempinski

Brice Péan, general manager of the hotel, said he was impressed by the children’s "fabulous" waist-drum dance. "You are the real stars tonight," he told the troupe.

The children had staged public performances before, so they said they didn't feel nervous though it was their debut at an up-market hotel Chen said the hotel will continue to organize such events and invite more children from the school to participate, including those gifted in singing and drawing.

The school, which has three campuses, has advanced ideas for teaching and state-of-the-art facilities, yet after school the children from poor families are short of educational resources, she said. The hotel shows them they have access to resources to society and can win applause and get rewards if they do have talent.

"So they will be able to see more options for future," she said. The century-old European hotel brand Kempinski has long placed an emphasis on merging into with the local community communities and respecting local cultures, she noted.

Kempinski’s latest project is on the outskirts of Beijing, the sprawlinga 14-square-kilometer complex that contains hotels, spas, restaurants, bars and facilities for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, that served as the main venue for this year’s high-profile APEC meetings.

The new premier destination in Beijing that started its trial operations in mid-December has an unexpectedly high booking rate, according to the hotel management. General Manager Péan said Kempinski’s European heritage is a signature guarantee of its service and product quality.

"Our distinction is that Kempinski is the oldest luxury hotel company in Europe,"he said. "Clearly the history and the heritage of Kempinski is what we deliver to our guests."