The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing are less than a year away, and the anticipation for the event is so palpable, the city positively throbs with it. For two weeks in August next year, hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to stream into Beijing to cheer the best and brightest in sporting excellence. Countless first-timers to China will be dazzled to find an ancient but surprising gateway. Now, how will this human horde be housed?
Working to a government directive which specifies that exterior works at least should be completed by the end of this year, Beijing's hotels, new and refurbishing, look set to roll out the red carpet with plenty of time to practise getting things right for the guests. Before the Games begin, nearly 9,000 rooms in all categories are expected to have entered the inventory. (There are different sets of figures being bandied about but this is the one most often quoted.)
The million-yuan question, of course, still remains to be answered: after the Olympics, then what? Hoteliers are unabashedly bullish on China's business prospects, particularly those of Beijing. Paul Kirwin, president of Carlson Asia Pacific, whose portfolio includes the newly opened Regent Hotel, says: "We're looking at a strong economic growth in the next five years, which will make a softening of the market [in Beijing] much less than what happened in Atlanta after the Games in 1996. Domestic travel here is growing faster than anywhere in the world and that's likely to continue for 20 to 30 years more, fuelling the economy and travel. Then you have the Shanghai Expo in 2010, which will have a spill-over effect."
The Games may symbolise Beijing's coming-out party and ability to host a truly world-class event, but the recent multibillion-dollar hotel investments are for the long term. Edward Tai, area vice-president of Hyatt International Hotels and Resorts – operators of Park Hyatt Penthouses, Park Hyatt Residences and Park Hyatt, in the distinctive Yintai Centre project – believes there "will be business for all in Beijing". He cites the central government's determination to streamline the investment environment and enhance tourist attractions. "In the next three years, there will be a surge of interest in Beijing due to these efforts," he says.
While details of ticket prices, purchasing locations and hotel rates for the Games have yet to be announced, what's certain is that sporting enthusiasts, and future visitors, will find accommodation which equals, if not surpasses, that in established hubs such as London and Singapore. Beijing's current generation of rooms are larger than average at 40 sqm (even at entry level) and offer a choice of wifi or plug-in internet access, while bathrooms come with all manner of shower power.
The sprawling Metro Beijing is developing at a spectacular pace which bewilders even the locals, much less outsiders. Whereas previously, the central business district consisted of Shangri-La's China World Hotel and China World Trade Centre complex and nearby buildings, there are now a number of other business hubs. These include the Financial Street district in the west side of the city; Zhongguancun, "China's Silicon Valley" ; and Yizhuang, the favourite base of pharmaceutical and IT companies.
Business travellers are spoiled for choice in Beijing. The following options are clear proof of this happy situation.
FINANCIAL STREET
INTERCONTINENTAL
As the pioneering hotel on Financial Street, the Intercontinental was keenly watched by the market and the competition as it strove to meet the challenges of operating from a generally unknown location.
The small ground-floor lobby belies a set of extremely stylish places to wine and dine on the higher levels, namely the Monsoon Café and Restaurant, which features an extensive buffet; Si Chou Lou whose theme may be modern Chinese but the flavours remain appealing; and the X-Change lounge. Each of the hotel's 330 rooms and suites blends contemporary Asian elegance and efficiency, matched by thoughtful and considerate service.
CONTACT 11 Financial Street, XiCheng, Beijing 100034, tel +86 10 5852 5888, ihg.com
RITZ-CARLTON
A strong sense of place – being in the heart China's premier gateway – permeates this second property to claim location in the Financial Street precinct. Starting with the porte-cochere and lobby, whose floor-to-ceiling windows generously allow natural light in, Asian symbolisms and detailing are tastefully present. The theme extends to the 253 rooms, which start from 50 sqm, and at whose entrance is placed a good luck animal from a series by renowned artist Liu Li. These include the Fortune Bat, Noble Horse, Mandarin Duck and Mythical Bixie (lion with wings and horns).
The Coin, another popular Chinese emblem, is used to reflect the rich dining experiences available at the hotel. For food and drink, there is Greenfish all-day dining, Cepe Italian restaurant featuring a unique mushroom humidor, Qi Chinese restaurant with Chinese Kaiseki menu, the Apothecary Lounge and the Crystal Bar.
CONTACT 1 Jin Cheng Fang Street East, Financial Street, Beijing 100032, tel +86 10 6601 6666, ritzcarlton.com
WESTIN
The Westin complex, consisting of one tower with 486 rooms and another with 205 residences, completes the list branded chain names in this area.
Designed to help guests "be at your best", rooms (minimum size, 40 sqm) offer the signature Heavenly Bed, rainforest shower, free internet access, flatscreen TVs, IP phones with cordless handset and, if one chooses, a Westin Workout room with a treadmill. Chances to rejuvenate come in the form of the bath master, who prepares the bath and fills it with oils, the Chinese-inspired Heavenly Spa and a 25m indoor swimming pool. Seven food and beverage outlets complete the experience.
CONTACT 9B Financial Street, XiCheng, Beijing 100032, tel 86 10 6606 8866, westin.com/beijingfinancial
CHANGAN AVENUE
RAFFLES BEIJING HOTEL
Sensitively restored by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, this historic property (dating back to the 1900s) is regaining its rightful place in the city's social life. Through the decades, it has welcomed local and foreign dignitaries and celebrities, and is doing so again with great panache. It has been designated as the official hotel of the Olympic Committee for the Games.
The hotel features 171 spacious guest rooms, including the Presidential Suite (measuring 884 sqm), five Grand Hotel Suites and nine Personality Suites, each named after a luminary associated with the hotel. While the elegance of the past defines the ambiance, the needs of the present – catering for the corporate traveller especially – are fully understood. Essential work tools such as plasma TVs, wifi and high-speed broadband are provided.
Residents can experience four distinctive restaurants and bars: Jaan Restaurant for contemporary French cuisine; East 33 for Chinese and Italian; La Vie for afternoon tea; and the Writers Bar for cocktails and after-dinner cognac.
CONTACT 33 East Chang An Ave, Beijing 100004, +86 10 6526 3388, beijing.raffles.com
THE REGENT
The newest kid on the block is a smart 500-room property which has added a certain cachet to the emerging leisure district, Wangfujing. With interiors by Hirsch Bedner, guest rooms come with all the usual extras: free high-speed internet access, large plasma TV screens and DVD players, and spacious multi-feature bathrooms.
Food and beverage options include The Bar and Grill, offering a wide selection of French wines, champagnes and premium spirits; Daccapo for contemporary Italian; Café 99 for casual all-day dining with à la carte and buffet; Li Jing Cuan for Cantonese, either in the main dining area or one of 10 private spaces; and The Crescent Lounge for cosy discussions.
Corporates get extra pampering on the Regent Club floors and in the lounge, which occupies the hotel's three top floors and gives panoramic views of the Forbidden City from floor-to-ceiling glass windows.
CONTACT 99 Jinbao Street, Dongcheng, Beijing 100005, tel +86 10 8522 1888, regenthotels.com/beijingcn
CHAOYANG
HILTON
One of the city's veteran service providers has seamlessly made the transition to hip (but still tasteful). Apart from the sleek guest rooms, and bathrooms with oversized sinks, its newly-renovated 3rd Ring bars and restaurants make an immediate impact. The name is a play on the hotel's location on the 3rd Ring Road, and the fact that the venues ring the tri-level lobby atrium.
This new dining concept consists of Elements, a Pan-Asian experience featuring individual food stations including the Grazing Dinner; One East on Third Western restaurant; Zeta Bar, sister to other Zeta Bars in Hiltons in London, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney and Bangkok; and Tonic Lounge, Caffe Cino, Galleria on Two and Galleria on Three, which provide creative spaces for guests to network.
CONTACT 1 Dong Fang, North Dong Sanhuan Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100027, tel +86 10 5865 5000, beijing.hilton.com
WANGFUJING
PARK PLAZA
Exuding an intimate European feel, this 216-room hotel is the US-based Carlson's group first Park Plaza in Asia (a second opened in the Science Park in May). It's just off the busy Wangfujing commercial area, but is still near attractions such as the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. All guest rooms, from the entry-level Superior Room to the Premier Executive Suite, offer complimentary internet access.
CONTACT 97 Jinbao Street, Dongcheng, Beijing 100005, tel +86 10 8522 1999, parkplaza.com
MARCO POLO PARKSIDE
The Hong Kong-based chain's second hotel in Beijing is located in the vicinity known as the "Asian Games Village". The National Stadium and the "The Water Cube" (the National Aquatics Centre) are just 1km away.
General manager Malcolm McLauchlin says: "Because of the traffic congestion, the government is trying to get a number of areas to develop in a self-contained way for business and leisure, and ours is one of them." The area has already attracted the likes of Siemens, Motorola, Alcatel and Lucent. The hotel features 315 guest rooms, a 4,000 sqm spa, eight function rooms, duplex club lounge, five restaurants and two pillarless ballrooms.
CONTACT 78 Anli Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100101, tel +86 10 5963 6688, marcopolohotels.com
HAIDAN
SHANGRI-LA
With the US$450 million expansion for this landmark came the new Valley Wing and an additional 142 guest rooms (minimum size: 50 sqm), grand ballroom, venues, western restaurant, health club and Chi, the spa at Shangri-La. Following the tradition set by the Valley Wing at Shangri-La Singapore – the address for visiting dignitaries – this posh facility offers a chauffeur-driven limousine service, private driveway, exclusive check-in lounge, 24-hour concierge and butler services, and free flow of snacks and beverages in the Valley Wing Lounge – the largest in the Shangri-La network. Meeting rooms and computers with broadband and wifi internet access are also offered compliments of the house. The new Blu Lobster restaurant and cocktail bar is also housed in the Valley Wing.
CONTACT 29 Zizhuyuan Road, Haidian, Beijing 100089, tel +86 10 6841 2211, shangri-la.com
OPENING SOON
JW MARRIOTT & RITZ-CARLTON
Both five-star properties are integral features of China Central Place in eastern Chaoyang.The complex provides more than 230,000 sqm
of office space, eight residential towers and 160,000 sqm of retail space. The Ritz-Carlton will lead the way, followed by the JW later in the year. Between them, they will provide 900 guest rooms (the JW's comes with the Marriott Revive Bedding Package), two executive lounges, two spas, nine food and beverage options and plenty of conference and meeting space.
CONTACT marriotthotels.com, ritz-carlton.com
LANGHAM PLACE HOTEL
Due to open next year, the Langham Place Beijing forms part of the 400,000 sqm Chaoyang Plaza, which also consists of five office towers, central gardens, retail space and subway access. The hotel has 440 rooms, 40 serviced apartments, 5,000 sqm of meeting space, five restaurants and the Chuan Spa and Residences specialising in traditional Chinese medicine and therapies.
This Langham Place reflects a contemporary version of the more traditional The Langham brand already present in Hong Kong, Auckland, Melbourne and the original Langham in London, which dates back to 1865. Brett Butcher, senior vice-president sales and marketing says: "The new model is really a modern stimulating take on hospitality. The interior design will feature more clean lines but done in an elegant way."
CONTACT langhamhotels.com
PARK HYATT
Encased in the distinctive central tower of the future Beijing Yintai Centre, the 237-room Park Hyatt and its sister products, Park Hyatt Penthouses and Park Hyatt Residences, will bring a different aspect of affluent living to the market. Flanking the 63-storey building are two 44-storey columns for offices. The central tower is crowned by a large cube with a built-in glass pyramid resembling a Chinese lantern.
The podium linking the three structures will house high-end retail space, restaurants, outdoor landscaped garden, ballroom and trend-setting meeting product The Residence. Edward Tai, area vice-president for Hyatt International Hotels and Resorts, says: "We hope to put our Park Hyatt experience and standards in looking after all aspects of the Beijing Yintai Centre."
CONTACT hyatt.com
